Second Language Acquisition

Abstract

This paper aims to focus on learning strategies which are used by a second language learner, Linda, while producing a written piece of text in English. Participant produced a written task, and then the learning strategies exhibited by her were recorded in a post task interview. The purpose of interview was to find out that which strategies the learner used to complete the written task that was assigned to her. His responses were analysed with the help of using O'Malley's language learning classifications of social, cognitive, and meta-cognitive strategy types.

Second Language Acquisition

Introduction

The purpose of this paper is to analyse language learning strategies employed by a Chinese participant during the production of a written task. This paper will start with literature review then method of this project's finding and discussion will also be included in this paper. Moreover, the limitations of the study are also included in this paper.

Literature review

According to Wenden & Rubin, (1987), and O'Malley & Charmot, (1990), strategies for language learning are important tools for developing an active and self directed involvement that is necessary for the development of communication ability. One can also define language learning strategies as “actions taken by the learner to learn in a more enjoyable, faster, easier, more affective, and more self-directed way” (Oxford, 1990). Moreover, according to the research results of O'Malley and Charmot, there are three main types of strategies including socila affective, cognitive, and meta cognitive (Ellis, 1994).

Hess & Azuma, et.al, (1991) assert that among the many factors which might infulence a language learner's choice about stratgies include the learner's culture, ethnicity, gender, motivation and age. Moreover, there are numerous reasons behind the learner's chioce of strategies. Language is something that interacts closely with culture, and one's native language is a reflection of his or her culture, as well as, an influence on one's culture (Oxford, 1996). In addition to this, people from numeorus cultures adopt the memorization strategy in order to learn second language. For example, most of the Asians and Arabics prefer this strategy, as identified by Politzer and Mcgroarty, (1985). However, most of the Chinese people do not like thoes learning strategies that involve theroetical models and prefer to deal with strategies that that handle practice questions because Chinese language lacks the use of implication statements that allow people to discuss ideas contrary to facts (Oxford, 1996).

Furthermore, Chinese students most of the times remian quite during thier class lectures and interactons. A number of researchers find out the reason behind this quitemness and not getting involved in two way communication is the strategy of “face saving.” Thus, this strategy of face saving is considered as an important strategy in the context of cultural and social life. In order to save thier own face, most of the Chinese students do not participate in class because of the fear of giving wrong answers and then getting embaraced for making mistakes and being laughed of thier wrong answers. This is also one of the major reasons that restaring the ...