A Study On The Language Learning Beliefs Of Unsuccessful EFL Learners

Recent advances in second\foreign language learning (SLA\FLA) have led to lively debates concerning the significance of individual differences, language learners’beliefs about language learning should be one of the important factors to be considered. Within Chinese context, the universal phenomenon is called "high investment, low achievement". Learners have spent a great deal of time and energy on English learning, however, the results are often not so satisfying. What made these learners’ language learning unsuccessful? What beliefs about language learning do the unsuccessful language learners’ hold? For answering these questions, the present study is conducted.In the present study,59unsuccessful language learners in a college were chosen as subjects, who obtained less than seventy-five English scores in the College Entrance Examination. Horwitz’s BALLI was employed as a quantitative instrument. Then independent sample T test is used to analyze the differences between successful and unsuccessful language learners. In interview part, a comparison is conducted for more in-depth understanding of language learning beliefs of those unsuccessful language learners.With the help of SPSS17.0, the data analysis and the interview results show that:(1)Most unsuccessful language learners hold strong instrumental motivation rather than integrative motivation. They have the high expectation in their future achievement in English learning, but they are not confident in their language aptitude. Another problem lies in the awareness learning strategies.(2) On the comparison of the differences between the SLL and ULL, the results show significant differences in foreign language aptitude, difficulty of language learning and greatly on language learning strategies.(3) The further interview research revealed the specific beliefs of those unsuccessful language learners. They are confused and less motivated in language learning; they don’t have the habit of reflecting on their own learning methods, showing their weakness in meta-cognitive knowledge.