An Investigation Into Speaking Strategies And Self-concept Of English Majors From A Vocational College

The present study investigates the relationship between speaking strategies and self-concept of vocational college English majors and whether this relationship changes after speaking strategies instruction. With regard to self-concept, the current study is concerned with the general self-concept, English self-concept, oral English self-concept and English pronunciation self-concept. There has been a great deal of previous literature dealing with speaking strategies and self-concept, less with the combination of the two variables. Little empirical research has been done to shed light on the correlation of these two constructs, in association with the nature of English majors’oral English in the vocational college context.Using a quantitative approach, this study is undertaken into speaking strategies and self-concept and explores their relationship among71English majors from a vocational college in the form of questionnaire and with the help of SPSS13.0.The results describe vocational college English majors adopt speaking strategies and hold self-concept at moderate level; they adopt compensation strategies most frequently and exhibit the lowest level in oral English self-concept. The study searches out significant difference in speaking strategies use and self-concept after speaking strategies instruction for experimental group. Statistical analyses also reveal that there are obvious correlations between speaking strategies and oral achievement, between self-concept and oral achievement, and between speaking strategies and self-concept. The findings provide support to the view that speaking strategies and self-concept play pivotal roles in English learning and provide proof for the relationship that they are significantly associated with each other.Based on the findings and analyses, the author provides implications and suggestions for promoting strategy use and for boosting self-concept of vocational college English majors to facilitate English teaching and learning practice.