Marina Mattheoudakis
SPECIAL EDITION IN HONOUR OF ANGELIKI PSALTOU-JOYCEY
Μαρίνα Ματθαιουδάκη
ΕΙΔΙΚΗ ΕΚΔΟΣΗ ΠΡΟΣ ΤΙΜΗΝ ΤΗΣ ΚΑΘΗΓΗΤΡΙΑΣ ΑΓΓΕΛΙΚΗΣ ΨΑΛΤΟΥ-JOYCEY
Angeliki Psaltou-Joycey
LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGY INSTRUCTION: THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE COURSEBOOKS IN THE GREEK STATE SCHOOLS
Descriptive and skill-specific studies have provided a wealth of data concerning the type and frequency of strategy use as well as of the various factors that influence selection and frequency of such use, but little is known about language learning strategy instruction that is thought to help learners develop strategic knowledge and skills.
Relevant research has not been very productive beyond the fact that when learners ‘embark on or sail along’ foreign language learning they need to be directed toward using strategies that would make their endeavours less tiresome and more effective. More insights are required to find out whether and how strategies are promoted by the foreign language curriculum, the language teachers, or the coursebooks to assist the development of learner self-management.
After reviewing relevant literature, the present paper focuses on language learning strategy instruction in classroom settings by investigating the extent to which such instruction is integrated in EFL classes in the Greek context. Evidence will be gathered by examining the English coursebooks currently in use in the Greek primary and secondary schools, as it is those books that suggest the practices prescribed by the curriculum and deployed by EFL teachers to foster learners’ ability to select appropriate strategies for successful language learning.
Claude Springer
VIVE LA RESSEMBLANCE! ON SOCIAL STRATEGIES FOR COLLABORATIVE LEARNING AND WEB COLLABORATION
In applied linguistics, learning strategies are generally described according to cognitive approaches. In this perspective, cognitive and metacognitive strategies are considered to be the most important ones. This paper adopts an activity-based theoretical perspective moving away from the mainstream Input-Interaction-Output model that considers language learning as an individual cognitive process. We discuss the social and complexity dimension in language acquisition and language didactics and address the question of social strategies. In this ecological perspective, we are concerned above all with social actions. Social strategies in an actionbased perspective come first. We therefore propose to flip Oxford’s taxonomy on learning strategies.
Carol Griffiths
LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGY INSTRUCTION
This paper begins by providing and explaining a definition of language learning strategies as activities chosen by learners for the purpose of learning language. The relationship of language learning strategies to successful learning is discussed and the results of a study which discovered significant differences in rates of progress according to language learning strategy use are reported. Details are given of previous research into strategy instruction, followed by a discussion of how strategy instruction should be provided and what should be included in a strategy instruction programme. Caution is advised regarding the attribution of cause and effect, and the Tornado Hypothesis is suggested as a way of conceptualizing the spiral relationship between strategies and successful learning. The content of teacher education programmes is discussed and directions for ongoing research are suggested.
Zoe Gavriilidou
THE THALES PROJECT S.I.L.L.G.T: AIMS AND PRELIMINARY RESULTS
This paper offers a brief overview of the Thales project S.I.L.L.G.T. focusing on language learning strategy use and reports results from the exploratory study of this project. In terms of the number of subjects involved, this project is probably one of the largest studies on language learning strategy use to date.