The effects of Cognitive Language Learning Strategy Instruction on ESL Engineering College Students’ Reading and Writing performance - a Pilot Study

Abstract

The goal of the pilot study was to check the validity of the research design and the instruments used in the actual doctoral study. The objectives of the study are to find learners’ strategy use and to investigate the effects of learner strategy training on Telugu ESL learners’ reading and writing performance. The study also investigated the relationship between independent variables like gender, ethnicity, and medium of instruction, school type and learners’ English Exposure. The researcher examined the correlation among English exposure and reading and writing strategy use using linear regression test.  A total of 30 students participated in the pilot study. The participants completed two sets of self-reported questionnaire, including background questionnaire and Strategy Inventory for Language Learning, SILL version7.0 (Oxford, 1989).  It was a quasi-experimental study of pre- and post-test design. The strategy instruction program lasted for 4 weeks.  The experimental group was given an explicit strategy instruction on cognitive learning strategies. The data were computed and analyzed using descriptive statistics with the help of IBM SPSS software. The data were collected using reading and writing strategy questionnaire, and learner dairies. Results of the study indicated there is no significance between gender, ethnicity, and learners’ English Exposure, but found and medium of instruction, school type contributed increase in learners’ English exposure. The experimental group significantly outperformed than control group on awareness of strategies, utilization of strategies and reading and writing test.