The role of students’ individual differences in language learning strategy choice

Abstract

In the article, theoretical-and methodological approaches of modern scholars to the issue of implementing learning strategies into the process of teaching foreign languages are ascertained. The development of strategies and the strategy repertoire along with factors that influence the choice of strategies and their transfer to different learning contexts is considered. Strategy instruction and its impact on language learners are observed. The variety and diversity of factors affecting the choice and the use of learning strategies, namely, motivation, learner autonomy, self-regulation, prior learning experience and students’ beliefs, which determine individual choice of language learning strategies by students of higher education establishments are analyzed. The transfer of general learning strategies to new learning contexts, notably to learning foreign languages, and the predictive value they have in language achievement is defined. The value and importance of learning strategies and the relationship between success, achievement and performance and examined. The teaching of the wide scope of strategies to language students to help them become more efficient, effective and productive is addressed. Possible differences in learning strategy types and frequency of strategy use in low and high strategy users as well as high and low achievers of foreign language learners are identified. Research needs to be conducted to find more efficient ways of training learners to use language learning strategies effectively. The length, the amount and the type of strategy instruction that has more impact on the students’ adoption of learning of strategies should be scrutinized. The type of strategies that learners are more susceptible to accept and adopt not only in the short term but also in the long term should be analyzed. No study has been conducted in the general set of strategies which beginner learners of English transfer from their general repertoire of strategies to language learning as the primary tools to face language learning and the extent to which these strategies will help them in attaining success in language learning.