A Study of Factors Affecting Applied English Majors’ Use of Language Learning Strategies

• Main Authors: Huang, Shr-Chau, 黃士晁
• Other Authors: I-Chen Jenny Chen
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2005
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/66657615757956369974

碩士 === 南台科技大學 === 應用英語系 === 93 === The purpose of this study is to investigate applied English majors' use of language learning strategies in a university of technology and to explore the factors affecting the use of language learning strategies. A total of 297 applied English majors of a university of technology completed the survey study. The instrument employed in the survey study consisted of two parts: (1) the Oxford’s Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (1989) was used to assess participant’s language learning strategies and (2) the Student Background Information Questionnaire was utilized to gather students’ background information. The data was computed and analyzed by means of descriptive analyses, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation analysis and a multiple regression analysis. The findings of this study were as follows. Students tended to use social strategies the most often and affective strategies the least often. No statistically significant differences were found among students with different gender, years of studying English and first language backgrounds in the use of language learning strategies as a whole and in any of the six strategy categories. Students with different ages were found to have no statistically significant difference in the use overall language learning strategies but have statistically significant difference in the use of memory and compensation strategies. Conversely, statistically significant differences were found among students having different academic levels, motivational levels, levels of self-efficacy and levels of self-rated English proficiency in the use of language learning strategies as a whole and in the use of the six categories of language learning strategies. Additionally, years of studying English, motivation, self-efficiency and self-rating of proficiency were found to have positive linear relationships with language learning strategy use. Motivation is also found to be the most influential factor in affecting students’ use of language learning strategies. Finally some pedagogical implications based on the results of the study, are provided in the following: 1. Language teachers should provide learners opportunities to assess their own learning strategies. 2. Language teachers should understand learner differences to make necessary instructional adaptations. 3. Language teachers should not only have the ability to teach the target language but also to know the language learning strategies and how to teach them. 4. Learning strategy training should not be limited to the classroom; teachers should try to help students develop language learning strategies beyond the classroom. 5. Teachers should adapt their curricula to provide students with ample opportunities to develop and apply different language learning strategies through classroom activities.