ABSTRACT

The learners’ motivation is an important factor affecting the foreign language performance. However, as the motivation may decrease or be insufficient in the learning progress, the learners’ ability to regulate the motivation also plays an essential role in English learning. At present, the empirical research on the motivational regulation strategies in the college students’ English learning is still a relatively little investigated aspect in the foreign language education field. Through the research on the 420 college students of Jiangsu University by questionnaire and face-to-face interview, the author studied their overall patterns of motivational regulation strategies and the relationship between the language learning proficiency and motivational regulation strategies. The results of the analysis revealed that the college students don’t use the motivational regulation strategies frequently. And there is an obvious positive correlation between the motivational regulation strategies and English learning proficiency. And there are no obvious differences between students from different grades. The results also showed that the female students and the English majors use motivational regulation strategies with higher frequency.

Key words: English learning; motivational regulation strategies; college student

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABSTRACT

摘要

Chapter One INTRODUCTION-1

1.1 Significance of the Study-1

1.2 Objective of the Present Study-2

Chapter Two Literature Review-3

2.1 Theoretical Studies on Motivation-3

2.1.1 Definitions of motivation-3

2.1.2 Classifications of motivation-4

2.1.3 Functions of motivation-4

2.2 Theoretical Studies on Motivational Regulation Strategies-5

2.2.1 Definitions of motivational regulation strategies-5

2.2.2 Classifications of motivational regulation strategies-5

2.2.3 Functions of motivational regulation strategies-6

Chapter Three METHODOLOGY-7

3.1 Research Questions-7

3.2 The Participants-7

3.3 Procedures-8

3.3.1 The questionnaire survey-8

3.3.2 The face-to-face interview-9

3.4 Data Analysis-10

Chapter Four RESULTS AND DISCUSSION-11

4.1 General Use of Motivational Regulation Strategies in English learning-11

4.2 Motivational Regulation Strategies and Language Proficiency-12

4.3 Motivational Regulation Strategies and Gender-13

4.4 Motivational Regulation Strategies and Specialty-15

4.5 Motivational Regulation Strategies and Grade-16

4.6 Motivational Regulation Strategies and Living Environment-17

Chapter Five CONCLUSION-19

5.1 Major Findings-19

5.2 Limitations of the Study-20

REFERENCES-21

APPENDIX-23