Understanding students’ strategies underlying knowledge cultivation in oral language teaching

Abstract

Appropriate strategies are believed to help students reduce difficulties, facilitate learning, and achieve expected learning outcomes in second language acquisition. Without adequate strategies, students are less likely to learn effectively. This paper investigates the students’ strategies commonly used to cultivate their knowledge in the learning process in both explicit and implicit manners. A review of the literature indicates that six types of strategies, namely memory strategies, metacognitive, compensatory strategies, affective strategies, social strategies, and cognitive strategies, which are commonly used in language learning, can improve students’ acquisition of academic knowledge and skills (O’Malley & Chamot, 1990; Oxford, 1990; Rubin, 1987; Stern, 1992; Vann & Abraham, 1990). In oral language teaching, one of the best contributions teachers can make is to develop students’ learning skills and strategies as well as help raise students’ awareness of their learning values and progress. The research findings can state some pedagogical implications for the improvement of students’ learning strategy use, language acquisition, and lifelong learning skills.

Keywords

• language acquisition
• lifelong learning skills
• learning strategies
• oral language teaching