A Comparative Study On Twelfth Graders' English Language Learning Beliefs And Learning Strategies Use Between Mainland And Taiwan

It is evident that there's not a one-size-fits-all teaching method or means that can meet all teaching environment and situations.Thus,the teacher-centered research has,up to 1970 s,gradually transformed to learner-centered research tenaciously.Since then,lots of educational psychologists and linguists have inspired efforts to investigate language learners' learning strategies(LLSs),as well as one of the most influencing factors,language learning beliefs(LLBs).In this way,many researchers go on to identify the correlation of the two dependant variables.However,few studies nowadays on LLBs and LLSs involve specifically twelfth graders whose learning beliefs,behaviors and strategies have already been demonstrated to undergo possible changes when facing tight academic schedules and huge pressure.Meanwhile,few comparative studies on LLBs and LLSs have been conducted between mainland of China and Taiwan.Accordingly,this study aims at investigating the similarities and differences of twelfth graders' LLBs,LLSs and the correlation of the two variables between mainland of China and Taiwan.To do this,Horwitz's(1987)Beliefs About Language Learning Inventory(BALLI)questionnaire and Oxford's(1990)Strategy Inventory for Language Learning(SILL)questionnaire are administrated in this study with the supplementary method of semi-constructed interviews.The subjects are 103 twelfth graders in the mainland and correspondently 101 Taiwanese twelfth graders.The current study puts forward the following three research questions:(1)What are the similarities and differences of twelfth graders' English learning beliefs between mainland and Taiwan?(2)What are the similarities and differences of twelfth graders' English learning strategies use between mainland and Taiwan?(3)What are the similarities and differences of the correlation between twelfth graders' English learning beliefs and learning strategies use in the mainland and Taiwan?The major findings of this study are as the following:(1)These mainland and Taiwanese twelfth graders hold various LLBs,especially those about motivations as well as English learning aptitude.However,Taiwanese twelfth graders are identified to have stronger English learning beliefs in these subcategories,namely,nature of English learning,learning and communication strategies as well as motivations and expectations.(2)These twelfth graders both in the mainland and Taiwan employ many LLSs.Among the strategies used,compensation and metacognitive strategies are the two most frequently used types.As for the differences,Taiwanese twelfth graders are reported to employ memory,affective and social strategies more often and efficiently than mainland students.(3)It is shown that LLBs and LLSs have a significantly positive correlation both in the mainland and Taiwan,and this category of motivations and expectations are related to the most strategies.However,this study also discovers some mismatches between LLBs and LLSs.In view of the main findings above,two suggestions for English teachers and material writers are put forward as follows:(1)a clear understanding of students' LLBs should be obtained by the teachers;(2)the curriculum can interweave more communicative activities into English learning.