A Process-Oriented Model Of Motivating-Learning Strategies

The impact of individual differences on learners' English learning has been emphasized a lot during the rapid development of second language acquisition research.In this line,learning motivation has been drawing increasing attention.It has been proved that learning motivation has an undoubtedly evident effect on second language learning. However,most of the previous research was aimed to study motivation theories and directed to facilitate further theoretical research rather than to facilitate teaching practitioners.Therefore,much research could not directly benefit second language instruction.Based on a process-oriented approach,nevertheless,Dornyei proposed a model of motivational strategies,which consists of 4 steps and 35 specific strategies with specific examples.This model can be employed directly in language teaching situations.The present research was an empirical study just intended to explore whether Dornyei's process-oriented model of motivational strategies can effectively enhance the learning motivation of Chinese college students poor in English listening.The research adopted a between-subjects design.70 sophomores majoring in English from two classes of Chongqing Normal University participated in the experiment.35 of them formed the experimental group and the other 35 formed the control group.There were 10 male subjects and 25 female subjects in each group.The experimental group received Dornyei's process-oriented motivational strategies in the English listening course, but the control group only took a regular listening course without Dornyei's motivational strategies.All the other conditions of the subjects were controlled:the same teacher, teaching materials and duration of teaching.The teaching experiment lasted for 4.5 weeks. The subjects received a pre-test on their English listening proficiency,and both a pre-survey and a post-survey using the same questionnaire on their learning motivation for English listening.Statistic procedures,such as the independent samples t test,and the 2-independent-samples nonparametric test,were employed to analyze the collected data. The 2 groups of subjects did not differ significantly in listening proficiency or listening motivation before the experiment.In the process of the experiment,the subjects were also encouraged to keep weekly diaries about their feelings of the listening course.Qualitative analyses were used to analyze the data from the diaries.Thus,employing a mixed methods research,the quantitative experimental study and the qualitative diary analysis were joined in order to make a multi-perspective examination of the effect of Dornyei's model.The result of the research showed that Dornyei's process-oriented model of motivational strategies can effectively enhance the learning motivation of Chinese college students poor in English listening.And the result further enriched Dornyei's motivational strategies based on his process-oriented model.The result of the research suggests that it is necessary for Chinese college English listening teachers to employ Dornyei's motivational strategies in their teaching.The model can help the teachers in China better understand how well a second/foreign language teacher can motivate his/her students to learn.