Language learning strategy

Language learning strategy

Learning strategy has been one of the research focuses of psychologists and

educators.

Despite

the

current

interest

in

learning

strategies,

investigations

into

the

effect of strategy training are relatively uncommon, and results are rather mixed.

1.1

Defining learning strategies:

Many

researchers

who

focus

their

attention

on

learning

strategies

try

to

define

learning

strategies

in

different

ways.

Here

are

some

definitions

from

several

researchers in the field.

Strategies are specific methods of approaching a problem or task, modes of

operation

for

achieving

a

particular

end,

or

planed

designs

for

controlling

and

manipulating certain information. (Brown)

In

our

view,

strategy

is

best

reserved

for

general

tendencies

or

overall

characteristics of the approach employed by the language learners, leaving techniques

as the term to refer to particular forms of observable learning. (Stern 1983)

Learning strategies are the behaviors and thoughts that a learner is engaged in

during

learning

that

are

intended

to

influence

the

learner

’

s

encoding

process.

(Weinstein and Mayer 1986)

Learning

strategies

are

techniques,

approaches

or

deliberate

actions

that

students take in order to facilitate the learning, recalling of both linguistic and content

area information. (Chamot 1987)

Learning strategies are strategies which contribute to the development of the

language

system

which

the

learner

constructs

and

affects

learning

directly.

(Rubin

1987)

Language

learning

strategies

are

specific

action

or

techiques

taken

by

the

learner to make learning easier, faster, more enjoyable, more self-directed and more

transferable to new situation. (Oxford 1990)

Learning strategies are the conscious thoughts and behaviors used by learners

with

the

explicit

goal

of

improving

their

knowledge

and

understanding

of

a

target

language. (Cohen 2000)

Learning

strategies

are

the

mental

and

communicative

procedures

or

techniques learners use to learn and use language effectively. (Nunan 2001)

Despite there are uncertainties in these definition, anyway, all the definition

recognize that they are used efforts to learning something about the target language.

Hence

I

believe

learning

strategies

consists

mental

and

physical

behaviors

that

a

learner

deploy

to

make

their

leaning

more

effective

in

the

process

of

language

acquisition.

1.2 Types of learning strategies

As there are varies ways of defining strategies, there are also different ways of

categorizing

strategies.

Different

researchers

offered

different

categories

because

using different standard.

1.2.1 Rubin

’

s framework

(1981):

Language learning strategies

Direct language

Indirect language

strategies

strategies

testing monitoring memorizing

creating practice opportunity

inducing deducing practicing

using expressive skills

1.2.2

Naimen

’

s classification:

An active task approach

Learning

Realization of language as a system

strategies

Realization

of

language

as

a

means

of

communication

and interaction

Management of affective demands

Monitoring of L2 performance

1.2.3

Bialystok identified four strategies as:

Learning strategies

Inferecing

monitoring

formal practicing

functional practicing

1.2.4

O

’

Mally and Chamot

’

s framework:

Three major types of strategies are distinguished. They are matecognitive

strategy, cognitive strategy, and social/affective strategy.

Matecognitive

strategies: Advance

Organizers,

Direct

Attention,

Selected

Attention,

Self-Management,

Functional-planning,

Self- Monitoring,

Delayed

Production, Self-Evaluation.

Cognitive

strategies:

Reputation,

Resourcing,

Translation,

Grouping,

Note-taking, Deduction, Recombination, Imagery, Auditory Representation, Keyword,

Contextualization, Elaboration, Transfer, Inferencing

Social/Affective strategies: Cooperation, Question for clarification

1.2.5

Oxford contributes a great deal of learning strategies, perhaps the

most

comprehensive

classification

of

learning

strategies

to

date

was provided by Oxford. The following is her framework:

Learning strategies

Direct strategies

Indirect strategies

Memory strategies

Metacognitive strategies

Cognitive strategies

Affective strategies

Compensation strategies

Social strategies

1.2.6

David Nunan developed the following typology of stategies:

Learning strategies

Cognitive

Interpersonal

Linguistic

Affective

Creative

Classifying

Cooperating

Conversational patterns

Personalizing

Brainstrming

Predicting

Role-Playing

Practicing

Self-Evaluating

Indicating

Using context

Reflecting

Taking Notes

Summarizing

Concept Mapping

Selective Listening

Inferencing

Skimming

Discriminating