How to Arouse Students’ Interest in Learning English in Junior Middle School如何激发初中生学习英语的兴趣.doc

How to Arouse Students Interest in Learning English in Junior Middle SchoolAbstractWith the fast development of our society, English has become more and more important. Naturally more and more people intend to learn it well while some students learning English in middle schools seem to be lack of interest. Usually they show great interest in English at the beginning of learning, which may be due to their curiosity and the novelty of English. But with the development of study, their interest decreases and even disappears. Therefore it is considerably important and significant to arouse, cultivate and keep students interest in learning English. This thesis discusses what interest is, the importance of the interest in the learning process, the reasons why students lack interest in learning English and how to arouse their interest in terms of three perspectives: what to be done by the students themselves, their teachers and their parents. Thus it will arouse the student's initiative, interest and enthusiasm to learn English, which will improve the quality and efficiency of learning and teaching English.Key words： English learning and teaching, arousing students interest, problems, various factorsHow to Arouse Students Interest in Learning English in Junior Middle School如何激发初中生学习英语的兴趣摘要 随着社会的不断发展，英语变得越来越重要。随之而来的是越来越多的人想要学习英语。然而，中学里却存在学生对英语不感兴趣的现象。通常，在刚开始学英语时，初中学生都会由于好奇心及英语本身的新奇而产生浓厚的兴趣。但是，随着时间的流逝，他们的兴趣会减弱甚至消失。所以，激发和培养并保持中学生学英语的兴趣非常重要，意义深远。针对这个问题，本文从兴趣入手并就其在学习中的重要性，从教师、学生、家长三个角度分析了中学生学习英语兴趣不佳问题并提出解决问题的思路和对策。本研究课题将有利于激发中学生学习英语的积极性、主动性、兴趣及热情，从而促进中学英语教学质量及教学效率的提高。关键词： 英语学习 英语教学 激发兴趣 问题 各种因素ContentsIntroduction11. The Importance of Interest in English Study21.1 The Definition of Interest and Motivation21.2 The Relationship Between Interest and Motivation in Learning31.3 The Importance of Interest42. The Problem of Students lacking Interest in Learning English52.1 The Phenomenon of Students Lacking Interest in Learning English in Middle School52.2 The Reason Why Students Lacking Interest in Learning English in Middle School62.3The Detriment of Students Lacking Interest in Learning English in Middle School73. Solutions to the Problems of Middle School Students Lacking Interest in Learning English83.1 Proposing the Solutions to Solve the Problem of Middle School Students Lacking Interest in Learning English83.2 In terms of Students83.3 In terms of Teachers93.4 In terms of Parents10Conclusion11Work Cited12Introduction With the implementation of reform and open policy, with the development of social life, with the promotion of economic globalization, more and more individuals are conscious of the indispensability and the importance of learning English. As people know, English as a diplomatic language has become extremely significant. Moreover, in the trend of economic globalization, the exchanges among the peoples of the world become more frequent and a blend of different cultures keeps deepening. In this context, as a part of culture, the language symbols are particularly important, and only through making oneself the master of a countrys language, will it be possible to understand the country's culture, which will provide a platform for both dialogue and communication. What is more, there is no doubt that English-speaking countries have played a dominant role in worlds economy. However, the situation of learning English in the middle school is not satisfactory. On the contrary, many students in the middle school, especially students in Grade 1, are not interested in learning English. Perhaps, at the beginning of learning English, they are full of enthusiasm to learn it for some time just out of their curiosity and the novelty of English language itself. But what on earth makes them change their minds so quickly? As factors are combined to lead to a result, one can not simply reach conclusions without taking various factors into consideration. Therefore, in this thesis, there are totally five chapters. I make introduction of the background of learning English in China, give due weigh to the necessity of learning English, bring to lighten the phenomenon that middle school students are short of interest in learning English. Then I attach emphasis to the significance of interest in learning English and make an analysis on some problems that students are deficient in learning English, and the factors that contribute to the problems. Accordingly, I bring forth some solutions in terms of students, teachers and parents to coping with those problems. At last, I point out that writing this thesis is in order to cultivate the students interests and improve the quality and efficiency of learning and teaching English, and the suggestions I offer here are meaningful and valuable in conducting teaching and learning English in middle school. But there is still some insufficiency needed to be improved in the further research. The teachers, the students and the parents should work closely together to arouse and develop students interest in learning English. They should find more methods to let the students go on with English and learn it well. And in order to arouse the students enthusiasm and initiative, and improve the teaching quality and raise the teaching efficiency, we should cultivate their willpower and develop their persistence in learning English. Meanwhile, students should cooperate with their teachers and parents and learn to be confident instead of writing themselves off as hopeless and act recklessly.1. The Importance of Interest in Study1.1 The Definition of Interest and Motivation Interest and motivation are closely related to each other. It is indispensable to involve motivation when discussing interest. It is reasonable that motivation is to human activity just like the engine and steering wheel are to automobile, because motivation provides propulsion and makes adjustments for human in the activity. Therefore, propulsion and orientation are the core functionality of motivation.Psychologists define motivation as an internal process that activates, guides and maintains behaviors and satisfies the individual needs over time. In other words, it is what gets you going, keeps you going, and determines where you are trying to go. Sandra Kerr also defines motivation as an internal state or condition that activates and gives direction to thoughts, feelings and actions. More specifically, human beings universally have desires or needs which are more or less innate. Six desires or needs of human organisms are commonly identified. They constitute the motivation:(1) the need for exploration, for seeing “the other side of the mountain”, for probing the unknown; (2) the need for manipulation, for operating on the environment and causing change;(3) the need for activity, for movement and exercise, both physical and mental;(4) the need for stimulation, and to be stimulated by the environment, by other people, or by ideas, thoughts, and feelings;(5) the need for knowledge, the need to process and internalize the results of exploration, manipulation, activity, and stimulation, to resolve contradictions, to quest for solutions to problems and for self-consistent systems of knowledge;(6) the need for ego enhancement, for the self to be known and to be accepted and approved of by others.Other psychologists have noted further basic needs: achievement, autonomy, affiliation, order, change, endurance, aggression, and other needs. The basic human needs listed above appear to capture the essence of most general categories of needs, and are especially relevant to second language learning.Indeed, Interest and motivation are closely related to each other. It is indispensable to involve interest when discussing motivation. “Psychological and educational research within recent decades has investigated the factors that promote and undermine motivation (Ames & Ames, 1985). In general, psychological research has testified individual intrapsychic influences on motivation, such as attributions, self-efficacy, perceived ability, perceived control and competence, self-concept, intrinsic motivation, interest, learning strategies, and goal orientations (Ames & Ames, 1984 )” (Yan 16).Interest is another form of motivation. It is the most active and crucial factor with strong positive emotions to influence motivation in foreign language learning. Interest refers to an emotional tendency to learn or know something, based on the needs for exploration. It is an important motivation to give impetus to know things and seek the truth. It can also be called as curiosity. “Interest is a state of exploring or participating in something actively, which occurs and develops in social practice. Different forms of interest in various kinds of activities exist in reality. ” (Yan 16). There is immediate interest resulted from the affair or action itself and mediate interest from the purpose and task of the affair or action. There is also temporary interest occurring in the process but vanishing in the end and stable interest which becomes individuals psychological characteristics. 1.2 The Relationship Between Interest and Motivation in Learning As we know, motivation is one of the important non-intellectual factors for students in their study. That how active the students are in their study depends on the motivation in the study. But motivation is pretty complex. Thereby, to stimulate students motivation is to arouse students interest. While motivation composed of many factors, and interest is one of the factors, and it is a special kind of motivation. Interest is fundamental to lead to success. When interest is aroused, the learner will decide to do something and sustain the effort or persist in order to achieve the previous goals.In addition, interest is a sort of psychological component in terms of the need for knowledge. There are another two psychological components of learning motivation: goal and achievement. If students are aware of the learning object in their study, they will study consciously and actively. While out of the need for ego enhancement, for the self to be known and to be accepted and approved of by others, students wish they can gain high scores, which is learning achievement. Actually, interest is the concrete propulsion to promote students to read and achieve a lot. It is commonly acknowledged that those who are interested in learning, their curiosity or need for knowledge will not decline or disappear. Once they are satisfied, they will enrich and intensify interest, the new learning interest for learners to adapt to the higher level of awareness will come into being. Generally speaking, learners interest is in proportion to their academic record and confidence. We can easily note that students with great interest in some subject will work hard and achieve high score in that subject and become confident. Likewise, students who are good at some subject will show great interest in that subject, and of course they will become more confident.1.3 The Importance of InterestThere is no denying that interest has played pivotal roles in learning. In Einsteins words, interest is the best teacher. Shi Shaoxi, a famous Chinese contemporary headmaster, also lays stress on the importance of interest. When a student is interested in learning, he will study actively, consciously, persistently and intensively. Interest and hobby are like an invisible teacher who can guide people to seek the truth, encourage them to make efforts for study and make full use of their talents. Historically, those who make great achievement on study and make great contribution to human society have something in common. That is interest. They ardently love learning and their careers. In a way, we can say that those who are not interested in their learning and careers will do nothing. Indeed, interest is the most realistic and the most dynamical factor in study. It is also “the driving force” of the study and “the catalyst” of the study. It has mysterious function into the student's study. It can turn the low efficiency into high one. Otherwise, if someone has no interest, learning English will become “Arabian Nights”. So the importance of the interest is very obvious indeed. The strong interest may raise the student's intellectual curiosity and stimulates the student's formidable study power. It can urge them to strive for success tenaciously and make them study diligently. In other words, on one hand, interest has the character of directivity that any interest is in connection with a thing or activity resulted from achieving some purpose based on students needs. For example, the school holds all kinds of activities, such as ball games, concert, debate, colloquium, and so on. But some students do not take part in any kind of them. Their interest in learning is selected. On the other hand, interest has the dynamic character, which means that students interest can be transformed into motivation to stimulate them to work harder. Take English teaching in middle school as an example. According to the survey, with great interest in a certain subject, they will study consciously, persistently and actively to achieve high scores and do a good job in that subject. It also indicates that the dynamic character of interest may make some preparation for the future activities. For instance, a child who is fond of drawing at early age probably becomes a drawer when he grows up.2. The Problems of Students Lacking Interest in Learning English2.1 The Phenomenon of Students Lacking Interest in Learning English in Middle SchoolToday, there are more and more people learning English. Most people contend that English has played an increasing role in the modern society and that learning English is beneficial to them in their daily life and work. However, learning English in the middle school is another case. It is a hard fact that some of the students in the middle school hardly have interest in learning English, although they are interested at the beginning of learning English. Students hold the opinion that it is very difficult in learning the new words. And it is also much harder for them to speak English. Hence in school they are not concentrated in class. They are distracted from their class, even sleep in class. After school they watch a lot of TV, play games rather than finish their homework in time. Next morning they just copy their classmates homework for the sake of the teachers check.2.2 The Reason Why Students Lacking Interest in Learning English in Middle SchoolAt the beginning of learning English, students are full of interest. But what on earth makes them change their minds so quickly? Many kinds of factors lead to the result. One can not simply reach conclusions witho