A Study On The Relationship Between L2 Directed Motivational Currents And English Speaking Self-Concept Among English Majors

Directed motivational currents and English speaking self-concept of learners play significant roles in second language learning.There are numerous researches on directed motivational currents and English speaking self-concept respectively.However,very few researchers have set their foot into the combination of directed motivational currents and English speaking self-concept.Therefore,it is necessary to explore the relationship between these two factors.The present study aims to investigate undergraduate English majors’ L2 directed motivational currents and their speaking self-concept and tends to find out:(1)the general situation of undergraduate English majors’ L2 directed motivational currents;(2)the overall picture of undergraduate English majors’ speaking self-concept;(3)the relationship between English majors’ directed motivational currents and their English speaking self-concept.The participants were 120 sophomores,randomly selected from the English School of Xi’an International Studies University.The directed motivational currents questionnaire,English speaking self-concept questionnaire,and the semi-structured interviews were used.All valid data were imported into SPSS 26.0 for descriptive statistics analysis and Pearson correlation analysis.The results of the study shows that the undergraduate English majors have understood and experienced the directed motivational currents several times during their English learning process and that the three main dimensions of the directed motivational currents: goal/vision orientedness,salient and facilitative structure,and positive emotionality were all significantly correlated with each other.Secondly,undergraduate English majors hold positive attitudes towards their English speaking self-concept.In addition,there were strong correlations between goal/vision orientedness,salient and facilitative structure,positive emotionality and English speaking self-concept.The current study offers some pedagogical implications for oral English teachers and English majors.On the one hand,teachers should introduce relevant knowledge of directed motivational currents and English speaking self-concept to students so as to help students improve their learning motivation and establish a positive speaking self-concept.On the other hand,the students should set up the optimal and positive awareness of speaking self-concept and seize chances to practice in class and daily life.