论文总字数：48723字

摘 要

二十一世纪个性已得到广泛的重视，这种理念在课堂教学中同样得到了体现。而学习过程中学生的学习策略和学习动机又以其显著的影响力和关联性处于显著地位。这为教师重新定位，调整教学策略提供了参考。

本研究试图调查学生学习策略以及动机的使用类型，并且探讨两者间的内在联系，从而给予教师教学策略中的调整，尤其是动机激发策略的调整，从而营造出更适合学生个性化学习要求的课堂氛围和课下学习环境，对学生的情感社交因素进行调整，以激发学生自我效能感为直接目的，进而提高学生的学习效率和教师的教学质量，达到双赢目的。

本文基于前人对学习策略和动机激发策略的研究，基于本人所做学习策略与动机激发策略对接模型假设，基于对这些对接模型的实证检验，以大一一班和二班学生为研究主体，探讨其策略的有效性。

调查结果显示：1）中国学生确实不擅长于使用社交和情感学习策略，他们不太愿意与其他人交流，也不能有效地消除学习中的顾虑和无奈。2）现有的动机激发策略在增强学生与目标人群的交流意愿，增强学生自我效能感以及提升学生学习兴趣方面并不是十分有效。3）通过在中国学生学习特点基础上调整的动机激发策略在提升学生的自我效能感，与目标人群交往意愿上有显著效果。

关键词：学习策略；动机激发策略；自我效能感；情感社交因素；对接模型

Table of Content

Acknowledgments i

English Abstract ii

Chinese Abstratc iii

Table of Content iv

List of Tables vi

Chapter One Introduction 1

1.1 Research Background 1

1.2 Significance 2

1.3 Layout of this thesis 2

Chapter Two Literature Review 4

2.1 Current Studies of Learning Strategies 4

2.2 Current Studies of Motivating Strategies 6

2.3 Current Studies of the Relationship Between Learning Strategies and Motivations 7

Chapter Three Theoretical Modes 9

3.1 Types of Second Language Learning Strategies 9

3.2 Types of Motivation Stimulation Strategies 10

3.3 Inner Relations between the Two and Possible Modes of Their Integration 11

3.4 Traits of the Studies of English by Chinese Students and the Corresponding Hypothetical Modes 13

Chapter Four Methodology 16

4.1 Research Questions 16

4.2 Research Subjects 16

4.3 Questionnaire Design 16

4.4 Questionnaire Distribution 17

Chapter Five Experimental Testing 18

5.1 Survey on the Language Proficiency of Target Students (Freshman From Class One and Two) Motivated by Current Motivating Strategies 18

5.2 Survey on the Effects of Different Integration Modes from the Comparison Group A (Class One) and Group B (Class Two) 19

5.3 Case Study 21

5.4 Transacting and Analyzing the collected Data, Determining the Most Efficient Mode, and Unfolding the Reasons 23

Chapter Six Conclusion and Epilogue 24

6.1 Major Findings of This Study 24

6.2 Limitations 24

6.3 Further Discussion 25

References 27

Appendix I 29

List of Tables

Table 5.1 Grades Before Strategy-Based Trainings 24

Table 5.2 Interests Before Strategy-Based Trainings 24

Table 5.3 Learning Hours Before Strategy-Based Trainings 24

Table 5.4 Self-Efficacy Before Strategy-Based Trainings 25

Table 5.5 Grades After Strategy-Based Trainings 25

Table 5.6 Interests After Strategy-Based Trainings 26

Table 5.7 Learning Hours After Strategy-Based Trainings 26

Table 5.8 Self-Efficacy After Strategy-Based Trainings 26

Table 5.9 Interview Results 28

Chapter One Introduction

1.1 Research Background

With the increasing concerns for individuality, teachers and researchers have taken learners’ individuality into consideration, such as their habits, thoughts, language levels, and so on, which would tremendously affect the teaching result. Among those factors, learning strategies and motivation are the most influential factors in learners’ learning.

Learning strategies proves to be one of the most important factors since it affects the learning of foreign languages directly and is also closely related with other factors.

Motivation is an emotional factor which can help language learners maintain a great passion, ensure them enough time and energy in studies, and determine the results of learning. In this sense, motivation also plays a vital role in learning foreign languages. In the 1990s, with the reform of education, some scholars began to propose a series of strategies to spark off learners' motivations from different angles, and investigated relevant factors in this process, particularly teachers’ use of motivating strategies.

Due to the fact that there are various factors that could influence learners, to arouse their motivations, teachers need to take these factors into consideration. The same kind of motivating methods probably doesn't work for all second language learners. Therefore, in the process of language teaching, it is significant to formulate corresponding strategies that appeal to different types of learners for motivation arousal.

Since learning strategies affect language learning a lot and lots of researchers have found that there is a close relation between learners’ motivations and learning strategies, this paper discusses this inner connection between learning strategies and motivating strategies for second language acquisition and tries to find out the best mode of their integration.

1.2 Significance

Since there is more and more emphasis on individualities in English studies, teachers and researchers have paid much attention to them and tried to accommodate these factors in their teaching and research. As the two most influential factors, motivation and learning strategies attract people’s most attention.

While lots of researches pay attention only to the study of learning strategies or motivating strategies, rather than the relationship between them and their integration which are of great importance for students to learn effectively.

This paper is based on the study of learning strategies and motivating strategies, and the link between the two. And particular attention is drawn to reveal the relationship of the two factors. Then this paper will demonstrate various modes of their integration in the light of the survey on learners. By testing and comparing those modes, the best one for Chinese students among them might be revealed. .

1.3 Layout of this thesis

The thesis consists of five chapters:

Chapter One briefly presents the background of this study and illustrates the its significance for language education. At the end, it offers the layout of the whole thesis.

Chapter Two conducts a review of previous studies and relevant works that have been done about this topic. In this part, I classify my references into three big categories. The first category is related to learning strategies. The second category specifies extant motivating strategies, and the third one is about the relationship between motivating strategies and learning strategies.

Chapter Three is about the theoretical modes, conceptualizing types of second language learning strategies and motivating strategies, the relationship of the two, Chinese students’ learning habits, and the corresponding models as hypothesized

Chapter Four focuses on the research methodology of this study. In this part, I list the research questions and point out the method I adopted. This thesis is based on a empirical study that I have carried out recently. The research subjects and procedures are also described in this part. At the end of this chapter, I try to provide a general explanation of the design of the questionnaire.

Chapter Five is about experimental testing, including a survey on the language level of the examinees (freshmen from class one and class two in Southeast University), and by comparison, tries to find a more effective mode, and then test on its effectiveness again by virtue of case study.

Chapter Six concludes the whole paper, points out the limitations existing in this study, and offers suggestions for further discussion.

Chapter Two Literature Review

A lot of researches have been done on the learning strategies and motivating strategies for second language acquisition.

2.1 Current Studies of Learning Strategies

Learning strategies were first introduced into the theoretic frame of second language acquisition in 1975, with such researches on what shapes a good language learner. At that time, it was thought that a better understanding of learning strategies employed by successful learners could help inform teachers and students of how to teach and learn language more effectively. In the 1980s, the focus of relevant studies moved to the classification of various strategies. Learning strategies were cogently divided into three types: cognitive, meta-cognitive, and affective/social. In 1990, Rebecca Oxford published her landmark book Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know, which included the “Strategy Inventory for Language Learning” or SILL, a questionnaire used widely in the 1990s and the early 2000s, and rendered learning strategies a clear definition.

The first trial to define learning strategies was conducted by Rubin (1973): the techniques or devices which a learner may use to acquire knowledge. Then in 1983, Stern also presented his own definition: the general trend and overall characteristic of the methods used by language learners. Making a clear distinction between techniques and strategies, he claimed that the former are combined with some kinds of intentionality, while the latter comprise certain actions that can be objectively observed in language learning. Besides, Seliger (1984) went a step further to distinguish strategies from tactics. After that, Omalley and Chamot (1990) categorized them as cognitive strategy, meta-cognitive strategy and social/affective strategies, while Oxford (1986) believed that comprehensive learning strategies can be divided into two categories: main learning strategies, including memory strategy, cognitive strategy and compensation strategy, and auxiliary learning strategies, including meta-cognitive strategy, affective strategy and social strategy, through which people get to know learning strategies in more details.

In China, the first scholar who made a clear definition of learning strategies might be Wen Qiufang. She (1995), defined learning strategies as follows: learning strategies should “includes two subsystems, concept and method; concept refers to learners’ understanding of the target language, while method refers to their learning praxis. She then classified learning strategies into two parts: management strategy and language learning strategy.

When it comes to the empirical studies, scholars who initiated such examination on learning strategies include Naiman Frohlich, Stern, and Todesco. The later investigation of 1,200 college students conducted by Oxford amp; Nyikos (1989) in the United States revealed that their own evaluation of the language ability has a profound influence on the use of learning strategies .Oxford and Ehrman (1995) also carried out a study on 520 adult Americans who have good education background and strong motivations, the purpose of which is to prove that learning strategies are the important factor that results in learning success or failure.

At home, Wen Qiufang (1996), on the basis of her investigation of 72 students from the level of freshman to that of junior, discussed the learning motivations, concepts, strategies and rules adopted by learners of English, showing that the relationship between motivations and concepts has a tendency to strengthen year by year.

All of these studies laid a solid foundation for the future language research on learning strategies. They give people a relatively clear definition and classification of learning strategies and reveal that learning strategies are important and relevant to other factors. However, on the issue of the relationship between learning strategies and other factors, those studies have not reached any conclusion yet, hence the reason why this thesis deals with the very topic.

2.2 Current Studies of Motivating Strategies

Dornyei (2003), a professor at the university of Nottingham, tested whether motivating strategies are effective in the teaching practice in 1998, carrying on a questionnaire investigation and tracking 200 Hungarian language teachers, which was the first trial to study second language motivating strategies, and draw a conclusion referred to as the “Ten Commandments for motivating language learners.”

Later on, Dornyei (2001:28) put forward a complete system of motivating strategies for second language acquisition: creating favorable conditions, eliciting initial motivations, maintaining motivations and rounding off learning experiences, encouraging positive self -evaluation, and so on.

Brophy (2010) summarized some usual motivation strategies as his research manifested. The conclusion he reached provided a series of detailed operational principles of motivation strategies for a majority of students and teachers.

As for the definition and classification of motivations, researchers from home and abroad also made fruitful accomplishments.

Gardner and Lambert(1959) summed up the motivations for learning foreign languages with two paradigms: integrative motivation and instrumental motivation, which are considered to be the important factor that affects foreign language learning. But with the unfolding of this research, it was found that instrumental and integrative motivations are not broad enough to include all second language motivations. Deci and Ryan (1995) proposed to divide motivations into extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation on the basis of self-determination theory.

Studies on learning motivations in China started very late. Most domestic researchers simply followed the theoretical frame formulated by Gardner. After the 1990s, the enthusiasm for this research subject became higher and higher among researchers, who attached utmost importance to learning motivations. Scholars like Gao Yihong, Qin Xiaoqing and Wen Qiufang discussed the classification of learning motivations and their conceptual modes from the perspective learners’ personality and psychology.

Domestic researchers studied learning motivations from different angles. Their specific suggestions and measures are as follows:

Wu Zengjiang (1996) discussed strategies based on intrinsic motivations and extrinsic motivations employed by students with learning difficulties.

Li Ronglan (2010) emphasized that teaching needs to stimulate the thirst of students for knowledge, imagination and curiosity, foster their confidence in learning, appreciate students for their progress, treat them equally, guide them with congeniality, in order to realize the expected target.

All of these studies clarified the categorization and efficiency of learning motivations, enabling people to know motivations well and make use them more effectively.

2.3 Current Studies of the Relationship Between Learning Strategies and Motivation

Gardner (1985) believed that many factors can influence the selection and use of learning strategies, but the learning motivation is considered to be one of the most important factors. Afterwards, more and more researchers proposed that learning motivations and learning strategies would impose a great influence on the performance of language learning. Against this background, it is of urgent necessity to study the relationship between them.

Research on mutual effects existing between learning motivations and learning strategies began in the 1990s. Oxford and Nyikos (1989) said “learning motivations influence the choice of learning strategies and the frequency of learning.” Rod Ellis (1994) argued that there is a causal relationship between learners’ “motivation intensity and the number of learning strategies they take.” MacIntyre and Noels (1996) emphasized that learners who are driven by intensified motivations are more willing to spend more energy and time selecting appropriate learning strategies.

Wen Qiufang (1996) launched a study on the changing dynamics of English learners’ controllable factors. The main purpose of the research is to explore the characteristic of the tendencies and changes of their motivations and learning strategies and discover whether there is a relationship between these two factors. And she found that relations between motivations and learning strategies are as follows: surface motivation and management/function strategy are positively related; deep motivation and mother tongue strategy are positively correlated.

Cao Zhixi, Pan Hengyue and Zhou Wende (2009) carried out the research on the connections between learners’ motivations and learning strategies, one of whose purposes is to explore their relationship in various aspects. The result of the research analysis reveals that motivations are positively related to three learning strategies: cognitive strategy, organization and evaluation strategy, social and affective strategy.

All of these studies prove that there is a close relation between learning strategies and motivations, which establish guidelines for researchers and teachers when they help students maintain motivations and learn target language more effectively. Based on these studies, my paper tries to find a better way to integrate learning strategies with motivations.

Chapter Three Theoretical Modes

3.1 Types of Second Language Learning Strategies

O. Malley and Chmaot (1987) divided learning strategies into three categories, and the foremost one is cognitive strategy, which refers to the steps and activities students take to solve learning problems by analyzing learning materials directly. This kind of strategy is of the operational and epistemological function. Chamot (1987) listed many sub-strategies under the rubric of cognition, including “repetition,” “translation,” “taking notes”, “organization,” “deduction,” “combination,” “key words,” “context” and “transfer,” “reasoning” and “details,” etc., which is directly related to the specific learning tasks; The second type is called met-cognitive strategy, which means that on the basis of the knowledge gained through the process of cognition, learners adjust his language learning by determining possible goals and plans, monitoring the learning process, and assessing learning results. This kind of strategy is of executive function. Chamot enumerated specific measures of this strategy as “advanced organizational mechanism,” “focus,” “self-management,” “self-monitoring,” “self-assessment.” and “delayed expression,” etc. The third type is social/affective strategy, which refers to the means learners choose to communicate with their companions and native speakers and including “cooperation,” “request,” “participation in group activities and practice ,” etc.

As Oxford (1986) undertook a more comprehensive research on the classification of learning strategies, they are divided according to different levels. Her list of language learning strategies contains two major paradigms: “main learning strategies” and “ auxiliary learning strategies,” which are composed a total of 64 items. The main learning strategies are directly related to the target language, which is subdivided as memory strategy (used to form long-term memory, and once the communication needs, learners can make use of it to extract useful information from their memory), cognitive strategy (used to shape internal psychological model by inputting and outputting information of the target language), and compensation strategy (used to fill vacancies within the language knowledge). Auxiliary learning strategies are able to provide indirect support for the learning process by means of concentration, plan, evaluation, looking for opportunities, controlling anxiety, and consolidating cooperation and empathy. There are three kinds of auxiliary learning strategies: meta-cognition strategy (used to help learners to practice the “executive control” through planning, arranging and evaluating their own learning process), emotional strategy (used to let learners control their conception, emotion, and attitude towards different scenarios), and social strategy (used to reduce communication difficulties).

Wen Qiufang(1996) divided learning strategies into two categories: management strategy and language learning strategy. Management strategy includes five subdivisions: setting goals, planning, choosing the proper strategy, self-monitoring, self-assessment and self- adjusting. Language learning strategy is subdivided into two types: traditional and non-traditional. The traditional form of language learning strategy includes practice, accuracy, and the comparison with one’s mother tongue. The non-traditional form of language learning strategy includes meaning practice, fluency, and the avoiding of one’s mother tongue.

Today, the learning strategy we used most in learning English may be the memory strategy, cognitive strategy, and compensation strategy, while the affective/social learning strategy, which can help students a lot to reduce anxieties, increase their willingness to communicate with native speakers, and enhance their confidence in learning, and the met-cognitive learning strategy, which would offer us a clear plan and improve our use of other strategies, are seldom adopted.

3.2 Types of Motivation Stimulation Strategies

When it comes to motivating strategies, Dornyei’s (2001:26) framework of second language motivating strategies turns out to be the most important one. It proposes to create basic conditions for motivating language learners (teacher’s appropriate behaviors, a pleasant and supportive atmosphere in the classroom, a cohesive learning team with practical norms), generate initial motivations (enhancing learners’ language-based interest, sense of purpose and expectancy of success, making the teaching materials relevant to the real need of the learners, and foster realistic beliefs among learners), maintain motivation (making the learning process provocative and enjoyable, presenting tasks in an inspiring way, setting specific goals for learners, protecting learners’ self-esteem and increasing their self-confidence, allowing them to maintain a positive social image, promoting the cooperation among learners, bringing a sense of autonomy to them, and so on), and round off their learning experience (encouraging positive self-evaluation, promoting motivational activities, providing informative feedback, increasing learners’ satisfaction, offering rewards and compliment in a motivating manner).

The motivation strategies we use today can be incorporated into Dornyei’s framework. According to the research we find that current motivating strategies can be summarized as follows: 1. Choose the topic that learners are interested in, which is aimed to raise students’ interests before learning and decrease their negative feelings in learning. 2. Use new multi-media technologies, such as PPT, VCR, and MOOCs, and various activities, such as class debates and role-play performance, to change the monotonous atmosphere of the traditional class and thus increase students’ interests and participations. 3. Organize various extracurricular activities to deepen students’ understanding of English cultures, which is aimed to help students know English as much as they can and thus become more familiar with and interested in it. 4. Give group assignment, which is aimed to increase their communication with others. 5. Invite a feedback, give praise to students, and bring students more confidence to learn English.

3.3 Inner Relations between the Two and Possible Modes of Their Integration

Research on mutual effects existing between learning motivations and learning strategies began in the 1990s. Oxford amp; Nyikos (1989) said that “learning motivations influence the choice of learning strategies and the frequency of their use.” Rod Ellis (1994) argued that there is a causal relationship between the intensity of learners’ motivations and the number of learning strategies they take. MacIntyre amp; Noels (1996) claimed that learners who are driven by high motivations are willing to spend more energy selecting and using learning strategies. Elizabeth Root (1999), Richard Schmidt, Yuichi Watanabe (2001) and other researchers also found the relationship between learning strategies and motivations profound.

As for what those researches found, there is a substantiated relationship between learning strategies and motivating strategies. Both can improve students’ learning, and if they failed to use these learning strategies, teachers could make up for it by adopting some corresponding motivating strategies.

And following are some possible integration modes for these two sides.

The social and affective learning strategy is closely related to the instinct motivation, so we should increase the integrative use of them by applying appropriate motivation strategies, such as 1. Make a cohesive study group with appropriate norms 2. Increase students’ participation and strengthen the communication between teachers and students. 3. Give tasks that are suitable for the learning abilities and interests of students. 4. Give group assignments 5. Invite motivational feedback and increase students’ sense of accomplishment 6. Encourage and praise students to mobilize their enthusiasm. All of these strategies are aimed to improve students’ learning interests, their willingness to communicate with others, and a sense of accomplishment, which can in turn increase students’ learning efficiency.

To avoid the influence of the lack of meta-cognitive learning strategy, we can adapt motivating strategies as follows: 1. Help students make goals based on their own language competence. 2. Give students specific learning goals in every class. 3. Invite feedback to help students adjust their learning behaviors. All of these strategies can make the learning process more realistic and controllable, which can improve the use of meta-cognitive learning strategies as well.

As for other learning strategies, we can promote them by using the following motivating strategies: 1. Choose enough theoretical learning materials. 2. Choose familiar topics to help learning. 3. Examine students’ learning of basic knowledge. All of these measure are aimed to improve students’ basic learning and thus in turn increase the use of learning strategies.

3.4 Traits of the Studies of English by Chinese Students and the Corresponding Hypothetical Modes

The article entitled “A Chinese Conceptualization of Willingness to Communicate in ESL” and authored by MacIntyre, Clément and Noels (1998) concludes that in the field of second-language acquisition, the willingness to communicate (WTC) is informed by an idea that language students who are willing to communicate in the target language should actively look for chances of communication, and furthermore, these learners should always communicate in the target language. Therefore, WTC is significant to English learner’s learning process.

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