A Correlational Study Of Senior High School Students’ Motivation And Engagement In English Learning

Numerous studies have shown that learning motivation will affect learning engagement(Reeve,2012)and that active learning engagement enhances learners’ learning motivation(Reeve & Lee,2014).Motivation research in foreign language learning is booming,and self-determination theory(SDT)has attracted wide attention.Understanding the complex correlation between English learning motivation(ELM)and English learning engagement(ELE)is significant for creating a positive environment,optimizing students’ emotional experiences,and enhancing their ELE.Focusing on the correlation between high school students’ ELM and ELE,this study used a mixed method with 410 senior high school students as participants.The study aimed to answer the following three main questions:1.What are the levels of students’ English learning motivation(ELM)?2.What are the levels of students’ English learning engagement(ELE)?3.How do students’ English learning motivation and English learning engagement correlate?This study used questionnaires to investigate students’ motivation and engagement in English learning.The questionnaire of learning motivation comes from Oga-Baldwin &Nakata(2017);the questionnaire of learning engagement is derived from Reeve & Tseng(2011).Through the analysis of the obtained data,the following conclusions were drawn:1.High school students had a median level of ELM,and their ELM was more inclined to self-determination types.2.High school students had a median level of ELE,especially in behavioral engagement,but weak in agentic engagement.3.There was a significant positive correlation between high school students’ ELM and ELE.The four dimensions of students’ ELE were significantly and positively correlated with intrinsic regulation,identified regulation,and introjected regulation.The positive correlation gradually weakened and eventually became significantly and negatively correlated with extrinsic regulation.Based on the above findings,this paper offers the following insights on how to enhance students’ ELM and ELE:1.Maintain students’ autonomous ELM level;create a relaxed,positive classroom atmosphere;2.Improve teachers’ support to enhance students’ engagement;3.Satisfy students’ basic psychological needs;4.Improve students’ ability to self-regulation.