Investigations Into The Cause Of Underachievers In English Language Learning Among Key Middle Schools And Some Reflections

This paper starts with a theoretical discussion of the underachieveraents in general, then moves to a study on the cause of the underachievers in English language learning. The cause falls into internal factors and external factors, with the external factors acting upon the internal factors. Internal factors include cognitive factors and noncognitive factors. External factors are affected by the atmosphere of school, family and society. In order to know the influence the controllable factors within the reach of teachers deliver on the underachievers, I did some research on the cause of underachievers in some key middle schools in the area of Chang Zhou city. Guided by the theory discussed, this research is based on lots of investigations. Firstly,I did some survey on the underachievers in key middle schools and ordinary middle schools as a contrast to look for the prominent factors causing the unde2~achievements of the underachievers. Factors such as motive, efforts, strategy and learning habits are found to be the major ones . In the analysis of some other factors, the question has emerged related to the effect of teachers; Secondly, the effect motive,efforts, strategy and teachers have on the underachievers has been proved in the survey of fast learners and slow learners. Thirdly, another survey on the effect motive, efforts, strategy and teachers exercise on underachievers in different grades, different gender and different key middle schools was carried out. Through the analysis of the survey, an obviously higher level of strategy use and motive is discovered in female underachievers than in male underachievers, and there is a significant difference among underachievers in different grades in terms of motive and attitude towards English teachers. Finally, ways to help underachievers are suggested based on theory and practice.