A STUDY ON ENGLISH GRAMMAR LEARNING STRATEGIES USE OF STUDENTS IN CLASS 10A8 AT DOAN HUNG HIGH SCHOOL Nghiên cứu về chiến lược học ngữ pháp Tiếng Anh của học sinh lớp 10A8 Trường THPT Đoan Hùng

Nowadays English has become one of the most popular languages worldwide. In different countries, different people at different ages learn English for their own purposes. In Vietnam, learning English language is interested by young people, especially students for a plenty of reasons such as studying at good universities, studying abroad and so on. It has widely been accepted in language teaching and learning that grammar structures are very important because they make up the skeleton of a language. Without grammar, words hang together with no real meaning or sense. So as to be able to use a language to some degree of proficiency, we need to master some grammatical knowledge. Grammar is an important and necessary part in student’s learning because it forms the basis for the development of four skills: reading skill, speaking skill, listening skill and writing skill. Students with good grammar not only produce sentences grammatically but also acquire the ability to apply grammatical knowledge in certain contexts to express their thoughts and feelings as well as to receive feedback. By teaching grammar, teachers not only give students the means to express themselves, but also fulfill student’s expectations of what learning a foreign language involves. However, how to learn grammar effectively is not very easy and it is of constant concern of learningstrategies. When teaching grammar, English teacher of Doan Hung high school seem to prefer traditional teaching methods in which grammar rules are taught deductively. The common practice of some senior teachers is just giving the explanation of new wordsand grammar structures, asking studentsto learn by heart and make sentences, reading structures, texts or conversations loudly and using a lot of written exercises. In terms of teaching schedule, the students in class 10A8 are currently required to attend only one period (45 minutes) of grammar per week. In class, students do not have a chance to use grammar in communicative activities. They are just asked to do grammar exercises in the textbooks after teacher’s presentation and explanation of a new grammar point. It’s difficult for teachers to finish their teaching successfully because of the time constraint, the large class size, and the student’s mixed level. If we can’t find out any solutions to overcome those given difficulties, it is certain that the grammar lesson can’t be successful and it even becomes worse as the teachers find it unconfident and less enthusiastic in their teaching class. And the students will be fed up with learning grammar if they do not usually understand the lesson. Therefore, both teachers and students need to use more grammar strategies learning to make the lesson more effective. Appropriate grammar learning strategies bring comfortable atmosphere, positive attitude and also impulse student’s motivation. This study attempts to investigate the ways in which students in class 10A8 in Doan Hung high school make conscious efforts to learn English grammar more efficiently, which strategies they use in learning grammar. Therefore, the situation encouraged the author to do the research “A study on English grammar learning strategies use of students in class 10A8 at Doan Hung high school.” with the hope this study can help the students improve their grammar.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am, first of all, particularly indebted to my supervisor, Mrs Nguyen ThiHoa who has enthusiastically helped and encouraged me to finish this researchproject Without her experienced guidance, valuable comments and constantsupport, my research would still be far from finished

Secondly, my sincere thanks also go to all lecturers and staff of ForeignLanguage Department for their valuable lessons and precious help Thanks to theirlesson as well as valuable help, I could overcome enormous obstacles when doingthe study

Besides, I would like to give my profound thanks to 40 students at DoanHung High school who have participated in this research

Finally, I would also like to express my deep gratitude and love to mydevoted parents, my sisters, my friends for their constant support and theirunderstanding Their great encouragement and love have helped me to completethis study

The study reveals that students use six strategies (direct strategies and indirectstrategies) when learning English grammar And direct strategies are used moreoften than indirect strategies They use strategies at medium frequency The mainreason for choosing direct strategies is easy to use Strategies help students learngrammar more easily and more effectively And the most difficulty is choosingappropriate strategies for each task in the text book

The study suggests that teachers should raise the students’ awareness aboutusing suitable strategies to each activity and give them more chances to usestrategies in learning grammar

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS i

ABSTRACT ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS iii

LIST OF TABLES AND GRAPHS vi

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vii

PART A: INTRODUCTION 1

1 Rationale 1

2 Previous studies 2

2.1 In the world 2

2.2 In Vietnam 3

2.3 Existing problems 4

3.Research Purpose 4

4 Research Questions 4

5 Methodology 5

5.1 Research procedure 5

5.2 Research Methods 5

6 Hypotheses 5

7 Significance 6

8 Scopes of the study 6

9 Design of the study 6

PART B: DEVELOPMENT 8

CHAPTER 1: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 8

1.1 The Role of Grammar in Language Learning 8

1.2 Language Learning Strategies 9

1.3 Main Features of Language Learning Strategies 10

1.4 The Purposes of Language Learning Strategies 11

1.5 Grammar Learning Strategies 12

1.6 Classification of Grammar Learning Strategies 14

1.6.1 Direct Strategies 17

1.6.1.1 Memory Strategies 17

1.6.1.2 Cognitive Strategies 17

1.6.1.3 Compensation Strategies 18

1.6.2 Indirect Strategies 18

1.6.2.1 Metacognitive Strategies 18

1.6.2.2 Affective Strategies 19

1.6.2.3 Social Strategies 19

CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODS 20

2.1 The subject and object of the study 20

2.1.1 The subject of the study 20

2.1.2 The object of the study 20

2.2 The data collection instruments 20

2.2.1 Survey questionnaires 20

2.2.1.1 Reasons for choosing survey questionnaires 20

2.2.1.2 Describing survey questionnaire 21

CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 23

3.1 A general overview of Doan Hung High School 23

3.1.1 Teachers at Doan Hung high school 24

3.1.2 Students in class 10A8 at Doan Hung high school 24

3.2 The English textbook of grade 10 24

3.3 Characteristics of grammar tasks in the textbook 27

3.4 Findings from the current situations 27

3.4.1 Results from questionnaire 27

3.4.1.1 The grammar learning strategies that students often use 29

3.4.1.2 The reasons why students like to use these grammar learning strategies 30

3.4.1.3 Frequency of students’ using grammar learning strategies 30

3.4.1.4 The benefits of three grammar learning strategies that the students often use the most 32

3.4.1.5 Students’ difficulties with three grammar learning strategies that they often use 33

3.5.Discussion 34

3.6 Implications 34

3.6.1 For students 35

3.6.2 For teachers 35

PART C: CONCLUSION 37

1 Summary of the study 37

2 Limitations of the study 37

3 Suggestions for Further Research 38

4 Conclusion 38 REFERENCES I APPENDIX 1 IV APPENDIX 2 XI

LIST OF TABLES AND GRAPHS

Table 1:The grammar learning strategies that students often use

Table 2:The benefits of three strategies that the students often use the most Table 3:Students’ difficulties with three strategies that they often use

Graph 1:The reasons why students like to use these grammar learning strategies Graph 2:Frequency of students’ using grammar learning strategies

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ELF : English Foreign Language

L2 : Second Language

FL : Foreign Language

GLSQ : Grammar Learning Strategies Questionnaire GLS : Grammar Learning Strategies

LLS : Language Learning Strategies

SILL : Strategies Inventory for Language Learners

M : Mean

It has widely been accepted in language teaching and learning that grammarstructures are very important because they make up the skeleton of a language.Without grammar, words hang together with no real meaning or sense So as to beable to use a language to some degree of proficiency, we need to master somegrammatical knowledge Grammar is an important and necessary part in student’slearning because it forms the basis for the development of four skills: reading skill,speaking skill, listening skill and writing skill Students with good grammar notonly produce sentences grammatically but also acquire the ability to applygrammatical knowledge in certain contexts to express their thoughts and feelings

as well as to receive feedback By teaching grammar, teachers not only givestudents the means to express themselves, but also fulfill student’s expectations ofwhat learning a foreign language involves

However, how to learn grammar effectively is not very easy and it is ofconstant concern of learningstrategies When teaching grammar, English teacher ofDoan Hung high school seem to prefer traditional teaching methods in whichgrammar rules are taught deductively The common practice of some seniorteachers is just giving the explanation of new wordsand grammar structures, askingstudentsto learn by heart and make sentences, reading structures, texts orconversations loudly and using a lot of written exercises In terms of teachingschedule, the students in class 10A8 are currently required to attend only one

ixperiod (45 minutes) of grammar per week In class, students do not have a chance

to use grammar in communicative activities They are just asked to do grammarexercises in the textbooks after teacher’s presentation and explanation of a newgrammar point It’s difficult for teachers to finish their teaching successfullybecause of the time constraint, the large class size, and the student’s mixed level

If we can’t find out any solutions to overcome those given difficulties, it iscertain that the grammar lesson can’t be successful and it even becomes worse asthe teachers find it unconfident and less enthusiastic in their teaching class Andthe students will be fed up with learning grammar if they do not usually understandthe lesson Therefore, both teachers and students need to use more grammarstrategies learning to make the lesson more effective Appropriate grammarlearning strategies bring comfortable atmosphere, positive attitude and alsoimpulse student’s motivation

This study attempts to investigate the ways in which students in class 10A8

in Doan Hung high school make conscious efforts to learn English grammar moreefficiently, which strategies they use in learning grammar Therefore, the situation

encouraged the author to do the research “A study on English grammar learning strategies use of students in class 10A8 at Doan Hung high school.” with the

hope this study can help the students improve their grammar

2 Previous studies

2.1 In the world

When researching about using English grammar strategies, Filiz Yalçin

Tilfarlioğlu (2005) had a study on “An Analysis of the Relationship between the Use of Grammar Learning Strategies and Student Achievement at English Preparatory Classes”, Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies This study

attempts to investigate the ways in which some language learners make consciousefforts to learn English grammar more efficiently, which strategies they use in

xlanguage learning, whether a particular learning strategies favors certain strategies

or not, if it does, what those strategies are and relationships between strategy useand learner achievement in grammar learning The result shows that the use ofgrammar learning strategies has a positive effect on the student achievement Byknowing this, study can help the students and improve their learning habits

The research “The relationship between grammar learning strategies use and language achievement of Iranian high school ELF learners”of SorourZekrati

(2017), Indonesian ELF, Journal This study sought to explore the relationshipbetween grammar learning strategy use and language achievement of Iranian highschool EFL learners The participants of the

study were 300 students from three different proficiency levels (Elementary, intermediate, and intermediate), 230 of whom completed and returned an OxfordSolution Test, and a Likert-scale Grammar learning strategies questionnaire(GLSQ) containing 35 statements The results indicated that there was a positiverelationship between language achievement and grammar strategy use Thefindings of the study might provide Iranian EFL teachers and learners with somehelpful implications for teaching and testing, and learning grammar strategiesrespectively at high schools, as well as useful directions for future studies in thisdomain

2.3 Existing problems

According to the above previous studies, the researcher sees that the authors

of those studies only focused on the relationship between the use of GrammarLearning Strategies and Student Achievement and teacher’s awareness aboutstudent’ s using and the relationship between strategies and result of studying, theydid not give the frequency of using grammar learning strategies And they did notmention about the advantages and difficulties of strategies that students often use

So, in this study, the researcher will try to find out some current situations ofgrammar learning strategies’ use of the students in class 10A8 at Doan Hung highschool

3.Research Purpose

- To find out grammar learning strategies that are often used by the students

in class 10A8 when learning grammar at Doan Hung High school, their reasons forusing these strategies and the students’ frequency in using these grammar learningstrategies

- To find out the student’s awareness about grammar learning strategies.(some advantages and difficulties with grammar learning strategies that they oftenuse)

4 Research Questions

This study intends to address the following research questions:

1) Which grammar learning strategies do students in class 10A8 often use?2) What are the reasons for these strategies often used?

3) How often do the students in class 10A8 at Doan Hung High school usegrammar learning strategies?

4) What benefits can the students in class 10A8 at Doan Hung High school get

in using these grammar learning strategies?

xii5) What difficulties do the students in class 10A8 at Doan Hung High schoolhave in using these grammar learning strategies?

Thirdly, explore the students’ awareness about grammar learning strategies.Finally, give some implications for teaching and learning grammar

5.2 Research Methods

With the aim of finding out the current situations and getting some resultsafter investigation into learning grammar strategies of students in class 10A8 atDoan Hung School, this study adopts quantitative methods To identify theproblems, the study has been carried out with the data collected from only surveyquestionnaire for students to collect information about their views of the currentsituations and their advantages, difficulties with strategies which are used inlearning English

6 Hypotheses

If the study on English grammar learning strategies in class 10A8 at DoanHung High School is successful, this will help students in class 10A8 improve theirgrammar and use grammar in correct contexts

7 Significance

Assessing current situations in grammar learning strategies of the students

in class 10A8 at Doan Hung High School is mainly intended to generate theoreticaland practical insights into learning Thus, the author hopes that conducting the

xiiistudy will have necessary contributions: for students, teachers, and curriculumdesigners Initially, the findings of this study can help teachers to get more insights

in to how students learn grammar and encourage their students to be conscious ofseveral grammar learning strategies, and create a more suitable learningenvironment appeal So that learners can improve and monitor their learning andbecome autonomous learners On the other hand, the study can provide deeperinsight to curriculum developers to incorporate grammar learning strategiestraining into the curriculum Finally, the results may call for more investigation toenrich the existing research findings in the area of grammar learning strategies

8 Scopes of the study

The study focuses specifically on some grammar learning strategies used

in class 10A8 at Doan Hung High school So the study limits itself to the learninggrammar only, and the subject of the study consist of all students in class 10A8 atDoan Hung High school, Phu Tho province

9 Design of the study

This paper is divided into three main parts:

PART A is the INTRODUCTION In this part, the rationale, previous research,

research purpose, research questions, research methods, significance of the study,the scope of the study and also its design are presented

PART B is the MAJOR CONTENT which includes 3 chapters

Chapter I deals with the theoretical background that is relevant to the purpose of

the study: help students study English grammar with grammar learning strategies

Chapter II includes reasons for choosing these methods as well as their procedure.

Besides, this chapter includes some data collection instruments that are necessaryfor these methods

Chapter III consists of some current situations as well as some findings concluded

from the data analysis

PART C is the CONCLUSION which includes the summary of the study,

limitations of the study, suggestions for further study, implications and conclusion

of the study

REFERENCES and APPENDICES are presented in the last pages of the study.

PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 1.1 The Role of Grammar in Language Learning

The role of grammar in the foreign language classroom has constituted animportant and debated issue for a long time In the history of language teaching,the role of grammar has been addressed by a number of linguistic theories andmethodologies The way grammar is or has been-considered has a direct anddecisive influence on pedagogical grammars, learning processes and many otherareas involved in foreign language teaching (Rama & Agullo, 2012)

Grammar has given different positions in various methodologies and approaches tolanguage teaching These positions can be viewed in terms of three generalinstructional approaches, beginning with those that conceptual teaching in terms ofmethods with an exclusive focus on grammar, continuing later as types of exposure

to meaningful communication, and emerging more recently as a set of instructionaloptions with a focus on both grammar and meaning (Nassaji & Fotos, 2011)

These communicative approaches gave no formal grammar instruction assumingthat the learners would acquire the forms and vocabulary naturally, during theprocess of comprehending and responding to the input Therefore, grammar has alimited role (Hinkel&Fotos, 2002)

On the other hand, many researchers have tried to restore the role ofgrammar Ellis (2006) for instance argues that instructed learning may require forattaining advanced level of grammatical competence and performance sincegrammatical competence is one component of communicative competence Hebelieves that the teaching of different grammatical structures in meaningful contextinfluences proficiency in language learning In addition, Hinkel&Fotos (2002)reported that instructed grammar learning can serve as communicative input, based

on which learners can internalize grammar rules This is seen as especially

xviimportant for the English foreign language (EFL) situation, in whichcommunicative exposure to the target language is usually lacking Support wasalso given for the role of grammar in language learning by Lightbown&Spada(2006) They are confident that exposure to meaning in comprehensible input andmere reliance on communication do not lead to language acquisition automatically.

In addition, Debata (2013) pointed out that grammar helps the students in thecorrection of mistakes and improvement of written work He implies that a personcannot learn a foreign language accurately only through a process of unconsciousassimilation So, grammar is indispensible for learners

1.2 Language Learning Strategies

Learning strategies have been in the centre of attention and they have gainedgreat importance in the teaching-learning environment A number of languagetheorists have defined language learning strategies in different ways Rubin (1975)who was one of the earliest researcher in this field, defines learning strategies as

“the techniques or devise which a learner may use to acquire knowledge.”O’Malley &Chamot (1990) characterized learning strategies as “the specialthoughts or behaviours that individuals use to help them comprehend, learn, orretain new information.” Thus learning strategies were seen as special ways ofprocessing information that enhance comprehension, learning, or retention of theinformation Brown (2007) on the other hand views learning strategies relatingwith “input- to processing, storage, and retrieval, that is, to taking messages fromothers.”

Additionally, for Paterson &Rosbottom (1995) learning strategies are “theparticular habits or patterns espoused when engaged in the learningprocess.”Whereas prior descriptions of learning strategies paid more attention toproducts of learning and behaviors reflecting unobservable cognitive processes, aswell as limit learning strategies to receptive skills, definitions eventually provided

xviiclearer understanding of what learners think and do during language learning Inthis regard learning strategies have been explained by Cohen (1996) as “the steps

or actions selected by learners either to improve the learning of a second language,the use of it, or both.” Similarly, Chamot (2004) also described learning strategies

as “the conscious thoughts and actions that learners take in order to achieve alearning goal.” One of the most applicable definitions which was cited mostfrequently in the literature was provided by Oxford (1990) The author defineslanguage learning strategies as “the specific actions taken by the learner to makelearning easier, faster, more enjoyable, more self directed, more effective and moretransferable to new situations.” It is indeed, a reflection of what the learner intends

to do and specific actions he/she can take The author also prominently includeshow context plays a crucial role in the language learning process

1.3 Main Features of Language Learning Strategies

Oxford (1990: 9) listed the main features of language learning strategies, inwhich Language learning strategies:

1 Contribute to the main goal of communicative competence In order to developcommunicative competence, it is important for learners to develop: knowledge ofgrammatical rules (grammatical competence), the ability to use the language asappropriate for the particular social context in which the communication takesplace(sociolinguistics competence), the ability to interpret messages coherentlywith the entire text (discourse competence) and the ability to initiate, control, andredirect communication (strategic competence) Canale& Swain (1980)

2 Encourage learners for greater self-direction

3 Expand the role of teachers The roles of teachers include identifying students’learning strategies, conducting training on learning strategies and helping learnersbecome more independent

4 Are problem oriented They are tools used to solve a problem or to accomplish atask

5 Are specific action taken by the learner to enhance their learning

6 Involve many aspects of the learner, not just the cognitive; those dealing withmental processing and manipulation of the new language Rather they includemetacognitive functions like planning, evaluation and arriving one’s own learning;emotional, social, and other functions as well

7 Offer direct and indirect support of learning

8 Are observable to some degree They are not always readily observable Forinstance, the act of making mental associations, which is memory strategy, cannot

be observed.However, doing works in cooperation with others can be observed

9 Have some levels of consciousness They usually reflect conscious efforts bylearners to take control of their learning

10 Can be taught through strategy training

11 Are flexible; that is, they are not always in the same sequences or certainpatterns

12 Influenced by a variety of factors to be chosen and used by the learner such asmotivation, gender, nationality, age, learning style, etc

1.4 The Purposes of Language Learning Strategies

Within communicative approaches to language teaching a key goal is for thelearner to develop communicative competence in the target L2/FL, and languagelearning strategies can help students in doing so As Oxford (1990; 2003) indicatedlanguage learning strategies contribute a high importance for effectivecommunicative competence According to Canale& Swain (1980), there are fourdimensions of communicative competence These are grammatical competence,sociolinguistic competence, discourse competence, and strategic competence.Therefore, language learning strategies can be used as a tool to facilitate these

xixdimensions of communicative competence More specifically, Cognitive strategiessuch as practicing, analyzing, and reasoning; Memory strategies or rehearsal, andCompensation strategies develop vocabulary and grammatical competence oraccuracy (Oxford, 2003; Yalcin, 2005) Besides, Oxford notes although Memorystrategies are often used for memorizing vocabulary and structures in initial stages

of language learning, but learners need such strategies much less when theirknowledge of vocabulary and structures has become larger Additionally, Socialstrategies, such as frequent contact with native speakers and cooperation with otherlearners increase sociolinguistic competence Several kinds of strategies, such asasking questions, rehearsing, and use of contextual clues, enhance discoursecompetence

Moreover, learning strategies can also enable students to become moreindependent, autonomous, lifelong learners and learners can be able to adopt andmaintain certain attitudes to keep themselves involved in the language learningprocess (Oxford, 1990) As explained by Ehrman Leaver &Oxford (2003) ,learningstrategies are helpful if: (a) the strategy relates well to the L2 task at hand, (b) thestrategy fits the particular student’s learning style preferences to one degree oranother, and (c) the student employs the strategy effectively and links it with otherrelevant strategies Besides, they may assist learners in mastering the forms andfunctions required for reception or production in the second or foreign languageand thus affect achievement (Rubin, 1975)

1.5 Grammar Learning Strategies

Rang Lee & Park (2007) described grammar learning strategies as “actionsand thoughts that learners consciously employ to make language learning and/ orlanguage use easier, more effective, more efficient, and more enjoyable.” (Cited inPawlak, 2009) Similarly, to all other types of strategic behaviours, grammarlearning strategies possess distinctive characteristics as summarized by Pawlak

xx(2009) These are: (1) they are actions to be taken by the learner; (2) Theirapplication is at least partly conscious; (3) They are optional means learnerschoose; (4) Their use entails goal-oriented, purposeful activity, and (5) They areused to regulate, facilitate, and control the process of learning Regardingresearches on the exploration of grammar learning strategies.

Temesgen Mereba’s(2013) study on the exploration of English grammarskills learning strategies by Jimma University Students shows that the students’perceived use of grammar learning strategies is different from their actual usage.The result of the questionnaire shows that respondents use all the six strategies.However, the result of the think aloud technique revealed that the students use onlythree (Cognitive, Compensation, and Memory strategies) of the six strategies Thisstudy indicates that even though most of the learners had information about the use

of learning strategies, some of them did not have any information about learningstrategies use Additionally, the findings of Mystkowska-Wiertelak’s (2008)investigation on the use of grammar learning strategies of Polish secondary schoolstudents indicates that the students use all the six strategies In the study, manystudents were reported to use modern technology to establish and sustain contactswith the native speakers apart from using traditional teaching aids such asdictionaries and grammar books Another study that aimed to investigate the use ofgrammar learning strategies and student achievement of English preparatoryclasses in Turkish was conducted by Yalcin (2005) This study found no significantrelationship between grammar leaning strategy use and achievement

Likewise, the result of a study by Pawlak (2009) on the relationship betweengrammar learning strategies and language attainment of English departmentstudents also failed to find evidence for the existence of positive relationshipbetween the use of grammar learning strategies and attainment Despite suchundeniable accomplishments by some researchers, the investigation on grammar

xxilearning strategies is still in its infancy Anderson (2005) said that “what is greatlylacking in the research are studies that specifically target the identification oflearning strategies that L2learners use to learn grammar and to understand theelements of grammar.” So that it is very unfortunate that the learner has been leftout of the picture since, as is the case with any other skill, it is the learner that isresponsible for deciding how to master the target language grammar.

Therefore, the more it is known about what kind of grammar learningstrategies used by learners accordingly with individual differences, the easier itwill become to promote the most beneficial and effective ones and in so doing,foster autonomy in this area (Pawlak, 2008; 2009)

1.6 Classification of Grammar Learning Strategies

Many researchers have focused on how successful or good language learnerstry to learn and tried to identify what strategies worked for them to find whichstrategies are effective for language learning (Ellis, 1997)

Naiman (1978) identified five major learning strategies by observing, testing andinterviewing successful and unsuccessful learners in a university The fivestrategies are: active task approach; realization of language as a system; realization

of language as a means of communication; management of affective demands; andself-monitoring

Wong-Fillmore (1979) examined five Mexican children learning English inschool and found three social strategies (i.e., join a group or seek friend’s help) andfive cognitive strategies (i.e., look for recurring parts in the known formulas ormake the most of what you have got) used by children to increase theircommunicative competence Wong- Fillmore also argued that social strategiescould increase the amount of exposure to the target language for learners so theywere more important than the cognitive strategies

xxiiRubin (1981, 1987) proposed three major strategies directly or indirectlysupport language learning The first one is learning strategy including cognitiveand metacognitive strategies Rubin explained cognitive and metacognitivestrategies, which can contribute directly to language learning Cognitive strategies

in learning require analysis, transformation or synthesis of learning material whilemetacognitive strategies refer to regulating or self-directed learning such asplanning, goals setting or self management Rubin identified six direct learningstrategies compared with indirect strategies: 1) clarification/verification strategies,including asking for verification or confirmation for the language rules; 2)guessing/ inductive reasoning, which can be used to infer meaning based on whatstudents knew in the language; 3) deductive reasoning, which refers to learnersusing rules or knowledge of the language to deduce hypotheses about the languageforms; 4) practice, which can be used in repetition or applying rules or focusing onthe accurate use of language rules; 5) memorization, which refers to use techniques

to store and retrieve new information; 6) monitoring, which include identifying andcorrecting errors

O’Malley and Chamot (1990) developed three types of strategies, namelymetacognitive strategies (selective attention, planning, monitoring and evaluatinglearning activity), cognitive strategies (rehearsal, organization, inference,summarizing, reducing, imagery, transfer, and elaboration), and social/affectivestrategies (cooperation, questioning for clarification, and self-talk)

Oxford (1993) proposed a more detailed classification model of languagelearning strategies based on the synthesis of the previous work on good languagelearning strategies and divided language learning strategies into direct strategiesand indirect strategies Direct strategies involve direct learning and require mentalprocessing of the language (Oxford, 1993), which include (1) memory strategies,help learners store and retrieve new information, such as grouping, creating mental

xxiiilinkages, applying images and sound, reviewing, and employing action, (2)cognitive strategies, enable learners to understand and produce new language, such

as reasoning, practicing, receiving and sending messages, analyzing andsummarizing, (3) compensation strategies, allow learners to use the new languagefor comprehension or production despite limited knowledge, and they are used tomake up for “an inadequate repertoire of grammar and, especially, of vocabulary”(Oxford, 1993, p 17) The strategies include guessing meanings from context orusing gestures when the learners do not know the precise expression Indirectstrategies support learning indirectly but are powerful to learning process (Oxford,1990), which include (1) metacognitive strategies, help learners to regulate theirlearning, such as paying attention, planning, self-evaluating and monitoring one’serrors or the learning process, (2) affective strategies, help learners to deal withtheir own emotions, motivation, and attitudes, such as lowering anxiety, self-rewards, self-encouragement, (3) social strategies, refers to ways in which learnerslearn the language through interactions with native speakers or the target language,such as asking questions, cooperating with peers and improving culturalunderstanding Oxford also developed the Strategy Inventory for LanguageLearning (SILL), which has two versions, one for English speakers learning a newlanguage (version 5.0) and the other for speakers of other language learningEnglish (version 7.0)

Wenden (1991) proposed two main kind of learning strategies: cognitivestrategies (select information, comprehend, store and retrieve information) andself-management strategies (monitor or manage learning process such as regulatoryskills or self-directed learning skills)

In this study, research was based on classification of Six above strategies are

based on a study of Oxford R.L (1993) Because this strategies are used by

xxivstudents from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds with various variablessuch as gender, proficiency level, task, culture, etc Moreover it is suitable andparticipants are students in Vietnam and the syllabus of current English book.

1.6.1 Direct Strategies

According to Rubin (1990), direct strategies are directly related to learning/producing the target language They are subdivided in to three subcategories:Memory, Cognitive, and Compensation strategies

1.6.1.1 Memory Strategies

These strategies help learners to relate new information to existing ones orrelating one grammatical rule or word to another in order to create association inmemory but do not necessarily involve deep understanding (Oxford, 1990; 2003)

In this case the learners use various memory related strategies to be able to learnand retrieve grammatical rules

According to Oxford (1993) memory strategies enable learners to createmental linkages of one grammatical rule with another by grouping,associating/elaborating, and by using the rules in a context That is, learners learngrammar by classifying or reclassifying the grammar part into meaningful units,either mentally or in writing (e.g., ordering them together according to tenserelationship, similarity or dissimilarity in form, meaning, etc)

1.6.1.2 Cognitive Strategies

According to Oxford (1993), Cognitive strategies enable the learners tomanipulate grammatical rules by practicing the grammar rule meaningfully like byrecognizing and using a combination of rules in sentences repeatedly and apply thenew pattern in a realistic setting such as, by participating in conversation, reading abook or article, listening to a lecture, or writing a letter in the new grammarstructure Learners also practice grammar structures by saying or writing them

xxvseveral times, listen to them again and again, rehearsing, and imitating a nativespeaker

1.6.1.3 Compensation Strategies

Compensation occurs not only in understanding the new language but also inproducing it Therefore, compensation strategies help the learners to use thelanguage for either comprehension or production though there are limitations ininformation These strategies serve as auto fillers in learning a language whereinformation gaps occur in understanding or applying grammar rules (Oxford, 1993;2003) So, learners overcome their limitations by guessing intelligently usinglinguistic and non-linguistic clues to compensate the absence of completegrammatical knowledge Learner’s background knowledge of the target language,his/her own language or some other languages can provide linguistic clues to themeaning of what is heard Learners can use clues like word order, word formation,and so on to their grammatical comprehension

1.6.2 Indirect Strategies

Indirect strategies are those that enable or support direct strategies to occurand/or increase their successful application (Oxford, 1993) Indirect strategies aredivided in to three subgroups: metacognitive, affective, and social strategies

1.6.2.1 Metacognitive Strategies

Metacognitive strategies allow learners to evaluate their own grammarlearning pattern and coordinate the learning process (Oxford, 1993; 2003) Oxfordbelieves that Metacognitive strategies are essential for successful language learningthough learners rarely or unconsciously use these strategies These strategies areused for centring learning by paying attention on certain grammar tasks, activities

or materials such as, paying attention to the rules from reference books Using suchstrategies, the learners overview a concept or principle and link it with alreadyknown material Additionally, learners can be effective when they can be able to

xxviarrange and plane their language learning by setting goals and objectives that theywant to achieve, and create opportunities to practice grammar rules bycommunicating with others in natural situations (e.g., looking for people they cantalk to in English)

1.6.2.2 Affective Strategies

Affective strategies help learners gain control and regulate personalemotions, attitudes, and values; Knowing how to control one’s emotions andattitudes may influence grammar learning process positively since it will make thelearning more effective and enjoyable It is also known that negative feelingshinder progress Good language learners often know how to control their emotionsand attitudes while learning grammar

Therefore, lowering anxiety using progressive relaxation, deep breathing andmeditation can enable learners to perform grammar activities and tasks effectively.Besides, listening to soothing music and using laughter (i.e., watching funnymovie, listening to jocks and so on) is help learners relieve anxiety

1.6.2.3 Social Strategies

Social strategies are actions taken by learners so as to seek support orinteract with other learners or more proficient speakers of the language (Oxford,1993; 2003) Communication between and among people is required to learnlanguage effectively since language is a form of social behaviour So that learnersdevelop cooperation with others As a result, they will have the chance to learnfrom their peers for instance if learners work different grammar activities ingroups, there is a possibility that less successful learners use strategies used bysuccessful learners Additionally, learners can be equipped with the correctgrammatical form by asking questions and/or clarifications for the complex issuesthey confront with from more proficient friends, native speakers, or teachers

xxviiMoreover, social strategies enhance learners’ ability to understand people’semotions and feelings and develop cultural understanding.

CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODS

In the previous chapter, the researcher found out the theoretical background

of the study This chapter provides detailed information about the participants ofthe study, and then focuses on some reasons for choosing and description of thedata collection instruments and research procedure

2.1 The subject and object of the study

2.1.1 The subject of the study

The subjects of the study are the students in class 10A8 at Doan Hung HighSchool as well as the textbook “Tieng Anh 10”

2.1.2 The object of the study

The object of this study is some grammar learning strategies used in learningEnglish grammars It includes the students’ current situations in using grammarlearning strategies After analyzing the result from the fact, researcher gives someimplications

2.2 The data collection instruments

To increase validity and reliability of the collected data, the researcher usedthe survey questionnaire as the data collection instrument

2.2.1 Survey questionnaires

2.2.1.1 Reasons for choosing survey questionnaires.

“Questionnaires are among the most efficient and comprehensive ways toasses frequency of language learning strategy use” (Oxford, 1996: 28) In the moststudies of language learning strategies, a self report questionnaire is chosen as abasic instrument, because respondents have enough time to read and give a wellthought responses in written form without the intervention of the interviewer, it issuitable in the case of big enquires and it is also economical in terms of time andenergy ( Kotari, 2004; Best & Khan, 2006)

xxixThus, in order to gather valuable information from data sources, Oxford’s(1993) version 7.0 Strategy Inventory for Language Learners (SILL) was adapted.The SILL has been employed as a key instrument in numerous studies assessingthe frequency of strategy use by students from different linguistic and culturalbackgrounds Therefore, the SILL was modified as it was convenient to explore thelearners’ grammar learning strategies

Moreover, not only time-consuming but also data collection is relatively easy tocollect summarized and reported as all participants answered the same questions.Most importantly, the questioner gave the participants opportunities to expresstheir opinions and feelings without fear either to be embarrassed or to be spokentheir mind Because the confidentiality was insured by not mentioning participants’names, they were free to give impartial answer This was very important to thisstudy since it supplied some realistic, exact and valuable information to conductthis research

Obviously, it was not a waste of money for the researcher to apply thismethod The collector only wasted a little money on the preparation Such asituation has helped researcher a lots to solve problems of finance

For those advantages, the author chose to use this method because it waseasy to do, economical, time-consuming and effective

2.2.1.2 Describing survey questionnaire

The questionnaire was distributed to the whole class, 40 students.Thismodified Grammar Learning Strategies Questionnaire (GLSQ) Oxford (1993)consists of two parts:

The first part contained questions used to elicit information related to thelearners’ background such as age, gender

xxxThe second part consists of 4 questions

Survey questionnaire was designed to answer 6 questions of this study

1) Which grammar learning strategies do students in class 10A8 often use ?2) What are the reasons for these grammar learning strategies often used?

3) How often do the students in class 10A8 at Doan Hung High school usegrammar learning strategies?

4) What benefits can the students in class 10A8 at Doan Hung High school get

in using these grammar learning strategies?

5) What difficulties do the students in class 10A8 at Doan Hung High schoolhave in using these grammar learning strategies?

In this survey, question 1 aims to find out the grammar learning strategiesthat students often use and by the way, the author can explore the similarities anddifferences between the use of grammar learning strategies by male and femalestudents It has 35 statements grouped under the six categories as proposed byOxford (1993) This study adopted from Oxford because it is suitable for the tenthform students’ level and the syllabus of current English textbook

Question 2 is used to find out the reasons why the students often use thesegrammar learning strategies

Question 3refers to the frequency of using grammar learning strategies by thestudents in class 10A8 at Doan Hung High school

Question 4 to find out the benefits that the students in class 10A8 at Doan HungHigh school get in using these grammar learning strategies

xxxiQuestion 5 aims to find out the difficulties that the students in class 10A8 at DoanHung High school have in using these grammar learning strategies

The chosen subjects in this research were only the tenth form students so thepossibility of their misunderstanding the English GLSQ was high Therefore, thequestionnaire was presented in Vietnamese (see Appendix 2) to ensure that all ofthe subjects could understand the instructions and statements thoroughly

CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 A general overview of Doan Hung High School

The study was conducted at Doan Hung high school, one of the leadingschools in Doan Hung district, Phu Tho province It has a long history of over 55years of foundation In spite of being located in rural area, it is famous for itstradition of good teaching and learning with the students getting many prizes in theexams of Phu Tho province every year The school has 24 classes with over 74teachers of different subjects Currently, there are ten teachers of English and over

1106 students ranged from Grade 10 to grade 12 Most of students come fromvillages and town near the school in Doan Hung district

The material conditions of the school are rather well-provided, which alsohelp to create its success The teaching of English, especially teaching English forGrade 10 has met some difficulties The first difficulty is that, most of the studentsare good at and like learning natural science subject The teacher is trying to lookfor methods so that students are good at both subjects and social ones The seconddifficulty is the classes are quite big with more than 40 students in a class Levels

of students are variable: elementary, pre-intermediate, intermediate The thirddifficulty is they also have different learning styles Some are still influenced bytraditional teaching and learning methods And it is difficult for the teacher to