Research Background
On the field of learning strategy, Language Learning Strategy (LLS) plays an
important role in learning process. In language research recently, learning strategies
are conscious, teachable, intentional, self-chosen, and self-regulated thoughts and
actions for learning the target culture and language (Oxford, 1990). Earlier than that,
more definition was added by O’Malley and Chamot, which (1993) described learning
strategies as “the special thoughts or behaviors that individuals use to help them
comprehend, learn, or retain new information”. Simply it is found that LLS is what
students think and act to accomplish a learning goal in learning process. They can
select the activity based on their preference in order to make learning becomes more
enjoyable. For example, some students practice English with friends at schools and
some practice English with people who can speak English outside the classroom.
Some students also practice English by reading English text and some by listening to
music in English. Various strategies are performed by learners in order to improve
their English and help them achieve their goal in learning.
O'Malley & Chamot (1990) stated that language learning strategies are applied by
language learners as a means to acquire and to use information acquired, stored or
recalled by the learners, and can also promote autonomy learning. This happened
because language learning strategy indirectly guides the students to become active
learners that can provide their own needs and choose their preference in learning the
language. This makes an assumption that successful learners use more strategies than
unsuccessful learners, due to their capability in applying strategies better as they know
their needs in learning. Drawing to the attention, the results of Li (2009) in his study
also was in line with the idea that successful learners are more in favor of using more
learning strategies to learn rather than unsuccessful learners. He found in his study that
successful learners are more aware in learning as they know how importance it is, that
it also motivated them to become successful through applying more strategies often to
get more benefits than usual.
Indonesian learners have studied English previously for several years in high schools.
However, Indonesian learners are still lack of English proficiency as well as having a
poor proficiency level (Haryanti, 2017). The problem is highlighting on the least
duration of learning English in the classroom setting. Even English has become the
compulsory lesson in secondary or tertiary schools, but the duration of learning
English is limited to only three hours in a week and four credits maximum for the
university students that are not majoring in English. Also, Indonesian learners are
lack exposure in practicing English that might be caused by the use of Bahasa
Indonesia by the teachers when teaching English in high schools or universities and
lack of awareness and knowledge about learning strategies.
Other constraints faced by Indonesia learner are easily fooled by metacognitive
illusions and mistakenly interpret short-term performance or ease-of-processing as
reliable indicator for long-term learning (Bjork, 2015). As a consequence of this
experienced-learning-versus-actual-learning-paradox,students are overconfident in
their self-chosen learning strategies relative to academic performance (Winne &
Jamieson-Noel, 2002) and often endorse ineffective learning strategies as being
effective (McCabe, 2011; Soderstrom & Bjork, 2015). Still, many first-year university
students struggle to develop effective learning strategies. One potential reason is that
effective learning strategies are ‘desirably difficult’ (Bjork, 1994; Bjork, Dunlosky, &
Kornell, 2013): they require more effort during initial learning, but benefit long-term
learning outcomes and transfer to other contexts (Yan, Clark, & Bjork, 2017). Without
accurate metacognitive knowledge (i.e., knowledge about why and which learning
strategies are beneficial for long-term learning), students probably keep using passive
and ineffective strategies during self-study (Karpicke, Butler, & Roediger, 2009).
Creating awareness about effective learning strategies, fostering reflection on
desirable difficulties, and letting students encounter the experienced-learning-versus-
actual-learning-paradox might enhance metacognitive knowledge and actual use of
effective strategies during self-study (Yan, Thai, & Bjork, 2014).
Regarding the effectiveness of learning strategies, most experts and researchers
around the world agreed that more proficient learners utilize a wider range of
strategies more efficiently than the less proficient learners (cited in Gerami &
Baighlou, 2011). Some studies have investigated the language learning strategies used
by successful learners to be the reference in training the less successful learners.
Furthermore, Suran and Yunus (2017) investigating the LLS of the students in the
rural secondary school in Meradong district. The study revealed the students’ LLS can
help educators in improving the effectiveness of the language learning process.
Therefore, understanding what kinds of language learning strategies (LLS) that the
students employ to develop their English proficiency is a crucial importance.
In brief, we can assume that there is a strong comparison of strategy learning used
between the successful and unsuccessful learners. It is interesting to know what
strategies that successful learners do in learning English so that it gives some
information to the teachers and learners, especially to help students learn better.
Therefore, for these reasons, the use of learning strategies among top students across
education levels was considered appropriate for becoming the object of analysis in this
study.
