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1、A Study on Motivation of Primary School Students in English Learning ABSTRACTWith the development of economy in our country English learning has become more and more important that people begin to learn English with full enthusiasm even from younger age English is taught in grade three or grade one
2、of primary schools and even in kindergartens In order to meet the tendency the new English Curriculum Standard is carried out in recent years throughout China One of the aims of the reform is to stimulate and cultivate students interest and their confidence in learning the languageMotivation is crit
3、ical in English learning thus how to effectively motivate beginners of English learning is an important problemKey Words primary school students motivation English learning摘 要随着我国经济的发展英语学习变得越来越重要越来越多的人满怀激情的投入到英语学习中小学三年级或一年级甚至幼儿园已经开设了英语课为了应对这种趋势新课改在全国范围内实施新课改的一个重要目标就是要激发小学生的对英语的学习兴趣增强他们对这门语言学习的信心学习动机
4、在学习过程中起着重要作用如何有效得地激发英语初学者的学习动机是一个非常重要的问题 关键词1 Introduction12 The importance of the study13 Characteristics of primary school students34 A summary of already studies about motivation in English learning441 Definition of motivation442 Five basic human needs443 Sources of motivation65 Initiating and su
5、staining motivation851 General principles of motivating students852 Ways of motivating primary school students in English learning116 Conclusion13Bibliography14Acknowledgements15A Study on Motivationof Primary School Students in English Learning 1 IntroductionIn accordance with the development of th
6、e society and economy more and more people swarm into the tide of learning English English learners have been younger and younger English courses are taught in grade one or grade three of primary school and even kindergarten The new English Curriculum Reform is underway throughout China Since 2001 a
7、 design of Basic Requirement for Primary School English has been introduced One of its goals is to stimulate and cultivate students interest and their confidence in learning the language 2 The importance of the studyAs far as English language learning is concerned despite the achievement gained as t
8、he reform is in progress during the phase there remain significant problems for further achievement in primary school English teaching Firstlythe traditional English teaching in primary school overemphasizes the delivery of textbook knowledge but ignores the development of students language ability
9、and their real needs Students have few chances to develop their potential and creativity Secondly teaching methods are lack of flexibility and diversity The main methods include asking students to imitate the teacher or the tape and memorize words sentences and grammar mechanically which turn studen
10、ts into containers of knowledge instead of active language learners Thirdly ignorance of emotional education and regardless of effective ways of motivating students are common during the process of English teaching Fourthly characteristics of primary school students and features of their psychology
11、are both neglected In some cases teaching methods for higher grade students are used for primary school students which obviously violates the cognitive rules of second language acquisition What is worse quite a few students complain that they are afraid of being criticized by their teacher when they
12、 do not do well Consequently they feel frustrated and lose interest in learningA good begun is half done Primary school students are beginners of English learning Their experience of English learning in primary school lays a foundation for their further study of English So we should attach enough at
13、tention to the phase of teaching Motivation plays a critical role in English learning It is of great significance to motivate these beginners Although some parents send their children to some after-school English class on the weekends in the hope of promoting the childrens English learning some of t
14、he teachers and parents are in frustration of recognition of the childrens low attitude and grades in English learning Therefore as teachers we should know the psychological theory and the process of English learning in order to encourage and enhance the English learning of studentsLanguage learning
15、 is a very complicated process that is influenced by many factors Besides the intelligent factors the non-intelligent factors -motivation attitude interest age methods will and character-are the direct and the most important factors to English learning Because the behavior of English learners is dom
16、inated by cognition in other words the learner has a desire which is a drive to persist in English learning For example two students sit next to each other in a class but they act very differently One takes an active part in class activities jumps into assignments and gets good grades while the othe
17、r seldom participates in discussion and hesitates on assignments Why This situation is typical Theories of motivation can help us understand the differences In Jkobovits research he shows that the mainly influential factors to English learning are motivation which takes up 33aptitude which takes up
18、33 intelligence which takes up 20 and others which take up 14 cited in Jia Guanjie 1996 Therefore teachers and parents are interested in motivation which can drive students in English learning actively There is a wildly-held belief that younger second language learners generally do better than old l
19、earners Children have a greater need to be motivated and they are easily to be motivated They exercise a good deal of both cognitive and affective efforts in order to internalize both native and second language Teachers should motivate their spirit and sustain their interest in English learning by a
20、dopting some means that are closely related to characteristics of children for their age and their features of psychology3 Characteristics of primary school students The age of students is often taken into consideration in the decision about how and what to teach People of different ages have differ
21、ent needs competence and cognitive skills Primary school students are no exception They learn differently from older children and adolescents and adults in the following ways 1 They respond to meaning even if they do not understand individual words They often learn indirectly rather than directly- t
22、hat they take in information from all sides learning from everything around them rather than only focusing on the precise topic they are being taught 2 Their understanding comes not just from explanation but also from what they see and hear and crucially have a chance to touch and interact with 3 Th
23、ey generally display an enthusiasm for learning and curiosity about the world around them 4 They have a need for individual attention and approval from the teacher 5 They are keen to talk about themselves and respond well to learning that uses themselves and their own lives as main topics in the cla
24、ssroom 6 It is very hard for them to concentrate on study for a long time They have a limited attention span unless activities are extremely engaging and they can easily get bored and lose interest after ten minutes or so4 A summary of already studies about motivation in English learning41 Definitio
25、n of motivationPeople are always motivated in fact they are never unmotivated They may not be motivated to what we prefer them to do but it can never be truly said they are unmotivated In psychology motivation is a force that energizes and directs a individual towards a goal It is some kind of inter
26、nal drive which drives someone to do things in order to achieve something William and Richard Burden suggest that motivation is a state of cognitive arouser which provokes a decision to act as a result of which there is a sustained intellectual andor physical effort so that a person can achieve some
27、 goals They go on to point out that the strength of that motivation will depend on how much value the individual on the outcome he or she wishes to achieve Adults may have clearly defined or vague goals Childrens goals on the other hand are more amorphous and less easy to describe but they can still
28、 be very powerful Just as a force moves an object motivation moves a person More visualized if individuals are machines motivation is the very engine that powers and directs individuals behavior Motives serves three important functions 1 energizing us ie turning the key and starting the motivational
29、 engine 2 directing us pointing us in a particular direction and 3 helping us select the behavior most appropriate for achieving our goals In a word motivation is an inner state that arouses an individuals desire for a goal and maintains his or her efforts in a certain direction and timecom Intrinsi
30、c motivation and extrinsic motivationIntrinsic motivation Internal desires to perform a particular task People do certain activities because it gives them pleasure and develops a particular skillExtrinsic motivation Factors external to the individual and unrelated to the task they are performing Exa
31、mples include money good grades and other rewards42 Five basic human needsIntrinsically motivated students are bound to do much better in classroom activities because they are willing and eager to learn new material Their learning experience is more meaningful and they go deeper into the subject to
32、fully understand it On the other hand extrinsically motivated students may have to be bribed to perform the same tasksA theorists by the name of Abraham Maslow has concluded that before we can be intrinsically motivated we must first satisfy some more basic human needs There are five basic levels of
33、 human needscom Physiological needs We are motivated to satisfy needs that ensure our physical survival Needs in this group include food water air shelter and clothing Most people have satisfied their physiological needs which allow them to concentrate on higher level needs For some though physiolog
34、ical needs are dominant and are the biggest needs in their lives com Safety needsOnce physiological needs are met one can concentrate on bringing safety and security to our lives Safety and security needs include order stability routine familiarity control over ones life and environment certainty an
35、d health com Social needs These needs include love affection belonging and acceptance People look for these needs in relationships with other people and are motivated for these needs by the love from their familiescom Esteem needs All people have a need for stable firmly based usually high evaluatio
36、n of themselves for self-respect or self-esteem and for the esteem of others These needs may therefore be classified into two subsidiary sets These are first the desire for strength achievement and adequacy mastery of competence confidence independence and freedom Second we have what we call the des
37、ire for reputation or prestige defining it as respect from other people status fame glory dominance importance recognition dignity or appreciation com Need for self-actualization This level of hierarchy is concentrated on an individual being able to reach their full potential as a human being Once s
38、omeone has satisfied the first four levels of needs then they have the ability to concentrate on functioning to their highest potential But even if all these needs are satisfied we may often still expect that a new discontent and restlessness will soon develop unless the individual is doing what the
39、y are fitted for Musicians must play music artists must paint if they are to be at peace with themselves What humans can be they must be They must be true to their own natureThe first four needs are what we call deficiency needs because they come from things we are lacking These needs can be met onl
40、y by external sources by the environment people or things going on around us Self-actualization is a growth need This doesnt just address what we are lacking in our lives but it gives us room to grow and develop as an individual This need is always intrinsically motivated because we do it out of pur
41、e enjoyment and desire to grow Maslow does explain that self-actualization is rarely achieved even as adults But teachers must make sure students have satisfied their deficiency needs in order to move on to their growth one Intrinsic motivation will not occur until they are well fed safe in their en
42、vironment and can love and respect the teachers and their classmates 43 Sources of motivation The motivation that brings students to the task of learning English can be affected and influenced by many factors It is worth considering what and who these arecom The society we live in Outside any classr
43、oom there are attitudes towards language learning and the English language in particular How important is the learning of English considered to be in the society In a school situation for example is the language learning part of the curriculum of high or low status If school students are offered the
44、 choice of two languages to learn which one will they choose and why Are the culture images associated with English positive or negativeAll these views of language learning will affect the students attitude to the language being studied and the nature and strength of the degree of motivation the stu
45、dents brings to class and whether or not that motivation continues For example with the requirement of economic development in China English has become more and more important that people begin to learn English with full enthusiasm Mastery of foreign languages especially English is considered as a p
46、assport to ones future success So learning English has become a very prevalent tendency The important role of English in China has driven more and more people to learn itcom Significant others Apart from the culture of the world around the students their attitudes to language learning will be greatl
47、y affected by the influence of people who are close to them The attitude of parents and old siblings will be crucial For example many parents in China find a tutor for their children to improve their English This behaviour implies that their parents attach great importance to English learning As a r
48、esult most children can come to realize that a good command of English is of great meaning to them and they should work hard on itThe attitudes of the students peers are also very crucial If they are critical of the subject or activity the students own motivation may suffer If they are enthusiastic
49、learners however they may take the student along with them The teacher is clearly a major factor in the continuance of a students motivation Teachers take on multiple roles as controllers organizers assessors participants resources tutors and observers All roles after all aim to facilitate the students process in some way or other Therefore teachers attitude to the language and th