Sociocognitive influences on strategies for using language in English for academic purposes: Two case studies

This study examines the sociocognitive variables that influence the strategy choices of two international students in academic programs in the United States. The term "sociocognitive" refers to the interaction between an individual and his or her sociocultural context, as defined by Bandura (2001). In this definition, an individual cognitively responds to social and cultural elements through strategies that are intended to exert some measure of control over his or her environment. This cognitive response manifests in the setting of goals and the implementation of strategies to reach those goals. In the case of international students studying in the United States, the goal is ultimately to obtain a degree, which itself entails the successful integration of the student into an academic program through the acquisition of an appropriate style of English and a certain level of academic literacy. Despite extensive research, there have been few syntheses of cognitive and sociocultural variables in the fields of language learning strategies and academic literacy, resulting in gaps in our understanding of how students succeed in their academic programs. One of the tasks of this study is to synthesize these strands of research by utilizing a sociocognitive framework.; The findings consist of case studies of two international students, one in law school, and the other in an MBA program. Cognitive and sociocultural variables are identified and examined through an analysis of syllabi, assigned readings, think-aloud protocols, strategy logs, and interviews. Further analysis by category of the participants' cognitive responses to their sociocultural elements indicates that the most consistent influence on their strategy choices was their learning styles. This finding confirms and expands Cohen's (2003) hypothesis that strategy use can be predicted by an analysis of task and learning style.