Training Of Listening Strategeis And Cultivation Of Learner Autonomy

Listening teaching plays an important part in the English teaching. Among the major four language skills---listening, speaking, reading and writing, listening is ranked as the first. Improvement in listening is beneficial to the cultivation of students' interest in English learning. Higher Vocational College students are comparatively poor in English learning ability and skills, so it is vital to know how to teach them English. In the course of listening teaching, the formation of listening proficiency relies on the master of linguistic knowledge, but strategies are needed as a medium to change knowledge into proficiency. So training on listening strategies is necessary and effective. According to studies by many scholars, learning strategies are teachable. Teachers can find effective strategies for different learners, then cultivate their interest and improve learner autonomy.The present study made an investigation into the training of listening strategies and cultivation of learner autonomy for Higher Vocational College students, showed the relationship between strategy training and listening achievements, and studied how to cultivate learner autonomy after a semester's training on students' listening strategies and learner autonomy,The participants were 76 students from two classes. The instruments included two tests, two questionnaires and an interview guideline. QuestionnaireⅠwas based on O'Malley & Chamot's (1990) typology of learning strategies. It was partly integrated with Oxford's (1990) strategy inventory. QuestionnaireⅡwas about learner autonomy designed according to the studies of some scholars. The questionnaires adopted 5-point Likert scale. The valid questionnaires collected consist of 152 pieces. The interview was conducted at the end of the training.First the two classes took the pretest. SPSS 17.0 was used to analyze the data. The results showed that there was no significant difference between the two classes in their listening proficiency. Then the two classes filled in the questionnaires. After that during the semester, the experimental class was trained to use listening strategies and learning autonomously in class and out of class. At the end of the semester, the two classes took the post-test, filled in the questionnaires again, and then, the data collected was analyzed.The results of the study showed that strategy utilization for higher vocational college students was at a low level. The sequence according to the frequencies of strategy use is: cognitive strategies, social/affective strategies and metacognitive strategies. The results of learner autonomy showed that the students knew little about learner autonomy and did not have adequate self-consciousness on their independent English learning. After a semester's strategy training, the students in the experimental class, as a whole, made steady and greater achievements in their listening proficiency and learner autonomy. It suggested that training in listening strategies is necessary and feasible. Listening strategy training does some good to the cultivation and improvement of learner autonomy. The study found that through training, the students realized the importance of strategies, and improved the consciousness of using strategies. This helped them study more effectively in their further learning, evaluate and regulate their own learning process, and eventually cultivate their learner autonomy.