Language Learning Strategies Used for Enhancing Reading Comprehension among Primary Year 6 ESL Pupils

Abstract

There has been a huge transfiguration of English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching approaches in recent years. In view of this, the importance of Language Learning Strategies (LLS) is indisputable since 21st century teaching focuses on the learning process rather than the learning product. The ability to read is regarded as one of the most crucial skills to be mastered as it requires the readers to subconsciously interact with the writers through various cognitive and metacognitive strategies such as predicting, analysing, summarising, etc. This paper aims to shed light on the LLS employed by 60 primary Year 6 ESL pupils to master reading comprehension at a sub-urban school in Bintulu, Sarawak. Accordingly, Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) Survey Questionnaire is adopted in this study to identify the LLS used by the said pupils as they learn to read in English. The data were then discussed and analysed quantitatively in descriptive analysis. Results of the study revealed that compensation strategy is the highly used LLS, while the cognitive related strategy is the minimally used LLS among primary Year 6 ESL pupils in improving their reading comprehension. Future research is suggested to extend the investigation of LLS used towards other language skills in determining the success criteria of an effective language learner.