Nicholas Y. Duvernay. 2019. Gender Variables in Strategy Use for Korean EFL
Learners. Language Information 29. 80-93. This study investigates correlations
between gender and strategy use and, more specifically, the prioritization for
metacognitive strategy use in Korean EFL learners using the Strategy Inventory
for Language Learning (SILL, Oxford, 1990). An entry SILL survey was given
at the beginning of a semester for an EFL discussion class in Korea and an
exit SILL survey was given at the end of the semester to determine if there
were any significant changes in strategy use in either gender group. The study
found that significant shifts in the use of metacognitive and affective strategies
were demonstrated by females, while only minor metacognitive strategy shifts
were found in the male groups. Implications are made towards the development
of language learning classrooms which are designed for specific types of language
learners based on their preferences in strategy usage.
Key words: Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL), language learning
strategies, gender factors, metacognitive strategies