A Study On English Learning Strategies Of First-year Non-English Majors

With fast development of science and technology and rapid upgrading of information and knowledge, people are increasingly aware of the importance of the self-learning ability. Since 1970s, there has been a shift in foreign language teaching and research from focusing on "how to teach"to "how to learn". More research has been conducted about learners' learning strategies, motivation, attitude, character and gender. Learning strategy is one of the important factors that affect learning achievement. Language learning strategy can improve learners'learning efficiency.Since 1980s, researchers in China began to study learners'language learning strategy. The subjects of their research include learners of different ages at various levels. However, few of them are about first-year non-English majors. Therefore, a research on the language learning strategy of first-year non-English majors will provide more solid evidence to the study of language learning strategy on the whole.This study, based on the theory of the famous scholars such Oxford and Wen Qiufang, examines the learning strategies of first-year non-English majors in Shandong University at Weihai. The study tries to explore:1. the general condition of strategy use by first-year non-English majors;2. the correlation between language strategy use and language achievement;3. the difference in language strategy use between high-score group and low score group.The research results show that first-year non-English majors just sometimes use language learning strategies. The most frequently used strategies are compensation strategies, while memory strategies are the least frequently used. Language learning strategy use is significantly correlated with the students'NMET score, which means the more language learning strategies are used, the higher the students'NMET score will be. Students in high-score group use language learning strategies more frequently than those in low-score group. Significant variation exists in their use of memory strategies, cognitive strategies, metacognitive strategies and social strategies. The research results indicate that teachers should cultivate the students the ability of using language learning strategies and encourage them to actively practice them by giving them more opportunities. Students should positively learn to use language learning strategies and consciously practice them in learning.