Language Learning Strategies of Elderly Finnish EFL Learners
Leppäkases, Suvi (2018-11-21)
Language Learning Strategies of Elderly Finnish EFL Learners
(21.11.2018)
Julkaisu on tekijänoikeussäännösten alainen. Teosta voi lukea ja tulostaa henkilökohtaista käyttöä varten. Käyttö kaupallisiin tarkoituksiin on kielletty.
suljettu
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on:
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2018121150439
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2018121150439
Tiivistelmä
Elderly learners, those retiring from working life, have not been a popular target group for research in the field of second language acquisition, although they are a fast-growing segment of language learners. The purpose of this thesis was to detect what kind of language learning strategies elderly learners use and whether there is a relationship between the use of these strategies and different proficiency levels. It was presumed that the learners would have poor strategy skills, especially at the beginner levels of English, and that those on a higher level would employ a larger variety of strategies. Similar results had also been discovered in previous studies.
The participants of this study consisted of 45 elderly EFL learners from four different learner groups at an institute for educational activities in Turku. The main research method was a questionnaire which consisted of background questions, a self-evaluation of the participant’s English skills and of a strategy inventory based on Oxford’s well-known Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). Her taxonomy of language learning strategies is divided into three direct strategies (memory, cognitive and compensation strategies) and into three indirect directs (metacognitive, affective and social strategies). To complete the quantitative method of this mixed methods study, one learner from each of the four learner groups was also interviewed.
The findings retrieved from the questionnaires did not completely correspond with the hypothesis since some of the lower level learners demonstrated higher frequency of strategy use than was expected, whereas some of the higher level learners judged their strategy use lower than was expected. On the other hand, the results retrieved from the interviews were similar to the hypothesis. In general, it was detected that the learners used social and metacognitive strategies the most and affective strategies the least. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that the study of language learning strategies is a complex matter and that different research results may occur depending on the methodology used. Studies such as the present one can benefit language educators for planning language courses for this target group.
The participants of this study consisted of 45 elderly EFL learners from four different learner groups at an institute for educational activities in Turku. The main research method was a questionnaire which consisted of background questions, a self-evaluation of the participant’s English skills and of a strategy inventory based on Oxford’s well-known Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL). Her taxonomy of language learning strategies is divided into three direct strategies (memory, cognitive and compensation strategies) and into three indirect directs (metacognitive, affective and social strategies). To complete the quantitative method of this mixed methods study, one learner from each of the four learner groups was also interviewed.
The findings retrieved from the questionnaires did not completely correspond with the hypothesis since some of the lower level learners demonstrated higher frequency of strategy use than was expected, whereas some of the higher level learners judged their strategy use lower than was expected. On the other hand, the results retrieved from the interviews were similar to the hypothesis. In general, it was detected that the learners used social and metacognitive strategies the most and affective strategies the least. Furthermore, the results demonstrated that the study of language learning strategies is a complex matter and that different research results may occur depending on the methodology used. Studies such as the present one can benefit language educators for planning language courses for this target group.