The Relationship Between Personality, Learning Strategies And Oral Proficiency Of The English Majors

For nearly three decades, the research concern in the field of second language acquisition (SLA) shifted from exploring the best teaching approaches to how to learn a foreign or second language well. Greatly influenced by this tendency, individual differences have attracted, and will attract more attention of many researchers. Many studies both domestic and abroad testify that individual differences play a vital role in foreign or second language learning processes. A better understanding of individual differences is of great help both for effective instruction and learning, of which personality and language learning strategies are two of the most influential individual factors. So it is of great necessity to conduct detailed study on these two factors to provide better perspectives for the future study.The main purpose of the current study is to investigate the relationship between extroversion/introversion personality, English learning strategies and oral proficiency based on Eysenck’s personality theory and Oxford’s language learning strategy theory.The research data is collected by means of a mixed method, with the form of questionnaire and interview. The quantitative data is from 167 participants of second-year English majors in Tianjin University of Science and Technology. Participants are required to provide information on their personality types and the use of oral English learning strategies respectively measured by Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Revised (EPQ-R) and Revised Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). Based on scores of EPQ-R, the top three and the bottom three students belong to the typical extrovert and introvert groups accordingly. So the top 3 and the bottom 3, totally 6 students are chosen to conduct the interviews to collect qualitative data. In addition, oral proficiency in this study is measured by the mean scores of Oral English Course final exams of two semesters.In terms of data analysis, the study includes both quantitative analysis and qualitative analysis. Quantitative analysis is composed of descriptive analysis, Pearson Correlation, Independent Samples T-test, and one-way ANOVA analysis. Descriptive analysis is employed to investigate participants’personality types and general use of oral English learning strategies. Pearson Coefficient Correlation is utilized to identify whether the three variables, personality, learning strategies and oral proficiency, are positively correlated with each other. Independent Samples T-test is applied to test whether there are significant differences in the use of oral English learning strategies between extroverts and introverts. One-way ANOVA analysis is conducted to explore if there are significant differences in the application of learning strategies among low, middle and high-score groups.Research findings illustrate the existence of positive correlation among the three variables. The major findings are:a significantly positive correlation between personality and the use of overall strategy, compensation, affective and social strategies; a significantly positive correlation between personality and oral proficiency; no positive relationship between learning strategies and oral proficiency; extroverts are significantly different from introverts in the utilization of compensation, affective and social strategies; there are significant differences in the application of cognitive strategies among low, middle, and high-score groups.