Among learning characteristics for L2 learners, language learning strategies are one characteristic that has the potential of being influenced by language instruction. This report attempts to review the most salient research and taxonomies for LLS to provide a comprehensive overview for those who would like to teach, learn, or conduct more research in the field. It records various definitions that have been assigned to LLS and traces the history of LLS research that has accumulated over the past thirty years. It also reviews empirical research that has been conducted by applying certain taxonomies to find relationships between other learner characteristics. Finally, it looks into ways that LLS can be applied to the four language skills: reading, listening, speaking, and writing, and discusses research designed to analyze the effectiveness of Strategy Based Instruction for the specific skills. The concluding section finds particular avenues for further research and application of LLS. / text

The purpose of this study was to find out how well Swedish pupils succeeded in their use of the progressive verb forms. A comprehensive research has been carried out in the area of second language acquisition, in which an interest in the order of acquisition of a second language as well as verb forms also was included. The material for the study was collected from second year pupils at an upper secondary school and consisted of two consecutive writing assignments. The first assignment was preceded by the teaching of the progressive verb forms, which the pupils were implicitly expected to use in their writing. In the second assignment, no grammar lessons were given prior to the assignment. A comparison of the evolution of the use of the verb forms mentioned was then conducted. The result indicates an increase of an accurate use. One conclusion that can be drawn is that learner strategies and motivation are beneficial to second language acquisition, as well as learning a more accurate grammar.

Language learning strategies have been given a large role in the Swedish curriculum for modern languages and the usage of strategies is one of the requirements for getting a passing grade in the subject. However, language learning strategies is a term that is hard to grasp when seeing it without a context. Even in a context it can be hard to explain what is really meant. This study tries to explain what language learning strategies are in relation to the Swedish school system and aims to find out if these strategies are to be found and how they are used in two Swedish-German textbooks.The study shows that there are no explicit examples where a certain type of languagelearning strategy is to be found. Nevertheless, there are multiple instances where both books offer assignments that can lead to the usage of said strategies.

This work explores various methods teachers can use to promote high quality second language oral production. It consists of a review of empirical research and pedagogical implications related to the following factors: 1) Pre-task planning, 2) within-task planning, 3) task repetition, 4) task design, 5) formulaic sequences, 6) learner strategies, 7) form instruction, and 8) error correction. The work concludes with a consideration of issues within the literature and a brief summary of pedagogical implications. / text

This thesis focuses on the use of the mother tongue in foreign language teaching and learning. Recently there has been a notable shift towards promoting the use of the mother tongue. The theoretical part of the thesis maps the attitudes to the mother tongue in current literature as well as the suggested ways of its use in the classroom. The practical part attempts to analyse the students' attitudes towards the incorporation of Czech into English learning and teaching and their experience with its use from their secondary schools. To obtain the data, an online questionnaire was employed. The respondents are first- and second-year students of English and American studies who are expected to be able to analyse both the advantages and disadvantages of using Czech. The practical part focuses on the efficiency of Czech in comparison with English, ways of presenting grammar and vocabulary, the relation between the mother tongue use and the proficiency of students, and learning strategies of the respondents. Based on the analysis, suggestions regarding the mother tongue use are presented in the conclusion.

Le but de cette étude était de considérer la possibilité de la mise en œuvre de l’approche d'apprentissage par problèmes (APP), Problem Based Learning (PBL), comme une méthodologie d'enseignement, épistémologiquement solide, pour enseigner l'anglais de spécialité (ASP), en particulier, dans le domaine académique de la médecine, English for Academic Medical Purposes (EAMP). Dans un premier temps, l'étude a examiné si PBL est compatible avec l'enseignement des langues et a cherché à déterminer les avantages que cette méthode peut apporter à l'enseignement de l'ASP. L'étude a également tenté de résoudre des problèmes d'apprentissage en anglais qui ont été identifiés dans les Collèges de Santé de l’Année préparatoire (Branche Féminine) au sein de l'Université de Hail, Arabie Saoudite. Une analyse des besoins a été menée dans l'institution pour mieux identifier ces problèmes d'apprentissage. En conséquence, PBL a été mis en œuvre pour déterminer si cette approche est capable de fournir une solution possible à la question, puisque PBL a été initialement mis en œuvre en médecine pour faire face à des problèmes similaires. Cela a entraîné un changement dans les niveaux macro-méthodologique et micro-méthodologique, comme Demaizière (1996 ; 66) les appelle. Dans la partie empirique, une étude longitudinale a été menée avec 13 étudiantes qui ont été observées dans une période de 8 semaines au cours de cinq PBL tutoriels, qui a eu lieu pendant quinze séances. En général, les résultats étaient en faveur de la mise en œuvre de cette approche dans l'enseignement de l'anglais médical. Ils ont également montré que PBL peut améliorer l'autonomie des apprenants ; leurs permettre de développer des stratégies d'apprentissage ; les aider à exploiter leurs compétences linguistiques ; et d'apprendre le contenu orienté vers leur domaine. / The purpose of this study was to consider the implementation of Problem Based Learning (PBL) as an epistemologically sound teaching methodology to teach English for Specific Purposes (ESP) and particularly English for Academic Medical Purposes (EAMP). The study examined whether PBL is compatible with language teaching and determined the benefits that this methodology can bring to ESP. The study also attempted to solve problems with English learning that were identified in the Preparatory Year Health Colleges (Female Branch) within Hail University, Saudi Arabia. A needs analysis was conducted in the institution to examine the English learning situation and better identify these learning problems. Then PBL was implemented to determine if it provided a possible solution to the issue. This entailed a change in the macro-methodological and micro-methodological levels, as Demaizière (1996) called ‘le niveau macromethodologique’ and ‘le niveau micromethodologique’ (p.66). In the empirical part of this study, a longitudinal study was conducted with 13 students who were observed through a period of 8 weeks and over five PBL tutorials, which took place over fifteen sessions. During these fifteen sessions, learners’ behaviors or indicators of autonomy were observed at the group level for the first and third session of each PBL tutorial and at the individual level in session 2. In general, the results favored the implementation of this approach in teaching English for Academic Medical Purposes (EAMP). They also showed that PBL can improve learners’ autonomy; enable learners to develop learning strategies; help learners harness their language skills; and learn content oriented to their field.

Students today encounter a vast amount of English in their free time, outside the walls of school. They watch English films, play English computer games, and keep international contacts through the internet. This present study focuses on mapping the so called Extramural English activities of two groups of upper secondary high school students in order to find out how and if the overall English proficiency of those students can be derived from the English they encounter in their free time. One of the groups is living and studying at a Swedish school in the UK, while the other one is living and studying at a regular high school in the south of Sweden. Both groups participated in a survey where they were asked to answer questions about their free time habits, time spent on different English activities and how they feel that their confidence and overall proficiency in the subject has improved. The results of this study show that the students living in the UK engage in more English activities outside of school and that they claim overall better results and higher confidence in their English. This study contains proof that Extramural English is an important factor in achieving targetlike language proficiency.