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Investigating Chinese Upper Secondary School Students’ Motivation for Learning English from the Aspects of Genders, Age, and Majors

Year: 2021
Type: dissertation
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: English language learning is an indispensable part of Chinese students’ education. As a core subject tested in the high-stakes national college entrance examination, English plays a decisive role in Chinese upper secondary students’ schooling. According to the Canadian social psychologist, Robert Gardner, when learning another language as a formal school course, motivation is a critical determinant of successful learning outcomes. Studies on motivation to learn English in China give precedence to tertiary education; empirical studies of secondary education are underrepresented. Drawing on a comparative perspective, this study investigated Chinese upper secondary students’ motivation to learn English from the aspects of genders, age, and majors. A questionnaire survey was undertaken to assemble data from 120 participants in an upper secondary school in Chengdu city. The results indicated that, the participants at large were positively motivated to learn English, and their motivation was preponderantly instrumentally oriented (e.g., educational qualification, occupational prospect, etc.). A statistically significant difference in motivation between the female and male participants was identified, namely that the females demonstrated a stronger motivation and were willing to expend more effort and perseverance to learn English. Neither age nor major was found to make any significant difference to motivation. The pedagogical implications suggested in this study, sheds light on tackling the issues of developing a long-term strategy for promoting sustainable motivation, as well as underpinning the English language pedagogy in Chinese upper secondary education.
Author: Lu Larsson, Wei
Language: English
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7019837545
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