A Study On Applying Meta-cognitive Strategies To Foster Autonomous Learning Ability Of English Learners In Senior High School

With the deepening of the English teaching reform, English curriculum standards of senior high school demands that English teaching should make every graduate equipped with basic language literacy and also enable them to possess English language knowledge and basic skills for lifelong learning whether in the aspect of entering a university or in employment, as well as make them possess certain autonomous learning ability and desire for learning. In the meantime, it is demanded that teachers should strengthen the guidance of learning strategies in order to develop learners’autonomous learning ability. Therefore, the author tries to apply meta-cognitive learning strategies to English teaching to foster students’autonomous learning ability.In this thesis, based on three main aspects, the author states the necessity of improving the autonomous learning ability of students in senior high school, combing with the present situation of senior high school.Besides, the author puts forwards the objectives of this research which lie in applying the meta-cognitive learning strategies to the English class in senior high school, mainly by means of training students some meta-cognitive strategies, hoping students’autonomous learning ability can be developed and improved, meanwhile, students’English scores can be promoted.In the part of literature review, the author mainly introduces the theory of constructivism,meta-cognition and learning strategies, which this thesis is dependent upon. In addition, the author introduces meta-cognitive learning strategies and autonomous learning in detail,meanwhile, briefly looks back on previous studies on meta-cognitive strategies and autonomous learning, as well as the relationship between autonomous learning and meta-cognitive strategies.The author carries out the experiment, which lasts for one term,on two senior grade three classes in Dalian Senior High School Affiliated to Beijing Language and Culture University where the author is teaching. During the experiment, the author trains meta-cognitive strategies on experimental class, while teaches the control class using traditional teaching methods. Before and after the experiment, the author makes the same questionnaire on the two classes at the same time, whose content is about surveying students on their setting learning plan, carrying out learning plan, using learning strategies, monitoring learning process, evaluating learning effect and adjusting learning plan and strategies.After the experiment, the author makes comparison and data analysis on the pretest and posttest through SPSS,and comes to the following conclusion:after the training of meta-cognitive strategies for one term, the autonomous learning ability of students in the experimental class is largely improved, especially their ability on using learning strategies, evaluating learning effect and monitoring learning process, besides, it is well worthwhile to mention their English scores are obviously promoted as well.This result proves that the application of meta-cognitive strategies to English teaching in senior high school indeed can improve students’ autonomous learning ability.In the last part of this thesis, the author sums up the result of the experiment that applying meta-cognitive strategies to English teaching do foster and improve students’ autonomous learning ability, meanwhile can promote students’English scores.In the end, the author comes up with the limitations of the thesis, as well as some suggestion.