Learning Strategy Training For The Development Of Learner Autonomy

Language learning strategies (LLSs) are methods and ways consciously or unconsciously selected by the language learners in word-guessing, word remembering, grammar application and other language aspects to improve their language proficiency. The study was initiated by Rubin et al in the 1970s, up to date, the study has been concerning with 1) strategies used by the good language learners; 2) different language learning strategies used by good and poor learners; 3) the correlation between learners' use of language learning strategies and their language proficiency; 4) factors influencing language learners' strategy use and; 5) strategy training and its effect.Nearly in the meanwhile, with the positive idea of learner-center being accepted publicly, many educationists and researchers agree on consistently the importance of developing learner autonomy (LA) in EFL teaching and learning. LA refers to the learners' abilities acquired in the training that they are able to be responsible for their learning activity, make their own learning choice and goals according to the actual situation, plan and monitor their learning process and self-evaluate their learning activity, then may they can obtain the abilities of LA which are at least shown in the following aspects: 1) being independent in the learning process; 2) acquiring a set of skills and abilities supervising their learning activity; 3) being with inherent abilities restrained to class teaching; 4) taking up the responsibility of self-learning; 5) having the rights of deciding their own learning orientation. Relative studies have shown that good language learners are always good at self-management, they not only grasp the skills and strategies for coping with different learning activities and solving difficulties, but also possess the abilities of choosing proper tactics according to different learning tasks. In view of this we can see the importance of LA in the EFL learning, especially for the students of collectively-owned colleges. But one point needs to be noted that LA abilities are not inborn, and the learners need to be trained to acquire it. So the author attempts to discuss the possibilities of fostering learner autonomy through means of learningstrategy training and answer the following research questions:1. Why do we need to foster the learners' autonomy in EFL teaching and learning? And why do we need to reach this goal by means of language learning strategy training?2. What are language learning strategies (LLSs) and learner autonomy? And what can relative studies tell us about LLSs training and LA?3. How are we to do the LLSs training, and what to do?4. How can we guarantee the positive effect on the development of LA through LLSs training? That is, what are the assessment criteria that we use to examine the training works?This thesis consists of five chapters:Chapter One is an introduction, which gives a brief account of the background of the researches concerning with this topic. It also gives a very short description of the literature domestic and abroad in this field, point out the significance of the present study.Chapter Two puts forth the research questions and the author's own ideas about the topics.Chapter Three provides a detailed discussion about LLSs and LA. It deals with the existing different types of definitions, classifications and the relative researches done by Rubin, O'Malley & Chamot, Oxford and Cohen etc.Chapter Four is concerned with the ways of strategy training and its training models, the criteria for the training assessment.Chapter Five concludes the whole paper and gives some advices for the pedagogy and the future research in this field.