scholarly journals Female Students Use More Language Learning Strategies Than Male Students? - A Case Study of ESL Learners in a Macau Public University

Author(s):  
Don Yao

Abstract Language Learning Strategies (LLSs) as a pluralistic and pervasive strategic system (Yan & Zha, 2011, p. 1) always attaches great importance of Second Language Acquisition (SLA). Numerous researchers have been working on this topic since the 1970s. Also, since students differ from person to person in their adoption of learning strategies and the research on differences in individuals develops, the topic of gender differentiation has arisen in the LLSs. Research related to gender and LLSs has been brought to the forefront in the last three decades, and many studies have found that gender can have a significant impact on LLSs (Zafar, 2012, p. 640). In China, most of the previous studies in learning strategies have paid attention to age, motivation, aptitude, educational level, good language learners, etc. But not much has been done in terms of the perspective of gender. Also, as one of the special economic zones in China, researchers may neglect the importance of Macau for most of them have focused more on Hong Kong. This paper then investigated the use of LLSs by a group of ESL learners in a Macau public university. It emphasized the gender differences and aimed to find out how gender affected the use of LLSs. Quantitative research method was adopted in this paper. A total of 188 ESL learners (M = 92, F = 96) participated in this study. The instrument Oxford’s 50-item Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) questionnaire was used. In consideration of their English proficiency levels, Liao’s (2002) Chinese version of the SILL questionnaire was adopted so that it was easier for students to understand. Moreover, the statistical software SPSS 22.0 was used for statistical analysis. The major findings were that gender as a variable affected students’ strategy use with female students (`X = 3.26) more frequently used strategies than male students (`X = 3.22), and they both used metacognitive strategies the most (M:`X = 3.41; F: `X = 3.49) and memory strategies the least (M:`X = 3.01; F: `X = 3.11). In terms of gender and frequency of LLSs use, metacognitive strategies showed the strongest correlation (r = .88) and memory strategies showed the weakest (r = .64). To sum up, for students, they can learn English more efficiently and effectively with the guidance of proper learning strategies. And students with gender differentiation will use more useful strategies when learning a foreign language; For teachers, they can teach students with their actual needs with the help of learning strategies.

2014 ◽  
Vol 584-586 ◽  
pp. 2735-2739
Author(s):  
Yong Hong Sun ◽  
Ling Zheng ◽  
Xiao Wei Jiang ◽  
Tian Shuo Wang

The main purpose of the research is to find out the similarities or differences in employing foreign language learning strategies between female students and male students of Engineering Design Specialty. The investigation instruments included a questionnaire and Statistical Product and Service Solutions. There are altogether 41 valid questionnaires. The results show that both female students and male students of Engineering Design Specialty sometimes use the foreign language learning strategies at medium level. Male students use memory strategies, metacognitive strategies and affective strategies more frequently than female students, while female students use compensation strategies more frequently than male students. There is no statistically significant difference between female students and male students in using both direct learning strategies and indirect learning strategies, including memory strategies, compensation strategies, metacognitive strategies, affective strategies.


2018 ◽  
Vol III (I) ◽  
pp. 17-38
Author(s):  
Arshad Ali Khan ◽  
Sayyed Rashid Ali Shah ◽  
Hussain Ahmad

This study investigates the relation of language learning strategies, memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, social and affective strategy with the language performance of undergraduate students in ESL classroom. Data from the sample of 97 male and 63 female learners in a private university was collected through Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) by Oxford (1990), which is based on 50 items on the pattern of five-point Likert scale. Students’ GPA scores were collected for the relevant course in order to examine language performance. For descriptive and inferential statistics, the data have been analyzed through SPSS 15.0. The results showed a significant difference between used language strategy and performance. The cognitive and memory strategies were more significant while social and affective strategies were least significant. The study also revealed that female students used strategies more than male students, however gender did not play any significant role in language performance.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Niwayan Sukraini

Due to the importance of providing learning environment that suits the students’ preference in learning a language, many studies have been conducted on the learning strategies employed by the students. Doro and Habok (2013) investigated the learning strategies of Hungarian young students learning English as a foreign language. The instrument they used was the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) for adult. It was statistically found that the instrument was reliable and worked well with the young learners. Another result of the study was that meta-cognitive strategies were the most frequently used while compensation strategies were the least frequently employed by the students. The study also discovered that female students showed higher frequency of learning strategy use. I conducted a similar study on Indonesian young students and tried to compare the result. There will be, however, difference in the instrument to collect the data. After consulting an English teacher who teaches young students, I decided to use the modified SILL for Taiwanese children by Lan (2005). This is due to the consideration that Indonesian students might not be able to fill in the complex questionnaire as in the adult version of SILL.The findings show that Meta-cognitive strategies as the most preferred group of the six strategy categories have exactly the same means of both Doro and Habok’s and my studies i.e. 3.2 and female students appeared to use language learning strategies more frequently that male students.


2021 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 718-735
Author(s):  
Dr. Umer Alyas

The current study aims at investigating Iraqi EFL learners’ knowledge and preference of language learning strategies. Data are collected using two self-reported questionnaires; a background questionnaire and the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL, Oxford, 1990) with some modifications to meet the needs of this study. The following questions are asked: 1-Are students aware of the concept of LLS? 2- If yes, how much they know about it? 3- What are the kinds of LLS they employed in their learning? 4- What are their preferred strategies? The questionnaires are submitted to a total sample that consists of 77 students.  The results show that 80.5% of the students have no knowledge whatsoever about LLS. The rest of them (19.5%) shows confused and mixed information. Moreover, the metacognitive strategies are the most often used strategies with the highest “often” percentage of 53.1%. Next is the cognitive and memory strategies of 43.2% & 40.2 percentages respectively. These highest rates show the most preferred strategies used by the students in our department. As for the frequency of use, the metacognitive strategies are still the preferred and most frequently used with a total percentage of 92.6%. Memory strategies hold the second position with a total percentage of 90%. The rest shows the same range of frequency except the effective strategies that fall behind by approximately 10% to 15% less than the rest.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 143
Author(s):  
Nadhilah Abdul Pisal ◽  
Kamarul Shukri Mat Teh

Gender is one of the factors that distinguish the use of language learning strategies among students. Therefore, this study was carried out to determine the level and types of language learning strategies used by male and female students. Data were collected through questionnaires distributed to 350 form four students from 12 religious secondary schools in Kedah, Malaysia. Descriptive findings showed that both groups of students used the strategies at a moderate level except for the reading strategies which were highly employed by female students. The results of t-test analysis show that there is a significant difference on the overall use of the strategies and in the five main constructs of strategies based on gender. Overall, the female students were found to surpass the male students in the use of language learning strategies. However, the construct of listening strategies did not show significant difference result. In conclusion, the female students used language learning strategies more frequently than the male students. The implication of this study is that teachers can plan a variety of language activities to encourage the use of certain strategies by different genders.Keywords: Language learning strategies, language skills, strategies for language learning skills, Arabic language, gender.Cite as: Abdul Pisal, N. & Mat Teh, K.S. (2018). Perbezaan jantina dalam penggunaan strategi pembelajaran kemahiran berbahasa Arab [Gender differences in the use of strategies for Arabic language learning]. Journal of Nusantara Studies, 3(1), 143-153.http://dx.doi.org/10.24200/jonus.vol3iss1pp143-153  AbstrakPerbezaan jantina merupakan salah satu faktor yang didapati turut membezakan penggunaan strategi pembelajaran bahasa dalam kalangan pelajar. Oleh itu, kajian ini dijalankan untuk menentukan tahap dan jenis penggunaan strategi pembelajaran kemahiran berbahasa (SPKB) oleh pelajar lelaki dan pelajar perempuan. Data kajian diperoleh melalui soal selidik yang diedarkan kepada 350 orang pelajar tingkatan empat dari 12 buah sekolah menengah agama sekitar Kedah, Malaysia. Dapatan kajian deskriptif menunjukkan kedua-dua kumpulan pelajar menggunakan strategi pada tahap sederhana sama ada secara keseluruhan mahupun berdasarkan konstruk, kecuali pada konstruk strategi membaca, pelajar perempuan menggunakannya pada tahap tinggi. Hasil analisis ujian-t pula menunjukkan terdapat perbezaan signifikan penggunaan SPKB secara keseluruhan dan mengikut lima konstruk strategi utama berdasarkan jantina. Pelajar perempuan didapati mendahului pelajar lelaki dalam penggunaan strategi secara keseluruhan dan berdasarkan lima konstruk strategi utama tersebut. Sementara itu, baki satu konstruk strategi utama iaitu strategi mendengar tidak menunjukkan perbezaan signifikan. Kesimpulannya, pelajar perempuan didapati lebih banyak dan kerap menggunakan strategi pembelajaran bahasa berbanding pelajar lelaki. Implikasi kajian ini, guru boleh merancang pelbagai aktiviti bahasa yang dapat menggalakkan penggunaan sesuatu strategi dengan lebih kerap kepada kumpulan pelajar yang berlainan jantina.Kata kunci: Strategi pembelajaran bahasa, kemahiran berbahasa, strategi pembelajaran kemahiran berbahasa, bahasa Arab, jantina.


2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (11) ◽  
pp. 1524
Author(s):  
Farida Ariyani ◽  
Nurlaksana Eko Rusminto ◽  
Ag. Bambang Setiyadi

Gender as an individual characteristic has been proved to affect the use of strategies in learning a foreign language but how gender affects the use of strategies in learning a local language where the people in the community speak a national language is not explored yet.   Some studies show that female students employed language learning strategies more often than male students (Oxford & Nyikos, 1989; Awang Hashim & Syed Sahil, 1994;  Green and Oxford, 1995; Dreyer & Oxford, 1999). The present study was aimed to identify how gender affects the use of strategies in learning a local language in the environment where people in the country have a national language. A Non–probability sampling was used to collect data. With the Cronbach Alphas ranging from .79 to 82, mean scores of the use of language learning strategies the male and female students reported using were compared. In the present study it was found that metacognitive strategies were the strategies mostly used by female students and cognitive strategeis were the strategies mostly used by male students. This means that male students are likely to be more dependent on memorization than female students. Cognitive strategies which are characterized at least with memorization or rote learning in the present study tend to be used by male students.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Asep Kurnia

AbstractThe issue of single-gender classroom is identified as the preference classroom system in education around the world. This classroom system is adopted due to female and male students’ performance in the learning process including English subject. In Indonesia, the issue of single-gender classroom is not publically implemented, co-educational classroom is preferred. However, some cities are promoted the single-gender classroom, specifically the cities which promote the religious education such as in Tasikmalaya, West Java, Indonesia. Due to the pre-observation in a boarding school implemented the single-gender classroom, there is an exact different between female and male achievement in English classes. There are some factors affect the students’ achievement. Learning strategies is one of the most important thing influent the achievement. Therefore, the main focus of the research is observing different students preference in learning strategies. Questionnaire and interview are formed as data collecting techniques. Consequently, there was an exact different between female and male students in using language learning strategies. Female students are common in performing metacognitive learning strategy. While, male students are prefer in implementing cognitive learning strategy. In the comparison, female students use the learning strategies more often than the male student, specifically in metacognitive and social learning strategies.Keywords: Learning strategies, single-gender classroom, Female and male differences, Indonesian EFL classroom, Students’ achievement factors.


Author(s):  
Luu Hon Vu ◽  
Le Quoc Tuan ◽  
Tran Thi Ngoc Anh ◽  
Nguyen Thi Phuong Truc

The purpose of this research paper is to look into the current situation of using learning strategies and the key factors that influence English learning strategies of tertiary students who major in economics at Banking University of Ho Chi Minh City. On the basis of Oxford’s (1990) theory on language learning strategies, the study conducted a questionnaire survey with the participation of 300 students. The results show that economics-majored students use English learning strategies at a relatively high frequency, with the metacognitive strategies group having the highest frequency; the groups of affective strategies and compensation strategies have the lowest frequency of use. It also draws a conlusion that individual factors such as gender, grade level, and major do not appear to have a significant impact on students' use of English learning strategies. There are no significant differences between male and female students, between students of all grades, and between students of different majors in the frequency of using English learning strategies.


2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Lee Pui Weng ◽  
Melor Md Yunus ◽  
Mohamed Amin Bin Embi

Research on language learning strategies in Malaysia has been carried out extensively since mid 1990s. However, these studies have not covered the language learning strategies among native pupils in suburban primary school in Mukah, Sarawak. The main objective of the study was to identify the language learning strategies used by English as Second Language (ESL) learners. Data was collected using a survey questionnaire with 20 outstanding Year 5 ESL Iban learners in one of the suburban schools in Mukah, Sarawak. The instrument used in this study include a Language Strategy Use Questionnaire adapted from Language Strategy Use Inventory by Cohen, Oxford and Chi (2002). The adapted version of Language Strategy Use Questionnaire consists of 60 statements concerning the four major English language skills, namely listening, speaking and reading as well as acquisition of vocabulary and grammar. Data was analyzed through mean, frequency, percentage and standard deviation. The findings revealed that these learners were moderate users of listening, reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary strategies and low users of speaking strategies. There were variations in responses with regard to the use of language learning strategies among primary school learners. The pedagogical implications of the findings are also discussed. 


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