Situating Language Learning Strategy Use

This book presents the latest research on the role of strategy use and development in second and foreign language teaching and learning. It comprises a wide selection of studies which cover topics such as strategic training of young EFL learners, promoting critical thinking through video gaming, language learning strategies for languages other than English, and the contribution of language learning strategies to the development of the four language learning skills. It will equip scholars and practitioners with the knowledge to help them better appreciate how language learning strategies contribute to and are linked with language learning processes. The contributing authors share research from their various contexts, which range from primary to tertiary education, and discuss the need for fine-tuned strategy categorization, conscious self-regulation and proposed strategy instruction.

Understanding language learning strategies in context : an innovative, complexity-based approach / Rebecca L. Oxford, Roberta Z. Lavine, and Carmen M. Amerstorfer -- Moving from theory to practice : a closer look at language learner strategies / Andrew D. Cohen -- How individual differences relate to successful strategy use : self-regulated language learners round the world / Carol Griffiths -- Listening to highly anxious EFL learners through the use of narrative : metacognitive and affective strategies for learner self-regulation / Christina Gkonou -- Modelling a prototypical use of language learning strategies : decision tree-based methods in multiple contexts / Atsushi Mizumoto and Osamu Takeuchi -- Mixing methods : investigating self-regulated strategies in a cooperative EFL learning environment / Carmen M. Amerstorfer -- Making language learning strategies research useful : insights from China for the world / Peter Yongqi Gu -- Language learning strategies of Greek EFL primary and secondary school learners : how individual characteristics affect strategy use / Angeliki Psaltou-Joycey and Zoe Gavriilidou -- The use of pronunciation learning strategies in form-focused and meaning-focused activities : the impact of contextual and individual difference variables / Miroslaw Pawlak -- Preparing teachers for language learning strategy instruction in diverse classrooms : a program for new teachers / Anna Uhl Chamot -- Investigating English majors? : affective strategy use, test anxiety, and strategy instruction: contextual influences / Jakub Bielak and Anna Mystkowska-Wiertelak -- Young language learners in classroom contexts : the development of strategy assessment methods and tools / Pamela Gunning and Carolyn E. Turner -- Conclusion : lessons learned and a look at the future of situated learning strategies / Carmen M. Amerstorfer and Rebecca L. Oxford

This innovative book focuses on the relationships among self-regulated language learning strategies, students' individual characteristics, and the diverse contexts in which learning occurs. It presents state-of-the-art, lively, readable chapters by well-known experts and new, promising scholars, who analyze learning strategy theory, research, assessment, and use. Written by a team of international contributors from Austria, Canada, Greece, Japan, New Zealand, Poland, Turkey, the UK and the USA, this volume provides theoretical insights on how strategic learning interacts with complex environments. It explores strategy choice and the fluidity and flexibility of learning strategies. Research-based but practical themes in the book include strategy-related teacher preparation; differentiated strategy instruction to meet the needs of diverse learners of different ages, cultures, and learning styles; and creative, visualization-based development of strategy awareness. Examining methodologies for strategy research and assessment, the volume explores narrative, decision-tree, scenario-based, and questionnaire-based research, as well as mixed-methods research and new assessment tools for young learners' strategies. It presents research on strategies used for foreign/second language pronunciation, pragmatics, listening, reading, speaking, writing, and test-taking. By providing a wide range of examples of strategies in research and action in a number of countries, cultures, and educational settings, and by offering incisive section overviews and a detailed synthesis at the end, this book enables readers to develop a holistic understanding of language learning strategies. With additional online strategy materials available for downloading, Language Learning Strategies and Individual Learner Characteristics is invaluable to all those interested in helping language students learn more effectively.

These studies were prepared in the context of preliminary work on the development of a Common European Framework of reference for language learning and teaching. The authors explore the notion of strategic competence in communication and learning situations."

Cohen explores the important linguistic topic of learner strategies - the ways in which language learners engage with the process of learning and communicating a new language. Questions and areas for further study are included in the book.

This comprehensive collection, comprising both theoretical and practical contributions, is unique in its focus on language learning strategy instruction (LLSI). The chapters, written by leading international experts, embrace both sociolinguistic and psycholinguistic perspectives. The issues presented include different models of strategy instruction and how they can be tailored according to context and the learners’ age and attainment level. The collection will be an important resource for researchers in the field, both for its critical perspectives and its guidance on collaborating with teachers to design interventions to implement strategy instruction. It also identifies key areas for research, including the teaching of less studied groups of strategies such as grammar and affective strategies. The book will prove equally valuable to language teachers through the provision of detailed teaching materials and tasks. Those engaged in professional development, whether pre- or in-service teacher education, will find a wealth of concrete ideas for sessions, courses and assignments.

A review of the literature on learning strategies, describing and classifying learning strategies in second language learning.

The Second Handbook of English Language Teaching provides a comprehensive examination of policy, practice, research and theory related to English language teaching in international contexts. Over 70 chapters focus on the research foundation for best practices, frameworks for policy decisions, and areas of consensus and controversy in second-language acquisition and pedagogy. In countries around the globe, English has become the second language taught most frequently and intensively. In many countries, particularly in Asia, government policies have made English a part of the curriculum from primary school on. Demand for English teaching by parents and adult learners is fueled by the desire to increase economic competitiveness, globalization of the workforce, immigration, and a move toward lifelong learning. Immigration has led to an increased demand for English-language teaching even in countries where English is the dominant language.