A Study On The Effects Of Directed Motivational Currents On English Learning Behavior And English Achievement Of Junior Middle School Students

In the process of English learning,students’ motivation plays an important role in students’ English learning.As the latest research achievement in the field of second language acquisition motivation,directed motivational currents(DMCs)combines specific learning goals with longterm motivation behaviors,focusing on how to stimulate and maintain high intensity of learning motivation.Therefore,identifying EFL learners’ DMCs and their influence on EFL learning behavior and achievement also has theoretical and practical significance.This study intends to explore the following three issues: 1)Whether DMCs exist in junior middle school students’ English learning experiences;2)What effects DMCs have on students’ English learning behavior(ELB);3)Whether DMCs have a positive impact on junior middle school students’ English achievement,and what reasons if there is any.A total of 227 participants were chosen from a junior middle school in Guangzhou,China.Questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were adopted as the instruments to collect quantitative and qualitative data.The questionnaire survey was conducted to identify learners’ DMCs for junior middle school students,explore the effects of the DMCs on their ELB of junior middle school students,and find out whether DMCs have a positive impact on junior middle school students’ English achievement.12 participants were randomly selected to participate in the interview to explain the impact of the DMCs on ELB of junior middle school students in details and to find out the reasons for the influence of DMCs on junior middle school students’ English achievement.The major findings of the study are as follows: Firstly,DMCs exist in junior middle school students’ English learning and it is a recognized phenomenon.Secondly,the impact of DMCs on students’ ELB is reflected in three aspects: participation in class,goal-strategy management,and compliance with requirements.Among them,the correlation between DMCs and goalstrategy management is the most significant,while there is a medium correlation between DMCs and compliance with requirements,and the correlation between DMCs and participation in class is the least significant.Thirdly,DMCs have a positive impact on junior middle school students’ English achievement,and the reasons for the influence are manifested in six aspects:goal/vision-orientedness,participant ownership,salient facilitative structure,positive emotionality,expected returns,and teachers’ impact.Among them,teachers’ impact includes the teacher’s personality,teacher-student communication,and teaching styles.Based on these results,some suggestions are put forward on EFL teaching and learning at junior middle school levels,including creating conditions for DMCs,stimulating learners to generate DMCs by setting goals,and maintaining the momentum of DMCs.