A Study of Students’ Motivational Dynamics in College English Classes

Abstract

Students’ motivation in learning English in class is not static but dynamic and multidimensional. This has been recognized by more and more researchers, but studies of this phenomenon are still in early stage. Besides, researches on Macau local university students’ (non-English majors) learning motivation in English class on the basis of Dynamic Systems Theory have not been found. In order to explore the features of these students’ learning motivation in English class, and find out the factors that influence their English learning, a case study is conducted to investigate the change of students’ motivation in learning English in the classroom context. It reveals that under the influence of different situational contexts and external factors, the change of students’ motivation in learning English shows individual differences, while at the same time follows some certain patterns - the attractor state. These findings may be beneficial to English teaching and learning in Macau universities, helping teachers better motivate Macau local students to learn English in class.