Secondary Language Learners: How They Choose Useful Language Learning Strategies

There are several factors which affect the second language learner with regard to types of strategies she or he chooses to use. According to Ellis, young children's strategies are simpler and employ strategies in a task oriented way while older children and adults resort to using more sophisticated strategies. (Ellis 541). For example, "rehearsal" for children involves rote-repetition while for adults, learning strategies involve "active, systematic and elaborative procedures" (Ellis 541).

Motivation also affects the learner's choice of strategies. With regard to motivation, "highly motivated learners used more strategies relating to formal practice, functional practice, general study and conversation / input elicitation than poorly motivated learners" (Ellis 542). The type of motivation is equally important. For example, in the United States, students learn a second language under an instrumental setting; that is, they study French, Spanish or any other foreign language to get a better job, higher salary, more qualifications for their resume, etc.

The learners' personal background emerges also an important factor with regard to strategy use. Ehrman (1990) found that professional linguists reported using more strategies more frequently than untrained instructors and students. (Ellis 543) In addition, the level of second language learning is important. the general trend is that the more experience a language learner has with a second language, the more sophisticated and flexible s/he will be in her/his strategy use. Experienced learners feel they have the language knowledge and so, they approach tasks calmly with the strategies they learned. (Ellis 543)

Situational and social factors also play a role in the learners' choice of strategies. The target language being learned has an effect on strategy use. For instance, students of Russian use more strategies than students of Spanish. (Ellis 543) Classroom settings provide a trigger for more strategy use than natural settings. There are little social and affective strategies employed. However, several instances of "questioning for clarification, cooperation, and self-talk" have been used on occasion. (Ellis 544)

Also, the type of language setting is important with regard to strategy use. English (second language learners) focus on higher strategies regarding vocabulary and oral skills and fewer strategies regarding listening comprehension, inferencing and oral presentation whereas foreign language learners rely on cognitive strategies and did not use some strategies such as rehearsal, translation, note taking, substitution and contextualization. (Ellis 544)

Finally, specific learning tasks determine the type of strategies used however, it may not always be possible to determine the kinds of strategies that a second language learner will resort to in a particular learning task. (Ellis 544)

It has been researched that university female students used conversation input elicitation strategies more frequently than males because they were concerned with social interaction. General speaking, females use more strategies than males. (Ellis 545)

Finally, with regard to beliefs about language learning, second language learners who stressed the importance of learning relied on cognitive strategies while those who emphasized the importance of using language, relied on communication strategies.

To sum up, language learners beliefs about language learning, situational and social factors, motivation and age all affect strategy use.

Works Cited
Ellis, Rod. Second Language Acquisition. Oxford UP, 1994.