A comparative study of learning strategies of successful and unsuccessful English learners in elementary schools

Abstract In recent decades there has been a shift in research focus from the teacher to the learner in the area of second language teaching. It demands researchers start to do studies on language learning strategies. Most of previous studies in this field focus on adults. Only a few take teenagers as subjects, let alone children. With the arising popularization and awareness of English, some of elementary schools even offer English curriculum from the first grade. And pupils use totally different ways from adults to learn English.  49352

In present study, questionnaire was carried out among pupils of the fifth grade in order to compare the differences of language learning strategies used by successful and unsuccessful learners. The findings are as follows:

(1) Pupils’ language learning strategy is comprised of four major part - cognitive strategies (including rehearsal strategies, elaborative strategies, organizational strategies), meta-cognitive strategies (including planning and monitoring strategies, regulation strategies), resource management strategies (including academic help-seeking strategies, time management strategies) and affective strategies (attention and effort strategies, motivation strategies and test anxiety).

(2) The overall using frequency of pupils’ language learning strategies is in the medium range. Among the ten strategies, time management strategies are used most frequently while organizational strategies are used least frequently.

(3) The difference between the strategies used by successful and unsuccessful learners is significant in ten aspects. And successful young learners use language learning strategies more frequently than unsuccessful young learners. Among the ten strategies, time management strategies are used most frequently and next are attention and effort strategies.

    On the basis of the findings, the researcher suggests that learning strategies should be conducted for young learners to help them learn to use strategies consciously so that they can learn English more effectively.

  Keywords: language learning strategies, pupils, successful language learners, unsuccessful language learners.

小学高段英语优等生与后进生学习策略比较研究

摘要近几十年来，关于第二语言教学的研究重点从老师如何教转移到了学生如何学上。这就需要研究学生在语言学习中使用的学习策略。已有的研究大部分以成人为研究对象，只有少数以青少年为研究对象，更不要说以儿童为研究对象。

本研究基于教育心理学，针对五年级小学生，通过调查问卷的形式探讨小学英语优等生与后进生的英语策略使用情况及其差异得出以下结论：

（1）小学生的英语学习策略由认知策略、元认知策略、资源管理策略和情意策略四大类组成，分为复述策略、精加工策略、组织策略、计划与监控策略、调节策略、学业求助策略、时间管理策略、注意与努力策略、动机策略和考试焦虑十个层面。

（2）小学生的学习策略使用总体上处于中等水平，其中时间管理策略使用频率最高，组织策略使用频率最低。

（3）优等生学习策略使用频率在十个层面上显著高于后进生，其中时间管理策略使用频率最高，其次是注意与努力策略。

基于上述结果，研究者认为小学英语教师应科学地进行学习策略训练，使小学生能有意识地使用学习策略，从而提高小学生英语学习效率。

毕业论文关键词：英语学习策略；小学生；优等生；后进生 

Contents

Chapter One Introduction 1

1.1 Research background