INSTRUCTIONS: Read the text carefully and then mark the alternatives that answer the questions or complete the sentences presented after questions 33, 34 and 35.

Language Learning Strategies

Strategies in language learning, or the steps that one takes to learn a language, are very important in ultimate language performance. It is defined as “specific actions, behaviors, steps, or techniques — such as seeking out conversation partners or giving oneself encouragement to tackle a difficult language task — used by students to enhance their own learning”. There are six strategies that learners use when learning a language. The strategies include:

1. Memory; 2. Cognitive; 3. Comprehension; 4. Metacognitive; 5. Affective; 6. Social.

Let’s examine some of them:

Memory strategy

People who adopt the memory strategy depend on their memorizing ability. They find ways to remember better to aid in entering information into long-term memory, by creating a word-meaning map in their brain (mental linkages), and then' being able to retrieve that information. Adopting this strategy will allow the learning and retrieval via sounds (e.g., rhyming), images (e.g., a mental picture of the word itself or the meaning of the word), a combination of sounds and images (e.g., the keyword method), body movement (e.g., total physical response), mechanical means (e.g., flashcards), or location (e.g., on a page or blackboard).

Things they do: Do a lot of exercises on English grammar. Create a word bank from your reading materials or TV shows and memorize the meaning of the words and try to use them.

Cognitive strategy

People who adopt the cognitive strategy tend to analyse and reason. They form internal mental codes and revise them to receive and produce the message in the target language. Adopting this strategy will enable you to internalize the language in direct ways such as through reasoning, analysis, note-taking, summarizing, synthesizing, outlining, practicing in naturalistic settings, and practicing structures and sounds formally.

Comprehension strategy

People who adopt the comprehension strategy find themselves guessing unknown words when listening and reading. They also try to replace words they do not know with longer phrases or other words that they know when speaking and writing to overcome gaps in knowledge.

Things they do: Try to guess the meaning of words they don’t know. Try to understand the meaning through looking at the word in context. Guess the meaning of some words by reading the whole passage. Try to look for cues or nonverbal signs when in conversation.

Metacognitive strategy

People who adopt the metacognitive strategy plan, arrange, focus, evaluate on their own learning process. They identify and monitor their own learning style preferences and needs, such as gathering and organizing L2 materials, arranging a study space and a schedule for L2 revision and learning, monitoring mistakes made in L2, and evaluating task success, and evaluating the success of any type of learning strategy.

Things they do: Observe how the SL teacher speaks in the SL. Observe how they themselves speak in the SL. Practice speaking in SL in front of the mirror. Crosscheck with Google to find out if their pronunciation is correct, and correct it. Doing crossword puzzles and play word games like scrabble. Take note of how other people communicate in SL, especially natives.

Social/Affective strategy

People who adopt the social/affective strategy control their feelings, motivations and attitudes when in social situations such as asking questions, communicating with others, facilitate conversation and interaction.

Things they do: They encourage themselves to speak in SL even when they are afraid of making a mistake. They reward themselves for good performance. They remind themselves that it is okay to make mistakes. They tell themselves to be confident and not be afraid to make mistakes. They try to speak in SL to others. They ask for clarifications of a confusing point of the L2, or when communicating. They ask people to correct their speech when communicating.

Available at: https://blogs.ntu.edu.sg/hss-second-languageacquisition/wiki/chapter-17/ Acess: 17 de may de 2022. (Adapted).