Correlation Of English Learning Beliefs And English Achievement Among Junior High School Students

Since the 1970 s,the focus of foreign language teaching has shifted from teaching to learning.Learning beliefs,as individual factors influencing English learning,are getting more and more attention in second language acquisition.Studies have shown that English learners' learning beliefs affect their learning achievements.Domestic researches on English learning beliefs mainly focus on college students or high school students,but there is less research on the correlation between English learning beliefs and achievements of junior high school students.The purpose of this thesis is to explore the correlation between junior high school students' English learning beliefs and English achievements,and explore the belief factors that influence junior high school students' English learning achievements,with a view to providing inspiration and suggestions for English teaching of junior high school.This study uses Horwitz's language learning beliefs as a theoretical basis,uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods,and takes 175 junior high school students from two middle schools in Yantai as research participants,exploring the correlation between learning beliefs and achievements in order to answer the following three questions:(1)What is the overall English learning beliefs of junior high school students?(2)What is the correlation between junior high school students' English learning beliefs and English achievements?(3)What is the difference between high and low proficiency students' English learning beliefs?The study find that the junior high school students' English learning beliefs are generally at a low level.The level of belief in the dimension of language learning difficulty is the highest,and the level of belief in the dimension of language learning ability is the lowest;The junior high school students' English learning beliefs are significantly correlated with their English achievements.The three following dimensions namely overall English learning beliefs,language learning difficulties,motivation and expectations are significantly positively correlated with English learning achievements;Students in high and low proficiency groups have significant differences in English learning beliefs.Among them,the four dimensions namely language learning ability,language learning difficulties,the nature of language learning and motivation and expectations show the most significant differences.Studies have shown that the overall English learning beliefs of junior high school students need to be improved,and students' English learning beliefs should be taken seriously.High-proficiency students have a deeper understanding of the nature of English learning and have a stronger motivation to learn English.And they think they have the talent to learn English.Lowproficiency students think they have no talent for learning English,and regard English is a difficult subject,but they believe that they can learn English well through hard work.Based on the research results,the present thesis puts forward the following suggestions for teachers and students:(1)Teachers should help students strengthen their beliefs in English learning by improving and switching teaching methods.(2)Teachers should strengthen their own professional knowledge learning,and actively pay attention to the mastery and use of students' learning strategies.(3)Teachers should establish an active and interactive classroom atmosphere.(4)Students should cultivate interest in English learning by adjusting their learning strategies and learning methods,and build confidence in English learning.