The relationship between personality traits and language learning strategies among pakistani university esl students
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Date
2018
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UMT Lahore
Abstract
The major purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between personality traits and language learning strategies (LLSs), prediction of preferred LLSs usage by personality traits, and the association between different demographic factors and LLSs. Two survey instruments, Big Five Inventory (BFI) developed by Goldberg (1993) and Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) version 7.0 developed by Oxford (1990) were administered along with the demographic questionnaire to Pakistani graduate university students learning English as their second language. Three hypothesis were framed in effort to explore possible relationship between personality traits and LLSs, prediction of LLSs by Personality traits and association of LLSs with demographic factors among Pakistani university students. Three self-report questionnaires were administered to 162 participants, males (n = 29) and females (n = 123). Analysis of variance ANOVA, t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient and Linear multiple regression tests were used to statistically analyze the quantitative data. Openness, conscientiousness and extraversion personality traits were found to be significantly related to and all six strategies of language learning including memory, cognition, compensation, metacognition, affective and social strategies. Openness and conscientiousness personality traits were signifanctly predicting compensation strategy while metacognitive strategy was significantly predicted by openness and extraversion. In addition female use of strategy was greater in category of memory and cognition than male. Moreover, higher CGPA students were using cognitive strategies while low CGPA students were using metacognitive strategies. Compensation strategy was significantly found to be used by students having, job experience, proficient English speaking parents and Urdu Language as their medium of instruction in school. This study focused on a population of graduate university students in Pakistan. Further research should be conducted representing different ages, geographical area, and academic levels for higher understanding of the influence of these factors on LLSs. It is recommended that teachers should enhance their knowledge of personality traits and LLSs, so they can reinforce the limitations faced by ESL learners at individual level.