| The study of motivation in foreign language learning could be dated back to the1960s. And then it drew attention of experts both at home and abroad. The theory of motivation in social-educational model was first proposed by Gardner and Lambert, who initiated the concepts of instrumental motivation and integrative motivation. This theory had a great effect on other relevant theories in the following two decades. Later on, the operant conditioning theory raised by Skinner, humanistic psychology presented by Maslow and the self-determination theory stated by Deci and Pyan mushroomed and injected vigor into the study. Since1980s, there are also many domestic scholars researching on motivation. For example, Gao Yihong published a series of articles about motivation in English learning among Chinese undergraduates on the basis of theories on motivation and national conditions. However, those studies, especially in China, attached more importance to motivation in English learning. It was hard to find out relevant analyses of other languages.The thesis focuses on the study of motivation in foreign language learning among English major students. A survey has been conducted among111senior students by means of a questionnaire to collect and analyze the data of the learning situation of French. It tends to investigate different types of motivation among students and various factors which influence their learning interest, learning attitudes and learning goals. The survey provides the following conclusion by the research on specific attributes of French under the guide of theories of motivation:the large majority of English major students possess the instrumental motivation, generative motivation, extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation with instrumental motivation and extrinsic motivation playing a greater role in French learning. Under the instrumental motivation, the students, the teachers, the study environment and the teaching materials are the four major influencing factors.The author puts forward some reform proposals based on the survey and theories of motivation. For instance, high motivation will be achieved by setting an appropriate expectation, strengthening cultural influence and improving learning interest. It can also be realized by enhancing the construction of extra curriculum lessons, motivating class atmosphere and establishing favorable learning environment. Moreover, to build harmonious relationship between teachers and students, to help students set certain goals to improve learning efficiency, to perfect teaching methods and to make good use of multimedia teaching will prompt students to learn foreign language in a long term.All in all, the thesis aims to research on motivation in minority language learning by taking French as an example. It tries to promote sound and fast development of foreign language learning in domestic universities. |
