A Study On English Learning Strategy Training Among Secondary Vocational School Students

There is a concept in the field of pedagogy and psychology that the aim of school is to make student an independent, effective learner. How to use effective learning strategies and how to learn will help to improve the language learning proficiency and the efficiency of English teaching. In China, the Education Ministry has set the main goal of English teaching and learning as "developing the students'language learning strategies"for the basic education. Research on language learning strategies has been a key issue in foreign language teaching in the recent thirty years. Especially in western context, the concern with teaching and learning has shifted from the teachers'teaching to the students'learning. Some researchers consider promoting learning proficiency by means of strategy training to make learners more autonomous in language learning. This paper aims to develop the learners'language learning strategies, focusing on strategy training in order to make a difference to secondary vocational school students'(SVSS) language learning. An experiment was designed to train SVSS in actual ability of using learning strategies for the following detailed objectives: (1) the overall patterns of language strategy used by secondary vocational school students before the strategy training which provide considerable pre-condition for actual strategy training; (2) the change of students'academic scores after the strategy training, and the effort of strategy training on secondary vocational school students'language learning. Through the experiment we want to test the effectiveness of strategy training which may indicate: the learning strategies can be obtained by SVSS through strategy training, students'academic scores can be improved; and students can benefit from the strategy training to become more autonomous in language learning. This thesis first looks into the brief introduction of language learning strategies, including the definition and classification. Based on the former researches at home and abroad, we gain our concept of language learning strategies: learning strategies are a set of steps and techniques learners use in order to learn and use language more effectively. Learning strategies are behaviors of learners which can be mental or observable. Learning strategies are used by learners consciously or unconsciously. Learning strategies can directly or indirectly help learners to learn language more effectively. Learning strategies include metacognitive strategies, cognitive strategies and social/affective strategies ( O'Malley & Chamot,1990) The training model—strategies-based instruction (SBI) which is a learner-centered approach including explicit and implicit integration of strategies into course content is showed in this paper. Strategy training program based on Oxford's Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) includes diagnosing language learning strategies, raising strategy awareness and carrying out actual strategy training. Before actual strategy training, carrying out an investigation, we gained the information about students'strategies use,meanwhile, raise the students'strategy awareness. Based on it, strategies for SVSS were selected and the training plan was made including long-term and short-time training The investigation into learning strategies use was carried out in three secondary vocational schools in which some questionnaires and interviews were used. The data was collected through the investigation and then a measurable analysis of the results gathered in the investigation was made: SVSS were incapable of applying learning strategies; Their self-management was reduced; The learning skills they used were more traditional, and mechanical while good learners could employ some inferential strategies. SVSS had strong desire in English learning but less interest, and their purpose of English learning was more instrumental, just for the great value of an English level certification and a better job in the future. In the investigation, students come to get the knowledge of learning strategies, their strategy awareness has been raised. The actual strategy training was carried out in listening, speaking, reading and writing lasting one year. Learning strategies were incorporated into the regular classroom learning activities. After the training, students have gained more knowledge of learning strategies and improved their language proficiency. The results of the study indicate: (1) SVSS can benefit from the strategy training, make connection between language learning and strategies using (2) Learning strategies can be obtained by SVSS through strategy training, and it identifies possible factors that strategy training can greatly influence their language learning. (3) Strategy training takes time; Short-time and long-term strategy training are both effective;(4) Individual strategies instruction is necessary; The study is significant. It will help to improve the efficiency of secondary vocational school English teaching, and lighten the SVSS pressure in English learning. However, further studies are expected to assess the usefulness of different techniques for strategy training.