A Study On English Learning Beliefs Of Junior Middle School Students

In recent decades, researchers in the field of second language acquisition have shown great interest in learners'individual characteristics that can affect the learners'success in language learning. Beliefs about language learning have been one of the research focuses. Investigating the beliefs that second language learners possess and the factors that affect learners'beliefs could help language learners adjust their beliefs, and facilitate their language learning.The present study, based on relevant researches on language learning beliefs, investigated the beliefs about language learning of 126 third-year students from three Chinese junior middle schools. Data were collected using the little revised Beliefs about Language Learning developed by Horwitz (1987). The primary aim of the study was to explore: (1) the overall picture of language learning beliefs held by junior middle school students; (2) the differences between male and female students in language learning beliefs; (3) the differences between high proficiency students and low proficiency students in language learning beliefs. It could help teachers better understand junior middle school students' language learning beliefs and students to adjust their beliefs. And, it could facilitate teachers' teaching as well students'learning.Three are following major conclusions: (1) junior middle school students generally held some beliefs about language learning which may have remarkable positive effects on the students' study; at the same time, they also held some beliefs which certainly had negative effect on the students' study and would influence teacher's teaching in some degree; referring to motivational beliefs, most of the students were instrumental oriented. (2) male and female students did hold different beliefs about language learning. Female students were more likely than male students to learn English by rote and attach importance on vocabulary learning. Moreover, female students seemed to rate English as being somewhat less difficult and were much more optimistic about the length of time it takes to acquire a language than male students. However, female students were more likely to attribute failure to their age for they seemed to more agree with the statement that it is easier for children than adults to learn a foreign language. (3) high proficiency and low proficiency students significantly differed in several beliefs about language learning, especially in terms of their beliefs about the difficulty of language learning, about the nature of language learning, and about learning and communication strategies.According to the results of the study, three pedagogical implications were provided. First, teachers should better understand the beliefs about language learning held by junior middle school students. Second, since the students' beliefs are changeable, teachers should try to help students develop positive beliefs about language learning which will lead to effect learning, and minimize negative beliefs which might hinder the students'learning. Third, teachers should adjust their methods according to the students' learning situation.