A Study On Vocational College Students' Language Learning Styles And Strategies

This thesis attempts to explore the language learning styles and strategies of the learners based on the higher technical and vocational college students, to identify whether there are significant differences in the language learning style and strategy preferences between male and female learners, and identify whether there is a relationship between students' language learning style and strategy preferences. There are 54 students were assigned to complete two sets of questionnaires. One was used to identify students' perceptual language learning style preferences and the other was used to pinpoint students' language learning strategies. In addition, think aloud protocols were held to determine the cognitive and metacognitive strategies students used while reading. All data were collected and analyzed by means of SPSS.Statistical analysis of the questionnaire revealed that students' major learning style preferences were auditory learning and individual learning. Furthermore, significant difference was found in the preference of tactile learning between males and females. The analysis of the second questionnaire revealed that cognitive strategies were favored the most. No significant difference was found in the preferences of learning strategies between males and females. The analysis with respect to the relationship between language learning styles and strategies revealed that visual styles had a significant relation with affective strategies; auditory styles had significant relationships with memory, cognitive, affective, and social strategies; there was a significant relationship between the individual language learning style and compensation strategies. None of the language learning styles had a significant relationship with metacognitive strategies. The think aloud protocols revealed that students actually made use of various cognitive and metacognitive strategies.The present study has some limitations. Firstly, the subjects involved in this study were restricted to the vocational college students at Shaanxi Logistics Economy School. Secondly, not all learners' language strategies were included in the study's questionnaire. The language learning strategies in the study were limited to those appearing in the study questionnaire. Thirdly, the individual characteristics of learners, except gender were not taken into consideration while identifying and analyzing their language learning styles and strategies. Finally, the questionnaire does not describe in detail the language learning strategies a learner uses in specific language tasks.In spite of some limitations, the result of this study also presents somewhat significance. The findings prove to be beneficial for both the students at different levels and the Chinese English teachers because the findings may raise teacher's awareness concerning their own learning and teaching styles. Teaching and learning not only require two-way communication but also efforts. In teaching practices, in addition to employing various teaching methods, educators should help students learn how to learn by providing guidance for using appropriate language learning strategies in different situations and environments. This is particularly critical to ensure the success of the learners in English learning.