The Correlation Between L2 Directed Motivational Currents And Autonomous Learning Behavior For Vocational School Students

Language Learner Autonomy(LLA)has explored by many scholars over30 years,Edward Deci and Richard Ryan's(1985,2000)Self-determination Theory(SDT)serve as the tie between LLA and second language(L2)motivation.However,there is a different concept of autonomy in LLA and SDT.What's more,in the field of motivation,D?rnyei et al.(2016)put forward an optimal motivational theory called Directed Motivational Currents(DMCs),and this updated theory can provide an excellent theoretical framework for the present study.With the help of D?rnyei's L2 DMCs,this thesis will discuss the relationship between freshmen L2 DMCs and their autonomous learning behavior in Shandong Communication and Media College.What's more,English is an universal language,playing a supportive role in finding a job for vocational school students.Therefore,teaching English in vocational school is necessary,however,the English proficiency of vocational school students is inadequate.So,this thesis designs three research questions of this empirical study: 1)The author has talked about what is the general standard of this vocational school students' L2 DMCs.2)The author has discussed the differences in the four components of L2 DMCs when comparing students of liberal arts with students of science,3)For liberal arts and science students,among the four components of L2 DMCs,which has the most prominent correlation with students' autonomous learning behavior.The current study adopted a mixture of quantitative method and qualitative method.The author selected 512 freshmen in above-mentioned vocational school,and the data was collected on May,2017.All data was then analyzed using SPSS 20.0.In order to answer the three questions,the author used descriptive statistics,independent-samples T test,Pearson correlation analysis and multi-regression.Thereafter,12 students were interviewed to obtain the qualitative data,which would give a support to quantitative method.In the following section,the results show that the generation of L2 DMCs in the students of this vocational school is inadequate.The level of L2 vision is middle,triggering factors and launch of a L2 DMCs ranked second,whereas theunique structure and positive emotional loading of L2 DMCs are worse.What's more,there are obvious differences in triggering factors and launch between the arts students and the science students.The triggering factors in liberal arts students are stronger than that of science students,however,in L2 vision,unique structure and positive emotional loading of arts and science students do not show any discrepancy.Lastly,the results show that for the arts students and science students,the L2 vision,triggering factors and launch have relevance with autonomous learning behavior,Whereas for science students the unique structure has little relevance to science students' autonomous learning behavior,and for liberal arts students,the L2 vision,triggering factors and the unique structure of a DMC have a strong relevance with arts students' autonomous learning behavior,positive emotion has little relevance to arts and science students' autonomous learning behavior.Finally,this thesis exhibits the results and make suggestions for English teachers in vocational schools: 1)Teachers should try their best to help students create a L2 vision which can generate goal-directed behavior;2)SLA researchers should explore more motivational strategies according to students' unique structure and emotional loading of a L2 DMCs.