This document discusses learning and communication strategies for second language acquisition. It defines strategies as specific approaches to solving problems or tasks, distinguishing them from general personality styles. The document outlines two main types of strategies: learning strategies, which involve processing and retaining new information, and communication strategies, which help with productive expression. It provides examples of cognitive and socioaffective learning strategies. For communication strategies, it describes avoidance strategies like topic avoidance and approximation strategies. Compensatory strategies include circumlocution, use of general words, memorized phrases, gestures and stalling techniques.

1. Second languange learning and
communication strategies

2. The difference between “style” and
“strategies”
 Styles are general characteristics that differenciate one individual from
another
 Strategies are those specific “attacks” that we make on a given problem.

3. Strategies
 Strategies are specific methods of approaching a problem or task.
 They are ways of achieving a particular end, or solving a particular problem.
 Each one of us has a host of possible strategies, which vary from moment to
moment, from one situation to another.

4. Types of strategies:
1. Learning strategies
2. Communication strategies

5. Learning strategies
 Learning strategies relate to input – to processing, storage, and retrieval, that is to taking
messages from others.
 The conscious decisions we make about the learning task
 In the field of second language acquisition, Brown classified learning strategies into:
1. Cognitive strategies
involving the manipulation or transformation of learning materials / input (e.g., deduction,
recombination, imagery, etc); see table 5.2.
2. Socioaffective strategies
Involving both interpersonal behaviors aimed at increasing the amount of L2 communication and
practice the learner undertakes (e.g. initiating interaction with native speakers, cooperating with
peers); and taking control of the emotional conditions and experiences that shape one’s
subjective involvement in learning.

6. Communication strategies
 Communication strategies pertain to output, how we productively express
meaning, how we deliver messages to others.
 According to Brown (2000), communication strategies pertain to the
employment of verbal or nonverbal mechanisms for the productive
communication of information.
 Basically, the purpose of communication strategies is to solve a
communication problem that has emerged by applying some kinds of
techniques.

7. Taxonomy of Communication Strategies and Foreign
Language Learning Communication strategies
(Dornyei, 1995 cited in Brown, 2000: 128)
 Avoidance strategies
 Compensatory strategies

8. Avoidance strategies can be broken down into
several subcategories
1. Syntactic or Lexical Avoidance within a semantic category
Ex.:
L2 learner : I lost my road.
Native speaker : You lost your road?
L2 learner : I lost – I lost…. I got lost.
2. Topic avoidance: Avoiding topic areas or concepts that pose language difficulties.
Ex.: pretending not to understand / changing the topic / not responding
3. Phonological Avoidance
Ex.:
difficulty in producing the sounds or correct pronunciation
Instead of saying “breeze” because of the fear that you might pronounce it /brεz/, you settle with
saying “wind”

9. Compensatory strategies
4. Circumlocution : describing or exemplifying the target object of action
Ex.:
saying “the thing you put your money in” when you mean wallet
“what you use to wipe your hands clean” for towel
5. Approximation : using an alternative term which expresses the meaning of the target lexical item as closely as
possible
Ex.: saying ship when you mean sailboat or saying “Stay away from strangers.” to mean “Avoid strangers.”
6. Use of all-purpose words: extending a general, empty lexical item to contexts where specific words are lacking
Ex.: thingie / stuff / whats-its
7. Word coinage: creating a new word in order to communicate a concept
Ex.: vegetarianist for vegetarian / airball for balloon / ice cabinet (or ice box) for freezer
8. Prefabricated patterns: using memorized stock phrases, usually for "survival" purposes
Ex.:
“What is your name?”
“I don’t speak English.”
“I don’t know.”

10. 9. Nonverbal signals: mime, gesture, facial expression, or sound imitation.
10. Literal translation: translating literally a lexical item, idiom, compound word, or structure from L1 to L2.
Ex.: (from Tagalog to English)
“Suntok sa buwan” is literally translated as “a punch to the moon”
“She fell because she had a fever.” to mean “She collapsed because she had a fever.”
11. Foreignizing: using a native word by adjusting it to the second-language phonology (i.e., with the second-language
pronunciation) and/or morphology (e.g., adding to it a second-language suffix)
Ex.: “Shiros” used by some Japanese – Americans to refer to “Whites” because the Japanese for the color white is
“shiro”.
12. Code-switching or Language Switching: using the native language term, without bothering to translate, in a second-language
sentence.
Ex.: “I went to buy shoes but I found out that wala na pala akong pera (I had no more money)!”
“My puppy is so kawaii (cute) I want to hug it.”
13. Appeal for assistance: asking for the right word from someone either directly or indirectly
Ex.: directly – “What do you call…?”
indirectly – puzzled expression, eye contact, hand gestures
14. Stalling or time-gaining strategies: using fillers or hesitation devices to fill pauses and to gain time to think
Ex.: uh (er) / as a matter of fact / well / actually

11. Sources:
 Brown, H. Douglas. (2000). Principles of Language Learning and Teaching. NY,
USA: Addison Wesley & Longman, Inc.
 http://maximuma.hubpages.com/hub/Second-language-communication-strategies