A Study Of Motivation Orientation Of College English Learners From Perspective Of Self-determination Theory

As an essential factor of affective variables, motivation of L2learning has been investigated by the researchers for several years. Initiated in Canada by Gardner and Lambert in1972, the motivation researches are mainly based on Gardner’s motivation theory. Although it is one of the most influential theories, it was challenged later in the1990s. Many researchers try to introduce other theories to investigate motivation of L2learning to achieve more reasonable explanations, among which, self-determination theory introduced by Deci and Ryan receives attention from researchers for its complete theoretical framework and powerful explanation.In self-determination theory, motivation is composed of three types-amotivation, extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation (IM). Among the three main types, extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation are divided into several subtypes. Extrinsic motivation is divided into external regulation, introjected regulation, identified regulation and integrated regulation according to the different degree of self-determination, and intrinsic motivation consists of IM-knowledge, IM-Stimulation and IM-Accomplishment. These different types, which constitute a motivation continuum, are not separate. In this motivation continuum, the less self-determined motivation orientations such as external regulation can be transformed into the more self-determined ones by internalization, which is meaningful for language teaching. Teachers can support learner’s intrinsic motivation and promote intemalization of extrinsic motivation orientations by changing the social and environmental condition. As the less self-determined motivation orientations are internalized into the more self-determined ones, students can be inspired by the autonomous motivation to learn L2. Therefore, the self-determination theory also sheds light on the research on autonomous study, which is a hot topic in the present foreign language education.The author of this thesis intends to explore the motivation orientation of college English learners from perspective of self-determination theory in the hope of providing implications for English teaching and learning. The following are the questions for the research:Are the college English learners characterized by the motivation orientations in terms of self-determination theory? Are there any differences between the freshman and the sophomore in their motivation to learn English? Are there any differences between the competent English learners and the less competent ones in their motivation to learn English?This thesis formulates three hypotheses:1) The motivation orientation continuum introduced by the self-determination theory exists in college students.2) The freshman’s motivation to learn English is more self-determined than that of the sophomore.3) The competent English learners are more self-determined in English learning than the less competent ones.Adopting the questionnaire to investigate why the students learn English, this thesis analyzes the motivation orientations of224college English students from Chengdu University of Technology. After the collected data are analyzed, the following results are found. Firstly, the motivation orientation continuum introduced by the self-determination theory exists in college English learners. Secondly, the freshman’s motivation to learn English has no significant difference with the sophomore’s. Thirdly, the motivation orientations of the competent English learners and the less competent ones are different from each other.According to the findings in the research, some pedagogical implications are inspired. Because the autonomous motivation plays an important role in L2acquisition and correlates with the language proficiency significantly, teachers should improve the teaching activities to promote the learner’s autonomous motivation. According to self-determination theory, it is possible to transform the less self-determined motivation orientations into the more self-determined ones by internalization, which can be realized by the satisfaction of the need for autonomy, the need for competence and the need for relatedness. Therefore, teachers should use the appropriate teaching methods to satisfy the students’basic psychological needs to promote the autonomous motivation. Besides, it is also necessary for teachers to improve the teaching activities and keep up with the rapid pace of language teaching researches.