LEARNING

STRATEGIES

Karolina Rubach
 THE TERM: STRATEGY

Strategy - is a method used in:

↬ focusing on some selected aspects of new information

↬ analysing and monitoring information during acquisition
↬ organizing or elaborating on new information
↬ evaluating the learning when it is completed
↬ assuring oneself that the learning will be successful as a way to ease anxiety
 CLASSIFICATION OF STRATEGIES
1. Production strategies - are used to accomplish communication goals they
reflect an interest in using the language system efficiently and clearly without
excessive effort

2. Communication strategies - attempts to deal with problems of communication

that have arisen in interaction

3. Learning strategies - attempts to develop linguistic and sociolinguistic

competence in the target language
 LEARNING STRATEGIES

Learning strategies - special thoughts or behaviours that individuals use to help

them comprehend, learn, or retain new information.

O’Malley and Chamot (1990: 1)

Learning strategies - are steps taken by students to enhance their own learning.

Oxford (1990: 1)
FEATURES OF LEARNING STRATEGIES
○ Contribute to the main goal, communicative competence
○ Allow learners to become more self-directed
○ Expand the role of teachers
○ Are problem-oriented
○ Involve many aspects of the learner
○ Support learning both directly and indirectly
○ Are not always observable
○ Are often conscious
○ Can be taught
○ Are flexible
 DIVISION OF LEARNING STRATEGIES
1. Metacognitive - are strategies that involve planning for learning, thinking about
the learning process, monitoring and evaluating learning actively.

2. Cognitive - are strategies, which operate directly on incoming information,

manipulating it in ways to enhance learning

3. Socioaffective/ Socialaffective - strategies that involve interaction with other

person

(Brown: 2000, 124 and O’Malley and Chamot: 1990, 44)

 METACOGNITIVE STRATEGIES
★ SELECTIVE ATTENTION - focusing on some aspects of learning tasks

★ PLANNING - planning for the organization

★ MONITORING - reviewing attention to a task, comprehension of information that

should be remembered, or production while it is occuring

★ EVALUATION - checking comprehension after finishing a particular activity or

evaluating language production after it has taken place
 COGNITIVE STRATEGIES
★ REHEARSAL - repeating the names of items or objects to be remembered

★ ORGANIZATION - grouping and classifying words, terminology, or concepts

according to their semantic or syntactic attributes

★ INFERENCING - using information in text to guess meanings of new linguistic

items, predict outcomes, or complete missing parts

★ SUMMARISING - synthesizing what one has heard to ensure the information has
been retained
★ DEDUCING - applying rules to the understanding of language

★ IMAGERY - using visual images to understand and remember new verbal

information

★ TRANSFER - using known linguistic information to facilitate a new learning task

★ ELABORATION - linking ideas contained in new information, or integrating new

ideas with known information
 SOCIAL / AFFECTIVE STRATEGIES
★ COOPERATION - working with person to solve a problem, pool information,
check notes or get feedback on a learning activity

★ QUESTIONING FOR CLARIFICATION - eliciting from a teacher or peer

additional explanation, rephrasing or examples

★ SELF-TALK - using mental redirection of thinking to assure oneself that a

learning activity will be successful or to reduce anxiety about a task
 LEARNING STRATEGIES

● DIRECT STRATEGIES - deal with the new language

● INDIRECT STRATEGIES - deal with the management of learning

Oxford (1990: 14-15)

 DIRECT STRATEGIES

❖ MEMORY STRATEGIES

❖ COGNITIVE STRATEGIES

❖ COMPENSATION STRATEGIES
 MEMORY STRATEGIES
1) CREATING MENTAL LINKAGES
* Grouping
* Associating/Elaborating
* Placing new words into context

2) APPLYING IMAGES AND SOUNDS

* Using imagery
* Semantic mapping
* Using keywords
* Representing sounds in memory
3) REVIEWING WELL
* Structure reviewing

4) EMPLOYING ACTION
* Using physical response or sensation
* Using mechanical techniques
 COGNITIVE STRATEGIES
1) PRACTISING
* Repeating
* Formally practising with sounds and writing systems
* Recognising and using formulas and patterns
* Recombining
* Practising naturalistically

2) REVISING AND SENDING MESSAGES

* Getting the idea quickly
* Using resources for receiving and sending messages
3) ANALYZING AND REASONING
* Reasoning deductively
* Analyzing expressions
* Analyzing contrastively (across languages)
* Translating
* Transferring

4) CREATING STRUCTURE FOR INPUT AND OUTPUT

* Taking notes
* Summarizing
* Highlighting
 COMPENSATION STRATEGIES
1) GUESSING INTELIGENTLY
* Using linguistic clues
* Using other clues

2) OVERCOMING LIMITATIONS IN SPEAKING AND WRITING

★ Switching to the mother ★ Selecting the topic

tongue
★ Getting help
★ Using mime or gesture
★ Avoiding communication
partially or totally
★ Adjusting or approximating
the message
★ Coining words
★ Using a circumlocution or
synonym
 INDIRECT STRATEGIES

❖ METACOGNITIVE

❖ AFFECTIVE

❖ SOCIAL STRATEGIES
 METACOGNITIVE STRATEGIES
1) CENTERING YOUR LEARNING
* Finding out about language learning
* Organizing
* Setting goals and objectives
* Identifying the purpose of a language task (purposeful listening/reading/writing/speaking)
* Planning for a language task
* Seeking practice opportunities

2) EVALUATING YOUR LEARNING

* Self-monitoring
* Self-evaluating
 AFFECTIVE STRATEGIES
1) LOWERING YOUR ANXIETY
* Using progressive relaxation, deep breathing or meditation
* Using music
* Using laughter

2) ENCOURAGING YOURSELF
* Making positive statements
* Taking risks wisely
* Rewarding yourself
3) TAKING YOUR EMOTIONAL TEMPERATURE
* Listening to your body
* Using a checklist
* Writing a language learning diary
* Discussing your feelings with someone else
 SOCIAL STRATEGIES
1) ASKING QUESTIONS
* Asking for clarification or verification
* Asking for correction

2) COOPERATING WITH OTHERS

* Cooperating with peers
* Cooperating with proficient users of the new language

3) EMPATHIZING WITH OTHERS

* Developing cultural understanding
* Becoming aware of others’ thoughts and feelings
 REFERENCES
Brown, D. (2000). Principles of language learning and teaching. Lonadon: Longman.

O’Malley, J.M. and Chamot, A. (1990). Learning strategies in second language

acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

Oxford, R.L. (1990). Language learning strategies: what every teacher should know.
Boston: Heinle & Heinle.
THANKS FOR YOUR
ATTENTION