Metacognitive Strategy Training For Non-English Majors'autonomous Learning: A Case Study

As is known to all, many researchers think that there does exist a certain relationship between learning strategies by learners and language proficiency they finally reach and they divide the learning strategies into six types: memory strategy, cognitive strategies and compensation strategy, metacognitive strategies, emotional strategy and social strategy. It has been viewed by O'Malley& Chamot that among the six subcategories of learning strategies, the position of metacognitive strategies is above that of the other five strategies, because it is the conduct by which learners monitor the learning process and it is a high-level executive skill to plan, regulate, monitor and instruct the learning process. In addition, there is a growing evidence to indicate that in the process of learning foreign language learners are no longer passive recipients of information, but they positively construct the meaning. Besides, modern technology, such as video, computers, and the Internet has been introduced into China English classroom, and Internet environment can give learners more freedom and independence in the learning process. In such a web-based autonomous learning environment with only a small amount of teachers'instruction, the use of learning strategies appears to be more important to the learning achievement. In view of the above reasons, the establishment of web-based autonomous learning model results from autonomous learning theory, constructivist learning theory etc. under the guidance of college English teaching reform and College English Curriculum Requirement, due to second language teaching focus shifted. However, the new mode is faced with many problems, which is about how to transfer from the teacher-centered teaching prevailing in traditional teaching to the student-centered teaching and the how to cultivate students'autonomy. Under the new model, students become the center of teaching and learning while teachers only act as tutors and supervisors, therefore, it may be hunched that, for the students, strategy use, especially metacognitive strategy use in the new model would be much more needed than the use in the traditional learning courses and, consequently, the metacognitive training appears to be a matter of especial importance.In view of the above conditions, the aim of the study is to (1) investigate under the teaching model of autonomous learning, after the metacognitive strategies training, whether there exists significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in post-test performance; (2) whether there is the significant difference between the metacognitive strategy use of the experimental group after the training; (3) the relationship between metacognitive strategy use and language proficiency; (4) the relationship between metacognitive strategy use and autonomous learning ability; (5) the difference in use of individual metacognitive strategies between the successful learners and less successful learners by proficiency.This study, based on the questionnaire survey and strategy training of 224 non-English majors from Zhejiang Wanli University, which is supported by interviews and observations, describes the general features of strategy use in the English learning by Chinese College English learners. The results of analyzing show that 1) a majority of non-English majors cannot use appropriate language learning strategies to solve difficulties or problems in English study and it is necessary to carry out language learning strategy instruction with the non-English majors in China, especially in Level 3 Colleges; 2) the participants showed a wide variety of learning style preferences; 3) on the post-test, the experimental group performed significantly better than the control group which revealed that direct metacognitive strategies training could facilitate learners'competence and the effectiveness of metacognitive strategies training; 4) the strategy use of non-English major students in Level 3 Colleges is mainly at medium level at present and there is the difference between successful group and less successful group because each mean of the items of the successful group was higher than that of the less successful group; 5) after sixteen weeks of metacognitive strategies training, the experimental group students who received metacognitive strategies training reported having used more metacognitive strategies in language learning at the time of post-test than pre-experiment.Analysis of the data collected can provide awareness for teachers and learners alike about what strategies are used most and what are used least by Chinese college students, and tentative suggestions for educators to include English strategy training in English classrooms are made. The study has reached the conclusion that the Chinese non-English majors need language learning strategy instruction, especially metacognitive strategy instruction. Based on the findings, non-English majors in Chinese universities should been carried out scientific and effective language learning strategies training, especially metacognitive language learning strategies training, which can help them learn how to correctly use language learning strategies to effectively improve their English proficiency. It is the author's sincere hope that this study can serve as a reference for college English curriculum designers in China in the designing of curricula and teaching materials, and training teachers.