An exploratory study on the use of language learning strategies by students at ULIS-Southern New Hampshire university (USA) joint bachelor program

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE STUDIES **************************** LƯU HỒNG TRANG AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGIES USE OF STUDENTS FROM ULIS - SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE UNIVERSITY (USA) JOINT BACHELOR PROGRAM Nghiên cứu thăm dò việc sử dụng chiến lược học tập ngơn ngữ sinh viên chương trình đào tạo cử nhân liên kết trường Đại học Ngoại ngữ - ĐHQGHN trường Đại học Southern New Hampshire (Hoa Kỳ) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 60140111 HANOI – 2016 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF GRADUATE AND POSTGRADUATE STUDIES **************************** LƯU HỒNG TRANG AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGIES USE OF STUDENTS FROM ULIS - SOUTHERN NEW HAMPSHIRE UNIVERSITY (USA) JOINT BACHELOR PROGRAM Nghiên cứu thăm dò việc sử dụng chiến lược học tập ngơn ngữ sinh viên chương trình đào tạo cử nhân liên kết trường Đại học Ngoại ngữ - ĐHQGHN trường Đại học Southern New Hampshire (Hoa Kỳ) M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 60140111 Supervisor : Dr Ngu n Th Ngọc Quỳnh HANOI – 2016 DECLARATION I, Luu Hong Trang, declare that the thesis entitled “An exploratory study on language learning strategies use of students from ULIS-Southern New Hampshire university (USA) joint bachelor program” reports the result of the study conducted by myself The minor thesis is submitted to the Faculty of Graduate and PostGraduate Studies - University of Languages and International Studies - Vietnam National University, Hanoi for Degree of Master in Teaching English Methodology It has not been published anywhere Hanoi, 2016 Lưu H ng Trang i ACKNOWLEDGEMENT First and foremost, I would like to send my sincere thanks to my supervisor, Dr Nguyen Thi Ngoc Quynh, for her valuable guidance, helpful advice, recommendation, and encouragement during the time I tried to complete this minor thesis Without her supervision, this work would never have been possible Besides, I would like to thank all the teachers of the Faculty of Graduate and PostGraduate Studies - University of Languages and International Studies - Vietnam National University, Hanoi for their valuable lectures, whose knowledge is the foundation for my thesis My deepest thanks also go to all students studying at the joint bachelor program between University of Languages and International Studies and Southern New Hampshire University, USA Without their active participation, I would not have fulfilled this study Finally, I would like to express my biggest love and thanks to my family, my close friends and my colleagues at Centre for International Education, ULIS, VNU for their unconditional support during the time I conducted my research It was all of them who gave me the will to complete this challenging work ii ABSTRACT This study examines the influence of some variables namely gender, motivation and experience of English language learning on the use of language learning strategies by students at the joint bachelor program between University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi and Southern New Hampshire University, USA The study made use of guided narratives to collect demographic information from the participants and Oxford‟s Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) version 7.0 to determine the relationship between the variables and the students‟ use of language learning strategies The findings revealed that gender difference is not one of the factors contributing to the differences in the choices of language learning strategies On the other hand, motivation and experience in learning English have effect on the selection of language learning strategies to some extent Students with high level of motivation use Meta-cognitive strategies with higher frequency than lowly-motivated students Students who not have prior experience of learning English reported higher use of Memory strategies than those learners with prior experience of English learning from established language centres, specialized language classes, or private tutorials iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ii ABSTRACT iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vi LIST OF TABLES vii CHAP 1: INTRODUCTION vii 1.1 Statement of the problem and rationale for the study 1.2 Aim of the study 1.3 Scope of the study 1.4 Research methodology 1.5 Organization of the study CHAP 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Language Learning Strategies (LLSs) 2.1.1 Definition of learning strategies 2.1.2 Classification of language learning strategies 2.2 Variables that Influence the Selection of Language Learning Strategies 2.2.1 Gender 2.2.2 Motivation 2.2.3 Prior Experience of the Language Learning 11 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 14 3.1 Setting 14 3.2 Participants 14 iv 3.3 Data collection instruments and procedures 15 3.3.1 Questionnaire 15 3.3.1.2 Reliability of the questionnaire 16 3.3.2 Narratives 18 3.4 Data analysis 19 CHAP 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 21 4.1 Students‟ demographic information 21 4.2 The Influence of Gender on the use of LLSs 23 4.3 The Influence of Motivation on the use of LLSs 24 4.4 The Influence of Experience in English Language Learning on the use of LLSs 25 CHAP 5: CONCLUSION 28 5.1 Summary of major findings 28 5.2 Limitations 29 5.3 Implications for language teaching and learning 29 5.4 Recommendations for Future Research 30 REFERENCES 32 APPENDIX I v LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ULIS : University of Languages and International Studies SNHU: Southern New Hampshire University LLSs : Language learning strategies SILL : Strategy Inventory for Language Learning STEP : Society of Testing English Proficiency vi LIST OF TABLES Table 1.1: Description of Gender Table 1.2: Description of Motivation Table 1.3: Description of Experience in learning English Table 2.1: The use of LLSs by Gender Table 2.2: The use of LLSs by Motivation Table 2.3: The use of LLSs by Experience in learning English vii CHAP 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Statement of the problem and rationale for the study University of Languages and International Studies (ULIS), Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam has recently been rated as one of the top universities in South East Asia for Languages and language studies at the undergraduate level Moreover, besides the university‟s strengths in pedagogy and linguistic studies training for domestic students, the university is on its way to develop international programs with various universities in the world Among those program highlights the joint bachelor program in Economics/ Finance between ULIS and Southern New Hampshire university, USA (SNHU) To ensure the standards of an international program, most of the time, the program courses are delivered fully in English language As a result, students‟ English language acquisition and proficiency is the key to the success of the training program Among significant factors contributing to the variation in students‟ English language acquisition, language learning strategies are believed to have great impacts According to Meschyan and Hernadez (2002), learning a foreign language effectively means using adequate learning strategies Despite this value of language learning strategies (LLSs), no research work has been done to investigate the use of language learning strategies by students at this joint bachelor program Thus, the researcher conducts this study with the hope of finding ways to better English language proficiency of the target students by providing insights to their use of LLSs CHAP 5: CONCLUSION 5.1 Summary of major findings The current paper investigated the existence of the influence created by several variables namely gender, motivation and experience of learning English to the use of language learning strategies by students at ULIS-SNHU joint bachelor program The entire research showed that this aspect might get influenced by various variables If the aspect of gender is considered, it can be observed that the outcomes of the current research seem to be steady with earlier research works of this specific field of interest, affirming the fact that difference in gender should not be considered as a factor that may lead up to differences in selection of language learning strategies by learners of English as a foreign language The research did not find any distinction between male and female learners from the ULIS-SNHU joint bachelor program regarding the utilization of language learning strategies When investigating the influence of motivation, the study demonstrated a slight impact of motivation on the utilization of LLSs Students with high level of motivation reported higher use of Meta-cognitive strategies than the low level one The generated outcomes of the current research work seem to be in line with the results of some of the past research works that utilized SILL The aspect of having prior additional experience in English learning seem to affect the learners from the ULIS-SNHU bachelor joint program to some extent Students who not have any kind of prior experience in 28 English learning seemed to show a greater tendency to utilize Memory strategies from the collection of LLSs as compared to those learners with prior experience of English learning from an established language centres, specialized language classes, or private tutorials 5.2 Limitations Although the research produced some noteworthy results, there are some limitations involved with it Firstly, the participants of the research were the students of a joint bachelor program in Vietnam Therefore, the study could not explore the perceptions and the patterns of the use of language learning strategies by students from diverse academic backgrounds As a result, the outcomes of the study might not be applicable for those students of another educational programs or belong to other nations Secondly, the study only concentrated on three variables namely gender, motivation, and experience in English learning But the study did not focus on some other variables, for example, age, country of origin, and learners‟ styles Therefore, the applicability of this research work remains limited on the broader scenario The future research should try to eliminate these limitations in order to produce wholesomely acceptable and viable outcomes 5.3 Implications for language teaching and learning In spite of the fact that the outcomes generated by the current research may not be considered as wholesomely inclusive or conclusive, this research surely points out the importance of utilization of language learning strategies in order to make the procedures of language learning more significantly successful The ability to develop a proper understanding regarding the utilization of different LLSs as well as exploring the components or variables 29 influencing the decisions associated with the selection of LLSs should be perceived by educators to comprehensively support the learners in the path of successfully acquiring the English language The findings of this particular research additionally allow language instructors or educators to have access to an insight regarding the pattern of LLSs utilization by the learners in the particular setting of the study (students at ULIS-SNHU program) as well as to develop plans or curriculum so that greater efficient activities or assignments can be designed in order to provide English learners from Vietnam in general and the students of the joint bachelor program in particular with more comprehensive as well as appropriate techniques so that they can become able to efficiently develop English reading, writing, speaking skills and properly communicate through the medium of English 5.4 Recommendations for Future Research As discussed above, the researchers should try to execute studies in future with minimal limitations and by eliminating the limitations described above to gain reliable and valid results A number of recommendations are suggested for the future studies Firstly, future studies should concentrate on a diverse population with varied academic orientations, backgrounds, and national identification Secondly, future studies should include perceptions of educators or teachers because their perceptions and connections with the students might influence the choice of language learning strategies by non-native English learners 30 Thirdly, future studies should try to explore some other variables, for example, age of the learners, country of origin, learners‟ styles which may have some significant level of influence over the selection and utilization of language learning strategies by the same group of students Fourthly, future studies can investigate perceptions of students and teachers on particular language learning strategies used in Content and Language Integrated Learning courses such as in the ULIS-SNHU bachelor joint program 31 REFERENCES Akyol, T 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121–133 36 APPENDIX Section of The use of Language learning strategies Name: _ Class _ Year of birth: Years of learning English: Years of staying in Gender: Male/ Female English-speaking countries (if any): DIRECTIONS: Please read each statement and put a tick in the column from to that tells how true the statement is to you Answer in terms of How well the statement describes you Please don‟t answer how you think you should be, or what other people There are no right or wrong answers Thank you Column 1: Never or almost never true to me Column 2: It's true less than half of the time Column 3: It's true about half the time Column 4: It's true more than half the time Column 5: Always or almost always true of me I No Language learning strategies PART A I think of relationships between what I already know and new things I learn in English I use new English words in a sentence so I can remember them I connect the sound of a new English word and an image or picture of the word to help remember the word I remember a new English word by making a mental picture of a situation in which the word might be used (Mental picture: representation in a person's mind of the physical world outside of that person) I use rhymes to remember new English words I use flashcards to remember new English words (flashcard: a card with a word or picture on it, that teachers use during lessons) I physically act out new English words I review English lessons often I remember new English words or phrases by remembering their location on the page, on the board, or on a street sign PART B 10 I say or write new English words several times 11 I try to talk like native English speakers 12 I practice the sounds of English 13 I use the English words I know in different ways II 14 I start conversations in English 15 I watch English language TV shows spoken in English or go to movies spoken in English 16 I read for pleasure in English 17 I write notes, messages, letters, or reports in English 18 I first skim an English passage (read over the passage quickly) then go back and read carefully 19 I look for words in my own language that are similar to new words in English 20 I try to find grammatical patterns in English 21 I find the meaning of an English word by dividing it into parts that I understand 22 I try not to translate word-for-word 23 I make summaries of information that I hear or read in English PART C 24 To understand unfamiliar English words, I make guesses 25 When I can't think of a word during a conversation in English, I use gestures 26 I make up new words if I not know the right ones in English 27 I read English without looking up every new word 28 I try to guess what the other person will say next in English 29 If I can't think of an English word, I use a word or phrase that means the same thing PART D III 30 I try to find as many ways as I can to use my English 31 I notice my English mistakes and use that information to help me better 32 I pay attention when someone is speaking English 33 I try to find out how to be a better learner of English 34 I plan my schedule so I will have enough time to study English 35 I look for people I can talk to in English 36 I look for opportunities to read as much as possible in English 37 I have clear goals for improving my English skills 38 I think about my progress in learning English PART E 39 I try to relax whenever I feel afraid of using English 40 I encourage myself to speak English even when I am afraid of making a mistake 41 I give myself a reward or treat when I well in English 42 I notice if I am tense or nervous when I am studying or using English 43 I write down my feelings in a language learning diary 44 I talk to someone else about how I feel when I am learning English PART F 45 If I not understand something in English, I ask the other person to slow down or say it again IV 46 I ask English speakers to correct me when I talk 47 I practice English with other students 48 I ask for help from English speakers 49 I ask questions in English 50 I try to learn about the culture of English speakers V Section of Please kindly help to share your motivation and experiences of learning English based on these following instructions Your story is only used for research purpose Every information would be keep confidential Thank you (You can write in English or Vietnamese) Tell me about your motivation to learn English Below are some guidelines - Do you like to learn English? - Why you want to study English? Describe your experience of learning English (Beside English classes at the university, where else have you studied English? Why have you studied English there? What aspect of English language did you study there? How long have you studied there? What is the result in terms of your English from that experience?) VI