Language Learning Strategies Use in Teaching the Writing Skill for EFL Algerian Learners

Abstract

Language learning strategies (LLSs) have been the focus of an enormous number of foreign language studies. However, many researches in this field have not been thoroughly examined especially in relation to the writing skill. For this reason, the current study investigates Strategy Based Instruction (SBI) implementation in the writing skill, particularly for students of English at the Intensive Language Teaching Center of Mostaganem University, Algeria, to enable them find out which strategies that best suit them, and most importantly, to employ cooperative learning strategies so as to enhance their writing. It aims also at raising students ‘awareness of the strategies use, identifying them and providing opportunities for practice and self-assessment. More importantly, the research is an attempt to investigate whether there is any significant difference in students’ writing achievement after the implementation of SBI. Students are, then, tested before and after applying SBI that encompasses Oxford’s six kinds of LLSs, cooperative learning strategies and POWER strategy which is an acronym for plan, organize, write, edit and revise. To collect data, students’ writing paragraph samples are analysed based on five checklist assessment rubrics: focus, content, organization, style and conventions. The results showed that there was a significant difference in all students’ writings after integrating SBI. Therefore, more practice should be allotted to writing instruction so as to pave the way of facilitating the development of more confident, more strategic, and in particular, more autonomous and successful language learners.