A Study Of Vocational Institute Students' Attention In EFL Classroom And Its Influencing Factors

Attention, the beginning of all learning activities, is also the premise of effective classroom teaching. Taking the English teaching reform of vocational school as its background, theories of attention in cognitive psychology and SLA as its guidance, the study is intended to investigate vocational school students'attention in English classes and analyze the influencing factors, with some practical suggestions for attention enhancement as improvements for future teaching.The research questions are posed on the basis of prior studies done both abroad and at home. After an interview, a pilot survey as well as the validity and reliability analysis, the questionnaire is designed. The data collection of the survey is carried out, involving two hundred and thirty eight students from a vocational institute in Changzhou. The data analysis includes the principal component analysis, Pearson simple correlation coefficients analysis, t-test of independent sampler and one-way analysis of variance. It reveals the results as follows:1. The learners' internal factors, the external environment, teachers' influence, and pedagogical tasks are four potential dimensions of factors affecting vocational school students' attention in English classes. The Pearson simple correlation coefficients of the four dimensions and classroom attention are listed from high to low as learners' internal factors, teachers' influence, pedagogical tasks, and the external environment.2. Most students' classroom attention is distracted sometimes and in normal condition.3. The male and female students differ significantly in attention in English classes. The female students are more attentive in mean value. The second year and the third year students differ significantly in attention in English classes, with the third year students being more attentive in mean value.There is no significant difference in attention in English class between students of other years. The English major and the trade major students differ significantly in attention in English classes, with the English major students being more attentive in mean value.There is no significant difference in attention in English class between students of other majors.Students with different English levels differ significantly in attention in English classes, with those having higher English level being the most attentive in mean value, those having medium English level ranking the second and those having lower English level ranking the last.In addition, the frequency statistics of some specific characteristics and tendencies of attention in English classes also reveal some findings as follows:1. Generally speaking, students are most attentive in the middle of the English classes.2. Teachers' inner qualities have greater effects on students' attention in English classes than the outer ones. Teachers' teaching level has greatest effect.3. Among the instructional media, the novel and multi-functional ones are the most helpful to students' attention in English classes.4. Among the lead-ins in English classes, the novel and interesting ones draw students' attention more rapidly than the conventional ones.5. Among the written instructional materials in English classes, inputs with salience draw students' attention rapidly; while among the input activities, oral ones are the best in making students attentive.Based on the above results and findings, some related suggestions are offered to future researches and classroom teaching from the four dimensions of the factors affecting vocational school students' attention in English classes.