A Study Of Language Learning Strategy Applications With Part-time Adult Students

Within the field of second language (SL) or foreign language (FL) learning and teaching, there has been a prominent shift which shows greater emphasis on learners and learning than on teachers and teaching. This paper provides an overview of key issues concerning one consequence of the shift: the focus on and use of language learning strategies (LLS) in SL/FL learning and teaching. In doing so, this tEiesis outlines the background and the research review of LLS, discusses a number of definitions, taxonomies and the factors that influence learners?choice of strategies. Then it also deals with the main methods that have been used to i~ivestigate them. Finally, attempts to train learners to employ particular strategies will be considered. The core of ihis thesis explores the research on strategies used by 77 in-service adult Chinese learners whose proficiency levels ranged from lower intermediate to intermediate. The subjects who were divided into the groups according to their English proficiency, gender, previous education and age received a Chinese translation of the SILL (Strategy Inventory for Language Learning) 7.0 being composed 50 items by Oxford. The findings present that the subjects show high use of metacognitive and compensation strategies (mean=2.90, 2.86), medium use of memory, cognitive and social strategies (mean2.73, 2.68,2.64) and low use of affective strate~ ies (mean2.44). According to the results, the most advanced subjects use LLS more frequently than the least proficient ones do. The types of LLS selected by the subj ects are clearly related to the proficiency level. There are no significant differences between LLS use and the subjects gender, previous education and age. There are little differences in kinds of strategies used by the working adult students and adolescent students. It also reports comparisons of the mean ratings compared to the results of other studies. This study, so desigaed, hopes to fill in the gap that the research on LLS applications to the working adult learners hasn ever been reported. It is believed that such a study will not only add data to the study of LLS, it may also bring immediate benefit to the language teachers as well as the adult learners.