Metacognition And Learner Autonomy In English Learning And Teaching

In China, almost all people participate in English learning, with quite much money, time and energy. But the result is not so satisfying. So how to improve the learning and teaching efficiency has been a hot topic for several years.Since Flavell introduced the term"metacognition"in the 1980s, the connection between metacognition employment and English learning has been closely related and researched. Metacognition is the awareness and control of oneself, and it mainly contains two components---metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive strategy. In the 1990s, it was introduced into China, and many experts have done some researches on metacognition, mainly on the definition of metacognition, the relationships between metacognition and learning proficiency (learning results) in Chinese context, and they have proved the influence of metacognition in many aspects of learning, such as vocabulary, reading, listening and writing. In planning, self-evaluation, self-control and selective attention, high proficient learners did do better than those of low proficient ones. In recent years, metacognition training has been a new focus, and researchers are trying to explore a way to foster learners'plan making, method choosing, task arrangement, process supervising, and result evaluation to establish learner autonomy.Learner autonomy is first introduced by Holec, and it is often abbreviated as LA, that is, the capability of being responsible for one's own learning. It is not an inborn behavior, being a competence which can be built in the learning process. There are five components in it--- determining learning goals, choosing learning materials and paces, selecting learning method and skills, monitoring learning process (such as pace, time, place), and evaluating learning outcomes. So there is a close relationship between metacognition and LA. The ultimate aim of metacognition is to achieve LA. The present thesis first analyzes components of meta-cognition, then explores the relationship between metacognition and learning items, the components of ideal LA, and finally defines the combination of metacognition and LA, to give some practical implication for English learning and teaching. The following questions are explored in this thesis.(1) The use of metacognition in the learning process, and its relationship with learning results.(2) To what extent can different focuses of teachers in designing and teaching affect learners'learning?(3) What are the corresponding elements of metacognition and LA, and how to use them to influence learning and teaching?The thesis consists of six chapters:Chapter One is the Introduction that briefly surveys the current English learning situation in China, the remaining problems, and the feasibility of fostering LA by metacognition training in Chinese context.Chapter Two is the Literature Review: After introducing research results on metacognition and LA home and abroad, the researcher analyzes components of them, and finds the combining points between them. Chapter Three is a description of some researches focus and methods, and the training models, to direct the following research.Chapter Four: According to vocational school learners'learning strategy questionnaire answers, the researcher defines their exact learning strategies and learning results, by analyzing the collected data, the relationship between metacognition and learning aspects. An open questionnaire towards corresponding teachers is to look into actions of teachers in teaching design and practice. If there is something different from learners'focus, how can it be adjusted?Chapter Five: Some implication from the research and an advisable model. Chapter Six is the Conclusion which sums up the research, gives some evaluation and points out existing problems and the room for improvement.