Strategies for Better Learning of English Grammar: Chinese vs. Thais

Abstract

The success of language learning significantly depends on multiple sets of complex factors; among these are language-learning strategies of which learners in different countries may show different preferences. Needed areas of language learning strategy research include, among others, the strategy of grammar learning and the context-based approach to learning strategies. To fill in these gaps, this study aimed at finding the grammar learning strategies adopted by high school students as well as exploring the national differences between Chinese and Thai students. The results showed that in general the strategies significantly taken up by the high achievers in the grammar test included the metacognitive, the memory, the social and the cognitive. In terms of the national differences, the strategies that characterized the Thai students were the social and the affective. Regarding the Chinese, even though they generally applied all strategy categories at lower frequencies, they were found to prefer different sub-strategies in the following three categories: memory (revision and space reliance), cognitive (note taking) and metacognitive (lesson preview). The findings lead to implications for learners of grammar, interesting future research in grammar strategies and culturally responsive grammar teaching.

Revisiting views of grammar and grammar learning strategy use: A multiple case study in Vietnam

“…Thus, it seems that the positive beliefs about the importance of grammar in language learning are not only unanimous among EFL learners in most Southeast Asian countries but also those in other nations. Also, from the participants' perspectives, the traditional FoFs approach to grammar teaching does not seem problematic because participants approved focusing on forms when learning grammar, which confirms Daloglu's (2020) Consistent with the findings of other Asian students such as Indonesian, Chinese and Thai learners who were reported to employ a variety of strategies to learn grammar (e.g., Kadir et al, 2020;Supakorn et al, 2018), participants also used various GLSs such as environmental and behavioral management and cognitive strategies. Also, that can be formulated based on the findings in this study include but do not limit to "I use different ways of learning grammar" (MC), "I employ different sources to facilitate my grammar learning" (EBM), "I translate into Vietnamese grammatical concepts, rules, structures, or usage to help me learn English grammar" (C), "I make sure I follow the grammar rules" (MC), "I notice the position of verbs, nouns, adjectives, and adverbs when working on a grammar exercise" (C), "I make lists of important structures, rules, and usages and memorize the lists" (C) and "I make a schedule to help me organize my time to study grammar" (EBM).…”

Psychometric Properties of Self-Regulated Learning Strategies in Learning English Grammar and English Grammar Self-Efficacy Scales

“…Prior studies report that students use a variety of strategies to learn grammar such as cognitive, metacognitive, and environmental and behavioral management strategies (e.g., Supakorn et al, 2018;Truong et al, 2022 under review). Nevertheless, students who use metacognitive strategies develop more structural grammar knowledge.…”

Language Acquisition: The Role of Grammar Acquisition and Instruction in Second Language Teaching and Learning

“…Accordingly, the use of better language strategies can play an essential role in acquiring a language. Discerning the successful and unsuccessful language learning strategies can be helpful for unsuccessful language learners to improve their language learning (Rubin, 1975, as cited in Supakorn, Feng & Limmun, 2018). This study aimed to know the strategies used by all learners -high achievers and low achievers -to study English grammar.…”

“…Unfortunately, even though studies about language learning have become more prevalent ever since the 1970s, grammar acquisition, compared to other skills in language, has not been given as much notice (Anderson, 2005, Pawlak, 2009, as cited in Supakorn, Feng & Limmun, 2018). More so, Park and Lee (2007) deliberately stated that investigations about grammar strategies have much been brushed aside in the research literature.…”