The effect of Chinese ESL learners’ beliefs on their autonomous learning

Loading...
Thumbnail Image

Supplementary material

Other Title

Authors

Zhong, Qunyan (Maggie)

Author ORCID Profiles (clickable)

Degree

Grantor

Date

2010-12

Supervisors

Type

Journal Article

Ngā Upoko Tukutuku (Māori subject headings)

Keyword

Chinese learners
autonomy
autonomous learning
learners’ beliefs
self-efficacy
learning behavior

Citation

Zhong, Q. (2010). The effect of Chinese ESL learners’ beliefs on their autonomous learning. SiSAL Journal, 1(3), 212-225. Available from http://sisaljournal.org/archives/dec10/zhong

Abstract

What beliefs do Chinese learners hold about language learning? What is the effect of these beliefs on their autonomous learning? These are the two questions that this study aims to address. I employed naturalistic inquiry (Lincoln & Guba, 1985) to investigate five Chinese ESL learners’ beliefs about language learning and their learning behaviour. A number of instruments (interviews, classroom observations and stimulated recall, learning logs) were used to collect triangulated data over a 12-week period. Following standard procedures of qualitative data analysis, I identified five categories of learners’ beliefs. The results revealed that the beliefs that the learners held were context-specific, reflecting their learning experiences. Some of them were conducive to learning autonomy while others were not. The beliefs influenced the level of the learners’ autonomy. The study suggests that educators should take into account learners’ beliefs when promoting autonomous learning.

Publisher

Kanda University of International Studies

Link to ePress publication

DOI

Copyright holder

Qunyan Zhong

Copyright notice

This article may be used for research, teaching and private study purposes. Please contact the author for permission to re-print elsewhere.

Copyright license