Learning Strategies in Reading and Writing: EAP Contexts

Abstract

Presently, the importance of culture and context is becoming a significant feature of research in the field of learning strategies. To date, there has been little research into learning strategies utilized for reading and writing in Asian EAP (English for Academic Purposes) contexts, and in particular in the Thai context. With this in mind, this research investigated learning strategies employed by undergraduate students at a Thai university studying EAP reading and writing courses. The research aimed to identify the most frequently used strategies and different strategy use between ‘successful’ and ‘less successful’ learners. Learning strategies were classified following Oxford’s (1990) six category taxonomy and an additional category of negative strategies. The results revealed metacognitive, cognitive and compensation as the most frequently used strategies overall. Differences in strategy use for successful and less successful readers and writers were also demonstrated. A number of affective and social strategies were identified in the quantitative analysis which needed further investigation. Furthermore, various strategies investigated in earlier learner strategy research seemed, based on this research, to be culturally inappropriate in the Thai context.