The motivational dynamics of Chinese students in College English classrooms

Motivation is a significant factor in language learning and both theoretical and empirical research on L2 motivation has found its dynamic nature. The dynamic understanding of L2 motivation can be useful in exploring the exact reasons for motivation flexibility. College English course is an important part of higher education in China. The government has put a considerable amount of investments in improving the course, but the results are not satisfactory. To facilitate students’ learning in the course and to understand L2 motivation in a real context in China, this study explores College English students’ in-class motivation flexibility, especially the relationship between the teacher’s behaviour and the students’ motivation fluctuations. Motometer, a specially designed instrument for recording motivation changes, was used at first to track motivation changes, but it was abandoned because of several problems in data collection. A case study design was then adopted: 8 participants were selected from a class of College English students via a questionnaire survey; they were required to write learning logs after each lesson in 4 weeks and were then interviewed individually based on their learning logs weekly. The results confirm the dynamic nature of L2 motivation. Various motivational factors and classroom activities appeared to be the causes of the fluctuations, and their influences on students may be different from each other. The data show that students’ attitudes toward English learning play a significant role in determining the individuals’ overall motivation levels; Ideal L2 Self can be a powerful stimulus, but its impact can fade rapidly; the students’ pressure and anxiety can have both positive and negative influences on their motivation. The research also finds that the teacher, especially the teacher’s personality, has significant influences on the students’ motivation. The thesis also puts forward a few pedagogical implications for College English based on the findings.