A Comparative Study On University Students’English L2Motivational Self

Motivation is a key factor in language learning, which aroused both researchers and teachers’ attention since Gardner&Lambert (1959,1972) conducted researches in L2learners’ motivation from the perspective of sociopsychological view. The study of L2learning motivation has become a very hot issue in L2learning acquisition field for many years and how to stimulate, keep learners’ motivation will be a permanent issue for researchers and teachers to pursue.Based on the latest motivation theory---Dornyei’s L2Motivational Self System, the thesis carried out its studies and comparisons. The study is aimed to analyze the differences of self-related (ideal L2self and ought-to L2self) motivation between non-normal and normal school students, science students and arts students so as to provide practical advise both for teachers and students themselves and improve the level of college teaching.According to this research done among314university students in4universities of Shanxi to test L2learners’English learning motivation based on the L2Motivational Self System, there are6main findings summarized (1) second language learning experience has a most prominent effect on university students’ L2learning motivation, and then is ought-to L2self, the effect that ideal L2self has on the L2learning motivation is least among three components of L2motivation self system;(2) for university students in different schools and with different majors the effects of three components on their L2motivations are different;(3) for university students in different schools and with different majors the effects of three components on their L2proficiency are different;(4) there are no significant differences between non-normal and normal school students, arts and science students in ideal L2self and ought-to L2self.(5) compared with the average level, the ideal L2self of university-students in Shanxi contributes fewer to learners’ L2learning motivation, even its function is not prominent;(6) in the research done in Shanxi, the correlation coefficient between instrumentality-promotion and ideal L2self is lower than that between instrumentality-promotion and ought-to L2self; The correlation coefficient between instrumentality-prevention and ideal L2self is much lower than that between instrumentality-prevention and ought-to L2self.The findings suggest that self dimensions (ideal L2self and ought-to L2self) did not play a prominent role as supposed, especially ideal L2self which is the most important components of L2Motivational Self System and supposed to be most useful in motivating learners in Shanxi. So it is urgent for researchers and teachers to explore more corresponding self-related strategies.