Use Of Language Learning Strategies Research Articles

INFORMATION PROCESSING AS LEARNING STRATEGY: THE CASE OF GRAPHIC ORGANISERS

The use of information processing is one of many language learning skills learners can use to help them strategize their learning. One example of information processing is through the use of graphic organisers. It has been reported that learners use different strategies to lean a new language. However, the use of these language learning strategies is further facilitated with the help of graphic organisers. Furthermore, using graphic organisers is compensatory strategy where leaners replaces written information to pictures. While doing so, learners are able to use their metacognitive strategies to make plans for more learning. In addition to that, learning another language is less challenging when they do not have as much previous background of words as they had in their mother tongue. The use of graphic organisers helped learners learn language in a less wordy way; perhaps even in a less threatening environment. This quantitative case study used survey as the instrument to investigate how language learners fell about the use of graphic organisers as part of their language-related activities. The instrument uses 5 Likert scale and has 4 sections. Section A is the demographic profile, section B is the Cognitive Overload, section C is the Schema and Section D is the Dual Coding. Findings revealed interesting pedagogical implications towards the use of graphic organisers in the language classrooms. Article visualizations:

Learner Autonomy and its Existing Practices: A Comparison between EFL Students of Various Disciplines in the Context of Pakistan

Learner autonomy refers to a state where a learner seeks the understanding of the concepts more independently, takes charge of his own learning and becomes more motivated and self-supportive towards the learning procedures. The present study explored the existing practices of EFL learners with reference to autonomy practices, in the context of Punjab, Pakistan. The autonomy of the learners was examined through their use of foreign language learning strategies. The sample of the study consisted of 104 university students from arts and science groups. The results indicated that the students of science group were using more autonomous learning strategies as compared to the arts group.

Exploring a language learning history: The journey of self-discovery from the perspectives of individual differences

Exploring a language learning history can help researchers, teachers, and students to reveal and understand various individual difference factors which positively or negatively influence language learning activities and strategy use. In this paper, I examined my English language learning history and delved into challenges and factors to overcome them and activate my autonomy. Based on the analysis of my learning history, three main themes were indicated: a) motivational shifts and goal-setting theory, b) learning beliefs and goal setting, and c) the relationship between learning strategy use and teachers’ influence. Furthermore, my learning history also illustrated that I tended to change all these features through both successful and unsuccessful experiences. Among them, goal-setting seems to be the most significant factor for me to study the target language. With clear learning objectives, I overcame many challenges and sustained high motivation by utilising various types of learning strategies and having positive learner beliefs. Accordingly, noticeable relationships among motivation, learner belief, and learning strategy use were revealed through my learning history log.

An Analysis on The Students’ Language Learning Strategies in Learning English

<p align="center">Abstract</p><p>This study revealed the students’ language learning strategies in learning English. This study conducted on descriptive design which used quantitative approach to analyze the data. Therefore, the data is collected through Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) Questionnaire. The populations in this research were 116 students, while 90 of them were used as sample. The researcher uses purposive sampling as the technique sampling to select the sample.</p><p>The findings of the language learning strategies used by the students with high level of achievement and the students with low level of achievement are the students with high level of achievement is better than students with low level of achievement in the use of language learning strategies because they have higher average score in the use of six strategies, namely memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, affective and social strategies. The finding of the use of language learning strategies by female and male students are female students is better in the use of language learning strategies because they get higher average score.</p><p>The teachers should be equipped with a lot of strategies that they will be able to propose to students so that they can deal with difficult academic task. The teachers should design activities that the students use a variety of strategies and after the completion of the task they should held a discussion session with students about the strategies that they use, whether these strategies proved to be useful or not. In his way, the teachers have opportunity to see the success each students in the use of the strategies, the students will be able to see what their appropriate strategies use. Thus, they will be given the opportunity to make self evaluation, decide which is better for them or learn an alternative way of doing a particular task.</p><p>Keyword: Language, Second Language Acquisition, Language Learning Strategies.</p>

The use of Self-regulated Language Learning Strategies Among Vietnamese English-majored Freshmen: A Case Study

Self-regulation of learning plays a vital role in improving second/foreign language learning as it can encourage the development of autonomous learners. It is seen that, nevertheless, ESL/EFL learners in different contexts are not fully aware of the importance of self-regulated language learning (SRLL) strategies in their English language learning. The present study, therefore, aims at investigating the use of SRLL strategies by English-majored students at a university in Bac Lieu province, Vietnam. This study involved 100 English-majored freshmen in answering a closed-ended questionnaire. The results showed that students sometimes used SRLL strategies, and they used SRLL strategies for keeping and monitoring records and seeking social assistance more often than for other purposes. The findings imply that students lacked knowledge of how to use SRLL strategies and get engaged in using SRLL strategies. This study recommends that students’ awareness of SRLL strategies should be seriously taken into account in order to facilitate their learner autonomy.

Gender and Age Differences in the Use of Language Learning Strategies by Junior and Senior High School Students

In learning English as a foreign language, language learning strategies (LLS) is undoubtedly important. Therefore, most of language learners need to employ LLS in learning language effectively. However, LLS have a uniqueness that is each learner may employ LLS differently and it usually depends on some factors. The factors which usually affect LLS preferences among others are motivation, socioeconomic status, parental support, age, gender, etc. This current study tries to explore this phenomenon by administering Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) to 118 participants, consisted of 66 junior high school students and 52 senior high school students in Paciran, East Java. It is used for measuring the strategies that is used by the language learners in learning English. Interview is also administered as the supporting data to gain the missing information which cannot be obtained from the SILL. The results indicated that there was no significant difference between male and female students in LLS preferences whereas there was a statistically significant difference between younger and older learners in employing LLS; the young learners tended to use LLS more frequent than the older. Therefore, it can be strongly assumed that the age factor is more important than the gender factor in terms of the LLS preferences. Since, this current study showed that both male and female language learners tend to employ LLS in the same frequency level.

PREFERENCE IN LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGIES (LLS) OF THE STUDENTS IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MUHAMMADIYAH JEMBER

The present study aims at investigating the patterns of language learning strategy use employed by the sixth semester students of English language education program at the University of Muhammadiyah Jember. To achieve this objective, Oxford’s Strategy Inventory of Language Learning (SILL) (1990) along with a background questionnaire (a modified version of Oxford’s background questionnaire) were administered to the participants. The findings indicate that the research participants use language learning strategies at a high rate (more than 60%), but with differences in type and frequency of the individual learning strategies. The students reported a high frequent use of metacognitive and cognitive strategies. Other types of language learning strategies are also used by the students, although the frequency is lower than the previous two strategies. Based on the findings of the present study, some pedagogical implication were suggested to encourage students to reflect on their own strengths and weaknesses in skills and content courses and self-regulate learning so as to make progress with teachers’ assistance. 
 Keywords: language learning strategies (LLS); Strategy Inventory of Language Learning (SILL); memory strategies; cognitive strategies; metacognitive strategies; socio-affective strategies; compensation strategies.

Investigating the relationship between Iranian EFL learners’ use of language learning strategies and foreign language skills achievement

This mixed methods study aimed at examining the relationship between EFL learners’ use of language learning strategies and the extent to which they achieved foreign language skills, namely writing,...

The Effect of Autonomous Learning on Language Proficiency and Use of Language Learning Strategies for the Moroccan Baccalaureate Learners

Autonomous Learning (AL) as a teaching concept has been widely approved of as a highly sophisticated promoter of efficient language teaching and learning. It is a pedagogical philosophy that is believed to enhance the quality of lifelong learning by accentuating the learner’s presence as an active partcipant in the teaching-learning operation. In fact, developing effective autonomy-enhancing methodologies and devising appropriate and practical activities that may nurture the sense of learning responsibility and promote the teacher’s classroom presence as assistant and guide has attracted considerable attention in the realm of applied linguistics ever since the early 1960’s. In the same vein, this paper aims to tackle the issue of AL in the Moroccan secondary school environment and how incorporating it into the classroom can increase Baccalaureate graders’ language proficiency (LP) and their use of language learning strategies (LLS). Two groups (control and experimental) of twenty students each were involved in a one- year- long experiment to demostrate how training learners to become autonomous, through the systematic use of the learner development program (LDP) that was devised by Sharles and Zsabo (2000), would advance their LP and their ability to effectively use LLS. The results show that the level of LP and use of LLS can improve when teachers engage their learners in autonomy-enhancing activities in a consistent and systematic manner.

On Cultivating Learning Autonomy of English Major Students in China

Learning autonomy is a hot research topic in the field of foreign language education in recent years. It emphasizes that learners should learn to manage their own learning process in order to improve their autonomous learning ability. Even though scholars have different understandings about learner autonomy, they all agree that promoting learner autonomy is an important goal of foreign language education. For English major students in China, there is a great necessity to cultivate their learning autonomy due to the rapid development of information society, the goal of modern foreign language education, the particularity of language learning, and even the individual differences between language learners. However, the status quo of Chinese English major students’ learning autonomy is worrying. They not only lack the awareness of learning autonomy, but also lack the abilities of interaction and cooperation. Furthermore, they have a poor use of language learning strategies and poor abstract thinking ability and self-control. Based on the necessity and status quo of English major students’ learning autonomy in China, this paper puts forward many measures for cultivating English majors’ autonomous learning abilities. From the perspective of school education system and environment, measures like giving English teachers greater autonomy in teaching, the reform of graded teaching for English majors, and establishing autonomous learning centers for English major students are recommended. From the perspective of teachers and classroom teaching, the measures include improvement of English teachers’ awareness of learning autonomy, the change of English classroom teaching model, and guidance and training of systematic learning strategies. From the perspective of students and extracurricular learning, the following measures can be taken, which are strengthening of students’ awareness of being independent, effective use of various learning resources and cooperative learning, and being a reflective learner.

Language learning and learning strategy use in international university students’ English as a lingua franca communication

English as a lingua franca (ELF) has received wide interest in the past decades from researchers, teachers, and users of English in general. The present study investigates whether or not speakers of English approach ELF contexts not only as contexts for communication, but also as contexts for language learning. Interview data was collected from 12 international university students in Czechia and Hungary to explore if indeed they believe they are using ELF communication for their own language learning, and if so, what learning strategies they use. Results show that these English speakers are indeed learning in these contexts and employ a variety of strategies to do so. Implications for how secondary school English language instruction might prepare students for learning while using English as a lingua franca are discussed

Language Learning Strategies Use and Challenges Faced by Taiwanese EFL Learners

Because of the effect of the globalization, Taiwanese EFL junior high school students are forced to learn English well in order to pass the senior high school entering exam. This study aimed to investigate the language learning strategy preference of Taiwanese EFL junior high school students, the correlation between language learning strategy and language learning motivation, and the students’ reading difficulties. In this research, twenty-five Taiwanese EFL junior high school students are asked to fill out the questionnaires about language learning strategy and language learning motivation. The findings presented Taiwanese EFL junior high school students preferred to use cognitive strategy, metacognitive strategy, and social strategy. The similarities of these three strategies are that students preferred doing more exercises or drills, practicing with peers or native speakers to improve their language learning abilities. On the other hand, the correlation between language learning strategy and language learning motivation is medium. It means if the students make good use of these language learning strategies, it will increase their self-confidence and learning achievement, and stimulate their learning motivation. At the same time, no matter what level of reading achievement the students are, they were lack of vocabulary bank and the background of the grammars and syntax. The application of language learning strategy will not only enhance learning achievement or motivation but also help them build vocabulary bank. Thus, language learning strategy is a significant and useful tool for EFL learners.

The Use of Language Learning Strategy (LLS) to Master the Reading Skills among the Special Remedial Students Year One

Failure to master the basic skills of reading, writing and Counting (3M) among primary school pupils in the country is still ongoing. The performance gap of the 3M skills mastery between mainstream pupils and remedial pupils remains noticeable. The Failure of some teachers to implement remedial programs resulting in students being left behind in the learning proses. This study aims to explore the most effective language learning strategy (LLS) practices to master the reading skills for the Malay language subjects in Year 1 special remedial program in primary school students. This qualitative study uses case study design. This study uses the Searchlight Model. A special remedial teacher and a total of 20 special remedial students from a primary school in the northern Kinta district, Perak was selected by the state. Data review is obtained through observations, document review, and interviews. Data is analyzed using a continuous method of analysis. Reading skills are the main focus of research participants, the study will be able to contribute to the remedial education in mastering of Malay reading skills to provide the most effective exposure of the LLS practices in remedial teacher teaching by discovering the teaching Model of a remedial teacher.

Unsuccessful language learners: the content of the notion and the typology

The necessity to improve effectiveness and efficiency in education forces teachers and scholars to create and implement new forms of interventions. Unsuccessful language learners need special consideration from the teachers to diagnose the courses of low performance and apply effective means to improve their performance in foreign language learning. Various problems which language learners face in second language acquisition lead to considering unsuccessful learners as a separate phenomenon. The comparison of the terms «unsuccessful learners» и «low performance learners» has shown that the former term comprises subjective learning assessment, whereas the latter term includes the assessment of the performance correspondence to certain criteria. The approach to unsuccessful learners typology is introduced which is based on the relations between four factors. Behavioural factor reflects the use or lack of language learning strategies use. Cognitive factor is based on the language aptitude scores and depends on the development of cognitive functions. Emotional factor is characterised by the emotional intelligence level. Linguistic factor is revealed in the comparison of the native and target languages as well as in the peculiarities of the first language speech. The further development of this typology will allow researchers to develop diagnostic tools to define the courses of failures and low performance and to create recommendations and tools for language teachers.

The Role of Personality Traits in the Choice and Use of Language Learning Strategies

The paper aims to investigate the relationships between foreign language learning strategies (FLLS) and personality traits among students of education and engineering sciences. Quantitative survey of self-report questionnaire was used to evaluate learning strategies and individual personality traits. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated and six linear regressions were conducted to test the predictive role of personality dimensions when language learning strategies were used as a criterion. The findings propose that students with different personality traits have different preferences when it comes to learning strategies. Two out of five personality traits from this study seem to have an important role in the prediction of the FLLS type used. While low Conscientiousness was predictive of more frequent usage of Cognitive and Compensation strategies, high Intellect was predictive of more frequent usage of Cognitive and Metacognitive strategies. The study points out the significance of managing students by meeting their personal differences in choosing learning strategies, and not by relying on the personality stereotypes that are predominant. The obtained results can help teachers to select appropriate learning strategies that match students' different personality types.

Language learning strategy reported choice by bilingual children in CLIL: The effect of age, proficiency and gender in L3 learners of English

Research on language learning strategies (LLS) has widely investigated the relationship between adult second language (L2) learners' choice and use of LLS and different learner factors such as proficiency, age and gender. In the present study, these three variables are investigated in relation to the choice of LLS focusing on primary school bilingual learners in a CLIL context. Using a revised version of Oxford’s (1990) survey, we collected data on the choice of LLS from Basque/Spanish bilingual learners of third language (L3) English in grades 5 and 6 primary education (age range 10–12; N = 131). Results show no differences in the amount and types of LLS chosen when proficiency and gender are considered separately. However, age seems to have a minimal effect in that grade 5 learners report using ‘Remembering’ more frequently than grade 6 ones. Additionally, proficiency seems to interact with gender in favour of males in that males in the lower beginner and beginner groups choose a wider range of LLS than females. However, this difference between males and females disappears in the upper beginner group. These findings are discussed in light of results from previous research of LLS choice by child L2 learners.

Analyzing the Relationship of English Language Learning Anxiety and English Language Learning Strategy Use Among English Major Undergraduates in Shi Jiazhuang, China

The study investigated the general state of foreign language learning anxiety and the relationship between foreign language learning anxiety and foreign language learning strategy among English major college students in Shi Jiazhuang, China. The quantitative research method was adopted in this study. The instruments were Foreign Language Class Anxiety Scale and Strategy Inventory Language Learning. The subjects were 400 English major students from Shi Jiazhuang College. The results showed that there exists a negative relationship between foreign language learning anxiety and the use of foreign language learning strategy. According to the findings of this study, it is necessary to reduce learners’ foreign language learning anxiety so as to apply more types of foreign language learning strategies efficiently, especially for those foreign language learners with high-level learning anxiety. Some suggestions were put forward for pedagogical implications, which will make Chinese learners be more successful during the process for foreign language acquisition.

Investigating language learning strategies: Prospects, pitfalls and challenges

Major advances have been made in research on language learning strategies (LLS) since it was triggered by good language learner studies (e.g. Rubin, 1975). Numerous accounts of strategy use have been compiled, key classifications have been proposed, some progress has been made towards furthering our understanding of the complex relationship between LLS use and attainment, an array of factors impacting strategy use has been investigated, some evidence has been gathered for the beneficial role of strategies-based instruction, and new data collection tools have been developed (see e.g. Cohen, 2011; Cohen & Griffiths, 2015; Cohen & Macaro, 2007; Griffiths, 2018, 2019; Griffiths & Oxford, 2014; Oxford, 2017; Oxford & Amerstorfer, 2018; Pawlak, 2011; Pawlak & Oxford, 2018). While acute problems related to the definition of LLS, their characteristics, their separation from regular learning activities or their actual utility have surely not disappeared, some promising solutions have been proposed (Griffiths, 2018; Oxford, 2017) and calls to abandon the concept have been countered (Dörnyei, 2005). This said, a question arises as to what can be done to move the field forward. Following a brief overview of existing research, the article tackles this issue with respect to the following areas: (1) foci of future research, (2) methodological choices, and (3) consideration of how research findings can inform pedagogy.

A Critical Review of Research on Language Learning Strategies used by Arab Learners of English

More than four decades have passed since the language learning strategy (LLS) concept was first brought to wide attention by Joan Rubin (1975). Although LLS research is prolific, it has faced challenges regarding its conceptual and methodological nature. These apparent weaknesses have encouraged some proponents of LLS research (e.g. Oxford, 2011; Rose et al, 2018) to conduct a systematic review of previous LLS research, with the aim of identifying the nature of the vigorous attempts to abandon the construct of LLS in research studies. Surprisingly, perhaps, these reviews did not include any LLS research studies concerning Arab learners. Therefore, this paper examines previous research into the LLSs used by Arab learners of English taken from different databases. The analysis has indicated that the majority (22 out of 27) of studies discovered were exclusively quantitative, using Oxford’s (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). These quantitative studies correlated the Arab participants’ LLS use with other individual learner variables, especially those related to gender and language proficiency. The other five were qualitative studies, and no study had adopted a mixed-method approach. This paper concludes by suggesting some areas that deserve further investigation in future research.

THE ROLE OF GENDER IN LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGIES AMONG MALE AND FEMALE STUDENTS AT JAZAN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

هدفت الدراسة إلى معرفة الاختلاف بين الذکور والإناث في استخدام استراتيجيات تعلم اللغة الانجليزية لدى طلاب المدارس الثانوية في جيزان و کانت أسئلة الدراسة على النحو التالي: س 1. ما هي استراتيجيات تعلم اللغة الانجليزية المباشرة الأکثر والأقل استخداما لدى الطلبة الذکور والإناث؟ س 2. ما هي استراتيجيات تعلم اللغة الانجليزية الغير مباشرة الأکثر والأقل استخداما لدى الطلبة الذکور والإناث؟ س 3. هل متغير الجندر (الجنس) يؤثر على استراتيجيات تعلم اللغة الانجليزية لدى الطلبة؟ وقد اختار الباحث عينه عشوائية مکونة من خمسين طالب وطالبة : عشرة طالبات من مدرسة جحا الثانوية و أربعون طالبا من مدرسة العز الثانوية للبنين في جيزان. وکانت أداة الدراسة المستخدمة لجمع المعلومات هى استبانه استراتيجيات اللغة الانجليزية (أکسفورد, 1990). حيث أظھرت النتائج أن استخدام الاستراتيجيات المباشرة کان عند المستوى العالي لدى الطلبة، فتفوقن الإناث على الذکور في استخدام الاستراتيجيات المباشرة بمعدل ( 3.57 ) وبمعدل ) 3.55 ( للذکور. حيث کانت الاستراتيجيات المعرفية الأعلى استخدام بينما کانت الاستراتيجيات التذکرية الأقل استخدام. وقد أظھرت النتائج کذلک أن استخدام الاستراتيجيات غير المباشرة کان عند المستوى المتوسط لدى الطلبة, حيث تفوق الإناث على الذکور في استخدام الاستراتيجيات غير المباشرة بمعدل( 3.35 ( وبمعدل ( 33.3 ) للذکور. فکانت الاستراتيجيات العاطفية الأعلى استخدام. بينما کانت الاستراتيجيات الاجتماعية الأقل استخدام. وأشارت النتائج بأن لا يوجد فرق کبير واثر في استخدام استراتيجيات تعلم اللغة الانجليزية بين الذکور والإناث. ولکن الفروق ذات التأثير العالي في استخدام الاستراتيجيات العاطفية والمعرفية لصالح الإناث. وبناء على هذه الدراسة قدم الباحث مجموعة من الاقتراحات والتوصيات ومن أهمها, تکثيف التدريب بما فيما يتعلق باستخدام استراتيجيات التذکر والاستراتيجيات الاجتماعية لأنها احتلت المرتبة الأدنى. و أشار الباحث إلى أهمية توسيع العينة المستخدمة لتشمل عدة مدارس وجامعات و ذلک من اجل تحقيق أهداف تربوية. وکما يمکن توسيع العينة لتشمل خبراء التربية, المعلمين, الطلاب و أولياء أمورهم. وهذا يؤدي لدراسة جميع المجالات التي تؤثر في تحسين استخدام استراتيجيات تعلم اللغة الانجليزية لدى الطلبة. Abstract This study aims to investigate gender variation in the use of English language learning strategies by male and female students at Jazan Secondary Schools. The study has attempted to answer the following questions: Q1. What are the most and the least frequently used direct language learning strategies among students at Jazan Secondary School? Q2. What are the most and the least frequently used indirect language learning strategies among students at Jazan Secondary School? Q3. Does the variable of gender affect language learning strategies among students at Jazan Secondary School? The researcher randomly chose a sample consisting of (50) students, (10) females from Joha Secondary School and (40) males from Al- Ez Secondary School in Jazan. For data collection, the researcher used LLSs questionnaire (Oxford 1990). The results showed that the mean of direct strategies of LLSs for females and males was between 3.57 and 3.59, respectively in favour of females at high level. The highest rank was Cognitive strategies, while the lowest rank was Memory strategies. The results also showed that the mean of indirect LLSs for females and males was between 3.35 and 3.33, respectively. The highest rank was Affective strategies, while the lowest rank was Social strategies. In general, the results showed that gender had no significant differences in the use of strategies among female and male students, but they showed significant differences between females and males in their use of Cognitive and Affective strategies in favor of female. Depending on these findings, the researcher recommends more training in using Social and Memory strategies because they are the lowest rank. The researcher recommends that the sample may be expanded to cover many schools and universities. To achieve pedagogical objectives, the sample may be expanded to cover educational experts, teachers, students and parents.