Strategic Language Learning: The Roles of Agency and Context

Seeking to understand factors involved in language learning, Gao (sociolinguistics and English, Hong Kong Institute of Education) explores interactions between agency and sociocultural context by studying language learning strategies employed by mainland Chinese students before, and then after, their experiences at an English-medium university in Hong Kong. A review of language learning strategy research is presented, including a call for a sociocultural--rather than merely individual and cognitive--perspective on language learning strategies. In phase 1 of the study, 22 students were interviewed in order to provide a base line of language learning experiences, motivations, and strategy use. Phase 2 consisted of an ethnographic, 22-month longitudinal follow-up of four participants. In the third phase of the study, 15 of the original 22 participants were interviewed after 20 months to examine the effects of changing contextual realities on strategy use. Distributed in the US by UTP Distribution. Annotation c2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Xuesong (Andy) Gao is an Associate Professor in the Division of English Language Education, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong.