The Present Situation Of Students’ Values On English Learning And Countermeasures Exploration

In philosophy, the concept of "value" mainly refers to the general relationship between subjects and objects, meaning that the significance of existence, properties and changes of objects to subjects. Values are a fundamental system of belief, faith and ideals etc.(Li Deshun,2007). It embodies the sum of concepts, ideas and attitudes of what is good, what is bad, and what is longing for, what is pursuing of and what is opposing to and so on. Kluckhohn (1951) believes that values are one kind of explicit or implicit views about what is "worth". It affects people’s choice of ways of behavior, the means and ends. To Rokeach (1973), values is a persistent belief, a specific behavior, an ultimate state, and has a function of motivation; which is not only evaluative, or normative and prohibitive, but a guidance of attitudes and actions.As a result, values have a role in guiding human behavior, and reasonable values would have a positive impact. Therefore, the behavior must be closely linked to the values of its behind. This study on English learning values is based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Human being has the need of self-actualization to achieve their social value (Maslow,2003). What’more, Rogers (2004) proposed that experiential learning can promote the comprehensive development of individuals. To English learners, whether English learning is valuable or not depends on its quality to meeting students’needs. At the same time, English learning experience could affect students’learning behaviors, and their efforts put in English learning. English learning values have a direct impact on their learning behavior. For this reason, values education of English learning during English teaching is significant.As values change along with the social development (Ruan Qing,2004; Li Deshun,2007), under the circumstance of globalization, English education should integrate the value of English as instrument and humanity carrier to train global citizens with high-quality (Yang Zhong,2009). According to the new English curriculum reform of basic education (2001), the objectives of English education are to develop students’comprehensive English language competence and communication competence through the ways of experience, involvement and cooperation. English learning should be a process of improving learners’thinking and accomplishment, as well developing their abilities of self-learning and life-long learning (Qin Xiubai,2008). High school is a critical period for students to learn and grow. In order to promote them to learn English, have a clear understanding of English learning, teachers should conduct values education in the process of teaching to effectively guide students to generate and internalize English learning values. English learning in China is a spotlight, while studies on Students’ values on English learning are scarce. Thus an empirical study of senior high school students’ true views on English learning for first data is vitally important.The paper reports the students’values on English learning from two senior high schools, including an urban high school and a rural high one in Guigang, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. By cluster sampling,260students in grade two are selected, together with their teachers are interviewed. The results are as follows:1. Students mostly value English learning as an instrument, like learning for a better job or a better college. They need to be clearly aware of the human value of English learning2. Girls possess more desirable English learning values than boys. There is significant difference between them in English learning to meet the social and personal needs.3. Urban school students have clearer awareness of English learning values than those of rural school.4. Students living in city for long time value more highly of English learning than those living long-term in rural.5. Students with better educated parents have clearer awareness of English learning values. Mother’s educational levels bring significant difference; however, father’s make no significant difference.6. Students from higher income families value English learning higher.Based on the findings, the current study provides much realistic significance to English teaching. Firstly, it is necessary for English teaching to highlight the human value of English learning so as to help students cultivate desirable values on English learning. At the same time, students need to reverse their utilitarianism and realize the benefits of English learning for improving their integrated accomplishment. What’s more, more close attention should be paid to boy students. They need to be actively involved in class, experiencing the joyful English learning process. Moreover, English teaching should help students build stronger responsibilities for social development and globalization. At last, it is vital to build a better English learning environment for rural students. More learning resources and English teachers with high qualities need to be supplied for rural students to open their mind and broaden their vision.