Through the Lens of Good Language Learners: What Are Their Strategies?

Abstract

Often times, many English as Second Language (ESL) facilitators speculate why some learners learn faster than other learners. Provided the students were exposed with the same amount of years in the formal education system in Malaysia, the language instructors curious about the variety of performance in the English language among the learners. This study revealed the language learning strategies used by ten successful ESL learners of a private university in Kajang, Selangor, using Oxford's (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). The findings indicated that successful language learners are high frequency users of language learning strategies. The total mean of each category showed that metacognitive strategies (Mean=3.964) are among the most frequently used strategies, followed respectively by compensatory (Mean=3.814), cognitive (Mean=3.812), social (Mean=3.700), memory (Mean=3.100) and affective strategies (Mean=2.890) found as the least used strategies among successful language learners. Interestingly, the study also identified that successful language learners used more direct strategies compared to indirect strategies. The findings have significant implications for research on language learning strategies for successful language learners and teacher planning in order to promote and boost the use of strategies among the poor language learners.

Language Learning Strategies Employed by Successful Language Learners

“…In addition, affective strategies are placed at the sixth place with the mean score of 3.2963 meaning they are averagely used among the respondents. Nazri et al (2016) in their research among ESL learners in a university revealed exact same findings as in this research which the metacognitive strategies ranked the first followed by compensation, cognitive, social, memory and lastly affective. Similarly, Yunus et al (2013) and Rahman (2020) in their research towards Malaysian gifted students and EFL learners respectively found that metacognitive strategies were used the most meanwhile the least rank was affective strategies.…”

“…The least used memory strategy "I used flashcards to remember new English words" (item 6), holding the mean 2.3519. The findings are parallel with Yunus et al (2013), Nazri et al (2016), Ang et al (2017) and Rahman (2020). According to Oxford (2003) memory strategies support learners by enabling them to link concept in second language without necessarily having deep understanding which also often positively associated with second language proficiency.…”

“…The previous studies describe good language learners as active language learners who are problem solvers for their own learning. This description is parallel to Nazri et al (2016) who state that successful language learners demonstrate the urge to exploit an active mind, solve problems with positivity, devote sufficient time to accomplish different tasks and learn the necessary information through numerous resources. In short, they are very successful in acquiring the second language (L2) until they can proficiently use the language and fluently communicate in English (Hashim et al, 2018).…”

“…Likewise, many studies showed that successful language learners consistently used a greater variation of language learning strategies (e.g. Ang et al, 2017;Nazri et al, 2016;Rubaai & Hashim, 2019;Zakaria et al, 2018). Rubin (1975) examined what we can learn about good learners and how the strategies they use can assist us in learning a foreign language.…”

“…It is proposed that by following good learning strategies, teachers can help less successful learners who typically have limited strategies to improve their language learning. Students who are attentive of the strategies and characteristics of successful language learners will more likely become efficient in their learning (Ang et al, 2017;Kiu & Yamat, 2020;Lim et al, 2021;Nazri et al, 2016;Rahman, 2020;Rubaai & Hashim, 2019;Rubin, 1975;Sarafianou & Gavriilidou, 2015). Thus, teachers should take this opportunity to train their students to deploy the good learning strategies that are suitable for their students' needs (Ang et al, 2017;Basri & Hashim, 2019;O'Malley et al, 1985;Rubaai & Hashim, 2019;Rubin, 1975).…”