江西师范大学10级硕士研究生.doc

江西师范大学10级硕士研究生学位 论文开 题报告学院 外国语学院 姓名 刘伟荣 学号 2010120055 论文题目An investigation of Listening Strategies Employed by Non-English Majors所涉及的学科、专业方向English teaching methodology与导师（教研室或学科组）科研项目的关系报告内容（包括选定论文的目的和意义、国内外研究的现状和发展趋势、基木构思、 初步意见和预期结果等，且可附页）1. purpose and significance of the present studyThe imporUince of listening for second or foreign language acquisition has been underlined by authors such as Feyten(1991)・ However, listening comprehension remains a "young field" that merits greater research attention (Oxford, 1993; Rubin, 1994). Lynch(1998), in his review of theoretical perspectives on listening, calls for further investigation into the link between second language listening level and listening strategies. Considerable studies have been successful in identifying listening strategies that language learners use (O,Malley et al., 1989; Rost and Ross, 1991; Bacon, 1992; Rost, 1994). However, most of the studies on listening strategies use were con ducted abroad (Cohen, 1987; Murphy, 1985; Vandergrift, 1996; Goh, 2002).And research in this domain has been largely dominated by a Euro-Angle English as a second language perspective. Actually the listening strategies frequently used by language learners in the North American second language context are quite different from that in Asian second language context (Gu, 1996; LoCastro, 1994; Takeuchi et al., 1999). According to WenQiufang(2004), there are only several empirical studies on listening strategies in the mainland China up to 2003. And few studies have investigated effective listening strategies of Asian students learning English in general. Furthermore, current research on listening strategies use has mostly focused on English major college students or middle school students, but neglected non-English major college students who nowadays consist of a large group of EFL learners in China and have their own characteristics in listening strategies use (Rao, 2007).To fill in this research gap, this study attempts to provides a more detailed picture of listening strategies used by Chinese non-English major college students to investigate what types of listening strategies Chinese non-English majors college students use and whether there are differences between high proficiency and low proficiency students on listening strategies use and between male and female students on listening strategies use. By doing this research, it helps to offer college teachers some insights to develop their students Literature review 2.1 Learning Strategies 2.1.LThe definition of learning strategies Since the beginning of research on learning strategies, it is over 30 years・ Numbers of researchers have focused on the language learning strategies as a result of development in cognitive psychology in 1960s・ Although important advances have been made, there is no consensus on what constitutes a learning strategy in L2 learning and how these differ from other types of learner activities (Stem, 1983; Rubin, 1987; Oxford and Cohen, 1992; Ellis, 1994; Gu and Johnson, listening strategies use and improve students9 listening proficiency, meanwhile it also helps to make students be aware of the listening strategies they use to improve their efficiency of learning.1996 ;). Rod Ellis(1994) lists the typical definitions of language learning strategies as follows:SourceDefinitionsStern 1983“In our view strategy is best reserved for general tendencies or overall characteristics of the approach employed by the language learner, leaving techniques as the term to refer to particular forms of observable learning behavior".Weinstein and Mayer1986"Learning strategies are the behaviors and thoughts that a learner en gages in during lear ning that are intended to in fluence the lear ners encoding process”・Chamot 1987"Learning strategies are techniques, approaches or deliberate actions that students take in order to facilitate the learning, recall of both linguistic and con tent are information^.Rubin 1987"Lear ning strategies are strategies which con tribute to the developrnent of the language system which the learner constructs and affect learning directly".Oxford 1989"Language learning strategies are behaviors or actions which learners use to make language learning more successful, self-directed and enjoyable^ ・(Rod Ellis, 1994: 531)Ellis further points out that con fusion of all the definitions is mainly presented in the followi ng four aspects: Firstly, it is not clear whether language learning strategies are to be perceived of as behavioral or as mental, or as both. Secondly, what on earth is the precise nature of the behaviors that are to count as learning strategies? Thirdly, this aspect is about whether learning strategies are to be regarded as conscious and intentional or as subconscious・ The fourth aspect concerns whether lear ning strategies are seen as having a direct or an in direct effect on language lear ning.。