Robin Hood in SLA: What Has the Learning Strategy Researcher Taught Us?*

This article reviews two decades of empirical research on language learning strategies in the field of second language acquisition (SLA). Five broad questions are examined: I) What is a language learning strategy? 2) What are the good language learning strategies? 3) How are language learning strategies associated with learning results? 4) Where do learning strategies come from? and 5) Is language learning strategy training effective? Achievements and remaining issues are discussed, followed by potential directions for future research. The article argues for the need for more theorizing and more empirical research on specific language learning tasks as opposed to general "language learning strategies." Also an urgent call for research along contextual dimensions is stressed. In particular, Asian learners, a group with distinct learning strategies, warrant much more unbiased allenlion.

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