| As we all know, it is a very difficult task for the English teachers to upgrade Junior Middle School English Underachievers (JEUs). In order to investigate the main causes of the JEUs .The researcher makes the first survey among 330 junior middle school students who are from No. 1 Middle School .Then, another three questionnaires are carried out among 160 JEUs who are selected from No 1 Middle School according to their English levels.The results of the investigations indicate that there are a number of factors that potentially influence the learners' achievements. Motivation, strategies and attitudes are the major causes of the JEUs. It is remarkable that motivation comes out with the highest percentage and seems to be much more important than the other factors. The research reflects that the type of motivation common among the JEUs is instrumental motivation rather than integrative motivation. Motivation is a very important factor in English Foreign Language Learning (EFLL). Without motivation, successful learning does not take place. With instrumental motivation the purpose of language acquisition is more utilitarian. Analyzed logically, instrumental motivation is less endurable than integrative motivation. Those who are highly motivated will not regard the passing of the exam as the learning goal. Instead, they will see to it that they will master and use the English as a foreign language (EFL). The JEUs have to learn English because of the stress of the exams. However, as their interests are not strong enough to support a long and active learning, they have experienced more defeat than success, and thus a down-spiraling effect has been produced. The results show that most of JEUs have negative attitudes tendency towards English learning. Attitudes do not have direct influence on learning, but they can affect motivation. Our attitudes toward foreign culture influence how we experience learning process, and they have an impact on the level of EFL proficiency and are influenced by this success. Generally speaking, positive attitudes can be expected to enhance learning and negative attitudes to impede learning. Those who take hostile attitudes toward the English language and English learning will find English extremely difficult to learn, which will definitely affect their learning motivation and outcomes.The results also indicate that it is the affective strategies, social strategies and communicative strategies that influence the low-proficiency of the JEUs. Affective strategies are the most important factors. The JEUs do much worse in controlling their affective factors and thus cannot adjust their psychological and emotional situations for the purpose of language learning. These learners are less self-confident and they cannot overcome anxiety, furthermore, they do not often evaluate their progress in foreign language learning.This thesis consists of six parts. The purpose on the study is introduced in Chapter One. Four questions are put forward:Question 1: What is the main cause of the JUEs?Question 2:What type of motivation affects the JEUs more strongly?Question 3:What are the JEUs' attitudes toward English?Question 4: What type of learning strategies do the JUEs employ?In Chapter Two and Chapter Three, the development of the study about underachievers is reviewed concisely, the rationales are presented: Attribution Theory and learner characteristics that influence EFLL. Chapter Four is the methodology, including participants, instruments and procedures. In Chapter Five , analyses of the main causes for the JEUs are presented to answer the questions 1, 2, 3, 4 raised in Chapter One. Chapter Six is the conclusion, and another study that JEUs can become achievable English learners is put forward in the end...
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