A Study On The Current Situation Of Students' Autonomous English Learning Ability In Newly-established Undergraduate Universities

Since the autonomous learning was introduced into the field of foreign language teaching,there have been more and more researches on autonomous learning.The College English Curriculum Requirements(trialed in 2004)issued officially in 2007 by the National Educational Department makes a clear requirement that one of the aims of the college English teaching is to cultivate students' autonomous English learning ability.As a result,to cultivate students' autonomous English learning ability has been an important topic in the research field of English teaching and learning and the results are fruitful.It is found that non-English major college students are low in their autonomous English learning ability in some researches,but the objects of the researches are mainly focused on the students of the key and high-quality universities and colleges but little attention is paid to the large group of newly established undergraduates.So in order to learn the current situation of non-English major students' autonomous English learning ability in newly established undergraduate universities,this study attempts to answer the following three questions: 1.What is the current situation of non-English major students' autonomous English learning ability in newly established undergraduate universities? 2.What are the differences in non-English major students' autonomous English learning ability among the students of different genders and grades in newly established undergraduate universities? 3.What are the differences in non-English major students' autonomous English learning ability between the groups of students of high scores and low scores in newly established undergraduate universities? In order to answer the above questions,this research takes a case study of the students in a newly established undergraduate university(promoted in 2007)in the north of Fujian Province by surveys and interviews.The objects of this study are about 200 freshmen and sophomores in the university.According to the results of the surveys and interviews,the study finds that the non-English major students' autonomous English learning ability in the newly established undergraduate university is generally at a low level.The mean values of the five dimensions of autonomous English learning ability are lower than the average values.The following dimensions are ranked by their mean values: assessing and monitoring the English learning process(2.426);monitoring the using of strategies(2.534);setting learning objectives and plans(2.771);using effective strategies(2.772)and understanding the teaching objectives and requirements(2.975).Furthermore,there is a significant difference between male and female students in their autonomous English learning ability: female students' autonomous English learning ability is better than that of male students;there is also a significant difference in autonomous English learning ability between the freshmen and sophomores: the freshmen' autonomous English learning ability is better than that of the sophomores;besides,a significant difference has been found in autonomous English learning ability between the groups of students of high scores and low scores: the group of students of high scores has a better autonomous English learning ability than the group of students of low scores.What's more,to improve the non-English major students' autonomous English learning ability,some corresponding suggestions of college English learning and teaching are proposed in accordance with the findings of the study from the aspects of setting learning objectives and plans,training learning strategies,assessing learning strategies,assessing and monitoring learning process etc.