A Comparative Study Of Language Learning Strategies By English Majors And Non-english Majors In Poly-technical College

Since the 1960s, the research focus of second language acquisition increasingly shifts from "how to teach" to "how to learn" in the foreign language teaching research. Parallel to the shift is the increasingly important role in the learners about the learning. The research of the learning strategies, which is the overriding ingredient for language learners in the learning, has become a hot issue in the field of second language acquisition research. In recent years the research of language learning strategies has come to the climax. From abroad to China, a lot of researchers have made great contributions on language learning strategies with different perspective. However, in China, until now there are a few empirical studies on learning strategies among non-English majors, especially the comparative studies on learning strategies use between English majors and non-English majors in the poly-technical college. In view of the above situations, the present research investigates the differences and similarities of the language learning strategies use between English majors and non-English majors in the poly-technical college. The aim of the study attempts to promote poly-technical college English teaching reform, and to facilitate English majors and non-English majors to progress together in English learning in China.The survey was conducted mainly through questionnaires to find out the differences and similarities between English Majors and non-English majors in the use of LLS. The subjects in the questionnaire survey were 80 non-English major sophomores and 110 English major sophomores in Hebei Tourism Vocational College. English majors were chosen from foreign tourism major, and the non-English majors were chosen from Chinese tour guide. The questionnaire of this study was designed on the basis of Oxford's (1990) versions of Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). With the help of the statistical software SPSS13.0,the descriptive analysis,and independent-sample t-tests were used to analyze the responses of the questionnaire.Through the data analysis, the research results indicate that there are some differences and also similarities in the use of language learning strategies. The differences are as follows: first of all, English majors use almost each category of strategies more frequently than non-English majors; secondly, there are significant differences in the usage of social strategies between English majors and non-English majors; thirdly, there are great differences in the ranking of the four categories of learning strategies between English majors and non- English majors. Moreover, the similarities are presented in the following: first, among all the learning strategies, affective strategies are used the most frequently; second, both English majors and non-English majors employ the cognitive strategies more frequently; third, social strategies and meta-cognitive strategies are used the least frequently;Based on the findings, this study provides some useful implications. Totally, the overriding thing is to cultivate learners'strategy awareness, and make them be able to use each learning strategies appropriately and flexibly in order to realize autonomous learning. What's more, with the coming of the information age, teachers should adopt various teaching approaches, fuse many kinds of teaching styles, and create modern language environments for both English majors and non-English majors to stimulate their passion and encourage their initiative.