A Comparative Study of Gender on Language Learning Strategies Preference

ABSTRACT

This paper highlights the differences between male and female students in LLS preference. It also aims to solve the gaps existing in similar researches and seek the implications of findings toward language instruction. Derived from such objectives, the classification of LLS formulated by Oxford (1989) is used as the main source to probe these differences.

The data collected on March 2013 from 41 males‘ and 80 females‘ freshmen of English department in STAIN Salatiga using the adapted SILL (Strategy Inventory for Language Learning) version 7.0 specialized for second or foreign language learners. By applying quantitative research and employing independent sample T test as technique of data analysis, the results show that there is no significant difference between males and females on LLS preference, either in overall strategies use or in each strategy. It means that the result supports the preceded researchers, Negari and Solaymani (2013), in area of gender and LLS. Additionally, considering that gender  is  not  the  determinant  factor  of  students‘  accomplishment  in  language  learning, teachers  should  not  be  too  worried  about  gender  effects  in  the  classroom  dealing  with strategies application. Instead, there should be a mutual comprehensive framework to learn students‘ tendencies and differences.

Key words: Gender Differences, LLS (Language Learning Strategies), English Language

Teaching

 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

A.  Background of the Study

Language learning is a crucial issue that promotes somebody's success. It has different ways from learning most other subjects because of its social and communicative nature. Thus, person with charming language ability will perform better in his environment. Considering that fact, the needs of foreign language mastery have spread over the world that make language learning is an obligation for those who want to convey their idea properly and communicate even socialize well. Because of its significance, many studies have been conducted to find the ways or strategies out that may be able to foster acceleration of language learning. Several of them are Oxford (1989), Wenden (1991), Chamot and O‘Malley (1990), and Rubin (1987).

Furthermore, strategies usage in language learning will successfully work to accelerate the accomplishment. In educational world, it is well-known with the term LLS (LanguageLearning Strategy). It is a set of skills applied to respond to the particular learning situation and to manage their learning in an appropriate way (Oxford, 1989: 1). According to Williams and Burden (1997:46), in studies of successful and unsuccessful learners conducted by Nisbet and Shucksmith, people who succeed in learning have developed a range of strategies from which they are able to select those that are the most appropriate for a particular problem, to adapt them flexibly for the needs of the specific situation, and to monitor their level of success. It means that learning will effectively make sense when a learner employs certain strategy by considering his needs toward related circumstances. Therefore, an effective chosen strategy for one will probably be ineffective to another. Baca Juga: Speech Act Analysis.

This fact happens for the distinction being extinct in the learners, called individual differences that influence language acquisition in various instructional contexts (Gage and Berliner, 1984: 523). They go on claiming that individual differences themselves, such as interest, self-concept, age, and gender hold very essential role in supporting someone‘s success in learning a foreign language that similarly contribute whether language learning will be picked up quickly or not. One aspect of such differences considered to be necessary for further discussion is gender.

Gender has been a discussion topic among linguists since the late seventies (Holmes and Megarhoff, 2003: 91). In the consideration that gender differences, which are socially and culturally constructed, have become an interesting phenomenon in contemporary society, many researchers and language education practitioners conduct study dealing with this case by correlating it to other aspect (Mahmud, 2010; Siegle and Reis, 1995).

In the discussion of gender and language learning, for instance, a research study claims that females are better than males both in second and first language acquisition (Larsen- Freeman and Long, 1991: 225). Meanwhile, Mahmud (2010: 172) concludes that females are reluctant to speak to different sex in learning language. Derived from the findings, they preferred the direct way to express opinions and work with the same sex, as well as tended to be passive in class. In addition, females saw the high possibility to increase their English skills by working with the same sex but not for males. Another study conducted by Chiung (2001: 197) sums up that there is significant difference between males and females in English learning achievement. The result showed that females scored better than males in English achievement. Such findings show that gender holds influential role in the way of learning.

Furthermore, there are similarly some researches are conducted to examine the relationship between Gender and language learning strategies preference. Regarding of such a case, Zeynaly (2012: 2) summarizes the findings conducted by Politzer (1983), Punithvalli (2003), Wharton (2000), and Lee (2010). She wrote that Politzer (1983) studied learning strategies of 90 undergraduate foreign language learners enrolled in French, Spanish, and German coursed in the U.S. He suggested that female learners used social strategies more often than males. Then, Punithavalli (2003) in her study toward 170 ESL learners in Selangor, Malaysia revealed that female learners used greater strategies in and outside classroom than male learners.

However, the findings of these studies about gender and LLS are not necessarily universal. For instance, Wharton (2000), in his research of Singapore students, found that males employed more strategies significantly than females‘. Lee (2010) who conducted a research in Taiwanese‘s students also concluded that males used higher frequency of cognitive and compensation strategies than females. Some even reveal that there is no significant difference between males and females on their use of language learning strategies (Negari and Solaymani, 2013: 32).

In the evidence that there are gaps among the findings found by researchers, the writer is encouraged to examine furthermore the difference between male and female students in LLS preference in the local area. In addition, another reasoning of the writer to implement the research is that there are different treatments conducted by teachers toward male and females students in classroom activity as emphasized by Sunderland (as cited in Männynsalo, 2008: 11) who claims that gender affects the proceedings in a classroom, for instance, in how much and what kind of attention the teacher gives to boys and girls in the classroom. She goes on saying that the studies done on teacher attention have shown that teachers give more attention to boys than girls. She also argues that boys have a tendency to talk more to the teacher than the girls. She shows how variously, boys get more blame, approval, disapproval and instructions than girls. Based on these findings, the writer is curious to prove whether the teachers need to apply certain strategies dealing with gender differences in the classroom to succeed English instruction. Baca Juga: English Code Switching.

In such a case of gender and language learning strategy, the writer regards that generally college-aged students are far more mature emotionally and intellectually that the research will be more effective if it is applied in the field of those subjects. Moreover, accessibility and accountability of the subjects become other considerations that support the valid, reliable, and observable data for the research. Thus, these basic assumptions

have encouraged the writer to choose the freshman from the second semester of English department STAIN Salatiga as the respondents. Other rationale for selecting them as subject of the study is based on consideration that this finding will help them to be more aware about their ways of learning. Derived from that awareness, therefore, the students are encouraged to improve more strategies taken to accelerate English language learning.

Considering this phenomenon, a research scrutinizing the difference between male and female students in language learning strategies are taken. To contribute on the effective language teaching and learning, hence, the writer takes a specific theme for the research entitled “A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF GENDER ON LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGIES PREFERENCE”.

B.  Problem Statements

Based on the above reasoning, the writer formulates the following problem statements.

1.   What are strategies used by male and  female  students of the second  semester in learning English as foreign language?

2.   What are the most frequent strategies used by male and female students of the second semester in learning English as foreign language?

3.   Is there any significant difference between males and females on LLS preferences?

4.   What are implications of the findings toward English language teaching?

 

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