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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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)

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.

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