On The Correlation Between EFL Listening Achievements Of Senior High Students And Field-independence/Dependence Cognitive Style

Among the four basic skills of English learning, , listening is often put in the firstplace. As is well known to all, listening is the most important channel ofcomprehensible language input. The cultivation of listening ability is essential toabsorbing and consolidating language knowledge, and strengthening languageproficiency. However, at present, listening ability of senior high students in ourcountry is still far from satisfaction. Therefore, how to improve students’listeningachievements has become a hot topic today for researchers. And many scholars areengaged in exploring the nature and process of listening comprehension. As acomplex multi-cognitive process, listening process is always influenced by variousfactors. Among all these factors, cognitive styles, especially the field cognitive stylecan’t be ignored. Thus, the present research aims to explore:⑴What is the situationof high school students’cognitive styles?⑵Are FI/FD cognitive styles and listeningachievements of senior high students related to each other? Which one has greatereffect on students’listening achievements? 3) Do the cognitive styles bear significantgender differences? Are FI/FD cognitive styles correlated to gender and subjects?Researches on field cognitive styles began in 1940s, the two categories-FI andFD were first put forward by Witkin, who was an American psychologist. Theso-called“field”refers to the outsider environment, FI students seldom depend on itwhile FD students often do. Based on the literature review of cognitive styles andsenior high’s EFL teaching, this thesis starts from Piaget’s genetic epistemology anddoes research in accordance with other two aspects: the concept, category andcharacteristics of cognitive styles and field cognitive styles; three majormeasurements of the formerThe subjects involved in the present research are second -year students in JigangHigh school. The study aims to investigate the situation of senior high students’cognitive styles, listening achievements and the correlation between them. Four majorinstruments are employed in the research, including GEFT, questionnaires, two listening tests and interviews. Both quality and quantity research methods are applied;The research firstly investigates the cognitive styles of high school students, thenexplore the correlation between learning styles and listening achievements, and whatfollows is to probe into the ways for adapting learning styles to English learning,And then the study discusses how to cultivate students’listening strategies so as toenhance their listening ability.During the procedures of this research, to analyze the correlations, SPSS is usedfor the descriptive calculation of field cognitive styles, GEFT and listeningachievements; by the use of independent sample T test, an idea on the listeningstrategies of two groups can be got. Apart from these, the author makes an 2×2variance analysis which regarding GEFT achievements of two times as dependentvariable factors; while the analysis treats gender and subject as its independentvariable factors.Through detailed analysis and discussion of related indexes, the followingfindings can be generated. In the first place, listening achievements have positivecorrelation with the scores of GEFT. As for FI students, scores are higher while FDstudents have lower scores. Next, gender plays a certain part in cognitive styles but noobvious relationship. Female are reflective while male are impulsive. According to theuse frequency, the commonest is meta-cognitive and followed by cognitive strategies.Certain correlations exist among listening achievements, cognitive styles andstrategies used during listening process.On the basis of the above findings, this thesis believes that teachers must payattention to the differences of students’cognitive styles, and accordingly adjustteaching strategies to various styles; while students should improve the awareness oflearning styles and learn to develop and expand their learning styles.It is believed that the major findings and implications from this research canprovide theatrical supports and practical directions for the promotion of EFL listeningteaching and learning. On one hand, it makes us realize the correlations betweencognitive styles, especially field cognitive styles and listening achievements; as forindividuals, the three aspects are in close association, learning efficiencies vary among individuals. On the other hand, in order to enhance students’listening ability,teachers must design proper teaching strategies which can be adapted to students’cognitive styles; students should be encouraged to expand their cognitive styles, toplan their learning process from their own reality. Besides, students should learn tochange cognitive tendencies according to different circumstances, learn to applyflexible and appropriate listening strategies so as to promote their listening abilities..