A Study On Autonomous English Learning Competence Of P.E.Major Students

Autonomous learning has gained great popularity among researchers home and abroad since Henri Holec first gave its definition in 1981. In recent years, it also becomes increasingly important in China. The College English Curriculum Requirements(CECR) published in 2004 points out the important signs that indicate the success of the teaching reform are the formation of the students'individualized learning methods and the development of their autonomous English learning competence, which provides the guidelines for English instruction to non-English major students. The previous study on learner autonomy had reached various findings, while few researches have been done on autonomous English learning ability of Physical Education major students.The present study, based on the review of literature on learner autonomy at home and abroad, aims to investigate the autonomous English learning ability of the P.E. major students according to the data collected from the investigation in Southwest University and also propose some suggestions for the students to develop their learner autonomy in English learning.This study was based on humanistic learning theory, cognitive learning theory and constructivist learning theory. All the participants were chosen from the first-year and second-year undergraduates in the school of Physical Education (P.E.) at Southwest University. A questionnaire, semi-structured interview and classroom observation were adopted to find out the students'attitudes towards English learning, their motivation level and actual language learning activities inside and outside the classroom.With the data-analysis, the researcher comes to the following conclusion:the RE. major students have not got enough readiness for autonomous English learning and four reasons are identified. They are:(1) poor English level and lack of enough confidence in learning;(2) lack of proper motivation; (3) lack of cognitive strategies; (4) boring teaching materials and teaching methods.Based on the above findings, the study has offered some implications to promote the learners'autonomous English learning. First, teachers should renew their teaching concepts, and then take various methods to raise students'consciousness of their autonomous English learning. Second, teachers should enhance the learners' meta-cognitive strategies. Third, the teaching materials used for P.E. major students should be adjusted to fulfill the students'special needs. In the end, the limitations of this present study are summarized and the recommendations for the future studies on the similar topic are proposed.