Learning Strategies

Natalisa Krisnawati
Khusnul Harsul Lisan
Language Learning Strategies
(LLS)
Why teach them?
LLS instruction focuses on making the
students more active learners by
teaching them how to learn and how
to use what they have learned, and be
more successful second language
learners.
What are learner strategies for?

for enhancing learning.

for performing specified tasks.
for solving specific problems.
for compensating for a deficit in learning.
for making learning easier, faster, more
enjoyable.
Language Learning Strategies
specific actions, behaviors, steps, or
techniques that students (often intentionally)
use to improve their progress in developing L2
skills. These strategies can facilitate the
internalization, storage, retrieval, or use of the
new language. Strategies are tools for the self-
directed involvement necessary for developing
communicative ability. (Oxford, 1992/1993, p. 18)
 Students who use learning strategies
effectively begin to see themselves as language
learners and take on more responsibility for
their own learning. Learning strategies benefit
all students since even those who use some
strategies effectively can be taught additional
ones.
Metacognitive Learning Strategies
Chamot & OMalley (1994)

Require thinking about

thinking
Planning for learning by
setting objectives
Organizing the learning
task by creating an outline
or structure
Monitoring ones own
learning by evaluating
achievement of learning
goals
Cognitive Learning Strategies
Chamot & OMalley (1994)

Manipulating the material

to be learned in a specific
learning task
Linking new learning to
prior knowledge related to
particular concepts or
processes
Relating learning
processes to linguistic
demands in the domains of
listening, speaking,
reading and writing
Social/Affective
Learning Strategies
Chamot & OMalley (1994)

Interacting with others

to assist in learning
Developing
cooperation and
collaboration skills
and processes
Asking questions for
clarification
Using affective control
to accomplish the
learning task
Metacognitive Strategies
Chamot & OMalley (1994)

Planning: Advanced organization; selective

attention; self management
Monitoring: Checking for comprehension;
monitoring production, self-monitoring while
speaking and writing
Evaluating: Checking back; reflecting on what
one has learned, judging how well the task has
been accomplished
Cognitive Strategies
Chamot & OMalley (1994)

Resourcing: Using reference materials such as

textbooks, dictionaries and encyclopedias
Grouping: Classifying words, terminology,
quantities, or concepts according to their
attributes
Note-taking: Writing down key words and
concepts
Elaboration: Relating new ideas and concepts
to known information and making personal
associations
More Cognitive Strategies
Chamot & OMalley (1994)
Summarizing: Making mental, oral or written
summary of information gained at certain
points in learning process
Deduction/Induction: Use a rule/Make a rule
Imagery: Make a mental picture from the
information
Auditory Representation: Mentally replay a
word, phrase or piece of information
Making Inferences: Use context clues to
guess meaning and predict upcoming
information
 Oxford's (1990) Language Learning
Strategies

Oxford divides LLS into two classes, direct and indirect, which
are further subdivided into 6 groups.
Metacognitive strategies help learners to regulate their
learning.
Affective strategies are concerned with the learner's
emotional requirements such as confidence, while
social strategies lead to increased interaction with the target
language.
Cognitive strategies are the mental strategies learners use to
make sense of their learning,
memory strategies are those used for storage of information,
and
compensation strategies help learners to overcome
knowledge gaps to continue the communication. 12
 DIRECT STRATEGIES
I. Memory
A. Creating mental linkages
B. Applying images and sounds
C. Reviewing well
D. Employing action

II.Cognitive
A. Practising
B. Receiving and sending messages strategies
C. Analysing and reasoning
D. Creating structure for input and output

III. Compensation strategies

A. Guessing intelligently
B. Overcoming limitations in speaking and writing
13
 INDIRECT STRATEGIES

I. Metacognitive Strategies
A. Centering your learning
B. Arranging and planning your learning
C. Evaluating your learning

II. Affective Strategies

A. Lowering your anxiety
B. Encouraging yourself
C. Taking your emotional temperature

III. Social Strategies

A. Asking questions
B. Cooperating with others
C. Empathizing with others
14
Good Language Learner
Guesser
Strong drive
Communicating
Opportunities of practice
Willing to make mistakes
Monitoring speech
Patterns & analysis
Meaning-oriented
Good use of strategies
Factors Affecting Strategy Choice
Motivation
Environment
Learning style & personalities
Gender
Culture & nation
Career orientation
Age
Language task
Why Use Strategies?
learner-centered and allow learners to
become more self-directed
expand your role as the language teacher
are problem-oriented
involve many aspects, not just the
cognitive
can be taught
are flexible
are influenced by a variety of factors
Why are these important?
they are tools for active, self-directed
involvement, which is essential for
developing communicative competence
(Oxford, 1990)

help students become better language

learners. Graham (1997)
Strategies they use

Students are already using strategies to learn

language and to learn in other subjects. However,
many of them are not conscious of the techniques
they are using. By explicitly identifying learning
strategies as learners use them, you can
empower learners to use these strategies more
effectively and in a wider context.
How Teachers Can Help
Identify students learning styles and
current strategies through surveys,
interviews, etc.
Help students discern the most relevant
LLS for their learning style, tasks, and
goals
Aid students in systematically using them
Effective Learners
Use a variety of learning strategies.
Are aware of why and how they use their
learning strategies.
Select language strategies that work well
together and tailor them to the required
task.

LESS SUCCESSFUL LEARNERS

Less aware of strategies they use
Less effective learners apply strategies
randomly
 Strategy Training
Studies have shown that strategy training is
frequently successful but isnt always as effective in
some skill sets as it is in others.
The most effective strategy training is explicit and
learners are told exactly which behaviors are likely to
be helpful.
Blind training, where students are led to strategies
without realizing it is less successful.
Strategy training works best when it is woven into
regular class activities.
 Applying Strategy Training to Teaching

In order to teach learning strategies teachers

have to learn about the students, their interests,
motivations, and learning styles.
Teachers should analyze lesson plans to see if
they use a variety of learning styles and
strategies.
Teacher should be aware of whether his strategy
training is implicit, explicit, or both and if there
are different ways for learners to approach tasks.
Building Students Repertoire
Metacognitive - reflecting upon your learning
Organize/Plan Your Own Learning
Manage Your Own Learning
Monitor Your Own Learning
Evaluate Your Own Learning

Task-Based - use their own resources to learn

most effectively
Strategies That Use What You Know
Strategies That Use Your Imagination
Strategies That Use Your Organizational Skills
Strategies That Use a Variety of Resources
Metacognitive Strategies
Organize/Plan Plan the task or content sequence.
Set goals.
Plan how to accomplish the task.

Manage your own Determine how you learn best.

Arrange conditions that help you
learning learn.
Seek opportunities for practice.
Focus your attention on the task.
 Metacognitive Strategies
Monitor While working on a task:
Check your progress on the task.
Check your comprehension as you use the
language. Are you understanding?
Check your production as you use the language.
Are you making sense?

Evaluate After completing a task:

Assess how well you have accomplished the
learning task.
Assess how well you have applied the strategies.
Decide how effective the strategies were in
helping you accomplish the task.
Task-Based: Use What you Know

Use Background Think about and use what you already

Knowledge know to help you do the task.
Make associations.

Make Inferences Use context and what you know to figure

out meaning.

Make Anticipate information to come.

Predictions Make logical guesses about what will
happen.
Personalize Relate new concepts to your own life, that
is, to your experiences, knowledge, beliefs
and feelings.
Task-Based: Use What you Know

Transfer Apply your linguistic knowledge of other

and/or languages (including your native language)
to the target language.
Use Cognates Recognize cognates.

Substitute Think of a similar word or descriptive phrase

or Paraphrase for words you do not know in the target
language.
Task-Based: Use your Imagination

Use Imagery Use or create an image to understand

and/or represent information.

Act out and/or imagine yourself in different

Use Real roles in the target language.
Objects/Role Manipulate real objects as you use the
target language.
Play
Task-Based: Use your
Organizational Skills
Find/Apply Apply a rule.
Patterns Make a rule.
Sound out and apply letter/sound rules.

Group Relate or categorize words or ideas

Classify according to attributes.

Use Graphic Use or create visual representations (such

Organizers as Venn diagrams, timelines, and charts) of
important relationships between concepts.
Take Notes Write down important words and ideas.
Task-Based: Use your
Organizational Skills
Summarize Create a mental, oral, or written summary of
information.

Use Selective Focus on specific information, structures,

Attention key words, phrases,or ideas.
 Task-Based: Use a Variety of
Resources
Access Use the dictionary, the Internet, and other
Information reference materials.
Follow a model.
Sources Ask questions.

Cooperate Work with others to complete tasks, build

confidence, and give and receive feedback.

Talk Yourself Use your inner resources. Reduce your

Through It anxiety by reminding yourself of your
progress, the resources you have available,
(Self Talk) and your goals.
Determining Success!
Knowing Learning Style

Applying Appropriate
Learning Strategies

Accomplishing the
Task
Integrating LLS with Instruction
Effective strategies instruction is not an
"add-on" or a separate content area;
rather, strategies instruction is used to
support language learning and to
accomplish authentic, meaningful
language tasks. Although some initial
explanations are needed, most
strategies instruction should occur while
you are working on language tasks.