1. Introduction There has been a shift within the field of language learning and teaching recently with major emphasis being put on learners and learning instead of teachers and teaching. Considering this new interest, the following questions become crucial to answer; How do learners process new information? What strategies do they use to learn or remember the information and improve as a language learner? Richards and Platt (1992) state that learning strategies are "intentional behavior and thoughts used by learners during learning so as to better help them understand, learn, or remember new information." This study explores the use of learning strategies as an important element in the success of young-adult learners of foreign languages. The SILL (Strategy Inventory for Language Learning) by Oxford, which consists of 6 categories: memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, affective, and social, was administered at the beginning and at the end of a four-month studying period. Results from the survey indicated that cognitive and metacognitive strategies were most frequently used, while memory strategies were least frequently used and also highlighted that there was a remarkable increase in the implementation of metacognitive strategies at the end of the four- month period. The overall sample at the time of the current study consisted of 86 Turkish students studying B Level in Preparatory Classes of Anadolu University (AUSFL), aged between 17-19, 44 (51.1%) male and 42 (48.9%) female. Hİ! ɡrəʊn FUN FUN FUN FUN FUN YEP! I WANNA..ERR. SHOW UP! YEP! I WANNA..ERR. SHOW UP! I ENJOY PLANING Data Collection The SILL (Strategy Inventory for Language Learning) by Oxford was administered at the beginning and at the end of the four-month period. The first measurement showed young learners’ previous knowledge and their habits of using language learning strategies. The last measurement showed the participants’ improvement on the language learning strategies. During the four-month period, participants regularly attended the B level courses being held for 18 hours a week and followed a B Level curriculum covering outcomes of Common European Frame (CEFR). Their first scores and last scores were compared whether the class activities support their previous strategy usage and improve them. Instrument The SILL (Strategy Inventory for Language Learning) by Oxford, which consists of 6 categories: memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, affective, and social. The SILL instrument contains 50 short statements each describing the use of one strategy. Subjects had to respond to each statement on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 (“Never or almost true of me") to 5 (“Always or almost always true of me”). For the SILL questionnaire and scoring procedures, see Oxford (1990, p. 293-300). The strategy system proposed by Oxford (1990) is divided into two groups as direct and indirect strategies. Direct strategies require mental processing of the target language. There are three main groups of direct strategies. Each group processes the language differently and for different purposes. Memory strategies Sometimes called mnemonics, these involve mental processes used in arranging information in order, making associations, and reviewing. Cognitive strategies These involve processing the target language so that meaning becomes clear through processes such as reasoning and analyzing. Compensation strategies These enable learners to make up for gaps in their knowledge and skills, by, for example, guessing meanings and using gestures. Indirect strategies, on the other hand, support and manage language learning often without involving the target language directly. There are three groups of indirect strategies: Metacognitive strategies These enable learners to plan, coordinate, evaluate, and direct their own learning as well as to monitor errors. Affective strategies These help learners gain control over their emotions, attitudes:, and motivation through anxiety reduction, self- encouragement, and self-reward Social strategies These are ways of involving other people in enhancing learning through questions, cooperation and increased cultural awareness Participants The study was administered with 86 students studying in B Level Classes in School of Foreign Languages, Anadolu University. They all had previous language learning experiences from high school. The participants were aged between 17-19. 44 (51.1%) of the participants were male and 42 (48.9%) of them were female. Results According to the first scores, it’s found out that students were aware of the many of the language learning strategies. They used some of the strategies more often then the others. When compared with the total score they should get from each strategy category, they were usually above “somewhat true of me” point. According to the last scores obtained at the end of the term, it’s found out that many students started to use some of the language learning strategies less. This shows us that whether they needed them less to succeed in their classes or they were more aware of evaluating their attitudes towards language learning behaviors. Looking at the each category, it can ben seen that they used strategies in the cognitive category more often than they used to. Since classroom activities offers students extensive writing, reading and pronunciation activities, the first and the last measurement scores are quite different from each other. As for reading, the young learners started to use the following strategies more often; “I read for pleasure in English”, “I first skim an English passage (read over the passage quickly) then go back and read carefully”. As for writing and speaking, they started to use the following strategies more often; “I say or write new English words several times”, “I try to talk like native English speakers.”, “I practice the sounds of English”, “I use the English words I know in different ways”, “I start conversations in English”, “I watch English language TV shows spoken in English or go to movies spoken in English”, “I write notes, messages, letters, or reports in English”, “I try not to translate word-for-word”. Although the average score is quite low, they also started to use the following strategy in this category; “I make summaries of information that I hear or read in English”. Other strategies that students started to use more often fall into metacognitive category. The strategies are as follows; “I look for opportunities to read as much as possible in English”, “I look for people I can talk to in English”, “I try to find as many ways as I can to use my English”. Considering these results, we can say that classroom activities contributed to the students’ motivation. Literature Review There has been a shift within the field of language learning and teaching recently with major emphasis being put on learners and learning instead of teachers and teaching. Considering this new interest, the following questions become crucial to answer; How do learners process new information? What strategies do they use to learn or remember the information and improve as a language learner? Richards and Platt (1992) state that learning strategies are "intentional behavior and thoughts used by learners during learning so as to better help them understand, learn, or remember new information." Hismanoğlu (2000) highlights that language learning strategies, while non-observable or unconsciously used in some cases, give language teachers valuable clues about how their students assess the situation, plan, select appropriate skills so as to understand, learn, or remember new input presented in the language classroom. A given strategy is neither good nor bad; it is essentially neutral until the context of its use is thoroughly considered. What makes a strategy positive and helpful for a given learner? A strategy is useful if the following conditions are present: (a) the strategy relates well to the L2 task at hand, (b)the strategy fits the particular student’s learning style preferences to one degree or another, and (c) the student employs the strategy effectively and links it with other relevant strategies (Oxford, 2005). Strategies that fulfill these conditions“ make learning easier, faster, more enjoyable, more self-directed, more effective and more transferable to new situations” (Oxford, 1990). Yet students are not always aware of the power of consciously using L2 learning strategies for making learning quicker and more effective (Nyikos & Oxford, 1993). Skilled teachers help their students develop an awareness of learning strategies and enable them to use a wider range of appropriate strategies (Oxford, 2005). References Hismanoglu, M. (2000). The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. VI, No. 8. Nyikos, M., & Oxford, R.L., 1993: A factor-analytic study of language learning strategy use: Interpretations from information processing theory and social psychology. Modern Language Journal,77 (1), 11-23. Oxford, R.L. (1990). Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know. Boston: Heinle & Heinle. Oxford, R, & Burry-Stock, J. (1995). Assessing the use of language learning strategies worldwide with the ESL/EFL version of the strategy inventory of language learning (SILL). System2, 3 (1), 1-23. Oxford, R.L. (2003). Language Learning Styles and Strategies: An Overview. Learning Styles & Strategies/Oxford, GALA. Richards, J. and Platt, J. (1992). Longman Dictionary of Language Teaching and Applied Linguistics. Essex: Longman.