Developing Learner Autonomy By Meta-Cognitive And Cognitive Strategies

Independent college, a new mode of higher education, is very prosperous. Along with the extension of enrolment in institutes of higher learning, more and more students choose independent college to pursue further study. However, the College Entrance Examination scores of independent college students are lower than that of first-batch and second-batch university students, which gives them more pressures in job-hunting and other competitions in society. So to help independent college students establish and develop a life-long learning ability----learner autonomy is very necessary and important. This can not only improve independent college students' learning scores, but also can meet the English Course Requirements for Non-English Majors and teachers, and can meet the need for the reform of CET-4 and CET-6. Researches both home and abroad have indicated that learning strategies learning and training can develop students' learner autonomy, that strategies training is an effective way to improve learner autonomy, and that the development of learner autonomy is mainly through meta-cognitive and cognitive strategies.This thesis aims to develop independent college students' learner autonomy through meta-cognitive and cognitive strategies training. This research, applying the quantitative research and qualitative research methods, takes 179 non-English-major freshmen in Xi'an Technological University North Institute of Information Engineering as subjects. First, the author digs up their attitudes toward learner autonomy and learning strategies, and their learning strategies use situation through questionnaire. Then, the author trains them to use meta-cognitive and cognitive learning strategies. Finally, the author tests the effects of this research through interviews and Paried-sample T test of their twice English final examination scores. The data collected in this research are analyzed by SPSS 15.0 and EXCEL 2007.The analyses of questionnaire have shown that non-English-major freshmen in independent college lack the knowledge of learning strategies and the sense of learner autonomy, also they cannot effectively use learning strategies to improve their English scores, but they have already been prepared to do strategies training. According to the significant difference of Paried-sample T test, after 16 weeks of strategies training, the mean value of the English scores of 101 students who participate the strategies training in the second semester is higher than that in the first semester. And according to the feedbacks of interviews, students believe that the effective use of learning strategies largely improves their learner autonomy, and they benefit a lot from learning strategies training.The following conclusions are obtained through this research. First, learning strategies, especially meta-cognitive and cognitive learning strategies, are very important to the improvement of learner autonomy. Second, teachers should first know the situation of strategies use before strategies training; and then teach the knowledge of learning strategies, organize students to discuss their use of learning strategies, and demonstrate the use of learning strategies; finally integrate strategies training into ordinary teaching activities. Third, task-based teaching and learning can effectively assist learning strategies training, which contributes to good results.