Research On Non-english Majors’English Learning Difficulties

Non-English majors is the largest group of adult EFL learners in China. A large percentage of them think that their English performances do not give full play to their intelligence. In other words, they perceive themselves as learners with English learning difficulties. Therefore, a study on their English learning difficulties is in need. Given the significance of this topic and the limitations of previous studies in concern, this study aims at finding out non-English majors’self-perceived manifestations, causes of English learning difficulties, the coping strategies they have employed facing these difficulties and the differences between students diagnosed with and without English learning difficulties in terms of their self-perceived manifestations, causes of English learning difficulties and the coping strategies they have employed facing these difficultiesA total of199non-English majors from a university in Shandong Province participated in this study. The instruments employed in this study include the Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices (SPM), the National Matriculation English Test (NMET) and an English learning questionnaire designed by the researcher.Results of the study indicate that students’self-perceived manifestations focused on difficulties in two basic language components and five language skills. Compared with students diagnosed without English learning difficulties, participants identified with English learning difficulties were found significantly different in terms of vocabulary difficulties, grammar difficulties, writing difficulties, translation difficulties and test anxiety. As to the reasons, participants attributed their English learning difficulties to psychological and environmental factors among which motivation, self-efficacy and social environment were differential. To tackle their learning difficulties, participants in this study resorted to affective strategies, cognitive strategies, meta-cognitive strategies, memory strategies, compensatory strategies and social strategies. They reported the most strategies under the category of memory strategies and employ compensatory strategies and meta-cognitive strategies with the highest frequency.Based on discussion of the results and findings, suggestions are put forward for school administrators, English teachers, and students with English learning difficulties. The limitations of the study and suggestions for further study are finally proposed.