Abstract:Learning motivation is one of the most important factors affecting foreign language  learning. This study aims to investigate the English learning motivation of non-English major freshmen. The author focuses on the major motivation types of Non-English major freshmen and differences in English learning motivation between male and female learners. The study reveals the following findings: 1) Among the seven types of motivation, personal development and immediate achievement are the leading motivation. 2) Means of all of the seven motivation types of female students are higher than those of male students. But there is no difference in the tendency toward motivation types between male and female students. Based on the results of this study, the author puts forward some suggestions on how to arouse the non-English majors’ learning motivation. 

Key words: English learning; motivation types; Non-English Major Freshmen; English teaching

CONTENTS

Abstract

中文摘要

1.Introduction.1

2. Literature Review.2

  2.1 The Definition of Motivation

  2.2 The Classification of Motivation

  2.3 Previous Studies on Motivation in China 

3. Methodology4

3.1 Subjects

  3.2 Instruments

  3.3 Data Collection

4. Results and Discussion6

  4.1 The Learning Types of Non-English Major Freshmen

  4.2 The Effect of Gender on English Learning Motivation Type

5. Pedagogical Implications9

6. Conclusion10

Appendix11

Bibliography.13

Acknowledgements14