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Intrinsic and Extrinsic Value for English Learning: Mediation Effects of Self-Efficacy in Chinese EFL Context

  • Lihong Ma

    Lihong Ma is vice professor from foreign language school at Tianjin University of Technology and Education, and PhD candidate at Beijing Normal University. Her research efforts have focused on critical thinking, English literacy assessment and second language acquisition.

     EMAIL logo     , Xiaofeng Du

    Xiaofeng Du is PhD candidate at Beijing Normal University. His research efforts have focused on the discipline literacy assessment.

         and Jian Liu

    Jian Liu is professor at Beijing Normal University. His research efforts have focused on the discipline literacy assessment and education innovation.
Published/Copyright: October 15, 2018
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Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics
From the journal Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics Volume 41 Issue 2

Abstract

The present study examined how students’ intrinsic and extrinsic value promotes their foreign language proficiency via the mediation effect of self-efficacy beliefs. A total of 1,036 Chinese eighth graders answered an English proficiency test and questionnaires assessing motivational beliefs. Structural equation modelling results with bootstrapping procedures revealed that intrinsic value can directly and indirectly influence foreign language proficiency via partial mediation effect of self-efficacy while extrinsic value can only directly influence foreign language proficiency with a small magnitude. Moreover, there is no gender difference in the mediation model. Our findings suggested that intrinsic value can help students improve foreign language proficiency by improving their self-efficacy beliefs. The findings contribute to the documents of self-determination theory and hold substantive theoretical and practical implications for foreign language teachers.

Keywords: intrinsic value; extrinsic value; self-efficacy; mediation effect; self-determination theory

* This study was funded by National Education Science “13th Five-Year” Planning Key Project of Ministry of Education in China (Grant No. DHA160310).

About the authors

Lihong Ma

Lihong Ma is vice professor from foreign language school at Tianjin University of Technology and Education, and PhD candidate at Beijing Normal University. Her research efforts have focused on critical thinking, English literacy assessment and second language acquisition.

Xiaofeng Du

Xiaofeng Du is PhD candidate at Beijing Normal University. His research efforts have focused on the discipline literacy assessment.

Jian Liu

Jian Liu is professor at Beijing Normal University. His research efforts have focused on the discipline literacy assessment and education innovation.

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Appendix A

EFL self-efficacy scale

  1. I can retell the text in English.

  2. I can compose English messages on internet.

  3. I can read English news from the internet.

  4. I can write e-mails in English.

  5. I can read short English novels.

  6. I can understand English songs.

  7. I can tell short stories in English.

Appendix B

Intrinsic motivation

  1. I like reading English materials.

  2. I like English class very much.

  3. I often feel happy after finishing English exercises.

  4. I’m very interested in English.

Appendix C

Extrinsic motivation

  1. I learn English in order to find a good job in the future.

  2. I learn English in order to enter a better school.

  3. I learn English because it is helpful for my future schooling.

Published Online: 2018-10-15
Published in Print: 2018-06-26

© 2018 FLTRP, Walter de Gruyter, Cultural and Education Section British Embassy

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Second Language Acquisition
  3. Exploring Learners’ Self-Reported Behavioral Patterns in Two Task-Readiness Conditions: A Qualitative Study
  4. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Value for English Learning: Mediation Effects of Self-Efficacy in Chinese EFL Context
  5. Comparing the Effects of Listening Input and Reading Input on EFL Learners’ Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition
  6. Curriculum Design and Material Evaluation
  7. Taking Needs into Deeds: Application of Needs Analysis in Undergraduate EAP Course Design
  8. Language and Cognition
  9. An ERP Study on the Processing of Chinese Applied-Object Structures
  10. Translation Studies
  11. Stress as a Suprasegmental Phonological Shift in Translation: A New Category of Linguistic Shifts
  12. Viewpoints
  13. Production-Oriented Approach in Different Cultural Contexts: Theory and Practice
  14. POA and Issues of Pedagogic Principle
  15. Language Use and Language Learning in POA
  16. POA Meets ELF in Intercultural Telecollaboration
  17. Reflections on the Production-Oriented Approach (POA) in China: A New Name and a New Acronym
  18. Engaging with the Language – The POA Approach
  19. Chinese Abstracts
https://doi.org/10.1515/cjal-2018-0009
Keywords for this article
intrinsic value; extrinsic value; self-efficacy; mediation effect; self-determination theory

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Frontmatter
  2. Second Language Acquisition
  3. Exploring Learners’ Self-Reported Behavioral Patterns in Two Task-Readiness Conditions: A Qualitative Study
  4. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Value for English Learning: Mediation Effects of Self-Efficacy in Chinese EFL Context
  5. Comparing the Effects of Listening Input and Reading Input on EFL Learners’ Incidental Vocabulary Acquisition
  6. Curriculum Design and Material Evaluation
  7. Taking Needs into Deeds: Application of Needs Analysis in Undergraduate EAP Course Design
  8. Language and Cognition
  9. An ERP Study on the Processing of Chinese Applied-Object Structures
  10. Translation Studies
  11. Stress as a Suprasegmental Phonological Shift in Translation: A New Category of Linguistic Shifts
  12. Viewpoints
  13. Production-Oriented Approach in Different Cultural Contexts: Theory and Practice
  14. POA and Issues of Pedagogic Principle
  15. Language Use and Language Learning in POA
  16. POA Meets ELF in Intercultural Telecollaboration
  17. Reflections on the Production-Oriented Approach (POA) in China: A New Name and a New Acronym
  18. Engaging with the Language – The POA Approach
  19. Chinese Abstracts
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