Analysis of ESL/EFL Spanish students strategical behaviour within four different age and level stages

Abstract

The present paper delves into cognitive psychology in the field of learning strategies, which are the techniques and methods which language students use to enhance their own learning. The present research into language learning strategies aims to identify the most used strategies among ESL students and to compare the strategic behaviour of younger (1º ESO) and older (2º Bachillerato) groups in the “Hijas de Jesús” school center. Furthermore, it delves into an almost untrodden field of study as it analyses the possible correlation between the students’ use of strategies and the highest marks of the group which is still open to study and which can provide different points of view to conduct further research into the process of ESL/EFL learning and the complicated system of language learning strategies. The main goal of the present study is to explore strategic behaviour awareness from the students’ part, to analyse the pupils’ strategic behaviour in different levels and to compare the similarities and differences among them and finally to check if, as some previous research in this field suggest (O'Malley, Chamot, Kupper, 1986; Rubin 1975), there is any kind of correlation between the wide use of strategies and the highest marks in the class which would be a noteworthy aspect if this hypothesis was accomplished.