Insights into autonomous language learning strategies at college of foreign economic relations - EFL learners' perceptions and practices

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

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VO THI TU TRINH

INSIGHTS INTO AUTONOMOUS LANGUAGE

LEARNING STRATEGIES AT COLLEGE OF FOREIGN

ECONOMIC RELATIONS: EFL LEARNERS’

PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICES

MASTER OF ARTS IN TESOL

Ho Chi Minh City, 2021

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

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VO THI TU TRINH

INSIGHTS INTO AUTONOMOUS LANGUAGE LEARNING

STRATEGIES AT COLLEGE OF FOREIGN ECONOMIC

RELATIONS: EFL LEARNERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND

PRACTICES

Major: TEACHING ENGLISH TO SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES

Major code: 8 140 111

MASTER OF ARTS IN TESOL

Supervisor: DUONG MY THAM, Ph.D.

Ho Chi Minh City, 2021

I

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

I certify that the thesis entitled “Insights into Autonomous Language Learning

Strategies at College of Foreign Economic Relations: EFL Learners’ Perceptions

and Practices” is my original work. It is based on my own research to meet the

requirements for theses in Master’s Programs at Ho Chi Minh City Open University

issued by the Higher Degree Committee.

All sources used by me have been documented. No other person’s work has been used

without due acknowledgement.

This thesis has not previously been submitted for assessment in this or any other subject

or course at this University or elsewhere.

Ho Chi Minh City, 2021

VO THI TU TRINH

II

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am deeply indebted to my supervisor, Dr. Duong My Tham who has assisted me

throughout the research. Without her guidance, encouragement and compassion, it is

impossible for me to complete this master thesis. I have learned many useful things from

her excellent skills and from her wide experience in research. No words are adequate

enough for me to express my gratitude.

I am grateful to the lecturers who have taught me all subjects during my master’s studies

at Ho Chi Minh City Open University. Thanks to their dedicated instructions, my

knowledge related to the teaching and learning of English has been deepened and

widened.

I would like to express my particular gratitude to my beloved Family and my boyfriend

for their unconditional love, understanding, encouragement and spiritual support over

time and distance.

I gratefully acknowledge the third-year non-English majors at College of Foreign

Economic Relations for contributing data to this thesis.

Finally, I owe a great debt of gratitude to my friend, MBA. Truong Anh Tuan, for his

dedication and enthusiasm for supporting me and giving me valuable advice when I

encountered obstacles to completing this thesis.

VO THI TU TRINH

III

ABSTRACT

Autonomous language learning strategies (ALLSs) have been considered to significantly

contribute to learners’ autonomous learning. The present study aimed to investigate the

College of Foreign Economic Relations (COFER) third-year non-English majors’

perceptions of the importance of ALLSs and their practices on ALLSs. The mixed￾methods study was conducted with the participation of 342 third-year non-English

majors at COFER. The quantitative data collected from the questionnaire were processed

by SPSS (26.0), whereas content analysis was employed to analyze the qualitative data

obtained from the semi-structured interview. The findings, in general, revealed that

except for affective strategies, most of the remaining ones including memory, cognitive,

compensation, metacognitive, social strategies were thought to be significant by the large

number of the students. In terms of their practices on ALLSs, most of the participants

utilized memory, compensation, affective and social strategies at the medium frequency.

Only some items in the groups of cognitive and metacognitive strategies were employed

frequently by the majority of the participants. Finally, it is recommended that more

studies on learners’ perceptions and practices on ALLSs should be conducted.

Keywords: autonomous language learning strategies, non-English majors, perceptions,

practices, Vietnamese EFL context

IV

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP ............................................................................... i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................... ii

ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................... iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS .............................................................................................. iv

LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................... ix

LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... x

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS...................................................................................... xii

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 1

1.1 Background of the Study ...................................................................................... 1

1.2 Statement of the Problem ..................................................................................... 2

1.3 Rationale for the Study ........................................................................................ 4

1.4 Research Objectives .............................................................................................. 6

1.5 Research Questions ............................................................................................... 7

1.6 Scope of the Study ................................................................................................. 7

1.7 Significance of the Study ...................................................................................... 7

1.8 Operational Definitions of Key Terms ................................................................ 8

1.9 Organization of the Study .................................................................................... 9

1.10 Summary............................................................................................................ 10

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................... 11

2.1 Definition of Learner Autonomy ....................................................................... 11

V

2.2 Definition of Autonomous Language Learning Strategies ............................. 12

2.3 Taxonomy of Autonomous Language Learning Strategies ............................ 13

2.4 Characteristics of Autonomous Language Learners ....................................... 15

2.5 Applying Autonomous Language Learning Strategies in EFL Contexts:

From Perception to Practice .................................................................................... 15

2.6 Previous Studies .................................................................................................. 17

2.7 Research Gaps ..................................................................................................... 20

2.8 Conceptual Framework ...................................................................................... 21

2.9 Summary.............................................................................................................. 22

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ...................................................... 23

3.1 Research Design .................................................................................................. 23

3.2 Research Site and Participants .......................................................................... 24

3.2.1 Research Site .................................................................................................. 24

3.2.2 Participants and Sampling Method ................................................................ 25

3.3 Instruments.......................................................................................................... 29

3.3.1 Questionnaire .................................................................................................. 29

3.3.2 Semi-structured Interview .............................................................................. 30

3.4 Pilot Study ........................................................................................................... 31

3.5 Data Collection and Data Analysis Procedures ............................................... 31

3.5.1 Data Collection ............................................................................................... 31

3.5.2 Data Analysis ................................................................................................. 32

3.6 Methodological Issues ......................................................................................... 33

VI

3.6.1 Reliability ....................................................................................................... 34

3.6.2 Validity ........................................................................................................... 35

3.6.3 Ethics .............................................................................................................. 35

3.7 Summary.............................................................................................................. 36

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ......................................................... 37

4.1 Results .................................................................................................................. 37

4.1.1 Non-English Majors’ Perceptions of the Importance of ALLSs .................... 37

4.1.1.1 Overall Results ......................................................................................... 37

4.1.1.2 Detailed Results ....................................................................................... 38

4.1.1.2.1 Memory Strategies ............................................................................. 38

4.1.1.2.2 Cognitive Strategies ........................................................................... 40

4.1.1.2.3 Compensation Strategies ................................................................... 42

4.1.1.2.4 Metacognitive Strategies ................................................................... 45

4.1.1.2.5 Affective Strategies ........................................................................... 47

4.1.1.2.6 Social Strategies ................................................................................ 49

4.1.2 Non-English Majors’ Practices on ALLSs ..................................................... 52

4.1.2.1 Overall Results ......................................................................................... 52

4.1.2.2 Detailed Results ....................................................................................... 53

4.1.2.2.1 Memory Strategies ............................................................................. 53

4.1.2.2.2 Cognitive Strategies ........................................................................... 55

4.1.2.2.3 Compensation Strategies ................................................................... 57

4.1.2.2.4 Metacognitive Strategies ................................................................... 60

VII

4.1.2.2.5 Affective Strategies ........................................................................... 63

4.1.2.2.6 Social Strategies ................................................................................ 65

4.2. Discussion of Findings ....................................................................................... 67

4.2.1 Non-English Majors’ Positive Perceptions of the Importance of ALLSs ...... 67

4.2.2 Non-English Majors’ Moderate Use of ALLSs ............................................. 69

4.3 Summary.............................................................................................................. 71

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................ 72

5.1 Conclusions .......................................................................................................... 72

5.1.1 Non-English Majors’ Perceptions of the Importance of ALLSs .................... 72

5.1.2 Non-English Majors’ Practices on ALLSs ..................................................... 73

5.2 Pedagogical Implications .................................................................................... 73

5.2.1 For Learners ................................................................................................... 73

5.2.2 For Teachers ................................................................................................... 74

5.3 Limitations ........................................................................................................... 75

5.4 Recommendations for Further Studies ............................................................. 75

5.5 Summary.............................................................................................................. 76

REFERENCES ............................................................................................................. 77

APPENDICES .............................................................................................................. 84

Appendix A.1: Student Questionnaire (English Version) ........................................ 84

Appendix A.2: Student Questionnaire (Vietnamese Version) ................................. 90

PHIẾU KHẢO SÁT ..................................................................................................... 90

Appendix B.1: Student Interview (English Version) ................................................ 96

VIII

Appendix B.2: Student Interview (Vietnamese Version) ....................................... 100

Appendix C.1: Reliability Indexes ............................................................................ 105

(Students’ Perceptions of the Importance of ALLSs) ............................................. 105

Appendix C.2: Reliability Indexes ............................................................................ 111

(Students’ Practices on ALLSs) ................................................................................ 111

IX

LIST OF FIGURES

Page

Figure 2.1: Conceptual Framework .............................................................................. 22

X

LIST OF TABLES

Page

Table 3. 1: The Sample Size of the Study ..................................................................... 26

Table 3. 2: Participants’ General Information ............................................................... 27

Table 3. 3: Summary of Instruments and Data Analysis in Relation to Research

Questions ........................................................................................................................ 33

Table 3. 4: Reliability Statistics on the Items Regarding the Non-English Majors’

Perceptions of the Importance of ALLSs ....................................................................... 34

Table 3. 5: Reliability Statistics on the Items Regarding the Non-English Majors’

Practices on ALLSs ........................................................................................................ 34

Table 4. 1: The Overall Mean Scores of Non-English Majors’ Perceptions of the

Importance of ALLSs ..................................................................................................... 38

Table 4. 2: Non-English Majors’ Perceptions of the Importance of Memory Strategies

........................................................................................................................................ 39

Table 4. 3: Non-English Majors’ Perceptions of the Importance of Cognitive Strategies

........................................................................................................................................ 41

Table 4. 4: Non-English Majors’ Perceptions of the Importance of Compensation

Strategies ........................................................................................................................ 43

Table 4. 5: Non-English Majors’ Perceptions of the Importance of Metacognitive

Strategies ........................................................................................................................ 45

Table 4. 6: Non-English Majors’ Perceptions of the Importance of Affective Strategies

........................................................................................................................................ 48

Table 4. 7: Non-English Majors’ Perceptions of the Importance of Social Strategies . 50

Table 4. 8: The Overall Mean Scores of Non-English Majors’ Practices on ALLSs ... 53

Table 4. 9: Non-English Majors’ Practices on Memory Strategies .............................. 53

Table 4. 10: Non-English Majors’ Practices on Cognitive Strategies .......................... 56

XI

Table 4. 11: Non-English Majors’ Practices on Compensation Strategies ................... 58

Table 4. 12: Non-English Majors’ Practices on Metacognitive Strategies ................... 61

Table 4. 13: Non-English Majors’ Practices on Affective Strategies ........................... 63

Table 4. 14: Non-English Majors’ Practices on Social Strategies ................................ 65