Effect of academic major on students' use of language learning strategies: a diary study in a Chinese context

Rao, Zhenhui; Liu, Fulan

doi:10.1080/09571731003653565

Cited by 17 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Similar results were also reported in the studies by Ellis and Beaton (1993), Gu and Johnson (1996) and Rao (2011), in which the use of association strategies proved to be effective in memorizing vocabulary. Such a finding is consistent with the current situation of EFL teaching in China.…”

Section: Management Of L2 Learningsupporting

confidence: 90%

Language learning strategies and English proficiency: interpretations from information-processing theory

Rao

2012

The Language Learning Journal

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Section: Management Of L2 Learningsupporting

confidence: 90%

Language learning strategies and English proficiency: interpretations from information-processing theory

Rao

2012

The Language Learning Journal

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“…These differences in the impacts of the test and preferred teaching approaches related to subject specialisation might be explained by the participants' learning attitudes and language-learning strategies. A substantial body of research has documented the impacts of academic major on students' selection of language-learning strategies (Gu, 2002;Oxford & Nyikos, 1989;Peacock & Ho, 2003;Rao & Liu, 2011;Rong, 1999). These studies have discovered that, compared with science major students, social science majors exhibit more positive attitudes towards learning a foreign language and use a greater number of strategies to facilitate their learning.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Impacts of the Test of English Listening Comprehension on students' English learning expectations in Taiwan

Chou

2015

Language, Culture and Curriculum

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In Taiwan, English language learning in senior high school has predominantly focused on reading, with a heavy emphasis on memorising vocabulary and grammar rules. English listening has been marginalised and is not officially taught until the first year of university. In 2012, the Joint Board of College Recruitment Commission in Taiwan passed legislation that made the new Test of English Listening Comprehension (TELC) a requirement for university application and a part of the College Entrance Examination for senior high school students. The implementation of this new English listening test policy is likely to have unpredictable impacts on its major stakeholders, particularly the students. The present study explored the extent to which the TELC affected Taiwanese senior high school students' language learning and their expectations about the teaching of listening in English classes. The findings revealed that the TELC had a general influence on the participants overall and that certain components of the TELC resulted in more significant differences in students' perceived English listening proficiency than did their subject specialisation. These results suggest that the introduction of this new listening test might serve as leverage for change in the English language teaching in Taiwanese secondary schools in the future.

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“…Moreover, social science majors exhibit more positive attitudes toward learning a foreign language and use a greater number of strategies to facilitate their learning (Gu, 2002;Oxford & Nyikos, 1989;Rao & Liu, 2011;Rong, 1999). The moderation analyses of gender and subject specialization in the present study showed that the associations among prior English level, self-efficacy, critical thinking, language learning strategies, and current reading performance were similar for males and females and for social science and science students.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similar to studies of gender differences in critical thinking, studies of gender-related strategy use contradict one another; some have found that female language learners use more learning strategies (Bidjerano, 2005;Oxford & Nyikos, 1989;Peacock & Ho, 2003), while others have found no significant male-female differences (Balam, 2015;Griffiths, 2003). Several university-level studies have discovered that, compared to science major students, social science majors exhibit more positive attitudes toward learning a foreign language and use a greater number of strategies to facilitate their learning (Gu, 2002;Oxford & Nyikos, 1989;Rao & Liu, 2011;Rong, 1999).…”

Section: Moderation Effects Of Gender and Subject Specializationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Modelling the Relationship among Prior English Level, Self-efficacy, Critical Thinking, and Strategies in Reading Performance

Chou¹

2017

The Journal of AsiaTEFL

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Considerable evidence indicates that self-efficacy, self-regulated learning, and academic performance are related. However, insufficient research has investigated the relationship between self-efficacy and different types of learning strategies (deep and surface processing strategies), as well as their influence on reading in EFL contexts. This study aims to investigate the effect of students' prior English proficiency on current English reading performance in school through the mediation of self-efficacy, critical thinking, and three types of language learning strategies. Moderation effects of gender and subject specialization were also examined. A large-scale questionnaire was distributed to 780 senior high school students in Taiwan. The findings from structural equation modelling showed that students' prior English level had a significant, direct impact on current English reading performance without a mediator, and significant, indirect effects on current English reading performance via the mediation of self-efficacy, critical thinking, and learning strategies. Deep processing involving critical thinking and metacognition are found to be positively related to surface processing strategies in English reading. Finally, these results suggest the generality of the overall model between males and females as well as between EFL high school students specializing in social science and science in Taiwan.Keywords: self-efficacy, memory strategy, cognitive strategy, metacognitive strategy, critical thinking IntroductionSelf-efficacy refers to the self-appraisal of one's ability, which is held to be the basis for self-confidence and motivation to accomplish and perform learning tasks (Pintrich, Smith, Garcia, & McKeachie, 1991). Researchers have highlighted the importance of self-efficacy in academic learning, as it has been shown to influence one's effort, persistence, self-regulation, and motivation to a large degree (Bandura, 1986(Bandura, , 1997Linnenbrink & Pintrich, 2003). In first-(L1), second-(L2), or foreign-language (FL) 1 contexts, reading can be influenced by differences in linguistic processing, individual and experiential factors, socio-cultural background, and institutional practice (Grabe, 2009;Grabe & Stoller, 2011). When confronted with language learning tasks, students adopt strategies to perform the task or solve specific problems, to compensate for a deficit in learning (or the test-taking process), and to ultimately enhance performance 1 Ellis (2008) differentiates second language (L2) from foreign-language (FL) learning in terms of what is learned and how it is learned. In L2 learning, the language plays an institutional and social role in communication in the community. In contrast, FL learning occurs in environments where the language plays no major role in the community and is primarily learned as a school subject solely in the classroom. In Taiwan, English is heavily classroom based and is officially considered an FL. 381(Cohen, 2007). Self-efficacy plays an important role in the choice of task...

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Effect of academic major on students' use of language learning strategies: a diary study in a Chinese context

Cited by 17 publications

References 19 publications

Language learning strategies and English proficiency: interpretations from information-processing theory

Language learning strategies and English proficiency: interpretations from information-processing theory

Impacts of the Test of English Listening Comprehension on students' English learning expectations in Taiwan

Modelling the Relationship among Prior English Level, Self-efficacy, Critical Thinking, and Strategies in Reading Performance

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