A Study of Senior High School Students’
Beliefs about English Learning and Their
Use of Language Learning Strategy in
Taipei County
Hsiu-Hui Lin
Pey-Chewn Nancy Duo
Department of Applied English,
Ming Chuan University
2010/03/13
ABSTRACT
To investigate the English learning beliefs held
by the senior high school students and their use
of language learning strategies
 To find out the relationship between English
learning beliefs and language learning strategy
use
 The participants --163 students (M=86; F=77) and
randomly chosen from the second year of a
senior high school in Taipei County
 Results from a 5-point Likert questionnaire
composed of Horwitz’s BALLI and Oxford’s SILL
 The data were computed and analyzed by
descriptive statistics and Pearson’s Correlation.
 The findings and pedagogical implications are
provided.
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INTRODUCTION
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Learners might become conscious of their own
learning processes with beliefs about language
learning and could develop learning strategies
which help learners to learn English efficiently.
Each foreign language learner has certain
preconceived ideas or beliefs about how they
learn foreign languages and appropriate
language learning strategies are essential for
language learners.
Wenden (1987) demonstrated how beliefs
influence learners’ choice of strategies, their
attending pattern, criteria for evaluating the
effectiveness of learning activity, and their
planning priorities.
INTRODUCTION
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Many studies related to both learning beliefs and
learning strategies affecting learners’ English
achievement.
Chang’s (1997) and Lu’s (1996) studies had
investigated high school students and college
students’ strategy use and its relationship with
English achievement .
However, only few attempts had been made to
examine senior high school students’ beliefs
about language learning (Huang, 1998).
Therefore, to be inspired to explore senior high
school students’ beliefs about language learning
and their learning strategy use.
Studies on Beliefs about Language Learning
Beliefs about foreign language learning refer to:
(i) “Opinions or views that are held by people
toward issues of foreign language learning”
(Wang, 1996).
(ii) Horwitz (1988) stated that beliefs about
language learning were “preconceived notions
about language learning” (p.283).
(iii) Mantle-Bromley (1995) pointed out learners
with positive beliefs are more likely to perform
better in class.
* Therefore, it is important to discover learners’
beliefs to meet their expectations(Horwitz, 1987).

Studies on Beliefs about Language Learning
An increasing number of evidences -beliefs about language learning play a significant
role in learning achievements and experiences
(Sakui & Gaies, 1999; Schommer, 1990).
 In addition,
according to Horwitz (1999), it is likely that
language learner beliefs have the potential to
affect their learning experiences as well as
actions.
 Attitudes and perceptions to learning beliefs take
an important role on learning behaviors (Cotteral,
1995).
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Studies on Language Learning Strategy Use
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According to Rubin (1975), were defined as “the
techniques or devices which a learner may use to
acquire knowledge.”
Foreign or second language (L2) learning
strategies are specific actions, behaviors, steps,
or technique students use – often consciously – to
improve their process in apprehending,
internalizing, and using the L2 (Oxford, 1990b).
Moreover, high English proficiency learners
relatively made better use of language learning
strategies than low proficiency learners.
Studies on Language Learning Strategy Use
Naiman, Frohlich, and Todesco (1975) made a list
of strategies used by successful L2 learners.
And they added that they learn to think in the
language and address the affective aspects of
language acquisition.
 As a result, it is of importance to instruct
language learning strategy use to the learners or
to train them as good learning strategy users.

Studies on the Relationship between Beliefs and
Strategy Use
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Beliefs and strategy use could be decisive factors
influencing a language learner’s performance.
There was a close relationship between both.
As Horwitz (1987) provided preliminary evidence
that student beliefs about language learning
could influence their language learning
strategies.
Wenden (1987) adopted semi-structured
interviews and she discovered that learners’
beliefs about language learning affected their
strategy choice.
Studies on the Relationship between Beliefs and
Strategy Use
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On the other hand, Abraham and Vann (1987) also
discussed the relationship between both in
reporting their case study. They interviewed a
successful and an unsuccessful learner and then
compared their learning processes and
approaches.
The final result suggested that learners had a
philosophy of how language was learned, which
guided the approach they took in language
learning situations.
Purpose of the Study
 To investigate senior high school students’
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beliefs about language learning in Taiwan
To investigate senior high school students’ use of
language learning strategies in Taiwan
To explore the relationship between senior high
school students’ beliefs about language learning
and their use of language learning strategies in
Taiwan
To achieve the purposes of this study, the
research questions were raised as follows:
Research Questions
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What are senior high school students’ beliefs
about English learning in Taiwan?
What language learning strategies are most
frequently used by senior high school students?
What language learning strategies are least
frequently used by senior high school students?
Is there any relationship between senior high
school students’ beliefs about language learning
and their use of language learning strategies?
Significance of the Study
Findings may help senior high school teachers to
better understand students’ beliefs about
language learning, students’ use of language
learning strategies and the relationship between
the two variables.
 Understanding learners’ beliefs about language
learning and language learning strategies is
beneficial to students themselves and learners
should take more responsibility of their learning.
 Providing researchers and educators in Taiwan
with an insight into senior high school students’
beliefs and their use of LLS and the relationship
between two.

METHODOLOGY
The present study employed quantitative
research methods to investigate EFL senior high
school language learners’ beliefs about English
learning, their use of language learning
strategies, and the relationship between both.
 Participants
 Students at an average age of 17 and studying in
the second year of Lin Kou Senior High School in
Taipei County
 Studying English as a foreign language for at
least 5~8 years or even for 9 years or above
 To take the Basic Competence Test (國中基本學力
測驗)
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METHODOLOGY
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The total score for English is 60 and students who
could enter this senior high school scored from
30 to 60 approximately (based on this test).
Students at this high school may have achieved
the certain basic level of English proficiency in a
general sense.
Instruments
1) Participants’ Background Information
2) Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory
(BALLI, EFL/ESL version), (Horwitz, 1987)
3) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL,
EFL/ESL 7.0 version), (Oxford, 1990)
METHODOLOGY

BALLI contains 34 items to assess students’
beliefs in five areas:

(i) foreign language aptitude, (ii) the difficulty of language
learning, (iii) the nature of language learning, (iv) learning
and communication strategies, (v) motivations and
expectations
To respond to their agreements to 34 items on a 5-point
Likert scale
Presenting (5) Strongly Agree (4) Agree (3) No Comment (2)
Disagree (1) Strongly Disagree
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SILL includes 50 items, categorized in 6
categories:
METHODOLOGY
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(i) memory strategies, (ii) cognitive strategies, (iii)
compensation strategies, (iv) metacognitive strategies, (v)
affective strategies, and (vi) social strategies.
Based on a five-point Likert scale from 5 to 1:
(5) Always or Almost Always (4) Usually (3) Somewhat (2)
Usually Not (1) Never or Almost Never.

The 34 items of BALLI and the 41 items (revised
from 50items) of SILL were translated into Chinese.

To ensure the expert validity of BALLI and SILL, the
translations of them were checked & reviewed by a
professor at MCU
Procedures – Two phases

Pilot study: in LKSH in Taipei County
(i)
To examine the reliability values of the Chinese BALLI
and SILL questionnaires
34 students (Male =18; Female =16)
The cronbach’s alpha coefficient of the BALLI was .787,
and the reliability coefficient of the SILL was .955 (above
0.7).
(ii)
(iii)
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Formal study: in LKSH in Taipei County
(i)
On October 28th 2009, a fall semester of 2009.
170 second-year students participated. However, the
final valid samples – 163.
The reliability coefficient of BALLI was .725, and that of
the SILL was .950
(ii)
(iii)
Data Collection and Analysis
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Based on the quantitative research approach
By using the SPSS (Statistical Packages for the
Social Sciences) version 15.0

Descriptive statistics, including means, standard
deviations and one sample t-test, and Pearson’s
correlation analysis
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
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R Q 1: What are senior high school students’
beliefs about English learning in Taiwan?
The Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory
(BALLI) was used.
Descriptive statistics, mean scores, standard
deviations, and one sample t-test (in Table 1).
Among the five main areas of beliefs of senior
high students – Overall, the five main categories - above 3.0, and all of them were calculated
significantly at the level of p<.01 through one
sample t-test.
The highest one in mean scores was motivations
and expectations (M=3.94, SD= .63)
Table 1: Mean scores, Standard Deviation and One Sample t-test
of the Overall and the Five Respective Beliefs about Language
Learning (N=163)
(M)
()
(SD)
t
Language
aptitude
3.16
3
.42
4.911**
Learning
difficulty
3.20
3
.47
5.514**
Language
nature
3.34
3
.53
8.191**
L&C
strategies
3.33
3
.38
11.265**
Motivation
& Ex.
3.94
3
.63
19.143**
Total
3.39
3
.34
14.981**
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION – RQ 1
Motivations and expectations were more strongly
agreed than other four categories in learners’
beliefs about language learning.
 In Table 2, the percentage of motivations and
expectations was 91.41%- Most students consented motivations and
expectations about language learning had a
great influence on learners’ language learning.
 Students believed learners equipped with
learning and communication strategies learnt
well (80.98%) -- The results concurs with Shih’s
(2004) and Liu’s (2004) studies.

Table 2: Frequencies of Responses (in %) on the Five Respective
Beliefs about Language Learning (N=163)
(Disagree)
(Neutral)
(Agree)
Language
aptitude
31.29
9.82
58.90
Learning
difficulty
28.22
12.27
59.51
Language
nature
20.25
11.66
68.10
L&C
strategies
11.66
7.36
80.98
Motivation &
Ex
4.29
4.29
91.41
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
R Q 2: What language learning strategies are most
frequently and least frequently used by senior
high school students?
(i) The Strategy Inventory of Language Learning
(SILL) was used.
(ii)The mean scores and the standard deviations of
the use of the six learning strategy categories
were illustrated in Table 3.
(iii) The mean of overall strategy was 3.03 (SD=
.61)/ the highest one was compensation (M=3.5,
SD= .72), which was used most frequently. The
social strategy was used least frequently (M=2.7,
SD= .76).
Table 3: Mean Scores and Standard Deviation of the Overall and
the Six Respective Learning Strategy Categories (N=163)
(M)
(SD)
Ranking
Memory
2.99
.72
3
Cognitive
3.0
.70
2
Compensation
3.5
.72
1
Metacognitive
2.95
.74
4
Affective
2.94
.81
5
Social
2.7
.76
6
Overall
3.03
.61
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION – RQ 2
Oxford (1990) acknowledges that a compensation
strategy such as looking for synonyms when the
exact word is unknown is a learning strategy or a
communication strategy.
 Due to their insufficient input and practice of
target language, students intend to make up for
an inadequate repertoire of grammar and,
especially, of vocabulary, can gain sense of
achievement.
 The findings were consistent with Shih’s (2004)
study surveying junior high students in Taiwan,
and Liu’s (2004) study exploring senior high
students in Taiwan.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION – RQ 2
On the other hand, students never or seldom
used social strategies in learning English.
 According to Oxford (1990), social strategies
acquire students to ask questions, to cooperate
with others and empathizing with others.
 Students in Taiwan can not expose themselves
sufficiently in an English-speaking environment
and they seldom have opportunities to interact
with others in English and students at senior high
school get used to competition rather than
cooperation in terms of the pressure of a great
number of tests.
 The finding was consistent with Liu’s (2004) study.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION – RQ 2
Besides,
 According to Oxford’s criteria in the frequency of
strategy use (see Table 4), the mean of overall
strategy use and the means of the six learning
strategy categories almost fell in the medium use.
 Compensation strategy was highly used.
 This study was consistent with Lan’s (2005), Lan
and Oxford’s (2003) findings.

Table 4: Oxford’s (1990) SILL Score Standard for Strategy Use
Always or almost
always used
4.5 to 5.0
Usually used
3.5 to 4.4
Sometimes used
2.5 to 3.4
Generally not used
1.5 to 2.4
Never or almost
never used
1.0 to 2.4
High Use
Medium use
Low use
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
R Q 3: Is there any relationship between senior high
school students’ beliefs about language learning
and their use of language learning strategies?
(i) The relationship was explored by means of
Pearson Correlation analysis.
(ii)In table 5, the correlation between the 34 items
on the BALLI and the 41 items on the SILL was
calculated.
(iii)The value of Pearson correlation (r) could range
from -1.00 to 1.00.
(iv)The correlation coefficient between the BALLI
and the SILL items was demonstrated as .415
which exerts a medium degree.
Table 5: Pearson Correlation between Beliefs about Language
Learning and Use of Language Learning Strategy
Strategy Use
Pearson
Correlation
Beliefs
.415(**)
Sig. (2-tailed)
.000
N
163
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION – RQ 3


The beliefs senior high school students held
could affect their usage of language learning
strategy use when students learn English as a
foreign language.
The finding is similar to Shih’s (2004) finding, and
consistent with the results of previous studies
(Abraham & Vann, 1987; Wenden, 1987).
CONCLUSION

The findings of the study indicated:
(1) The participants held various beliefs about
language learning, especially motivational
beliefs.
(2) The students in this investigation utilized a
variety of language learning strategies.
(3) Among six strategy categories, they used
compensation strategies most frequently and
social strategies least frequently.
(4) The students’ beliefs about language learning
were related to their use of language learning
strategies.
PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS
•
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
Pedagogical implications are suggested:
Teachers should try to understand beliefs
about language learning of their own students.
Teachers should inform students of the
importance of language learning strategies
and provide students with explicit directions.
Teachers should make efforts to motivate their
own students to learn English.