A Study On Introversion/Extroversion And Language Learning Strategy Application

Since 1980s, with the development of Cognitive Linguistics and Psychology, thefocus of the applied linguistics has shifted from"how to teach"to"how to learn",and the individual learners'subjectivity have caught great attention. The previousstudies on learners'subjectivity have proved to be helpful in understanding theprocess of Second Language Learning. And language aptitude, personality, languagelearning strategies and language attitude are considered as essential variables oflanguage learning in which individual learners differ. Meanwhile, the factors affectinglearning strategies have received much attention and many studies are concernedabout these factors, such as Oxford, Ehrman, Cohen and Tarron, but few of them areconcentrating on the relationship between learners'personality and the application oflanguage learning strategies.Based on the previous researches and results, this study adoptsextroversion/introversion and language learning strategies as two variables. And bythe quantitative and qualitative methods, the survey is conducted to explore: 1) theoverall use of learning strategies of English majors; 2) differences in the employmentof Learning strategies between extroverts and introverts; 3) relationship betweenextroversion/introversion and the application of learning strategies.The present study employs Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R)and Language Learning Strategy Inventory for quantitative study. 90 English majorsselected randomly participate in the questionnaire survey. Then the collective data areprocessed by SPSS 13.0 for Descriptive statistics, Independent- sample T test andCorrelation analysis. The major findings are as follows:Firstly, Descriptive statistics showed that the level of the overall use of Learningstrategy and the frequency of using strategies like memory, cognitive, compensation,metacognitive, affective and social strategies are higher among extroverts than amongintroverts.Secondly, Independent- sample T test showed that there is no significantdifference in general choices of language learning strategies as well as the sixindividual learning strategies between extroverts and introverts.Thirdly, Correlation analysis indicates that no significant correlation is foundbetween extroversion/introversion and the general choice of language learningstrategy. Concerning the six strategy groups, the negative correlation is merely foundbetween metacognitive strategy and extroversion/introversion, and no significant correlation is found in the means of the other strategies.In the light of the above results, some implications and suggestions for Englishteaching have also been provided. Firstly,teachers should get to know the students'application of learning strategies, adjusting teaching methods to improve theefficiency of their teaching; Secondly, teachers should help students to realize theirpersonality strength, making full use of them so as to overcome the personalityweakness that might impede English learning. At last, a successful teacher not merely"gives their students fish", but"teaches their students how to fish", making learnersmore aware of the importance of strategy use, improving the efficiency of learningand helping learners to become independent and self-directive.