商务英语专业毕业论文范文.doc

Abstract With the establishment of student-centered teaching concept, independent learning has been a hot topic in the field of educational psychology research at home and abroad. However in China, owing to the impact of traditional teaching pattern, teacher neglect learners status as the main role in language learning. In modern English teaching concept, students independent learning competence is the key to improving English level. education. The investigation shows that the students independent learning ability is at medium level. In detail, most of students instrumental motivation is stronger than integrative motivation; they hold positive learning belief but seldom know the teachers aims and requirements; they have clear learning goals and plans but seldom carry them out; In addition, they lack knowledge of learning strategies, self-monitoring and self-assessment, and they make little use of learning resources. The author tries to analyze the possible reasons and proposes some appropriate suggestions to promote learners autonomy.Key words: English major freshmen; Independent learning; Improve English Level.摘要随着以学生为中心的教学观的确立,自主学习成为国内外教育心理学研究的热点。然而，由于受到传统教学模式的影响，忽视了学习者作为学习主体的地位的现象。在现代英语教育教学理念中，英语专业学生的自主学习能力是提高自身英语总体水平的关键。通过调查发现英语专业新生的自主学习能力处于中等水平，大多数新生学习英语的外部动机强于内在动机；学习观念积极，但是对教师的教学目的与要求不是很了解；新生有明确的学习目标和计划，但是很少付出实际行动；学习策略匮乏，自我监控和评估的能力不足，不能充分利用学习资源。针对以上情况，分析其原因并给出建议以提高学习者的自主学习能力 关键词：英语专业新生；自主学习；提高英语水平Chapter One: Introduction1.1 The structure of the thesis This paper is composed of six chapters. Chapter one is an introduction to the situation of independent learning, its necessity and significance. Chapter two is the literature review related to independent learning, including some concepts and previous studies at home and abroad. Chapter three concentrates on the concerning factors on independent learning. Chapter four is the survey design, which describes the subjects and questions of the survey. Chapter five reports the result of survey and analyzes the data. Based on the results of survey, factors affecting independent learning and reasons are discussed in detail. Chapter six is the conclusion, which discusses the implication of survey, with hopes to promote independent competence, then some suggestions on teachers roles, learners roles and teaching environment are put forward. 1.2 Need for independent learning In recent years, with the development of domestic and international economic, the demands for foreign talents increase gradually in China. Second language learning has been a heated point for educators at home and abroad. Since 1980s, Holec put forward the concept of independent learning, which has been a popular discussion in the West. Compared with the traditional teaching teacher-centered teaching, which teachers pay more attention to how they teach rather than how students learn, the contemporary English teaching lays emphasis on the main role of learners. In China, most of teachers adopt traditional teaching methods in foreign language teaching, they devote too much time and attention to how to teach more than how to learn, unilaterally emphasize teachers role of “input” and stress uniqueness and standards, the role of learners as learning subjects has been overlooked. Educators advocate a new English teaching pattern: student-centered teaching. With this new teaching model, developing students independent learning ability is a primary task for teachers and educators. Furthermore, independent learning is also vital for second language learners in the future. At present, in China, Owing to big size of class, a teacher can not instruct every single student at any time. In addition, one foreign language learners ability differs from others, so learners should spend more time on independent learning to achieve their goals. Especially for freshmen, they should adjust themselves to the college English teaching, which advocates student-centered teaching pattern. Once they foster a sense of independent learning and take action, they will get great progress in English learning. Chapter Two: Literature Review2.1 The concept of independent learning Over the last few decades, autonomy has been a heated topic for language learning in the western countries. The concept of “independent learning” stemmed from debates about the development of life-long learning skills and the development of independent thinkers, both of which originated in 1960s (Gardner & Miller, 2002:6). It is difficult to define concepts of autonomy, because different writers have defined the concepts in different ways. Various terms are used by many scholars such as “learner autonomy”, “self-instruction”, “self-direction”, “self-access”, etc. It was Holec (1981:3) who first brought forward the definition of independent learning in 1981, he defines autonomy as “the ability to take charge of ones own learning”. According to Gardner and Miller (2002:6), there are some definitions of autonomy. Dickinson (1987:11) accepts the definition of autonomy as “a situation in which the learner is totally responsible for all of the decisions concerned with his or her learning and the implementation of those decisions”. In terms of different schools of thoughts, there are three major schools. Little (1990:7) considers learner autonomy as “essentially a matter of the learners psychological relation to the process and content of learning”. Kenny (1993:436) states that autonomy is not only the freedom to learn but also “the opportunity to become a person”. Both of them see autonomy as a personal characteristic. As the representative of political framework, Benson(1997:29) defines learner autonomy is “a recognition of the rights of learners within educational systems”. As for one school of thoughts viewing autonomy as an educational practice, Bound (1988:17) suggests that autonomy is “an approach to educational practice”.The above definitions deal with the concept of learner autonomy in past years. Later years, more and more discussion and additional details are carried out by a great numbers of scholars in western countries. These results offer perfect theory framework and instruction for researchers in language teaching. The research on independent learning in China began in the early 1990s. The researchers combine western scholars achievement and the situation in China and then define independent learning in different ways. Pang Weiguo (庞维国，2001:79) describes the independent learning from two angles: 1). The first is discussed from dimensionality: if learners can make choice and control themselves consciously, the process of learning can be regarded as independent learning. To be specific, if learners motivation is self-driven, the content of learning is self-selected, learning strategies are self-regulation and the learning time is planed and managed by learners, they can create the condition of learning and evaluate the results. Then we can say that the learning is independent. 2). The second is defined from the process of learning: if learners can set goals and make plans before learning, monitor or adjust the process and plans of learning during the process, and check the results and evaluate themselves after learning, then the learning process can be regarded as independent learning. Hua Weifen (华为芬，2002:109) makes an induction from western scholars definition. She considers the independent learning as a process of learning as well as an outcome. Learners should not completely rely on teachers but take more charges of ones own learning. Learners autonomy as a potential ability of learning decision, it needs an environment where learners can execute rights to promote the process of learning. Meanwhile, it also requires backup and instructions from teachers. Peng Jinding (彭金定，2002:16) concludes that the definition of independent learning should include five aspects: 1). Taking responsibility for learning; 2). Understanding of learning aims; 3). Making plans; 4). Evaluating the results; 5). Regulating the strategies. Xu Jinfen (徐锦芬，2007:11) points out that the learning autonomy in the English teaching context in China should cover the following five aspects: 1).Identifying the aims and requirement of teacher; 2).Formulating appropriate learning objectives and plans; 3).Selecting and implementing learning strategies; 4).Monitoring the use of learning strategies; 5).Monitoring and evaluating learning process.To sum up, all scholars view learners as participants who consciously set their own goals, regulate the motivation, select appropriate strategies and evaluate the learning outcomes.After taking into the consideration of the definitions by other scholars, combining the present study as well as the actual situation in China, the author is inclined to adopt Xu Jinfens definition of independent learning, considering one aspect: using effective learning resources in a constructive learning process. Based on the above discussion, independent learning can be defined as an ability that learners are initiative and responsible in setting goals, adopting the appropriate strategies, monitoring and evaluating learning process and using effective learning resources in a constructive learning process. 2.2 Previous studies on independent learning at home and abroad It was in the middle of 1970s that linguists abroad began to probe into the field of learner autonomy in foreign language teaching and learning (高吉利, 2005:61). In 1981, Holec raised the definition in his monograph Autonomy and Foreign Language Learning. From then on, a great numbers of research appeared and got great achievement in theoretical studies. In general, western researches focus on the concept of independent learning and how to cultivate learner autonomy (Bound, 1988, Brookes and Grundy, 1988, Little, 1990, Dickinson, 1987, Benson and Voller, 1997, Gardner and Miller, 2002). These works discuss the theoretical background of learner autonomy in detail and analyze each factor that affects learner autonomy clearly, such as attitude, belief, strategy and role, and analyze how to promote learner autonomy in practice (徐锦芬, 2007:25).In China, as the research on independent learning is later than western countries, there exists limitation. Since 2001, more research on this field has been conducted. Wang Duqin (王笃勤，2002:17-23) conducts a survey to study university students metacognitive level, and claims to develop students self-learning ability through strategy training. Lei Xiao (2005:68-74) discusses college students belief of independent learning and provides a few techniques to deal with the corresponding problems in their beliefs. Wei Yuyan (魏玉燕, 2002:8-14) introduces this new teaching idea into FLT in China, including the definition of learner autonomy, the necessity and methods of fostering learner autonomy in foreign language learning. Xu Jinfen et al. (徐锦芬、彭仁忠等,2004:64-68) investigate the actual situation of non-English major sophomores English independent learning. The result suggests that college students degree of independent learning stays at a low level in China. These studies enrich the theory of independent learning and practice of guiding the foreign language teaching, which is of practical significance.Although the previous researchers have made many achievements in China, most empirical studies focus on the objects of non-English major, studies on English major are limited.Chapter Three: The Concerning Factors on independent LearningFrom the above discussion, we know that independent learning can be considered as learning activity as well as learning ability. Taking many concerning factors into consideration, it is very difficult to improve the capability of learners independent learning, especially to change independent learning awareness to practice.Domestic researchers have a deep discussion about the concerning factors on independent learning, and group them into three main pairs of classifications: personality factors and common factors, controllable factors and uncontrollable factors, internal factors and external factors.In this thesis, the author prefers the third classification. That is to say, the concerning factors on independent learning can be divided into two categories: internal factors and external factors. As a learning activity, independent learning needs internal condition and the support of external condition. At the same time, as a kind of learning capability, learning autonomy is a relatively stable characteristic under a long-term interaction between learners and external environment (徐锦芬, 2007:62). independent learning is influenced by such internal factors such as learners motivation, learners belief, learning goals and plans, learning strategies, self-monitoring and self-assessment. In the meantime, it is also affected by external factors like teachers influence, learning resources, and so on.3.1 Internal factors 3.1.1 Learners motivationMotivation is one of major factors that influence second language learning. Learning motivation is a concept of pedagogic psychology, which indicates the interior impetus and desire to stimulate learners to acquire knowledge (徐锦芬, 2007:67). If learners have a strong positive motivation in their language learning, they will do well in independent learning. That is to say, without positive motivation, learners can not set a right goal or make any plans to complete their language learning. Gardner and Lambert (1972) highlight two different types of motivation: 1). Instrumental motivation: the desire to learn a language to fulfill certain utilitarian goals, such as getting a job, passing an examination, etc. 2). Integrative motivation: the desire to learn a language in order to communicate with people from other cultures; or desire to joint closely with the target language group. (quoted in徐锦芬, 2007:67) Some students learn English out of interest, some students consider English as a tool in order to pass the examination or find a job. The different motivation can arouse different interest and goals, and these interest and goals would impact on the learners learning methods and effects. 3.1.2 Learners beliefLearners belief refers to learners comprehension of study, which learners understand the learning objectives, tasks and teachers appraisal (陆根书、于德弘, 2003:47). Learners belief influence the way they learn, if learners have positive belief to learn a second language, the belief would influence their learning attitude and learning methods. That is to say, positive beliefs are beneficial to strengthen learning attitude, and then facilitate foreign language learning. On the contrary, the negative belief would weaken the learning motivation even lead to failure of learning. In language learning, beliefs and attitudes are shaped not only by the educational environment bu