Revista Argentina de Clínica Psicológica

2020, Vol. XXIX, N°2, 1468-1473 1468

DOI: 10.24205/03276716.2020.389

MENTAL STATE OF ENGLISH LEARNERS AND ITS INFLUENTIAL FACTORS

Na Xie

Abstract
During language learning, English learners may suffer from a huge psychological pressure, which may
negatively affect their mental state. To improve the mental health of English learners, this paper mainly
explores the mental state of these learners and identifies its influencing factors. The research data were
collected through a questionnaire survey on a high school in Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China, and subjected
to a systematic statistical analysis. The results show that most English learners lack long-term learning
objectives, and their poor performance is closely related to improper learning plans; most learners cannot
make flexible use of knowledge, fully utilize classroom notes, or summarize learning strategies; the learner’
anxiety about English has much to do with examination anxiety, which comes from their poor English
proficiency; the teachers should motivate the enthusiasm and confidence of students in classroom teaching.
The research provides a new way to improve the mental state of English learners.
Key words: English, Mental state, Foreign language learning, Teaching.
Received: 19-03-19 | Accepted: 02-10-19

INTRODUCTION changes of students in the process of English

With the rapid development of society and
economy, the pressure of middle school
students in entering a higher school, learning,
psychology and other aspects is increasing. As a
result, students' weariness of learning, dropping
out of school and other psychological problems
are becoming more and more complicated,
which brings new challenges to both schools and
society (Brady, Reeves, Garcia et al, 2016; Goebel,
2010). English education in China started late.
With the deepening reform of English teaching in
middle schools in recent years, the teacher-
centered teaching mode is changing to the new
student-centered teaching mode (Nicholes,
2016; Swanson, Orosco, Lussier et al, 2011). The
new teaching mode requires students to be the
main body of teaching and learning and the
carriers of controlling knowledge and abilities,
which requires understanding the psychological
School of Foreign Languages, Fuyang Normal University,
Fuyang 236037, China.
E-Mail: xiena1976@163.com
learning. It’s essential to understand students'
psychological needs, improve teachers' teaching
mode and raise students' positive initiative in
learning for a higher English education level in
China (Brown, Jimerson, Dowdy et al, 2012;
Dörnyei, 2006).
In recent years, although some scholars have
studied the relationship between teacher
intermediary and student development, the
research subjects are mainly college students, and
few on the mental status of high school students and
the high school English education (Haidara, 2016;
Templeton, 2012). English education in middle
schools are for a huge number of individuals, and
most of the teaching is basic. In the middle schools,
students are prone to bad psychological problems
such as lack of learning methods, negative mental
state to learning English, and fear of English learning
(Genesee, Rogers, & Holobow, 2006; Setter,
Stojanovik, & Martínez-Castilla, 2010; Rieg &
Paquette, 2009). Although teachers and families are
aware of these problems, they only have perceptual
understanding and take some sporadic remedial
measures (Nakata, 2008; Boakes, 2003; Grose-Fifer,
Helmer, & Zottoli, 2014). A clear and comprehensive

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 1469
understanding of the causes of students'
psychological conditions in English learning and the
relationship between these causes and their
academic performance can help to systematically
formulate corresponding teaching strategies, and
explore the hidden deep-seated and complicated
causes for further analysis in the process of practice
from the superficial phenomenon of students' "poor
performance".
From the perspective of psychology, based on
the relevant theories of English education at home
and abroad, this paper analyzes the mental state of
students in the process of English learning, and
provides some suggestions for students to improve
their learning methods, raise their English scores
and improve teachers’ teaching methods, as well as
reliable theoretical basis for English education in
middle schools.
PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS OF ENGLISH
LEARNERS
Psychological disorders of English learners
Teenagers' English learning is mainly promoted
by their own willpower and subjective initiative. The
study found that under the same learning
environment, students from information-developed
areas have better English performance and attitude
towards English than those from remote areas, and
students with weak foundation will lack confidence
due to their low starting point. In face of learning
difficulties, many students lack self-confidence and
have poor performance in learning English due to
the lack of correct support and encouragement and
accumulation of difficulties for a long time, thus
giving up the idea of learning English. Some students
have made great efforts in English learning, but they
have achieved little and no improvement in
performance, thus causing inferiority mentality and
even giving up English learning.
English learning involves listening, speaking,
reading, writing, grammar and other aspects of
ability training, and needs to learn a great deal of
knowledge to constantly consolidate and improve
the level of learning. Because students start learning
English late and there is no English learning
environment, most students learn English by rote,
and cannot really apply English, which makes them
feel boring in learning English. With the
improvement of school age, the multiplication of
learning pressure, the increase of knowledge
difficulty and some unfavorable factors in the
learning process, students are prone to fear
difficulties and give up the idea of continuing to
2020, Vol. XXIX, N°2, 1468-1473
NA XIE
improve after reaching to a certain level. There are
also some students who have not achieved
satisfactory results because of incorrect learning
methods, improper teaching methods and other
factors. Too much pressure they suffer from finally
leads to gradual loss of patience and perseverance.
As a result, they retreat from difficulties, lack self-
confidence, and suffer from weariness of learning
and rebellious mentality, which eventually leads to
giving up learning.
The conditions for English learning are limited in
China, where there are few opportunities for English
practice. Students are too shy to express in the
process of English learning, with strong timidity.
Some students are even ashamed to consult and lack
the courage to express themselves, so they only
learn English in the text context. Even if students
have the opportunity to face up to foreigners, they
are ashamed to express themselves in front of
outsiders, so it is easy of them to produce a vicious
circle and their English scores cannot be improved
for a long time. For the environment lacking English
exercise, students' learning of English is seriously
unrelated to social needs. Without interest and
encouragement, students only want to obtain
graduation certificates or qualification certificates
by learning English. There are few opportunities to
apply foreign languages in practical work, and the
difficulty of foreign language learning does not
match the actual application, which is also one of the
factors for terminating foreign language learning.
Roots of English learners' psychological
disorders
Students' demand for English learning begins
with the development of society, but they have
different English foundation due to the differences
in family, society and school environment.
Objectively speaking, the differences in economic
level, regional culture and educational abilities in
different regions of China make the teenagers have
essential differences in their understanding of
English and regional differences. From a subjective
point of view, teenagers’ academic performance is
closely related to their learning interests and
environment. Most students have psychological
disorders in English learning because of their poor
foundation. Some students have a positive learning
mentality, but they have not made progress in
learning because of their poor foundation. With the
increasing pressure of social competition, they have
the idea of abandoning themselves and choosing to
escape and give up.
Foreign language learning is a complex and
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 MENTAL STATE OF ENGLISH LEARNERS AND ITS INFLUENTIAL FACTORS 1470

systematic subject, which requires long-term recovered, of which 400 are valid, with an effective
unremitting learning. In the absence of an English rate of 94.12%. The basic information of the
environment in China, it’s necessary to guide respondents is shown in Table 1 and Figure 1. It can
students to have self-confidence and cultivate their be seen that the proportion of the students
interest. English is a comprehensive course, which surveyed in terms of gender, age and subject
requires students to make more efforts to achieve category is relatively balanced. Judging from the
certain results. With the development of social educational level of parents, most of the students'
economy, the life of the new generation has parents is junior college or below, accounting for
undergone essential changes. Thanks to the 53.5%.
improvement of economic conditions, some young
students lack the perseverance to bear hardships Table 1. Basic information of respondents
and stand hard work. Under great pressure, they are
prone to shrink back and give up. The pampering of Project Sub item Number Proportion
their families has increased students' indulgence in Male 213 53.25%
Gender
laziness, resulting in students' lack of motivation to Female 187 46.75%
Senior 1 132 33.00%
learn English.
Grade Senior 2 126 31.50%
Under the modern education system, academic Senior 3 142 35.50%
performance represents everything. Therefore, no Liberal arts 192 48.00%
Category
matter the requirements of school education or science 208 52.00%
Above
society or family, academic performance is taken as 74 18.50%
Parents' undergraduate
the standard to measure students' ability. English, as education Undergraduate 112 28.00%
a language tool for communication, has serious level Junior college and
deviation between education and practical 214 53.50%
below
application for its application and practical purpose.
English education should return to its essence. Figure 1. Gender distribution of students in
Schools should carry out practical teaching around different grades
students' examination-oriented education to
increase students' English application and practical
ability. Learning English should not be only limited to 100
Male
textbook knowledge, but also extend to social Female
application. Students' thoughts and psychology 80 76
cognition of learning English are only superficial, 69 68 66
63
with weak awareness of social needs. More students 60 58
stop learning English after completing their studies,
Number

and English learning has become a phased behavior.

40

ANALYSIS OF PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS 20

AFFECTING ENGLISH LEARNERS

Setting and distribution of questionnaires
In order to study the bottlenecks and difficulties
encountered by English learners in the learning
process, this paper makes an analysis from the
perspective of psychology and adopts the form of
questionnaire survey. Questionnaire is about the
psychological quality of high school students in
English learning, with a total of 25 questions, which
involve the aspects of high school students’ mental
state, motivation and attitude of English learning,
and the degree of harmony with teachers and
classmates.
This survey is aimed at a high school in
Zhengzhou City, Henan Province. 425 questionnaires
are distributed and 412 questionnaires are
0
Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3
Figure 2 shows the results of a survey on
students' objectives and plans in learning English. As
can be seen from the figure, the scores of the
students are generally around 3 points, and the
completion of the short-term objectives is higher
than that of the long-term objectives, which shows
that the students lack long-term objectives in the
process of learning English, and the unsatisfactory
results are closely related to the imperfect plans.
Only a small number of students have made clear
plans and objectives. However, those who make
learning plans and objectives are not very ideal for

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 1471 NA XIE

the completion of the objectives. The reason is notes, which shows that although students can
mainly related to the way of education. For a long record their classroom knowledge well in the
time, English teaching has been teacher-centered, process of English learning, they do not use
and students are learning in a "task-based" way. Lack classroom notes flexibly and are not good at using
of independent opinions, students are in urgent classroom notes.
need of learning plans and objectives formulated by Students generally have less than 3 scores in self-
teachers or parents. summary and reflection, as shown in Figure 4,
indicating that students lack self-summary and
Figure 2. English learning objectives and reflection, do not have correct review methods, and
plans are not good at summarizing the knowledge they
learnt. However, the higher score in the summary
and analysis of the examination shows that the
3.0 students have done a better job of reflection and
analysis of their weaknesses after the examination,
2.5
but they have not done enough for timely review
2.0
and remedial measures. Students attach more
importance to their academic performance, and
teachers do not pay enough attention to them in
Score

1.5
normal classes. Therefore, students especially hope
1.0 to prove themselves through examination results
and they often attach great importance to the
0.5
results after examinations, but do not make a
systematic summary of their learning efficiency and
0.0
Long term Short term Learning Achieve learning strategies in classroom.
goals goals plan goals

Figure 4. Self summary and Reflection on

Figure 3. Self supervision in English learning English learning

5
4

4
3

3
Score

Score

2
2

1 1

0
Preview Classroom learning Adjustment 0
consolidation notes strategy plan Review Error Examination Learning
method review analysis summary

Autonomy in learning English is one of the

methods of self-supervision. The inspection of the
implementation of the plan is supervision. The
rationality of the inspection plan, the scientific
nature of time allocation and the personal learning
will be reflected in all stages of learning. Figure 3
shows the survey results of self-supervision behavior
in the process of English learning. It can be seen
from the figure that students seldom preview before
class, consolidate after class, and are not good at
using English learning strategies. With inflexible
learning plans, they have lower score in classroom
Analysis of students' psychological status
The change of students' psychological status in
the process of English learning is often prone to be
ignored by teachers and parents. Mental state is
often an important factor that determines students'
English learning. Therefore, the analysis of students'
psychological status is of far-reaching significance for
improving English scores and guiding teenagers to
grow up healthily and happily. Figure 5 shows the
results of a survey on students' motivation and
attitude towards learning English. Judging from the

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 MENTAL STATE OF ENGLISH LEARNERS AND ITS INFLUENTIAL FACTORS 1472

statistical results, students are more concerned Figure 6. Mental state of English learning
about English performance, can better complete the
tasks assigned by teachers, have a better attitude
4
towards English learning, and have high
expectations for their own English learning. However,
the results of survey on English learning time show 3
that students generally spend less time in English
learning. In the course of the survey, the interview
with the students finds that the students' learning in

Score
2
English class is still passive and they do not fully
participate in the classroom. With the growth of
1
students' grades, the state of students' listening to
lectures in classroom shows an obvious downward
trend. Students are full of interest and self- 0
confidence in English when they are in the first year Learning Fear of Fear of Examination
anxiety exercises ridicule anxiety
of high school. However, with the increase of course
difficulty, students obviously have less interest and
The results of the survey on the degree of
lower self-confidence in English learning.
harmony between students and the people around
them are shown in Figure 7, which shows higher
Figure 5. Motivation and attitude of learning
scores in the degree of harmony between students
English and teachers, classmates and parents, indicating
that the relationship between students and them is
4 still very harmonious. The harmonious interpersonal
relationship of students will promote their studies.
Teachers can thus inspire students and promote
3 their English learning. Judging from the frequency of
criticism, the frequency of students being criticized
is relatively low. As some students with poor
Score

2
performance fail to attract the attention from
teachers in class, they do not dislike teachers'
1 appropriate criticism, which may give students some
vigilance. English teachers should pay more
attention to students who do not perform well in
0 class and give them affirmative evaluation so that
Interest Confidence Time Attitude
students can feel valued and then study hard.

The results of the survey on students' mental Figure 7. The degree of harmony between
state in learning English are shown in Figure 6. The students and people around them
smaller the value in the figure is, the more obvious
the corresponding psychological characteristics of
the students are. It can be seen that the worries 6

about English is closely related to the anxiety of the 5

examination. The anxiety of the students over the
examination mainly comes from the lack of 4
confidence in their ordinary study, profound English
skills and solid foundation. More than half of the
Score

students are afraid of speaking in classroom, being

2
laughed at by their classmates and being criticized
by their teachers. Teachers need to constantly 1
motivate students in classroom teaching to increase
their confidence in English learning by satisfying 0
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pa ship

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their hearted needs.

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CONCLUSIONS
This paper uses the method of questionnaire and
mathematical statistics to make a statistical analysis
of the mental state of English learners, studies the
key factors that affect the mental state of English
learners, and provides suggestions and opinions for
improving the mental state of English learners. The
main conclusions are as follows:
(1) The unsatisfactory results of English learners
are closely related to their imperfect learning plans,
and most learners cannot make efficient use of
course learning notes and knowledge taught in class.
Lack of the ability to learn and use knowledge
flexibly, they should improve their ability to
summarize knowledge and learn systematically.
(2) The anxiety of the students over the
examination mainly comes from the lack of
confidence in their ordinary study, profound English
skills and solid foundation. Teachers need to
constantly motivate students in classroom teaching
to increase their confidence in English learning by
satisfying their hearted needs.
(3) The harmonious interpersonal relationship of
students will promote their studies. Teachers can
encourage or motivate students to cultivate their
interest in English learning. Moreover, English
teachers should pay more attention to students who
do not perform well in class and give them
affirmative evaluation so that students can feel
valued and then study hard.
Acknowledgements
The study was supported by “Youth
Research Fund of Humanities and Social
Sciences of the Ministry of Education, China
(Grant No.15YJC740104) and “The Major
Teaching Research Project of Education
Department of Anhui Province, China (Grant
No. 2016jyxm0759).
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