A Study On The Correlation Between English Majors’ English Self-efficacy And Language Learning Strategy

A large number of variables influence second language learners’ learning process.In this thesis, two variables are involved. One is self-efficacy that influences learners’learning outcomes. According to Bandura(1986), a well-known psychologist,self-efficacy is “the belief in one’s capabilities to organize and execute the courses ofaction required to manage prospective situations” In other words, self-efficacy is aperson’s belief in his or her ability to succeed in a particular situation. The other islanguage learning strategy. Oxford (1989) defined language learning strategies as“behaviors or actions which learners use to make language learning more successful,self-directed and enjoyable”. Both variables influence the second language learners’learning process.There are two obvious aims of this thesis. One is to explore the correlationbetween English self-efficacy and English learning strategies of English majors. Theother is to know whether the two factors influence each other in language learningprocess. So, the study concentrates on three research questions:(1)What’s the general situation of English majors’ English self-efficacy and languagelearning strategies?(2)Are there differences in choosing subcategories of language learning strategiesbetween high English self-efficacy level and low English self-efficacy level?(3)What is correlation between English Self-efficacy and English learning strategiesuse?In order to seek answers to the research questions, the study adopted aquantitative approach. Two questionnaires were adopted in this thesis. The Englishself-efficacy scale used is to make a survey of participants’ levels of Englishself-efficacy. The English Self-efficacy Scale used in this study is from the book “Strategies, Style and Attribution: Learning to Learn English” written by LiLi, ChenZhi’an and Jiang Yuhong(2006).While the second questionnaire Oxford’s(1990)SILLScale(Strategy Inventory for Language Learning) used is to assess the frequencies ofLLS use. All the collected data were analyzed through Statistical Package of SocialScience(SPSS19.0)which involved three methods: descriptive statistics,Independent-sample T-test and Pearson correlation analysis.The main findings are:(1) English majors’ self-efficacy is at the medium level. Their level of languagelearning strategy also belongs to be medium level. And the frequency in learningstrategy use by these English majors ranked from most to least: the most frequent useis meta-cognitive strategies, followed by cognitive strategies, affective strategies,compensation strategies, memory strategies and social strategies.(2) Difference has been found in choosing subcategories of language learningstrategies. Students with higher English self-efficacy tend to use meta-cognitive mostand often use cognitive and compensation strategies, they use few memory strategies.While students with lower English self-efficacy are likely to use memory andcompensation strategies. But, only a positively significant difference has been found inchoosing cognitive strategies, meta-cognitive strategies and affective strategiesbetween high and low English self-efficacy students.(3)There is significantly positive correlation between English self-efficacy andlanguage learning strategies, but there is no positive correlation between Englishself-efficacy and compensation strategies and social strategiesFinally， on the basis of the findings and analyses, the author offered someimplications for English teaching and learning and particularly gave some suggestionsfor teachers.