Language Learning Strategy Use at the School of Foreign Languages of the Eastern Mediterranean University

NEAR EAST UNIVERSITY

Graduate School of Social and Applied Sciences Department of English Language Teaching

Language Learning Strategy Use at the School of Foreign Languages of the Eastern Mediterranean University

Master Thesis

Submitted by: Zaid Nadir Owda

Supervisor: Asst. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt

Nicosia - June, 2006

NEAR EAST UNIVERSITY

Graduate School of Social and Applied Sciences Department of English Language Teaching

Language Learning Strategy Use at the School of Foreign Languages of the Eastern Mediterranean University

Master Thesis

Submitted by: Zaid Nadir Owda

Supervisor: Asst. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt

Nicosia - June, 2006

II

Acknowledgement

I express my deepest gratitude to Dr. Mustafa Kurt for his invaluable guidance and support.

I also owe special thanks to the SFL administration and especially to Mr. Aygün Ozyahyalar for providing me with necessary information and lists to administer the questionnaire.

I am very grateful to my colleagues Ms. Cemaliye Inal, Ms.

Suriz Gunay, Mr. Huseyin Gurses, Mr. Metin Kannur, Ms. Suna Allahkerim, Ms. Canan Koran, Ms. Heves Eslik, Ms. Eylem Akim, Dr. Ilkay Gilanlioglu, and Ms. Sibel Kamber who helped with the translation of the questionnaire from English to Turkish.

I also offer sincer thanks to my friends Canan, Ferah, and Huseyin for their encouragement and inspiration.

I would like also to thank all the colleagues and the students who participated in this study.

III

Abstract:

Language Learning Strategy Use at the School of Foreign Languages of the Eastern Mediterranean University

Nadir Owda, Zaid

MA program in English Language Teaching Supervisor: Asst. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kurt

June, 2006, 179 Pages

This research reports on a survey of the language learning strategies used by a group of university students (n = 1326) who were studying English as a second language at the school of foreign languages (SFL) of the Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU) in North Cyprus which is a Turkish-speaking country. The study aimed at investigating levels of strategy use among the group, and to examine levels of association between strategy use and success in L2 learning. This goal was achieved by applying the Strategy-based teaching on an experiment group of students.

The SILL questionnaire (Strategies Inventory of Language Learning) by Oxford (1990, pp. 293-300) was used. SILL consists of six categories of strategies: memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, affective, and social. This research takes into consideration the variables of level, age, sex, nationality, pre-university education, and the student attitude towards English language learning. In other words, the study shows how the mentioned factors influence the use of language learning strategies.

The results show that social and metacognitive strategies were the most used, while affective and memory strategies were the least used. Significant differences were found between the learners in the frequency of strategy use. Advanced, older and more successful students with a positive attitude use the language learning strategies more frequently. Female language learners are found to exceed the males in the frequency of using the strategies. In addition, those learners who have received help on how to study have shown more frequent use of the strategies. Moreover, the students from Turkey were found to employ the strategies the least in comparison to students from North Cyprus and from other nationalities. The success and comparatively high scores of the students who were in the experiment group proved that integrating strategy teaching in the curriculum is very fruitful. The study concludes with recommendations on how to integrate the language learning strategies into teacher training, curriculum and classroom practice.

Key Words: Language Learning Strategies, Cognitive Strategies, Metacognitive Strategies, Memory Strategies, Affective Strategies, Social Strategies, Compensation Strategies

IV

Table of Contents

Acknowledgement………. iii

Abstract………. iv

Table of Contents………. v

List of Tables………. viii

Abbreviations... x

CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION... 1

1.1 Presentation………. 1

1.2 Background of the study………. 1

1.3 Aim of the Study………. 4

1.3.1 Research Questions………. 5

1.4 Limitations of the study……….. 5

CHAPTER II Review of Literature……… 7

2.1 Presentation……… 7

2.2 Learner Training………. 7

2.3 Learner Strategies……… 9

2.4 Defining Language Learning Strategies………. 11

2.5 Characteristics of Language Learning Strategies……….. 12

2.6 Categorizing Language Learning Strategies……….. 13

2.6.1 Rubin’s Classification………. 13

2.6.2 O’Malley’s Classification……….. 15

2.6.3 Oxford’s Classification………... 16

2.5 Findings of Similar research………... 22

CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY……….. 24

3.1. Presentation……… 24

3.2. Subjects……….. 24

3.3 Instruments……….. 28

3.3.1 Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL)……… 28

3.3.2 Reliability and Validity of the Questionnaire……… 29

3.4 Data Collection Procedures……… 31

3.5 Data Analysis………. 32

CHAPTER IV FINDINGS……… 33

4.1 Presentation……… 33

4.2 Language Learning Strategy Preference………. 33

4.3 Learners’ Level and Language Learning Strategy Preference……… 34

4.3.1 Significant Differences between Level Groups and the Use of Memory Strategies……… 35

4.3.2 Significant Differences between Level Groups and the Use of Cognitive Strategies……… 37

4.3.3 Significant Differences between Level Groups and the Use of Compensation Strategies……… 41

V

4.3.4 Significant Differences between Level Groups and the Use of Metacognitive Strategies………. 42 4.3.5 Significant Differences between Level Groups and the Use of Affective

Strategies………. 44 4.3.6 Significant Differences between Level Groups and the Use of Social

Strategies……… 47

4.4 Learners’ Success and Language Learning Strategy Preference……… 48 4.4.1 Significant Differences between Success Groups and the Use of Memory

Strategies……… 49

4.4.2 Significant Differences between Success Groups and the Use of Cognitive

Strategies……… 50

4.4.3 Significant Differences between Success Groups and the Use of

Compensation Strategies……… 51 4.4.4 Significant Differences between Success Groups and the Use of

Metacognitive Strategies……… 51 4.4.5 Significant Differences between Success Groups and the Use of Affective

Strategies……… 52

4.4.6 Significant Differences between Success Groups and the Use of Social

Strategies………. 53 4.5 Learners’ Gender and Language Learning Strategy Preference………. 54 4.5.1 Significant Differences between the Gender Groups in the Use of Memory

Strategies……… 55

4.5.2 Significant Differences between the Gender Groups in the Use of Cognitive

Strategies………. 56

4.5.3 Significant Differences between the Gender Groups in the Use of

Compensation Strategies………. 57 4.5.4 Significant Differences between the Gender Groups in the Use of

Metacognitive Strategies……….. 57 4.5.5 Significant Differences between the Gender Groups in the Use of Affective

Strategies………... 58

4.5.6 Significant Differences between the Gender Groups in the Use of Social

Strategies……….. 59

4.6 Learners’ Nationalities and Language Learning Strategy Preference……….. 59 4.6.1 Significant Differences between the Nationality Groups in the Use of

Memory Strategies………. 60 4.6.2 Significant Differences between the Nationality Groups in the Use of

Cognitive Strategies……… 61 4.6.3 Significant Differences between the Nationality Groups in the Use of

Compensation Strategies………. 64 4.6.4 Significant Differences between the Nationality Groups in the Use of

Metacognitive Strategies………. 65 4.6.5 Significant Differences between the Nationality Groups in the Use of

Affective Strategies………. 66 4.7 Learners’ High School Type and Language Learning Strategy Preference…… 67 4.8 Learners’ Age and Language Learning Strategy Preference………. 70 4.8.1 Significant Differences between the age Groups in the Use of Memory

Strategies……… 71

VI

4.8.2 Significant Differences between the age Groups in the Use of Cognitive

Strategies………. 72

4.8.3 Significant Differences between the age Groups in the Use of Metacognitive Strategies……… 72

4.8.4 Significant Differences between the age Groups in the Use of Affective Strategies……… 73

4.8.5 Significant Differences between the age Groups in the Use of Social Strategies……….. 74

4.9 Learners’ Attitude towards Language Learning and Language Learning Strategy Preference……… 74

4.10 Teaching the Learning Strategies and Language Learning Strategy Use……. 80

4.10.1 The Strategy Training Experiment Group……….. 84

CHAPTER V Discussion of Statistical Results………. 86

5.1 Presentation……… 86

5.2 Learners’ Level……….. 86

5.3 Learners’ Success……….. 88

5.4 Learners’ Gender……… 89

5.5 Learners’ Nationality………. 91

5.6 Learners’ High School Variable……… 92

5.7 Learners’ Age……… 93

5.8 Learners’ Attitude………. 94

5.9

95

CHAPTER VI Conclusion……… 97

6.1 Presentation……… 97

6.2 Summary of the Results………. 97

6.3 Pedagogical Implication……… 101

6.4 Recommendations………. 105

6.5 Implications for Further Research………. 106

References………. 108

Appendices... 111

Appendix A, The Strategy Inventory for Language Learning……… 111

Appendix B, Questionnaire (English)……… 113

Appendix C, The Turkish Translation of the Questionnaire ……….. 116

Appendix D, Age ANOVA Results……… 119

Appendix E, Gender T-test Results……… 134

Appendix F, High School ANOVA Results……….. 137

Appendix G, Nationality ANOVA Results……… 144

Appendix H, Attitude T-test Results………. 156

Appendix I, Strategy Trained and Untrained Students T-test Results……….. 159

Appendix J, Learners’ Level ANOVA Results……… 162

Appendix K, Pass and Fail T-test Results……… 177

VII

List of Tables

Table 1: Level groups frequency and percentage……… 26

Table 2: Pass & Fail groups frequency and percentage……….. 26

Table 3: age groups frequency and percentage……… 26

Table 4: gender groups frequency and percentage………. 26

Table 5: age groups frequency and percentage……… 27

Table 6: high school groups frequency and percentage……….. 27

Table 7: high school groups frequency and percentage………. 27

Table 8: frequencies and percentages of the students’ answers to the question “Have you ever received any help on how to study?”………. 27

Table 9: SILL Strategy Categories………... 30

Table 10: frequencies and percentages of LLS use……….. 34

Table 11: ANOVA results for level and Strategies………. 35

Table 12: significant ANOVA results for level and Memory Strategies………. 36

Table 13: significant ANOVA results for level and Cognitive Strategies……… 40

Table 14: significant ANOVA results for level and Compensation Strategies… 42 Table 15: significant ANOVA results for level and Metacognitive Strategies… 44 Table 16: significant ANOVA results for level and Affective Strategies……… 47

Table 17: significant ANOVA results for level and Affective Strategies……… 48

Table 18: significant T-Test results for success and Strategies……… 49

Table 19: significant T-Test results for success and Memory Strategies……… 50

Table 20: significant T-Test results for success and Cognitive Strategies…….. 50

Table 21: significant T-Test results for success and Compensation Strategies… 51 Table 22: significant T-Test results for success and Metacognitive Strategies… 52 Table 23: significant T-Test results for success and Affective Strategies…….. 53

Table 24: significant T-Test results for success and Social Strategies………… 53

Table 25: T-Test results for gender and Strategies………. 54

Table 26: significant T-Test results for Gender and Memory Strategies……… 55

Table 27: significant T-Test results for Gender and Cognitive Strategies……... 56

Table 28: significant T-Test results for Gender and Compensation Strategies… 57 Table 29: significant T-Test results for Gender and Metacognitive Strategies… 58 Table 30: significant T-Test results for Gender and Affective Strategies……… 58

Table 31: significant T-Test results for Gender and Social Strategies…………. 59

Table 32: significant ANOVA results for nationalities and Strategies………… 60

Table 33: significant ANOVA results for Nationality and Memory Strategies... 61

Table 34: significant ANOVA results for Nationality and Cognitive Strategies. 63 Table 35: significant ANOVA results for Nationality and Compensation Strategies……….. 64

Table 36: significant ANOVA results for Nationality and Metacognitive Strategies……….. 65

Table 37: significant ANOVA results for Nationality and Affective Strategies.. 66

Table 38: significant ANOVA results for High Schools and Learning Strategies……… 68

Table 39: detailed significant ANOVA results for High Schools and Learning Strategies………. 69

Table 40: significant ANOVA results for High Schools and Learning Strategies………. 70

VIII

Table 41: significant ANOVA results for Age Groups and Memory Strategies.. 71 Table 42: significant ANOVA results for Age Groups and Cognitive Strategies 72 Table 43: significant ANOVA results for Age Groups and Metacognitive

Strategies………. 73

Table 44: significant ANOVA results for Age Groups and Metacognitive

Strategies………... 73 Table 45: significant ANOVA results for Age Groups and Social Strategies… 74 Table 46: significant T-Test results for Attitude and Learning Strategies…….. 75 Table 47: significant T-Test results for Attitude and Memory Strategies……... 76 Table 48: significant T-Test results for Attitude and Cognitive Strategies……. 77 Table 49: significant T-Test results for Attitude and Compensation Strategies. 78 Table 50: significant T-Test results for Attitude and Metacognitive Strategies. 78 Table 51: significant T-Test results for Attitude and Affective Strategies……. 79 Table 52: significant T-Test results for Attitude and Social Strategies……….. 79 Table 53: significant T-Test results for helping the students on how to study

and the frequency of using the strategies……… 80 Table 54: significant T-Test results for helping the students on how to study

and the frequency of using the Memory strategies………. 81 Table 55: significant T-Test results for helping the students on how to study

and the frequency of using the Cognitive strategies………... 82 Table 56: significant T-Test results for helping the students on how to study

and the frequency of using the Compensation strategies……… 82 Table 57: significant T-Test results for helping the students on how to study

and the frequency of using the Metacognitive strategies……… 83 Table 58: significant T-Test results for helping the students on how to study

and the frequency of using the Affective strategies……… 83 Table 59: significant T-Test results for helping the students on how to study

and the frequency of using the Social strategies………. 84 The Scores of the Students Who Received Training on the LLS………. 85

IX

ABBREVIATIONS

AFF Affective Strategies COG Cognitive Strategies COM Compensation Strategies ELT English Language Teaching EMU Eastern Mediterranean University LLS Language Learning Strategies MEM Memory Strategies

MET Metacognitive Strategies SFL School of Foreign Languages

L2 Second Language

SOC Social Strategies

SPSS Statistical Package for Social Sciences SILL Strategy Inventory for Language Learning

X