A case study of the language learning strategies of successful and less successful ESL learners in a suburban school in Sibu, Sarawak

Abstract

The study investigated ESL learning strategy in suburban context using questionnaire and interview focusing on three aspects; the LLS used by ESL learners, the differences in the types of LLS used by successful and less successful ESL learners and the differences in the ways the LLS were used by the two groups of learners. Descriptive statistics indicated that the learners were moderate strategy users, the most frequently used being metacognitive strategies (M = 3.36, SD = 0.79) and the least frequently used being social strategies (M = 2.76, SD = 0.57). Independent Samples T-test showed that successful learners reported using overall strategy and five of the categories of strategies significantly more frequently than the less successful learners except memory strategies. A number of differences in the ways the successful and less successful learners used LLS are presented. The findings are reported and discussed before pedagogical implications and recommendations are made.