English as a foreign language learners’ strategy awareness across proficiency levels from the perspective of self-regulated learning metafactors

Abstract

The previous three decades have seen a growing body of research into language learners’ self-regulated learning (SRL), language learning strategy (LLS) use, and their possible effects on proficiency. This study thus provides insights into the relationship between elementary and low intermediate learners’ perceptions of their self-regulated strategy use in English as a foreign language (EFL) and their attitude to English in relation to their proficiency level. Nine hundred and sixty-six higher proficiency students and 399 lower proficiency students in Year 8 participated in the research. A revised Self-Regulated Foreign Language Learning Strategy Questionnaire (SRFLLSQ), a version of Oxford’s Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL), was completed by the participants. Our findings shed light on higher proficiency learners’ significantly higher level of strategy use. Learners at higher levels relied more strongly on their metacognitive strategies, such as planning, organizing and monitoring their cognitive processes. Our analysis also showed a high correlation between the different factors of metastrategy use (metacognitive, meta-affective, metasocial, and metamotivational) and cognitive, affective, social, and motivational strategy use in relation to attitude and proficiency. A path analysis also reinforced our assumption that metafactors significantly determine learners’ proficiency across strategy use and attitude in both higher and lower-level students. The positive contribution of the metastrategies on their corresponding regulated strategy fields appeared to be robust, thus underlining recent LLS research that emphasizes the role of metafactors in the language learning process.

The effects of peer feedback and self-regulated learning on Thai EFL university students’ essay writing ability and self-regulation

“…The other plausible explanation for this finding is that because low-skilled writers frequently rely on their emotions, they tend to use affective tactics like relaxing more frequently. The results of the research conducted by Habók et al (2022) confirm this finding. They found that low-proficiency language learners most frequently used affective and motivational techniques.…”

Awareness of Language Learning Strategy Use of the ESL Students of Rural Telangana

“…Some researchers (Hosseinpur & Kazemi, 2022) identified that high proficiency students use more strategies and the students with poor writing skills have the knowledge of strategy use. However, their knowledge does not coincide with the implementation part while writing (Habók et al, 2022;Teng, 2022). Therefore, the findings conclusively affirm that these students must engage in active implementation of the strategies during communication, regardless of their awareness of the strategies (Damanik, 2022;Li, 2022;Zhang & Goh, 2006).…”

Investigating the relationship between self-regulated learning and language proficiency among EFL students in Vietnam

“…The aim of this research is to investigate the self-regulated learning strategies employed by Vietnamese English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students and to explore any potential causal link between selfregulated language learning and the language pro ciency of learners. In recent years, there has been a surge in captivating studies focusing on the basis, nature, and advancement of learners' capacity to selfregulate their learning, aiming to facilitate the learning process (Alotaibi, 2017;Fukuda, 2018;Habók & Magyar, 2018;Habók et al, 2022;Kim et al, 2015;Lin, 2019). However, there are not many studies that investigated self-regulated learning strategies and the correlation between self-regulation and language pro ciency among undergraduate language learners, especially in EFL settings in the Vietnamese context.…”