A Study On Initiating And Sustaining Students' English Learning Motivation In Rural Senior High School

Motivation is one of important factors that influence foreign language learning, which has been recognized in the field of foreign languages' teaching at home and abroad. And many researches have been carried out.However, according to the author's ten-year teaching experience and observation as an English teacher in rural senior high school, the English teaching with attention to students' affective factors has not been satisfactorily done. In rural areas most students as well as their families regard the entry into the university as the most important. Teachers and school leaders have similar opinions. The success rate of NMET (National Matriculated Entrance Test) means a lot for all of them. Because of the pressure of NMET, most of the teachers devote all they can to cramming grammar rules and vocabulares into the students, while the students bury themselves into memorizing them mechanically. However, its low efficiency and unsatisfactory effect can hardly meet learners' needs adequately. For this, quite a few students lose interest in English learning, and some students even want to give up English learning. This problem undoubtedly owes a lot to the negligence of learners' affective state in the process of teaching. Students' English learning motivation is not aroused and maintained in time.In foreign language teaching, the motivational factors that influence learners are numerous and complex. However, from the review of the former research about motivation, most researchers fix their attention on the English major and non-major university students, or the general adolescent learners at home or abroad. Little attention has been paid to English learners' motivation in senior high school students in rural areas. So the author of the thesis is determined to focus on the indispensable three aspects of language learning, namely, the teacher, the learner, and the learning situation in order to explore the principal motivational components of senior high school students in rural areas, the difference of motivation between high-achieving students and low-achieving students in English learning, and meanwhile find out whatfactors on earth hinder students' motivation in English learning and provide some suggestions for English teachers in the same teaching situations. The research may be helpful in further deepening the study of English teaching and in making a more effective teaching in rural senior high schools.Through survey, especially interview intended for teachers and questionnaires for students in rural senior high schools, the major factors hindering the students' English learning motivation are located on the following respects: students possess only instrumental motivation not integrative motivation;students' lack self-confidence, low self-efficacy, incorrect attribution etc;interest, goals and expectancy influence students' motivation, and so do teaching methods, relationship between teachers and students, teachers' feedback, and learning environment, etc.Based on former language experts' and practitioners' achievements and also the observation, survey and practice of the present author, several suggestions are put forward for English teaching practice in rural areas. First, English teachers should help students know the task well in order to make good goals suited to students themselves. Also, various materials close to students' authentic life should be selected to satisfy students' desire and call students' interest in English. In addition, English teachers should try to change students' incorrect attribution, activate students' achievement motivation and reinforce self-confidence, etc. I also suggest a harmonious relationship between teachers and learners, which will undoubtedly reduce the distance between teachers and learners, decreasing anxiety and enhancing motivation. Obviously, to initiate and sustain learners' motivation, we teachers have to work on our personal development, and modify traditional teaching methods. It is also necessary for teachers to create a friendly and active classroom atmosphere.