The Study On Developing The Autonomous Learning Ability Of Non-major Students In English Teaching

21^st century is an epoch of knowledge-based information, thus requiring people to learn throughout one's life in order to adapt to the rapid development of society. In the future, the illiterate are not those who have no knowledge, but those who don't know how to learn more and update their knowledge. Autonomous learning is the focus in the field of pedagogy and psychology, which has attracted people's more attention recently. Autonomous learning is considered as a high-level learning and defined as "students control their own study". While in the future society, the students' competition and development potential are largely dependent on their autonomous learning ability. Once learners have the ability to learn autonomously, they will be able to master new knowledge, new technology, face new challenges and tasks. English, as an international language, is now being used more and more in every area. However the students in Vocational Colleges (called VC below) have poor application ability of English because of lack of autonomous learning ability and learning strategies. The students in VC is a special educated community, who will meet more challenges if they can't keep on learning English, so the task to cultivate the students' autonomous capability in English learning has become urgent and important. One of the main teaching goals in "Teaching requirements for English Curriculum of Vocational College" is to develop the students' autonomous learning ability. The researchers of English teaching should actively probe the relevant measures on autonomous learning cultivation, with orientation of students' development, so as to lay a solid foundation for their future continual and efficient study, so that the students can continue self-perfection and achieve self-worth after the formal education.This paper aims at clearing up the basic theories on autonomous learning. The author introduces the current problems in English teaching and students' autonomous learning ability, and then proposes to cultivate students' autonomous learning by means of strategies training, after which, the students can improve their academic records, be active in and responsible for their own learning. It is hoped that this study will benefit English learning and teaching in terms of developing students' autonomous learning ability, thus sparking more interest in research in this aspect.This paper is divided into 6 chapters:Chapter 1: Foreword. Brief introduction to the study, including statement of the origin, significance and research methods.Chapter 2: Specific elaboration. To illustrate the definition and characteristics of autonomous learning; to analyze the current situation of autonomous learning at home and abroad.Chapter 3: A literature Review. To provide a comprehensive review of theoretical bases on autonomous learning from both psychology and pedagogy.Chapter 4: Teaching experiment. At first a questionnaire survey of autonomous learning and interview of learning strategies were made in 88 non-English majors of Shanghai Vocational College of Agriculture and Forestry. Then we made a measurable analysis of the datas collected. From the findings obtained through analysis and generalization, we realized that the students of VC have poor autonomous learning and lack awareness of learning strategies, thus putting forward the promotion of students' autonomous learning ability through learning strategies training. Finally we carried out the teaching experiment according to the established program. The results showed that learning strategies training help enhance students' autonomous learning ability and improve their academic achievement.Chapter 5: Proposals. Proposing some feasible recommendations on fostering autonomous learning of non-English majors.Chapter 6: Conclusion. To conclude the cultivation result and problems further considered owing to limitation of experiment condition and other elements.