Language learning strategies by learners of Chinesse as a Foreign Language (CFL): the effect of proficiency and gender

People learn new languages for various reasons. In today’s increasingly multi-cultural world, it is not uncommon for people to learn a second/foreign language (L2), or even a third language. However, not every L2 learner can reach the goal of mastering their target language to a high proficiency level. The differences between successful learners and unsuccessful learners might lie in their learning strategies used. Are there certain language learning strategies that are more commonly used by learners at different stages of their learning? Do learners change their learning strategy as they progress in proficiency? Much research has been done with English L2 learners, but little has been done on learners of Mandarin as an L2. This study is conducted to better understand the learning strategies employed by Mandarin L2 learners. The participants of this study are second and third year Chinese language students at the University of Queensland. Oxford’s (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) was used as a measure of language learning strategies in the current study. It was found that there was no effect of proficiency, while the effect of gender was only observed in the use of affective strategies, as males recorded a higher use of affective strategies than females. Males were also found to vary more in their use of language learning strategies than female participants. These findings will help us identify strategies commonly used by language learners, allowing us to make recommendations to language teachers to facilitate their teaching.