Changes in students’ awareness of being poor at English

Once people become aware of their lack of proficiency at a task, they find it difficult to control that feeling. This study explores ways to encourage students who have long felt that they were poor at their English studies. Two questionnaire surveys were administered to 14 freshmen. The first was in November 2011, before the students engaged in a series of carefully designed class activities that were based on motivational theories. The second was after the students had participated in the motivational activities in January 2012. The most remarkable finding was that the students’ awareness of being poor at English was deep-rooted, but it was gradually changing. Students who claimed that they were poor at English increased by 27%; they reported more reasons for and provided greater detail regarding their dislike of English. On the other hand, 21% more students indicated that they felt good when they performed better at listening, and 40% more students reported feelings of accomplishment from participating in the class activities in January. Because students’ awareness of being poor at English may be deep-rooted, but changeable, this study concludes that it is important for instructors to track their students’ progress by conducting English proficiency tests, as well as measure their students’ attitudes toward their English studies by using questionnaires. In addition, instructors should possess the knowledge and skills necessary to both analyze the data collected via these surveys, and reflect the analysis in their teaching