Variation of language strategies among Iranian English students - International Journal of Pedagogies & Learning

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Variation of language strategies among Iranian English students: The effect of gender

Mohammad Aliakbari
English Department, Ilam University, Iran

Abolfazl Hayatzadeh
English Department, Maybod Azad University, Iran

PP: 72 - 87

Abstract

Research on language learning strategies (LLS) has received much attention in SLA as an obvious consequence of the paradigm shift of emphasis from teacher to learner. Within this area of study the contradictions observed in the literature on gender and LLS provided reasonable justification for further research on the subject in general and the examination of the case with Iranian L2 learners in particular.

This paper reports the findings of a study performed with the aim of investigating the variation and frequency of language learning strategies (LLS) used by Iranian English students and exploring the possible relationship between the use of LLS and gender.

The results of quantitative data analyses of a statistical research showed that Iranian English students employed learning strategies at high and medium frequency level, with metacognitive strategies at the highest (78.8%) and memory strategies at the lowest rank (64%). The data also specified the governing role of cognitive strategy due to its strongest correlation with other strategies. Although male students reported higher frequency of strategy use than female students, statistical analysis of t-test revealed that gender performed no significant role in the use of the strategies.

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Keywords

Learning Strategies (LS), Language Learning Strategies (LLS), Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL), SLA

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