scholarly journals Direct Language Learning Strategies in EFL

2021 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-132
Author(s):  
Asst. Prof. Zeena Abid Ali Dawood

This present study was designed to investigate the impact of using direct language learning strategies on long term and short term (LT and ST for short) of vocabulary retention of non-specialist EFL learners in Iraq. A total of 60 Iraqi male non-specialist EFL learner’s college between the ages of 19 and 21participated in the study. The data were collected using a questionnaire (five-point rating) from Oxford’s (1990) the Strategy Inventory for the Language Learning (SILL for short / version7). To identify the strategies used, the information gathered was analyzed using descriptive statistics of means, frequency and standard deviation. In direct language learning strategies (DLLS for short) study, the (t-test) has been used to examine the learners ' performance of vocabulary retention in LT and ST. On the other hand, One-way between groups (ANOVA) with post-hoc comparison test was used to investigate the differences between LT and ST of the vocabulary retention by using the subcategories of direct language learning strategies. The outcomes showed that the learners’ strategy uses ST more out weights than LT of vocabulary retention. According to the outcomes, the most used (in both long term and short term) was (memory) strategies and followed by (compensation and cognitive) strategies. In the light of the results obtained, a number of pedagogical implications and suggestions were presented.

Author(s):  
Wagdi Rashad Ali Bin-Hady ◽  
Abdu Al-kadi ◽  
Ali Abbas Falah Alzubi ◽  
Hassan Saleh Mahdi

This chapter reports on the Yemeni and Saudi EFL learners' use of language learning strategies (LLSs) in technology-mediated language learning contexts. The study examines whether nationality and gender play a significant role in using LLSs on electronic platforms. The study adopted a correlative design in which 100 Yemeni and Saudi university students were recruited to respond to an online close-ended questionnaire. Drawing on Oxford's classification of learning strategies, the findings of this study showed that metacognitive and cognitive strategies were used more frequently compared to the other LLSs. Moreover, the findings of t-test showed a significant difference in the use of LLSs attributed to nationality in favor of the Saudi learners and no significant difference in the choice of LLSs attributed to gender. The study provided some suggestions for EFL learners to benefit from technology in their English language learning.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 142
Author(s):  
Khadijeh Najafi ◽  
Firooz Sadighi ◽  
Mohammad Sadegh Bagheri ◽  
Lotfollah Yarmohammadi

The present study investigated the relationship between Iranian EFL learners’ use and preferences of language learning strategies and their meta-knowledge and the tasks of pragmatic competence. Quick Oxford Placement Test, version 2 (2004) was administered and 120 upper-intermediate EFL university students majoring in English translation and TEFL were recruited from the available branches of the Islamic Azad University, Fars province. Likewise, a questionnaire entitled Iranian EFL learners’ meta-knowledge and pragmatic tasks (2016) was used to explore EFL learners’ meta-knowledge and tasks of pragmatic competence and the mean score was calculated. Then, Oxford Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (1990) was used to analyze EFL learners’ use and preferences of language learning strategies and the mean score was calculated. Also, to examine any possible relationship between EFL learners’ use and preferences of language learning strategies and their meta-knowledge and pragmatic tasks, some correlations were run. The results of data analyses showed that Iranian EFL learners were moderate in meta-knowledge and tasks of pragmatic competence and in their use of language learning strategies in general. More detailed analyses of the data ranked the order of the applications of the strategies as: social strategies, meta-cognitive strategies, cognitive strategies, memory strategies, compensation strategies and affective strategies from the most to the least frequent strategies applied by the participants of the study. There was a significant medium positive relationship between meta-knowledge and tasks of pragmatic competence and meta-cognitive strategy. However, there were slight but significant positive relationships between meta-knowledge and tasks of pragmatic competence and compensation and affective strategies and no relationships between meta-knowledge and tasks of pragmatic competence and social, affective and compensation strategies.


Author(s):  
Darin Nshiwi ◽  
Feisal Aziez ◽  
Hazim Alkhrisheh

This research falls within the area of language learning strategies (LLS) in English as a foreign language (EFL).  Although the impact of LLS on vocabulary learning has attracted ample of studies in the field on teaching English as a second or foreign language. However, teachers and learners’ views of LLS have not been investigated enough. To that end, this research sheds light on the adopted approaches while teaching these strategies by EFL teachers at the Higher Language Institute. It investigates whether these strategies are taught implicitly, explicitly or both. To conduct this study, the researcher applied two questionnaires: the questionnaires are used to evaluate the used memory and cognitive strategies by teachers and intermediate learners at the HLI. These instruments are applied on the sample that includes 36 intermediate and 30 EFL teachers at the HLI. The data obtained was dealt with descriptively and analytically. The findings show that the majority of teachers tend to train students to use memory and cognitive strategies implicitly. In addition, it was noticed that both teachers and learners use the same set of strategies which implies that teaching approaches has a direct impact on the used strategies by the learners.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mania Nosratinia ◽  
Alireza Zaker

Postmethod perspective on English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teaching considers EFL teachers to be reflective and autonomous practitioners who play the role of change agents. In order to systematically study the way these attributes affect teachers’ and learners’ actual performance, this study investigated the effect of EFL teachers’ Critical Thinking (CT) and Teaching Autonomy (TA) on their Teaching Success (TS) and EFL learners’ Language Learning Strategies (LLS) use. Twenty mixed-gender upper-intermediate and advanced level general English classes were randomly selected from ten language schools. The teachers were 25 to 40 years of age (Mage = 31), whereas the learners were 18 to 30 (Mage = 24). In each class, CT and TA questionnaires were answered by the teacher and the LLS and TS scales were completed by the learners after 12 to 19 sessions. The results of a one-way ANOVA followed by a post-hoc Scheffe’s revealed that those EFL learners whose teachers had a high TA level show a significantly higher perception toward TS. Moreover, those learners whose teachers had a low CT level showed a higher, but non-significant, perception toward TS. Furthermore, EFL learners whose teachers had a moderate level of TA demonstrated a higher, but non-significant, use of LLS. Finally, EFL learners whose teachers had a high CT level showed a higher, but non-significant use of LLS. Regarding the limitations and drawing upon the findings, the article concludes with some pedagogical implications and some avenues for future research.


2016 ◽  
pp. 4-15
Author(s):  
Sahar Alzahrani ◽  
Julie Watson

In the context of ongoing debate about the relationship between strategy training and autonomous learning, this study set out in the belief that they are inextricably linked and sought to explore three important aspects of learner strategy development more deeply. An experiment was designed to investigate the effectiveness of learner training with three groups of Saudi students taking a course in English for Medical Purposes: control (no treatment), offline (treatment delivered on paper), and online (online treatment). The treatments used supplementary learning material focused on language learning strategies (LLS). The design and the delivery of the treatments was informed by Rubin, Chamot, Harris, and Anderson (2007), Cohen (1998), Murphy and Hurd (2011), and Murphy (2008a). This paper sought to answer three research questions related to the impact of learner training on students’ attitudes, awareness, and use of LLS in relation to their autonomous abilities after exposure to the treatment. Qualitative data from students’ reflective writings, interviews and focus group discussion was used to answer these questions. For the two treatment groups, the treatment impact was found to be positive in relation to the research questions and negative in the control. The online group outperformed the offline one in all the three investigated aspects.


Author(s):  
Ervin Kovacevic

This study examines the hypothesis that language learning strategies (LLS) partly account for the level of L2 proficiency (i.e. the level of L2 lexical complexity produced in the written output of English language learners). To test the hypothesis, 152 English-proficient freshman students of Bosnian L1 linguistic background were surveyed utilizing the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) designed by Rebecca Oxford (1990). Their lexical output was collected through short essays that were written during formal exams held in English for Academic Purposes undergraduate courses at the International University of Sarajevo. The written samples were converted to an electronic format and analyzed with the Web-based Lexical Complexity Analyzer (Lu, 2012; Ai & Lu, 2010). Relationships between six SILL subscales and twenty-five lexical complexity (LC) measures were assessed through applying the principles of correlational design. The results confirmed the hypothesis. Statistically significant correlations were found between memory strategies and three LC measures, cognitive strategies and twenty LC measures, compensation strategies and nine LC measures, and affective strategies and three LC measures. It is concluded that the relationship between LLS and LC levels is mostly conditioned by LLS types.


Author(s):  
Muhammad Iksan ◽  
Dirham Dirham

The aims of this research were: (1) to investigate the students’ motivations, (2) to investigate the language learning strategies (LLSs) that are used by the students, (3) to investigate the level of students’ LLSs usage, and (4) to investigate the influence of the students’ motivations and the level of students’ LLSs usage towards their English competence. This research gave descriptions about the students’ motivations, LLSs that are used by the students, and the level of students’ LLSs usage. The sample of this research was 111 students that were taken from three classes of the first year students from three study programs, i.e. Ilmu Ekonomi, Manajemen, and Akuntansi. This research revealed that the students were categorized into high motivated to learn English where 70 students (63%) had high motivation, 25 students (23%) had very high motivation, 13 students (12%) had medium motivation, and 3 students (3%) had low motivation. This research also found that the students were dominantly used metacognitive strategies (44%), followed by compensation strategies (18%), affective strategies (14%), social strategies (10%), cognitive strategies (8%), and the least used strategies were memory strategies (6%). For the level of the students’ language learning strategies usage, the researcher found that the students level were categorized into medium, where 78 students (70%) mediumly used the LLSs, 30 students (27%) highly used the LLSs, 2 students (2%) lowly used the LLSs, and 1 student (1%) very highly used the LLSs.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document