English is one of the most used and learnt languages in the world. There are many strategies identified to predict and understand better English language learning among learners. In a multicultural country like Malaysia, reading comprehension among secondary school students is imperative so that reading itself is enjoyable, fun, and informative. However, considering that English is a second, third, or even a fourth language to these students, it is necessary to understand what language learning strategies they employ when they are reading English texts. This research aimed to identify (1) the dominant language learning strategies employed by Chinese secondary school students and (2) the significance between gender and language learning strategies. A total of forty-seven (N=47) Form 3 students from a private Chinese secondary school in Perak, Malaysia participated in this research. Data was collected quantitatively through the use of a survey questionnaire that was adopted based on Young Learners' Language Strategy Use (Cohen & Oxford, 2002) and Language Strategy Use Survey (Cohen, Oxford & Chi, 2002). Findings revealed that the cognitive strategy was the least dominant strategy employed by secondary school students during English reading comprehension activities. Besides that, there was no significant correlation between gender and language learning strategies among secondary school students. Nevertheless, this research presents a snippet of what teachers and learners could focus on when aiming for more fruitful reading comprehension outcomes in ESL classrooms.
Adan, D. A., & Hashim, H. (2021). Language learning strategies used by art school ESL learners. Creative Education, 12(03), 653.
Ahmadi, M. R. (2017). The impact of motivation on reading comprehension. International Journal of Research in English Education, 2(1), 1-7.
Ali, A. M., & Razali, A. B. (2019). A Review of Studies on Cognitive and Metacognitive Reading Strategies in Teaching Reading Comprehension for ESL/EFL Learners. English Language Teaching, 12(6), 94-111.
Al-Jarrah, H. (2018). Reading comprehension strategies among EFL learners in higher learning institutions. Arab World English Journal (AWEJ) Volume, 9.
Amin, M. (2019). Developing Reading Skills through Effective Reading Approaches. International Journal of Social Science and Humanities, 4(1), 35-40.
Ates, D. (2019). A longitudinal study of language learning strategy use by prep year EFL students (Master's thesis, Pamukkale Üniversitesi E?itim Bilimleri Enstitüsü).
Bada, S. O., & Olusegun, S. (2015). Constructivism learning theory: A paradigm for teaching and learning. Journal of Research & Method in Education, 5(6), 66-70.
Bruner, J. S., & Kenney, H. J. (1965). Representation and mathematics learning. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 30(1), 50-59.
Chamba, M. Y., & Ramirez-Avila, M. R. (2021). Word recognition and reading skills to improve reading comprehension. Journal of Foreign Language Teaching and Learning, 6(1), 20-36.
Cho, Y. A., & Ma, J. H. (2020). The Effects of Schema Activation and Reading Strategy Use on L2 Reading Comprehension. English Teaching, 75(3), 49-68.
Cohen, A. D., Oxford & Chi, J. C. (2002). Language strategy use inventory. Minneapolis, MN: Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition, University of Minnesota.
Cohen, A. D., & Oxford, R. L. (2002). Young Learners’ Language Strategy Use Survey. Minneapolis.
Cohen, A. D., & Henry, A. (2019). Focus on the language learner: Styles, strategies and motivation 1. In An introduction to applied linguistics (pp. 165-189). Routledge.
Cohen, A. D. (2003). The learner’s side of foreign language learning: Where do styles, strategies, and tasks meet? IRAL, International Review of Applied Linguistics in Language Teaching, 41(4), pp. 279-292.
Dawi, D. A., & Hashim, H. (2022). Preferred Learning Strategies among Malaysian Primary ESL Learners. Creative Education, 13(3), 941-951.
Dawi, D. A., Bua’Hilary, H., David, M., Anak, M. E., Jospa, W., Igai, W. K. A., & Hashim, H. (2021). Language Learning Strategies Used for Reading Skill by Pupils in Selected Rural Schools in Sarawak. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 11(6), 1379-1390
Goyi, N., Kamaruddin, R., Seruji, Z., & Dani, N. A. (2021). The Effects of Reading Strategy Awareness on L2 Comprehension Performance among the Rungus in North Borneo. Advances in Language and Literary Studies, 12(4), 128-139.
Grenfell, M., & Harris, V. (1999). Modern languages and learning strategies: In theory and practice. London: Routledge.
Griffiths, C. (2018). The strategy factor in successful language learning: The tornado effect. Multilingual Matters.
Han, F. (2021). The Relations Between Motivation, Strategy Use, Frequency, and Proficiency in Foreign Language Reading: An Investigation With University English Language Learners in China. SAGE Open, 11(2), 21582440211008423.
Hashim, H. U., Yunus, M. M., & Hashim, H. (2018). Language Learning Strategies Used by Adult Learners of Teaching English as a Second Language (TESL). TESOL International Journal, 13(4), 39-48.
John, E., Rangasamy, D., Indiran, D., Rita, E., Adickalam, S. K., & Hashim, H. (2021). Language Learning Strategies Used by Form 4 Esl Learners to Develop Speaking Skills.
Kuçukoglu, H. (2013). Improving reading skills through effective reading strategies. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 70, 709-714.
Lee, S. M. (2014). The relationships between higher order thinking skills, cognitive density, and social presence in online learning. The internet and higher education, 21, 41-52.
McNamara, D. S., & Scott, J. L. (2020, December). Training reading strategies. In Proceedings of the twenty first annual conference of the cognitive science society (pp. 387-392). Psychology Press.
Marashi, H., & Assgar, F. (2019). EFL teachers’ effective classroom management and learners’ anxiety and learning strategies. Iranian Journal of Language Teaching Research, 7(2), 65-82.
Maulidasari, I., Tahrun, & Mulyadi. (2021). The Correlation among Language Learning Strategies, Reading Attitude, and Reading Achievement of the Eleventh Grade Students of State Senior High Schools of Lahat District. Jurnal Pendidikan Tambusai, 5(1), 2583–2590.
Muslimin, A. I. (2018). Profile of Successful English Language Learners. English Education: Jurnal Tadris Bahasa Inggris, 11(2), 1-17.
Nair, V., Muniandy, M., Santhanasamy, C., Arumugam, D., Nabilah, I., & Hashim, H. (2021). Language learning strategies employed by pupils at a rural primary school in Malaysia. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 11(6), 689-702.
O'malley, J. M., O'Malley, M. J., Chamot, A. U., & O'Malley, J. M. (1990). Learning strategies in second language acquisition. Cambridge university press.
Oxford, R. (1990). Language learning strategies What every teacher should know. Heinle & heinle Publishers.
Rubin, J. (1975). What the" good language learner" can teach us. TESOL quarterly, 41-51.
Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2017). Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in motivation, development, and wellness. Guilford Publications.
Stern, H. H. (1975). What can we learn from the good language learner?. Canadian Modern language review, 31(4), 304-319.
Thomas, M., & Janosy, R. (2020). Self-taught language learners in China and their learning strategies: A multiple, instrumental case study of approaches in contextual situations. Asian EFL Journal, 24(2), 136-161.
Tomak, B. (2022). Language Learning Strategies Used by the Turkish EFL Learners to Improve their Reading Skill. Focus on ELT Journal, 4(1), 142–160.
https://doi.org/10.14744/felt.2022.4.1.10
Wenden, A., & Rubin, J. (Eds.). (1987). Learner strategies in language learning. Prentice Hall.
Zhou, M., & Brown, D. (2015). Educational learning theories.
In-Text Citation: (Lam et al., 2022)
To Cite this Article: Lam, J., Mariappan, R., Majitol, D., Cassidy, L., & Hashim, H. (2022). Language Learning Strategies Employed by Chinese Secondary School Students in Enhancing Reading Skills. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences. 12(6), 310– 320.
Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode
