LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGIES OF HIGH PROFICIENCY

STUDENTS IN THEIR ORAL PRESENTATION AT ENGLISH LANGUAGE

EDUCATION OF PGRI RONGGOLAWE UNIVERSITY TUBAN

Christina I.T. Panggabean

(State University of Surabaya (UNESA)/ christina306.cp@gmail.com)

Ingelia Kesuma
(University of PGRI Ronggolawe (UNIROW) Tuban/ ingelike30@gmail.com)

Abstract
This study is intended to describe 1) the language learning strategies used by
male and female students with high speaking performance in their oral
presentation and 2) their reasons of using certain language learning strategies.
This study used descriptive qualitative method. The subject of the study were ten
high proficiency students consisting of four male students and six female
students. Questionnaire and interview were used to collect the data. The data
from the questionnaire and the interview were analyzed descriptively. The result
indicated that all of the students from high proficiency level used all learning
strategies, including memory strategy, cognitive strategy, compensation strategy,
metacognitive strategy, affective strategy, and social strategy. The students were
categorized as medium users of language learning strategy. High proficiency
male students used compensation strategy (3.85) the most frequently, followed
by meta-cognitive strategy (3.63) and social strategy (3.37). Meanwhile, high
proficiency female students used cognitive strategy (4.02) the most frequently,
followed by compensation strategy (3.77) and metacognitive strategy (3.72).
Both male and female students had some different and similar reasons of using
certain language learning strategies for their oral presentation task.

Keywords:
Language Learning Strategy, High Proficiency Students, Oral Presentation

A. Introduction fluency, and pronunciation.1 Students

Speaking a foreign language is
not an easy skill to be mastered by
learners. English language learners
consider speaking as the most difficult
skill since it needs great courage as well
as preparation to speak well in the new
language. Regarding this, Brown states
speaking has five components namely:
grammar, vocabulary, comprehension,
have to be aware of these components.
Before they speak, they should know
what they will say; therefore, they need
to have many ideas in their mind about
what they will say. In addition, students
1
H. Douglas Brown, Language
Assessment: Principles and Classroom
Practices (New York: Pearson Education,
2004).

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must be able to use correct much improvement of proficiency to be
pronunciation; otherwise, it will be communicatively competent. Thus,
difficult for listeners to understand them. learning strategies are among the main
Moreover, in order to be able to speak factors that help to determine how, and
fluently and correctly, they must have how well, learners learn a foreign
sufficient vocabulary and must be able to language.
arrange their sentences so that they can Oxford divided language learning
be understood. If all these things are strategies into two types; direct
done well, the students surely will be strategies and indirect strategies. Direct
able to speak well and their listeners will strategies are divided into three groups:
get the message easily. memory strategies, cognitive strategies,
One of the aspects that are and compensation strategies.
involved in the process of developing Meanwhile, indirect strategies are
speaking skills is the language learning divided into three: metacognitive
strategies used by the learners strategies, affective strategies, and
4
themselves. Language learning social strategies .
strategies constitute a useful toolkit for Memory strategies refer to the
active and conscious learning, and these processes of encoding, storing, and
strategies have the way toward greater retrieving information. The strategies
2
language learning proficiency. In applied by creating mental linkages,
addition, Oxford stated that the use of applying image and sounds, reviewing
appropriate language learning strategies well, and employing action.
is a major contribution to the Cognitive strategies enable
development of communicative learners to manipulate the target
3
competence. She assured that language materials in direct way. The
language learning strategies make strategies are used by practicing,
learning easier, faster, more enjoyable, receiving and sending messages,
more self-directed, more effective, and analyzing and reasoning, and creating
more transferable to new situations. It structure for input and output.
can be assumed that if inappropriate Compensation strategies
strategies are applied it will not result in employed by language learners both for
comprehension and production to
2
overcome their limitation in knowledge.
Zoltán Dörnyei, The Psychology of
the Language Learner: Individual Differences These can be done by guessing
in Second Language Acquisition (London: L. intelligently when listening or reading,
Erlbaum, 2005).
3 and overcoming limitations in speaking
Rebecca L. Oxford, Language
Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher
Should Know (Boston: Newbury House
4
Publisher, 1990). Ibid.

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and writing by some ways such as using Giving oral presentation is not
language switch in speaking, and easy for the students to do. To give oral
circumlocution in speaking and writing. presentation effectively and successfully,
Metacognitive strategies involve students need language learning
learners in effective learning by focusing, strategies. However, the use of
planning, monitoring, and evaluating. language learning strategies can be
Affective strategies help various from one student to another
language learners to anticipate anxious student depending on different factors
feelings, and reward for good such as age, gender, personality, the
performance related to language learning purposes, and language
proficiency. proficiency.
Social Strategies are used to Among the factors above,
help learners to understand the target language proficiency and gender have
culture as well as the language by been widely discussed. Related to
asking questions to get verification of a language proficiency, Griffiths
confusing point and cooperate with summarized her study that higher level
others. learners frequently use a large number
The language learning strategies of language learning strategies, or
can be applied in different language activities consciously chosen for the
skills including speaking skill. One of the purpose of regulating their own language
activities often applied in university learning.6 Meanwhile, according to
classrooms is oral presentation. Nyikos, the potential for gender to affect
According to Panggabean, giving language learning cannot be ignored.7
oral presentation has been commonly He asserted that women inform
practiced in EFL classrooms, especially equivalent but often greater use of
5
at universities . She further stated that in learning strategies than men, especially
English class, giving oral presentation strategies for authentic language use, for
can be an opportunity for EFL students communicating meaning, and for self-
not only to learn to give presentation but management as well as for general,
also to improve their English ability social, and affective strategies purposes.
orally. Some previous studies show
that the level of proficiency and gender
5
Christina I.T Panggabean, differences determined the use of
“Enhancing EFL Students Oral Presentation
Skill Through Metacognitive Strategy
6
Training.” Proceeding the Seventh Carol Griffiths, Strategies and
International conference on Applied Good Language Learners (Cambridge:
Linguistics’ Language Varieties and Cambridge University Press, 2008), 83–98.
7
Language Teaching in a Multiethnic Setting. Nyikos, Martha. Gender and Good
Bandung, 24-25 November 2014. (pp. 25- Language Learners. In Griffiths, Strategies
29). and Good Language Learners, 73–82.

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207
Language Learning
Salahshour, Sharifi,
Nedasalahshour conducted the research
entitled “The relationship
language learning strategy
language proficiency level, and learner
8
gender”. The aims of the study were to
explore the relationship between choice
of learning strategies and frequency of
their use and learners‟ gender, and level
of proficiency in English. The results
revealed that Iranian high
learners employed learning strategies
with medium frequency; meta-cognitive
strategies were the most frequent, while
cognitive strategies were the
frequent. Proficient learners showed
significantly more strategy use, as well
as more use of metacognitive and social
strategies. According to the results,
females used learning strategies more
frequently than males.
The second previous study is
from Rachmawati who conducted the
research entitled “Language Learning
Strategies Used By Learners in Learning
9
Speaking”. The aims of this study were
to investigate learners‟ language
learning strategies (LLS) in learning
8
Farzad Salahshour, Mahnaz
Sharifi, and Neda Salahshour, “The
Relationship between Language Learning
Strategy Use, Language Proficiency Level
and Learner Gender,” Procedia - Social and
Behavioral Sciences 70 (January 2013):
634–43,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.01.103.
9
Yuli Rachmawati, “Language
Learning Strategies Used by Learners in
Learning Speaking,” Journal of English and
Education 1, no. 2 (2013): 124–131.
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208
Strategy. speaking and the different strategies
and used by the high and low achievers of
the class. The findings show that
between compensation strategies are the most
use, frequently used strategies employed by
all learners. Meanwhile, the highest
strategy used by high achiever students
was social strategy (M=3.85) and the
highest strategy used by low achiever
students was metacognitive strategy
(M=3.30). From her study, it can be
school concluded that the differences in the
strategies used by the high and low
achievers in speaking are found in terms
of the frequency of use, strategy
least category, and varieties of strategy.
It shows that previous studies
prove that language proficiency and
gender may influence the choice and the
frequency of language learning strategy
used by EFL language learner in
learning English as foreign language.
This article is aimed to describe
the language learning strategies
employed by high proficiency students
and the reasons for using certain
language learning strategies.
B. Research Method
This research was conducted
using descriptive qualitative research
design to answer the questions of the
study. It is applied to describe the use of
Language Learning Strategies by the
students. The subject of the study were
ten high proficiency students from the
eighth semester at English Language
Education of Universitas PGRI
Ronggolawe Tuban. The ten students
consisted of four male students and six
female students. The high proficiency
level of the students was determined
from the students‟ grade of Speaking IV
subject (all of them got A for the
subject).
To collect the data
research questionnaire
structure interview were applied. The
questionnaire used in this research was
Strategy Inventory for
Learning (SILL) version 7.0; consisting
of 50 items developed by Oxford.10 To
confirm the data from the questionnaire,
two male and two female students were
interviewed. The interview was also
conducted to know the reasons the
students used certain language learning
strategies. All of the data were analyzed
qualitatively through
classifying, describing, interpreting, and
concluding which included verifying.
C. Research Finding and Discussion
In this section, the results of the
analysis of the data obtained
presented as follows:
categorized into medium users of
LLS. They used all types of LLS, from
which compensation strategy (3,85)
and metacognitive strategy (3.63)
were highly used, followed by the
other Language Learning Strategies
of the which are used in medium level. They
and semi- are: social strategy (3.37), memory
strategy (3.34), affective strategy
(3.20), and cognitive strategy (3,12).
Language
b. Language Learning Strategies
used by the High Proficiency
Female Students (see appendix).
Based on the table, the high
proficiency female students were also
categorized into medium users of
LLS. They also used all LLS, from
which cognitive strategy (4.02),
compensation strategy (3.77), and
identifying,
metacognitive strategy (3.72) were
highly used, followed by the other
Language Learning Strategies which
are used in medium level. They are
affective strategy (3.36), social
strategy (3.35), and memory strategy
are
(2.97).

2. The Students’ Reasons of Using

1. Language Learning Strategies
Language Learning Strategies in
used by the High Proficiency Male
Their Oral Presentation
and Female Students
a. The Reasons of High
a. Learning Strategies used by the
Proficiency Male Students in
High Proficiency Male Students
Using Language Learning
(see appendix).
Strategies in Their Oral
Based on the table, the high
Presentation
proficiency male students were
From the interview, the male
students mentioned some reasons of
10
Ibid

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209
using certain language learning solve the problem they usually try not
strategies. The students stated that to look at the audience directly, but
when they do not know some words, they look at the back side of the
they will use other words to explain, class. Using this strategy, the
paraphrase or use synonym. From students felt that they could reduce
SILL, it proves that 50% often and their nervousness. It proves from
25% always use a word or phrase SILL that 75% of the students often
that means the same thing. They will and 25% of them always try to relax
also ask their friends and their whenever they feel afraid of using
lecturer to repeat words or sentences English, which is related to affective
when they are asked questions. From strategy.
SILL, it proves that 25% of the In using cognitive strategy, the
students sometimes, 50% often, and students try to remember some words
25% always ask the other person to by writing sentences or practicing the
slow down or say it again If they do words in speaking so that it will be
not understand something in English. easier for them to remember the
From their statements, they used words. From SILL 50% of the
compensation strategy and social students sometimes and 50% of them
strategy. often use the English words they
The students also applied know in different ways. The students
metacognitive strategy. They stated also made notes so that they can
that they like to evaluate their remember what to say in their oral
mistakes in their speaking to improve presentation. It proves from SILL that
their speaking skill. It proves from 50% of the students sometimes, 25%
SILL that 50% of the students often often and 25% always use the
and 25% of them always notice their strategy.
English mistakes and use the
b. The Reasons of High
information to help them do better.
Proficiency Female Students in
Beside that, after the presentation,
Using Language Learning
they evaluated their performance
Strategies in Their Oral
whether they had performed well.
Presentation.
From SILL, 50% of the students often
The female students mentioned
and 50% of them always think about
some reasons of using certain
their progress in learning English.
language learning strategies. In
Furthermore, the male students
applying cognitive strategy, the
stated that they sometimes did not
female students interviewed stated
feel confident when they were
that they make notes to make them
speaking in front of the class. To
remember what to be said in their oral

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210
presentation so that their 33.33% of the female students often
performance in their oral presentation and 50% of them always use the
become better. It proves from SILL strategy.
that 66.66% of the students Related to meta-cognitive
sometimes and 33.33% often write strategy, when they will have a
notes, messages, letters, or reports in presentation, they prepare the
English. In addition, to make them material a week before doing
more fluent in English, they like to presentation. It proves from SILL that
watch the English movie. It proves 50% of the students sometimes,
from SILL that 25% of the students 16.67% often, 16.67% always plan
sometimes and 50% of them always their schedule so they will have
watch English language TV shows enough time to study English. And
spoken in English or go to movies after doing the presentation, they
spoken in English. The Statements always evaluate the result from their
show that the students applied presentation to make them better in
cognitive strategy. doing presentation for the next time.
Besides that, when they know From SILL 33.33% of the students
some new vocabularies, they have often and 33.33% of them always
some ways to make them remember think about their progress in learning
the words. They will write the words in English.
their notebook and make sentences The female students also
from the words. It proves from SILL sometimes feel nervous when they
that 83.33% of the students speak in front of the class. To solve
sometimes use new English words in the problem, they usually try to take a
a sentence so they can remember deep breath. From SILL 33.33% of
them. They also practice the new the students often and 33.33% of
words with their friends. It proves them always try to relax whenever
from SILL that 66.66% of the students they feel afraid of using English. It
sometimes, 16.67% often, and shows that they applied affective
16.67% always use the English words strategy.
they know in different ways, which From their statements, there are
show the use of cognitive strategy. similarities between male students
The students also applied and female students in using
compensation strategy. When they language learning strategies. They
want to say a word in their oral apply language learning strategies
presentation, but they do not because they still have problems in
remember the word, they will use their speaking skill. Beside that, they
other words. It proves from SILL that

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211
want to perform better in their oral statement in Anderson13 that good
presentation. language learners make frequent use
The finding of the current of wide range of metacognitive
research shows that the high strategies.
proficiency male and female students Related to compensation
have similarities and differences in strategies, Wardhono stated from his
using language learning strategies. study that high achievers use
They are categorized into medium compensation strategy the most
users in applying language learning frequently in learning vocabulary. 14
strategies. Compensation and His finding also reported that female
metacognitive strategies are the most students scored significantly higher in
highly used by the male students. term of frequency in strategy use in
Meanwhile, cognitive, compensation, five of the six strategies categories
and metacognitive strategies are the (memory, compensation,
most highly used by the female metacognitive, affective, and social
students. Both the male and female strategy). Meanwhile, the male
students use compensation, and students used compensation and
metacognitive strategies highly. metacognitive strategies the most
There are various results of frequently.
studies in the use of language Another study by Taheri and
learning strategies. The previous Davoudi15 proved that there is
study from Salahshour, Sharifi, and significant relationship between the
11
Nedasalahshour show that male frequency of the strategies use and
students used meta-cognitive and language proficiency. The frequency
social strategy more frequently and of compensation strategies uses
female students used meta-cognitive increases as the level of language
and compensation strategy more
13
frequently. Meanwhile, Rachmawati12 Neil J Anderson. Metacognitive
and Good Language Learners. In Griffiths,
found that compensation strategy is
Strategies and Good Language Learners,
used by both high and low achievers 73–82. 99-109.
14
students. Agus Wardhono. “Learning
Strategies Employed by „SBI‟ High School
It is interesting that both high Students In Vocabulary Mastery.”
proficiency male and female students Unpublished dissertation. State University of
Surabaya, 2009.
use metacognitive and compensation 15
Ali Akbar Taheri and Mohammad
strategies highly. It proves O‟Malley Davoudi, “The Use of Compensation
Strategies in the Iranian EFL Learners‟
and Chamot as well as Griffith‟s
Speaking and Its Relationship with Their
Foreign Language Proficiency.,” Journal of
11
Ibid. Education and Practice 7, no. 9 (2016): 165–
12
Ibid. 179.

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 proficiency develops. Whereas, no It also can be concluded that the
significant relationship was observed reasons the high proficiency students
between strategy frequency and used certain language learning
gender. strategies that they still had problems in
The studies support Oxford‟s their speaking. To solve the problems,
statement that learners with different they used compensation strategy when
language proficiency adopt different they have their oral presentation to be
patterns and frequencies of LLSs in able to deliver their ideas to the
16
foreign language learning. In audience. Besides that, they use
addition, Oxford reported that females metacognitive strategy in order to
are more aware of their use of perform better in their oral presentation.
strategies to facilitate their learning. As
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Table 1: Language Learning Strategies
Presentation Skill Through
used by the High Proficiency Male
Metacognitive Strategy Training. Students.
Proceeding the Seventh
International conference on
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Strategies Used by Learners in used by the High Proficiency Female
Learning Speaking.” Journal of Students.
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Salahshour, Farzad, Mahnaz Sharifi,
and Neda Salahshour. “The
Relationship between Language
Learning Strategy Use,
Language Proficiency Level and
Learner Gender.” Procedia -
Social and Behavioral Sciences
70 (January 2013): 634–43. Note:
MS : Memory Strategy
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2
CogS : Cognitive Strategy
013.01.103. CompS : Compensation Strategy
Taheri, Ali Akbar, and Mohammad MCS : Metacognitive Strategy
AS : Affective Strategy
Davoudi. “The Use of
SS : Social Strategy
Compensation Strategies in the OLS : Overall Strategy

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