蔡鸿娟

【Abstract】In teaching practice， the author find that middle school students have various disability in learning English. Based on the communication with students and teachers， the author analyzes the causes of English learning disability and puts forward some suggestions to improve their English learning ability.

【Key words】middle school students； English learning； learning disability

Ⅰ. The definition of learning disability

In 1981， United States Department of education national disabled children's Professional Committee defines learning disability as one or more abnormal psychological state in understanding or using language and insufficient ability in thinking， listening， speaking， reading and writing. This article will divide English learning disability into three types： psychological disability， behavior disability and subject disability.

Ⅱ. Causes of English learning disability

According to the above classification， this part will discuss the reasons from three aspects： psychology， behavior and subject.

2.1 Causes of psychological disability

Weak willpower. Firmness of will decide ones action. English Learning is a hard mental work， which needs to study hard and overcome plenty of difficulties. But many students willpower is so weak that they don't like independent thinking and lack and perseverance to overcome the difficulties encountered in learning. Instead of advancing despite difficulties， they avoid them， which leads to learning disability.

Anxiety and fear. Because English learning requires all-round development of listening， speaking， reading and writing， students will inevitably feel difficult. In a helpless situation， they may produce psychological pressure and fear. Especially students， who have trouble in learning English feel disappoint and pessimistic when facing exams. Meanwhile they cant get teachers understanding and proper guidance. So they lose the courage and confidence to study further. Controlled by these emotional distress， students are easy to be nervous and agitated， which leads to psychological disability

2.2 Causes of behavior disability

Incorrect motivation. Motivation is often described as the internal driving force to English learning. According to my interview， a few students are really interested in learning English while most students are learning English for exams. Even some students are learning English under their parents pressure. The obviously incorrect learning motivation is an important factor in the production of behavior disability.

Lack of good learning habits. Some students are so dependent and passive that they dont preview before class， review after class， and take notes during classes. They even do not know how to learn. Their homework is not standard and someone just copy others. Besides， their learning have no plans， no goals and no methods. There is also someone who knows nothing but pretends to know.

Lack of learning strategies. Learning strategies have a direct effect on students' learning results. Students with learning disability lack effective learning strategies， skills and methods. They do not know English curriculum system and the rules of learning， so they do not know what to learn and how to learn.

2.3 Causes of subject disability

Cultural differences. Different culture has different customs and habits， patterns of thinking， and value. All these differences will be reflected in language learning. So something that existed in western culture dont have their place in Chinese culture， which lead to difficulties of English learning， including the third person singular， tense and accusative case.

Lack of language environment. Learning language is inseparable from a certain language environment. English learning environment is the biggest obstacle for the Chinese to learn English. Most Chinese students speak English just in English class. Their English teacher teach in English and Chinese and some teachers employ fixed class directives. The insufficient exposure of English is another disability.

Ⅲ. Suggestions for eliminating disability

There are four suggestions for above disability. The first is develop a positive attitude to English learning. The second is to promote autonomous learning and foster good learning habits. The third is to teach efficient learning strategies. The last one is to cultivate learners good volition and character.

References：

[1]徐燕.高中英语学习困难学生的成因分析与对策研究[J].外语教学与研究，2009，（13）.

[2]何文江.农村初中英语学习困难生的成因与对策[J].英语教学，2009，（1）.

[3]Westwood，P.2002.Learning and Learning Difficulties.Hongkong University.

[4]Ellis，Rod，Understanding Second Language Acquisition， Shanghai：Shanghai Foreign Language Education Press，2001.