Survey of Language Learning Strategy of English Majors1

A Thesis of English Education Survey of Language Learning Strategy of English MajorsAbstractBased on the researches at home or aboard,，this thesis investigates how well the junior English majors in a science university make use of Language learning strategies automatically, whether achievement is related to using language learning strategies properly and whether students needteachers instructions of language learning strategies. Fifty students from Wuhan Institute of Technology were intentionally chosen to attend a quantitative survey of a close-ended questionnaire, meanwhile, two learners were chosen to participate in an interview- one is excellent student and the other is poor student. Findings prove that generally the learners basically have a command of language learning strategies; more than half of the students can apply management, while less than half of the students are not able to use method strategies; students TEM-4 score is in proportion to how well they use language learning strategies. At the end of the paper, some suggestion is put forward to help students develop learning strategies and improve learning efficiency.Key words: language learning strategies; questionnaire; conversation; learning efficiency.22摘要在国际国内对外语学习策略研究的基础之上，本文通过问卷和座谈两种形式理工科大学 英语专业学生在课外自主使用学习策略的现状，进而了解优秀生和学困生运用学习策略与学 习效果的关系以及学生是否需要老师在学习策略方面给些建议。来自武汉工程大学 50 个学生 参与了问卷调查，调查者还从问卷中选出两个学生（一个优秀生，一个学困生）进行了座谈。 通过对问卷调查结果和座谈的分析，总的来说，发现学生们基本能够运用学习策略，对于管 理策略，超过半数的人能够较好运用，但有超过半数的人不善于运用方法策略。结果表明学 生的专业四级成绩与运用学习策略的好坏成正比，座谈后鉴于学生们需要老师给些学习策略， 就此种情况提出了一些建议。关键词：学习策略；问卷；座谈；学习效果Table of Contents Abstract. i 摘要. ii1. Introduction . 11.1 Research on Language Learning Strategy Definition, Development and Classification. 11.1.1Language Learning Strategies Definition . 11.1.2History of Research on Language Learning Strategies . 21.1.3Classification of learning strategies . 31.2 The Purpose of This Paper . 52. Methods . 62.1 Research Participant . 62.2 Research Instrument . 72.2.1 Questionnaire . 72.2.2 Objectives of the interview . 82.2.3 Interview . 83. Data Collecting and Processing . 93.1 Questionnaire Data Collection . 93.2 Interview Data Collection .9 4. Results and Discussion . 114. 1The Results of the Questionnaire and Discussion . 114.2 The Results of the Interview and Discussion . 145. Conclusion . 18Acknowledgements . 20Bibliography . 21Appendix . 221. Introduction1.1 Research on Language Learning Strategy Definition, Development and Classification1.1.1 Language Learning Strategies DefinitionWithin Foreign Language education, a number of definitions of Language Learning Strategies have been given by key figures in the field.Early on, Tarone(1983)defined a Learning Strategies as “an attempt to develop linguistic and sociolinguistic competence in the target language-to incorporate these into ones interlingua competence”.Weinstein and Mayer (1986) defined learning strategies broadly as “behaviors and thoughts that a learner engages in during learning “which intend to influence the learners process”.Rubin (1987) later wrote that Learning Strategies “are strategies which contribute to the development of the language system which the learner constructs and influence learning directly”.Later Mayer(1988) more specially defined Learning Strategies as “behaviors of a learner that are intended to influence how the learner process information ”.There early definitions from the education literature reflect the roots of Learning Strategies in cognitive science, with its essential assumptions that human beings process information and that learning involves such information processing.In their seminal study, OMalley and Chamot (1990) defined Learning Strategies as “the special thoughts or behaviors that individuals use to help them comprehend, learn, or retain new information”Finally, building on work in her book for teachers (Oxford, 1990), Oxford (1992/1993) provides special examples of Language Learning Strategies and this helpful definition: Language learning strategies -specific actions, behaviors, steps, or techniques that students (often intentionally) use to improve their process in developing language skills. These strategies can facilitate the internalization, storage, retrieval, or use of the new language. Strategies are tools for the self-directed involvement necessary for developing communicative ability.1.1.2History of Research on Language Learning StrategiesThe development of psycholinguistics in the 1960s has directed considerable attention to the process of language acquisition, both mother tongue and second language. In the case of second language learning, error analysis has been used as a basis for theorizing on the strategies used by the learner that has resulted in the deviant forms in the surface structure of his utterances in the target language. The rationale behind this approach lies in the brief that a learners systematic errors provide evidence of how language is learnt and “what strategies or procedure the learner is employing in his discovery of language” (Cord, 1976)Since the 1960s, the study of learner strategy has received more and more attention in the field of English learning and teaching, and a great deal has been discovered about the learning process and learner strategies.In most of the research on language learning strategies, the primary concern has been on “identifying what good language learners report they do to learn a second or foreign language, or, in some cases, are observed doing while learning a second or foreign language.”(Rubin and Wenden1987).Arson Carton (1996) published his study entitled The Method of Inference in Foreign Language Study, which was the first attempt on learner strategies .In his study, he notes that learners vary in their propensity to make inferences and in their ability to make valid, and reasonable inferences. After Carton, Rubin initiates research focusing on the strategies of successful learners and stated that such strategies could be made available to less successful learners (Rubin, 1971). He classifies strategies in the terms of processes contributing directly and indirectly to language learning (Rubin, 1981).Wong-Fillmore (1982, 1985) identifies social strategies used by successful language learners. Tarone(1980)studies the communication strategies of language learners. Research conducted by Naiman, etal (1978) focuses on personality traits, cognitive styles and strategies that are critical to successful language learning. Bialystoks report (1979) shows the effects of the use of two functional strategies inference and functional practicing and two formal strategiesstudy will give English teachers valuable information on how their students process information, plan and select the most suitable strategies to understand or solve a problem. As a result teachers will be able to help their students become better language learners by training them in using the appropriate strategies .The results of the study will contribute to this field by giving information on the strategies that Chinese learner use and how they use them to understand informationIn China researches in language learning strategies have been increasing in recent years. Among them, the following are worth mentioning: Huang xiaohua first investigated learning strategies for oral communication in 1984; Wu Yi an and Liu Runqing, etal(1993)investigate the psychological and social- psychological factors of English learning; Wen Qiufang(1995)compares different learning strategiesemployedbysuccessfullearnerandunsuccessfullearnersand (1996) systematically studied English learning strategies in a book entitled English Learning Strategies.1.1.3Classification of learning strategiesDifferent scholars lay their own stress on defining learning strategies; therefore, there are a variety of classifications of learning strategies. Cohen divides the learning strategies into two groups; one is language learning strategies and the other is language using strategies (Cohen, 1987).The former includes strategies for identifying the material that needs to be learner, distinguishing it from other material, grouping it for easier learning memorizing it when natural acquisition is impossible and so on. The latter, more specially, includes four subsets of strategies: retrieval strategies, rehearsal strategies, cover strategies and communication strategies.Rubin (1987)prefers to use term “learner strategies” to mean “learning strategies” .She recognize three major types of learner strategies based to reception-production model， learning strategies refer to the strategies that may directly affect learning, which can be further divided into “cognitive strategies are concerned with language production, enabling learner to keep the communication going despite their limitation in knowledge and competence. Social strategies concern about the ways in which learners select interact with other learners and native speakers.Based on the information-processing model, OMally and Chamot(1985)recognize three major types of strategies. They are met-cognitive strategies, cognitive strategies and social-affective strategies.Oxford(1990),emphasizing on the effect that learning strategies have on learning process, groups learning strategies into two major categories: direct strategies and indirect strategies. Language learning strategies that directly involve the target language learning through focusing, planning, evaluating, controlling anxiety, increasing cooperation and other means are called indirect strategies.Sterns (1992) classification of language learning strategies is composed of five parts: management and planning strategies, cognitive strategies, communicative-experimental strategies, interpersonal strategies, affective strategies.Wen Qiufang(1993) ,a Chinese doctor in Foreign Language laying stress on two aspects :one is the relationship between learning strategies and Learning Process ,the other is the relationship between learning strategies and learning material ,divided learning strategies system into three parts: concepts of language learning strategies, management strategies and language learning strategies.Their definitions are as follows:Concepts of language learning strategies: students recognition of how to study English well. Management strategies: in order to arrange and organize their language learning, they make a series of measures, such as making a plan, estimating progress and moderate emotion. These strategies usually have nothing to do with language learning materials.Method strategies: these strategies are directly related to English language learning materials. The ways to practice listening, speaking, reading, writing and studying grammar and intonations are included.Wen Qiufangs classification is based on and absorbed in western classification of learning strategies. Moreover, her classification mainly concern about learning settings of China. Therefore, with the classification provided by Wen Qiufang, Chinese learners may perceive the learning aspects and learning strategies in a more direct way and they are likely to select the strategies they need with greater assurance and confidence. Therefore, the present writer will choose this classification to serve as the further investigation1.2 The Purpose of This PaperThis study, with the intention of surveying the situation of third-year English majors applying language learning strategies to their study, will focus on three research questions: 1) How well the English majors in a science university make use of Language learning strategies automatically 2) whether achievement is related to using language learning strategies properly 3) whether students need teachers instructions on language learning strategies.2. Methods2.1 Research ParticipantThe third-year English majors were chosen for the following three reasons as the participates of the research: firstly, as they are juniors, they are more likely to experience a great deal of English learning difficulties or problems and have their own language learning strategies; secondly, since they took part in TEM-4 in April, 2005 and got difference scores, the relationship between TEM-4 scores and language learning strategies can be investigated. Thirdly, they are all from the same college which helps to avoid a subjective selection of subjects from the research, which will meet reliability-and-validity requirement of the present study. Wuhan Institute of Technology is a key science university in Hubei province. So the survey of language learning strategy of English majors in it can be regarded as quite essence.Based on the above reasons on the selection ofparticipates, 61 third-year English majors from 3 different classes in our school of foreign language of Wuhan Institute of Technology responded to the questionnaire on April 22nd, 2007. 49 were females and the rest 6 were males. 48 of them passed TEM-4 test in April, 2005. The subjects all had formally for six years in junior and senior high schools and for three more years as university students. In this study, the samples were distributed in terms of gender, the score of English test of college entrance examination and academic record in TEM-4 shown in Table 1. Table 1:GenderEnglish Score (College EntranceExamination) 单位：分TEM-4MaleFemale129,120119,110109,100（99,0）passfailFrequency（人数）649232552487Percent（百分比）10.9189.0941.8245.469.093.6387.2712.73From the above table, we know that the subjects have two distinctive characters. One is that the number of the female students greatly exceeds the number of the male students, which can be explained by the fact that female students are generally regarded by Chinese people as being more suitable to learn foreign languages because they can do better than their peer students of the opposite gender. The other character is that most students （87.28%） English score has over 110.2.2 Research Instrument2.2.1 QuestionnaireThe questionnaire is composed of two parts, in the first part, Personal Information is presented and in the second part which is about Wen Qiufangs language learning system, including Concepts of language learning, and methods of language learning, was administered to collect information on language learners individual opinions and methods. The questionnaire contains 40 close-ended questions, three choices where given to first 10 questions,(from 1 to 3 option attached by 1 to3 marks ), five choices were given to the following 30 questions(from 1 to 3 option attached by 1 to5 marks). All the subjects are asked to choose one of the three or five options that best describe their own situation. Chinese, rather than English, is used to write the questionnaire to avoid possible misunderstandings or difficulties for the students.Among the above 40 questions, question 1-10 ask the subjects to make a self-assessment about their attitude towards some ideas on learning English; question 11-20 try to find out whether they are able to use appropriate language learning strategies to manage their English study; question 21-40 aims to examine their using the language learning strategies to improve their English proficiency. The 40 questions have covered all the important information which is needed to answer the three research questions.2.2.2 Objectives of the interviewTwo students were chosen as typical examples with three objectives. One objective is to know more exactly about the differences of excellent student and poor student using language learning strategies. The second objective is to find whether the excellent student is better at adopting learning strategies than poor student. The third one is that through our interview, the researcher wants to know whether they need correct instructions from their teacher to learn English.2.2.3 InterviewIn this section, two students who got the same score in English test of College Entrance Examination were chosen as subjects. They are from the same class-class two. Both of them are females. Student A got 72 in TEM-4 and 134 in using language learning strategies while students B got 52 in TEM-4 and 84 in using language learning strategies.3. Data Collecting and Processing3.1 Q