| A great number of researches identified that the appropriate language learning strategies ensured effective learning and the best learning achievement. (Rubin 1975; Chamot & Kupper 1989; Oxford 1990; Ellis 1994;Wen Qiufang 1998;). Therefore, the New English Curriculum Standard for high schools in China advocates that language teachers develop the students' ability of using language learning strategies.In today's English classroom in China, some teachers still decide what learners will learn and what teaching methods they will use. The methodology the teachers choose, however, usually fails to conform to the way in which learners learn the language (Elks, 1985). Many Chinese learners are urgently seeking ways to improve their English competence to keep up with the development of the changing world. As a result, there is a transition from a teacher-centered classroom to learner-centered classroom in the field of language teaching.In the research area, although some studies have been conducted on language learning strategies in China, little research has been done among senior high school students. Therefore, this study was aimed at investigating how frequently language learning strategies were used by senior high school students in Huhhot of Inner Mongolia as well as to examine how English language learning strategies varied with age, gender and other factors in the context of Inner Mongolia. This study was also aimed at providing English teachers in our region with useful information on language learning strategies used by students, so that the Chinese English teachers could help their students develop an awareness of language learning strategies and master the effective learning strategies to improve their language learning.In this study, 289 subjects were selected from three levels of students in Huhhot of Inner Mongolia .The instrument of collecting data on strategy use was Oxford's Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (1990).The major findings of this study are as follows:1.This study indicates that proficiency of using English learning strategies by senior high school students in Inner Mongolia is not high( m=2.90), only at the medium level according to Oxford's scale, and lower than that of students in Beijing(m=3.10).2.Proficiency of English learning strategy use varies with grades of students, and types of schools. The students from high-level schools, though they are the first graders, use English learning strategies most frequently; the students from the low-level school, though they are the second graders, use English strategies least frequently; the students from medium-level school, though they are the third graders, use the strategies less frequently than even the first graders, but a bit more frequently than the second graders. This indicates that there is no linear correlation between the use of language learning strategies and grade, but a clear linear correlation between the use of them and types of students (schools), which is also confirmed by the findings in groups of students. Successful language learners use language learning strategies better than unsuccessful language learners, and thus successful language learners tend to achieve higher language proficiency.3.The study shows that female students use language learning strategies more often and with better results than male students. Female students particularly use more memory strategies and affective strategies than male students. Male students use a bit more cognitive strategies than female students.4.There is a linear correlation between the different groups of students and the use of English learning strategies. The high achievers use the strategies more frequently than the medium achievers and medium achievers use them more frequently than the low achievers. Paired t-test shows that the differences are statistically significant at the level of .000. |
