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LEARNING STRATEGY INSTRUCTION
I have found it very useful to teach language learning strategies in my classes. Learning strategies are the specific actions taken to enhance one's own learning, through the storage, retention, recall, and use of new information about the target language. They are the specific thoughts and behaviours students use to facilitate the completion of language learning tasks. Students can learn to plan, monitor, evaluate their own language learning and deal with difficulties through the systematic application of language learning strategies. In other words, learners can develop language learning repertoires which include:
The aim of learning strategy instruction is to promote learner autonomy and self-direction, in other words, to assist learners in becoming more aware of the range of possible strategies that they could use sucessfully throughout the language learning process, in order to enhance their comprehension and production of the target language. Strategy instruction can be implicit or explicit. I approach strategy instruction from several angles.
First of all, before I start any language learning strategy instruction, I try to gather as much information as possible from and about my students as learners. In the beginning of first year Hindi I have them take two tests. The first one is the Learning Style Identification Exercise (ELSIE), which is useful for both me and the students to identify how they learn efficiently and what their learning preferences, weaknesses and strengths are. Certainly, the test does not always provide an accurate student profile. Yet, it is beneficial for the students to self-evaluate and self-analyze and to reflect on their own characteristics as learners. Being aware of what kind of styles they employ most efficiently helps the students to better address their needs and weaknesses. They take the test at the end of the very first session and we devote 10 minutes of the next one to discussing the results and what they mean.
At the end of the second session I give the second test as a take-home assignment. The Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) helps the students know what kinds of techniques and strategies exist for language learning, as well as recognize which ones they already use. During the third session we discuss the results for 15 minutes and try to come up with clusters of strategies appropriate for the different style learners. It is useful for me to determine what the students' existing arsenal of strategies is in order to work later on a wider range of strategies.
I consider needs assessment a crucial aspect of the approach toward strategy training. At the end of the third session I have the students fill out a short questionnaire about their previous language learning experience, their expectations regarding the role of the teacher and the learner, the reasons why they have chosen to study Hindi, their general interests in India. In addition, in the middle of the first quarter I have them answer a second questionnaire where I receive the students' feedback on their experience in the class so far; on the most useful tasks and activities, keeping in mind their learning styles; and on their frustrations, and ask them for suggestions.
Usually I develop sets of strategies a-priori according to the specifics of Hindi and in the beginning the strategy instruction more often takes place explicitly. We start with Total Physical Response exercises, using real objects, imagery and color cards to group and classify parts of the speech and the sentence. We discuss why we do what we do.
There are no handouts during the first week in order for students to start employing cognitive strategies like note-taking in the form of writing key words and concepts in graphic or verbal form. We also discuss how to elaborate on prior knowledge, what kind of analogies and associations can be employed, and how to make inferences by guessing and predicting from the context.
Social strategies are also addressed during the first week, such as questioning for verification and clarification, consulting the teacher, cooperating with a peer or a native speaker on issues of interest. We talk about the importance of planning and advance organization, selective attention toward specific items, self-management and monitoring, all of which are metacognitive strategies. Later on, after the first 5 sessions the learning strategy instruction gradually becomes embedded in the type of activities we do in class.
Click here for a description of these activities. Nevertheless, the discussion about learning strategies and styles is still kept on throughout the year on the e-mail.
Click here for examples of students' e-mail messages.
Click here for student reactions to e-mail use.
See for more on learning strategy instruction:
Weaver, S., & Cohen, A. D. (1994). Making Learning Strategy Instruction a Reality in the Foreign Language Curriculum. In C. Klee (Ed.), Faces in a Crowd: The Individual Learner in Multisection Courses (pp. 285-323). Boston: Heinle & Heinle.
Second Language Learning Strategies Project at the U of M.
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