School Students in Chhukha, Bhutan
Ngawang Tenzin* Dr. Nipapon Chalermnirundorn M.Ed. Program Student, Suryadhep Teachers College, Rangsit University
Lecturer, Suryadhep Teachers C ollege, Rangsit University E-mail: *[email protected]
Abstract
This study was to survey the current practice of Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies of grade nine Bhutanese secondary school students in ESL learning and to compare Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies based on gender, age and number of years in ESL learning experience. The researcher employed mixed methods to carry out the study. The IOC of the research instruments were validated by three experts (one from Thailand and two from Bhutan). The quantitative data were gathered from 105 ESL respondents by using the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) adapted from Rebecca Oxford (1990) which consisted 50 items, and qualitative data were gathered through focus group discussion which consisted 10 questions from one of the Central schools in Chhukha district. The quantitative data were analyzed using independent sample t-test for gender difference and One-way ANOVA for different age groups and different number of years in ESL learning experience. The qualitative data of the focus group discussion were analyzed using content analysis and the results were tabulated. The findings showed that the majority of the respondents practice metacognitive strategies than social strategies and relatively few were practicing memory, cognitive and affective strategies and the least was compensation strategies. The result showed that the current practice of Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies at the moderate level as indicated by the mean score 3.40 by grade nine Bhutanese secondary school students in ESL learning.
The result also revealed that ESL respondents in Bhutanese secondary school students did not have one common Language Learning Strategy suitable for all learners. The study concluded that there was statistically significant difference in use of Oxford’s learning strategies by gender, females employed the strategies most frequently than males.
Keywords: English as a Second Language, Language Learning Strategies, Strategy Inventory for Language Learning.
94 1. Introduction
English is a global language. English is considered as one of the most important means of communication and medium of instructions across the curriculum in Bhutanese education system. English is the second language for the Bhutanese students. The Ministry of Education keeps on updating the teaching community with the new methods pertaining to English language and literature. However there has been a general perception about the decline of the English standard in the nation over the years. Curriculum and Professional Support Division (2005) studied and reported that classes VII-XII, English teachers were found teaching in conventional method; explaining the texts and more of teacher centered approach. Bhutan Council for School Examinations and Assessment (2016) also reported that English standard had declined. Despite the teacher’s full effort, the students’ performance is still unsatisfactory and the public’s general perception all across the nation is that the education quality is deteriorating. The hard work and great effort of the teachers are not perceived positively even though teachers work wholeheartedly for the students (Center for Educational Research and Development, 2009). Therefore, in order to enhance English proficiency and learning, teacher must shift the role in this 21st century. Even though child centered approach still exists in the system, teachers still follow the old trend as old habits are hard to die, however, teacher’s role must be further widened and broaden for nurturing and creating lifelong learners.
The researcher believes these proverbs ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.
Teach a man to fish and you feed for a lifetime’, relating to this, teacher must teach to benefit students for their lifetime not only for a day. And ‘I never teach my pupils; I only provide the conditions in which they can learn’ Albert Einstein (1879-1955). In this digital era, teachers are not only the resource for student’s learning, instead teachers must be a guide, a facilitator and many more. Teachers must be a guide for learners, let learners enjoy learning themselves based on their own styles and principles. English is considered as one of the major subjects in school curriculum and the most important key element in the developing nation in Bhutan.
Therefore, the researcher would like to study on Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies which is one of the most popular strategies that is widely used by ESL learners and to find out the current practice of Rebecca Oxfords’ Learning Strategies by Bhutanese secondary school students in ESL learning. So far, none of the researcher had done research on Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies in Bhutan. The findings from this study would have great impact for the language teachers, policy makers, ESL learners to improve English language proficiency.
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Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies has become very popular that helps in ESL learning. According to Rebecca Oxford (1990), learning strategy is defined as ‘specific actions taken by the learner to make learning easier, faster, more enjoyable, more self-directed, more effective and more transferable to new situations’. The learning strategies are classified into two categories; the direct strategies that help directly in ESL learning and indirect strategies that help indirectly in ESL learning. And the strategies are further divided into six parts;
memory, cognitive, compensation as direct strategies and metacognitive, affective and social strategies as indirect strategies.
Direct strategies
Direct strategies are the strategies that help directly in ESL learning. The mental processing of the target language is required in direct strategies. There are three kinds of direct strategies and the detailed descriptions are given below;
Memory strategies
Memory strategies are the thinking process of ESL learners in order to learn the target language. It can be defined as the techniques for remembering, storing and retrieving information of the target language. It helps in retention into long-term memory, retrieve and transfer information as and when needed or required. Oxford believed that learners applied the strategies in order to store information acquired from L2. According to Oxford the strategies were mostly used in the beginning of the learning process. Such as creating mental linkages, applying images and sounds, reviewing well and employing actions.
Cognitive strategies
Cognitive strategies are also the process of thinking that is used for understanding and producing the new language. The strategy helps learners to understand received information from the target language by various ways for effective production of language.
The cognitive strategy is the most frequent employed strategies by the students in their learning. Cognitive related strategies are Practicing, receiving and sending messages, analyzing and reasoning, creating structure for input and output.
Compensation strategies
Compensation strategies are employed to bridge up the gap for the lack of the relevant knowledge. The strategy allows learners to use the language to overcome the limitations and weakness. The strategies such as guessing intelligently and overcoming limitation in speaking and writing.
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Indirect strategies
Indirect strategies are the strategies that help indirectly in learning the target language however, it contributes to language learning. The mental processing of the target language is not required in indirect strategies. There are three kinds of indirect strategies and the detailed descriptions are given below;
Metacognitive strategies
Metacognitive strategies are thinking about thinking. The strategies involve planning, organizing, or evaluating their learning process. It allows students to regulate their cognition.
These strategies go beyond their cognition and provide the student to coordinate their learning process. Some of the related strategies are centering your learning, arranging and planning your learning and evaluating your learning.
Affective strategies
Affective strategies are ways that aim to control their emotions, attitudes, and
motivations. These strategies are the biggest influence on the success or failure of language.
The strategy helps to develop self-confidence that is required by the students to actively involve themselves in language learning. The weakness of the learners can be shaped and have better performance in ESL learning. The strategies are lowering your anxiety, encouraging yourself and taking your emotional temperature.
Social strategies
Social strategies are interactions with others and exposed to an environment involving the other people using the language. Interaction with other people by asking questions, work together, speaking the target language to enhance or upgrade their language skills. Students engaged and seek help from others. The strategies involve asking questions, cooperating with others and empathizing with others.
According to Rai (n.d.) English curriculum is designed as learner centered and curriculum also dissuades the teachers to explain the text to the students and focus to teach for examination; instead, it directs, the middle and the higher secondary level teachers, to teach critical strategies for students to make meaningful learning. Learners being analytical there must be the shift in a way students to be taught. The present approach of teaching in the 21st century is mainly focused on student centered as learners play active role in learning.
The nationwide based curriculum is also prescribed with relevant activities to meet the desired learning outcomes for student centered learning. Teachers across the nation focused on
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student centered learning as per the guided curriculum and national education policy.
Therefore, the researcher arose interest in studying the LLS used by the ESL after the increased in student centered learning approaches amongst language teachers across the schools in Bhutan. These strategies would promote learners centered and motivate self-regulated learners, and teacher guided approach. It may help students to develop independent thinking for problem solving and become independent learners as they engage in learning and motivate as they learn in their own pace and control of their thought processes.
According to Kazamia (2010), language learning strategies used by ESL learners has been widely investigated through different methods and tools. The Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) was one of the most common measures in their studies (Dornyei, 2005, White, Schramm and Chamot, 2007). The SILL structure questionnaire was focused and used to assess how frequent the ESL learners employ Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies in learning ESL. Numerous studies have found out and reported Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies were employed the most of ESL learners (Oxford, 1990). And several researchers have studied on LLS emphasizing in learning English as foreign/second language (Wong and Nunan, 2011, and Oxford, 2016). Several studies focused on LLS on Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies and found out the most frequently employed strategies by ESL learners (Alhaysony, 2017; Al-Oahtani, 2013; Chamot, 2004; Charoento, 2016; Chen, 2009; Dawadi, 2017). Magogwe
& Oliver (2007) and Wu (2008) also reported that the most commonly used were metacognitive, compensation and cognitive strategies. The studies revealed that these strategies helped to become more effective learners and foster more in ESL learning (Wong and Nanun, 2011) and the strategies help ESL learners to learn a language more effectively.
The researcher’s findings stated that successful ESL learners and the high proficient language learners used the strategies most frequently. Teachers must orient about the Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies and learners must be familiar with all the strategies before they really put into practice. ESL learners have choice of strategies that suit their learning to become successful learners. Teachers guide and facilitate learners to choose the suitable strategies for their desire task.
2. Research Objectives
2.1 To survey the current ESL learning strategy of grade nine Bhutanese secondary school students in the use of Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies.
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2.2 To compare Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies of ESL grade nine Bhutanese secondary school students based on gender, age and number of years in ESL learning experience.
3. Research Hypotheses
3.1 Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies were currently practiced by grade nine Bhutanese secondary school students in ESL learning.
3.2 There were the differences in use of Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies practiced by grade nine Bhutanese secondary school students in ESL learning by gender, age and number of years in ESL learning.
4. Methodology
4.1 Methods and Materials
This study used both quantitative and qualitative approaches as findings may not be authentic to make reliable generalizations with one approach. Therefore, the data collected from qualitative approach were used to supplement the quantitative data for authentic and reliable generalization. The study was carried out in one of the Central schools under Chhukha district in the Southwestern part of Bhutan. The choice of these schools was purposefully done in the study. 105 grade nine Bhutanese secondary school students responded in this study. The age ranged of the respondents from 14 to 16 years old. The sample was balanced across males (n=51) and females (n=54). The respondents were of various abilities in ESL learning.
The Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) version 7.0, 50 items, and ten items of focus group discussion questions were used to compare the frequency of the current practice of LLS in ESL learning (Ofxord,1990). The instruments for the study SILL survey questionnaire and focus group discussion questions were validated by three experts, the value +1 which indicated that all the items were valid. A Cronbach’s alpha value (0.825) revealed an acceptable reliability to study.
In the SILL, LLS are grouped into six categories for assessment: (1) memory (9 items);
(2) cognitive (14 items); (3) compensations (6 items); (4) metacognitive (9 items); (5) affective (6 items); and (6) social strategies (6 items). The five Likert-type responses were applied for each strategy item ranging from 1 to 5 (i.e. from ‘never or almost never true of me’ to ‘always
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true of me’). In this study, respondents were asked to be honest in assessing each item and responds their LLS use in ESL learning. A reporting scale was used as follows: (5) ‘highest’
(4.21-5.00), (4) ‘high’ (3.41-4.20), (3) ‘moderate’ (2.61-3.40), (2) ‘low’ (1.81-2.60) and (1) ‘lowest’
(1.00-1.80). The scale rating was developed and adopted from Rebecca Oxford (1990). And focus group discussion questions were developed and adopted from (Kazamia,2010) and was distributed to collect in-depth data for analyzing the current practice of Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies.
5. Data Collection Procedure Ethical Consideration/Approval
An Approval from the concern stakeholder were obtained prior to my research study.
An approval from Ministry of Education, the Chief District Education Officer, the Principal and the concern subject teacher of the research school. A consent letter was sent to the parents and permission was sought from the parents since the students were below 18 years.
The survey questionnaire was administrated by the subject teacher to ESL respondents during the English period. The instructions and procedures were discussed and provided to the subject teacher before the administration of the survey questionnaire with the respondents. All students agreed to fill out the surveys which gave 100% return rate for the study.
6. Results of the Data Analysis
The quantitative data collected from survey questionnaire were analyzed using descriptive analysis and inferential analysis. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the current practice of Oxford’s learning strategies using the mean difference. Inferential statistics (independent sample t-test) was used to analyze different gender with different learning strategies. Additionally, inferential statistics (One-way ANOVA) were used to analyze different age groups and different number of years in ESL learning experience with Oxford’s learning strategies. The qualitative data collected from focus group discussion were analyzed using content analysis.
100 Table 6.1 Summary descriptive statistics. (N=105)
The overall level of Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies currently practiced by the respondents were metacognitive strategies followed by social strategies with the overall average mean score of 3.56 and 3.54 respectively. Out of six strategies metacognitive strategies and social strategies were currently practicing at the highest level whereas memory strategies, cognitive strategies, compensation strategies and affective strategies were currently practiced at the moderate level. However, all the six strategies were currently practiced by the respondents as indicated with the mean score of 3.40 at the moderate level.
The inferential analysis One-way ANOVA and Independent Sample T-test were used to analyze the collected data. According to Lham (2011) when the research involved one independent variable being set at various levels, data could be analyzed by One-way ANOVA and whenever two sample means being compared for possible differences, data then should be analyzed by Independent Sample T-test. Thus, the researcher had used One-way ANOVA to compare the strategy usage by different age groups of respondents and different number of years in ESL learning experience of the respondents. Whereas, Independent Sample T-test for gender and strategies usage based on Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies for analyzing the collected data.
Language Learning Strategies X SD Interpretation
Memory strategies 3.35 0.95 Moderate
Cognitive strategies 3.36 1.01 Moderate
Compensation strategies 3.25 1.12 Moderate
Metacognitive strategies 3.56 1.12 High
Affective strategies 3.26 1.05 Moderate
Social strategies 3.54 1.03 High
Total 3.40 1.01 Moderate
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One-way ANOVA
Regarding the age of ESL learning of the respondents, One-way ANOVA procedures were used to analyze data. The different age group of the respondents did not show any statistical significant difference as indicated the significant difference p-value 0.62 > 0.05 indicating no statistically significant difference. Therefore, different age groups did not have different learning strategies, in other words, different age groups of respondents practiced the same strategies in ESL learning.
Regarding the number of years in ESL learning experience of the respondents, One- way ANOVA procedures were used to analyze the data and the result showed that there was no difference in the number of years in ESL learning experience of the respondents. The significant difference was p-value 0.42 > 0.05 which indicated no statistically significant difference in Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies usage by the respondents. The number of years from 10 to 12 years in ESL learning experience practiced the same learning strategies in ESL learning.
Independent Sample T-test
Table 6.2 The results for the Independent Sample T-test; (N=105)
Language Learning Strategies Male Female t P-Value
X SD X SD
Memory strategies 3.11 1.01 3.58 0.84 -2.61 0.01*
Cognitive strategies 3.13 1.03 3.58 0.95 -2.34 0.02*
Compensation strategies 3.07 1.17 3.43 1.06 -1.63 0.10 Metacognitive strategies 3.40 1.17 3.71 1.06 -1.42 0.15 Affective strategies 3.02 1.02 3.48 1.03 -2.29 0.02*
Social strategies 3.31 1.09 3.74 0.93 -2.12 0.03*
Total 3.17 1.08 3.61 0.90 -2.22 0.02*
Note: (* the mean difference is significant at the 0.05 level. Significant differences were found).
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The current practice of Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies based on gender in ESL learning is illustrated in Table 5.2. There was statistically significant difference between the male and female respondents in terms of practicing LLS in ESL learning. The significant difference p-value 0.02 < 0.05 indicating a statistically significant difference. Therefore, different gender practice different learning strategies in ESL learning. However, compensation and metacognitive strategies were shown no statistically significant difference as indicated by the p-values which were more than 0.05. Therefore, different gender practiced the same strategies in ESL learning.
The focus group discussion questions were administered by the researcher after their regular class. The focus group discussion consisting of ten questions for the respondents was specially directed towards obtaining in-depth responses on the current practice of Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies by grade nine Bhutanese secondary school students. The questions were open ended in general based on Oxford’s Learning Strategies in ESL learning.
The content analysis of the focus group discussion was on the current practice of Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies when responding the questions:
i) Which strategies were reported in focus group discussion data?
ii) Which strategies were not reported at all in the focus group discussion data?
Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies were found in all the focus group discussion questions. This paper elaborated extensively on those referring to Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies employed by students when responding the focus group questions.
There were only three questions out of ten, which were responded by the respondents employing Rebecca Oxford’s Six Learning Strategies. Q1. What techniques do you use in understanding English texts? Q4. How do you prepare yourself to speak in English? Q5. What do you do when you face difficulty in understanding grammar usage? The respondents reported that they employed all the six strategies in responding to questions.
The result showed that affective strategies and social strategies dominated the other strategies when responding the focus group questions. The least strategies employed were memory strategies followed by cognitive strategies, however, compensation strategies and metacognitive strategies were employed moderately by all the groups.
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7. Results and Discussion
The main purpose of the study was i) to survey the current practice of Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies in ESL learning by grade nine Bhutanese secondary school students, and ii) to compare Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies in ESL learning based on gender, age and the number of years in ESL learning experience.
7.1 The result of the SILL questionnaire data analyses
The data were analyzed and found out the majority practiced metacognitive strategies followed by social strategies. The respondents practiced these two strategies at the highest level. The other strategies such as memory strategies, cognitive strategies, compensation strategies and affective strategies were practiced at the moderate level. The overall result of this study showed the respondents practiced Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies at the moderate level in ESL learning by grade nine Bhutanese secondary school students.
7.2 The result of SILL questionnaire based on gender, age and the number of years in ESL learning experience.
The gathered data was analyzed using Independent Sample T-test to compare the strategies practiced based on gender. There was difference in use of memory strategies, cognitive strategies, affective strategies and social strategies in ESL learning. Both female and male respondents practiced different strategies in ESL learning. However, it was found out that there was no difference in use of compensation strategies and metacognitive strategies. Both male and female respondents practiced these two strategies in ESL learning. In fact, it was found that the use of learning strategies was at the moderate level. Later One-way ANOVA was used to compute the data for comparing the strategies with the age of the respondents and the number of years in ESL learning experience. In both the cases, it was found out that, there was no significant difference. The different age of respondents and different number of years in ESL learning experience were found using the same strategies.
The findings of this study according to gender are; i) All the respondents practiced Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies at the moderate level (3.40), ii) In general females used more strategies than male respondents (3.61), iii) Metacognitive strategies were mostly practiced by male respondents (3.40), iv) Social strategies were mostly practiced by female respondents (3.74), v) Affective strategies were the least practiced by male respondents (3.02), vi) Compensation strategies were the least practiced by female respondents (3.43).
104 7.3 The result of the focus group discussion
The content analyses were done for the gathered data of the focus group discussion questions. The result of the data is presented as follows;
The mostly practiced strategies by the respondents while responding focus group discussion questions were affective strategies and social strategies. These two strategies were practiced mostly by the respondents in responding the questions followed by the cognitive strategies. Memory strategies were the least practiced strategies by the respondents.
Compensation strategies and metacognitive strategies were moderately practiced strategies by the respondents in responding the questions. The study can be concluded that Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies were used at the moderate level.
7.4 The current practice of Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies
Among Rebecca Oxford’s six Learning Strategies, social strategies and affective strategies proved to be the most frequently employed by the learners and memory strategies were hardly employed by the learners. Learners were aware that they had to overcome their obstacles in real learning. Learning did not take place without practice and ‘practice made man perfect’, therefore, learners had involved in social activities and affective activities to learn the best from mistakes and put knowledge into practice. The researcher found out that the learners did not overlook social and affective strategies because learners were not shy, afraid of making mistakes or were not having low motivation. Besides learners had have strong confidence to learn L2, therefore, learners haven’t failed in ESL learning to practice Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies. According to Silva (2014) there are some important requirements to apply when learning L2 such as determination, perseverance, eagerness, curiosity to learn and lastly the fearlessness to make mistakes.
The result of this study showed metacognitive strategies were mostly practiced by grade nine Bhutanese secondary school students. The researcher Bolukbas, (2013) also found out that metacognitive strategies were used the most to acquire vocabulary. Similar findings were found out by Alnujaidi (2017); Ismail and Alkhatib (2013); Khalil (2005), Saad and Ahmed (2017); Stenberg (2005); Uguten and Ozgul (2018); Nazri (2015) also reported ten successful ESL learners used most frequently.
7.5 Oxford’s Learning Strategies and gender, age and the number of years of ESL learning experience.
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7.5.1 Discussion on Independent Sample T-test for gender
The results of the Independent Sample T-test for respondents in use of Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies based on gender showed that there was a statistical significant difference with p-value 0.028 <0.05 and the mean difference of 3.17 male and 3.61 female respectively. The reason could be that respondents used different learning strategies in ESL learning. Whereas there was no significant difference in the use of two strategies i.e.
compensation strategies and metacognitive strategies with p-value 0.105 and 0.157 which were greater than 0.05. The mean difference of male and female in use of compensation strategies are 3.07 and 3.43 respectively and for the mean of metacognitive strategies are 3.40 and 3.71 respectively. These two strategies were practiced in same frequency by both male and female respondents.
According to the finding of this study, female applied strategies more frequently than by male, and similar finding in Khamkhien (2010) and stated that female are more active and dynamic in classroom contexts.
7.5.2 Discussion on One-way ANOVA for age
The result of the One-way ANOVA from respondents of Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies used based on age showed that there was no statistical significant difference found with the p-value is 0.62 > 0.05. The differences between the age and strategy used, the fact was that age showed influence not only during the LL process but, particularly, on strategy use. Different levels of age group had different ways of learning the L2. In this study, it focused mainly to one group of learners ‘adolescents’ and they did not show much difference in use of strategies. Last but not the least, motivation sometimes was related to learners age, if they lacked motivate learners might not use LLS in learning more efficiently. In case of adolescences, they were more easily discouraged than the younger learners when they studied L2 or applied LS. According to Sepasdar (2014) and Chen (2014) there was an impact of age on using LLS. Different age groups of the learners used different strategies in ESL learning.
7.5.3 Discussion on One-way ANOVA for the number of years in ESL learning
The result of the One-way ANOVA from respondents of Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies used based on the number of years in ESL learning experience showed that there was no statistical significant difference found with the p-value 0.42 > 0.05. The result showed
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that 10 years and 11 years of ESL learning experience learners used the same strategies in ESL learning.
The use of LLS was considered very effective in Language learning. LLS must be familiarized and well understood by the learners before employing into practice or action. It was important for the learners to examine the strategies and apply with complete knowledge.
This enhance learners to gain complete control of their learning process in ESL learning. None of the strategies were the best because there were many other factors that affected the choice of learning strategies. The fact was that all strategies were useful or positive for every learner as they had their own needs. According to Oxford 1989 there could be several other factors such as: “personality, age, gender, motivation, language learning goals, Learning style, aptitude and degree of awareness” (Khamkhien, 2010; Silva, 2014). Ehman and Oxford (1995) found out that, the personality type that affect strongly on the use and choice of LLS. learners are different; The views could be supported and stand on some strategies are better than others.
However, knowing the choice of strategies depends on each learner, and in general some strategies that are best could be useless to others.
The researcher had proven that, strong preference for social strategies was shown by extrovert whereas metacognitive strategies were shown more frequently by introvert (Ehrman
& Oxford, 1990). Chamot and Keatley (2004); Hong-Nam and Leavell (2006) reported that there are some evidences female uses more strategies frequently than male. However, it depends on individual learners to employ the strategies as per their choice of strategies in ESL learning.
The previous researcher stated that the individual factor affected the strategic choice; their age affects the choice of learning strategies (Grenfell & Macaro, 2007; Gritthiths, 2013; Nurmela, 2017). Even the context and purpose of learning and gender and proficiency level of the students affected the choice of learning strategies. (Green & Oxford, 1995; Nurmela, 2017). The common strategies did not guarantee as successful Language learning strategies for learners.
However, it offered benefits to learners for personal growth. Further contributing to the learning process in general.
8. Suggestions
The present study found out that Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies had been practiced by the Bhutanese secondary school students and there was not a significant
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difference based on gender, age and the number of years in ESL learning experience. As per the finding of this study, the following recommendations are made.
8.1 Recommendation for Implementation
The study would serve as reference for future researcher who will carry out research in the same field. This can be used as a reference by the ESL language teachers and ESL learners. The study would suggest the policy makers to move from traditional based approaches to innovative approach for both the ESL language teachers and learners.
8.2 Recommendation for Future Research
The future research needs to be carried out over a longer period of time to make the study result more reliable and significantly. And a comparative study to find out the differences in using Rebecca Oxford’s Learning Strategies in different grades to prove more reliable.
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