A Case Study On English Learning Motivation Of Students And The Impact Of English Teachers On English Learning Motivation In No.8 High School

This study aims to investigate the general developmental trend and gender differences of English learning motivation among a high school subjects and the effects of students' perceptions of English teachers' behaviors on English learning motivation. The sample consists of 295 students from No. 8 high school. Self-report questionnaires are administered. The collected data are computed and analyzed by means of Pearson product-moment correlation, one-way ANOVA and multiple regression. The present study attains the following results: (1) The dynamic motivation continuum proposed by SDT is applicable among the population from No. 8 high school. (2) Significant effects are attested in the present study: (a) Intrinsic motivation varies between grade levels, with the trend that decline occurs from Grade 1 to Grade 2 and slight increase occurs from Grade 2 to Grade 3. (b) External regulation presents an upward trend across the grade levels. (3) Males and females differ significantly in amotivation, external regulation, identified regulation and intrinsic motivation. Males have less self-determined orientations such as identified and intrinsic motivation than do the females. However, males exceed females in external regulation and amotivation. (4) Intrinsic motivation and identified regulation are associated with perceived teachers' autonomy support and informative feedback. Perceptions of language teachers as autonomous and as tending to provide constructive information about learning correspond with increased identified regulation and intrinsic motivation. Perceived teachers' controlling behaviors are positively related to the external and introjected regulation, while intrinsic motivation and identified regulation are not correlated with perceived teachers' controlling behaviors.