A Comparative Study Of Chinese Learners' Learning Strategies In English Reading

Since the 1970s, research interest in the field of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) has shifted to students' learning, and the importance of learning strategies has been recognized. Even though some studies in this research field have provided many insights into students' language learning, no consistent picture has emerged. In addition, most prevailing assumptions about language learning have been derived primarily from research conducted in the West, it is felt that the study in a Chinese context might throw new light upon this area.The present thesis reports a comparative study of Chinese English learners' (CEL) use of learning strategies in reading. This study directly addresses the questions as follows:1. How do learning strategies relate to the reading proficiency levels of two comparative groups: non-English majors and English majors respectively? Do the relationships show the same general tendency?2. For each type of learning strategy, do two comparative groups use them to the same degree? Is there any significant difference in their use of each type of learning strategy?3. For the four types of learning strategies involved in this study, do the two comparative groups use them to the same degree respectively? Can different tendencies for these two comparative groups be found?A modified learning strategies' questionnaire based on Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) of Oxford (1990) and two reading proficiency tests quoted from College English Test-Band 4 (CET 4) and Test for English Majors-Band 4 (TEM 4) respectively were applied in order to explore the questions aroused. 39 English majors and 145 non-English majors in the second-year of National University of Defense Technology (NUDT) participated in this research. The data got from these experiments were examined through the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS 10.0) statistical analysis system. Procedures as descriptive statistics, Pearson product-moment correlation, t-test for independent samples and one-way ANOVA have been adopted.The results got from this research are listed as follows:1. It is found that reading proficiency levels are substantially and positively correlated with learning strategies for both comparative groups, for English majors, the correlation is more obvious.2. Non-English majors and English majors do have significant difference in the use of cognitive, metacognitive and social-affective strategies, but for the use of supportive strategies, no significant difference is found.3. Non-English majors show a significant difference in their use of four types of learning strategies, while English-majors do not show significant difference in their use of four types of learning strategies. Two comparative groups show different tendencies in using four types of learning strategies.Based on these findings, the implications on learning strategy instructions have been discussed and some suggestions on how to give effective language learning strategy instructions for CEL have been provided. It is suggested that learning strategy instructions might include identifying students' current strategies, assessing their strategy needs, planning strategy instructions, directing teaching of strategies for different reading tasks, providing extensive opportunities to practice in using the strategies, evaluating strategy use, and helping students transfer strategies to new tasks. Owing to the validity of the self-designed questionnaire and the complexity of the study of learners, some remaining research problems as well as directions for future research have been pointed out at the final part of the thesis.