A Correlational Study On Senior Two Students’ English Autonomous Motivation And Their Use Of Indirect Learning Strategies

Based on Deci and Ryan’s Self-Determination Theory and Oxford’s Language Learning Strategies Theory,the present study applies quantitative and qualitative approaches to investigate Senior Two students’ English autonomous motivation and their indirect learning strategy use,and the relationship between them.This thesis aims at exploring the overall situation of students’ English autonomous motivation and their indirect learning strategy use,and the differences in autonomous motivation and indirect learning strategy use between male and female students.Meanwhile,the causes of such situation and differences are discussed and analyzed.And finally a correlational study on English autonomous motivation and indirect learning strategy use is conducted.In this study,both questionnaire and interview investigation are involved.The research subjects are students from four classes of one Senior High School.Using descriptive statistics,Independent Samples Test,and correlation analysis,this study analyzes and discusses the obtained data and information.The research results are as follows:(1)Senior Two students are generally medium autonomously motivated(m=2.98).Among autonomous motivation,integrated regulation has the highest mean(m=3.26)followed by identified regulation(m=2.87)and intrinsic regulation(m=2.80).(2)In general,Senior Two students “sometimes use” indirect learning strategies(m=2.65).To be more specific,affective strategies are reported to be used most frequently(m=2.90)followed by metacognitive strategies(m=2.61)and social strategies(m=2.37).(3)In terms of gender difference,there are some differences between male and female students in English autonomous motivation and their indirect learning strategy use.There are significant differences between male and female students in each category of English autonomous motivation(identified regulation,integrated regulation,and intrinsic regulation)and indirect learning strategies(metacognitive strategies,affective strategies,and social strategies).And female students have ahigher average score than male students both in English autonomous motivation and the frequency of indirect learning strategy use.(4)As for the correlation between English autonomous motivation and indirect learning strategy use,the results indicate that “identified regulation” is medium correlated with “metacognitive strategies”,“affective strategies” and “social strategies”.“Integrated regulation” and “intrinsic regulation” are both highly correlated with “metacognitive strategies”,and medium correlated with “affective strategies” and “social strategies”.In addition,the higher the autonomy of motivation is,the stronger the correlation is between autonomous motivation and metacognitive strategies.According to the research results,the present study proposes some pedagogical suggestions on how to reinforce Senior Two students’ English autonomous motivation and how to help them use indirect learning strategies.Because not too much research has been done both in China and abroad to examine Senior High School students’ English autonomous motivation and their use of indirect learning strategies,the present study may offer Senior High School teachers some pedagogical implications on how to stimulate students’ English autonomous motivation,and how to foster them to reasonably use indirect learning strategies.