Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know [Paperback]

Rebecca L. Oxford (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0838428622 | ISBN-13: 978-0838428627 | Publication Date: January 1, 1990 | Edition: 1

Based on current research, this text provides ESL/EFL and foreign language teachers with practical recommendations for developing their students' second language learning strategies. Detailed suggestions for strategy use in each of the four language skills are included as well as case studies and models for setting up similar programs.

Product Details

• Paperback: 342 pages
• Publisher: Heinle ELT; 1 edition (January 1, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0838428622
• ISBN-13: 978-0838428627
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #736,420 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A very systematic study of language learning strategies, May 16, 2000

By 

Chris Elvin (Kanagawa, Japan) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know (Paperback)

Language Learning Strategies is a very well organised study of the techniques that learners utilise in order to master a foreign language. The results of Rebecca Oxford's research has yielded a four-level taxonomy of learning strategies, which she presents in outline form as well as in depth, and which is the great strength of this book. At the lowest level of her classification, there are concrete examples of every strategy in a number of different languages, and no matter how hard I tried, I could not think of a new strategy which wasn't already covered somewhere in her diagram. The book also contains strategy awareness surveys, and a mixture of adopted and original strategy training exercises covering all four language skills, which most teachers should find useful. It is well referenced and well cross-referenced, and there is a useful chapter on networking, should you wish to pursue your studies further. The only slight concern that I have about this book is that some of the exercises seem to require quite a high degree of sophistication in order to play, and that there may be a limit to which students want to spend time talking about such strategies in class, however useful they may be.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not a practical resource for classroom teachers, July 9, 2003

By 

"aryln" (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know (Paperback)

As a university and now secondary school foreign language teacher, I was extremely excited to find this book--it sounded like exactly what I would need to have on hand when students came to me with problems learning vocabulary, or with their fears of speaking in front of their peers because their accent was not up to par.

While I agree with the review written by Chris Elvin--that there seem to be no major strategies missed in this book, and that the research is nothing if not solid--be prepared to work for the information. This book was not written for classroom teachers--it was written by an academic for an academic audience, by a professor seeking tenure. For this reason, I have docked it a star. If you want an academic source to read, consider my rating five stars. But if you're a classroom teacher like me who simply wants to give my students every opportunity to succeed, you'll spend hours and hours analyzing her research before you can really start to apply any of the materials to your classroom. Just a thought. I'm returning my copy...

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Language Learning Strategies - an invaluable text for L2 teachers, September 19, 2008

By 

Gregory Brundage (South Korea) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know (Paperback)

This book reviews much of Rebecca Oxford's research on second language (L2) study strategies as of 1990. She is the undisputed heavyweight champion of this field, and this book covers a broad range of research. I believe it is a must read for all language teachers. There are innumerable practical exercises to help students covering: memory, cognitive, metacognitive, compensatory, affective and social, L2 learning strategies. Her 2008 publication in Asian EFL Journal is also well worth reading (and is free to access on their Internet site). Hats off to the Grand Lady of L2 study strategies!