An Investigation Into The Current Situation Of Students’ Autonomous English Learning In Middle Schools

Autonomous learning has become one of the focuses of language teaching researchers in recent years. A great number of studies on English autonomous learning had begun in 1970s in foreign countries. In domestic, the research of English autonomous learning began in 1980s. The New English Curriculum Standards(2001) has clearly indicated that, cultivating students’autonomous learning ability is one of the primary purposes in English teaching. Autonomous learning ability is very important and will bring a great effect on students’whole life.Based on the others’studies, this thesis is aimed at finding out the present situation of English autonomous learning in middle schools and the differences between junior high school and senior high school by literature reviewing questionnaire analysis and face to face interviewing.The investigation shows the following information. Firstly, most of the students are aware of the importance of autonomous learning.Secondly, students’autonomous learning ability is not as well as we expected, such as making goals, choosing the right learning method, testing learning in time and so on.Thirdly, junior students’English autonomous learning ability is better than that of senior students. Because of the university entrance examination, teachers do not have enough time to cultivate students’autonomous learning.At last, the author brings forward several suggestions on cultivating students’ English autonomous learning ability, such as how to help students set their right goals and find learning materials through internet.