The Effects Of English Learning Motivation On The Choice Of Learning Strategies Of High School Students

The current study is dedicated to investigate the effects of English learning motivation on the choice of English learning strategies from the perspective of New English Curriculum Standards for Senior High School. Previous studies have indicated that both motivation and strategies have great impact on language learning proficiency. A number of studies directing at investigating college and vocational students also show that there is a close link between motivation and strategies. But regretfully, even up to now, little research has been done to analyze the relationship between learning motivation and learning strategies among Senior High School students, particularly under the framework of the new English Curriculum Standards in which emotions and attitudes (motivation as an important component) and learning strategies are required as two of the five aims of English Course. Meanwhile, fostering students' ability to learn effectively and learning self-directedly and independently is the ultimate goal of education. That is why learning strategies can arouse both researchers' and educators' attention. Since 1990s, a distinct characteristic in the study of language learning strategies is to combine learning strategies with autonomous learning. With new English Curriculum Standards promulgated in 2003, which makes it clear that the aim of education is to cultivate self-directed, effective, and independent learners, learning strategies became a hot topic because studying learning strategies means not only improving students' learning efficiency, but also fostering their ability to learn effectively, independently, and self-directedly , establishing a sound foundation for their autonomous learning, lifelong learning in particular. In this sense, exploring the effect of learning motivation on the use of learning strategies is particularly necessary and significant for English Pedagogy.The research findings of this study are as follows:1. The motivation intensity of High school students in learning English is at a medium degree; they tend to be motivated mainly by achievement motivation, followed by extrinsic motivation and least intrinsic motivation. Statistical significance exists in motivational intensity, intrinsic and achievement motivation with respect to gender and specialty. No significant differences were found in extrinsic motivation both regarding to gender and specialty.2. High school students' overall employment of English learning strategies is at a medium degree. The most frequently used strategy was affective strategies, followed by resource, cognitive, regulating and communicative strategies. Significant differences were found in cognitive, affective, communicative and regulating strategies but no significant differences were found in resource strategies with respect to gender; Statistical significance existed in cognitive, affective and regulating strategies while no significant differences were found in communicative and resource strategies with respect to specialty.3. Students with high motivation intensity are best at using regulating strategies and least frequently used communicative strategies. In contrast, students with medium and low levels of motivational intensity most frequently used affective strategies, while regulating strategies were least frequently employed by those with low degree. Both regulating and communicative strategies were least frequently employed by learners with medium degree. Motivational intensity predicted English learning strategies better than motivation types. Achievement motivation was the best predictor of affective strategies while motivational intensity best predicted all the other four subcategories of English learning strategies.The current study not only reflects a whole panorama of English learning motivation and learning strategies of high school students, but offers insightful implications, pedagogical suggestions for English teaching in high school under the framework of New English Curriculum Standards.