A Study Of Non-english Majors’ English Autonomous Learning Strategies In Web-based Environment

With the development of science and technology,the Internet and multimedia are widely used in English teaching and learning.However,due to the lack of training of English learning strategy in web-based environment,English learners encounter many difficulties in the process of autonomous learning.This study suggests knowing how to use learning strategies and doing effective autonomous learning are particularly important to improve learners’ English proficiency.At present,there are only a few empirical studies on autonomous learning strategies in web-based environment,and Oxford’s Strategy Inventory for Language Learning(SILL)is still used in most of the researches,which cannot be applied to web-based autonomous learning environment directly.Under the background of college English teaching reform,this study has selected non-English majors at Shanghai Normal University as empirical research samples.The questionnaire about non-English majors’ autonomous English learning strategies in web-based environment has been designed based on the literature review.Through SPSS data processing,this study has analyzed the differences in the use of autonomous learning strategies among the students with different genders,different places of origin,and different English levels.The author has also interviewed some students and teachers in order to further explore the current situation of non-English majors’ autonomous learning and the reasons behind it.The main findings of the research are listed as follows:1.In web-based learning environment,all strategies are used at a medium level,with the use of affective strategies the most frequent and planning strategies the least.2.Girls are better at using learning strategies,especially social strategies and online resource management strategies.3.Students from Shanghai use learning strategies more frequently than other students.The students from the countryside are the worst at using learning strategies.4.There is a positive correlation between the frequency of the students’ using strategies and their English levels.In general,the students with higher English proficiency use learning strategies more frequently.High-achieving students use context strategies,online resource management strategies,and social strategies more frequently,but average students use metacognitive strategies more frequently.According to the analysis of the interviews,the main reasons for the above findings are summarized as follows:1.In the process of autonomous learning,the lack of guidance and supervision makes it difficult for students to use learning strategies effectively.Abundant audiovisual resources online can ease the pressure of learning and provide more ways to relax,so the use of emotional strategies is relatively frequent.2.Generally speaking,girls are more outgoing than boys and more inclined to communicate with others.They also have stronger self-consciousness and self-control.Therefore,girls perform better in using social and online resource management strategies.3.The educational resources in big cities are better,and the students from big cities perform better while the students from the countryside are generally not good at using learning strategies.4.Students who are willing to communicate with others in English generally tend to be more interested in English.Interest-driven English learners tend to persevere,work harder,and accordingly perform better.Based on the research findings and with the guidance of some relevant theories,the author offers the following suggestions: teachers should strengthen the guidance of learning strategies and provide students with corresponding suggestions;low-achieving students should learn from high-achieving students and use social strategies,online resource management strategies and context strategies more frequently.