NGHIÊN CỨU ỨNG DỤNG II A STUDY ON STUDENTS’ STRATEGIES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH GRAMMAR AT CHU VAN AN HIGH SCHOOL IN THAI NGUYEN Hoang Thi Thu * ABSTRACT This paper presents a study on investigating grammar learning strategies used by students at Chu Van An high school It is aimed at finding out students ’attitude about the importance ofgrammar in English learning and the strategies they are using to learn English grammar 160 students from grade 10 participated in the survey questionnaire The findings reveal that the students are aware of the importance of English grammar and that they use a variety of strategies when they learn and use grammar structures The most frequentlyused strategies belong to memory strategies and the least frequently-used ones are cognitive strategies It is advisable for teachers to combine different teaching methods to ease the difficulty of learning grammar and encourage students to employ metacognitive strategies more often to have a deeper understanding in grammar in order to get higher scores Keywords: Grammar learning strategies, English grammar Received: 24/1/2022; Accepted: 27/1/2022; Published: 20/2/2022 Introduction One of the major focuses of teaching English as a second language is providing students with the abilities to understand exactly what is written and write a correct sentence in English Therefore, grammar plays an important role in language learning because grammar provides learners with a basis which helps them to construct their knowledge, and empowers them to use a foreign language effectively (Ellis, 2006) It is really beneficial for one student who becomes an effective and influent writer in another language, especially those who want to take tests such as IELTS, TOEFL To so, students need to know some grammar learning strategies They are part of language learning defined as “specific actions, behaviours, steps or techniques, such as seeking out conversation partners or giving oneself encouragement to tackle a difficult language task, used by students to enhance their own learning” (Scarcella and Oxford, 1992) Grammar learning strategies as one of the main strategies, which would help the successful learning of a new language, possess distinctive characteristics Learners use certain strategies when learning grammar to enhance their grammar learning proficiency and to make * Division of Foreign Languages, Thai Nguyen University of Technology language learning and language use easier, more effective and more efficient as these strategies control and facilitate the learning process (Griffiths, 2008; Oxford et al., 2007) According to Oxford (1990), there was a comprehensive classification system of language learning strategies using the two major groups proposed by Rubin’s (1994) model: direct (memory, cognitive and compensation strategies) and indirect (metacognitive, affective and social strategies) Grammar is an indispensable part in English textbooks at high school It is taught along with vocabulary, listening, reading, writing and speaking skills Grammar is tested in every English test or examination However, students usually make mistakes related to grammatical items Therefore, they not get good marks They find it difficult to remember grammatical rules and use them correctly in different contexts Hence, in this paper, I would like to find out the importance of grammar and grammar learning strategies to find the answers to the following question: What is students’ attitude towards the role of grammar in learning English? How students apply grammar learning strategies during their English learning process? The study The subjects TẠP CHÍ THIẾT BỊ GIÁO DỤC - số 261 KỲ - 3/2022 • 53 II NGHIÊN CỨU ỨNG DỤNG The participants in the study were 160 grade 10 students at Chu Van An high school in Thai Nguyen They have learnt English at school for seven years The instruments The study was conducted with the main data collection instrument of a questionnaire Questionnaire The questionnaire was partly adapted from Phuong’s study It consisted of twenty-five questions, twenty of which were closed-ended based on fourpoint Likert scale Data collection and analysis The questionnaire was administered to all the 160 students via Google Form and it was returned within one day The data was analyzed through the descriptive statistical percentage Results 3.1 Results from the questionnaire The findings collected from the questionnaire are presented and discussed in two categories: students’ attitude towards English grammar and English grammar learning strategies 3.1.1 Students 'attitude towards the role ofgram mar to English learning The results in table revealed that all of the students appreciated the importance of grammar in English learning Table Students 'attitude towards grammar No Very important Important Not important at all 109 51 % 68.1 31.9 3.1.2 Students ’ comment on English grammar It can be seen from table that 63.1% found English grammar difficult while 35% thought it is so so and only 1.9% said it is easy Table Students 'comment on English grammar Very difficult Difficult So so Easy No 22 79 56 % 13.7 49.4 35 1.9 3.1.3 Students’ English grammar learning strategies 3.1.3.1 Cognitive strategies According to table 3, the most commonly-used strategy among students is strategy (When I see a new grammar structure, I use the context/ situation, the dialogue, or the picture in order to understand its meaning) with mean = 2.79 and the least used strategy is number (I draw charts for the grammar rules I learn) with mean =1.8 Table Cognitive strategies 10 11 12 13 Strategies Association Classification Comparison c ontextualization Analysis Inference Vietnamization Chart drawing Doing exercises Grammar books Sentence making Past context/situation Speaking/writing N 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 160 Mean 2.34 2.51 1.81 2.79 1.84 1.85 2.52 1.8 2.03 2.3 1.98 2.56 1.99 3.1.3.2 Metacognitive strategies From table 4, we can see that strategy 3(1 pay attention to grammar rules when I speak or write) is the highest with mean = 2.92, whereas strategy (I examine the mistakes which my instructor has marked in a written assignment, and try to correct them) is the lowest with mean = 1.9 Table Metacognitive strategies Strategies Application Mistake correction Rules in speaking/writing N 160 160 160 Mean 2.02 1.9 2.92 3.1.3.3 Memory strategies We can see from table that the number of students choosing memory strategies is quite high (mean = 2.86 and 2.64) Most students like to use these strategies in learning English grammar Table Memory strategies Strategies Learning by heart Repetition N Mean 2.86 2.64 160 160 3.1.3.4 Social-affective strategies In terms of social-affective strategies, table shows that strategy (If I not understand my teacher’s explanation, I ask my friends for help) is the highest and strategy (If I not understand my teacher’s explanation of a new structure, I ask him/ her to repeat) is the lowest Table Social-affective strategies 54 TẠP CHÍ THIÉt BỊ GIÁO DỤC - sổ 261 KỲ - 3/2022 Strategies Teachers N 160 Mean 2.55 NGHIÊN CỨU ỨNG DỤNG Friends Good speakers 160 160 2.8 2.67 Discussion and suggested implications Students 'attitude towards English grammar The findings showed that all of the students taking part in the study were aware of the importance of English grammar, expressing that it plays a significant role in English learning This is easy to understand because grammar is one of the criteria being tested in all tests and exams, even international ones So the problem is how to improve students’ grammar competence English grammar learning strategies Cognitive strategies are the ones which help students to understand and produce new grammar items by manipulating grammar structure to make sense of them It is a good idea to get to know grammar structures used in a certain context We cannot learn grammar structures only on their own; we have to know how to apply these structures in similar contexts Therefore, teachers should give students more grammar exercises used in given contexts However, nowadays there is a tendency to employ mindmaps in learning which students still not know how to draw charts for the grammar rules they learn Teachers themselves must use mindmaps in teaching grammar rules Metacognitive strategies are difficult to students because they require students to evaluate their own grammar learning pattern and coordinate the learning process The frequency students use these strategies is not high The higher they study, the more they have to use these strategies to improve their learning of grammar to get high scores They need more time to practise these strategies Memory strategies help learners to relate new information to existing ones or relating one grammatical rule or word to another in order to create association in memory but not necessarily involve deep understanding Most students usually employ these two strategies in remembering grammar rules While affective strategies help learners gain control and regulate personal emotions, attitudes, and values; social strategies are actions taken by learners so as to seek support or interact with other learners or more proficient speakers of the language Therefore, students usually ask their friends for help when they have difficulty in understanding the teacher’s explanation because they find it easy to ask II their friends and they can ask them frankly without worry about what the other people think about them Teachers should choose appropriate teaching methods such as communicative ones to make the lessons more interesting and comprehensible to students as well as improve students’ oral communication Conclusion In the paper, a number of strategies related to learning English grammar have been explored The results show that students recognize the importance of grammar in their learning English and students use a variety of strategies to learn according to their competence In order to improve the quality of grammar learning, teachers should make students aware of these strategies and encourage them to use strategies with variety and relevance Also, they should make use of a wide range of instructional approaches to address different learning styles and strategies of their students References Cohen, A D (1998) Strategies in Learning and Using a Foreign Language London: Longman Ellis, R (2006) Current issues in the teaching ofgrammar: an SLA perspective TESOL Fekadu Mulugeta (2019) Grammar learning strategies use of preparatory school students: Gender in focus Retrieved January 10, 2022 from https://www.researchgate.net/ publication/342014154_Grammar_Learning_ Strategies_Use_of_Preparatory_School_Students_ Gender_in_Focus Griffiths, c (2008) Strategies and good language learners Cambridge University Press Oxford, R (1990) Language learning strategies: What every teacher should know Boston: Heinle and Heinle Publishers Oxford R L., Lee, R L., & Park, G (2007) L2 grammar strategies: The Second Phuong, Ma Thi (2021) An investigation of English-majored students ’ strategies for learning English grammar at Thai Nguyen university of technology B.A thesis Rubin, J (1994) How to he a more successful language learner (2nd ed.) Boston: Heinle and Heinle Scarcella, R c„ & Oxford, R L (1992) The tapestry of language learning: The individual in the communicative classroom Boston: Heinle & Heinle TẠP CHÍ THIẾT BỊ GIÁO DỤC - số 261 KỲ - 3/2022.55 ...II NGHIÊN CỨU ỨNG DỤNG The participants in the study were 160 grade 10 students at Chu Van An high school in Thai Nguyen They have learnt English... strategies 54 TẠP CHÍ THIÉt BỊ GIÁO DỤC - sổ 261 KỲ - 3/2022 Strategies Teachers N 160 Mean 2.55 NGHIÊN CỨU ỨNG DỤNG Friends Good speakers 160 160 2.8 2.67 Discussion and suggested implications Students