Beliefs About English Learning And Autonomy Of First-year PE Majors

This study mainly investigates first-year PE majors'beliefs about English learning and learner autonomy. The foci of the study are the general trends and features of first-year PE majors'beliefs about English language learning and learner autonomy (LA) and how their English learning beliefs correlate with their English language achievements.Based on the literature, it is likely that language learners hold a variety of beliefs about English learning and learner autonomy. In the classroom context, these beliefs learners bring to learning may influence how they approach to learning. While a considerable amount of research has so far been conducted in language acquisition, English learning beliefs, so far, in China, have not been given enough attention although learner-centered approach is widely advocated. Especially, there has been a lack of reported study in Chinese context that investigates into PE majors'English learning beliefs. The present study argues that it is necessary to investigate language learners' readiness for the changes in behavior and beliefs which autonomy implies.The thesis is based on an investigation into 186 first-year PE majors'learning beliefs in several universities. The study explores their beliefs about English learning aptitude, the difficulty and nature of English as a foreign language, self-efficacy, the learning motivation and expectations, English learning and communicative strategies, and their learning perceptions of learner autonomy, as well as the relationship between English learning beliefs and achievements. Both quantitative and qualitative instruments are employed to gather data, including questionnaire, interviews and classroom observation.Through careful data analysis, several findings have come to light.Firstly, most students in this study have formed a series of beliefs about English, English learning and autonomous learning. Factor analysis of subjects' responses to the questionnaire revealed the existence of seven dimensions underlying the responses (See Chapter Four). Some of them are facilitative and some are inhibitive.Secondly, both the positive and negative correlation is found between some of the students'English learning beliefs and English language achievements. The Pearson correlation analysis indicates how some of the students'beliefs about English learning and learner autonomy, will have an impact on their learning behavior and achievement.In conclusion, through the exploration of first-year PE majors'beliefs about English learning and learner autonomy, the present study will help both English language teachers and learners to recognize the significance of knowing about and shaping correct freshman's learning beliefs. And the transformation of improper language learning beliefs depends on both teachers'and learners'efforts, but the teachers'efforts seem especially crucial for the development of autonomous learning capacity in first-year PE majors'English learning.