A look into young learners’ language learning strategies: A Croatian example

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic’s pervasive influence, personality remained a key determinant of individuals’ choices and academic accomplishments in higher education (Rodrigues, Rose, and Hewig 2024). Proactive students are more inclined to pursue foreign language proficiency, which is an educational advantage as by becoming equipped with intercultural communication skills, students become better prepared for the contemporary labor market. This research places emphasis on exploring higher education (HE) English for Specific Purposes (ESP) economics and business students’ use of language learning strategies (LLSs) and their self-perceived proactivity, creativity and emotional regulation during the pandemic of COVID-19. Specifically, it assesses students’ individual differences, investigates connections between LLSs and ESP students’ proactivity, creativity, and emotional regulation, and reveals statistically significant predictors of ESP students’ LLS use. The findings indicate that during the COVID-19 pandemic, medium strategy use was observed across all LLSs, and the metacognitive strategy was utilized the most frequently. Female ESP students employed the affective strategy more, whereas male ESP students utilized the cognitive strategy more. Proactivity was positively correlated with most LLSs and was revealed as the most significant predictor of ESP students’ LLS utilization. The findings of this research contribute to LLS comprehension in the pandemic era, provide insights for ESP educators, and highlight the importance of foreign language learner autonomy.Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic’s pervasive influence, personality remained a key determinant of individuals’ choices and academic accomplishments in higher education (Rodrigues, Rose, and Hewig 2024). Proactive students are more inclined to pursue foreign language proficiency, which is an educational advantage as by becoming equipped with intercultural communication skills, students become better prepared for the contemporary labor market. This research places emphasis on exploring higher education (HE) English for Specific Purposes (ESP) economics and business students’ use of language learning strategies (LLSs) and their self-perceived proactivity, creativity and emotional regulation during the pandemic of COVID-19. Specifically, it assesses students’ individual differences, investigates connections between LLSs and ESP students’ proactivity, creativity, and emotional regulation, and reveals statistically significant predictors of ESP students’ LLS use. The findings indicate that during the COVID-19 pandemic, medium strategy use was observed across all LLSs, and the metacognitive strategy was utilized the most frequently. Female ESP students employed the affective strategy more, whereas male ESP students utilized the cognitive strategy more. Proactivity was positively correlated with most LLSs and was revealed as the most significant predictor of ESP students’ LLS utilization. The findings of this research contribute to LLS comprehension in the pandemic era, provide insights for ESP educators, and highlight the importance of foreign language learner autonomy.Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic’s pervasive influence, personality remained a key determinant of individuals’ choices and academic accomplishments in higher education (Rodrigues, Rose, and Hewig 2024). Proactive students are more inclined to pursue foreign language proficiency, which is an educational advantage as by becoming equipped with intercultural communication skills, students become better prepared for the contemporary labor market. This research places emphasis on exploring higher education (HE) English for Specific Purposes (ESP) economics and business students’ use of language learning strategies (LLSs) and their self-perceived proactivity, creativity and emotional regulation during the pandemic of COVID-19. Specifically, it assesses students’ individual differences, investigates connections between LLSs and ESP students’ proactivity, creativity, and emotional regulation, and reveals statistically significant predictors of ESP students’ LLS use. The findings indicate that during the COVID-19 pandemic, medium strategy use was observed across all LLSs, and the metacognitive strategy was utilized the most frequently. Female ESP students employed the affective strategy more, whereas male ESP students utilized the cognitive strategy more. Proactivity was positively correlated with most LLSs and was revealed as the most significant predictor of ESP students’ LLS utilization. The findings of this research contribute to LLS comprehension in the pandemic era, provide insights for ESP educators, and highlight the importance of foreign language learner autonomy.

Gender is a key factor in the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA), where its impact on language learning strategies (Aslan, 2009; Oxford & Nyikos, 1989; Sumarni & Rachmawaty, 2019) and productive vocabulary (Canga Alonso & Arribas García, 2014; Fleckenstein, 2018; Jiménez Catalán & Moreno Espinosa, 2004) has been investigated. However, to our knowledge, there is a lack of research of gender on language learning strategies in relation to productive vocabulary in English as a Foreign Language (EFL). The present study aimed to pursue three objectives. The first one was to ascertain whether males or females employed more language learning strategies. The second objective was to determine whether males or females had more productive vocabulary. Finally, the third objective was to investigate whether there was a statistically significant relationship between language learning strategies and productive vocabulary. The sample consisted of 51 EFL learners (20 males and 31 females) at the second year of Spanish non-compulsory Secondary Education (equivalent to 12th grade). The Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) questionnaire (Oxford, 1990) and the Productive Vocabulary Levels Test (PVLT) (Laufer & Nation, 1995, 1999) were the instruments employed in order to measure informants’ language learning strategies and productive vocabulary respectively. Afterwards, students’ answers were processed electronically and analyzed quantitatively. Results revealed that females use language learning strategies significantly more than males, but there were not statistically significant differences between them regarding productive vocabulary. Moreover, a positive correlation was found between language learning strategies and productive vocabulary.

This study aims to investigate how EFL teachers decide on and adapt teaching strategies for young learners in ELT classrooms and explore strategies teachers use to encourage independent language learning. The research was conducted as a case study in an academic English course in Batam and involved three experienced EFL teachers. Data collection methods included observation checklists, semi-structured interviews, and analysis of lesson plans. Descriptive analysis was applied to observation checklists and document reviews, while thematic analysis was used for interview data. The findings underscore the importance of flexible teaching methods that emphasize student engagement and align instructional activities with learning goals. They highlight the necessity of customizing teaching strategies to students' backgrounds and interests and efficiently utilizing classroom resources to promote active learning and enhance educational outcomes in EFL contexts, thereby fostering autonomous learning among students. In conclusion, effective EFL teaching involves integrating student engagement, active learning strategies, customized teaching approaches, and adequate classroom resources. The implications stress the importance of a holistic approach to EFL learning that prioritizes student engagement, active and independent learning, effective technology use, and continuous professional development for EFL teachers

Language is a socio-cultural phenomenon. A large number of language learning strategies arise from the interactions between individuals and their socio-cultural contexts. The aim of this article was to explore the relationship between EFL learners’ language learning strategies and their social and cultural capital. To this end, the Social and Cultural Capital Questionnaire (SCCQ) and the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) were administered to a sample of 63 undergraduate students majoring in English language so that the researchers could examine the best predictors of language learning strategies in terms of five factors of the SCCQ, namely, social competence, social solidarity, literacy, cultural competence, and extraversion. Results from Pearson product-moment correlation showed highly significant correlations between all five factors of SCCQ and learners’ language learning strategies. Moreover, results from the regression analysis revealed that a combination of literacy, social solidarity, and extraversion was the best predictor of language learning strategies by explaining 50% of the variances in EFL learners’ language learning strategies scores. The implications of the study are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to examine Chinese undergraduate students’ language learning strategy use in flipped English learning and the effect of gender and language proficiency on strategy use. It aimed to enrich the research on language learning strategies as well as the flipped classroom and render implications to EFL instructors on developing students’ language learning strategy use in flipped English learning. Research questions in this study revolved around identifying the most and least frequently used language learning strategies in Chinese undergraduate students’ flipped English learning, and the influence of gender as well as language proficiency on the frequency of students’ strategy use. In this study, the researchers employed random sampling to select 109 students enrolled in the flipped English course for non-English majors at H University in China. Oxford’s (1990) Strategies Inventory of Language Learning (SILL) was modified for a flipped classroom context and employed to collect data. T-tests and ANOVAs were used to analyze the data. The results revealed that participants employed language learning strategies with medium frequency in flipped English learning. While they employed social strategies the most frequently, they used metacognitive strategies the least frequently. Furthermore, the male and female participants were not significantly different in their strategy use. However, there was a significant difference in strategy use in relation to English language proficiency in that high proficiency students employed strategies more frequently than low proficiency students. Pedagogical implications are provided.

In recent years, the importance of Language Learning Strategies (LLS) in supporting English as a Second Language (ESL) learners has gained global attention. As writing is often one of the most challenging language skills to master, understanding which strategies learners use can help teachers better support their development. This study aims to identify the most preferred language learning strategy employed by Year 6 pupils in learning English writing. Using a quantitative research method, data were collected through a survey questionnaire administered to Year 6 (12 years old) ESL pupils. The questionnaire which is adopted from the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) by Oxford (1990), focused on six categories of LLS, including memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, affective, social strategies. Findings revealed that affective strategy is the most preferred language learning strategy among the participants. This suggests that pupils place significant value on managing their emotions, motivation, and anxiety when learning to write in English. While many existing studies focus on adult or older learners, this research highlights a gap by exploring the preferred language learning strategies in improving writing skill among young learners, specifically Year 6 pupils. The findings imply that ESL teachers should incorporate activities that build emotional support and motivation, such as using positive reinforcement, self-encouragement techniques, and a low-anxiety classroom environment. In conclusion, recognising the role of affective strategies can lead to more effective and supportive writing instruction for young ESL learners.

How the students deal with their learning strategies has been investigated in the last few decades. The main points in this article focused on the profile of learning strategies used by the students of SMA N 16 Samarinda in the academic year 2020/ 2021 from the tenth to twelfth grade in learning English as a foreign language, gender, and motivation types. This study is quantitative research. The data was taken from two main questionnaires: SILL and motivation questionnaire. In analyzing the data, SPSS version 26 was used in this study. The number of participants was 99 students that consisting of 41 males and 58 females. The finding in this study found that the participants mostly used metacognitive strategies in their language learning and cognitive strategies were the least used. There was no significant difference between LLS usage with gender. Students’ intrinsic and intrinsic motivation play a significant role in their interest in learning English as a foreign language.

The present study explores English as a foreign language (EFL) learning strategies used in Hungarian, Chinese, and Mongolian university students with different cultural and linguistic backgrounds. A total of 519 university students participated in the survey from the three different countries. The Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL), developed by Rebecca Oxford (2003), was administered to explore cross-cultural differences in strategy use in the study. To explain cultural divergences, we employed Hofstede's 6-D model of cultural values. The study identified a number of cross-cultural similarities and differences in strategy use among these three groups. All the subsamples similarly preferred the use of metacognitive learning strategies; however, there were some significant differences among the countries. A significant difference was observed in cognitive language learning strategy usage for the Hungarian subsample compared to the Mongolian subsample. With regard to the affective field, we noticed that the Mongolian and Chinese students employed affective strategies significantly more frequently. The Hungarian students rated the use of affective strategies the lowest by comparison. These differences may be partly linked to the cultural traditions of the participating countries. Our findings also suggest that although students' cultural background is a significant factor, linguistic and educational background and teaching traditions are also crucial.

The main purpose of the present study was to empirically investigate the possible correlation and the influence between students’ language learning strategies and listening comprehension. The population of this study was 138 eleventh grade students of Islamic Senior High School number 2 Palembang. The sample was all of eleventh grade students in social class. The total number of the student was 138. Since 16 students were absent, so the sample consisted of 122 students. To collect the data in order to measure the students’ language learning strategies and listening comprehension, SILL (strategy inventory in learning language) and listening comprehension test from TOEFL Junior test were used in this study. The Pearson correlation was used in analyzing the data using SPSS 16. The result from questionnaire showed that most of the students used metacognitive strategies were in medium level and sometimes used language learning strategies. The result from listening comprehension test showed that most of the students were in very poor level. Furthermore, there was no significant correlation between the two variables that can be seen from the correlation coefficient or r-obtained (-.011) was lower than r-table (0.1779) then the level of probability or sig. value (.902) was higher than .05. From the result, it can be concluded that there was no significant correlation between language learning strategies and listening comprehension of eleventh grade students of Islamic Senior High School number 2 Palembang.

The study determined students’ language learning strategies (LLS) status and English proficiency (EP). A mixed-method, particularly the convergent design, was used. Through purposive sampling, 378 and 17 Education major in English students served as participants for the quantitative and qualitative strands. An adapted questionnaire for quantitative strand and interview guide for qualitative strand were used to gather the necessary data. The study revealed a high level of LLS and a low level of EP. The compensation strategy has a significant relationship to EP. Six themes unfolded as the lived experiences in learning English: sustaining interest amidst fear, looking through an uphill battle, experiences enrich communicative competence, courage to face adversities, igniting positive language learning, and translating excellence in multilingual contexts. Regarding the insights on the contribution of English LLS, five themes emerged: a window of opportunities, towering the students' lamp, guarding with a bulletproof vest, dreaded fires of mediocrity, and kindling brighter lamps through assistance. Moreover, the joint display of quantitative and qualitative findings yielded that students' LLS and their lived experiences are convergent when the merging function is employed; EP status and experiences are convergent when the merging function is employed. However, on the relationship of LLS on the EP of the students, the results show the merging functions as diverging. Further, only the compensation strategies have a significant relationship with the EP of the students.

Language learning strategies (LLS) refer to the processes and actions that are consciously deployed by language learners to help them to learn or use a languagemore effectively. Considering the importance of LLS, insufficient studies have been carried out on understanding both teachers and learners’ opinions towards using LLS in Iranian educational context. Therefore, in this project, Iranian English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers and learners’ opinions towards using LLS have been investigated. To fulfill this objective, 20 teachers and 20 learners filled out a questionnaire. After gathering the data and analyzing them, the findings revealed that the Iranian EFL Teachers and learners’ opinions towards using LLS was significantly positive. Eventually, the researchers concluded with some suggestions for educators to adopt the flipped classroom technology to create better learning environments for their students and to reach better learning consequences. The results of this paper provide strong support learning strategies are very useful and helpful in learning English as a foreign language. Keywords: Iranian EFL teachers and learners, teachers and learners’ opinions, language learning strategies (LLS)

This study investigates the role of language learning strategies (LLS) in shaping Indonesian EFL learners’ speaking performance by integrating quantitative and qualitative evidence in a mixed-methods design. Specifically, it aims to (1) describe learners’ use of LLS, (2) examine the correlation between LLS and speaking performance, (3) identify the predictive contribution of LLS to speaking outcomes, and (4) explore learners’ strategic experiences in speaking development through responses to open-ended questionnaire items. Eighty undergraduate EFL students participated in the study. Quantitative data were collected using the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) and a speaking performance test, while qualitative data were obtained from learners’ open-ended responses about how they used strategies in practice. The quantitative results revealed a very strong positive correlation between LLS and speaking performance (r = .912, p < .001), indicating that students who employed strategies more frequently tended to achieve higher speaking scores. Multiple regression analysis showed that no single LLS category uniquely predicted speaking performance due to severe multicollinearity among strategy types, suggesting that LLS operate as an integrated, interdependent system rather than isolated components. Descriptive results indicated that cognitive strategies were the most dominant, while qualitative evidence showed that learners actively combined cognitive, metacognitive, social, and affective strategies including repeated practice, imitation, planning, self-monitoring, and peer interaction. Learners demonstrated strong self-regulation in overcoming challenges and benefited from teacher feedback, peer support, and technological tools. Overall, the findings highlight that strategic behavior is crucial for enhancing speaking fluency, accuracy, and confidence, implying that EFL instruction should explicitly foster strategic awareness and provide supportive learning environments to optimize speaking development.

This study deals with a review of the problematic approach in selecting Language Learning Strategies (LLS) due to the misleading the characteristics of English. Along with the purpose, this paper seeks to compare the differences between cultural and linguistic backgrounds of Indonesian EFL with Malaysian, Pakistani, and Italian ESL students’ Language Learning Strategy. In addition, this review also aims to know the Language Learning Strategy used by other ESL countries and to become the main purchase of this study to evaluate Indonesian’ Language Learning Strategy. In Indonesia, English becomes a foreign language where it is not an official language and has limited language input. Whereas, as we already know, English is a common subject learning for most people in Indonesia. This is due to the high interest and need for mastering English in various aspects. In learning English as a target language, people not only need to master their knowledge, but also the need for better and useful communicative competence in use. However, the need to come up with some appropriate teaching strategies becomes an important factor to achieve their goals.

Student profiling and learning strategies have gained the interest of many researchers. In language learning in particular, understanding students’ learning strategies as well as their multiple intelligence profiles is significant because it allows the teachers to develop and design lessons and materials that are customised to their diverse learning needs. Hence, this study investigates the Multiple Intelligences (MI) and Language Learning Strategy (LLS) profiles of students from various science and technology faculties of Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Terengganu, with a focus on gender differences. The study’s objectives were to determine the dominant students’ MI profiles, their preferred LLS, and gender variations in these variables. Two instruments were adopted in this study, namely McKenzie’s Multiple Intelligences Inventory and the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). The findings indicated that the students mostly acquire introspective intelligence, and the majority of male respondents use metacognitive learning strategies. However, the findings revealed a significant positive relationship between MI and LLS. Based on these findings, the study emphasises the importance of incorporating MI and LLS in language teaching and learning and provides recommendations for language teachers to create lesson plans and teaching materials that suit the students’ needs.

El propósito del estudio es identificar la utilización de estrategias en el aprendizaje de la lengua extranjera, por estudiantes universitarios, con diferentes niveles de competencia. Los objetivos son: 1) Conocer el uso de las categorías de estrategias en los diferentes niveles, 2) Comparar la utilización de las categorías, 3) Analizar la selección de categorías y 4) Averiguar el uso de las estrategias individuales más y menos frecuentemente utilizadas. Los participantes del estudio fueron 135 estudiantes de Magisterio del Grado de Primaria. El instrumento utilizado para evaluar estrategias ha sido una adaptación del SILL-Strategy nventory for Language Learning (Oxford, 1990) y para medir la competencia se emplearon las calificaciones finales de la asignatura de inglés.Los resultados de la investigación indican que la categoría más frecuentemente utilizada ha sido la Metacognitiva y la menos empleada la de Memorización. Los estudiantes más competentes emplean globalmente más estrategias. Además, se hallaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas en la utilización de la categoría cognitiva entre los grupos. The purpose of this study is to analyze the language learning strategy use in foreign language learning by university students at different proficiency levels. The objectives of the study are: 1) to learn about the language learning strategy use in language learning proficiency, 2) to compare language learning strategies employed, 3) to analyze the language learning strategies typically employed by a particular group of students, and 4) to find out about specific language learning strategies most frequently used. The participants were 135 teacher training university students. Data collection method used was a questionnaire based on SILL-Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (Oxford, 1990). The scores on English test were used to measure language learning proficiency. The results of this study reveal that learners use Metacognitive strategies more often than other strategies. In contrast, Memory strategies are the least frequently used. The frequent use of a large number of language learning strategies is reported by the most proficient learners. The differences in proficiency and in cognitive strategy use were found to be statistically significant.