2。1。5 Learning goal and learning performance 10

2。2 English learning goal and goal setting strategies 10

2。2。1 Language learning goal 10

2。2。2 English learning goal for senior high school students 12

2。2。3 Goal setting and strategies planning 13

3。 Research design 16

3。1 Hypothesis and research questions 16

3。2 Participants 16

3。3 Instruments 17

3。3。1 Learning goal questionnaire 17

3。3。2 English tests 18

3。3。3 Interview 18

3。3。4 Data analysis tool 19

3。4 Goal setting strategies 19

3。4。1 Theoretical stage 19

3。4。2 Goal choice strategy training 19

3。4。3 Goal commitment strategy training 20

3。5 Procedure 21

4。 Results and discussion 22

4。1 The effects of the goal setting strategies on students’ English performance 22

4。2 The correlation between students’ real English academic performance and their learning goals。 24

4。3 The prediction of the next test grades based on the minimal grade goal。 25

4。4 Students’ perception on the learning goal strategy training 31

5。 Conclusion and suggestions 32

5。1 Findings and suggestions 32

5。2 Limitation and future expectations 32

References 33

Appendix 38

1。 Introduction

A policy of reforming university entrance examination has gradually been put into practice since 2014。 The biggest change in the new reform is that students are asked to chose three subjects from chemistry, physics, biology, history, geography, politics and technology to have examinations according to their own interests or ability rather than to chose three science subjects or three arts subjects。 As for English, since it has always been a significant subject in curriculum structure of Chinese education as well as mathematics and Chinese, it is still required to be tested。 However, the testing form has been changed。 Students in high school are allowed to take the English examination twice a year and choose the best grade, which means English becomes a kind of social test and not a unified exam any more。 Students have more chances in English than Chinese or mathematics。 论文网

Moreover, the English performance is not evaluated by a specific score but a truly grade according to the score classified form A to E。 And different universities or colleges have different requirement on students’ English grade。 A student with higher English grade can get better higher education in a higher-level university than those students with the same score but lower grades。 Therefore, if students want to go to a better university, the English performance is of vital importance。 To a certain degree, English performance determines the level of university that students can enter。 Because some called 211 or 985 or C9 universities require students’ English grade to get A or B rank, otherwise, the university will reject the student even with high scores。