Exploring the Relationship Between Conception of Language Learning and Foreign Language Learning Burnout: An Empirical Study Among University Students

Abstract

This study explores the relationship between college students’ conception of language learning and foreign language learning burnout and tries to solve the following problems: How does learners’ conception of language learning affect their English learning burnout? How to relieve English learning burnout? Data were collected through two questionnaires, English learning burnout and conception of language learning, among 363 non-English majors in two universities in central part of China. The findings provide empirical evidence linking college students’ conception of language learning with their English learning burnout: “Testing” is the key factor that leading to burnout in English learning, which positively predicts “Exhaustion”, “Apathy” and “Reduced self-efficacy”; “Memorizing” positively influences “Reduced Self-efficacy” and negatively predicts “Apathy”; “Language knowledge” negatively predicts “Exhaustion” and “Understanding and Seeing in a new way” negatively predicts “Apathy”.