| Various studies have found that motivation is very strongly related to achievements in language learning. Till now, many researchers have done a lot of research on foreign language learning motivation. Among them, Gardner is the primary figure in this field, who divided motivation into instrumental motivation and integrative motivation. Another important distinction, perhaps more useful for teachers, is that between intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Previous research indicates that extrinsic motivation is crucial in promoting effective teaching and determining the success or failure of language learning. Teachers'praise, encouragement, and individuals'successful school experiences all contribute to students'success. However, from the perspective of development, students'intrinsic motivation is more important as genuine impetus. Students'desire for English study and the pleasure from it help them on the way to their success. Starting with differentiating intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation, this thesis investigates types of motivation possessed by the students in the author's vocational college, explores the relationship between students'motivation and their learning performance and puts forward some principles of stimulating students'motivation. In order to understand better the current situation of students'motivation in the author's high vocational college, a small-scale questionnaire is used with the author's own students being the subjects. The study reveals that: 1) most of the students have instrumental or certificate motivation, 2) successful learners are more intrinsically motivated, whilst unsuccessful learners have extrinsic motivation, 3) in a certain degree, there is some relationship between learners'motivation and their learning performances, especially in management strategies, need for achievement and perseverance. 4) most of the students consider English as boring but useful. Facing with such an unsatisfactory situation, the author claims that the lack of motivation is the potential factor causing the ineffectiveness of English teaching in vocational colleges and offers some tentative suggestions for motivating the learners. In the author's view, to arouse students'motivation, especially their intrinsic motivation, traditional teacher-centered teaching approach must be replaced with student-centered model to cultivate students'communicative competence; a good relationship between teachers and students must be established to the satisfaction of students'affective needs; a secure, relaxed and harmonious classroom atmosphere must be created to reduce students'anxiety, protect their self-esteem and increase their self-confidence; classroom activities must encourage teacher-student and student-student interaction; students'initiatives must be promoted through proper strategies. Only by doing so, can students'motivation be boosted. |
