The Impact of Strategy Training on Assumption University’s Learners of French

Abstract

Research in second language learning has shown that learners who use learning strategies are more likely to achieve effective learning, and has highlighted the importance of strategy training in language education. The principal objective of this research is to evaluate the impact of a 14 hours training module to language learning strategies integrated in a conversation class for the benefit of Assumption University’s students of French. The research was organized in three stages: (1) an identification of the language learning strategies used most commonly by a sample of 25 Assumption University’s learners of French. The data were collected through the Oxford’s (1990) Strategy Inventory for language learning (SILL) questionnaire. (2) The implementation of strategy training elaborated from the Cohen’s (1998) Strategy-Based Instruction (SBI) model and adapted to students of French. (3) An evaluation of the impact of the training through a second administration of the SILL questionnaire to the participants at the end of training. The evaluation showed an overall increase in the mean scores strategy uses. It is hoped that this research will provide teachers with tools that will enable them to help students become more effective and independent language learners, and offer new perspectives on strategy training in second and foreign language class.