Learning Strategies Preference of Iraqi EFL Learners

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.

Struggles for Power in the Kingdom of Italy

This book presents a detailed study which focuses upon the Hucpoldings, an elite group in Carolingian and post-Carolingian Italy. Though the Hucpoldings have not received extensive treatment in previous Anglophone scholarship, they are a key clan in this period. Manarini’s ground-breaking study uses this kinship group to highlight and pinpoint the dramatic geopolitical changes in the kingdom of Italy across three crucial centuries. The research deals with the reconstruction of the political events of every identifiable member of the kinship, as well as the inquiry into their patrimony and their networks of relations and patronage throughout the kingdom of Italy. Finally, it examines the particular elements of the group, from which emerges a clearer picture of the nature of their power, their memory strategies and the shared perceptions and self-awareness among the group members.

On guarantee optimization in control problem with finite set of disturbances

In this paper, we deal with a control problem under conditions of disturbances, which is stated as a problem of optimization of the guaranteed result. Compared to the classical formulation of such problems, we assume that the set of admissible disturbances is finite and consists of piecewise continuous functions. In connection with this additional functional constraint on the disturbance, we introduce an appropriate class of non-anticipative control strategies and consider the corresponding value of the optimal guaranteed result. Under a technical assumption concerning a property of distinguishability of the admissible disturbances, we prove that this result can be achieved by using control strategies with full memory. As a consequence, we establish unimprovability of the class of full-memory strategies. A key element of the proof is a procedure of recovering the disturbance acting in the system, which allows us to associate every non-anticipative strategy with a full-memory strategy providing a close guaranteed result. The paper concludes with an illustrative example.

Chinese EFL University Students’ Self-Reported Use of Vocabulary Learning Strategies

This study conducted the semi-structured interview to investigate the types of vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) Chinese English major university students employed and the factors for their VLS use. Chinese EFL learners frequently employed determination and cognitive strategies. They mainly used the mechanical strategies and focused on English words’ meanings based on Chinese equivalents. They preferred bilingual dictionaries, repetition, and memorization of fixed examples involving news words. They used metacognitive and memory strategies less frequently. This study proposed that Chinese EFL students’ rote memorization of English vocabulary was due to Chinese culture of learning, which values knowledge authority, consolidation and foundation, and also effort and perseverance. Additionally, the less L2 English immersion including L1 Chinese environment and non-communicative EFL environment also leads to Chinese EFL students’ VLSs use. Therefore, it is suggested that students be encouraged to use more memory strategies and metacognitive strategies. English teachers should provide students with strategy instructions and guide students to learn vocabulary through different types of VLSs in classes. After class, students could be encouraged to learn vocabulary incidentally through both intensive and extensive reading. 

Memory Strategies for Vocabulary Learning Employed by Saudi Undergraduate EFL Learners

Saudi EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners have difficulty in chosen appropriate strategies for learning vocabulary and memorization during their undergraduate studies. Saudi undergraduate learners have the problem in remembering words at a point of need such as writing and speaking. In search of solution to this problem in Saudi Arabia, this study aims to examine the memory strategies for vocabulary learning employed by Saudi undergraduate EFL learners in Saudi Arabia. Overall, 110 Saudi undergraduate learners participated in this study. The study employs quantitative approach using descriptive statistical analysis. This study used Oxford (2003) language learning strategies of memory strategies for vocabulary learning. The results revealed that the creating mental linkage (CML) is the common and the highly most used vocabulary learning strategy by Saudi undergraduate EFL learners in Saudi Arabia. Subsequently, reviewing well (RW) and applying images & sounds (AIS) learning strategies are the second and the third most highly used strategies among the students. The EA learning strategy is the least used among the undergraduate EFL learners. Further, the findings also indicated that the Saudi undergraduate EFL learners prefer CML strategy more than they use employing actions (EA) in their vocabulary learning and memorization. According to these results, CML and RW strategies were observed to be both at a high level of utilization, whereas AIS and EA categories were at the medium utilization level. Based on the results, high usage ranges from a mean of 4.0 or above, medium usage ranges from a mean of 2.5 to 3.9, and low usage ranges from a mean of 2.4 or lower. Therefore, CML and RW strategies appeared to be most appropriate choice for Saudi students in memorizing vocabularies. It is recommended that future study should focus on in-depth analysis of these two most used strategies to encompass the depth and breadth of the usage and memorization.

Risk-utility tradeoff shapes memory strategies for evolving patterns

Keeping a memory of evolving stimuli is ubiquitous in biology, an example of which is immune memory for evolving pathogens. However, learning and memory storage for dynamic patterns still pose challenges in machine learning. Here, we introduce an analytical energy-based framework to address this problem. By accounting for the tradeoff between utility in keeping a high-affinity memory and the risk in forgetting some of the diverse stimuli, we show that a moderate tolerance for risk enables a repertoire to robustly classify evolving patterns, without much fine-tuning. Our approach offers a general guideline for learning and memory storage in systems interacting with diverse and evolving signals.

Memory Strategies and Vocabulary Learning Strategies: Implications on Teaching and Learning Vocabulary

Memory Strategies (MSs) and Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLSs) have been studied in many studies through the years. The purpose of the current study is to shed light on the fundamental role of Memory strategies and Vocabulary Learning Strategies suggested in vocabulary teaching and learning. Thus, the study has presented a comprehensive overview of both strategies by selecting the most prominent ones. In addition, it offered a thorough demonstration of vocabulary background in general and vocabulary in English for Specific Purposes (ESP) in particular. The research question states: Can Memory Strategies (MSs) and Vocabulary Learning Strategies(VLSs) be integrated and applied in teaching and learning vocabulary? In conclusion, the study tries to make it clear for the reader, teachers, and learners, that merging (MS) and (VLS) can be utilized for this objective. The implication of the study lies in providing the reader with a grounded platform for selecting what is suitable in a teaching/learning setting.

How to manage memory problems

There are many way to help manage your loved one’s memory problems. If their dementia is fairly mild, memory strategies and aids can often help. Using a pillbox or another method to ensure that medications are being taken correctly is critical. Pictures are more easily learned than words. Don’t tell a person with dementia what not to do; tell them what they should do. Habits and routines are generally preserved in dementia, and new ones can be learned. Use methods to make sure the stove is not left on and the water is not left running. Work to eliminate wandering and write a plan in case it occurs. Take advantage of technological solutions to memory problems. Use reminders of the past to make your loved one feel more at home. Don’t fight false memories. Lastly, reminding your loved one that they have memory problems is rarely helpful.

Memory Strategies for Vocabulary Learning Employed by Saudi Undergraduate EFL Learners

Saudi EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners have difficulty in chosen appropriate strategies for learning vocabulary and memorization during their undergraduate studies. Saudi undergraduate learners have the problem in remembering words at a point of need such as writing and speaking. In search of solution to this problem in Saudi Arabia, this study aims to examine the memory strategies for vocabulary learning employed by Saudi undergraduate EFL learners in Saudi Arabia. Overall, 110 Saudi undergraduate learners participated in this study. The study employs quantitative approach using descriptive statistical analysis. This study used Oxford (2003) language learning strategies of memory strategies for vocabulary learning. The results revealed that the creating mental linkage (CML) is the common and the highly most used vocabulary learning strategy by Saudi undergraduate EFL learners in Saudi Arabia. Subsequently, reviewing well (RW) and applying images & sounds (AIS) learning strategies are the second and the third most highly used strategies among the students. The EA learning strategy is the least used among the undergraduate EFL learners. Further, the findings also indicated that the Saudi undergraduate EFL learners prefer CML strategy more than they use employing actions (EA) in their vocabulary learning and memorization. According to these results, CML and RW strategies were observed to be both at a high level of utilization, whereas AIS and EA categories were at the medium utilization level. Based on the results, high usage ranges from a mean of 4.0 or above, medium usage ranges from a mean of 2.5 to 3.9, and low usage ranges from a mean of 2.4 or lower. Therefore, CML and RW strategies appeared to be most appropriate choice for Saudi students in memorizing vocabularies. It is recommended that future study should focus on in-depth analysis of these two most used strategies to encompass the depth and breadth of the usage and memorization.