GE6533 Language Learning Strategies Instruction

5 Factors Affecting Language Learning Strategies 

Abdul Jalil Bin Abdul Rahim

(P69843)

Motivation

• Motivation is a significant factor affecting the choice and

the use of LLSs (Khamkien, 2010)

• Students who are highly motivated used more LLSs and

more often than less motivated students. (Okada et al.

1996)

• Oxford et al. (1993) found that high motivation and the

frequent use of LLSs significantly predicted success on a

language achievement test.

• With Japanese students in England, instrumental and

integrative motivation had significant effect on choice of LLs

(Tamada, 1996)

Proficiency level

• Park’s (1997) study on 332 Korean students showed a significant

relationship between language (English) proficiency and LLSs.

• Students from all level of proficiency incorporated LLSs in their

learning, but what differentiated effective learners from less

effective learners are the range and the way in which strategies

were used (Chamot & Kupper, 1989; Van & Abraham, 1990)

• high-proficiency learners tended to use a wider range of strategies

more frequently than low-proficiency learners (Khamkien, 2010)

• Higher proficiency level students used more metacognitive

strategies (Nisbett et al. 2005)

• Lower proficiency level students used more phonetic decoding

strategies (Chamot et al. 1999)

Sex

• Females were reported to use wider range of LLSs than males

(Taguchi, 2002; Razak et al. 2012)

• However, in some studies, it was found that males used more

language learning strategies than females (Tercanlioglu, 2004)

• Cultural context play a role in determining the use of LLSs

between gender.

• Females in conservative society may not be able to socialize

with native speakers, but the males can which make them to

select naturalistic strategies (El-Dib, 2004)

Learning style

• Learning styles influence the LLSs choice of a learner (Oxford, 1989)

• (Cheng and Banya, 1998, p. 82)

• Students who preferred kinesthetic learning have more

confidence as well as more positive attitudes and beliefs about

foreign language learning than students with other perceptual

learning style preferences.

• Students with the individual preference style use more

language learning strategies, and they are less tolerant of

ambiguity.

• Students who identified themselves as Tactile learners seemed

to be more anxious about learning English.

• Students with an Auditory preference like to make friends with

and speak with foreign language speakers (in this case, English

speakers).

Degree of awareness

• Better learners have more metacognitive awareness,

which helps them to select suitable strategies for learning

(Goh, 1997).

• Students who have learned how and when to use learning

strategies become more self-reliant and better able to

learn independently.

• Self-knowledge can be either an important facilitator or a

constraint in learning (Pintrich, 2002)

• Grenfell & Harris’ (1999) statement that • “Methodology alone can never be a solution to language

learning. Rather it is an aid and suggestion”

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