An Investigation Into Students' English Learning Burnout In A Senior High School

Learning burnout,first proposed by Pines and Katry in 1981,was defined as the negative psychological and behavioral performance in the student's learning process.The research on learning burnout in China started late.At present,the research on learning burnout mainly focuses on the general subject areas,whereas little attention is paid to the specific subjects such as foreign language learning burnout.Furthermore,the research objects of learning burnout mainly are college students or graduate students.High school students are not only at an important stage of physical and mental development,but also bear the enormous pressure of college entrance examination.Therefore,many high school students have experienced varying degrees of fatigue and negative emotions.So,the choice of high school students as the research object of English learning burnout has an important significance.Based on Maslach's Three-dimensional Burnout Theory and the Affective Filter Hypothesis,and using the “Middle School Students' Learning Burnout Scale”compiled by Huqiao and Dai Chunlin as the research tool,this study explores the current situation of English learning burnout of 268 high school students who study at a middle school in Jinxi County,Jiangxi province through questionnaire and semi-structural interview,tries to find out its affecting factors and then put forward some advice eventually to release students' English learning burnout.By doing so,the author wishes students themselves,school,family and the whole society can attach importance to students' negative experience and work together to help them avoid English learning burnout occurring and spreading.The research contents are:(1)The current situation of English learning burnout of high school students,including four dimensions: emotional exhaustion,low study efficacy,distance from teachers and physical exhaustion;(2)Analysis of differences of high school students' English learning burnout in gender,grade and English academic achievement;(3)The relationship between English learning burnout and English academic achievement;(4)The factors of affecting high school students' English learning burnout.By using SPSS to analyze the data,the results are as follows:(1)The degree ofhigh school students' English learning burnout is relatively serious and the score is highest on low study efficacy,then followed by emotional exhaustion,physical exhaustion and distance from teachers;(2)There are significant differences of high school students' English learning burnout in gender,grade and English academic achievement,among which,male students' English learning burnout is worse than female students';English learning burnout in grade 2 is the most serious;lower English academic achievement is with higher English learning burnout;(3)There are significant correlations between English academic achievement and emotional exhaustion,low study efficacy,physical exhaustion,among which,emotional exhaustion and physical exhaustion are predictors of English performance.The interview finds that factors affecting English learning burnout include internal factors(learning foundation,interest and motivation,etc.)and external factors(learning pressure,English classroom environment,etc.).Based on the findings above,the author puts forward some suggestions to alleviate English learning burnout of high school students:(1)Raising the students' English learning interest and motivation;(2)Enhancing the students' success experience and English self-efficacy;(3)Guiding students to attribute English academic achievement reasonably;(4)Lightening the students' English learning pressure;(5)Creating the harmonious English learning environment;(6)Carrying out psychological education and seeking parents' cooperation.