Language Learning Strategies Used by High and Low English Proficiency Students in a Technology College

• Main Authors: I-Ju Chen, 陳憶如
• Other Authors: Sheng-hui Huang
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2002
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/24309260070732862620

碩士 === 國立彰化師範大學 === 英語學系 === 90 === ABSTRACT This study aimed to investigate language learning strategies used by high and low English proficiency students at the technology college level and to find out differences between high and low English proficiency technology college students in terms of the use of language learning strategies. A total of 276 freshmen from the departments of Business Administration, Information Management, International Trade, Secretarial Science, Banking Insurance, and Finance in one technology college in central Taiwan participated in this study. Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to study differences in use of strategies between these two groups of students. The participants self-reported their frequency of strategy use on the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (Oxford, 1989). Furthermore, student interviews with a random sample of twelve high English proficiency students and twelve low English proficiency students were used in this study. The results showed that students with high English proficiency reported higher frequency of use of language learning strategies than did low English proficiency students. Both high and low English proficiency students used compensation strategies most frequently. However, high English proficiency students seldom used memory strategies; low English proficiency students employed cognitive strategies the least frequently. Moreover, significant differences between high and low English proficiency students were found in frequency of use of memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, affective and social strategies. Specifically, it appeared that high English proficiency students used 39 strategies significantly more frequently than low English proficiency students. In addition to differences in frequency of use of language learning strategies, differences were also found in the ways high and low English proficiency students used some strategies. The findings of this study suggested teachers should not only encourage low English proficiency students to use language learning strategies, but also inform them of the ways to use the strategies. Pedagogical implications and suggestions for further research were provided at the end of the study. Key words: language learning strategies, technology college students, high English proficiency students, low English proficiency students