Midterm work
NA3C0006 Christina
In-service Adult Learners’ English Learning Strategies in Taiwan
ChianYi Ju, Shu-Te University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Reference:
Exploring a new role for teachers: promoting learner autonomy
Nae-Dong Yang
Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures,
National Taiwan University, Taipei, 10764 Taiwan,
ROC
Literature
Review
(synthesize, interpret and critique prior literature, introduce the research background, the references include relevant , the reviewed
In this article, there are three aspects in the literature review, 'Language Learning Strategies',
'Explicit Grammar Instruction', and 'The present
Study'. In the first part 'Language Learning
'strategies', it combines both summary and synthesis, It interpret the background of language learning strategies and cite some researchers' definition such as
Bialystok (1978) defined language learning strategies as optional means for exploiting available information to improve competence in a second language.
Stern (1983) thought that strategy is best reserved
In this article, there are two aspects in the literature review, 'New roles and new perspectives for teachers', ' The teacher's role in developing students' learning strategies', it synthesize and interpret prior literature.
(Nunan, 1993).
Teachers are changing their traditional roles and moving to new ones. They become active participants, monitors, consultants and guides when they work closely with their students' language learning and help students develop better techniques for learning.
(Wenden, 1991) They transform themselves into helpers and facilitators

references were not current) for general tendencies or overall characteristics of the approach employed by the learners, leaving techniques as the term to refer to particular forms of observable learning behavior.
Chamot (1987) defined learning strategies as techniques, approaches, or deliberate actions that students take in order to facilitate the learning and recall of both linguistic and content area information.
(Rubin, 1987) . learning strategies are strategies which contribute to the development of the language system which the learner constructs and affects learning directly.
O’Malley & Chamot (1990) proposed that learning strategies are the special thoughts or behaviors that individuals use to help them comprehend, learn, or retain new information.
Oxford (1990) defined learning strategies as specific action taken by the learning to make learning easier, faster, more enjoyable, more self-directed, more effective, and more transferable to new situation.
(Ellis, 1994) learning strategies consist of mental or behavioral activity related to some specific stage in the overall process of language acquisition or language use.
MacIntyre (1994) defined language learning strategies as the techniques and tricks that learners use to make the language easier to master.
Then, it has critical comment "From the
(Oxford, 1990, p. 8).
when they offer suggestions and guidance in the use of learning strategies, defined as
"actions taken by the learner to make learning easier, faster, more enjoyable, more self-directed, more effective, and more transferable to new situations''.
As Chamot et al. (1993) suggested, it is important for teachers to show a strongly positive attitude toward strategy instruction and provide a convincing rationale for strategy use
(O'Malley and Chamot, 1990; Wenden, 1991).
Teachers should take learners' interests and maturity levels into consideration when designing strategy assistance and deciding on the length of time spent on explicit strategy instruction.
(Oxford, 1990, 1996) The teacher must tailor strategy guidance to the level of the class and interweave strategy assistance uniformly into lesson plans.
(Rubin, 1975) Since Rubin's characterization of the good language learner, numerous studies have identi®ed and classi®ed language learning strategies and have discussed methods for developing students' language learning strategies (Chamot and Kupper, 1989; O'Malley et al.,
1985a,b; Oxford, 1990, 1993, 1996).
Oxford, for example, has developed the Strategy
Inventory for Language Learning (found in
Oxford, 1990; see also Bedell and Oxford, 1996, and
Oxford and Burry-Stock, 1995) to assess learners' strategy use in six categories: (a) memory strategies,

definitions above, it is clear that there is no agreement about what language learning strategies are.
Some defined it as the elements that language learning included, but some defined it as the purpose the learners use to learn the language.
The second part is 'Explicit Grammar
Instruction', It compare the studies of some researchers have agreed that grammar should not be taught because it should be acquired naturally with those proposed that grammar should be taught.
Burgess& Etherington’s study (2002) showed that
“Over 60% of respondents agreed that grammar could be viewed as a framework or a basic system for the rest of the language.
In Celce-Murcia’s (1991) study, he claimed that
“grammar is the resource for creating meaning through text and for negotiating socially motivated communication.”
Batstone (1994) defined grammar as “a formal framework, a set of categories and forms which helps us to see language as structured and systematic.”
In Piaget’s (1973) view, an individual who is capable of production and creativity should discover or reconstruct by rediscovering”.
Vygotsky (1978) proposed the ZDP theory and it suggests the individual’s ability was constructed by problem solving under adult guidance or in collaboration with more capable peers”.
(b) cognitive strategies, (c) compensation strategies,
(d) metacognitive strategies, (e) affective strategies and (f) social strategies. most studies have found that successful language learners used more learning strategies, and more facilitative ones, than did poor learners, although the number of strategies was less important than the rele- vance of the strategies to the given language task
(Bialystok, 1979; Chamot and Kupper, 1989; Naiman et al., 1978; Oxford, 1990, 1993; Rubin, 1975, 1987).
Researchers have identi®ed learners' preconceived beliefs, or metacognitive knowledge, about language learning as a major in¯uence on the way they use learn- ing strategies to develop second language competence
(Horwitz, 1987, 1988; Wenden, 1986, 1987a). Yang
(1992)
Teachers should use persuasive communication to change learners' beliefs and attitudes (Wenden, 1991).
Teachers should encourage students' ``cognitive restructuring'' (Schmeck, 1988) and raise metacognitive awareness by asking students to discuss their beliefs and expectations about language learning.
In addition, teachers have a role in explicit strategy instruction, as indicated by a variety of research studies (see Chamot et al., 1993, for a study in Russian,
Spanish and Japanese language classes; O'Malley et al.,
1985b, regarding ESL classes; Yang, 1996, concerning
EFL classes).

Justify
RQ's/purposes or define research issues
Krashen (1982,1985) proposed the similar opinion on that. He claimed that the only way for students to acquire grammar is to get exposure naturally to comprehensible input in the target language.
Ellis (1994, 2001) also suggested that the consciousness raising tasks appear to be an effective type of classroom activity.
Norris and Orgeta (2000) believed that explicit types of instruction are more effective than implicit types, and the instruction effects are durable.
In Larsen-Freeman’s (2003) view, explicit teaching can speed up the learning of these features or pattern by making them more salient, encouraging students to allocate attention to them.
The last part is 'The Present Study', based on the front two parts, it leads logically to the research questions.
1. How frequent do the adult students in this study use language learning strategies?
Researchers have offered various suggestions about how teachers should conduct strategy training: include multiple kinds of strategies (Wenden and Rubin,
1987) ; take into account affective issues such as motivation, beliefs and attitudes (Oxford et al., 1990); conduct strategy training oneself rather than having it done by outside researchers, and be fully trained before conducting it (Chamot, et al. 1993; Chamot and
KuÈ pper, 1989; Rubin et al., 1988); interweave strategy training within regular language instruction over a long duration (O'Malley and Chamot, 1990;
Oxford, 1990; Wenden, 1987b); provide complete strategy training in which students learn not only how to apply learning strategies but also why strategies are useful (Oxford et al., 1990) and follow a clear sequence of steps such as identifying and assessing students' current strategies, preparing students for strategy instruction, providing formal strategy instruction
(explanation, modeling, practice and integration) and evaluating the success of the instruction (Hosenfeld et al., 1981;O'Malley and Chamot, 1990; Oxford, 1990;
Weinstein and Underwood, 1985).
Based on the front two parts, it leads logically to the language learning project.
The instructor designed the language learning project as a major component in a second language acquisition course, an elective course meeting 3 hours per week.

proposed
Research method
Research finding
2. What are the most and the least used language learning strategies?
3. What is the relationship between language learning strategies used and their English proficiency level?
4. Does the explicit grammar instruction make any improvements in mastery the English language?
There were two phases in the present study. In the first phase, a total of 184 students participated and completed the Strategy Inventory for Language
Learning (SILL) and the Personal background
Information Questionnaire.
In the second phase, a total of 79 students out of the
184 in the phase 1 attended a four hour explicit grammar instruction course per week. All the participants received 2 tests respectively before and after receiving the instruction, and completed an
English-self-assessment chart.
Teaching and learning are designed activities. With the understanding about students, teachers can arrange the environment, design the curriculum and teaching materials, and delivery them to students.
The research reported here has attempted to discover and strategies adult students possess when learning English so that teachers can design an
The instructor adopted the sequence shown above
(diagnosis, preparation, instruction and evaluation) as the basis of the project. Students were told they needed to write a proposal for their language learning projects, keep a weekly diary and evaluate their learning at the semester's end. The course has now been offered each year for 4 years.
During these 4 years, 40 students have enrolled in the course and participated in the language learning project. Among them, 18 were males and 22 were females. The majority (32) were English majors, but others came from departments of sociology, politics, library science, physics and mathematics.
About 40% designed their learning projects to relate to the language courses they were currently taking at the university or at the Language Testing and Teaching
Center located on campus, while approximately
60% were doing self-study based on their own learning plan.
The course raised students' awareness of language learning strategies, improved students' use of strategies, taught students how to assess their own language proficiency, set goals, and evaluate progress, and enabled students to experience greater overall autonomy in learning. Throughout the effort, the instructor's role was to facilitate the structure,

Significance of study effective English learning instruction. The purpose was fulfilled in the study. With the success for adults’ English learning result in Taiwan, researchers and teachers should aware of the importance
First , the role of grammar instruction seems important to those participants at any stages of receiving explicit grammar instruction. That would represent how students strongly rely on a formal instruction in English classes. Second, the perception of general grammar knowledge held by students at different stages was increased significantly, either on pronunciation, word order within sentences, or the tenses of verbs. Thirdly, the reinforcement of general grammar knowledge raised the conscious learning within the students and also enhanced the uses of learning strategies and English proficiency performance. process, beliefs and strategies necessary for learner autonomy to become a reality.
First , because of their initially unrealistic beliefs about language learning, students tended to set overly ambitious goals in the beginning. Teachers could also present related information on language proficiency to help students set realistic goals.
Second , students' initial use of learning strategies was sometimes related to inaccurate beliefs. By providing information and helping change students' misconceptions through lectures, debates, panel discussions and reading materials, teachers can encourage effective strategy use and promote learner autonomy. Third , some students lacked self-discipline and needed support from each other and the teacher. Teachers cannot force, beg or threaten students into learning, but must instead provide structured formats, such as peer support groups.
Fourth, many students were studying their chosen language without a language teacher or language class. Some of these students experienced difficulties with the concept of self-assessment, and this was exacerbated by the absence of self-assessment materials.