Attitudes, Motivation And Strategies In Self-directed Language Learning

Recently, self-directed language learning (SDLL) has been a buzzword in foreign language learning. More and more educators have realized the importance of improving the students'self-directed language learning ability in accordance with the notion of"learner-centeredness"and"life-education". In addition, there are more and more students in an English learning classroom, and it becomes more and more difficult for the teachers to focus their attention on every student. Then, why are some foreign language learners successful, while others are not? Do their success and failure in foreign language learning have any thing to do with their self-directed language learning ability? The aim of this thesis is to find out empirically about perception and experiences in self-directed language learning between successful and less successful university students.The research involves a qualitative survey and a quantitative case study with the instruments such as questionnaires, interview, diaries, etc. The survey study was carried out to discover and compare the overall patterns of SDLL attitude, strategies and motivation and the interrelationships between these variables among successful and less successful students. To this end, a questionnaire was designed based on a combination of theoretical input in the literature and students'initial responses in a pilot study. The case study was designed to complement and expand the findings from the survey by focusing the potential differences between successful and less successful students with regard to attitudes, strategies and motivation. Some implications for English foreign language teaching are also proposed in this thesis in the hope that these implications can guide Chinese teachers of English toward a better understanding of their students, thus finding a proper and more effective way to teach students of different English levels.