Gender Differences In Motivation, Beliefs And Language Learning Strategy Use

Strategy is one of the important factors that influence second/foreign language learning, so that research on language learning strategy has been paid more and more attention to. There are a number of factors affecting the use of language learning strategies. This paper examines the self-reported language learning strategy use of 514 university students learning English as a foreign language in China, and focuses mainly on the effects of gender differences on motivation, beliefs and language learning strategy use, in order to provide with teaching implications. The analysis reveals that there do exist gender differences in English learning strategy use as well as motivation for language learning and beliefs about language learning. And gender differences are closely related to field-dependence and field-independence cognitive style.