Chapter1Introduction
1.1 Research Background
Foreign language teaching and learning theories have developed a lot in the lastfew decades. The inefficiency of the previous methods made researchers shift theirdirection from “how to teach” to “how to learn”---learning strategies. The studies aboutleaning strategies started from 1970s. Educators and researchers pay much attention tothe active role of the learner with the rise of cognitive psychology. The premier studieswere mainly to find out the characteristics of the good language learners (such asRubin and Stern, 1975; Naiman, 1978). In 1980s, the key point of the research turnedto the relationship between the learning strategies and language learning process, andlanguage achievement (O’Malley et al., 1985; Anderson, 1988).The researchersconducted some field investigations on the learning strategies, and numerous studiesconfirmed that the learning strategies had a positive effect on language learning(O’Malley et al., 1985). 1990s was an age of prosperity of this field of research. Moreand more scholars’ new works have been broadened from theoretical to empirical andpractical. Ellis (1994: 529) claims that the study of learning strategies has been seen asan explosion of activity that brought unexpected attainment. However, the study oflistening strategies is still in its infancy.The status of listening in language programs has undergone substantial change inrecent years. From being a neglected skill relegated to passing treatment as a minorstrand within a speaking course it now appears as a core course in many languageprograms. Foreign language listening has historically proved to be a difficult skill.Though it is a hard work, it deserves more analysis and support (Vandergrift, 1999:168). A preliminary emphasis on listening is more efficient (Vandergrift, 1999: 169).Now listening is generally recognized as a basic skill of foreign language learning thatevery English learner should grasp. It ranks as the first in the four fundamentallanguage skills.
…………
1.2 Objectives of the Research
For the middle school students, listening part occupy as much as 20% of the totalforeign language score in the high school entrance examination. There is a practicalpressure for more effective listening skills in middle school. But the current situation inmiddle school is that listening is relatively weak compared with their other aspects. Inlistening, researchers have realized that the listeners actually use particular approachesor techniques to aid their acquisition, storage, retrieval and the use of input information,which was called listening strategies. If the students lack these listening strategies whenthey are exposed to a foreign language, they will suffer from the problem ofunderstanding what is being said to them. Because these listening strategies might behelpful to reveal the listening process and can help English learners to improve theirlistening ability more effectively. Thus, the use of listening strategy is rather significantespecially for the middle school students.It is aimed to find out listening strategies employed by ordinary middle schoolstudents. Because they are English beginners, they have a long way to go in Englishjourney. The advancing achievement and language proficiency is a central concern ofevery teacher and learner. It is expected that the findings of this s，英语论文，英语论文范文
|
