Despite many inconsistencies that have arisen in both theory and research on LLSs, they still represent a variable that affects the way in which students deal with learning and using an L2. As such, it also has an effect on how successful the entire process of acquiring an L2 will be. Although a certain rise in interest and amount of research on strategies used by young language learners has been seen lately, much more research is needed in that particular area. With the present study, we tried to make a contribution to that area by investigating the frequency with which Croatian primary EFL learners used LLSs related to listening, speaking, reading, writing, learning vocabulary and translating. The results of our study showed that the participants’ frequency of use of translation-related strategies did not decrease with age, and that they mostly relied on somewhat old-fashioned memory strategies when learning new vocabulary. The results also showed that the seventh-graders reported a lower frequency of strategy use in all the big groups of strategies, except for the translation-related one. All this could be an indicator that what is needed is awareness raising regarding LLSs, which would enable learners to become fully aware of the strategies they are using and to see whether they are appropriate to them. This would be especially useful to those learners who are not aware of the particular strategies they are using. It would also be useful for teachers to include strategy training in their lessons, as well, and thus present learners with a larger array of strategies to choose from. Doing so could help learners, for instance, choose other types of strategies for learning vocabulary, or even help them rely less frequently on translation and think more in the TL. Strategy awareness raising and adequate training would help learners become more self-directed and autonomous, and would make the process of acquiring an L2 more successful.
Finally, the present study has some limitations. Firstly, it was carried out on only 53 participants from two grades and age groups, while it would have been useful to have had a much larger sample and more than just two age groups for comparison. Furthermore, the only method that was used to collect data was the questionnaire, based on which generalizations were made. It would have been better if we had used a combination of methods to gather data, as the results would have certainly been more reliable. Nevertheless, we believe that our study provides a valuable insight into LLSs used by young learners, and hope it can help promote more enjoyable and successful learning.
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Sažetak
Cilj ovog diplomskog rada bio je istražiti učestalost upotrebe strategija učenja engleskog jezika u osnovnoškolaca. Istraživanje je provedeno na 53 učenika i učenica, polaznika petog i sedmog razreda jedne osnovne škole. U istraživanju je korišten upitnik u kojem su sudionici trebali označiti svoje odgovore na pitanja zatvorenog tipa. Analiza njihovih odgovora pokazala je da obje skupine učenika jednako često koriste strategije učenja jezika prilikom prevođenja, dok polaznici petog razreda češće koriste strategije učenja jezika prilikom čitanja, pisanja, slušanja, govorenja i učenja novih riječi. U individualnim sastavnicama većih grupa strategija razlika u učestalosti korištenja pronađena je u samo tri kategorije. Analizom rezultata obje skupine sudionika također je utvrđena rjeđa upotreba strategija za učenje novih riječi od strategija korištenih prilikom slušanja. Uz rezultate istraživanja, u radu je predstavljena i njihova moguća praktična primjena u nastavi.
Appendix A
Table 1. 5th-graders' LLSs use... 23
Table 2. 7th-graders' LLSs use... 24
Table 3. Difference in the frequency of use(5th- and 7th-graders)... 25
Table 4. Listening LLSs (5th-graders) ... 26
Table 5. Vocabulary LLSs (5th-graders)... 27
Table 6. Speaking LLSs (5th-graders)... 27
Table 7. Reading LLSs (5th-graders)... 28
Table 8. Writing LLSs (5th-graders) ... 29
Table 9. Translation LLSs (5th-graders)... 29
Table 10. Listening LLSs (7th-graders) ... 30
Table 11. Vocabulary LLSs (7th-graders)... 31
Table 12. Speaking LLSs (7th-graders)... 31
Table 13. Reading LLSs (7th-graders)... 32
Table 14. Writing LLSs (7th-graders) ... 33