A Study On Oral English Teaching Based On Intrinsic Motivation In Vocational Schools

On the basis of the previous research of SDT (Self-determination Theory)on Deci's intrinsic motivation, this study investigates the influence of intrinsic motivation in oral English teaching,particularly, on the students'perceived competence and self-determination in secondary vocational schools through longitudinal quasi-experimental study. To ensure credibility and validity, this study uses a questionnaire as the supplement. As questionnaires are used extensively in both qualitative research and quantitative research (Liu Runqing, 1999), the study adopted the structured questionnaire. A questionnaire is modified and used in the study with its items quantified for the sake of quantitative analysis. The subjects are asked to respond in a written way based on the catalogues of background information and motivation type. The ultimate purpose of the study is to analyze whether the intrinsic motivation will influence the students'scores of oral English and to investigate how to design and arrange oral English teaching activities based on the principles of intrinsic motivation so as to stimulate the students'intrinsic motivation and improve their achievement.At the beginning of this study, the author makes an investigation on oral English and learning motivation by using a questionnaire among students of two classes in Grade One in Qingdao Foreign Affairs Service School. The feedback reveals that there are no significant differences in their motivation, and their High School Entrance Examination scores also indicate that the students are at the same level. Then Class Two is treated as the experimental class and Class Three as the control class. Following the six principles of intrinsic motivation, the author designs and conducts oral English teaching activities for the experimental class. The two classes use the same teaching materials and are taught in similar teaching environments by one teacher. The period for the experiment is 20 weeks, from September, 2008 to March, 2009, with four lessons a week. At the end of the study, a post-test which is PETS examination is made in the two classes. The results of the study show that the students in the experimental class outperform the students in the control class in their oral English.Based on the major findings, suggestions are made to teachers. In oral English teaching teachers should make efforts to enhance the students'intrinsic motivation, foster students'self-perceptions of competence and self-determination. They should remove the fear of the students, inspire their confidence and try to arouse their interest in oral English learning. For example, teachers should let the students know what they are going to do by telling them the following teaching schedule, create record files for the students'oral English achievement to record their progress in details, and teachers should not make social comparison which may weaken students'enthusiasm.It is assumed that the study may provide a truthful description of vocational school students'motivation and attitude to oral English, and offer helpful suggestions of how to conduct oral English teaching and stimulate students'intrinsic motivation.