This document discusses 5 factors that affect language learning strategies: language proficiency level, motivation, learning styles, gender, and age. Higher proficiency learners tend to use more cognitive and metacognitive strategies, while lower proficiency learners rely more on communication and knowledge-based strategies. Motivation is found to be the single most important influence, with more motivated learners employing strategies more frequently. Learning styles also impact strategy use, such as extroverts preferring social strategies. Gender studies show females generally use strategies more than males. Age is a biological factor, with younger learners acquiring language faster than older ones due to a critical period of language development.

1. 5 Factors Affecting LLS
GGGV1244
BY: FATIN KAMILIA BINTI MOHD ARIF
A150003
BEd (Hons) TESL
Faculty of Education
Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

2. Definition of LLS
Rigney (1978)
Often conscious-steps and behaviours implemented by learners to
enhance acquisition
Tarone (1981)
Attempts in developing linguistic & sociolinguistic competence in
targeted language
Rubin (1987) & O’Malley and Camot (1990)
Learning strategies are vital contributors to language learning

3. Factors Affecting Strategies Used
• Learners’ level of language proficiency
• Motivation
• Learning styles
• Gender
• Age

4. 1) Learners’ Level of Proficiency
• Peacock and Ho (2003)
-Cognitive and metacognitive strategies show high correlations with high
language proficiency level
-A study on the relationship between the use of LLSs and the proficiency
level of 1006 English for Academic purposes students in 8 distinctive
majors in Hong Kong is carried out and showed significant correlations
between strategy use and proficiency level

5. • Chen (1990)
-Communication strategies are frequently used by low-proficiency
students than high-proficiency ones
-Linguistic-based communication strategies are used by high-proficiency
learners
-Knowledge-based strategies are used by low-proficiency learners

6. • Rao (2012)
Students with higher level of English proficiency tend to use more
strategies regularly

7. 2) Motivation
• Oxford and Nyikos (1989)
They found out that motivation acts as the single most crucial factor
influencing strategy use
• McIntyre and Noel (1996)
The relationship between LLSs and motivational level among
undergraduate foreign language learners is examined. Contrary to
less motivated learners, those who were substantially motivated,
tended to adopt more learning strategies and used them more
regularly

8. • Tamada (1996)
Both integrative and instrumental motivation had significant
effects on learners’ choice of LLSs
• Chang and Huang (1999)
A study between integrative and instrumental motivation on the
LLS is conducted using 48 Taiwanese graduate and undergraduate
students at a public university in the US and showed that the total
number of learning strategies were associated with level of motivation

9. • Yang (1999)
An observation on learners’ self perceived motivation and their use of
LLSs (as assessed by the SILL) is carried out and showed a positive
correlation between motivation level and use of LLSs
• Gardner (1985)
Motivation and attitudes are the fundamental sources that contribute
to individual language learning

10. • Dornyei (2001)
Basically, motivation acts as a booster in which it explains why
people decide to do something, how long are they willing to sustain
the activity and to what extent are they going to pursue it
• Mochiuki (1999)
The study that has been proposed indicated that learners’ choices of
strategies is strongly influenced by motivation
• Reece and Walker (1997)
Motivation acts as a key factor to the learning process of a second
language

11. • Shulman (1986)
Students learn most when they are motivated and the motivation
can be enhanced through a positive environment
• Krashen (1985)
Similar to motivation, attitude functions bridges to learning a new
language

12. 3)Learning Style
• Ehrman and Oxford (1990)
-An individual learning style preferences affect the type of LLSs
that they are using
-Extroverts prefer social strategies while introverts prefer
metacognitive strategies
• Rossi-Le (1995)
Social and interactive strategies are used by learners who prefer
studying in groups

13. 4) Gender
• Wharton (2000)
In most studies that has been carried out, female consistently
reported to use LLSs more frequently than males
• Chamot and Keatly (2004)
Amongst factors such as motivation, age and proficiency level,
gender difference is also one of the significant factors in language
learning and acquisition

14. • Hong Nam and Leavell (2006)
-55 students who are learning English as their second language with
culture and linguistic background that differ showed that the female
students use more strategies frequently than male students
Female students- Social and Metacognitive Strategies (most)
Memory Strategies (least)
Male students - Metacognitive and Compensation Strategies(most)
Affective Strategies (least)

15. 5) Age
• Collier (1988)
The age of a learner influence the process of second language
acquisition
• Lenneberg (1967)
Acquisition of a language is an innate process which is determined
by biological factors that limit the critical period for acquisition of a
language estimated from the age of 2 years until they become
adolescents.

16. • Collier (1988)
Concluded that older children are capable of acquiring a language
faster than younger children