Relationship Between EFL Learners' Belief And Learning Strategy Use By English Majors In Vocational Colleges

This study explored relationship between foreign language learning beliefs and the strategy use among English major sophomores of vocational colleges in Jiangxi. We also investigated whether there were any significant differences in foreign language learning beliefs between high strategy users and low strategy users. In addition, it attempted to find any relationship between language learning beliefs and language learning strategies. Finally, we aimed to see the best prediction of strategy use in terms of foreign language beliefs.A total of 214 English major sophomores of four vocational colleges in Nanchang participated in this study. In order to collect data, two questionnaires were used. Students'beliefs about language learning were investigated by the"Language Learning Belief Questionnaire"designed by Liu Runqing (2003). Oxford's (1990) 50-item Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) was adopted to measure the strategy use of the subjects. After data analysis using SPSS (13.0), the thesis came up with the following major findings:Firstly, most subjects report holding a variety of beliefs about language learning. We can see that overall mean of the belief is 3.44, which means majority of subjects agree with the statements or at least stay neutral. They hold strong opinion about the six belief categories, especially about the language learning and communication strategies.Secondly, the overall strategy use fall within the range of medium use (mean=2.89), which means the vocational students"sometimes"use the strategies. Compensation strategies are the most popular strategies with the vocational English majors, while memory strategies are least used.Thirdly, independent Sample t-test results demonstrate that there is a statistically significant difference between high strategy users and low strategy users in language learning beliefs. Major differences in language learning beliefs between the two groups are found in four belief composite variables. They are belief about language aptitude, belief about language difficulty, beliefs about learning and communication strategy and belief about language learning motivation and expectations. Meanwhile, the two groups share some positive language learning beliefs.In addition, moderate correlation coefficient is detected between the language learning beliefs and frequency of strategy use (r=.476, p<.01). It is also found there is a significant gap between the students'concept of EFL learning and their actual strategy use.Finally, the findings of multiple regression illustrate that belief factors entering the regression model together can predict 21.5% variance in the total strategy use at a significance level of .05. Among them, belief about language learning strategy shows greatest predictive ability,accounting for 11.4% of the variance for the total language strategy use. The other two predictors selected into multiple regression equation make additional contribution.The findings of this research further confirm the correlation between language learning beliefs and language learning strategies and support the argument that students'beliefs about language learning may affect their choice of language learning strategy.Some practical implications are given for classroom practice. Language teachers are encouraged to identify the beliefs about language learning of their students by questionnaires, thus implementing practical procedures to overcome detrimental beliefs and accentuate beliefs that facilitate learning. They can make their students aware of the harm of misleading beliefs through private talk, and finally help them build positive beliefs which can facilitate language learning.