UNIVERSITY OF SAN JOSE-RECOLETOS
GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

Dissertation Abstract

TITLE : The Metacognitive, Affective and Social Language Learning Strategies of English Learners and their Grammatical and Lexical Competencies
AUTHOR : Jan-Dolly Grace Llavor Deita
DEGREE : Doctor of Philosophy in English major in Language
SCHOOL : University of San Jose-Recoletos
ADVISER : Ofelia Torrecampo Posecion, Ph.D.
PLACE OF PUBLICATION : Cebu City
DATE : August 2012
PAGES : 349

I. OBJECTIVES : This research investigation aimed to determine the metacognitive, affective and social language learning strategies and the grammatical and lexical competencies of English learners of selected teacher education institutions in Negros Occidental. Specifically, this study purported to address the following questions:
1. What is the extent to which Language Learning Strategies are used by English learners as a whole and in terms of the following sub-dimensions of Language Learning Strategies: 1.1 Metacognitive Language Learning Strategy, 1.2 Affective Language Learning Strategy, and 1.3 Social Language Learning Strategy?
2. What is the extent of Grammatical and Lexical Competencies of English Learners in selected Teacher Education Institutions in Negros Occidental?
3. Is there a significant correlation between the Grammatical and Lexical Competencies of English learners?
4. Are there significant correlations between the sub-dimensions of Language Learning Strategies when paired as follows:
4.1 Metacognitive Language Learning Strategy and Affective Language Learning Strategy,
4.2 Metacognitive Language Learning Strategy and Social Language Learning Strategy,
4.3 Affective Language Learning Strategy and Social Language Learning Strategy?
5. Is there a significant correlation between the extent of use of the Language Learning Strategies and the Grammatical and Lexical Competencies of English Learners?
6. Are there significant correlations in the extent of use of each sub- dimension of Language Learning Strategies and the Grammatical and Lexical Competencies of English Learners when paired as: 6.1 Metacognitive Language Learning Strategy and Grammatical Competence, 6.2 Metacognitive Language Learning Strategy and Lexical Competence, 6.3 Affective Language Learning Strategy and Grammatical Competence, 6.4 Affective Language Learning Strategy and Lexical Competence,
6.5 Social Language Learning Strategy and Grammatical Competence, 6.6 Social Language Learning Strategy and Lexical Competence?
7. How may the English Language Instructional Plan be developed?

II. METHODOLOGY:
This research study randomly chose 349 English learners from selected Teacher Education Institutions of Negros Occidental as respondents of the study. The descriptive-quantitative and correlational research design was utilized by subjecting the data to Pearson Product Moment Coefficient of Correlation as the main data-analysis instrument.
The data-gathering instrument which was used in this study was divided into two parts: Part I which contained the questionnaire instrument about Language Learning Strategies involving the three sub-dimensions namely Metacognitive, Affective and Social Language Learning Strategies and Part II which contained test items to determine the Grammatical and Lexical Competencies of the English Learners. The data to determine the information required to respond to the specific problems in this research investigation were gathered by subjecting the identified respondent -Education students to a written examination.
III. FINDINGS:
The following were the findings of this research endeavor:
1. The extent to which Language Learning Strategies are used by English learners as a whole is High. The same High extent has been generated from each of following sub-dimensions of Language Learning Strategies: Metacognitive, Affective and Social Language Learning Strategies.
2. The English learners’ Grammatical and Lexical Competencies were Above Average.
3. The Grammatical Competence of the English learners is significantly correlated to their Lexical Competence.
4. There was a significant correlation between and among the Metacognitive, Affective and Social Language Learning Strategies.
5. There was a significant correlation between the extent of use of the Language Learning Strategies and Grammatical Competence. In the same context, there was also a significant correlation between the extent of use of the Language Learning Strategies and Lexical Competence.
6. There was a significant correlation between the extent of use of Metacognitive and Affective Language Learning Strategies and Grammatical Competence; the extent of use of Metacognitive

and Affective Language Learning Strategies and Lexical Competence are likewise correlated although there was no significant correlation when paired with Social Language Learning Strategy.

IV. CONCLUSION:
Based on the results of this research endeavor, it is concluded that the use of the three language learning strategies by the English learners is usually true more than half the time. It is also concluded that the English Learners have adequate academic knowledge in terms of syntax, mechanics, morphology and semantics. Moreover, there is a high retention of learning when metacognitive and affective language learning strategies are utilized by the English learners; such information can be favorably considered by language teachers in processing their lessons; this is however not as strongly true in the use of social language learning strategy because the grammatical and lexical competencies of the English learners are not significantly affected by whether or not the English learners utilize this learning strategy.
V. RECOMMENDATIONS:
In view of the research findings and conclusion, the following recommendations are set forth:
1. Conduct in-depth research studies on the influence of other language learning strategies, not just the metacognitive, affective and social language learning strategies to enhance the grammatical and lexical competencies of English learners;
2. Assess thoroughly each component of linguistic competence because these may contribute to enabling the learners to communicate appropriately in the target language;
3. Design a functional English Language Instructional Plan to enhance the proposed Language Program of this research work which will address the distinct need of English learners of a specific teacher education institution;
4. Revisit and update existing English Language Instructional Plan Periodically, and more specifically the use of language learning strategies, topics, content and activity plan;
5. Provide opportunities for faculty members to attend seminars, conferences and trainings pertinent to language learning strategies and domain specific topics on linguistics with focus on grammar and lexicon; and
6. Provide strong administrative support to faculty members to be involved in projects of formulating language learning strategies with student-leaders because technical jargons are generally found and used by teachers in various disciplines.