Language Learning Strategies in English as a Foreign Language Classroom in Indonesian Higher Education Context

Abstract

Indonesian university students are not well-familiar with language learning strategies (LLS) as they are dependent on their lecturers. This condition also gets worse because the students still have low level of proficiency although they have already been learning English for multiple years. There have been many researches on students' LLS related to the four language skills and gender but there is a high need of studying the students' LLS regarding their age in the Indonesian higher education context. This research aimed at investigating students' language learning strategies related to their ages and providing some steps to make teaching program more effective by considering students' LLS and their age as well. This research utilized descriptive survey research design. The participants were 122 English Department students at one of public universities in Borneo Island, Indonesia. The instrument was SILL questionnaire. All the collected data were analyzed statistically. The findings show that students mostly used metacognitive (M=3.857), cognitive (M=3.707), and compensation strategies (M=3.563). The students' different age led them to select and implement different strategies. Some steps to optimize students' learning strategies are through inserting LLS instruction in the curriculum of teaching program, implementing certain models of strategy instruction, and developing lecturers' awareness of designing instruction at which one of the methods that can be employed is eclective methods. Considering all findings, it can be concluded that although indirect strategies get higher means of preference from the participants but they do not only focus on using indirect strategies. They combine those with direct strategies. Further, to make students more successful on their learning, the institution including lecturers and the academic community should take part in the effort of teaching learning strategies. This provides future research area that emphasizes on designing LLS instruction regarding students' age and level of their education.

Indonesian Efl Students’ Perspectives Towards Learning Management System Software

“…Cohen (2011) defines language learning strategies as thoughts and actions, consciously chosen and operationalized by language learners, to assist them in carrying out a multiplicity of tasks from the very outset of learning to the foremost advanced levels of target language performance. As stated by Tanjung (2018), language learning strategies are conscious methods, techniques, activity, or devices that a student utilizes from preparation, process, and evaluation of their learning so they can acquire language and achieve the learning goals altogether.…”

Fun Ways in Learning English

“…According to Sartika (2019) there is a strong comparison of strategy learning used between the successful and unsuccessful learners. In conducting teaching-learning process, the power of teachers and students must be equal (Tanjung, 2018). Therefore, it is interesting to know what strategies that successful and unsuccessful learners use in learning English so that it gives some information to the teacher, especially to help students learn better.…”

The Analyses of Learning Strategies in English as a Second Language: Theoretical Classification and Measurement Test

“…The terms of acquisitionrelated to the process of learning in a natural situation that is supported by the teacher due to support in applying learning by a situation in the classroom. (Tanjung, 2018) argued that the subconscious or conscious process in learning the language or the language that is different from the mother tongue is called second language acquisition. Second Language Acquisition (SLA) is closed to learners' competence which related to the performance of learners in using the second language.…”