Research On English Learning Motivation And Learning Strategies Use Of Senior Middle School Students

With the focus of teaching shifted from teaching to learning and the rapid development of cognitive psychology, emphasis of study in second language acquisition has shifted its attention to the individual difference of the learners. Students'individual differences in the process of learning are regarded as one of the most important factors that account for the success or failure of language learning. Among various individual differences motivation and learning strategy are two main research topics. Research on learning motivation and learning strategy has been a good harvest. Both domestic and foreign scholars have made efforts to study them but much room has been left to research on their relationship with academic achievement and related research in the field of middle school education is also called for.Given this situation, an exploratory study among 72 high middle school students was conducted. The present study aims at investigating in Chinese cultural contexts Chinese middle school students'English learning motivation and the employment of learning strategies as well as the differences in leaning motivation and strategy use between high achievers and low achievers. It is hoped that some enlightenment for the teaching and learning activities could be gained to improve the language achievements of middle school students. In this study, questionnaire referring to two widely accepted classification of motivation and questionnaire with reference to both Oxford's and O'Malley and Chamot's classification of learning strategies are designed and adopted as major research tools to collect data. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences 15.0 (SPSS 15.0) is used for statistical calculation.According to the rank order of mean scores, students are more instrumentally motivated and extrinsically motivated. However, there is no significant difference in motivation between high achievers and low achievers.In terms of learning strategies, the participants are moderated users of all the four categories of learning strategies. Significant difference exists in cognitive strategy use, social strategy use and affective strategy use between high achievers and low achievers.The value of this present study lies in their pedagogical implications for teachers to improve their teaching practice to form more effective teaching and learning. Finding of the study provides teachers with a better understanding of the English learning motivation and strategies use on the part of the Chinese middle school students.Corresponding implications are to guide them in setting learning goals, develop proper and relevant learning materials, revise and enrich forms of test as well as create cooperative learning atmosphere.