Abstract

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Title:: Dynamic Selection and Development of Strategies in Learning Chinese as a Second Language:A Longitudinal Study

Keywords:: Chinese as a second language; learning strategy; selection; development; longitudinal study

Abstract:: This study conducted a longitudinal observation on the use of strategies in learning Chinese as a second language to reveal the characteristics and laws of language learning strategies. Using a customized Chinese learning Strategy Questionnaire, we investigated the use of Chinese learning strategies by 42 native English speakers at four time points(3, 6, 12 and 18 months), measured the magnitude of and change in the use of learning strategies over time. In this paper, we describe the trajectory of the change in the learning process and analyze the relationship between the development of strategy use, the learning content, and individual cognition. The results show that learners’ use of strategies is selective at different stages of second language learning. Over a certain span of time, the use of strategies shows a nonlinear development trend. The use of language learning strategies varies with the situation of language problems and individual cognition. This study has enriched the second language acquisition theory and provided empirical evidence for strategy intervention in Chinese learning.