A Survey of Postgraduates’ State of Language Learning at Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Social Science

Abstract

Learning English has become a nationwide endeavor in China nowadays, and a great number of researches have been conducted to analyze the state of language learning mainly among undergraduates. This survey was done to investigate the postgraduates’ state of language learning at Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Science in order to stand a better position to improve their language learning. The survey shows that postgraduates have strong motivations (intrinsic and extrinsic) to learn English and consequently they make investment (spend time, effort or money) in learning English. The survey also indicates that it seems unnecessary to worry about Chinese language and culture in the context of English fever at Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Social Science since postgraduates have a strong identity with their mother tongue --- Chinese and most of them deny that English learning has a negative effect on Chinese learning. Consequently, postgraduate schools should help students to maintain their motivation or even expand their intrinsic motivation to learn English without too much concern about the perception that Chinese will be undermined owing to the “craze” for English learning.