Language Learning Strategies

Cognitive

• listen attentively
• perform actions to match the words of a song, story or rhyme
• learn short rhymes or songs, incorporating new vocabulary or sentence patterns
• imitate sounds and intonation patterns
• memorize new words by repeating them silently or aloud
• seek the precise term to express meaning
• repeat words or phrases in the course of performing a language task
• make personal dictionaries
• experiment with various elements of the language
• use mental images to remember new information
• groups together sets of things—vocabulary, structures—with similar characteristics
• identify similarities and differences between aspects of Dene and the English language
• look for patterns and relationships
• use previously acquired knowledge to facilitate a learning task
• associate new words or expressions with familiar ones, either in Dene or English
• find information, using reference materials such as dictionaries, textbooks, and grammars
• use available technological aids to support language learning; (e.g., recorders, computers, CD –ROMs)
• use word maps, mind maps, diagrams, charts or other graphic organizers to make information easier to understand and remember
• place new words or expressions in a context to make them easier to remember
• use induction to generate rules governing language use
• seek opportunities in and outside of class to practise and observe
• perceive and note down unknown words and expressions, noting also their context and function

Metacognitive

• make choices about how you learn
• rehearse or role-play language
• decide in advance to attend to the learning task
• reflect on learning tasks with the guidance of the teacher
• make a plan in advance about how to approach a language learning task
• reflect on listening, speaking, viewing, representing, reading and writing process
• decide in advance to attend to specific aspects of input
• listen or read for key words
• evaluate their own performance or comprehension at the end of a task
• keep a learning checklist
• experience various methods of language acquisition and identify one or more they consider particularly useful personally
• be aware of the potential of learning through direct exposure to the language
• know how strategies may enable them to cope with texts containing unknown elements
• identify problems that might hinder successful completion of a task and seek solutions
• monitor their own speech and writing to check for persistent errors
• be aware of their own strengths and weaknesses, identify their own needs and goals, and organize their strategies and procedures accordingly

Social/Affective

• initiate or maintain interaction with others
• participate in shared reading experiences
• seek the assistance of a friend to interpret a text
• understand that making mistakes is a natural part of language learning
• reread familiar self-chosen texts to enhance understanding and enjoyment
• work cooperatively with peers in small group
• experiment with various forms of expression, not their acceptance or non-acceptance by more experienced speakers
• participate actively in conferencing and brainstorming as a pre and post writing exercise
• use self-talk to make themselves feel competent to do the task
• be willing to take risks, try unfamiliar tasks and approaches
• repeat back new worlds and expressions which occur in conversations in which they participate, make use of them soon as appropriate
• reduce anxiety by using mental techniques, such as positive self-talk or humour
• work with others to solve problems, get feedback on tasks
• provide personal motivation by arranging rewards for themselves when successful

Language Use Strategies

Interactive

• use words from own first language to get meaning across, e.g., use a literal translation of a phrase in the first language, use a first language word but pronounce it as in the second language
• acknowledge being spoken to
• interpret and use a variety of nonverbal clues to communicate, e.g., mime, pointing, gestures, drawing pictures
• indicate lack of understanding verbally or nonverbally, e.g., dire edlanti ah? (What is this?), eyi edlanti ah? (What is that?), blank look or shoulder shrug
• ask for clarification or repetition when you do not understand, e.g., kosigal hu sets’ini wali sa? (Can you come help me?)
• use other speakers’ words in subsequent conversations
• assess feedback from a conversation partner to recognize when a message has not been understood, e.g., raised eye brows, blank look, shoulder shrug
• start again, using a different tactic, when communication breaks down
• invite others into the discussion
• ask for confirmation that a form used is correct
• use a range of fillers and hesitation devices to sustain conversations
• use circumlocution to compensate for lack of vocabulary
• repeat part of what someone has said to confirm mutual understanding
• summarize the point reached in a discussion to help focus the talk
• ask follow-up questions to check for understanding, e.g., edlant’u? (How?) edlo? (When?) edlagha ah? (Why?) Edlanelt’e? (How much?) edlat’i nel tsi ah? (What is it you are doing?)
• use suitable phrases to intervene in a discussion
• self-correct if errors lead to misunderstandings

Interpretive

• use gestures, intonation and visual supports to aid comprehension
• make connections between texts on the one hand, and prior knowledge and personal experience on the other
• use illustrations to aid reading comprehension
• determine the purpose of listening
• listen or look for key words
• listen selectively based on purpose
• make predictions about what you expect to hear or read based on prior knowledge and own experience
• use knowledge of the sound – symbol system to aid reading comprehension
• infer probable meanings of unknown words or expressions from contextual clues
• prepare questions or a guide to note down information found in the text
• use key content words or discourse features to follow an extended text
• reread several times to understand complex ideas
• summarize information gathered
• assess own information needs before listening, viewing or reading
• use skimming and scanning to locate key information in texts

Productive

• mimic what the teacher says
• use nonverbal means to communicate
• copy what others say or write
• use words that are visible in the immediate environment
• use resources to increase vocabulary
• use familiar repetitive patterns from stories, songs or rhymes
• use illustrations to provide detail when producing own texts
• use various techniques to explore ideas at the planning stage, such as brainstorming or keeping notebooks or logs of ideas
• use knowledge of sentence patterns to form new sentences
• be aware of and use steps of the writing process: prewriting (gathering ideas, planning the text, researching, organizing the text), writing revision (rereading, moving pieces of text, rewriting pieces of text), correction (grammar, spelling, punctuation), publication (reprinting, adding illustrations, binding)
• use a variety of resources to correct texts, e.g., personal and commercial dictionaries, checklists, grammars
• take notes when reading or listening to assist in producing own text
• revise and correct final version of text
• use circumlocution and definition to compensate for gaps in vocabulary
• apply grammar rules to improve accuracy at the correction stage
• compensate for avoiding difficult structures by rephrasing

General Learning Strategies

Cognitive

• classify objects and ideas according to their attributes, e.g., objects by colour, meat or plant eating animal
• use models
• connect what is already known with what is being learned
• experiment with and concentrate on one thing at a time
• focus on and complete learning tasks
• write down key words and concepts in abbreviated form – verbal, graphic or numerical – to assist in the performance of learning tasks
• use mental images to remember new information
• distinguish between fact and opinion when using a variety of sources of information
• formulate key questions to guide inquiry
• make inferences, and identify and justify the evidence on which these inferences are based
• use word maps, mind maps, diagrams, charts or other graphic representations to make information easier to understand and remember
• seek information through a network of sources including libraries, the World Wide Web, individuals and agencies
• use previously acquired knowledge or skills to assist with new learning tasks

Metacognitive

• reflect on learning tasks with the guidance of the teacher
• choose from among learning options
• discover how own efforts can affect learning
• reflect upon own thinking processes and how you learn
• decide in advance to attend to learning tasks
• divide an overall learning task into a number of subtasks
• make a plan in advance about how to approach a task
• identify own needs and interests
• manage own physical working environment
• keep learning journals, such as diaries or logs
• develop criteria for evaluating own work
• work with others to monitor own learning
• take responsibility for planning, monitoring and evaluating learning experiences

Social/Affective

• watch others’ actions and copy them
• seek help from others
• follow own natural curiosity and intrinsic motivation to learn
• participate in cooperative group learning tasks
• choose learning activities that enhance understanding and enjoyment
• be encouraged to try, even though mistakes might be made
• take part in group decision-making processes
• use support strategies to help peers persevere at learning tasks, e.g., offer encouragement, praise, and ideas
• take part in group problem-solving processes
• use self-talk to feel competent to do tasks
• be willing to take risks and try unfamiliar tasks and approaches
• monitor own level of anxiety about learning tasks and take measures to lower it if necessary, e.g., deep breathing laughter
• use social interaction skills to enhance group learning activities