A Study Of L2Motivational Self System Of College Engineering Students In Yunnan

From the perspective of Dornyei’s L2Motivational Self System (L2MSS), which is the latest L2motivation research model, this study conducted an investigation among students majoring in engineering from one of the universities of science and technology in Yunnan province, analyzed the differences of ideal L2self and ought-to L2self between male students and female students of different English proficiency so as to provide practical suggestions for teachers to apply the findings to class and help to improve the level of college teaching. At the same time, the thesis would also provide suggestions to students in motivating themselves in English learning.On the operational level, the methodology of this thesis includes both quantitative and qualitative research, and the data analysis instruments consist of descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, regression analysis and independent samples T-test.According to the questionnaire done among244university freshmen and the interview done by6of them in that university to test L2learners’English learning motivation rooted in the L2Motivational Self System, the main findings are summarized as below1) Among the three components of L2motivation self system, second language learning experience has the most obvious effect on engineering university students’L2learning motivation, and next is ought-to L2self, the effect of idea L2self on students’L2learning motivation is the least;2) As for students of different levels of L2proficiency and genders, the effects of three components on their L2motivations are different;3) There are no significant differences among students of three different L2proficiency in ideal L2self and ought-to L2self; the same is true for male students and female students in ought-to self, however, there is significant difference between male students and female students in ideal L2self;4) Compared with the research results done in the other area of second language acquisition in China, the ideal L2self of university students majoring in engineering in Yunnan province contributes fewer to learners’ L2learning motivation. That is to say, its function is not prominent for students majoring in engineering in Yunnan.The findings indicate that ideal L2self and ought-to L2self did not make prominent effects on engineering students’ L2motivation. On principle, ideal L2self is the most important component of L2Motivational Self System Theory and should be the most useful factor in motivating students. Therefore, it is urgent for researchers and teachers to explore more self related strategies in order to apply the strategies to the class.