An Investigation and Analysis of Non-English Major Undergraduates' —

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An Investigation and Analysis of Non-English Major Undergraduates'
Autonomous English Learning in Local Normal Universities
Shaanxi Province as an Example
ZHAO Wanli
School of Foreign Languages Xianyang Normal University, P. R. China, 712000
[email protected]
Abstract: By the empirical and critical-thinking research methods, this paper investigates and analyses
1117 non-English major undergraduates' autonomous English learning in 6 local normal universities of
Shaanxi Province. It reveals the factors that constrain students’ autonomous English learning and the
problems that exist in the strategies of students’ autonomous learning. The following suggestions will be
put forward: (1) realize the changes of teaching ideas and roles; (2) create classroom atmosphere that
motivates students to learn; (3) cultivate students’ awareness of autonomous learning; (4) carry out the
training of autonomous learning strategy pertinently; (5) provide great facilities in autonomous learning;
(6) reform the examination and evaluation system.
Key words: autonomy, learning competence, local normal university, strategy
1 Introduction
1.1 Research background
Autonomous learning competence is not only an important scale of modern education but also one of the
core hallmarks of teaching mode successful reform. In China, expansion of colleges and universities in
recent years has led to the large number of students while the number of teachers is a relative shortage,
which makes it an even more urgent task to foster college students’ autonomous English learning. On
the other hand, both high-technology and the extensive use of information network provide a favorable
material condition for autonomous English learning. At the same time, life-long education as a new
philosophy of education is increasingly being accepted by more people. Through investigation, the
students’ autonomous English learning in local normal universities is indeed worrying.
1.2 Previous Study at Home and Abroad
Abroad since 1970's, some scholars began to explore and research autonomous English learning;
however, a lot of research focused on the definition of the autonomy of foreign language learning
(Holec, 1981; Littlewood 1999; etc.), and exposition and analysis of the theoretical basis,
implementation strategies, and curriculum and practice results of autonomous foreign language learning
competence (Benson & Voller, 1997; Cotterall 2000, etc.).
At home autonomous English learning experienced the early stage from 1991 to 2000, and from 2001
into the development stage. Most of the researchers introduced and analysed autonomous English
learning, or confined to explore necessity and training methods of fostering college students’
autonomous English learning competence (Hua, 2001,2002; Peng, 2002, etc.). Others have done a lot of
discussion and research on listening, speaking, reading, etc. of autonomous English learning (Li, 2009;
Wu, 2008; etc.). But these research results are still far from enough. The drawback of the traditional
teaching mode and many problems of autonomous English learning need more scholars to participate in
order to promote further study in the field.
This paper investigates and analyses the current situation of autonomous English learning in local
normal universities, reveals the factors that constrain non-English majors’ autonomous learning,
constructs effective mode of autonomous English learning, researches teaching mode of developing
college students’ autonomous English learning competence and explores the evaluation criteria and
methods of autonomous English learning competence.
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2 Research Methodology
In order to make the investigation credible, representative and effective, the questionnaire and the
interview, which have complementary advantages, are adopted in the present research. The subjects of
the investigation, 1200 non-English majors, were chosen by random sampling in 6 local normal
universities. 1140 students participated in the questionnaire and the other 60 participated in the interview.
The subjects covered variously different majors of different grades, involving 7 categories.
The questionnaire includes 6 aspects: college students’ viewpoints and cognitions of autonomous
English learning, the specific situations, and problems of existence in autonomous English learning, the
situation of using autonomous learning strategies, the factors that restrain the students’ autonomous
English learning, and the teaching situation of the college English teachers. Interviews are carried out
after the questionnaire, which also include the same aspects as the questionnaire.
Data statistics are mainly completed in the statistical processing software SPSS14.0. This paper uses
critical-thinking research methods to deeply analyse and explore the findings.
3 Results and Discussion
1200 questionnaires are sent out and 1057 returned. All the efficient questionnaires are brought into data
counting. Based on the counted data, the paper analyzes the situation of autonomous English learning.
3.1 Data analysis
The investigation includes 5 aspects of non-English majors’ autonomous English learning and the
teaching situation of the college English teachers.
3.1.1 Data analysis of the viewpoints and cognitions
There are four groups of investigation data about the viewpoints and cognitions. The first group shows
that 85% of the students hold the delighted attitude toward English in varying degrees; 15% of them are
never fond of English. The second group is about the purpose of learning English. 21% of students learn
English aiming at satisfying their interests, 42% of them aiming at hunting for jobs, 42% aiming at
accomplishing the requirement of syllabus, 6% aiming at passing examinations. However, 15% of them
have no purpose. The third group is about the significance of English to the students’ career. The
students accounting for 73% think learning English is significant in varying degrees. The students
accounting for 24% think the significance cannot be forecast; only 3% think it is never important at all.
The fourth group shows the viewpoints of the best approaches in college English learning. 71% of the
students believe teaching in classroom and autonomous learning are complementary and 16% insist
arbitrary learning; 13% of them have extreme viewpoints of English learning strategies. In the
interviews, 60 non-English majors are interviewed with the same questions above and the results are
generally consistent with the questionnaire.
3.1.2 Data analysis of the specific situations
The first group of the data is about the English learning average time of students every day. According
to the requirement of College English Syllabus (Trial), college English learners should spend at least 2
hours a day learning English after school. The data shows that only 37% of the students spend more than
1 hour in learning English, and the others spend less than 1 hour or have no time to learn English. The
second group shows the places where the students usually learn English autonomously. 52% of students
are always in the classroom, 27% in dormitories, 6% in the library, only 2% on line, but 13% of them go
to other places to learn English. The third group is about the percentage of the students who can practise
autonomous English learning. The investigation data implies that the percentage of non-English majors
who can learn English autonomously is not high, only about 40%.
3.1.3 Data analysis of the problems in autonomous English learning
The data of the first group shows non-English majors’ attitude toward the current situations of
autonomous English learning. There are 78% of the students thinking that they are not satisfied with the
current situations, 16% of them holding indifferent attitude. The second group is about the problems in
autonomous English learning. 45% of the students think that they are short of interest and motivation of
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English learning; 38% of them believe that they are short of effective learning strategies; 14% think they
are lack of learning places. In the interview it is discovered that the shortage of learning places means
the lack of electronic reading room and media classroom. Therefore, the key factors which affect the
students’ autonomous English learning are learning interest, learning motivation and learning methods.
The third group is about the situation of the students’ learning materials in hand. 22% of them imply that
their learning materials are enough, but 78% of them think their learning materials are short in varying
degrees. The fourth is about the investigation of the best approach to replenish the insufficiency of
teaching in classroom. There are 28% of them regarding as tutor online; 52% of them think teachers
should answer students’ questions at the regular intervals; 12% think that teachers arrange much more
school assignments and the students accounting for 8% point out that it is essential to increase
examinations. These results are generally consistent with the following interview.
3.1.4 Data of the situation of using autonomous learning strategies
The first group is about the main strategies that the students usually use in their autonomous English
learning. 33% of the students usually use cognitive strategies and another 33% use emotional strategies;
the students who always use socially communicative strategies is 22%; and only 12% of them use
meta-cognitive strategies. In the interview, it is discovered that most of them do not understand
meta-cognitive, which is helpful to students to manage, regulate and control their learning strategies;
and most of them are familiar with emotional strategies and cognitive strategies, and a few can apply
communicative strategies. The second group is about the situation of speaking, reading and writing
strategies. The students who can use speaking and reading strategies effectively account for 78%; 13%
of them can use writing strategies effectively, only 9% can use listening strategies effectively. The third
group shows the situation that the students establish their learning targets and work out their learning
plans. The students who can adjust their learning plans and learning methods account for 6%; the
students with learning targets account for 3%, and only 8% of them can arrange their English learning
time and establish their learning targets autonomously. The fourth group is about the condition that the
students monitor the process of using autonomous learning strategies. 24% of them can appraise their
English learning methods. The students who can rethink the causes of success and failure in English
learning account for 20%; and 14% of them can appraise their learning actions and adjust their learning
plans. The students who can monitor the process of using listening, speaking, reading and writing
strategies respectively account for 6%, 11%, 18%, 7%. In the interview, it is discovered that the
successful learners can effectively rethink their learning methods and processes, and also can effectively
monitor the process of using various learning strategies. The fifth group is about the situation of
monitoring college English learning process of the students. 19% of them can actively coordinate with
teachers in English class; and 28% of them can look for English learning chance, and the students who
can realize the faults and correct them immediately account for 17%; and 22% of them can overcome
disadvantageous emotion factors in English learning; only 14% of them can cooperate with other
learners to learn college English. These results are consistent with the interview.
3.1.5 Data analysis of the factors that restrain the students’ autonomous English learning
The data of the first group shows that 11% of the students think the effect is from directors; and 6% of
them think from consultants; and 36% of them believe that the effect is from teachers, and 47% of them
hold that the effect is from other learners. The second group is related to the external resource factors
that affect the students’ autonomous English learning. 34% of the students think learning materials, 24%
of them believe technologic conditions, 28% regard as the network and there are 14% of them regarding
as the other factors. The third group is about the subjective factors that affect the students’ autonomous
English learning. The data shows that the key factors are shortness of learning stamina and driving force.
The fourth group shows the objective factors that affect the students’ autonomous English learning.
From the data, the main objective factors are English learning atmosphere, dull English words and no
chance to apply English. The results have also been confirmed in the interview.
3.1.6 Data analysis of the teaching situation of the college English teachers
The first group data is about the teachers’ attendance for class. 84% of the students say that their English
teachers have full attendance in class, not arriving late and leaving early. The second group shows the
situation of the teachers’ teaching attitudes. 94% of the students think that their English teachers’
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attitudes are responsible. The third group of the statistical data is about the teachers’ teaching methods.
14% of the students think that their English teachers are echoing what books say, and 17% of them
indicate the teachers give lessons merely but give no consideration to them. The students who think their
English teachers give considerations to illuminate them account for 51%. Only 18% of the students hold
that their English teachers teach arbitrarily in class. In the interview it is discovered that the English
teachers can achieve the illuminating teaching, but cannot activate the students’ learning enthusiasm.
The fourth group indicates the situation of the teachers’ assignment arrangement. 64% of the students
think that their English teachers can rationally arrange assignment. The fifth group of the data indicates
the situation of the teachers’ comment on assignment. 49% of them think that their English teachers are
responsible for the assignment comment; 44% of them think that the teachers’ attitudes toward the
assignment comment are just in common; 5% of them point out the teachers can not comment on the
assignment on time. The sixth group of the data is about the teachers’ tutor after school. The students
who think the teachers can not actively carry out tutoring account for 57% and 15% of them think the
teachers can carry out tutoring. In the interview the verification to the results above has been got.
3.2 Results
Through the analysis of the investigation data, the following are the major findings: First, the viewpoints
and cognitions of the students’ autonomous English learning are comparatively sufficient. Second, the
percentage of students who can learn English autonomously is not high. Third, the current situations of
autonomous English learning is not satisfying, and the students are confronted with problems that they
are short of learning interest, learning motivation and learning methods, and also their learning materials
in hand are short in varying degrees. Fourth, most of the students do not understand meta-cognitive
strategies; and a great many students are familiar with emotional strategies and cognitive strategies; and
a few can apply communicative strategies. The traditional examination-oriented teaching mode has great
impacts on the students’ English learning, under which the students can only passively accept and copy
knowledge and can seldom think their viewpoints. Fifth, the main factors that restrain the students’
autonomous English learning are passive learning English atmosphere, and no chance to apply English.
Sixth, most of English teachers have full attendance for class, responsible teaching attitudes and rational
assignment arrangement. They do well in assignment comment but are poor in tutoring after school.
3.3 Suggestions
Therefore, we should pay more attention to the current situations of autonomous English learning,
positively face the troubles which exist in the process of using autonomous learning strategies and find
out specific ways to solve the problems. Several suggestions will be given as the following:
3.3.1 Realize the changes of teaching ideas and roles
The traditional mode of foreign language teaching is based on "Teacher as the main body", so the
students only accept knowledge passively and have no more opportunities to practise language. In such
an atmosphere of classroom teaching, not only is the autonomy of students inhibited, but also the
dependence on teachers has been enhanced. Therefore, teachers must change the concept of teaching
and carry out the teaching mode of "student-centered", in which they don’t lie in the inculcation of
knowledge but the organizers, managers and promoters of classroom teaching. The responsibilities of a
teacher are to train students’ independent learning habits and confidence, arouse the potential of their
autonomous learning and stimulate the motivation of students. With the motivation and method, students
will have autonomy, with which they will take the initiative to learn effectively.
3.3.2 Create classroom atmosphere that motivates students to learn
The powerful learning motivation is a source of autonomous learning. In order to help students promote
their abilities to learn autonomously and arouse their learning enthusiasm, we should create class
atmosphere which can encourage the students to participate in class and harmonious relationships
between teachers and students. In ancient China, Confucius holds that “Love the teacher then follow his
doctrine”. The humanism psychology emphasizes that the teaching aims are to promote students to learn
and absorb the interesting knowledge which is driven by the curiosity. The constructivism called for the
reciprocal teaching which refers to an instructional activity that takes place in the form of a dialogue
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between teachers and students. Therefore, in the English teaching process, we should consider not only
the ways of teachers’ evaluation but also students’ communication strategies, more positive
encouragement and less negative feedback.
3.3.3 Cultivate students’ awareness of autonomous learning
Cultivating students’ awareness of autonomous learning and establishing correct concept of English
learning are the premise of strengthening their autonomous learning competence. On the one hand,
students should understand a series of basic knowledge and information about what is autonomous
learning, why do they carry out autonomous learning, etc. On the other hand, we have to guide the
students to develop their own sense of the main body of learning English gradually. Thus students can
participate in the self-learning process actively and change their passive learning perspective and
attitude into initiative and creativity. Ultimately they become the designers, organizers, self-motivator
and evaluators of autonomous learning from passive recipients of language knowledge.
3.3.4 Carry out the specific training of the students’ autonomous learning strategy
It is essential to carry out meta-cognitive strategies, which are the significant factors of training students’
autonomous learning, including establishing learning targets, making learning plans and rethinking the
learning strategies efficiently, etc. we should help students understand themselves, rethink themselves
profoundly and arouse their learning motivation by thinking the significance and targets of teaching. By
carrying out autonomous learning strategies effectively and rethinking their learning processes, students
can develop the ability to monitor their learning processes.
3.3.5 Provide great facilities in autonomous English learning
Foreign language teaching not only creates an atmosphere of autonomous learning in the classroom but
also, more importantly, provides students a voluntary, autonomous, independent learning opportunities
and a good learning environment after class. The university should change the traditional teaching
conditions, enlarge investment in English teaching facilities, expand and open learning resources. A
campus local network and autonomous language learning center should be built, including language
laboratories, multimedia classrooms, the original film office, etc. to create the entire English-speaking
environment. If so, students can choose learning resources freely according to their individual
conditions. Centers should be equipped with technical staff or English teachers who help solve a variety
of problems and difficulties encountered in the process of autonomous language learning. We can also
raise the number of holding English corners to provide more chances to make students practise English,
and so on. These methods are very helpful to students to further extend English learning from in class to
out of class and create nice resource environment for students’ autonomous English learning.
3.3.6 Reform the examination and evaluation system
Education department should change the assessment methods of the teaching quality and student
achievement. The purpose of college English teaching is to develop students’ English communicative
abilities as well as autonomy and creativity. The frequent examination and doing much more exercises
are against the nature principle of language teaching and harmful to students to learn autonomously and
creatively. Therefore, classroom participation, extra-curricular activities and verbal language
applications should be included in the assessment. We need diversification of examination and
evaluation system to activate the students’ learning potential.
4 Conclusion
This study shows that the autonomous English learning competence of non-English majors in local
normal universities is generally low. Although some competence is relatively high, individual
differences are still large. In order to improve the competence of students’ autonomous learning English,
we should make students achieve the inherent changes of self-consciousness and learning concept,
enable students to find a way really suitable for their own learning, and provide a broad unlimited space
for students’ lifelong education.
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