The Study Of Strategies For Improving English Autonomous Reading Ability Of Senior High School Students

With the approaching of globalization and knowledge-based economy,educators all around the world hold the opinion that people have to learn to learn for life-long in order to live a quality life in the 21st century.Life-long learning includes more than learning knowledge but also the equipment of certain skills and attitudes.Competence is such a term that can cover all the mentioned items of lifelong learning.According to the latest version of National English Curriculum Standards for general High School,English core competence includes the following four items,namely,language ability,thinking quality,cultural character,and learning ability.As one of the main aims of English teaching,learning ability is mainly developed through large amount of reading.Reading has long been considered as the foundation for the development of other language skills.Large amount of reading of English original works provides the readers with a reliable source of input.Hence,the development of students'autonomous reading ability is consistent with the competence-oriented English Curriculum Standards.However,traditional English teaching lay too much emphasis on vocabulary and grammar,ignoring the development of autonomous reading ability,which is in contrast with development of life-long learning ability in modern education.Hence,we have to develop students' autonomous reading ability.Based on the research background,the aim of this research is to find out whether there will be any change or promotion in students' English test achievement and application of English reading strategies after receiving a systematical instruction of English autonomous reading strategy use.Therefore,the author comes up with the following research questions:1)Which dimension of autonomous reading strategies(meta-cognitive reading strategies,cognitive reading strategies,and social-affective)appears the biggest difference at the end of the experiment?2)Which dimension of autonomous reading strategies(meta-cognitive reading strategies,cognitive reading strategies,and social-affective)is the most effective for the promotion of students' reading abilities?3)How should we construct an effective autonomous reading model for senior high students?This study adopted the quantitative research and qualitative research method.First of all,the author made independent sample T-test of pretest,and there was no significant difference between the experimental class and the controlled class in reading ability.Subjects of experimental class paid more attention to the metacognitive strategies,from planning,selective,monitoring,managing to evaluation,which are the keys of metacognitive strategies.Next,subjects in the experimental class received the autonomous reading strategies instruction and practiced autonomous reading afterwards.Three months later,the result of posttest was analyzed by independent T-test to verify whether there is significant difference between the two classes.In the end of the experiment,both the experimental class and the controlled class took the survey by filling out the Autonomous Reading Strategies Questionnaire.The data of the questionnaire was analyzed by independent sample T-test and Pearson correlation to verify the difference between the two classes.10 students were selected randomly to have interviews.According to the interviews,the author came to an effective autonomous reading model for senior high students.Based on the scores of the questionnaire,the author came to following conclusion1)Metacognitive reading strategies show the biggest gap between the two classes.2)Posttest is significantly positive correlated with the autonomous reading strategies and metacognitive reading strategies,and weakly correlated with social-affective strategies,but not correlated with cognitive strategies.Metacognitive reading strategies is most effective for the promotion of students' autonomous reading ability.3)Autonomous reading model:Step 1.Introduce metacognitive reading strategies,test students' reading levels,choose suitable reading materials,set goals,and make plans for daily reading activities.Step 2.Introduce and practice five cognitive reading strategies,predicting,skimming,scanning,summarizing,and inferring.Let students begin their autonomous reading by using the five cognitive strategies.Keep record of their reading speed and strategies they use.Step 3.Every two or four weeks the teacher gathers students to exchange what they read recently and gives help if they need.The meanings of this research lie in the following aspects:firstly,English teachers should pay attention to the development of students,autonomous reading ability and systematical instruction of autonomous reading strategies;secondly,skillfully application of autonomous reading strategies is helpful to the promotion of English reading ability and English test achievement;thirdly,metacognitive reading strategies play key roles in developing students' autonomous reading ability,and skillfully application of metacognitive reading strategies can effectively promote autonomous reading ability.Teachers should help students to develop autonomy in English reading.