A Study of learning Strategies in Second language Acquisition

◆楊青華 徐 婷 張麗云

(山東外國語職業學院)

A Study of learning Strategies in Second language Acquisition

◆楊青華 徐 婷 張麗云

(山東外國語職業學院)

With the concept of autonomic learning being part of the mainstream of research and practice with the field of language education，the study of learning strategies has been an“explosion of activity”in recent years．This paper discusses the issues covering the fundamental aspects identification and classification of learning strategies，and some inspirations to both teachers and students．

learning strategies definition classification inspirations

1 Introduction

Learning strategies directly affect the process of students’learning and can help with their second language study．Strategies encompass a wide range of behaviors that can help the development of language competence in mang ways．(Oxford，1990)

2 Defining Language Learning Strategies

What is language learning srategy?Different people use terms differently，such as skills，strategies，processes and approaches．Reachereners have not gained a common understanding of learning strategies．Perspectives are so different that Ellis(1994:533)states that“definitions of learning strategies have tended to be adhoc and atheoretical”．

Following are some other definitions of learning strategies produced by other reseachers:

Chamot(1987):Learning strategies are techniques，approaches or deliberate actions that students take in orders to facilitate the learning，recall of both linguistic and content area information．

Oxford(1990):“language learning strategies are behaviors or actions which learners use to make language learning more successful more enjoyable more self－ diected．”

Stern(1992):“The concept of learning srategy is dependent on the assumption that learners consciously engage in activities to achieve certain goals and learning strategies can be regarded as broadly conceived intentional directions and learning techniques．”

Wenden(1998):Learning strategies are mental steps or operations that learners use to learn a new language and to regulate their efforts to do so．(as cited in Ellis，1994:531)

Researchers think the best way to define it is to list their main characteristics．Ellis(1994:532 433)list 8 characteristics of language learning strategies as following:

(1)Strategies refer to general approaches and specific actions or techniques;(2)They are problem－oriented;(3)learners are aware of the strategies they use;(4)Strategies using involve linguistic and non－linguistic behaviors;(5)Strategies can be both performed in L1 and L2;(6)Some strategies are behavioral，others mental;(7)Most strategies contribute indirectly to learning，while some strategies contribute directly to learning;(8)Strategy use varies as a result of different learning tasks and individual preference．

3 Classifications of learning strategies

Classifying language learning strategies have been attempted by many researchers based on different criteria and approaches．Ellis(1994)notes that learning strategies differ in a number of ways．Different researchers form different framworks to classify learning strategies．Rebecca Oxford(1990)provides a most comprehensive taxonnomy of learning strategies currently available．These strategies are divided into what has come to be known as direct or cognitive strategies which learners apply directly to the language itself and indirect or metacognitive srategies in which learners manage or control their own learning process．Direct strategies include a number of different ways of remembering more effectively，using all your cognitive process and comprehensive for missing knowledge．Indirect strategies include organizing and evaluating your learning managing your emotions and learning with others．Unlike Oxford，O’Malley and chamot have different strategies into three categories depending on the level or type of processing involved metacoginitive，cognitive and social/affective．Metacognitive strategies involve consciously directing one’s efforts into the learning task．These strategies are higher order executive skills that may entail planning learning，mornitoring the process of learning and evaluating function．In O’Malley and Chamot framework of learning strategies directed attention，self－ management，advance preparation，self－monitoring delayed production and self－evaluation．

4 Conclusion

Language strategy is a complexplan of increasing efficiency and effectiveness of learning on purpose．Learning language strategy is to“fish”，lifelong benefit from this．Therefore，it is very important to strenthen the study of language strategies．

4．1 Inspirations for teachers

1．Teachers should provide language learners opportunities to teach or train languag learning strategies．Classroom teaching and training is the best way to help learners to cultivate good learning strategies．As for pedagogy，teachers recognized that students are the ones who play the more active and creative role in language course．

2．To cultivate students’positive attitudes and guide their formation of good learning habits．Students’attitudes to learning have an impact not only the effects of their study but also on the shaping and development of their learning strategies．

3．It is important for teachers to recognize that some strategies may be more suitable and may not be successful for some students，and choose suitable learning strategies according to the students’current situation．

4．2 Inspirations for students

1．Try to develop and find learning strategies that suits you．Good language learners are aware of learning style that suits them best．

2．Good lanhuage learners don’t accept the presented styrategies passively，but they will get involved in the study themselves actively．We should take every opportunity to learn English well．

［1］Ellis，R．The Study of Second Language Acquisition［M］．上海外語教育出版社，1999．

［2］O’Malley，J．M．，A．U．Chamot Learning Strategies inSecond language Acquisition［M］．上海外語教育出版社，2001．

［3］Oxford，R．Languagey Learning Strategies:What every teacher should know．Rowley，Mass，Newbur House．1990．

［4］Weden ＆ J．Rubin(Eds)，Learner strategy in languagelearning(pp．71 －83)．Engle wood Cliffs，N．J．:Prence Hall．

［5］文秋芳，王立非．英語學習策略理論研究．陜西師范大學．