1

Topic TwoTopic Two

Strategy training and L2

learning

2

Encouraging NoteEncouraging Note

“English course guidelines for primary

and secondary school students”(2001)

English Course Requirements for Non-

English Majors (2004)

“English teaching syllabus for English

majors” (2000)

3

The language curriculumThe language curriculum

Syllabus design: What?

Methodology: How?

Evaluation: How well?

– (Nunan, 2004)

4

Difficulties in implementing the new Difficulties in implementing the new curriculumcurriculum

No specifications in the curriculum

– How to incorporate the strategy

component into a daily lesson ？

– How to incorporate it into a web-based

course ？

5

The question that arises in this

context

– How to integrate strategy training

with university-level foreign language

programs?

6

What am I going to talk about?What am I going to talk about?

Reviewing the progress in strategy

training in mainland China

Critically examining common

assumptions underlying strategy

training programs and research on

strategies

Strategy training principles and their

justifications

7

Topic OneTopic One

Reviewing progress in language strategy training in China

8

Pioneering efforts in Mainland ChinaPioneering efforts in Mainland China

For students

–General training

– Specific training

For teachers

– The summer institute

9

Examples For general Examples For general trainingtraining

Zhu Weifang & Cao Wen (1999)

Ma Xiaomei & Gao Yanjie et al. (2003)

10

Examples for specific Examples for specific trainingtraining

Lü Changhong, (2001): Listening

Wang Lifei (2002): Speaking

Fan Lin & Wang Qinghua(2002):

Vocabulary learning

11

General training(1)General training(1) Zhu Weifang & Cao Wen (1999)

–Beijing University of Foreign Studies

– 57 first-year students enrolled in 1997

– The English Orientation Camp three weeks

help freshmen adjust themselves to

university life and study

12

L2 learning strategy trainingL2 learning strategy training

Textbook “Learning matters” by David

Nunan

15 strategies were introduced to the

students

Each cycle consists of three activities

13

L2 learning strategy trainingL2 learning strategy training

Reflecting on and sharing the learning

strategies used before

Discussing 15 introduced strategies in

relation to different teaching situations

Accomplishing different tasks by a variety

of strategies

14

ResultsResults

31% students: benefit from strategy training

12% students: too abstract and not useful

Conclusion: strategies teachable and somewhat effective, but not as effective as was expected

15

General training (2)General training (2)

Ma Xiaomei & Gao Yanjie et al. (2003) Xi’an Jiaotong University– 260 students enrolled in 2001– One year (Sept., 2001- July, 2002)– Phase One: awareness raising

Students’ contracts Lectures

– Phase Two: strategy-based instruction Pre-, during and post-activities

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Time Awareness-raising SBI

Week 1 Research; lecture

Week 2 Sign contracts

Week 3 Memory strategies

Week 4 Listening strategies Practice

Week 6 Reading strategies Practice

Week 8 Speaking strategies

17

ResultsResults

The three experimental classes all outperformed the three control classes in the post-test. (Questionable)

The frequency of the use of strategies decreased in both experimental and control classes.

18

Topic TwoTopic Two

Critically examining common

assumptions underlying the previous

strategy training and research on

strategies

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Common AssumptionsCommon Assumptions

Students do not know what are good

strategies.

Some strategies are good while

others are bad.

The belief “The more, the better”

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Assumption One: lack of Assumption One: lack of strategiesstrategies

6 years of learning English

12 years of learning Chinese

Experience in learning physics,

mathematics, chemistry, history,

geography

Experience in learning every day

living skills

21

Have abundant resources for learning

strategies

Need to learn how to activate and

implement the strategies they have

already had before

Abandon the informing-practice

pattern

22

Assumption Two: Good or badAssumption Two: Good or bad

Some strategies are good while others

bad. Poorer learners do not learn a

foreign language successfully because

they use bad strategies while good

learners use good strategies.

Huang (1987)

Vann & Abraham (1990)

23

Assumption Two: Good or badAssumption Two: Good or bad

Ellis (1994), Cohen (1998),

Strategies are not inherently good or bad.

There are no good or bad strategies but

there is only good or bad use of strategies.

Who, When, How

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Assumption Three: the belief Assumption Three: the belief “the more the better”“the more the better”

Underlying quite a number of studies

–Nunan suggests: encourage poorer

learners to use a greater range of

strategies

25

Strategies are problem-oriented.

Some strategies are double

edged.

Strategies do not function well

individually.

26

Topic ThreeTopic Three

Strategy training principles

and their justifications

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Strategy training principlesStrategy training principles

Theoretical justification

Cognitive Skill learning objective

Declarative-procedural

Educational Instruction unit

MCA as one cluster

Constructivist Procedures Trying-sharing- performing-monitoring

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Theoretical justificationTheoretical justification

The cognitive perspective

– Skill development

The educational perspective

– the whole person development

The social constructivist perspective

– Knowledge accumulation

29

Principle OnePrinciple One

Learn strategies as

developing skills

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The cognitive perspectiveThe cognitive perspective

Anderson (1993, 1995)– A three-stage model of the skill-learning

process– Declarative stage, procedural stage,

automatized stageThe nature of strategy: problem-

oriented, intentional

31

DefinitionsDefinitions

Strategies are learners’ deliberate actions

to make learning easier, faster, more

enjoyable, more self-directed, more

effective, and more transferable to new

situations” (Oxford, 1990: 8)

Ellis, (1994); Cohen (1998)

32

Learning strategies as skillsLearning strategies as skills

Two stages

–Declarative stage

–Procedural stage

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Principle TwoPrinciple Two

Instruction unit

–MCA as a cluster

34

MCA as a clusterMCA as a cluster

MManagement

(Meta-cognitive/ Meta-affective)

CCognitive strategies

AAffective strategies

Meta-level

Non-meta

level

Strategy= belief+action

35

Oxford’s classification (1990)Oxford’s classification (1990) Memory (Direct)

Meta-cognitive (indirect)

Compen-sation

(Direct)

Cognitive

(Direct)

Affective

(Indirect)

Social

(Indirect)

36

O’Malley & Chamot (1990)O’Malley & Chamot (1990)

Metacognitive

CognitiveCognitive Social Social

37

Principle TwoPrinciple Two

Strategies training is a kind of

skill learning.

38

The educational perspectiveThe educational perspective

Intellectual, affective and social

competence

Proficient L2 learners and

contributing members of a

community

The structure of language

strategies

39

Principle ThreePrinciple Three

The procedure of strategy

training is trying-sharing-

performing-monitoring instead

of informing-practice

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The role of the teacher(1)The role of the teacher(1)

Find out students’ strategies

used before and the strategies

proved to be successful or less

successful

41

The role of the teacher (2)The role of the teacher (2)

Help expand the students’

repertoire of strategies

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The role of the teacher (3)The role of the teacher (3)

Provide the students with

opportunities to practice

43

The role of the teacher (4)The role of the teacher (4)

Encourage the students to

monitor and evaluate their

strategy use

44

The constructivist perspectiveThe constructivist perspective

Knowledge is constructed by an individual

through interaction with his environment.

– The learner: a contributor as well as a

constructor

– The learner’s own initiative

– The procedures: trying, discussing,

performing and evaluating instead of

informing and practicing

45

Why?Why?

Strategy training: a means but not an end

Immediate goal

– Facilitate L2 learning

Ultimate goal

– Produce autonomous learners

Part of quality education

Multiple functions

46

Thank you !