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UPSI Digital Repository (UDRep)
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| Abstract : Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris |
| The present study investigated the use of language learning strategies of 578 Libyan successful and less successful secondary school students of English as a foreign language, based on four variables; students‘ geographical area, English language preference, gender and students‘ English background (living in an English-speaking country and/or having English courses out of the school discipline). The subjects (149 boys and 429 girls) were assessed through an Arabic translation of the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) (Oxford, 1990). The methodology adopted for this study is a mixed-method design (quantitative and qualitative). The instruments employed in data collection were survey questionnaires (SILL), focus group semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. The qualitative data was analyzed using a form of content analysis research techniques. The quantitative data was analyzed using the SPSS statistics software. The major findings were that the reported frequency of strategy use as whole by the students was moderate, with the students reporting most frequent use of Metacognitive Strategies and least use of Social Strategies. Successful students reported using strategies more often than the less successful students. The results of this study proved that there was no statistically significant difference between male and female students in the use of overall language learning strategies and strategy categories except for cognitive strategies. In general, the geographical area factor was not good predicator for language learning strategies as the results showed that there were no significant differences in the use of overall strategies with regard to the geographical area factor. However, geographical area factor was a significant predictor for ten individual strategies. Students‘ Language background has influenced the use of overall LLSs and four of the strategy categories in favor of group 1 students (who lived in an English-speaking country or/and having English courses out of the school discipline). English language background has no relation with the use of metacognitive and social strategies. The language preference factor was found to be a good predictor. Successful students of all the three groups used overall language learning strategies and all the six strategy categories more frequently than less successful students. The results also showed that the main problem faced by the students was that they still did not have explicit knowledge about the use of language learning strategies. |
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