A Study of Taiwanese Junior High School Students'' EFL Learning Motivation and Learning Strategies

• Main Authors: Yen-fen Liao, 廖彥棻
• Other Authors: Sheng-hui Huang
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2000
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/92434101116402537502

碩士 === 國立彰化師範大學 === 英語學系 === 88 === In the last decades, considerable studies have shown that learning motivation and language learning strategies play a pivotal role in the process of learning. However, because of the context-specific trait of L2 (second language) motivation, it is risky to apply previous findings to the Taiwanese context. Besides, whereas a host of researchers have investigated Taiwanese learners’ strategy use, the paucity of studies on junior high school students’ English learning strategies provides little information to EFL educators. What is more, very few attempts have been made so far to determine the relationships between motivation and learning strategies, particularly in a Taiwanese junior high school EFL context. The present study, therefore, investigates Taiwanese junior high school students’ EFL learning motivation intensity, motivation types, and learning strategy use, as well as to obtain a better understanding of the relationships between motivation and strategies. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used in this study. Three questionnaires were administered to the second year students at a junior high school in central Taiwan; i.e. the Motivational Intensity Questionnaire (Gardner, 1985), the Motivational Questionnaire (Schmidt et al., 1996), and the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (Oxford, 1989). In addition, semi-structured interviews with a random sample of twenty students and four English teachers and classroom observations for four classes were used. Key findings show that the students lack English learning motivation and tend to be extrinsically motivated. Most of the students do not frequently use various learning strategies in the process of learning English. Also, the results indicate that the students’ English learning motivation types and intensity are significantly correlated with their learning strategies. From the findings of this study, it is suggested that teachers need to enhance students’ motivation and cultivate their intrinsic motivation, as well as to encourage students to make good use of learning strategies. Further pedagogical implications and suggestions for future studies are provided at the end of the study.