1。1。2 Background of Motivation Study

    There is a consensus in the fields of both education and psychology that motivation plays an enormous significant role in second language learning。 Statistical evidence have been provided to show that motivation is a predictor of language learning success and motivated students to learn another language faster to a larger extent (e。g。 Gardner, 1985; Tremblay, 1995; Wen, 2001)。 Gardner (1985:10) indicates that motivation has a direct influence on students’ English achievement。 Since 1950s, Gardener and Lamber have begun their research on motivation of second language learning。 Later on, they put forward two types of motivation: integrative motivation and instrumentation。 Another classification of modification in intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation ground on the self-determination theory (Deci and Ryan, 1985)。 To develop Gardner’s classical models of motivation, some researches make great efforts to build learning motivation theories and models。 Dornyei (1994) pide foreign language learning motivation into three levels: language level, learner lever and learning situation level。 Tremblay & Gardner (1995) analyze three variables of self-efficacy and valence to language attitude, motivational behavior and learning achievement。 Since 1980s, Chinese scholars have paid a huge amount of attention on foreign language learning motivation。 Most studies employ Gardner’s paradigm, which are principally empirical studies on English learning motivation among university students in Chinese setting。 They highlight the relationship between motivation and second language proficiency, investigate the relations among the various components of motivation, and explore the relations among different learner factors。 Wen (2001) discusses the developmental patterns in the modifiable learner variables including motivation, strategies and beliefs and in their relations。 To summarize, the models, theories and studies mentioned in this part lay a solid foundation for the empirical research into learning motivation and give insights into the second language learning and teaching。 But they pay much attention to the positive effects of learning motivation on the English learning。 The specific methods of motivating and developing students’ learning motivation need to be further demonstrated。

From the perspective of classroom questioning, it is the most frequently adopted techniques as well as one of the dominant components in teachers’ talk。 Effective classroom questioning creates a nice atmosphere to motivate students’ learning interests and motivation。 So it is of great importance to make full use of classroom questioning to stimulate students’ learning motivation so as to develop their comprehensive language competence。 Nevertheless, concrete and operable approaches are not given to develop student's English learning motivation by classroom questioning, which is the crux of this study。 Besides, students in middle school haven't been given enough attention by previous studies so the participants of this study are students in middle school。 Hence, we are supposed to figure out how classroom questioning would have impacts on the English learning motivation of students in middle school。

1。2 Significance and Purpose of the Study

Classroom questioning and learning motivation are both crucial and popular in the field of English education。 Kauchak & Eggen (1989: 103) indicate that the functions of questions can be pided into three categories: diagnostic, instructional and motivational functions。 Being a diagnostic tool, classroom questions make it possible for teachers to find out not only what students know or don’ t know, but how they think about a topic。 The instructional function means that questions can be used to facilitate students’ learning by linking new knowledge to the old knowledge。 As for motivational function, skillfully employed questions are able to arouse students’ learning motivation, encourage students’ thinking and develop their learning ability。 Therefore, it is essential for students to find effective methods to improve their questioning skills so as to activate students’ learning motivation and develop their language learning。 Nevertheless, there are few researches that combine these two together。 Moreover, students in middle school haven’t been given sufficient attention。 Accordingly, it’s necessary for us to conduct some investigations to figure out how to stimulate middle school students’ learning motivation by classroom questioning。