A Study of Language Learning Strategies, Multiple Intelligences, and Learning Attitudes among Elementary School Students
陳莛翰、劉慧如
E-mail: 365061@mail.dyu.edu.tw
ABSTRACT
This study aimed at exploring elementary school students’ language learning strategy use and its relationships with multiple intelligences, learning attitudes and the length of language study. The researcher further investigated learning strategy use among students with different degrees of positive learning attitudes. Participants in this study were 223 students from central Taiwan. Over 80% of them had learned English for at least two years. Over two thirds of them had learning experience in English cram schools.
The findings of the study suggest that first, female elementary students have significantly higher strategy use frequency than their male counterparts do in all six strategy categories. Second, the most frequently used type of learning strategies by males, females and all participants was metacognitive strategies. The least frequently used type of learning strategy by all participants was memory strategies. Third, use of language learning strategies was significantly related to multiple intelligences and learning attitudes, but not to the length of language study. It is noteworthy that strategy use has a stronger link with learner attitudes than with multiple intelligences. Finally, the findings also reveal that students with the highest level of positive learning attitude use metacognitive strategies most frequently in the language acquisition process, while those with the lowest level of positive learning attitude use affective strategies most frequently.
Keywords : language learning strategy use、multiple intelligences、learning attitudes Table of Contents
TABLE OF CONTENTS COVER PAGE ENGLISH SIGNATURE PAGE SIGNATURE PAGE ENGLISH
ABSTRACT...i CHINESE ABSTRACT...ii CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION...1 1.1
Background of the Study and Motivation...1 1.2 Purpose of the Study...5 1.3 Significance of the Study...5 1.4 Research Questions...7 1.5 Definitions of
Terms...8 CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW...10 2.1 Classification of Language Learning Strategies...10 2.2 Research on Learner Factors Affecting Language Learning Strategy Use...19 2.2.1 Gender and Strategy Use...21 2.3 Research on Language Learning Strategies in Taiwan...22 2.3.1 Strategy Use among University Students...23 2.3.2 Strategy Use among Junior/Senior High School Students...25 2.3.3 Strategy Use among Elementary School Students...26 2.4 The Development of Multiple Intelligence Theories...27 2.4.1 The Introduction of Eight Intelligences...27 2.4.2 Practicing and Integrating Multiple Intelligences in Class.30 2.4.3 Research on Multiple Intelligences in Taiwan...32 2.5 Learning Attitudes...33 CHAPTER III:
METHODOLOGY...36 3.1 Participants...36 3.2
Instrumentation...36 3.3 Data Analysis...38 3.4 Results of Pilot
Study...38 CHAPTER IV: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION...47 4.1 The Broad Profile of Overall Strategy Use by the Subjects...47 4.2 The Most and Least Used Strategies for the Males, Females, and the Full
Samples...49 4.3 Gender Differences in LLSU, MI, and Learner Attitudes...53 4.4 Correlations among LLSU, MI, Learner Attitudes, and Length of Language Study...55 4.5 LLSU of Students with Different Degrees of Positive Learning Attitudes ...57 CHAPTER FIVE
CONCLUSION...62 5.1 Summary of Major Findings...62 5.2 Implications for Pedagogical Practice...63 5.3 Limitation of the Study...66 5.4 Recommendations for Future Study...66 REFERENCES...67 APPENDICES...77 APPENDIX A: Strategy Inventory for Language Learning...77 APPENDIX B: Multiple-intelligence
Questionnaire...79 APPENDIX C: Language Learning Attitudes Questionnaire...81 LIST OF TABLES Table 2.1 Rubin’s Language Learning Strategy System...12 Table 2.2 O’Malley, Chamot, Stewner-Manzanares, Kupper, and Russo
’s Definitions of Learning Strategies...14 Table 2.3 An Overview of Language Learning Strategies...15 Table 2.4 An Overview of Memory, Cognitive, and Compensation Strategies, Metacognitive, Affective, and Social Strategies.15 Table 3.1 Means and Standard Deviations of Students’ Scores on Strategy Use, Multiple Intelligences, and Attitudes...40 Table 3.2
Means and Standard Deviations of the Five Most Frequently Used Learning Strategies...41 Table 3.3 Means and Standard Deviations of the Five Least Frequently Used Learning Strategies...42 Table 3.4 Independent-sample t-Test Results of Gender Differences in Strategy Use, Multiple Intelligences, and Attitude...43 Table 3.5 MANOVA Test Results of Gender Differences in the Use of Strategies in Different Categories...44 Table 3.6 Pearson Correlations between Strategy Use, Multiple Intelligences, and Learning Attitudes...44 Table 4.1 Students’ Scores on Strategy Use, Multiple Intelligences, and Attitudes...48 Table 4.2 Five Most Frequently Used Learning Strategies by Males, Females, and the Full Sample...50 Table 4.3 Five Least Frequently Used Learning Strategies by Males, Females, and the Full Sample...52 Table 4.4 MANOVA of Gender Differences in Overall Strategy Use, Multiple Intelligences,and Learning Attitudes...54 Table 4.5 MANOVA of Gender Differences in the Use of Different Strategies ...54 Table 4.6 Pearson Correlations between Strategy Use, Multiple Intelligences, Learning Attitudes, and Years of Learning the Language ...56 Table 4.7 Pearson Correlations between Student Scores on Six Strategy Categories, Multiple Intelligences, and Learning Attitudes...57 Table 4.8 Distribution of Positive Learning Attitudes...58 Table 4.9 Means and Standard Deviations Indicating Strategy Use of the Sample by Different Degree of Positive Learning Attitudes...58 Table 4.10 MANOVA in the Strategy Use by Students at Different Degree of Positive Learning Attitudes...60 Table 4.11 The Five Most Frequently Used Learning Strategies by High-PLA Students...61
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