A Study On The Correlation Between Second Language Motivational Self System,foreign Language Anxiety And Willingness To Communicate Of Senior High School Students

The National English Curriculum Standards for General Senior High School（2017）clearly points out that speaking is a productive skill,and students should develop language skills through a large number of specific and integrated language practice activities to lay a solid foundation for real language communication（Ministry of Education,2018:35）.It is very important to improve students’ enthusiasm in oral English participation and to cultivate their willingness to communicate（WTC）in English.WTC in English,as a second language（L2）motivational behavior,is an important factor in predicting whether language learners will engage in foreign language communication.However,this second language motivated behavior will be affected by individual differences of learners,such as foreign language anxiety and learning motivation.In the field of second language acquisition research,the relationship between motivation,foreign language anxiety and willingness to communicate has also attracted much attention.However,there are few researches on the relationship between motivation self-system,foreign language anxiety and WTC in high school students.Therefore,this study attempts to explore the internal relationship and mechanism among second language motivational self-system（L2MSS）,foreign language anxiety and WTC,and provide some suggestions for English teaching.This study investigated 303 high school English learners in a middle school in Zhangzhou,Fujian Province.The following questions were explored: 1)what is the status quo of L2 MSS,foreign language anxiety and L2 WTC of senior high school students? 2)What is the effect of L2 MSS on L2 WTC of high school students? 3)What is the effect of high school students’ L2 MSS on foreign language anxiety?The results show that: 1)the overall level of L2 MSS of senior high school students in China is at a low level.Foreign language anxiety is moderate;the level of L2 WTC is generally at a low level,and the level of oral L2 WTC in classroom is higher than that outside classroom.There is no significant difference in the gender of high school students’ L2 MSS and WTC.There are significant gender differences in foreign language anxiety,and the foreign language anxiety of girls is significantly higher than that of boys.2)The L2 MSS of high school students has a positive influence on L2 WTC.Among the three dimensions,L2 learning experience and ideal L2 self have a strong predictive effect on L2 WTC inside and outside the classroom,while ought-to L2 self has no significant predictive effect.3)The L2 MSS can positively predict foreign language anxiety.Among the three dimensions,ought-to L2 self is the main predictor of foreign language anxiety;while ideal L2 self and L2 learning experience are not strong predictors.Based on the above research conclusions,this study puts forward feasible suggestions from the aspects of building a positive second language self and providing good learning experience,so as to arouse teachers’ and students’ attention to L2 WTC,and stimulate students’ learning motivation,and improve high school students’ English oral communication skills.