Abstract

Interest plays a significant role in English study for primary school students. The level of students’ language proficiency is largely influenced by the degree of interest in English learning. It is hard to imagine how to develop children’ communicative competence without interest. Therefore, as an English teacher, on the one hand, should teach students the language knowledge and make them master skills, on the other hand, should pay more attention to the cultivation and maintenance of kids’ interest in this subject, to get a multiplier effect.

This research firstly reveals the relationship between students’ learning interest and English in primary school, and finds elementary school students’ current English learning situation and some problems in their English study. On this basis, strategies about how to arouse pupils’ English learning interest also are suggested in this paper.

The findings from this study suggest the use of strategies that do not only initialize but also nurture students’ internal motivation in order to enhance sustainable interest of English learning in and outside the classroom. Then from the analyses of this survey, this thesis can help teachers to find the major problems which cause students’ low enthusiasm and initiative in English study and give some creative solutions and more available suggestions to them.

Key words: primary English education; arouse interest；strategies

Contents

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction-1

1.1 The background of the study-1

1.2 The purpose of the study-1

1.3 The significance of the study-2

1.4 The framework of the study-2

2. Literature Review-3

2.1 Definitions of interest-3

2.2 Domestic and foreign researches of interest-3

3. The Theoretical Premises-5

4. Research Methodology-6

4.1 Research subjects-6

4.2 Research methods-7

4.3 Research procedures-7

4.4 Research findings-8

4.4.1 Students’ interest-8

4.4.2 Influence on English learning-8

4.4.3 Time on English homework-9

4.4.4 The purpose of English learning-9

4.5 Discussion of the findings-10

4.5.1 Learning by copy-10

4.5.2 Learning by rote-10

4.5.3 Expressing orally and nervously-11

4.5.4 Listening wearily-11

4.5.5 Worried about being negated-12

5. Pedagogical Implications-12

5.1 Acknowledgments-12

5.2 Teaching according to students’ abilities-14

5.3 Game methods-15

5.4 Descriptions-15

5.5 Competitions-16

5.6 Rewarding-16

5.7 The application of the media in English teaching-17

5.7.1 Using multimedia technically-17

5.7.2 Illustrating by cartoon-18

5.7.3 Demonstrating-18

5.7.4 Show play-19

6. Conclusion-19

References-21

Appendix-22