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A Study On The Chinese Non-English-major Postgraduates' English Learning Beliefs

Posted on:2008-04-02Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:G L WangFull Text:PDF
GTID:2155360242471306Subject:Foreign Linguistics and Applied Linguistics
Abstract/Summary:PDF Full Text Request
Ever since the 1970s, numerous studies have been conducted to explore various learner individual differences, among which are learners'language learning beliefs, which have been found to bear significant influence on language learning behaviors,their affective states such as their motivation and self-efficacy, and subsequently their ultimate achievements.The present study seeks to identify and characterize the overall trends of non-English-major postgraduates'English learning beliefs along a wide range of dimensions, including the belief discrepancies between high-achievers and low-achievers and the influence of gender on their English learning beliefs。A quantitative study using a questionnaire and a qualitative study in the form of semi-structured interviews are employed in the research, and through data-analysis and comparison of the results, the present research comes to the following finding:①The non-English-major postgraduate generally held quite positive beliefs about the key language learning strategies, the nature and difficulty of EFL learning and are willing to take responsibility for their learning. However, many of the non-English-major postgraduate showed rather limited beliefs in the concepts of language giftedness, the supremacy of children over adults in language learning, and grammatical correctness. Most of them are seriously devoid of practical to monitor or evaluate their learning.②Compared with high-achievers, the low-achievers on the whole had a much lower sense of self-efficacy in their English learning, knew much fewer practical skills learn English autonomously and were much less intrinsically motivated in their foreign language study.③The male and the female students in this study held more or less the same beliefs about English learning.Moreover, based on the analysis of the above findings of the study, some implications are drawn and some suggestions are put forward for the current postgraduate EFL teaching and learning in China.
Keywords/Search Tags:Language learning beliefs, EFL language teaching and learning, non-English-major postgraduate, survey study
PDF Full Text Request
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