摘 要

学习心理是研究学习过程和提高学习效率的重要因素。近年来，学生英语学习中的心理变量逐渐被重视。本文通过问卷法，对203名非英语专业大学生的英语学习自我效能感，元认知策略水平和大学英语四级考试成绩状况进行调查研究，并探讨三者之间的关系。研究结果表明，大学生英语学习自我效能感，元认知策略和英语学业水平三个变量间呈显著正相关，并且低分组学生和高分组学生在自我效能感和元认知策略水平上存在显著差异。研究结果强调了自我效能感和元认知策略的重要性，以及在英语学习和教学中的实践意义。

关键词：英语学习；自我效能感；元认知策略；大学英语四级考试

Abstract

Learning psychology, a vital factor of improving efficiency in English learning and teaching, has gained more attention in recent years. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among undergraduates’ self-efficacy, meta-cognitive strategies and academic achievement in English study. In order to assess the level of self-efficacy beliefs, meta-cognitive strategies and CET-4 scores, questionnaires were distributed to203EFL learners in a major university in China. The findings of the study indicated that self-efficacy, meta-cognitive strategies and academic achievement in English study were positively correlated with each other. Moreover, significant differences in self-efficacy and meta-cognitive strategies were found between low-score students and high-score students. These results point to the importance of self-efficacy and meta-cognitive strategies as well as the necessity of applying these psychological factors into English learning and teaching.

Key Words:English learning; self-efficacy; meta-cognitive strategies; CET-4

Contents

1 Introduction 1

2 Literature Review 3

2.1 Self-efficacy 3

2.2 Meta-cognitive strategies 5

2.3 Relationship among self-efficacy, meta-cognitive strategies and academic achievement in English learning 7

3 Research Methodology 8

3.1 Research Questions 8

3.2 Participants 8

3.3 Instruments 8

3.3.1 Questionnaire of self-efficacy in English learning 9

3.3.2 Questionnaire of meta-cognitive strategies in English learning 9

3.4 Procedures 10

4 Results 11

4.1 Descriptive statistics of self-efficacy, meta-cognitive strategies and academic achievements in English learning 11

4.2 Difference in self-efficacy and meta-cognitive strategies between high-score students and low-score students 12

4.3 The correlation analysis of self-efficacy, meta-cognitive strategies and academic achievements in English study 13

5 Discussion 15

5.1 Self-efficacy of EFL learners 15

.2Meta-cognitive strategies of EFL learners 16

5.3 Relationship among self-efficacy, meta-cognitive strategies and academic achievements of EFL learners 16

6 Conclusions 19

References 21

Appendix 24

Acknowledgements 28

Correlation among Self-efficacy, Meta-cognitive Strategies and CET-4 Scores

1 Introduction

With the emerging popularity of English across the globe as well as an increasing number of undergraduates in China, the methodology of learning and teaching English as a foreign language has received intensive attention. There has been great amount of research on linguistic skills and learning strategies in English study, nevertheless, in recent years, the emphasis of second language acquisition swift gradually from teaching methodology into cognitive procedure and learning psychology of language learners with various personal features (Shu amp; Zhuang, 1996). As two psychological variables, self-efficacy and meta-cognitive strategies, proposed by Bandura (1986) and Flavell (1976), attain a vital position among researchers both at home and abroad.

In 1986, American psychologist Bandura proposed the concept of self-efficacy, which is a non-cognitive skill linked with individual’s capacity on certain tasks or fields (Bandura, 1986). After years of studying, Bandura (1997) finds that self-efficacy is the most vital and fundamental one among all motivational factors which are closely related with individuals’ behaviors. The strong impact of self-efficacy on language learning receives wide attention from both psychologists and educators. Through cognitive, motivational, affective, and selection processes, self-efficacy exerts influence on many aspects of learning and studying. According to previous studies, students’ self-efficacy plays an important role in the process of learning English as a foreign language.

As a member of learning strategies, meta-cognitive strategy was proposed by Flavell in 1976. It is of great importance in the field of education as well as psychology. Compared with other learning strategies, the application of meta-cognitive strategies has fewer limitations such as individual cognitive modes and learning habits. With wider influence, it is more likely to essentially improve students’ self-learning ability and deepen their understanding towards study tasks. For years, a number of studies have been conducted by foreign and Chinese scholars to interpret the influence of meta-cognitive strategies in English learning.

Self-efficacy and meta-cognitive strategies were constantly proved to be significant factors of independent study and academic achievement. Although cognitive strategies, including perceiving, memorizing, reasoning, etc., are indispensable in English learning and teaching, they should be employed in different situations in accordance with personal features. However, the utilization of self-efficacy and meta-cognitive strategies benefits students in all aspects of study and every time period. Therefore, the exploration of self-efficacy and meta-cognitive is of great importance for both teachers and students. From the perspective of teachers, they are able to obtain a clear understanding of students’ learning psychology, exert specific teaching method on students in different learning levels and at the same time, enhance teaching efficiency by spending efforts in improving students’ self-efficacy as well as enriching their meta-cognitive strategies. As for non-English majors, the awareness of self-efficacy and meta-cognitive strategies could offer better control of their psychological states and deeper understanding of the essence of learning English so that their enthusiasm of learning English could be improved with higher test grades. This paper focuses on self-efficacy, meta-cognitive strategies, and CET-4 scores to explore their implied relationships.

2 Literature Review

This part is intended to introduce the theories of self-efficacy and meta-cognitive strategies. It begins with an introduction of the definition, importance and source of self-efficacy as well as relevant studies. Then, meta-cognitive strategies, including its concept, subscales, and significance, are discussed with previous research. In the last part of the literature review, an analysis of previous outcomes of the relationship among self-efficacy, meta-cognitive strategies and academic achievement indicates the importance of the current study.

2.1 Self-efficacy

The concept of self-efficacy was proposed by American psychologist Bandura in 1986. After series of research, he defined self-efficacy as one’s personal judgment about how well he/she can deal with a specific task (Bandura, 1997). Before engaging in certain activities, individuals would evaluate their ability according to their previous experiences in those areas, which influence their present performance consciously or subconsciously. That is to say, self-efficacy is a subjective judgment rather than learners’ ability. The theory is grounded in the system of Bandura’s social cognitive theory.

Self-efficacy, as the core of motivational factors, is the decisive element of individual activities (Bandura, 1997). Serving as a relatively stable psychological trait, self-efficacy influences people’s performance and achievement through selection, cognitive, motivational and affective processes, affecting learners in perseverance, endeavor, cognitive strategy and meta-cognitive strategy (Feng amp; Chen, 2003). Academic self-efficacy is the specific use of self-efficacy in learning. It has been demonstrated that academic self-efficacy has strong connections with other important learning psychological variables such as attribution, goal-setting, anxiety, self-regulation, etc. (Li, 2008).

English learning self-efficacy of undergraduates, directly displayed in classroom tasks, homework and tests, is the subjective estimation of their abilities to learn and use English. The significance of self-efficacy in undergraduates’ English learning cannot be neglected. Bandura (2001) stated that perceived self-efficacy influenced the adoption of pessimistic or optimistic thinking and, thus, one’s approach to avoidance of tasks. Low self-efficacy belief may lead to their lack of passion and motivation in English learning with extra negative effects such as withdrawing and giving up easily in front of hard English study tasks. In those situations, students are inclined to worry about possible consequences of academic failure or overestimate their deficiency rather than concentrating on exploring ways to finish the tasks. From another aspect, real failure in English test can impair students’ confidence and self-efficacy, even leading to the appearance of anxiety or indifference towards English study. Hence, a vicious circle of English study would be established after a few rounds. On the contrary, undergraduates with higher self-efficacy are likely to adapt themselves to goals and tasks with higher standards. Confronting obstacles with positive minds, they are willing to challenge themselves and to improve their English proficiency by all kinds of possible methods. Moreover, they will recover at a high speed after suffering setbacks, trying to find their drawbacks and reasons from unexpected results. Therefore, positive attitude, scientific methods and effective habits of learning English are the features of highly efficacious students (Schunk, 1989; Zimmerman, 2000; Bian, 2003; Dong amp; Jin, 2007; Zhang, 2010; Yu amp; Zhang, 2010).

Four main sources of self-efficacy were proposed by psychologist Zimmerman (1992), including direct experience, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, and attribution style (Xie, 2010). Direct experience refers to previous personal experience with success and failure which would influence the level of self-efficacy on specific activities. In other words, successful practice enhances self-efficacy, while frustrating experience impairs it. Since direct experience provides individuals with fairly reliable and explicit evidence of their ability, it is the most influential source of self-efficacy (Bandura, 1986); vicarious experience indicates that individuals obtain self-efficacy by the means of observing others’ behavior. Watching others with similar ability succeed in certain task may raise their own self-efficacy; as for verbal persuasion, appreciation or criticism from a respective or persuasive person will affect students’ level of self-efficacy; attribution style means the way of how individuals understand and explain their success or failure. People who tend to make internal attribution are likely to ascribe their success to high competence while those who are prone to make external attribution will attribute their success to good luck or others’ help (Gao, 2000; Xie, 2010; Li amp; Zeng, 2003).