策略训练与蒙古族大学生英语的有效学习
［Abstract］Abstract: Mongolian college students have much difficulty in learning English. If students can consciously select strategies during language learning and language use, language, it will be more effective. No evidence has yet been provided to determine the best overall method for conducting strategy training, at least three different instructional frameworks have been identified. For Mongolian university students, teachers should be encouraged to provide more constructive and practical strategy training and focus on the evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of strategy applications.
［Key words］Mongolian college students,strategy training,effective language learning
There is no doubt that Mongolian college students have much difficulty in learning English. It seems that this embarrassing situation forms a barrier not for the teachers but also for the students. How to deal with the problem is a task for us teachers and the researchers.
If students become more aware of the range of possible strategies that they can consciously select during language learning and language use, language learning will be more effective The most efficient way for learner awareness is by having teachers provide strategies-based
instruction to students as a part of foreign language curriculum. Considering the poor foundation of their English learning, it is vital for the Mongolian college students.
Choosing an effective strategy depends on many factors, including the nature of the language task, individual learner differences and the current and intended levels of language proficiency and individual learners can and should apply the various strategies in different ways according to their personal language learning needs.
However, the fact is that the Mongolian college students are not able to select the proper and effective methods and strategies on their own. As a consequence, the teachers have to play a significant role in the students English learning.
The goal of strategy training is to explicitly teach students how, when and why strategies can be used to facilitate their efforts at learning and using a foreign language. Strategy training is intended to help students to explore way that they can learn the targe language more effectively, as well as to encourage students to self-evaluate and self-direct their learning. The first step in this process is to help learner recognize which strategies they already use, and then to develop a wide range of strategies, so that they can select appropriate and effective strategies within the context of particular language tasks. Teachers need
to be explicit about what the strategy consists of, how, when, and why it might be used, and how its effectiveness can be evaluated. Teachers could help learner bridge the gap between “knowing what” and “knowing how”.
A further goal of strategy training is to promote learner autonomy and learner self-direction by allowing students to choose their own strategies and to do so spontaneously, without continued prompting from the language teachers. Learners should be able to monitor and evaluate the relative effectiveness of their strategy use, and more fully develop their problem-solving skills. Strategy training can thus be used to help learners to know what their abilities are, how much progress they are making and what they can or cannot do with the skills they have acquired. Without such knowledge, it will not be easy for them to learn efficiently.
Up till now, no empirical evidence has yet been provided to determine the best overall method for conducting strategy training, at least three different instructional frameworks have been identified. They have been designed to raise student’awareness as to the purpose and rationale of strategy use, to give students opportunities to practice the strategies that they are being taught, and to help them to understand how to use the strategies in new learning contexts.
The first approach to strategy training has been suggested by
Pearson and Dole (1987) with reference to first language, but it can also be applied to the study of second and foreign languages as well. The first step is called initial modeling of the strategy. Teachers will give direct explanation of the strategy’s use and importance. Then it is followed by guided practice. Next is consolidation where teacher help students identify the strategy and decide when it might be used. Lastly, independent practice and application is necessary.
The second approach is put forward by Oxford et al. (1990). He suggests is the following: Ask learners to do a language activity without any strategy training; have them discuss and analyze; suggest and demonstrate other helpful strategies:allow learner plenty of time to practice the new strategies:show how the strategies can be transferred to other tasks; provide practice and help students understand how to evaluate the success.
The third one is recommended by Chamot and O’Malley’s (1994). In his opinion language learning tasks can be described as a four-stage problem-solving progress(planning, monitoring, problem-solving and evaluation).
These instructional frameworks can be used in various combinations to complement each other and add variety to a strategy training program. When these sequences are used in the classroom for
Mongolian university students, teachers should be encouraged to provide suggestive, rather than corrective, feedback to allow students to consider alternative ways of approaching different learning tasks, and to focus on student self-evaluation of the effectiveness and efficiency of strategy applications.
【 References 】
［1］Pearson P. D., Dole J. A. 1987. Explicit comprehension instruction: a review of research and a new conceptualization of learning［J］.Elementary School Journal, 88.
[2] Oxford. R. L. 1990. Language learning strategies: what every teacher should know［M］.Newbury House/Harper Collins, NY.
[3] Chamot A U., Rubin J. 1994. Comments on Janie Rees-Miller’s “A critical appraisal of learner training: theoretical bases and teaching implications”［J］.TESOL Quarterly, 28(4).
[4] Andrew D. Cohen. Strategies in Learning and Using a Second Language［M］.Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press.