LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGIES

290 Pages·2005·1.39 MB·English

ABSTRACT

Title: LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGIES PROFILES OF
EFL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
IN TAIWAN

Rae L. Lan, Doctor of Philosophy., 2005

Directed by: Professor Rebecca L. Oxford

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

Research in the last three decades on second and foreign language learning strategies
has witnessed prolific and vigorous growth. Numerous studies around the world have
contributed to both theory and teaching by showing fruitful results supporting the
significant role of language learning strategies for effective and successful language
learning. Factors related to language learning strategy use range from cultures and
educational contexts to individual learner variables, such as gender, motivation, learning
styles, years of learning, proficiency, and achievement. The majority of investigations
have focused on young adult and adult learners, with fewer studies exploring learning
strategy use by children at the elementary school level.
This current study investigating Taiwanese elementary school students’ strategy use
bears significance in the following four areas. (a) It has a large-size sample of 1,191
participants. (b) It includes four major geographical areas of Taiwan: north, central, south,
and east. (c) It explores eight independent variables: geographical area, gender, father
education, mother education, liking of learning English, self-rated English proficiency,
self-choice of studying English at a private institute, and prior English learning. (d) It
employs three research instruments for data collection: a questionnaire, a vocabulary
performance task, and student interviews.
By listening to the voice of Taiwanese children through the questionnaire, the
performance task, and the interviews, this dissertation has provided new and more
comprehensive information about young learners’ strategy use. The results provide
implications for both theory and pedagogy. For example, to facilitate children’s English
language learning, teachers need to further understand the importance of vocabulary
learning. Woven into regular language instruction, teachers should also start teaching
students how to use both vocabulary learning strategies and general learning strategies.
The goal is to help students develop strategies for effective and enjoyable learning so that
they will be better equipped to cope with the challenges of language learning.
LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGIES PROFILES OF
EFL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS
IN TAIWAN

By

RAE L. LAN

Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the
University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment
of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
2005

Advisory Committee:

Professor Rebecca L. Oxford, Chair
Professor Perla Blejer
Professor Teresa Cabal Krastel
Professor Roberta Lavine
Professor Bruce VanSledright
© Copyright by
Rae L. Lan
2005

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DEDICATION

This dissertation is dedicated to Gu-Yang Ju, my father-in-law, Sai-Hwa Chen, my
deceased mother-in-law, Su Lan, my father, and Mei-Hsio Chow, my mother. I appreciate
their unselfish and everlasting love, patience, and support.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to express my most sincere appreciation to my advisor Dr. Rebecca
Oxford who has guided and supported me throughout my academic journey at the
University of Maryland. Not only has she provided most generously her valuable time
and professional guidance as an academic advisor for my dissertation study, she has also
offered me the most loving support, like that of a family member. She has been a mentor,
a friend, and a role model to me. Without her, I would have been where I am today.
I am also very grateful to my dissertation committee members, Dr. Perla Blejer, Dr.
Teresa Krastel, Dr. Roberta Lavine, and Dr. Bruce VanSledright, for their support and
feedback. Without their time, their expertise, and feedback for my proposal and
dissertation, I would not have been able to complete my work.
For the editorial support, I am indebted to my colleagues and friends, Mr. Michael
Butler, Ms. Joan Quick, and most of all, Ms. Nina Liakos, for their time and their
professional editing work. I appreciate their support and their friendships.
I would also like to acknowledge the support of the Taiwanese Children’s Strategy
Inventory for Language Learning Reviewing Committee. I am thankful for their sharing
of their expertise and experience. Particularly, I am deeply appreciative of the time and
help offered by Dr. George Hsiao and Dr. Nae-Dong Yang.
Special thanks go to my colleagues and friends, Dr. Ching-Kang Liu, Ms. Yuh-Ling
Wu, and Ms. Joyce Lin, for their initial support in my doctoral study. I am deeply grateful
to their encouragement and their friendships. Without their kindness in the beginning, I
would not have been able to take this wonderful opportunity to come and study in the
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United States. And furthermore, I would like to show my appreciation to our best and
supporting friends Dr. Fu-Lian Hsu and Ms. Susie Wong who have so generously offered
their friendships and support.
My deepest appreciation also goes to my colleagues at the Language Center and
Soochow University for their support in allowing me to take four years’ leave to
concentrate on my studies here. Furthermore, I am also much obliged to the financial
support and sponsorship of the Fulbright and the Institute of International Education. I
have also been very fortunate to receive financial support from the Delta Kappa Gamma
Society International for women educators, as well as the Roothbert Fund. They have
helped me realize that their support could go beyond the color of my skin and my ethnic
origin.
Finally, I am indebted to all the support that my family has so lovingly offered me. I
thank my parents-in-law, my parents, my sister and brothers, my sisters-in-law, and my
brothers-in-law, particularly Oh-Ge and Si-Chi for their constant financial and moral
support. Their love has sustained my studies here.
Of course, nothing of this would have been possible if it had not been for the love
and support from my husband Alex and my four wonderful children, Joanne, Jodie, and
the twins Hung and Liang. I have been the most fortunate wife and mother in the world
for the blessings of such a wonderful family. It was their love that has kept me going this
far and their love that will keep me going further.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Dedication ii
Acknowledgements iii
Table of Contents v
List of Tables x
List of Figures xii

Chapter 1: Introduction 1

Introduction 1
Background of the Study 4
Statement of the Problem 7
Purpose of the Study 8
Research Questions 9
Significance of the Study 10
Definitions of Key Terms 11
Rational for the Research Design 13
Limitations of the Study 13
Conclusion and Overview of Forthcoming Chapters 13

Chapter 2: Literature Review 15

Introduction 15
Language Learning Strategies 15
Presentation and Analysis of Definitions 15
Characteristics 18
Theoretical Systems for Classifying Strategies 20
Language Learning Strategies and Cognitive Psychology 25
Language Learning Strategies and Social-Cognitive Psychology 27
Piaget’s Developmental-Cognitive Theory and Children’s Language

Learning 28
Review of Research on Language Learning Strategies 29
Strategy Use in Foreign Versus Second Language Contexts 30
Secondary School, College, University, and Adult Strategy Studies 31

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Chapter 2: Literature Review (Continued)

Strategy Use in Relations to Language Performance 31
Gender Differences in Strategy Use 34
Strategy Use Associated with Motivation, Attitudes and Beliefs 35
Relationships Between Strategies and Learning Styles 37
Young Children's L2 Learning Strategies 38
Young Children's Use of Various Types of Strategies 38
Young Children's Use of Cognitive Strategies 38
Young Children's Use of Conversation-Initiation Strategies and

Social-Interaction Strategies 39
Young Children's Use of Private-Speech Strategies, Especially

During the Silent Period 42
Young Children's Use of Multiple Strategies 43
Young Children's Task-Related Strategy Use 43
Young Children's Strategy Use in Relation to Proficiency 45
Taiwanese Children's Learning Strategies 47
Elementary School Students' Use of Vocabulary-Learning

strategies 47
Elementary School Students' Strategy Use Associated with Their

Learning Experience 51
Elementary School Students' Strategy Use in Relation to Gender

and Personality Differences 52
Taiwanese Children's Strategy Use Versus Gender, Proficiency,

and Attitude toward Learning 53
Conclusion 56

Chapter 3: Methodology 57
Introduction 57
Rational for Mixed-Method Design 58
Educational Setting for This Study 61
Methodology for Phase I 62
Participants in Phase I 62
Instrumentation in Phase I 65
Revisions in Part 1 of the Taiwanese Children's SILL 69
Revisions in Part 2 of the Taiwanese Children's SILL 70
Revisions in Part 3 and Part 4 of the Taiwanese Children's SILL 70
Revisions in Part 5 of the Taiwanese Children's SILL 70
Revisions in Part 6 of the Taiwanese Children's SILL 71
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Chapter 3: Methodology (Continued)

Background Questionnaire 74
Data Collection Procedures for Phase I 75
Data Analysis Procedures for Phase I 77
Methodology for Phase II 79
Participants in Phase II 79
Instrumentation in Phase II 80
Vocabulary Performance Task 81
Student Interviews 84
Data Collection Procedures for Phase II 85
Data Analysis Procedures for Phase II 85
Vocabulary Performance Task 85
Additional Interview 86
Limitations to Methodology 87
Information and Consent Forms for Phases I and II 87
Phase I Forms 88
Phase II Forms 88
Conclusion 88

Chapter 4: Results of Phase I 89

Introduction 89
Research Question 1 89
Research Question 2 102
Research Question 3 103
Research Question 4 104
Research Question 5 107
Research Question 6 112
Conclusion 124

Chapter 5: Results of Phase II 125

Introduction 125
Profiles of 12 Students 128
Alex, Northern Region, Low Proficient 128
Billy, Northern Region, Medium proficient 133
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