The Relationship Between Language Learning Strategies and Gender in Learning English as a Second or Foreign Language

Abstract

In Viet Nam and many other nations, people tend to make general assumptions about language learning like that “Females are better at language learning than males”, “Languages are females’ subjects”. Those assumptions have caused a negative impression on males about language learning. As a result, there is a remarkable worldwide inequality in the number of male and female English majors. Are females really superior to males in language learning? Do their different ways in language learning play an important role in their success? If the differences in learning methods are said to be responsible, their learning strategies may account for their different level of success in language learning. Those questions inspired the author to determine whether there are any significant differences in learning strategies due to gender. The paper first synthesized previous research to have an overview of learning strategies males tend to prefer and those that females favour. Then, from the awareness of the differences, some pedagogic implications were raised for English teachers who share the same interest in dealing well with learners of each sex.