A Study On The Exercises Of Developing Chinese:Elementary Speaking Course In Relation To Teaching Methodology From The Perspective Of CSL Learning Strategies

As part of second language acquisition study, the study of second language learning strategies is very important. Although foreign research into the learning strategies of second language acquisition to some extent are well developed, there are very few studies on the micro-learning strategy of oral exercise. Similarly, studies into Chinese as a second language learning strategies have been gradually developing in recent years, however there are still very few studies on the learning strategies of Chinese oral exercises. To this day only one article on this subject has been published.With reference to relevant linguistic learning strategies and on the basis of studies into oral exercises both from home and abroad, this dissertation investigates eighty-six foreign students' oral Chinese and the strategies they apply when doing oral exercises. They are the students of elementary level Grade Two and Grade Four in the Linguistic and Cultural Centre of the School of Foreign Languages, Sun Yat-sen University. This study makes reference to the Oxford Linguistic Learning Strategies scale(1990) and collects information through questionnaires and interviews. The exercises in the two textbooks of Developing Chinese—Elementary Speaking Course are also analyzed to investigate the application, differences and factors which affect the students' learning strategies of oral Chinese.It is found that there are large differences between the theoretical learning strategies in the exercises of the Developing Chinese—Elementary Speaking Course and the actual strategies applied by the students: for the elementary level learners, social strategy is the most frequently used, followed by cognitive strategy, with memory strategy being their last choice. However, analysis of the textbook revealed the learning strategies of it's exercises value cognitive strategy over social strategy, with memory strategy being the least employed. Overall, the social strategy and memory strategy applied in the exercises take up a small proportion of the total exercises, while the cognitive exercises take up more than 80%.In conclusion, according to the study of the learning strategies applied by the elementary level learners when finishing their Chinese oral exercises, and the interviews of teachers in the school and students, the exercises in the textbook need to be improved. The impractical exercises should be deleted and related exercises ought to be supplied. This paper also provides some suggestions on designing exercises for new oral Chinese textbooks for elementary level students.