This research intends to examine the potential factors that influence the motivation – intrinsic or extrinsic – of freshmen in junior middle schools, hoping to find some effective strategies to motivate them to learn and promote their autonomy in learning English. Data were collected from 204 students randomly selected from an experimental class by using closed-ended questionnaires. The qualitative results were derived from classroom observations and interviews with five primary school teachers and two junior middle school teachers. The findings provide evidence on the factors that might influence students’ motivation; meanwhile, intrinsic motivation and autonomy can be boosted with the full-scale implementation of several effective motivational strategies.
Brown HD, 2000, Principles of Language Learning and Teaching 4th Edition, Pearson Education Ltd., New York, United States.
Gardner RC, 1985, Social Psychology and Second Language Learning: The Role of Attitudes and Motivation, Edward Arnold, London.
Huitt W, 2001, Motivation to Learn: An Overview. Educational Psychology Interactive, Valdosta State University, Valdosta, GA.
Maslow A, 1954, Motivation and Personality, Harper, New York, United States.
Alderfer C, 1972, Existence, Relatedness, & Growth, Free Press, New York, United States.
Zimmerman B, 2003, Achieving Self-Regulation: The Trial and Triumph of Adolescence, in Pajares F, Urdan T, Academic Motivation of Adolescents. Information Age Press, Greenwich, CT, 1-27.
Rogers A, 1996, Teaching Adults, Open University Press, Buckingham, England.
Dornyel Z, 1998, Motivation in Second and Foreign Language Learning. Journal of Educational Psychology, 31(3): 117-129.
Gardner RC, 1996, Motivation and Second Language Acquisition: Perspectives. Journal of the CAAL, 18(2): 19-42.
Rossier J, 1975, Extroversion-Introversion as a Significant Variable in the Learning of English as a Second Language. Dissertation Abstracts International, 36: 7308A-7309A.
Keller J, 1984, Motivational Design of Instruction, in Reigeluth, Instructional Design Theories and Models: An Overview of Their Current Status, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Hillsdale, NJ.
Holec H, 1980, Learner Training: Meeting Needs in Self-Directed Learning, in Altman and Vaughan J, Foreign Language Learning: Meeting Individual Needs, Pergamon, Oxford, 30-45.
Crookes G, Schmidt RW, 1991, Motivation: Reopening the Research Agenda. Language Learning, 41(4): 469-512.
Morgan C, 1993, Attitude Change and Foreign Language Culture Learning. Language Teaching, 26(2): 63-75.
Nunan D, 1995, Closing the Gap between Learning and Instruction. TESOL Quarterly, 29(1): 133-158.
Cook V, 1996, Second Language and Language Teaching, Edward Arnold, London.
Oxford R, Ehrman M, 1993, Second Language Research on Individual Differences. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 13: 188-205.
Good T, Brophy J, 1987, Looking in Classrooms, Harper & Row, New York.