84 CHAPTER IV
RESEARCH FINDING AND DISCUSSION
This chapter explores the finding and the discussion of the research; in this chapter the researcher here answer the problem statements as mentioned on chapter I. The finding of research is divided into four parts.
A. Research Finding
Research finding contains some explanations which answered the several question on chapter I, but the researcher explain the research finding based on the formulation of problem on chapter I, she will explain first about the type of learning strategy used by economy students of Muhammadiyah University to achieve high score of TOEIC. The first part is the type of learning strategy; the second parts is the dominant learning strategy; the third part is the reason of the research object to use the various strategies in achieving high score of TOEIC; and the last is the pedagogical implication of the research
B. Types of Learning Strategy
three main subcategories, which are meta-cognitive, cognitive, and socio-affective strategies. Due to the popularity and importance of the TOEIC as a tool evaluating English proficiency, and the fact that many companies and institutes are currently using TOEIC scores as an assessment tool, there are many college-level lectures and classes related to the TOEIC. Therefore, it would be meaningful to examine the general attitude of college students towards this test: what they think about it, and how they prepare for it.
In this study, a questionnaire with 25 points of learning strategy and close interview was prepared and used to collect about students’ backgrounds and their attitude toward the TOEIC learning strategy to achieve high score. Selected interesting results are discussed in this section.
There are three respondents participated in this study, they are students of Economy faculty of Muhammadiyah University of Surakarta. Based on the investigation, those three students had achieved high score in their TOEIC test. They also have different strategies to solve the problem of the TOEIC test. The three respondents are in different gener. Two of them are male students and the order one is female students. Currently they are in the first semester of Economy Faculty of Muhammadiyah Univesity. The students who get the highest score of TOEIC test are Bagus Teguh Nugroho, Catur Budi Setiyawan, and Nurin Hidayat.
and he is kind of talkactive person. The last respondent is Nurin Hidayat, she is an Economy students’ of class F and a diligent student.
a. Types of Learning Strategies Used by the First Respondent
Based on the questionnaire and interview with the first respondent, it is gain information that his name is Bagus Teguh Nugroho. He is 19 years old. He lives at JL. KH. Smanhudi 66 A. He is one of the students’ of Economy Faculty of Muhammadiyah University. He has many hobbies, such as reading, watching movies, and listening to music. He chooses economy Faculty because he graduate from social program and he likes to manage his financial by himself. Economy has becomes his major subject since he was studied in senior high school and he concern about the Indonesian economy. His family supports him both financial and moral in his study.
As he believe about his score at first to followed TOEIC test, he set up his first score in the intermediate level 550 – 600 and after he done his TOEIC test, the result shows that he got 618 for the TOEIC test. It was surprising for him and that was satisfying.
To prepare his TOEIC test, he didn’t join any course, he studied it by himself. First he tried to find out some information about TOEIC on the website then he chooses the compatible book for his learning strategy. He studied the Cambridge and Longman TOEIC preparation. He chosen both as he found that those books are compatible and directly adapted with the native language of English. There are many TOEIC book designed by local expert, but he thought that when he studied directly from the source designed by native would be better and helpful to understand the nature of the language so he can understand it easily.
In according to the questionnaire, the first respondent shows that he had several type of learning strategy. His learning strategy is relevant to the learning strategy proposed by O’Malley. His attitude toward the TOEIC Learning strategy all composed as meta-cognitive, cognitive and socio-affective strategy. As can be seen on the table 1.2, the first respondent had done some meta-cognitive behavior such as study the test distractor, understand the meaning and pronunciation, previewing the test for several time, focus to some important point.
new vocabularies and useful expression, then followed by socio cognitive behavior which is he consulting and asking for some solution with the professional mentor to help him when he find any difficulties in studying TOEIC. As the first respondent had done many strategies such as attention and monitoring; and affective strategies such as anxiety/confidence. It should be noted that the first respondent is an effective learners and he often used these strategies concurrently, say monitoring and elaboration, parsing and translation, and prediction and inferencing, in order to accomplish listening comprehension goals. Those strategies are all useful to achieve the high score of TOEIC.
a) Meta-cognitive strategy
It can be stated that meta-cognitive is a term to express executive function, thinking about the learning process as it is taking place, monitoring of one’s production or comprehension, and evaluating learning after activity is completed. Among the meta-cognitive strategies, it is possible to include advance organizer, directed attention, selective attention, self management, functional planning, self monitoring, delayed production, self evaluation.
• Meta-cognitive: Advance Organizer
This is sample survey and question for the higher achiever
Question : Can you explain the strategy or your steps to success in TOEIC test?
Answer : My first step is looking for information in advance about TOEIC test through books and browsing in the internet and looking for references any book that is easy to understand to learn TOEIC. Then I also studied the format of the test, how the test work properly, then focuses on the questions and answer, and then follow the test requirements.
The form of the utterance above indicates a learning strategy to plan the learning activity in advance. It is marked by the use of organizational planning of language function or different events, for example: at home, bathroom, and at class. Organization planning means planning the parts, sequence, main idea, or language function to be express orally or in writing. Here, the first respondent has sequence of planning for preparing the TOEIC study. He make some sequence steps to plan to study TOEIC in order he can be success to achieve high score of TOEIC.
• Meta-cognitive: Directed Attention
Question: Do you have any special tips for mastering TOEIC?
Answer: Yes, mastering the concept of the TOEIC for me is the main and fastest strategy by learning the important parts such as grammar, vocabulary, tenses that are often use in the TOEC test.
The utterance above indicates that the first respondent has applied meta-cognitive strategy of directed attention. The respondent focused on vocabulary, tenses which are often appears on the TOEIC test.
• Meta-cognitive: Selective Attention
Based on the interview, it is indicated that the first respondent has used meta-cognitive strategy of selective attention. It is category of the strategy in which the learner deciding to pay attention to specific parts of the language input or the situation that will help learning. It can be seen in the following utterance: Question: Can you please tell me how do you master the listening section of
the TOEIC test?
Answer: I often listen to English conversation through CD, watching English movie and listening to English song to train my ear sensitivity of the language. I also learn some vocabularies and English expressions trough movie.
• Meta-cognitive: Self Management
Self management means trying to arrange the appropriate condition of learning. According to the interview and questionnaire given to the first respondent, he is indicated to use this category of strategy. This can be seen in the following utterance.
Questions : What do you do to overcome the difficulties that constrain you to master TOEIC?
Answer : I was spending time to learn TOEIC, making schedule of particular day at least twice a week during my busy activity.
The above utterance proved that the first respondent has manage himself to learn TOEIC by making schedule which he has done regular minimum twice a week.
• Meta-cognitive: Advance Preparation
Here, the first respondent has also used meta-cognitive strategy of advance preparation. It means he has planned the linguistic components for a forthcoming language task.
Questions : how are your strategies to master the structure and grammar to work on the ‘structure and grammar section’ in the TOEIC test? Answer : before starting the exercise, I divided the structure I the category
of the most frequent and rarely emerged from analysis of the subject and verb, punctuation, commas, conjunction or recurring conjunction, preposition, adjective verb, ling king verb, comparison and conditional sentence.
Based on the above utterance, it is indicated that the first respondent has planned or some linguistic elements of the TOEIC test such as learning the grammar construction; subject and verb, conjunction, preposition, adjective verb, comparison, and conditional sentence.
• Meta-cognition: Self Monitoring
The first respondent monitor his learning as a self – monitoring which he checked his performance to find out his progress of learning. It can be seen in the following utterance:
Question : How do you check or evaluate your progress?
Answer : I usually do online test in the internet to check my progress and also check my grammar mistake when doing grammar exercise.
• Meta-cognitive: Delayed – production
Delayed – production means the action of deliberately postponing speaking o that one may learn by listening. Since TOEIC test has listening section, o the respondent must study the listening. It means he has done delayed – production meta-cognitive strategy. Below is the utterance that shows this category:
Questions : Can you describe your strategy to master the listening section of TOEIC?
Answer : I usually study the new vocabulary and expression through music and movie. I identified the similar sounds and meaning.
Based on the above utterance, it can be seen that the first respondent make some learning in the listening section of TOEIC test to increased vocabulary, and indentified some similar sounds and meaning. So, it can be said that he has done meta-cognitive of delayed – production strategy in which he studied the listening for postponing speaking.
• Meta-cognitive: Self – Evaluation
Self – evaluation means checking how well one is doing against one’s own standard. To check the standard score achievement, the respondent has done some evaluation by doing he pre-test and exercises. It was done check the score after the learning section. The utterance below shows the first respondent action of self – evaluation:
Questions : How do you check your learning progress?
The respondent has done some pre-test to evaluate his learning progress. This action called as meta-cognitive self-evaluation strategy. He checked his progress through several exercise.
Table 1.1. Metacognitive Strategy Primary Strategy Classification Example Of Strategy 1) Metacognitive :
a) Advance Organizer Planning for organizational learning by making schedule of learning
b) Directed Attention he is deciding in advance to attend in general to learning task to ignore irrelevant distracters
c) Selective Attention He directly pay attention to the specific area of problem in the test by reading the answer at first time before answering the test.
He is focus to understand the main point of the question and the setting
Focus to listen the whole conversation
e) Functional planning He pays attention to
introduction and first part of dialogue
He learns the type of the test and catches the point of the question
Study the grammatical and context of situation
f) Self Monitoring Focuses on the conjuction and preposition
Study the functional expression necessary for the test.
g) Delayed Production Pay attention on the meaning pronunciation and sound
He uses the target language reference materials
h) Self – Evaluation He studies the first language as a base for understanding and/ or producing the second language He is reordering or
labeling, the material to be learned based on common attributes
He is writing down the main idea, important points, the outline, or summary of information presented orally or in writing
b) Cognitive Strategy
Cognitive strategies are more limited to specific learning task and they involve more direct manipulation of the learning material itself. Repletion, resourcing, translation, grouping, note taking, deduction, recombination, imagery, auditory, representation, key word, contextualization, elaboration, transfer, inference are among the most important cognitive strategies.
• Cognitive: Repetition
Repetition means imitating other people’s speech overtly or silently. Below is the utterance based on the interview with the first respondent : Question : How do you master the listening section of the test?
Answer : I did many practices, learned the similar sounds of speech such as different vowel sounds, different initial consonant sounds different final consonant then tried to indentifying them
.
Based on the utterance above, the first respondent did the repetition of cognitive type of strategy as he identifying the people’s speech to master the listening section of the test. Besides, he is consciously applying rules to produce or understand the second language.
• Cognitive: Resourcing
Resourcing means making use of language materials such as dictionary, books, article, and other references. Here, the first respondent has used some references, books, and exercises. It means that he has applied the resourcing cognitive type of strategy. To prove, it can be seen on the following utterance based on the interview with the respondent.
Question : How do you learn the TOEIC test?
The utterance above shows that the respondent has applied cognitive resourcing. He used some books, searched some information and references to support is study.
• Cognitive: Translation
Translation means using the first language as a basis for understanding and / or producing the L2. Below is the utterance to show the cognitive translation types of strategy used by the first respondent.
Question : How do you master the reading section of the test?
Answer : I practice a lot, do the simulation test and tried to understand the reading, checked the expressions and vocabulary used in the reading.
The above utterance shows that the respondent has made the first language as a basis to understand the reading comprehension text of the test.
• Cognitive: Grouping
Grouping means organizing on the basis of common attributes. Below utterance shows the respondent used of this type of strategy:
Question : How do you organize your strategy to master the listening section of the test?
The above utterance shows how the respondent organizes the learning strategy to study the listening. He divided into the session of the test then identified each session such as picture session.
• Cognitive: Note – taking
Note – taking means writing down the gist etc of the texts. Here, the respondent has made some note – taking when he was learning. It can be seen on the following utterance:
Question : How do you handle the problem in the TOEIC test?
Answer : I usually write down some difficult part which I cannot solve it then I will find the answer. I also make some notes for the new vocabulary and expression.
The utterance above shows that he usually writes down difficult part that he could not solve then tried to find out the answer. He also made some notes for new vocabulary and expression in English. It means that he applied note – taking cognitive strategy to solve his problem.
• Cognitive: Deduction
Deduction means conscious application of rules to processing the L2. The first respondent done this to solve the error recognition part of the TOEIC test. Below is the utterance based in the interview with the respondent:
Question : How do you solve the grammar construction in the structure and grammar section of the test?
It can be seen in the utterance above that the respondent has applied deduction to understand the rules in the structure and grammar section of the TOEIC test. Here, h studied the most applied grammar in the test.
• Cognitive: Recommendation
Recommendation means putting together of smaller meaningful elements into new wholes. In this analysis, the first respondent used this strategy to solve the error recognition part of the TOEIC test. Below is the utterance:
Question : How do you master the grammar to do the error recognition part of the test?
Answer : I identified the structure and grammar; I studied S and U of the sentences then put it in the correct order. I tried to find out the mistake.
Since error recognition part of the TOEIC test needs understanding of the structure and grammar to get meaningful sentences. The structure must studied the L2 construction in order he can put together of smaller meaningful elements of the sentences. So, that he has applied the recombination cognitive type of learning strategy.
• Cognitive: Auditory Presentation
Question : How do you deal with the listening problem?
Answer : I practiced to listen the similar sound and also memorize the expressions used in the test.
The above utterance shows that the respondent deal with the listening problem by practicing to listen the similar sound and memorize the expressions used in the test. It means he has applied the auditory representation cognitive type of learning strategy.
• Cognitive: Key Word
Key word means using key word memory techniques, such as identifying L2 word with an L1 word that is sounds like. Here, the respondent applied this strategy to understand the meaning of the L2 and memorize the expressions. Below is the utterance:
Question : How do you handle the problem or new vocabulary and expressions?
Answer : I usually find out the meaning of the new word in the dictionary and then tried to find the same expression of the English language in to Indonesia.
• Cognitive: Contextualization
Contextualization means placing a word or phrase in a meaningful language sequence. The first respondent has used this strategy to do the grammar section of the TOEIC test. Below is the utterance taken based on the interview:
Question : How do you understand the mistake in the grammar section of the TOEIC test?
Answer : I studied the unaccomplished sentences, phrasal verb and complicated sentences especially the subject and verb of the sentence.
The above utterance shows that he has done the contextualization cognitive type of the strategy to place the sentence in a good order.
• Cognitive: Inference
Inference means guessing meanings by using available information. To do the reading and understanding the meaning of the text, the respondent has used this type of strategy in order he can guess what the word or the text about. Below is the utterance:
Question : How do you deal with the reading vocabulary?
Answer : I tried to guess the meaning through the information contain in the text.
vocabulary. He tried to guess the meaning through the information contain in the text.
Table 1.2. Cognitive Strategies
Primary Strategy Classification Example Of Strategy
2) Cognitive
a) Repetition he is consciously applying rules to produce or understand the second language
b) Resourcing he practice and study the
simulation test for several times he check his answer for several times
c) Translation he uses the several TOEIC
books, such as Longman and Cambridge
d) Grouping He guess the meaning of the
source language to the target language based ion context He finds the meaning of the text
e) Note taking He classify the test model
phrase and expression
g) Recombination He writes new vocabularies and
expression during study
Study the grammatical rules of English as the basic to understand sentences and text
h) Imagery he reads the whole sentences to
catch the point of the sentences and text
i) Auditory Representation he pays attention on the question word
j) key word study the tenses
Guessing the photographs or the picture meaning
k) Contextualization Trying o catch the image point
l) Elaboration Listen carefully to the speaker
conversation and dialogue Listen carefully to the order of the speaker
m) Transfer Remembering the new words of
the target language
n) Inferencing Applying the functional
Understanding the second language meaning in context
c) Socio – Affective Strategy
As the socio-affective strategies, it can be stated that they are related with social mediating activity and transacting with others. Cooperation and question for clarification are the main socio-affective strategies.
In this analysis, the first respondent has done cooperation socio-affective type of strategy. As he is never asking to other people who understand the L2 on English language, he did not apply the question of clarification strategy.
Below is the utterance based on the interview with the respondent: Question : what do you usually do to face with the problems when learning
TOEIC?
Answer : I usually discus my problem with my friends, do the pre-test together and tried to solve the problem together.
Table 1.3. Socio Affective Strategy
Primary Strategy Classification Example Of Strategy
3) Socio – affective
a) Cooperative It is relating new information to
order concepts in memory It is using previously acquired linguistic and / or conceptual knowledge to facilitate a new language learning task
b) Question of clarification it is using available information to guess meanings of new items, predict outcomes, or fill in missing the question
guessing the meaning of any important word to answer the questions
consulting the work to the professional mentor to check the mistake
asking the final solution to the professional mentor
b.Types of Learning Strategies Used By the Second Respondent.
Based on the interview with the second respondent, it is find out that his name is Catur Budi Setyawan. He is 19 years old and still in the first semester of his study. He is talk-active person but a good learner. He is not really smart but willing to study hard. Besides study in campus, he also joins in several organizations. Those make him busier than other students and probably make him tired. Instead of his lots of activity he spares time to study English. He likes English very much and he has been studying English for 10 years. His hobby are watching movie and playing games. He likes western movie and often get new vocabulary of English from the movie.
He followed TOEIC test to improve his ability in English for specific purpose and test, he also considering that the test would be important for him when he works. He has a high motivation in learning TOEIC preparation. As he likes English and he makes English as part of his life, he found no difficulties in learning it. He studied the TOEIC preparation by himself. He studied from book and internet. He often done online test simulation on the internet and he know several website to study TOEIC.
He has no time for consulting to someone when he learning the TOEIC preparation, as a result, he only doing simulation test then learning the material in the test. As he is kind of person who never give up on something, he tried hard for about 1,5 years to prepare for the TOEIC test by himself.
Based on the questionnaire and interview, he combines meta-cognitive type of learning and cognitive type of learning strategy. As he ever consulting to someone about his work, he has no socio-affective behavior. Whether the second respondent has applied some meta-cognitive behavior and cognitive behavior, it seems that socio cognitive behavior also important to improve the TOEIC score. Cooperating and asking for advice to the professional mentor or higher level learners is also important to help us to get better goals and to find out our problem solution to the mistake. Meanwhile, he has a high motivation to learning the preparation by himself. It may his confidence to do the test and to achieve high score.
Therefore, there are some limitations such as higher scores may not necessary be equated with better enhancement in language competence as the test does not include speaking and writing. However, as questions on listening material are directly related to what is actually conversed in a real situation, high – score subject can be regarded as proficient in activity that requires substantial personal effort to learn over time.
a). Meta-cognitive strategy
production or comprehension, and evaluating learning after activity is completed. Among the meta-cognitive strategies, it is possible to include advance organizer, directed attention, selective attention, self management, functional planning, self monitoring, delayed production, self evaluation.
In the analysis, the writer found out that the first respondent has done some meta-cognitive strategies which were divides into those categories.
• Meta-cognitive: Advance Organizer
This is sample survey and question for the higher achiever
Question : Can you explain the strategy or your steps to success in TOEIC test?
Answer : My first step is looking for information in advance about TOEIC test through books and browsing in the internet and looking for references any book that is easy to understand to learn TOEIC. Then I also studied the format of the test, how the test work properly, then focuses on the questions and answer, and then follow the test requirements.
steps to plan to study TOEIC in order he can be success to achieve high score of TOEIC.
• Meta-cognitive: Directed Attention
Directed attention means deciding to concentrate on general aspects of a leaning test. Below is the sample survey for further evidence.
Question: Do you have any special tips for mastering TOEIC?
Answer: Yes, mastering the concept of the TOEIC for me is the main and fastest strategy by learning the important parts such as grammar, vocabulary, tenses that are often use in the TOEC test.
The utterance above indicates that the first respondent has applied meta-cognitive strategy of directed attention. The respondent focused on vocabulary, tenses which are often appears on the TOEIC test.
• Meta-cognitive: Selective Attention
Based on the interview, it is indicated that the first respondent has used meta-cognitive strategy of selective attention. It is category of the strategy in which the learner deciding to pay attention to specific parts of the language input or the situation that will help learning. It can be seen in the following utterance: Question: Can you please tell me how do you master the listening section of
the TOEIC test?
The utterance above proves that the first respondent has used meta-cognitive strategy of selective attention. He learned the listening section of the test through several ways.
• Meta-cognitive: Self Management
Self management means trying to arrange the appropriate condition of learning. According to the interview and questionnaire given to the first respondent, he is indicated to use this category of strategy. This can be seen in the following utterance.
Questions : What do you do to overcome the difficulties that constrain you to master TOEIC?
Answer : I was spending time to learn TOEIC, making schedule of particular day at least twice a week during my busy activity.
The above utterance proved that the first respondent has manage himself to learn TOEIC by making schedule which he has done regular minimum twice a week.
Meta-cognitive: Advance Preparation
Here, the first respondent has also used meta-cognitive strategy of advance preparation. It means he has planned the linguistic components for a forthcoming language task.
Questions : how are your strategies to master the structure and grammar to work on the ‘structure and grammar section’ in the TOEIC test? Answer : before starting the exercise, I divided the structure I the category
of the most frequent and rarely emerged from analysis of the subject and verb, punctuation, commas, conjunction or recurring conjunction, preposition, adjective verb, ling king verb, comparison and conditional sentence.
Based on the above utterance, it is indicated that the first respondent has planned or some linguistic elements of the TOEIC test such as learning the grammar construction; subject and verb, conjunction, preposition, adjective verb, comparison, and conditional sentence.
• Meta-cognition: Self Monitoring
The first respondent monitor his learning as a self – monitoring which he checked his performance to find out his progress of learning. It can be seen in the following utterance:
Question : How do you check or evaluate your progress?
Answer : I usually do online test in the internet to check my progress and also check my grammar mistake when doing grammar exercise.
pre-test online to fine monitor his progress of learning. Based on the questionnaire, he also always finds out the error or mistake when learning the TOEIC.
• Meta-cognitive : Delayed – production
Delayed – production means the action of deliberately postponing speaking o that one may learn by listening. Since TOEIC test has listening section, o the respondent must study the listening. It means he has done delayed – production meta-cognitive strategy. Below is the utterance that shows this category:
Questions : Can you describe your strategy to master the listening section of TOEIC?
Answer : I usually study the new vocabulary and expression through music and movie. I identified the similar sounds and meaning.
Based on the above utterance, it can be seen that the first respondent make some learning in the listening section of TOEIC test to increased vocabulary, and indentified some similar sounds and meaning. So, it can be said that he has done meta-cognitive of delayed – production strategy in which he studied the listening for postponing speaking.
• Meta-cognitive: Self – Evaluation
learning section. The utterance below shows the first respondent action of self – evaluation:
Questions : How do you check your learning progress?
Answer : I usually check my learning progress by doing the pre-test, full test, and several exercise.
[image:31.595.109.519.435.737.2]The respondent has done some pre-test to evaluate his learning progress. This action called as meta-cognitive self-evaluation strategy. He checked his progress through several exercise.
Table 2.1. Metacognitive Strategy
Primary Strategy Classification Strategy Toward the Classification
1) Metacognitive
i) Advance Organizer Making of sequence order to study based on the test model j) Directed Attention Directly reading the answer
Focuses on the main idea or topic
conversation
He pays the attention to the introduction and first part of dialogue
He learns the type of the test and catches the point of the question
Study the grammatical and context of situation
Focuses on the conjuction and preposition
l) Self – Management Study the functional expression necessary for the test
m) Functional Planning Pay attention on the meaning, pronunciation and sound He uses the target language reference materials
n) Self – Monitoring He studies the first language as a base for understanding and / or producing the second language
reclassifying, and perhaps labeling, the material to be learned based on common attributes
He is writing down the main idea, important points, the outline, or summary of information presented orally or in writing
p) Self – Evaluation He is consciously applying
rules to produce or understand the second language
b). Cognitive Strategy
Cognitive strategies are more limited to specific learning task and they involve more direct manipulation of the learning material itself. Repletion, resourcing, translation, grouping, note taking, deduction, recombination, imagery, auditory, representation, key word, contextualization, elaboration, transfer, inference are among the most important cognitive strategies.
• Cognitive: Repetition
Repetition means imitating other people’s speech overtly or silently. Below is the utterance based on the interview with the first respondent:
Question : How do you master the listening section of the test?
Answer : I did many practices, learned the similar sounds of speech such as different vowel sounds, different initial consonant sounds different final consonant then tried to indentifying them.
Based on the utterance above, the first respondent did the repetition of cognitive type of strategy as he identifying the people’s speech to master the listening section of the test. Besides, he is consciously applying rules to produce or understand the second language.
• Cognitive: Resourcing
Resourcing means making use of language materials such as dictionary. Here, the first respondent has used some references, books, and exercises. It means that he has applied the resourcing cognitive type of strategy. To prove, it can be seen on the following utterance based on the interview with the respondent.
Question : How do you learn the TOEIC test?
The utterance above shows that the respondent has applied cognitive resourcing. He used some books, searched some information and references to support is study.
• Cognitive: Translation
Translation means using the first language as a basis for understanding and / or producing the L2. Below is the utterance to show the cognitive translation types of strategy used by the first respondent.
Question : How do you master the reading section of the test?
Answer : I practice a lot, do the simulation test and tried to understand the reading, checked the expressions and vocabulary used in the reading.
The above utterance shows that the respondent has made the first language as a basis to understand the reading comprehension text of the test.
• Cognitive: Grouping
Grouping means organizing on the basis of common attributes. Below utterance shows the respondent used of this type of strategy:
Question : How do you organize your strategy to master the listening section of the test?
The above utterance shows how the respondent organizes the learning strategy to study the listening. He divided into the session of the test then identified each session such as picture session.
• Cognitive: Note – taking
Note – taking means writing down the gist etc of the texts. Here, the respondent has made some note – taking when he was learning. It can be seen on the following utterance:
Question : How do you handle the problem in the TOEIC test?
Answer : I usually write down some difficult part which I cannot solve it then I will find the answer. I also make some notes for the new vocabulary and expression.
The utterance above shows that he usually writes down difficult part tnathe could not solve the tried to find out the answer. He also made some notes for new vocabulary and expression in English. It means that he applied note – taking cognitive strategy to solve his problem.
• Cognitive: Deduction
Question : How do you solve the grammar construction in the structure and grammar section of the test?
Answer : I studied the rules in the structure and grammar section of the test. I studied the most applied grammar used in the test.
It can be seen in the utterance above that the respondent has applied deduction to understand the rules in the structure and grammar section of the TOEIC test. Here, h studied the most applied grammar in the test.
• Cognitive: Recommendation
Recommendation means putting together of smaller meaningful elements into new wholes. In this analysis, the first respondent used this strategy to solve the error recognition part of the TOEIC test. Below is the utterance:
Question : How do you master the grammar to do the error recognition part of the test?
Answer : I identified the structure and grammar, I studied S and U of the sentences then put it in the correct order. I tried to find out the mistake.
• Cognitive: Auditory Presentation
Auditory representation means keeping a sound or sound sequence in the mind. As the respondent should master the listening to do the listening section of the test, so he applied the auditory representation cognitive type of learning strategy. Below is the utterance:
Question : How do you deal with the listening problem?
Answer : I practiced to listen the similar sound and also memorize the expressions used in the test.
The above utterance shows that the respondent deal with the listening problem by practicing to listen the similar sound and memorize the expressions used in the test. It means he has applied the auditory representation cognitive type of learning strategy.
• Cognitive: Key Word
Key word means using key word memory techniques, such as identifying L2 word with an L1 word that is sounds like. Here, the respondent applied this strategy to understand the meaning of the L2 and memorize the expressions. Below is the utterance:
Question : How do you handle the problem or new vocabulary and expressions?
The utterance above shows that the respondent has applied key word cognitive learning strategy as he identified the L2 word with and L1 word catch the meaning of some new vocabulary and expressions.
• Cognitive: Contextualization
Contextualization means placing a word or phrase in a meaningful language sequence. The first respondent has used this strategy to do the grammar section of the TOEIC test. Below is the utterance taken based on the interview: Question : How do you understand the mistake in the grammar section of the
TOEIC test?
Answer : I studied the unaccomplished sentences, phrasal verb and complicated sentences especially the subject and verb of the sentence.
The above utterance shows that he has done the contextualization cognitive type of the strategy to place the sentence in a good order.
• Cognitive: Inference
Inference means guessing meanings by using available information. To do the reading and understanding the meaning of the text, the respondent has used this type of strategy in order he can guess what the word or the text about. Below is the utterance:
Question : How do you deal with the reading vocabulary?
It can be seen on the utterance above that the respondent applied the inference cognitive type of strategy to guess the meaning of the reading vocabulary. He tried to guess the meaning through the information contain in the text.
Table 2.2 Cognitive Strategy
Primary Strategy Classification Strategy Toward the Classification
2) Cognitive a) Repetition b) Resourcing
c) Translation He practices and study the
simulation test for several times
d) Grouping He check his answer for several
times
He uses practices book and internet
He guess the meaning of the source language to the target language based on context
e) Note Taking He finds the meaning of the text
f) Deducation He writes new vocabularies and expression during study
g) Recombination Study the grammatical rules of English as the basic to understand sentences and text
h) Imagery He reads the whole sentences to
catch the point of the sentences and text
i) Auditory Representation He pays attention on the question word
Study the tenses
j) Key – word Guessing the photographs or the
picture meaning
k) Contextualization Trying to catch the image point l) Elaboration Listen carefully to the speaker
conversation and dialogue Listen carefully to the order of the speaker
m) Transfer Remembering the new words
oh the target language
Applying the functional expression
language meaning in context
c). Socio – Affective Strategy
As the socio-affective strategies, it can be stated that they are related with social mediating activity and transacting with others. Cooperation and question for clarification are the main socio-affective strategies.
In this analysis, the first respondent has done cooperation socio-affective type of strategy. As he never ask to other people who understand the L2 on English language, he did not applied the question of clarification strategy.
Below is the utterance based on the interview with the respondent:
Question : what do you usually do to face with the problems when learning TOEIC?
Answer : I usually discus my problem with my friends, do the pre-test together and tried to solve the problem together.
The utterance above shows that the respondent has discussed his problems when learning TOEIC with his friends. It means he applied the cooperation socio-affective type of learning strategy to achieve high score.
Table 2.3 Socio Affective Strategy
Primary Strategy Classification Strategy Toward the Classification
3) Socio - affective:
b) Question of Clarification
other concepts in memory
It is using previously acquired linguistic and/or conceptual knowledge to facilitate a new language learning task.
It is using available information to guess meaning of new items, predict outcomes, or fill in missing information
Guessing the meaning of any important word to answer the questions
NO NO
c. Types Of Learning Used By The Third Respondent
Regardless to the TOEIC test, she followed the test to check her goals in the test. She has been studied the TOEIC preparation by herself for several month and she wanted to know how her achievements. She has no high achievement when she set up the goals. She only hopes to get around 500 – 550. After she followed the TOEIC test, her final score is 549. Among the two other respondent, the third respondent score is lowest. To study the TOEIC preparation, she has no specific strategy, she only followed the book instruction, study regularly, and practices a lot, and also consulting to the higher learner. She also often do simulation test online on the internet.
According to the interview and questionnaire, the result shows that third respondent has done all the categories of strategies. She has done several meta-cognitive behaviors, such as dealing with the difficult matter of the test, focus on the specific matter, practices a lot. Cognitive behavior that the third respondent done are listening a lot some vocabulary, CD TOEIC preparation, and combining with the socio-affective behavior such as consulting to the professional mentor and asking some advice to the higher learners.
From the third respondent, in can be assume that she has no high goal of the TOEIC score. Her learning strategies has helpful for her make her achieve high score or intermediate level of the test.
a). Meta-cognitive strategy
Among the meta-cognitive strategies, it is possible to include advance organizer, directed attention, selective attention, self management, functional planning, self monitoring, delayed production, self evaluation.
In the analysis, the writer found out that the first respondent has done some meta-cognitive strategies which were divides into those categories.
• Meta-cognitive: Advance Organizer
This is sample survey and question for the higher achiever
Question : Can you explain the strategy or your steps to success in TOEIC test?
Answer : My first step is looking for information in advance about TOEIC test through books and browsing in the internet and looking for references any book that is easy to understand to learn TOEIC. Then I also studied the format of the test, how the test work properly, then focuses on the questions and answer, and then follow the test requirements.
• Meta-cognitive: Directed Attention
Directed attention means deciding to concentrate on general aspects of a leaning test. Below is the sample survey for further evidence.
Question: Do you have any special tips for mastering TOEIC?
Answer: Yes, mastering the concept of the TOEIC for me is the main and fastest strategy by learning the important parts such as grammar, vocabulary, tenses that are often use in the TOEC test.
The utterance above indicates that the first respondent has applied meta-cognitive strategy of directed attention. The respondent focused on vocabulary, tenses which are often appears on the TOEIC test.
• Meta-cognitive: Selective Attention
Based on the interview, it is indicated that the first respondent has used meta-cognitive strategy of selective attention. It is category of the strategy in which the learner deciding to pay attention to specific parts of the language input or the situation that will help learning. It can be seen in the following utterance: Question: Can you please tell me how do you master the listening section of
the TOEIC test?
The utterance above proves that the third respondent has used meta-cognitive strategy of selective attention. He learned the listening section of the test through several ways.
• Meta-cognitive: Self Management
Self management means trying to arrange the appropriate condition of learning. According to the interview and questionnaire given to the first respondent, he is indicated to use this category of strategy. This can be seen in the following utterance.
Questions : What do you do to overcome the difficulties that constrain you to master TOEIC?
Answer : I was spending time to learn TOEIC, making schedule of particular day at least twice a week during my busy activity.
The above utterance proved that the first respondent has managed himself to learn TOEIC by making schedule which he has done regular minimum twice a week.
• Meta-cognitive: Advance Preparation
Here, the first respondent has also used meta-cognitive strategy of advance preparation. It means he has planned the linguistic components for a forthcoming language task.
Questions : how are your strategies to master the structure and grammar to work on the ‘structure and grammar section’ in the TOEIC test? Answer : before starting the exercise, I divided the structure I the category
of the most frequent and rarely emerged from analysis of the subject and verb, punctuation, commas, conjunction or recurring conjunction, preposition, adjective verb, ling king verb, comparison and conditional sentence.
Based on the above utterance, it is indicated that the first respondent has planned or some linguistic elements of the TOEIC test such as learning the grammar construction; subject and verb, conjunction, preposition, adjective verb, comparison, and conditional sentence.
• Meta-cognition: Self Monitoring
The first respondent monitor his learning as a self – monitoring which he checked his performance to find out his progress of learning. It can be seen in the following utterance:
Question : How do you check or evaluate your progress?
Answer : I usually do online test in the internet to check my progress and also check my grammar mistake when doing grammar exercise.
• Meta-cognitive: Delayed – production
Delayed – production means the action of deliberately postponing speaking o that one may learn by listening. Since TOEIC test has listening section, o the respondent must study the listening. It means he has done delayed – production meta-cognitive strategy. Below is the utterance that show this category:
Questions : Can you describe your strategy to master the listening section of TOEIC?
Answer : I usually study the new vocabulary and expression through music and movie. I identified the similar sounds and meaning.
Based on the above utterance, it can be seen that the first respondent make some learning in the listening section of TOEIC test to increased vocabulary, and indentified some similar sounds and meaning. So, it can be said that he has done meta-cognitive of delayed – production strategy in which he studied the listening for postponing speaking.
• Meta-cognitive: Self – Evaluation
Questions : How do you check your learning progress?
Answer : I usually check my learning progress by doing the pre-test, full test, and several exercise.
[image:50.595.110.520.338.729.2]The respondent has done some pre-test to evaluate his learning progress. This action called as meta-cognitive self-evaluation strategy. He checked his progress through several exercise.
Table 3.1. Metacognitive Strategy
Primary Strategy Classification Strategy Toward the Classification a) Metacognitive
a) Advance Organzer Making of sequence order to study based on the test model b) Directed Attention Directly reading the answer
Focuses on the main idea or topic
He focus on the choice of answer before answering them c) Selective Attention Focus to listen the whole
conversation
He learns the type of the test and catches the point of the question
Study the grammatical and context of situation
d) Self – Management Focuses on the conjuction and preposition
Study the functional expression necessary for the test
e) Functional Planning Pay the attention on the meaning pronunciation and sound
He uses the target language reference materials
f) Self – monitoring He studies the first language as a base for understanding and/or producing the second language He is reordering or reclassifying, and perhaps labeling, the material to be learned based on common attributes
idea, important points, the outline, or summary of information presented orally or in writing
He practices consciously applying rules to produce or understand the second language
b). Cognitive Strategy
Cognitive strategies are more limited to specific learning task and they involve more direct manipulation of the learning material itself. Repletion, resourcing, translation, grouping, note taking, deduction, recombination, imagery, auditory, representation, key word, contextualization, elaboration, transfer, inference are among the most important cognitive strategies.
In the analysis, the writer finds out several cognitive types of strategy used by the first respondent. Based on the interview and questionnaire delivered to the respondent, it was indicated, grouping, note – taking, deduction, recombination, auditory, representation, key word, contextualization, and inference.
• Cognitive: Repetition
Question : How do you master the listening section of the test?
Answer : I did many practices, learned the similar sounds of speech such as different vowel sounds, different initial consonant sounds different final consonant then tried to indentifying them.
Based on the utterance above, the first respondent did the repetition of cognitive type of strategy as he identifying the people’s speech to master the listening section of the test. Besides, he is consciously applying rules to produce or understand the second language.
• Cognitive: Resourcing
Resourcing means making use of language materials such as dictionary. Here, the first respondent has used some references, books, and exercises. It means that he has applied the resourcing cognitive type of strategy. To prove, it can be seen on the following utterance based on the interview with the respondent. Question : How do you learn the TOEIC test?
Answer : I used some books, searched some information on the internet and found any references that can support my study. I bought some TOEIC books too such as Longman and Cambridge.
• Cognitive: Translation
Translation means using the first language as a basis for understanding and / or producing the L2. Below is the utterance to show the cognitive translation types of strategy used by the first respondent.
Question : How do you master the reading section of the test?
Answer : I practice a lot, do the simulation test and tried to understand the reading, checked the expressions and vocabulary used in the reading.
The above utterance shows that the respondent has made the first language as a basis to understand the reading comprehension text of the test.
• Cognitive: Grouping
Grouping means organizing on the basis of common attributes. Below utterance shows the respondent used of this type of strategy:
Question : How do you organize your strategy to master the listening section of the test?
Answer : I analyzed the listening based on each session, make some identification of each session such as identifying picture.
• Cognitive: Note – taking
Note – taking means writing down the gist etc of the texts. Here, the respondent has made some note – taking when he was learning. It can be seen on the following utterance:
Question : How do you handle the problem in the TOEIC test?
Answer : I usually write down some difficult part which I cannot solve it then I will find the answer. I also make some notes for the new vocabulary and expression.
The utterance above shows that he usually writes down difficult part that she could not solve the tried to find out the answer. He also made some notes for new vocabulary and expression in English. It means that he applied note – taking cognitive strategy to solve his problem.
• Cognitive: Deduction
Deduction means conscious application of rules to processing the L2. The first respondent done this to solve the error recognition part of the TOEIC test. Below is the utterance based in the interview with the respondent:
Question : How do you solve the grammar construction in the structure and grammar section of the test?
Answer : I studied the rules in the structure and grammar section of the test. I studied the most applied grammar used in the test.
• Cognitive: Recommendation
Recommendation means putting together of smaller meaningful elements into new wholes. In this analysis, the first respondent used this strategy to solve the error recognition part of the TOEIC test. Below is the utterance:
Question : How do you master the grammar to do the error recognition part of the test?
Answer : I identified the structure and grammar, I studied S and U of the sentences then put it in the correct order. I tried to find out the mistake.
Since error recognition part of the TOEIC test needs understanding of the structure and grammar to get meaningful sentences. The structure must studied the L2 construction in order he can put together of smaller meaningful elements of the sentences. So, that he has applied the recombination cognitive type of learning strategy.
• Cognitive: Auditory Presentation
Auditory representation means keeping a sound or sound sequence in the mind. As the respondent should master the listening to do the listening section of the test, so he applied the auditory representation cognitive type of learning strategy. Below is the utterance:
Question : How do you deal with the listening problem?
The above utterance shows that the respondent deal with the listening problem by practicing to listen the similar sound and memorize the expressions used in the test. It means he has applied the auditory representation cognitive type of learning strategy.
• Cognitive: Key Word
Key word means using key word memory techniques, such as identifying L2 word with an L1 word that is sounds like. Here, the respondent applied this strategy to understand the meaning of the L2 and memorize the expressions. Below is the utterance:
Question : How do you handle the problem or new vocabulary and expressions?
Answer : I usually find out the meaning of the new word in the dictionary and then tried to find the same expression of the English language in to Indonesia.
The utterance above shows that the respondent has applied key word cognitive learning strategy as he identified the L2 word with and L1 word catch the meaning of some new vocabulary and expressions.
• Cognitive: Contextualization
Question : How do you understand the mistake in the grammar section of the TOEIC test?
Answer : I studied the unaccomplished sentences, phrasal verb and complicated sentences especially the subject and verb of the sentence.
The above utterance shows that he has done the contextualization cognitive type of the strategy to place the sentence in a good order.
• Cognitive: Inference
Inference means guessing meanings by using available information. To do the reading and understanding the meaning of the text, the respondent has used this type of strategy in order he can guess what the word or the text about. Below is the utterance:
Question : How do you deal with the reading vocabulary?
Answer : I tried to guess the meaning through the information contain in the text.
Table 3. 2. Cognitive Strategy
Primary Strategy Classification Strategy Toward the Classification a) Cognitive :
a) Repetition He practices and study the
simulation test for several times b) Resourcing he check his answer for several
times
c) Translation He uses practice book and
internet
d) Grouping He guess the meaning of the
source language to the target language based on context
e) Note taking He finds the meaning model
f) Deducation He classify the genre, words,
phrase and expression
g) Recombination He writes the new vocabularies and expression during study
h) Imagery Study the grammatical rules of
English as the basic to understand sentences and text i) Auditory Representation He reads the whole sentences to
j) Key word He pays attention on the question word
Study the tenses
Guessing the photographs or the picture meaning
k) Contextualization Trying to catch the image point l) Elaboration Listen carefully to the speaker
conversation and dialogue Listen carefully to the order of the speaker
m) Transfer Remembering the new words of
the target language
Applying the functional expression
n) Inferencing Understanding the second
language meaning in context
c). Socio – Affective Strategy
In this analysis, the third respondent has done cooperation socio-affective type of strategy. As he is never asking to other people who understand the L2 on English language, he did not apply the question of clarification strategy.
Below is the utterance based on the interview with the respondent:
Question : what do you usually do to face with the problems when learning TOEIC?
Answer : I usually discus my problem with my friends, do the pre-test together and tried to solve the problem together.
The utterance above shows that the respondent has discussed his problems when learning TOEIC with his friends. It means he applied the cooperation socio-affective type of learning strategy to achieve high score.
Table 3.3. Socio Affective Strategy
Primary Strategy Classification Strategy Toward the Classification o)Socio – affective:
q) Question of Clarification it is using previously acquired linguistic and/or conceptual knowledge to facilitate a new language learning task
it is using available information to guess meanings of new items, predict outcomes, or fill in missing information
guessing the meaning of any important word to answer the questions
consulting to the professional mentor
asking for advice to higher learners
C. The Dominant Learning Strategy Used by the Students
Success or failure in learning a foreign language is due to a variety of factors, among which learning strategies and styles play very significant roles in helping learners develop their language competence. Building and matching suitable learning styles and strategies are important. Learning styles and learning strategies have a close correlation with each other and with academic achievements in English learning. Preferred learning styles and dominant learning strategies chosen by the student will give impact on the result or achievement of their learning. In this case, the writer tries to find out the dominant learning strategy used by students of Economy Faculty of Muhmmadiyah University to achieve high score of TOEIC test.
a). General Learning Strategy
Generally, it can be seen in the following table: Table 2.1. Metacognitive Strategy No
Learning Strategy Competence
Subjects
Learning Strategy
R1 R2 R3
4) Metacognitive :
q) Advance Organizer
Planning for organizational learning by making schedule of learning.
r) Directed Attention Deciding in advance to attend in general to learning task to ignore irrelevant distracters.
s) Selective Attention
Paying attention to the specific area of problem in the test by reading the answer at first time before answering the test.
t) Self - Management
Focusing on the choice of answer before answering.
Focusing to listen the whole conversation.
u) Functional planning
Paying attention to introduction and first part of dialogue.
Learning the type of the test and catches the point of the question. Studying the grammatical and context of situation.
v) Self Monitoring Focusing on the conjunction and preposition.
Studying the functional expression necessary for the test. w) Delayed
Production
Paying attention on the meaning pronunciation and sound.
Using the target language reference materials.
be learned based on common attributes.
[image:66.595.109.526.348.753.2]Writing down the main idea, important points, the outline, or summary of information presented orally or in writing.
Table 2.2. Cognitive Strategy No
Learning Strategy Competence
Subjects
Learning Strategy
R1 R2 R3
5) Cognitive:
a) Repetition consciously applying rules to produce or understand the second language
b) Resourcing practicing and studying the simulation test for several times using the several TOEIC books, such as Longman and Cambridge c) Translation Paying attention to the specific
reading the answer at first time before answering the test.
Focusing to understand the main point of the
