The influence of personality traits on the use of Memory English Language Learning Strategies

Seyed Hossein Fazeli

doi:10.17485/ijst/2012/v5i7.9

Abstract

The present study aims to find out the influence of personality traits on the choice and use of Memory English Language Learning Strategies (MELLSs) for learners of English as a foreign language, and the role of personality traits in the prediction of use of such Strategies. Four instruments were used, which were Adapted Inventory for Memory English Language Learning Strategies based on Memory category of Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) of Rebecca L. Oxfords (1990), A Background Questionnaire, NEO-Five Factors Inventory (NEO-FFI), and Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Two hundred and thirteen Iranian female university level learners of English language as a university major in Iran, were volunteer to participate in this research work. The intact classes were chosen. The results show that however, there is a significant relationship between four traits of personality and the choice and use of MELLSs, but personality traits cannot be as a strong predictor with high percent of contribution to predict the choice and use of the MELLSs. Keywords: Memory language learning strategies, English learning, Personality traits

Highlights

Since individual differences have been identified as variables influencing language learning outcome (Skehan, 1989; Larsen-Freeman & Long, 1991); and as it was shown by the study of Marttinen (2008), the high percent of source of learners’ knowledge comes from teachers; Horwitz (1988) encourages teachers to discover the prescriptive belief of their own students
Since LLSs are not innate but learnable (Oxford, 1994), there are broad justifications have been offered for the evaluation of personality traits as a predictor of Memory English Language Learning Strategies (MELLSs)
The premise underlying line of this research is that success in MELLSs plays an important role in affecting learners’ English language learning process

Summary

Introduction

Since individual differences have been identified as variables influencing language learning outcome (Skehan, 1989; Larsen-Freeman & Long, 1991); and as it was shown by the study of Marttinen (2008), the high percent of source of learners’ knowledge comes from teachers; Horwitz (1988) encourages teachers to discover the prescriptive belief of their own students. As same as the other two questioners (NEO-FFI and Background Questionnaire), adapted MELLSs inventory was checked through back translation into English by three English teachers, and three psychologists who were fully proficient in both languages (English and Persian), in order to check the consistency with English version, and based on the pilot study was performed. Since Cronbach's alpha is one of the standard ways of expressing a test’s reliability (Foster, 1998); the reliability of our experimental measures were assessed by calculating Cronbach's alpha over the items of the three instruments across all the participants in the current study which were found 0.73 for Adapted Inventory for Memory English Language Learning Strategies, 0.82 for NEO-FFI,

Openness to Experiences

Memory Strategies

Adjusted R Square

Total Regression

Findings

Conscientious ness