An investigation of learner autonomy and strategies for coping with speaking problems in relation to success in English speaking classes


Tezin Türü: Yüksek Lisans

Tezin Yürütüldüğü Kurum: Orta Doğu Teknik Üniversitesi, Eğitim Fakültesi, Yabancı Diller Eğitimi Bölümü, Türkiye

Tezin Onay Tarihi: 2008

Öğrenci: BURCU GÖKGÖZ

Danışman: GÖLGE SEFEROĞLU

Özet:

The present study was conducted at Dumlupinar University, Department of Foreign Languages Preparatory Classes to investigate the relationship between degrees of learner autonomy, use of strategies for coping with speaking problems and success in speaking class of the participants. To determine the degree of correlation among degree of learner autonomy, use of strategies for coping with speaking problems and success in speaking class, 102 participants were distributed a questionnaire. The questionnaire asked the participants to self report the strategies they use when they have problems during speaking English and also to report their degree of learner autonomy as an English language learner by choosing one of the items on the questionnaire. Following the completion of the questionnaire the quantitative data analysis method was performed via SPSS (Statistical Package of Social Sciences) 13.0 by conducting ANOVA and MANOVA tests and some descriptive statistics. v As a result, the results of the study revealed that learners with low speaking grades are worse than learners with high speaking grades during the use of strategies for coping with speaking problems on the whole. Similarly, learners with low speaking grades also reported themselves as less autonomous when compared to high proficiency learners of English, although the difference is not significant between the group of learners in average speaking grade level and high grade level.