Natalie

Paluso
TASL 501
Oct. 12, 2014
Application Activity #2: Narrative
L2 learning strategies is a worthy topic to look further through the lens in ASL
acquisition. I have conducted two surveys to dissect many components that contribute to L2
learning strategies based on their experiences in the target language. Every L2 learner has
insights and perspectives on good language learner, different/similarities ways of language
learning, and comprehension of context. Not only that, L2 learners uses their scaffoldings into
metacognitive, cognitive, and social mediation strategies to help them to succeed in ASL
acquisition. L2 learners has go through the processing trials and errors to discover their tactics
to acquire in ASL as their target language in classroom. In addition, L2 learners personalities
are also influential to their learning styles in learning situations, obtain the information, and
capable of memory the context in the target language.
From the book, How Languages Are Learned by Lightbrown and Spada explained in
their research that they found that L2 learners learning strategies have array ways of success
significantly. Subsequently, I wanted to analyze and find the evidences to auxiliary in this topic.
I adapted the questions related to L2 learning strategies from SLA by Vivian Cook and Learning
Style Survey by Cohen, Oxford, and Chi. Therefore, I created two separate surveys. First survey
is based on good language learner, metacognitive, cognitive, and social mediation strategies for
my classmates to recognize and choose from a list of which learning strategies fit them the best
based on their experiences for their second language acquisitions. Second survey contain three
aspects based on their personalities for learning strategies in learning situations, getting the
information and ability to recollection the information in ASL acquisition. Every L2 learner have
array personalities that affect their own learning processes and decision-making on which
learning strategies are effective for them in a second language acquisition. For both surveys, I

Natalie Paluso
TASL 501
Oct. 12, 2014
used Google forms as my survey instrument in this design process to arrange the questions with a
range of choices for answers from Strongly Agree, Moderately Agree, Slightly Agree, Neutral,
Slightly Disagree, Moderately Disagree, or Strongly Disagree. Plus, I added a list of options
which learning strategies apply to them in ASL acquisition. On second survey is meant to
analyze their personalities based on their responses in Strongly Agree, Moderately Agree,
Slightly Agree, Neutral, Slightly Disagree, Moderately Disagree, or Strongly Disagree.
Before I proceed to examine the answers that I have collected the responses on both
surveys from my classmates, I assigned my first classmate as X, second classmate as Y, and
third classmate as Z. In my observations in first survey has confirmed that X, Y, and Z felt that
it is important to find his or her learning style that suit him or her the best and being involved self
in the language learning process are considered as a good language learner in ASL acquisition.
Since they all have displayed the importance to be aware of what is a good language learner
based on their learning experiences in the target language. Visual and kinesthetic learning styles
are significant to X, Y, and Z in their learning processes in ASL acquisition. X and Z shared
strongly agreement in learning ASL grammar, getting meanings from context, using ASL
socially outside of the classroom in ASL acquisition, and organizing and reviewing the context
before coming in ASL class while Y expressed in moderately agreement. X and Z has expressed
their strongly agreement by usage the ASL for work-related, events-related, or academic-related
in ASL acquisition is significantly whereas Y merely showed slight agreement in this statement.
Next three parts of learning strategies on this first survey are metacognitive, cognitive, and social
mediation; X, Y, and Z were asked to pick which learning strategies that apply to them in ASL
acquisition. In all three parts in similarities, X and Y shared common learning strategies such as
advance organizer, selective attention, self-evaluation, repetitions, resourcing, contextualization,

Natalie Paluso
TASL 501
Oct. 12, 2014
cooperation, and inference. Meanwhile, common learning strategies that were shared by X and Z
are self-management, directed attention, and question for clarification in ASL acquisition. Only
one learning strategy that X, Y, and Z actually shared and agreed on is elaboration, which mean
they wanted to acquire new information to serve conceptually in memory in their target
language. Additionally in differences, X also felt advance preparation, deduction, recombination,
key word, and transfer are significant to her learning strategies while Y has chosen grouping,
translation, imagery, and delayed production in metacognitive and cognitive learning strategies;
and Z only picked note-taking as a learning strategy from others.
In my examination for second survey about X, Y, and Zs personalities related to their
learning strategies into three sections are learning situations, attain the information, and ability to
memory the information in ASL acquisition. I used Learning Style Survey by Cohen, Oxford,
and Chis points system to analyze, add, and then identify their personalities based on their
charts. In learning situation section, I asked total of twelve questions and divided into A and B to
test if X, Y, and Z are either extroverted or introverted based on their responses to the questions.
I tallied all points for individual totals of X, Y, and Z. I have discovered that X is extroverted
while Y and Z are introverted, which means for X prefers focusing on array of social and
interactive learning tasks such as games, discussions, role-playing, conversational, and etc.
Meanwhile, Y and Z prefer to do one on one tasks or doing the tasks independently. Second
section is attaining the information that contains total of ten questions that are broken down into
two parts: A and B with five questions each to find out if X, Y, and Z are either global or
particular. After tallying the total points for X, Y, and Z, I learned that X and Y are global while
Z is particular. Learners with global personality like to pay attention on the main idea, even if he
or she does not know the words or concepts, but demonstrate the ability to communicate on the

Natalie Paluso
TASL 501
Oct. 12, 2014
main idea in ASL acquisition. Learners with particular personality like to concentrate on the
details of information on a topic and remember the information well rather than the main idea.
Last section of second survey is the ability to memory the information and this section contains
only four questions that were divided into 2 parts: A and B with two questions each. After X, Y,
and Z answered the questions and I was able to uncover that X and Z are sharpener while Z is a
leveler. Sharpener learners have an ability to recognize, being accurate, and able to tell the
differences/distinctions based on what he or she memorized in the target language. Leveler
learners has different way to memory by putting all information together, then sort out what are
the differences; however, he or she prefers focus heavily on similarities.
In conclusion, my findings that have put me in different light based on X, Y, and Zs
responses in learning strategies. After X, Y, and Z took both surveys, each L2 learner has
demonstrated their similarities and differences in learning strategies within metacognitive,
cognitive, and social mediation in their learning processes and experiences in ASL acquisition.
In other words, X, Y, and Z and other L2 learners have their own ways to learn things differently
through scaffoldings and personalities what works for him or her best in ASL acquisition. I
believe every L2 learner subconsciously knows without realizing that he or she already has
preference of visual, auditory, or kinesthetic learning style in ASL classroom. As L2 learners
found their learning styles, then they are willing to communicate by going through trials and
errors in order to become competence to succeed in ASL acquisition.

Natalie Paluso
TASL 501
Oct. 12, 2014
References
Lightbown, P., & Spada, N. M. (2013). How languages are learned. Oxford: Oxford
University Press.
Chi, J.C., Cohen, A., & Oxford, R.L. (n.d.). Learning Style Survey. Retrieved from
http://carla.umn.edu/maxsa/documents/LearningStyleSurvey_MAXSA_IG.pdf.
Cook, Vivian. (n.d.). Second Language Acquisition Topics: L2 Learning Strategies.
Retrieved from http://homepage.ntlworld.com/vivian.c/SLA/L2_learning_strategies.htm.