A Correlation Study Between Students’ Motivational Self System And English Achievement Of Minority Middle School In Xinjiang

Foreign language learning motivation refers to learners’ desire and impetus to learn a foreign language,which is the most initiative one among individual factors and one of the most important factors determining the success of language learning.Thus it attracts attention of many researchers and teachers of foreign language.Educational level of Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous Region is relatively low in China,and the basis for the development of Xinjiang Uigur Autonomous Region is minority talent training.In order to cultivate the outstanding minority students,the government of Xinjiang established the “Xinjiang junior minority class”(referred to as “junior minority class”).This study explores the status of Motivational Self System of minority junior high school students and the correlation between Motivational Self System and English achievement in the class,which is of great practical significance to help teachers to motivate students to learn and improve English learning effects of minority junior high school students.Based on the theory of Motivational Self System,quantitative and qualitative methods are used in this study.The questionnaire data are input into SPSS17.0 for descriptive analysis,independent sample T-test,Pearson correlation analysis and regression analysis to investigate the status of Motivational Self System and the interrelation between Motivational Self System and English achievement among 447 minority junior high school students in Shihezi,Xinjiang.And six students are interviewed as a supplement to quantitative research.This thesis tries to answer the following three questions:(1)What is the actual situation of minority junior high school students’ Motivational Self System?(2)Are there any differences between different nations,grades and genders?What are they?(3)Is there the interrelation between Motivational Self System and English achievement?What is it?The major findings are:(1)The Motivational Self System of minority juniors in Xinjiang is above middle level(M=4.13).The order of three dimensions of Motivational Self System from high to low is ideal self(M=4.66),learning experience(M=4.11)and ought-to self(M=3.60);(2)The significant differences are found in the Motivational Self System of junior high school students between ethnic groups,grades and genders.Among them,the Uigur students(M=4.70)are significantly higher than the Han students(M=4.14)on the aspect of ideal self(p= 0.007<0.05);the third grade students(M=3.76)are significantly higher than the second grade(M=3.67)on ought-to self(p=0.000<0.05);the learning experience of girls(M=4.38)is significantly better than that of boys(M=3.67)(p=0.000<0.05);(3)There is a significantly positive correlation between Motivational Self System and English achievement of minority junior high school students(r=0.264**,p=0.000<0.05);its three dimensions have a significant effect on English achievement.According to multivariate regression analysis(English achievement = 0.151 × ideal self + 0.407 × learning experience-0.265 ×ought-to self),the ideal self and learning experience have a positive impact on English performance,and ought-to self has a negative impact on English achievement.The learning experience has the greatest impact on English achievement.In view of this,some implications are put forward: teachers should stimulate Motivational Self System of minority students in different ethnic groups,grades and genders with pertinence,according to their actual situations;teachers should assist students to build ideal self to strengthen future orientation of it in foreign language learning;teachers shouldprovide chances for students to have more learning experience in order to give full play to the positive impact on English achievement.