A task completed for the course GGGE6533 Language Learning Strategies Instruction with the National University of Malaysia (UKM), Bangi for Masters in Education (TESL). The topic is on the 5 factors affecting language learning strategies (LLS). This presentation mainly presents what has been discovered in previous research and studies on the topic.

1. ge6533 language
learning strategies
instruction
5 Factors Affecting Language
Learning Strategies Use
Lisa Kwan Su Li
(P67239)

2. motivation
1
• An important factor influencing
strategy use (Oxford & Nyikos 1989)
• Positive correlation between
motivation level and use of
language learning strategies (or
LLS) (Yang 1999)
• More motivated learners used more
learning strategies, and more
frequently (McIntyre & Noels 1996)
• Number of learning strategies
associated with motivation level
(Chang & Huang 1999)

3. motivation
1
• With Japanese students in England,
instrumental and integrative
motivation had significant effect
on choice of LLs (Tamada 1996)
• strategy use was affected by
motivational level instead of a
particular motivational orientation
(instrumental or integrative)
(MacLeod 2002)
• One of the major predictors of the
use of LLS by Persian learners
(Rahimi et al. 2008)

4. motivation
1
• Motivation most significant factor
(followed by experience studying
English and gender) affecting choice
of LLS (Khamkhien 2010)
• In a study with Korean immigrant
college students in the United
States, no correlation was found
between motivation and direct LLS,
but a significant relationship was
evidenced between motivation and
direct LLS (Stoffa et al. 2011)

5. gender
2
• Females use significantly more learning
strategies than males (Green & Oxford 1995;
Gu 2002; Razak et al. 2012)
• Females found to use strategies more
frequently even across cultural backgrounds
(Brazil, China, German, Indonesia, Japan,
Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan, Thailand, and Togo)
and dis/favoured different strategies than
males
• Females used Social and Metacognitive
strategies most, Memory the least; Males
used Metacognitive and Compensation most,
Affective least (Hong-Nam & Leavell 2006)

6. gender
2
• In contrast, some studies found males to
use learning strategies more than females
• Males were more likely to use a variety of
learning strategies than females in a study
of adult Vietnamese refugees (Tran 1988)
• With 678 Singaporean university students,
males used a greater number of strategies
significantly more often than females
(Wharton 2000)
• Although no significant gender differences,
males used significantly more social
strategies than females (Radwan 2011)

7. gender
2
• Still other studies found no gender
differences for LLS use
• No significant effect on certain strategies
like Memory, Metacognitive and Affective,
UNLESS from different majors (Ma 1999)
• No statistically significant differences
according to gender with strategy use
(Griffiths 2003)
• Not one of the variables affecting strategy
use choice (Khamkhien 2010)

8. proficiency level
3
• High level of proficiency associated with
increased use of both direct and indirect
strategies (Green & Oxford 1995; Park 1997;
Chen 2002)
• In Park (1997) and Peacock and Ho’s (2003)
studies, a linear correlation and significant
correlations between strategy use and
proficiency level were found among Korean
EFL learners and university students in Hong
Kong respectively
• Cognitive and metacognitive strategies show
high correlations with high language
proficiency levels (Peacock & Ho 2003)

9. proficiency level
3
• Differing levels of proficiency gave rise to
differing frequencies of strategy use—
intermediate students used metacognitive
strategies more than beginners, while the
latter used more translation strategies
(O’Malley et al. 1985)
• Low-proficiency students used more
communication strategies than high-
proficiency ones (Chen 1990)
• Low-proficiency students outperformed the
high-proficiency ones in their use of
compensation strategies (Chen 2002)

10. proficiency level
3
• Proficiency level strongest predictor of LLS
used by Iranian learners (Rahimi et al. 2008)
• Proficient students used more overall
strategies, but significantly more cognitive,
metacognitive and affective strategies
than less-proficient ones (Radwan 2011)
• High-proficiency students used compensation
strategies more frequently than others
while low-proficiency ones used social
strategies most (Paul 2011)
• High-level English proficiency students used
more strategies more frequently (Rao 2012)

11. learning style
4
• An individual’s learning style preferences
influence the type of LLS they use
• Extroverts show a strong preference for
social strategies; introverts use
metacognitive strategies more frequently
(Ehrman & Oxford 1990)
• Learners who favour group study tend to use
social and interactive strategies (Rossi-Le
1995)
• But, Rahimi, Riazi and Saif (2008) found no
significant difference of learning style on
Iranian EFL learners LLS choices

12. learning style
4
• There were qualitatively significant
differences between Iranian EFL learners’
perceptual learning style preferences and
LLS (Alireza & Abdullah 2010)

13. experiences in studying
5
• Studying abroad (in Europe or the United
States) contributed to language learning
strategy choices (Opper, Teichler & Carlson
1990)
• Purdie and Oliver’s (1999) study showed that
students who had been in Australia for a
longer period of time (3 or less years and 4
or more) obtained significantly higher mean
scores for Cognitive strategies and for
Memory strategies
• But, frequency of LLS used decreased across
increasing time length of studying the
language (Rahimi et al. 2008)

14. Thank you!
:)

15. references
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graduate students studying abroad. Educational Research and Reviews 5(2): 35-45.
Chang, S.J. & Huang, S.C. 1999. Language learning motivation and language strategies of Taiwanese EFL students.
Washington, DC: Department of Education.
Chen, I.J. 2002. Language learning strategies used by high and low English proficiency students in a technology college.
Master’s thesis, Changhua Normal University, Changhua, Taiwan.
Chen, S.Q. 1990. A study of communication strategies in interlanguage production by Chinese EFL learners. Language
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Ehrman, M. & Oxford, R. 1990. Adult language learning styles and strategies in an intensive training setting. Modern
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Green, J.M. & R. Oxford. 1995. A closer look at learning strategies, L2 proficiency, and gender. TESOL Quarterly 29: 261–
297.
Griffiths, C. 2003. Patterns of language learning strategy use. System 31: 367–383.
Gu, Y. 2002. Gender, academic major, and vocabulary learning strategies of Chinese EFL learners. RELC Journal 33(1):
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Hong-Nam, K. & Leavell, A.G. 2006. Language learning strategy use of ESL students in an intensive Eng-lish learning
context. System 34: 399–415.
Khamkhien, A. 2010. Factors affecting language learning strategy: reported usage by Thai and Vietnamese EFL learners.
Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching 7(1): 66-85.
Ma, R. 1999. Language learning strategies of a sample of tertiary-level students in the P.R. China. Guide-lines 21(1): 1–11.

16. references
MacLeod, P. 2002. Take two language learners: A case study of the learning strategies of two successful learners of English
as a second language with instrumental motivation. Journal of Language and Linguistics 1: 1–13.
McIntyre, P.D. & Noels, K. 1996. Using social-psychological variables to predict the use of language learning strategies.
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O’Malley, J.M., Chamot, A.U., Stewner-Manzanares Küpper G.L., & Russo, R.P. 1985. Learning strategies used by
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Park G.P. 1997. Language learning strategies and English proficiency in Korean university students. Foreign Language
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Paul, P. 2011. Use of language learning strategies: an investigation of the use pattern of language learning strategies of
Bangladeshi learners and its correlation with the proficiency level. Thesis submitted to the Department of English and
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Purdie, N. & Oliver, R. 1999. Language strategies used by bilingual school-aged children. System 27: 375–388.

17. references
Radwan, A.A. 2011. Effects of L2 proficiency and gender on choice of language learning strategies by university students
majoring in English. Asian EFL Journal 13(1): 114-162.
Rahimi, M. Riazi, A. & Saif, S. 2008. An investigation into the factors affecting the use of language learning strategies by
Persian EFL learners. Canadian Journal of Applied Linguistics 11(2): 31-60.
Rao, Z. 2012. Language learning strategies and English proficiency: interpretations from information-processing theory. The
Language Learning Journal, (ahead-of-print), 1-17.
Razak, N.Z.A., Ismail, F., Aziz, A.A., & Babikkoi, M.A. 2012. Assessing the use of English language learning strategies
among secondary school students in Malaysia. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences 66: 240-246.
Rossi-Le, L. 1995. Learning style and strategies in adult immigrant ESL students. In J.M. Reid (ed.), Learning styles in the
ESL/EFL classroom. Boston: Heinle & Heinle, pp. 118–125.
Stoffa, R., Kush, J.C. & Heo, M. 2011. Using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire and the Strategy Inventory
for Language Learning in assessing motivation and learning strategies of generation 1.5 Korean immigrant students.
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Tamada, Y. 1996. The relationship between Japanese learners’ personal factors and their choices of language learning
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Tran, T.V. 1988. Sex differences in English language acculturation and learning strategies among Vietnamese adults aged
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