A Study Of English Learning Attitude In The First Year Of Senior High School Students Of Xiangxi Tujia Area

Chinese government has taken a series of measures to promote English education in the ethnic minority region since the reform and opening-up. However, there is a considerable gap of English teaching between ethnic minority areas and Han areas because of economic and cultural backwardness, more remote location, poor teaching conditions, lacking professional knowledge of teachers’ and lacking a good English study habit of students’. As we all know that the minority students’ English learning attitude is one of the main factors which affects their English learning. Therefore,exploring the status quo, the existing problems and shortcomings and improvement measures of students in minority area has very important practical significance to cultivate their good English learning attitude of students in minority and to improve the English teaching quality in minority areas.The methodologies of literature review, questionnaire survey, classroom observation and interview are mainly used in this research. Firstly, the author consulted the relevant literatures on attitude, learning attitude and English learning attitude.Secondly, the English learning attitude questionnaire is designed from the following three dimensions: cognition, emotion and behavioral intention. And then the author made a survey of English learning attitude in the first year of senior high school students of Xiangxi Tujia area. Finally, all data are statistically analyzed with SPSS,and the data of classroom observation and interview are processed and analyzed as well.The research shows that the students of Xiangxi Tujia area didn’t have a good English learning attitude. The factors which affect their learning attitude are from individuals, schools, families and regional differences. The individual factor contains two points. The first point is that the students lack the interest in learning English. And the second point is the students don’t form a good habit of learning English. School factors are as follows: the teachers’ professional development level is not high; a single method of teaching; the relationship between teachers and students isn’t harmonious;the school lacks some basic teaching equipment. Family factor is mainly referred to what’s the parents’ attitude toward their children’s learning English. Regional differences factors include: English teaching starts late; the teaching equipment is very poor and the teachers don’t make full use of teaching materials. According to these factors, the author puts forward the countermeasures from four aspects. Firstly, the firstyear of senior high school students of Xiangxi Tujia area must realize the importance of learning English and then they should cultivate their own interest in learning English and form a good habit of learning English. Secondly, teachers should constantly improve their own professional knowledge and skills, enrich their teaching forms,inspire students’ interest in learning English and establish a harmonious relationship between teachers and students. Thirdly, the school’s leader should improve teaching facilities and pay attention to the cultivation of young teachers. Fourthly, parents should pay attention to their children’s English learning. Finally, superior competent department should increase the capital investment in education.