CORRELATIONS BETWEEN ENGLISH LEARNING STRATEGIES AND SPEAKING ABILITY OF EFL JUNIOR HIGH STUDENTS

• Main Authors: Chen You-qin, 陳友欽
• Other Authors: Ling-zu Yang
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2006
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/57808502048881163254

碩士 === 國立高雄師範大學 === 英語學系 === 94 === ABSTRACT The major focus of this study is on the subjects’ language learning strategy adoption and the development of their oral abilities. Three aspects are discussed in this study. The first aspect is to examine the disparity between the high-achievers’ and low-achievers’ oral abilities. The second aspect is to examine the correlations between the subjects’ oral abilities and written abilities. The third aspect is to scrutinize students’ preferences for language learning strategies concerning their cultivation of oral skills. The subjects of this study were 73 seventh-grade students from Guangchun Junior High School. In the end, 60 of them successfully finished all the tests and were divided into High-achiever Group (HG) and Low-achiever Group (LG) according to their scores on the two oral tests. Later, the subjects’ scores of the two oral tests and the three written mid-term tests were examined. The materials for the oral tests and the written tests were Book Two of the English textbooks published by Nan-I Publisher. The textbooks were the common materials in both the conversation class and the regular class. A questionnaire was also designed to understand students’ adoption of language learning strategies in promoting their oral abilities. The questionnaire was answered on line. Students’ responses to the questionnaire were presented in percentage on the basis of the three major learning strategies and the subcategories within the three major strategies. The findings of this study are as follows: (1) There existed a significant difference in the subjects’ oral abilities between the HG and the LG in both the oral tests. (2) Students who were proficient at oral skills were also adept at written skills. (3) The strategy adoption between the HG and the LG differed in the numbers and types. Finally, it is suggested that English teachers should put emphasis on the development of students’ oral skills and the training of learning strategies. Teachers also have to take a positive attitude toward students’ cultivations of oral skills and value the communicative function of language. It is essential and important for teachers to cultivate autonomous learners.