Research on the Differences of Junior High School Students’ English Learning Motivation from the Perspective of L2MSS Theory

Abstract

Motivation is one of the most important factor in the process of second language learning for junior high school students, which is a critical factor determining the success and failure of second language learning. Based on Dörnyei’s L2 Motivation Self System (L2MSS), this paper investigates the L2 Motivation Self System and gender differences among students in a junior high school in Deyang city, Sichuan province, China. The questionnaire was referenced by the study of Papi et al. The collected data were analyzed and curated by using SPSS. Descriptive Statistics were used to analyze the status of L2 Motivational Self System in junior high school students and independent sample T-test was used to analyze the differences in three components of the L2 Motivational Self System between male students and female students. The research results show that: (1) In the L2 Motivation Self System, junior high school students are most influenced by L2 learning experience, followed by the ought-to L2 self and the ideal L2 self. (2) There are significant differences in the ideal L2 self and language learning experience in the L2 Motivational Self System between male and female students. Female students' ideal L2 self and L2 learning experience are higher than male students, but their ought-to L2 self has no significant differences. This paper will try to explore the relationship between the L2 motivation and the gender of the middle school students, so as to provide some reference for the L2 motivation research of junior high school students.