A Research On The Employment Of Learning Strategies For Learner Autonomy In Listening And Speaking

The development and reform of Chinese education has great influence on English teaching and research, the focus of which has shifted from teachers and teaching methods to students and learning itself. Learner autonomy and learning strategies are drawing more and more attention in the field of foreign language teaching. Many researches have been conducted at home and abroad: the promotion of students learner autonomy by metacognitive instruction; language learning strategies adopted in college English study; the correlation between language learning strategies, language learning beliefs and English achievements, etc. Among these, some mainly focused on the instruction of students learning ability in learner autonomy; many concentrated on the general tendency of application of the learning strategies in college students learner autonomy; others investigated the correlation between language learning strategies and English listening and speaking achievements. However, the researches on the application of learning strategies in college students listening and speaking learner autonomy are far from enough. Consequently, the present research is intended to investigate the choice and application of language learning strategies students used in listening and speaking learner autonomy. Moreover, it attempts to show the correlation between listening and speaking achievements and FLL strategies.Based on Oxford s framework, three research questions are put forward in the present study:(1) What is the status quo of the non-English majors learner autonomy?(2) What are the strategies adopted in college students speaking and listening learner autonomy?(3) What is the correlation between the adopted language learning strategies and college students listening and speaking achievements?In the process of answering these three questions, quantitative analysis (two questionnaires) and qualitative analysis (six interviews) were applied coordinately. 219 students learning listening and speaking on computer with Experiencing English software participated in the present research. SPSS 17.0 was used to process the quantitative data. For the qualitative data, the interpretation of transcription was presented.Research findings indicate that: 1) The status quo of the non-English majors learner autonomy is far from satisfactory and students awareness of learner autonomy needs improving ; 2) The strategies college students adopted in listening and speaking learner autonomy are as follows: compensation strategies take the first place, then followed by metacognitive strategies, affective strategies, social strategies, cognitive strategies and memory strategies; 3) Gender influences the learning strategies use. To be specific, males tend to show more preference to cognitive strategies and social strategies, while females prefer to adopt compensation strategies and affective strategies; 4) Metacognitive strategies, affective strategies, compensation strategies and memory strategies are frequently adopted by students with high listening and speaking achievements, whereas those with low achievements prefer to choose cognitive strategies and social strategies; 5) There are significant correlations between listening and speaking achievements and metacognitive strategies, affective strategies, compensation strategies and memory strategies, and no significant correlation between listening and speaking achievements and cognitive strategies and social strategies.Based on the findings, the present research suggests: 1) There should be corresponding shift in terms of roles of students and teachers in learning, namely, students-centeredness under teachers-guidedness; 2) A better environment and more chances for learner autonomy should be provided; 3) Formative assessments and summative assessments should be used together to evaluate the status quo of students learner autonomy; 4) Training of language learning strategies should be popularized. Students should not only acquire knowledge, more importantly, but also know how to learn. Hopefully, this research can provide helpful advices for future college English teaching.