English learning strategies among EFL learners: A narrative approach

Language learning strategies (LLSs) are believed to be influenced by individual differences as well as environmental and contextual factors. Therefore, the effective use of LLSs is determined by various factors, including both learning and learner variables. This dynamic and complex nature of LLSs renders it appropriate to use a qualitative approach to undertake research into this issue. This paper details the qualitative findings from a larger-scale study on English LLSs among tertiary students in the context of Vietnam. The data was gathered from semi-structured interviews with 10 English as a foreign language (EFL) teaching staff and 10 EFL students at a university in Vietnam. Interviews were conducted in Vietnamese lasting 30 to 40 minutes, and were audio recorded with consent. The interview questions for students focussed on their general attitudes and lived experiences of LLSs. Similarly, the interview questions for EFL staff were structured around their general attitudes. The interview data were translated into English, rechecked, and thematically analysed. The findings are of a textual and interpretative nature with emerging themes and issues related to the attitudes towards and actual use of LLSs among the target learners. The findings provide practical implications for practitioners, researchers and educational policy makers alike.