Developing oral proficiency in German learning to use language learning strategies: parallel processes

摘要

This study assesses changes in the use of language learning strategies by 18 Irish students of German over the course of their 4-year undergraduate degree. The Strategy Inventory for Language Learning was used to assess the use of language learning strategies by these 18 students in year 2 and again in year 4.udThe 18 students were then classified as having “higher” or “lower” levels of proficiency based on their grades in their oral examination in year 2. This procedure was repeated on the basis of the grades attained by these 18 students in their oral examination in year 4. Strategic behaviour was compared for a) those achieving “higher” levels of proficiency in both years, b) those achieving “lower” levels of proficiency in both years, c) “improvers”, i.e. those with “lower” levels of proficiency in year 2 and “higher” levels in year 4, and d) “disimprovers”, i.e. those with “higher” levels of proficiency in year 2 and “lower” levels in year 4.udThe findings indicate that, in general, as language learners progress, they use more cognitive, metacognitive, social and memory-related strategies. This trend is particularly noticeable among more effective learners.udud