On Becoming a Good English Language Learner: An Exploratory Case Study

Abstract

This paper reports a case study that explores the cognitive process and the language learning strategies and styles that one Spanish trainee used to become a good English language learner. The participant held an in-depth, semi-structured interview and completed a learning style survey. Results show that the conscious use of multiple direct/indirect language learning strategies and a significant change in her learning styles may account for the participant’s success in becoming a good English language learner.

Keywords

• Autonomy
• English (second language)
• language learning strategies
• learning styles
• metacognition