STRATEGIES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE: A CASE STUDY OF GRADUATE STUDENTS AT THE ISLAMIA UNIVERSITY OF BAHAWALPUR, PAKISTAN

Abstract

The aims of the present study were to identify the language learning strategies (LLS) being used by graduate ESL learners at the Islamia University Bahawalpur (IUB), and to compare the frequencies of different LLS used by these students. A modified short version of strategy inventory for
language learning (SILL) used by Bessai (2018) was distributed among 150 ESL learners at The Islamia University of Bahawalpur. The collected data were then analysed by using SPSS. The results indicated that graduate ESL learners at The Islamia University of Bahawalpur use both direct and indirect strategies. The first category includes cognitive strategies, memory strategies and compensation strategies while the second includes metacognitive strategies, social strategies and affective strategies. However, the results reveal a higher preference for using cognitive and metacognitive strategies as compared to the other strategies by these ESL learners.