Investigating the Use and the Effect of Language Learning Strategies Instruction on Strategy Use of Kurdish –Persian Bilingual and Persian         Monolingual Learners of English

Table of Content

Table of Content                                                                                              page

Dedication …………………………………………………………………………………………….I

Acknowledgement………………………………………………………………………………… II

Abstract ……………………………………………………………………………………………..III

Table of Content ………………………………………………………………………………… VI

List of Tables……………………………………………………………………………………….. X

List of Figures …………………………………………………………………………………… XIII

List of abbreviations …………………………………………………………………………..XIIII

Chapter One: Introduction………… ……………………………………………………..  1

1.1. General Overview ……………………………………………………………………………. 2

1.2. Language learning strategy terminology and definition …………………………4

1.3. Strategy training……………………………………………………………………………… ..5

1.4. Statement of the problem ………………………………………………………………….. 6

1.5. Research questions……………………………………………………………………………. 7

1.6. Research hypotheses ……………………………………………………………………….. 8

1.7. Research objectives……………………………………..………………….8

18. Significance of the study …………………………………………………………………… 9

1.9. Definitions of key terms ……………………………………….…………10

1.10. Organization of the study……………………………………………….11

Chapter Two: Review of Literature ……………………………………………………. 13

2.1. General Overview ………………………………………………………………………….. 15

2.2. Classification of language learning strategies ……………………………………. 14

2.2.1. Rubin’s classification ………………………………………………………………….. 15

2.2.1.1. Directstrategies……………………………………………………………15

2.2.1.2. Indirect strategies………………………………………………………15

2.2.2. O’Malley classification………………………………………………………………. 16

2.2.3 Oxford’ (1990) classification ……………………………………………………….. 17

2.3. Approaches to language learning instruction …………………………………… 18

2.3.1 Explicit instruction ……………………………………………………………………… 18

2.3.2. Implicit instruction ……………………………………………………..19

2.4. Goals of strategy training according to Cohen …………………………………… 19

2.5. Strategy training models………………………………………………………………….. 19

2.5.1 Cognitive academic language learning approach (CALLA) ………………..20

2.5.2 Rebecca Oxford 1990 Model …………………………………………………………. 21

2.5.3 Granfell & Harriss Model …………………………………………………………….. 22

2.6. Benefits of language learning strategy instruction ……………………………. 23

2.7. Review of language learning strategies studies………………………………….. 23

2.7.1. Factors affecting language learning strategy use …………………………… 24

2.7.1.1 Gender ……………………………………………………….………..24

2.7.1.2 Motivation………………………………………………………………25

2.7.1.3 Proficiency…………………………………………………………….26

2.7.1.4Cultural background ……………………………………………………26

2.7.1.5 Learning style …………………………………………………………….27

2.7.1.6 Pervious language learning experience ……………………………….27

2.7.2 Studies on language learning instruction …………………….…………..28

Chapter Three: Methodology……………………………………………………………… 31

3.1. General Overview ………………………………………………………………………….. 32

3.2. Design of the Study ………………………………………………………………………… 32

3.3. Participants ……………………………………………………………………………………. 33

3.4. Data collection instruments …………………………………………………………….. 33

3.4.1. Oxford Placement Test (OPT) ………………………………………………………. 33

3.4.2. Background Questionnaire …………………………………………………………… 34

3.4.3 SILL –Strategy inventory for language learning…………………..…… 34

3.4.4. Rational and validity of SILL questionnaire…………………………………… 35

3.5. Procedure…………………………………………………………………36

3.5.1 Administration of SILL…………………………………………………..36

3.5.2.Strategy training procedure………………………………………………37

3.5.2.1. First phase preparation or raising awareness………………………….38

3.5.2.2. Second phase presentation……………………………………………38

3.5.2.3. Third phase practice…………………..………………………………39

3.5.2.4. Evaluation …………………………………………………………… 39

3.5.2.5. Expand strategies or transfer…………………………………………40

3.6 Method of Data analysis …………………………………………………..40

Chapter Four: Results.………………………………………………………………………… 42

4.1. General Overview ………………………………………………………………………….. 43

4.2 Data analyses …………………………………………………….………..43

4.2.1. Background Questionnaire data part ……………………………………43

4.2.1.1. Previous language learning experience ………………………………..42

4.2.1.2. The motives for learning English …………………………………….45

4.2.2. SILL Data (phase one)… ………………………………………………46

4.2.1. Comparison of strategy use of monolingual and bilingual ………………… 51

4.2.2 Data for second phase of the study. ………………………………………………… 55

4.2.2.2. Pre-test results for control group (A) &experimental group (A)…..….56

4.2.2.3. Pre-test results for control group (B) &experimental group (B)… …57

4.2.3 Post-test results ……………………………………………………………………………. 59

4.2.3.1. Comparison of post –test results between groups ……………………60

4.2.3.1.1. Post-test results for control group (A) &experimental group (A)….60

4.2.31.2. Post-test results for control group (B) &experimental group (B) ……62

4.2.4. Comparisons of pre and posttest results within groups…………………63

Chapter Five: Discussion, Conclusion &Implication…………………………….. 69

5.1. General Overview ………………………………………………………………………… 70

5.2.1. Discussion and Analysis of the First Research Question………………70

5.2 .2. Discussion and analyses of the second Research Question…………….70

5.2.4. Discussion and analyses of the fourth Research Question………………72

5.3. Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………… 73

5.4. Implementation …………………………………………………………………………….. 75

5.5. Limitations of the study …………………………………………………………………. 76

5.6 Suggestions for Further Studies ………………………………………………………. 77

References…………………………………………………………………………………………. 78

Appendixes……………………………………………………………………95

Appendix A ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 96

Appendix B ……………………………………………….…………………105

Appendix C…………………………………………………………………..110

List of Tables ………………………………………………….……….. Page

Table.1:  Distribution of the Participants According to Their Level of Proficiency………………………………………………………………………………..….33

Table 4.1: percentage of participants for previous experience on learning English …………………………………………………………………………………………..……43

Table 4.2: Frequency and percentage of student’s interest in English………………………………………………………………………………………………43

Table 4.3. Participants’ response on reason for learning English Frequency ……………………………………………………………………………………………….44

Table.4.4 Means and standard deviation indicating overall strategy ……………………………………………………………………………………….…….…45

Table 4.5: Most frequent strategies items among monolingual groups…………………………………………………………………………………………48

Table 4.6: Mean and standard divagation of Kurdish bilingual students strategy use………………………………………………………………………………………….….49

Table 4.7: Most frequent strategies used by Kurdish –Persian monolingual students………………………………………………………………………………………..50

Table 4.8, Independent sample t-test for Persian bilingual and Kurdish–Persian bilingual ..………………………………………………………………………………………………51

Table 4.9: pre-treatment Language learning strategy used by monolingual experimental group (A) and control group (A)………………………………………………..…………… …….54

Table: 4.10. T-test result for overall strategy use between two groups of monolingual learners (control group (A) &Experimental (A)………………………………………..…………..55

Table4.11: Language learning strategy used by experimental and control of bilingual groups…………………………………………………………………………………………56

Table 4 .12: T –test results for experimental and control groups of bilingual language learning strategy use………………………………………..…………………………………………57 Table 4.13: descriptive statistics on SILL for control group (A) &experimental (A)…………………………………………………………………………………………….58

Table 4.14: Independent sample t-test for comparison of overall strategy use of control group (A) &experimental (A)………………………………………………………………………59

Table 4.15: The independent sample t-test for comparison of overall strategy use of control (B) & experimental (B)………………………………………… ……………………………60

Table 4.16: Language learning strategy used by experimental group (A) on pre and post- test……………………………………………………………………………………………61

Table 4.17. Independent Samples T-Test on the pre and post-test for experimental groups (A)……………………………………………………….…… ……………………………62

Table 4.18: Language learning strategy used by experimental group (B) on pre and post- test…………………………………….……………………………………………………62

Table 4.19. Independent Samples T-Test on the pre and post-test for experimental groups (B)………………………………………………….……… …………………………………63

Table 4.20: LLS used by the control group (A) for both pre and posttests. ……………………………………………………………………………………………….63

Table 4.21: The independent sample t-test for pre and post-test mean on overall strategy use for control group (A)……………………………………………………………… …………64

Table 4.22: LLS used by the control group (B) for both pre and posttests categories…………………………………………………………..…………………………65

Table 4.23: The independent sample t –test for pre and post-test mean on overall strategy use for control group (B)…………………………………………………………… …………65

Table 4.24. The ANOVA statistics for comparison of four groups of the study on pre and post-test……………………………………………………………………………………66

 

List of Figures

Figure 4.1: Percentage of participants of three level of strategy use, ………………………47

Figure 4.2: percentage of bilingual groups of three levels of strategy use…………………….49

Figure 4.3. Comparisons of means six categories of strategies and overall strategy use of both monolingual and bilingual……………………………………………………………………53