Comparison of language learning strategies of Iranian college level students in EFL and ESL settings / Jalal Kamalizad
The main purpose of this study was to investigate and compare language learning strategy (LLS) use pattern of Iranian college level English learners in EFL (English as a foreign language) and ESL (English as a second language) environments and through different groups of proficiency. Exploring th...
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Format: | Thesis |
Published: |
2015
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Online Access: | http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/6160/1/Jalal_Thesis.pdf http://studentsrepo.um.edu.my/6160/ |
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Summary: | The main purpose of this study was to investigate and compare language learning strategy
(LLS) use pattern of Iranian college level English learners in EFL (English as a foreign
language) and ESL (English as a second language) environments and through different
groups of proficiency. Exploring the participants’ views on some language learning related
issues such as language use and language learning obstacles within both EFL and ESL
environments was another purpose of this study.
A total of 157 Iranian students participated in the survey. Twelve Iranian students, six from
each setting group, participated in the semi-structured interviews. The data were collected
and analyzed in separate parts: (1) quantitative analysis, which discussed the data gathered
by the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (Oxford, 1990) survey (SILL), (2)
qualitative analysis, which contained the results of semi-structured interviews concerning
ESL/EFL Iranian language learners’ views on some critical language learning related issues
in EFL/ESL settings.
The results of statistical analyses, namely, one-way and two-way ANOVA, MANOVA, and
t-test revealed that Iranian ESL learners significantly performed better than Iranian EFL
learners on the overall SILL, on the six strategy categories of the SILL, and on individual
strategies listed in the SILL. The results also showed that while language proficiency group
factor significantly affected the ESL learners in using both the overall SILL and its six
categories, it did not significantly differentiate between low, intermediate and advanced
EFL learners with respect to overall use of SILL and its six strategy categories. The results
of the interview analysis indicated that EFL and ESL groups considerably differed from
each other with regard to using language outside the class, and the obstacles placed in their
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path to learning and using the target language in and outside the classroom in their related
settings. The main theoretical implication of the study is that learners’ use of LLSs is
influenced by their cognitive stance as well as social settings in which strategies are
applied. |
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