A Study On Senior One Student’s Self-efficacy In English Learning

In the1970s, with the research focus shifted from teacher focus to student focus in the education field, the research of second language acquisition was biased in favor of the learner’s individual differences and factors that influence the learning process. Therefore, after Bandura proposed social cognitive theory (which emphasizes that individuals have self-regulation function in the interaction of individual, behavior and environment, and their self-efficacy can control their thoughts, feelings and behavior), an increasing number of second language acquisition researchers began to realize the vital role of self-efficacy in language learning, and they began to focus on the learner’s self-efficacy study. The research about self-efficacy mainly focuses on the relationship between self-efficacy and language learning motivation, achievement attribution, achievement goal, language learning strategies and other cognitive beliefs.The purpose of this thesis is to explore senior one students’ English learning self-efficacy and analyze its current situation to put forward the coping strategies based on the investigation of senior one students’ English learning self-efficacy and English learning situation, so as to improve their English learning outcomes and integrated language competence. In this thesis, a questionnaire survey of180senior one students was implemented, and12students and their6English teachers were interviewed to assist the questionnaire. The questionnaire includes three dimensions, namely English learning ability self-efficacy, English learning behavior self-efficacy and English learning situation. The data collected was analyzed by SPSS19.0. And the results as following:1) The overall senior one students’English learning self-efficacy is at a moderate level;2) Girls’ self-efficacy is higher than boys’in English learning;3) students’ academic record is positively related to self-efficacy;4) Senior one student has slightly higher self-efficacy in English learning ability than in English learning behavior.In the survey of English learning situation, the author found that interest, learning helplessness, expectations, goals-setting, assessment methods, attribution pattern, success or failure experience and alternative experience all together have a significant impact on senior one students’ English learning. After integrating the analysis of English leaning situation as well as four decisive factors that affect self-efficacy together, the author put forward six coping strategies from attribution pattern, success or failure experience, alternative experience, goals setting, assessment pattern and teacher’s expectations to improve students’ self-efficacy.This thesis has a certain guide to the future English teaching and learning. Senior one English teacher should try to cultivate and improve senior one students’ self-efficacy actively, so as to make full use of its promoting effect, enhance students’ English learning achievement and integrated language competence.Due to limitations of personal knowledge and level of research capability, the understanding and analysis of senior one students’ English learning self-efficacy are not enough, and the coping strategies proposed also have some specific limitations. It needs to be improved in the upcoming study.