EFL Learners' Learning Strategy Use in English Reading and Listening Comprehension

EFL Learners' Learning Strategy Use in English Reading and Listening Comprehension

The present study investigates the relationship between English reading and listening comprehension in terms of EFL learners' strategy use. Jt answers two questions concerning this relationship. First, EFL learners' use of learning strategies is significantly correlated with English reading and listening comprehension ability. Second, reading and listening in English appears to have similar but different processes in terms of types of strategies used, Sixty-one high school students in South Korea were randomly divided into two groups and measured on reading or listening comprehension ability and on their preferences of using strategies. The results of correlational analyses showed that while readers involved the frequent use of direct strategies, listeners employed a greater number of indirect strategies. The results of regression analyses further revealed that the variables of memory and affective strategies were possible candidates in predicting reading comprehension, and in listening, the metacognitive variable was a significant predictor of learners' performance. The results of the study suggest both similarities and differences between reading and listening comprehension with a view to strategy lise. confirming the claims by previous studies. Pedagogical. implications and directions for further research are discussed.