This study had three major objectives. The first was to describe language learning behaviors as reported by a group of international students stydying English in a university setting. The second was to determine if relationships existed between learning behaviors and learning achievement. The third was to determine if relationships existed between learning behaviors and a number of student background characteristics. The sample consisted of students enrolled at the English Language Institute at Texas A&M University during the fall semester of 1987. The final sample consisted of 109 students who volunteered to participate and who returned usable questionnaire. There were 86 male subjects and 23 female subjects representing 16 different language groups. Learning behavior data were obtained through use of a modified version of a questionnaire originally designed by Politzer. The questionnaire is divided into eight scales or categories characterizing good language learning behaviors as suggested in the literature. Learning achievement in different skill areas was measured by gain scores on the subtests of the Michigan Test of English Language Proficiency. Background characteristics were collected using a background information sheet. The findings revealed that students as a group tended to follow, at least one-half the time, the good learning behavior patterns as described in the literature. The findings also indicated the possibility that relationships existed between certain learning behavior variaQ,les and proficiency gains. Variance of behavior due to age and native language was also indicated in this study. Results from this research have implications for classroom teachers in identifying learner strategies and implementing strategy instruction. Suggestions were made for further research in validating good learning behaviors believed to be beneficial to learning achievement.
關聯:
中華民國第八屆英語文教學研討會英語文教學論文集=Proceedings of the eighth conference on English teaching and learning in the Republic of China,頁413-436