A Comparative Study Of The Language Attitudes Of The Twelfth-Graders In The Remedial And Average Classes

Language attitudes are people's perceptions and evaluations on certain language or dialect, which are the reflection of social psychology. People's language attitudes reflect the social status of this language and the impression the community members leave in people's mind.Among the various factors affecting English teaching and learning, the language attitude of English learners is an important and valuable study. Based on the theory of sociolinguistics and the employment of attitudinal questionnaire, the thesis investigates the language attitudes of 200 students falling into four classes which are from two remedial classes and two average classes, being divided into two groups with 100 students in each group. The paper attempts to explore the following questions:(1) What language attitudes do the twelfth-graders in middle school hold and what language attitudes do they have in terms of three attitudinal components? (2) Do significant attitudinal differences exist between remedial and average class students? (3) What are effective factors influencing their language attitudes towards English?The findings can be concluded as follows:1. Both remedial class students and average class ones hold favorable language attitudes towards English and compared with affective and conative components, students attain higher scores in terms of cognitive component. It is well-known that cognitive component refer to people's evaluations to the use and social status of some language. It can be shown that students put high values on English use and social status.2. Compared with students in average classes, the students of remedial classes have more positive language attitudes and there are significant differences in terms of whole language attitudes and conative component, which illustrates that remedial class students have more positive language attitudes and they own stronger desire and orientation to learning and longer perseverance in learning activities.3. Gender actually exerts influences on language attitudes and three attitudinal components. That is to say, female students hold more favorable language attitudes towards English than male students do and there are significant attitudinal differences between female students and male students.According to the results mentioned above, the present study offers teachers, parents and students themselves a better understanding of the similarities and differences of remedial and average class students in terms of language attitudes and attitudinal components in order to draw on each other's merits and raise the level together. At the same time, the thesis also provides suggestions that teachers should pay special attention to the three components of students'language attitudes and cultivate positive language attitudes, especially adopting effective teaching strategies and methods to foster students'impulse of carrying on practical learning activities and perseverance in the learning activities.