An Empirical Study On LLS Of Non-English Majors

In recent years, the research focus of second language learning (SLL) has been shifted from exploring how to teach effectively to how to learn effectively. The study of LLS, as a chief factor influencing SLL result, is of great significance in the learning and teaching of second language. As the essential content of language teaching and research, English Language Learning Strategy (ELLS) has received an ever increasing concern in China. However, the literature review and study show that the majority of the researches have been conducted with the participants of EFL learners from the key universities in the developed areas from a static perspective. Therefore, this thesis, with the premise that learning strategies can assist students to learn effectively and with the non-English majors as well as their teachers in Northwest A&F University, a university located in the underdeveloped northwest region of China, as its subjects, aims to explore their LLS use from the perspective of longitudinal development and teacher-student interaction. The content of this research mainly includes the overall choice and use of English learning strategies by non-English majors in Northwest A&F University, the development of strategy use over time, the correlation between LLS use and learner proficiency, the influence of the teachers'preference of LLS use on the students. Based on the results of these contents, the thesis also explores the necessity and feasibility of LLS training in the process of college English teaching and extend the hope that these findings can serve as the theoretical basis for the reform of college English teaching and as the reference for the study of LLS used by learners in the universities located in the west of China.This research adopts a quantitative method---questionnaire. With 260 non-English majors chosen by cluster and random sampling and 35 English teachers as its subjects and the English and Chinese versions of SILL (The Strategy Inventory for Language Learning) (Oxford, 1990) (the former is used for teachers and the latter for students) as its basic instruments, the research studies the LLS use by the students and teachers in Northwest A&F University(two investigations for students: one is done when they just enter the university and another is one year later). The collected data is computed and analyzed by using SPSS 16.0, and the result are as follows: non-English majors both in G1 (grade one) and G2 (grade two) have a low and medium frequency of LLS use; From G1 to grade two G2, memory strategies and affective strategies become less frequently used, whereas cognitive strategies, metacognitive strategies, compensation strategies and Social strategies are used statistically more frequently; subjects with high and low English proficiency demonstrate significant differences in the use of LLS, and the former has an obvious higher frequency than the latter in the use of compensation strategies, metacognitive strategies as well as affective strategies; teachers reported use of LLS differs significantly from that of the students, and the mean frequency of the former is greatly higher than that of the latter while there is a weak correlation between the two in the use of LLS.These findings may have great significance to the college English teaching in the future: Firstly, from the perspective of teachers, the frequency of their LLS use is much higher than that of students, but their LLS is by no means systematic and comprehensive so that they are unable to make sound judgments of and give effective instructions to the students'use of LLS. As for the students, although the sources of their LLS are varied, the teachers still have some influence on their LLS use. What's more, a full mastery of the LLS use is to rely on the systematic training by teachers. Therefore, it is essential for both teachers and students receive systematic LLS training. Next, college English leaning strategy training should include both centralized and staged training: the former helps students have a comprehensive understanding of all the strategies while the latter integrate strategies training suitable for the development of different individuals into college English teaching at different stages and levels of the students so that LLS can be properly and effectively used to enhance learning efficiency and improve their foreign language competence.