Investigation On Language Learning Strategies Utilization With TOEIC Bridge^TM Proficiency Of Vocational Students

Extensive investigation has indicated that language learning strategies can produce a significant effect on language proficiency. So far, there has been little research into the language learning strategies used by students in higher vocational colleges. So it is necessary to probe into the language learning strategies for the special group whose number accounts for over half of the total number of the college students in China. The present study is meant to make an investigation on language learning strategies used by students in Shi Jiazhuang Information Engineering Vocational College. It aims to find out their preference for the strategies use, to compare the strategy use among different proficiency groups, and to examine the relationship between their strategies use and TOEIC Bridge? proficiency. Hopefully, this study will contribute a bit to the teachers and learners in their foreign language teaching and learning. The data and information are collected through questionnaire and some interviews.160 students from the college participate in this investigation. SPSS 16.0 is employed to analyze the data: 1) descriptive statistics are computed to summarize the students'frequency of language learning strategies use; 2) ANOVA analysis are carried out to analyze the differences in strategies use among low proficiency group, moderate proficiency group, and high proficiency group; 3) Pearson Produce Moment correlation analysis was used to find the relationship between the strategies use and the TOEIC Bridge? proficiency in each group. The final results indicate: 1) The frequency of overall strategies use of students in Shi Jiazhuang Information Engineering Vocational College is not high. They are medium users of language learning strategies. The most frequently used strategies are affective strategies and the least frequently employed strategies are memory strategies; 2) The biggest difference exists between the moderate proficiency group and low proficiency group in the use of cognitive strategies and social strategies; 3) There is a positive relationship between the frequency use of the social strategies and the students'TOEIC Bridge? Proficiency. It is suggested that the low frequency of language learning strategies use of students in higher vocational college should be a real concern to the English teachers. How to help the students to become aware of successful language learning strategies and acquire them should be a new task for English teachers in higher vocational colleges.