What Motivated Chinese Undergraduate English Majors to Choose English as a College Major? A Grounded Theory Study

• In Event: Poster Session 5
  In Poster Session: Social and Cultural Processes in Motivation Research

Abstract

We explored Chinese-undergraduate English-majors’ motivational-processes of choosing English as a college-major, their subsequent motivation for learning English, and associated learning-experiences. A grounded-theory study was conducted using Self-Determination Theory. A total of 18 Chinese-undergraduate English-majors were interviewed. The data allowed us to explore deeply students’ motivational processes of choosing English as their college-major and to understand their motivation and learning-experiences in their undergraduate English-program. Results showed that (1) perceived-ability in learning English, (2) interest in learning English/English-culture, and (3) influential people in their lives turned out to be most important motivational-factors related to Chinese-undergraduate English-majors’ process of selecting English as a college-major. Moreover, these motivational factors were also directly related to students’ subsequent motivation for learning English and their consequential learning-experiences.

Authors

• YanYan Chen, Florida State University

• Jeannine E. Turner, Florida State University