Using Learning Strategies To Develop Independent EFL Readers In Chinese Universities

Since the 1970s, the focus of foreign language pedagogic research has shifted from how to "teach" to how to "learn". Corresponding to this shift, researchers have begun to study the learning process and the individual language learners. One aspect of such research is the study of characteristics of effective language learners, which consequently has been developed to the study of language learning strategies.Language learning strategies are not equal to skills or techniques. Generally speaking, learning skills and techniques refer to some concrete behaviours or actions that learners take to finish a certain learning task or solve a certain problem more effectively. Learning strategies contain more than concrete skills and techniques, and they may also include the management and regulation of learning processes. In a word, learning strategies are both behavioural and mental.Since then, the research history of language learning strategies has been over 30 years. The early study on language learning strategies was mainly concerned with identifying and describing language learning strategies and their classification. In the 1980s, progress was made in the application of learning strategies. Some researchers began to probe how to train learners use learning strategies, and conducted small-scaled and short-term experiments. They tried to train ineffective learners to utilize some strategies which were testified to be effective. They assumed that such training might enable these ineffective learners to be in a better position to solve their problems in language learning. In the 1990s, researchers combined learning strategy studies with learner autonomy research, which made the ultimate goal of learning strategy training more significant. The aims of developing students' learning strategies are not only to improve their academic achievements, but also to make them become more independent and autonomous in learning.This thesis mainly concentrates on how to use learning strategies to develop independent EFL readers. In an era of global communication, being an international language, English is becoming more and more important. Therefore, to Chinese university students, the ability to use English as a learning tool to make extensive use of academic materials is significantly important. However, a great majority of English teachers in Chinese universities are still examination-oriented, and are following the traditional teacher-centered instructional mode. As a result, most students, including some who have obtained high scores in reading comprehension tests, can hardly interact with the texts they read. And they restrict their reading outside class to passages which are designed to practise reading skills useful in reading comprehension tests. Obviously, such students can hardly meet the demands of the development of society. Thus, this thesis argues that the prevalent instructional mode in universities which highlights language points and examination-oriented skills should be changed, and focus should be put on strategy training which is helpful to convert students from dependent to independent, self-determining ESL readers. As for the approaches of strategy training, this thesis suggests that different categories of strategies take different approaches. In addition, this thesis also tentatively suggests making use ofinternet technology in strategy training in order to attract students in such training.This thesis contains six chapters. Chapter 1 is a brief introduction of the thesis, giving the aim and significance of this research. Chapter 2 gives a detailed discussion about learning strategies, including the research history, the definitions and classifications of learning strategies and the related research literature of learning strategies. Chapter 3 uses reading theories to analyze the reason why most Chinese university students fail to use English as a learning tool to make extensive use of academic materials, and illustrates the necessity of utilizing learning strategies to develop independent EFL readers in Chinese universities. Chapter 4 is an investigation of Chinese university students in their use of reading strategies, including the design of strategy questionnaire, the procedures and the analysis of the results of the investigation. Chapter 5 takes the theme of strategy training. On the basis of cognitive theory and the investigation results in chapter 4, this chapter gives practical suggestions on how to use learning strategies to develop independent L2 readers in Chinese universities. Chapter 6 is the conclusion of the whole thesis.