| Author: | Ye, Xuejun |
| Title: | A study on the effectiveness of L2 motivational strategies in Chinese junior secondary schools |
| Advisors: | Hu, Guangwei (ENGL) |
| Degree: | DALS |
| Year: | 2023 |
| Subject: | English language -- Study and teaching (Secondary) English language -- Study and teaching -- Chinese speakers Motivation in education Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations |
| Department: | Faculty of Humanities |
| Pages: | xvii, 284 pages : color illustrations |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Second Language (L2) learning motivation has been widely discussed because it is considered a determinant of L2 success or failure. As teachers could have a prominent influence on learners’ L2 motivation, they need to possess knowledge of L2 motivational strategies (MSs) to develop and sustain students’ L2 motivation under various circumstances. Researchers give overwhelming attention to the study of learners’ L2 motivation, whereas research on how to motivate them is rather scanty. Regarding the latter line of research, the context of mainland China, with an immense number of English-as-a-foreign-language (EFL) learners, has not been appropriately represented in L2 MS research, let alone studies that explore the effects of L2 MSs on student motivation. In addition, it is not uncommon that school-aged learners’ voices are not given adequate attention in L2 motivation research. The present study addresses these research gaps through a non-experimental study and an experimental study in the Chinese junior secondary school context. Drawing on previous theoretical frameworks and models on L2 motivation and motivational teaching practice, this study proposes an integrated theoretical framework of L2 motivational teaching practice. The non-experimental study aimed to explore student and teacher perceptions of L2 MSs by conducting four groups of comparisons, i.e., student and teacher beliefs about the importance of L2 MSs, teacher belief and practices of L2 MSs, student beliefs and teacher practices of L2 MSs, different-achieving students’ beliefs about the importance of L2 MSs. To this end, this study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design that included questionnaire surveys and interview data with both students and teachers. Questionnaire data on the perceived importance of L2 MSs were collected from 1489 junior secondary school students and 210 teachers. Questionnaire data on the perceived practices of L2 MSs were completed by 166 teachers. In addition, 54 students participated in the focus groups and 20 teachers took part in the individual semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed that students and teachers were all positive toward L2 MSs. In addition, significant differences were found between student and teacher perceptions of the importance of L2 MSs; teachers gave higher mean scores for the strategies. Inconsistencies were found between teachers’ beliefs and practices. The underuse of strategies, according to the teachers, was attributable to a wide range of internal and external factors. Moreover, quantitative data indicated that teachers’ practices concerning approximately half of the L2 macro MSs failed to satisfy learners’ needs. Students voiced more expectations of their teachers regarding the use of L2 MSs in their interview responses. Students at the lower proficiency level had more demands in terms of their teachers’ motivational teaching practice. The experimental study was intended to determine the effectiveness of four types of motivational treatment conditions (control, traditional, vision, and combined) on various measures, including the ideal L2 self, the ought-to L2 self, L2 learning experience, L2 anxiety, L2 self-confidence, L2 willingness to communicate (WTC), learning effort, and L2 achievement. To achieve these purposes, this study adopted a convergent mixed-methods experimental design comprising an intervention with three motivational treatments, a questionnaire survey and individual semi-structured interviews for students conducted at three time points – the pre-test, the post-test, and the delayed post-test. A total of 391 valid questionnaire responses were collected. In addition, 48 students participated in the interviews. Findings indicated that all three motivational treatments were able to exert significant positive effects on the aforementioned outcome measures. Comparatively, the vision-inspired MSs were superior to the combined MSs and the traditional MSs in enhancing the ideal L2 self and L2 self-confidence. The combined MSs were more effective in improving the L2 learning experience than the other two motivational treatments. The vision and combined MSs were practically similar in their effects on ought-to L2 self, L2 WTC, and L2 proficiency and were both better than the traditional MS treatment. Moreover, the three treatmetns were equally effective in lowering L2 anxiety and increasing learning effort. These results suggest that the vision and the combined L2 MSs offer the best option for teachers’ motivational practice. This study has contributed to research on L2 MSs in three ways. First, it proposes an integrated framework for research on MSs. Second, it substantiates the methodological advantages of mixed-methods research on L2 MSs. Equally important, this study provides rich implications for motivational teaching practice in Chinese junior secondary schools and other similar contexts. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
Files in This Item:
| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7165.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 2.69 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
Copyright Undertaking
As a bona fide Library user, I declare that:
- I will abide by the rules and legal ordinances governing copyright regarding the use of the Database.
- I will use the Database for the purpose of my research or private study only and not for circulation or further reproduction or any other purpose.
- I agree to indemnify and hold the University harmless from and against any loss, damage, cost, liability or expenses arising from copyright infringement or unauthorized usage.
By downloading any item(s) listed above, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the copyright undertaking as stated above, and agree to be bound by all of its terms.
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
https://theses.lib.polyu.edu.hk/handle/200/12732