Investigating english major students beliefs in speaking skill development and their practices of using learning strategies a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements fo

Researchers have found out factors affecting the teaching and learning of English speaking skill, in which students’ beliefs and their practices of using learning strategies are factors

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

I certify that the thesis entitled “Investigating English major students’ beliefs in speaking skill development and their practices of using learning strategies” is my own work

Except where reference is made in the text of the thesis, this thesis does not contain material published elsewhere or extracted in whole or in part from a thesis by which

I have qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma

No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement in the main text

of the thesis

This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in any other tertiary institution

Ho Chi Minh City, September 2016

Nguyen Thi Kim Loan

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the persons who have helped

me for the completion of this thesis

First and foremost, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor,

Dr Nguyen Thu Huong for his expert guidance, full support, understanding and encouragement throughout my research Without his patience and timely advice, my thesis work could not have been done

Secondly, huge thanks go to my classmates who have been so helpful and patient to me They are always willing to support me with any questions and are so generous in sharing with me all priceless documents

Finally, my special thanks go to my family members who have supported me with everything so that I could concentrate on this research I would not have been able to complete this thesis without their continuous encouragement and unconditional support

ABSTRACT

Speaking is always considered the most major area in the foreign language research It is also regarded as the most difficult skill among other language skills to Vietnamese students In Khanh Hoa University, speaking skill has been one of the significant subjects focused on training for English major students However, many students are still not confident in using English to communicate in real life Researchers have found out factors affecting the teaching and learning of English speaking skill, in which students’ beliefs and their practices of using learning strategies are factors aimed to investigate in this study The study was conducted on

170 English major students The questionnaire covers two main parts: students’ beliefs and learning strategies; in which the content of beliefs covers aspects of speaking such as linguistic knowledge, communication strategies, extralinguistic knowledge, regular practice and language aptitude; learning strategies explored here include memory strategies, cognitive strategies, metacognitive strategies and social strategies

The results show that the participants regard most aspects important for successful speaking skill development Meanwhile, language aptitude is not considered important by this group of students In terms of learning strategies, the results show that memory and cognitive strategies are used more than the other two, metacognitive and social strategies The study also indicates that some beliefs that students hold relate to their practice of using learning strategies However, there are still some inconsistency between their beliefs and learning strategies In general, the beliefs that they hold in developing speaking skill are not erroneous but the strategies which are helpful for their speaking learning are not utilized appropriately

At the end of the study, practical recommendations to the administrators of the Department of Foreign Language, teachers and students are given Hopefully these suggestions can help students to achieve better results in their speaking ability

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Background of the study 1

1.2 Statement of the problem 2

1.3 Aims of the study 3

1.4 Research questions 3

1.5 Hypothesis 4

1.6 Significance of the study 4

1.7 Organization of the study 4

Chapter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 6

2.1 Speaking skill 6

2.1.1 Definition of speaking skill 6

2.1.2 Aspects of speaking 7

2.1.2.1 Linguistic knowledge 8

2.1.2.1.1 Vocabulary 8

2.1.2.1.2 Grammar 9

2.1.2.1.3 Pronunciation 9

2.1.2.1.4 Pragmatics 10

2.1.2.1.5 Genre and discourse knowledge 10

2.1.2.2 Communication strategies 11

2.1.2.3 Extra-linguistic knowledge 12

2.1.2.4 Regular practice 13

2.1.2.5 Language aptitude 13

2.2 Learners’ beliefs 14

2.2.1 Definition of learners’ beliefs 14

2.2.2 The importance of learners’ beliefs in language learning 15

2.3 Language learning strategies 16

2.3.1 Definition of language learning strategies 16

2.3.2 Classification of language learning strategies 17

2.3.3 The importance of language learning strategies in language learning 18

2.4 The relationship between learners’ beliefs and language learning strategies 18

2.5 Previous studies on students’ beliefs and on the relationship between students’ beliefs and their learning strategy use 19

2.5.1 Previous studies on students’ beliefs about language learning 19

2.5.2 Previous studies on students’ beliefs about speaking skill development 24

2.5.3 Previous studies on the relationship between students’ beliefs and their learning strategy use 26

2.6 Implications for the present study 34

2.7 The research model 35

2.8 Summary of chapter 2 37

Chapter 3: METHODOLOGY 38

3.1 Research design 38

3.2 Setting of the research 39

3.3 Participants 39

3.4 Data collection instruments 41

3.4.1 Interview (pilot study) 41

3.4.2 Questionnaire 41

3.5 Procedure to collect data 44

3.6 Data analysis procedure 46

3.7 Chapter summary 46

Chapter 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 48

4.1 Data analysis 48

4.1.1 Research question 1: What are students’ beliefs about speaking skill development? 48

4.1.1.1 Students’ beliefs about the role of vocabulary in speaking skill development 50

4.1.1.2 Students’ beliefs about the role of grammar in speaking skill development 51

4.1.1.3 Students’ beliefs about the role of pronunciation in speaking skill development 52

4.1.1.4 Students’ beliefs about the role of pragmatics in speaking skill

development 53

4.1.1.5 Students’ beliefs about the role of genre and discourse in speaking skill development 54

4.1.1.6 Students’ beliefs about the role of communication strategies in speaking skill development 55

4.1.1.7 Students’ beliefs about the role of extra-linguistic knowledge in speaking skill development 56

4.1.1.8 Students’ beliefs about the role of regular practice in speaking skill development 57

4.1.1.9 Students’ beliefs about the role of language aptitude in speaking skill development 58

4.1.2 Research question 2: What are students’ practices of using learning strategies in developing speaking skill? 59

4.1.2.1 Students’ practices of using memory strategies 61

4.1.2.2 Students’ practices of using cognitive strategies 62

4.1.2.3 Students’ practices of using metacognitive strategies 64

4.1.2.4 Students’ practices of using social strategies 66

4.1.3 Research question 3: Is there a positive correlation between students’ beliefs and their practices? 67

4.2 Discussion of the findings 70

4.2.1 Research question 1: What are students’ beliefs about speaking skill development? 70

4.2.1.1 Students’ beliefs about the role of vocabulary in speaking skill development 70

4.2.1.2 Students’ beliefs about the role of grammar in speaking skill development 71

4.2.1.3 Students’ beliefs about the role of pronunciation in speaking skill development 71

4.2.1.4 Students’ beliefs about the role of pragmatics in speaking skill development 72

4.2.1.5 Students’ beliefs about the role of genre and discourse in speaking skill development 73

4.2.1.6 Students’ beliefs about the role of communication strategies in

speaking skill development 73

4.2.1.7 Students’ beliefs about the role of extra-linguistic knowledge in speaking skill development 74

4.2.1.8 Students’ beliefs about the role of regular practice in speaking skill development 75

4.2.1.9 Students’ beliefs about the role of language aptitude in speaking skill development 75

4.2.2 Research question 2: What are students’ practices of using learning strategies in developing speaking skill? 76

4.2.3 Research question 3: Is there a positive correlation between students’ beliefs and their practices? 77

4.3 Summary of chapter4 78

Chapter 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 80

5.1 Summary of results 80

5.1.1 What are students’ beliefs about speaking skill development? 80

5.1.2 What are students’ practices of using learning strategies in developing speaking skill? Is there a positive correlation between students’ beliefs and their practices? 80

5.2 Recommendations 81

5.2.1 Recommendation for the Department of Foreign Language 81

5.2.2 Recommendations for teachers 81

5.2.3 Recommendations for students 82

5.3 Limitations and suggestions for further studies 83

REFERENCES 85

APPENDIXES 90

Appendix A 90

Appendix B 93

LIST OF FIGURES AND TABLES

Figure 1: Oxford’s (1990) taxonomy of learning strategies 18

Table 2.1: Summary of previous studies on learners’ beliefs about language learning and speaking skill development 30

Table 2.2: Summary of previous studies on the correlation between learners’ beliefs and strategy use 33

Table 3.1: Demographic information of participants 40

Table 3.2: Distribution of items in the questionnaire 44

Table 3.3: Cronbach’s Alpha statistics 46

Table 4.1: Description of students’ beliefs about aspects for developing speaking skill 49

Table 4.2: Students’ beliefs about aspects for developing speaking skill by mean score 49

Table 4.3: Students’ beliefs about the role of vocabulary 51

Table 4.4: Students’ beliefs about the role of grammar 52

Table 4.5: Students’ beliefs about the role of pronunciation 53

Table 4.6: Students’ beliefs about the role of pragmatics 54

Table 4.7: Students’ beliefs about the role of genre and discourse 55

Table 4.8: Students’ beliefs about the role of communication strategies 56

Table 4.9: Students’ beliefs about the role of background knowledge 57

Table 4.10: Students’ beliefs about the role of regular practice 58

Table 4.11: Students’ beliefs on the role of language aptitude 59

Table 4.12: Description of students’ practices of using learning strategies 60

Table 4.13: Students’ practice of using learning strategies 60

Table 4.14: Students’ practice of using memory strategies 61

Table 4.15: Students’ practice of using cognitive strategies 63

Table 4.16: Students’ practices of using metacognitive strategies 65

Table 4.17: Students’ practices of using social strategies 66

Table 4.18: Correlations between students’ beliefs and learning strategies 68

Chapter 1: INTRODUCTION

This chapter presents an introduction to the current study Firstly, it briefly introduces the history of language teaching and learning to give readers a general background Next, it describes the situation at Khanh Hoa University where the study was conducted Finally, the significance of the study and its organization are also stated

1.1 Background of the study

In the era of globalization as nowadays, English is considered an essential tool

in international communication and has been officially used in domains such as government, the law courts, the media and educational system, etc (Crystal, 2003) This explains why the teaching and learning of English language has been paid great deal of efforts than ever In Vietnam, English has been taught in schools since the Open-Door Policy in 1986 and has become a compulsory subject taught in formal schools from primary to university level Teaching and learning of English language

focus on ‘renovating thoroughly the tasks of teaching and learning foreign language within national education system’, as the project entitled ‘Teaching and Learning Foreign Language in national education system, period 2008-2020’states

Accordingly, the goal of teaching English is to help students become successful communicators, in which speaking skill seems to be the most essential skill since it

is considered a fundamental tool in international communication (Shabani, 2013) However, the ability of oral communication seems to be the most challenging to both instructors and students although innovation policies in teaching and learning have been made Indeed, most students do not feel confident in using English to communicate in real life situations It is believed that the problems relating to speaking skill students face are caused by various factors, in which the students’ perceptions or beliefs have certain effects Due to the incomprehensive perceptions

that the students hold about aspects in speaking skill, it leads to the result that learning strategies utilized are inefficient as many researchers have suggested, that learners’ preconceived belief about language learning would likely affect the way they use their learning strategies and learn a second language (Abraham & Vann, 1987; Horwitz, 1987; Wenden, 1986) With regard to this issue, the researcher wishes to explore the students’ beliefs and their practices of using learning strategies in speaking skill development in order to have some further insights about the students, from which it can best benefit students’ speaking ability

1.2 Statement of the problem

Speaking is always considered the most major area in the foreign language research It is also regarded as the most difficult skill among other language skills to Vietnamese students In fact, many students who are taking English as their major at university or college are still quite low in terms of speaking ability even though at the tertiary level, speaking skill is taught separately for several courses during the program One of the most frequently seen problems is that many of them are not able

to use English to communicate with others and do not feel confident in their speaking ability During the teaching and learning English language in general and in speaking skill in particular, many researchers have tried to find out factors causing speaking problems to students (Gan, 2012; Aleksandrzak, 2011; Tran N M., 2015, Tran T.M.V, 2011) One of the affecting factors which leads to failure or success of speaking relates to the students themselves, in which students’ beliefs play a vital role

Individual student has certain beliefs about language learning in general and speaking skill in particular For example, some students believe that in learning to communicate a language, they should not speak until they make it correctly; or mastering a good source of vocabulary and grammar structure is a determinant in gaining language speaking With that beliefs, those students then tend to use strategies which help them to meet their needs without the awareness of the effectiveness of

those strategies Horwitz (1987) states, “the beliefs students have about language learning can affect how they go about doing it”, that is to say, their learning strategies and that learners’ beliefs could clash with the teachers’ and cause conflict in the classroom For example, a student believes that in order to be good English speakers, grammar should be focused more than other factors while his teacher does not believe

so and therefore, most in-class teaching activities do not focus on grammar If this is not recognized, it might lead to frustration in the student In addition, in the context

of Khanh Hoa University, as observed by the author, many English major students are not confident in communicating in English and they show not much effort in learning aspects of speaking skill as well as factors developing speaking skill Therefore, the writer conducted the research in order to explore about what aspects students believe in to develop speaking skill as well as their practices of using learning strategies in the process of speaking skill development

1.3 Aims of the study

The present study has three aims Firstly, it gleans what beliefs students hold about speaking skill development in terms of linguistic knowledge, extralinguistic knowledge, communication strategies, regular practice and language aptitude Secondly, it explores learning strategies that the students use to develop their speaking skill Finally, it tries to explore if there is a positive correlation between students’ beliefs and their practices of using learning strategies

1.4 Research questions

The current study aims at seeking answers to the following questions:

1 What are students’ beliefs in speaking skill development?

2 What are students’ practices of using learning strategies in developing speaking skill?

3 Is there a positive correlation between students’ beliefs and their practices?

1.5 Hypothesis

There are two hypotheses in this research Firstly, it was hypothesized that the students hold different beliefs in speaking skill development in five major areas to be researched: linguistic knowledge, extralinguistic knowledge, communication strategies, regular practice and language aptitude Secondly, it was hypothesized that the students use all learning strategies under the process of developing their speaking skill, in which memory strategies will be used the most Finally, it was predicted that the beliefs that individual student hold would relate his practice of using learning strategies For example, if a student believes that in order to be able to speak well requires regular practice, then he will put a great deal of effort on practicing

1.6 Significance of the study

This study plays an important role in helping teachers and students be aware

of students’ beliefs towards speaking skill development and correct their practices of using learning strategies which best serve their success in speaking ability In addition, the study also provides an overall insight of how students’ beliefs relate to their practice of using learning strategies

In a more overall view, this study provides insights to help facilitate more effective instructional planning and implementation Also, the knowledge of students’ beliefs will make it possible for teachers to create a mode of instruction in which students’ needs and goals are satisfied In addition, knowing students’ beliefs provides a more learner-centred approach to language teaching Furthermore, learning about the students’ practices of using learning strategies also help teachers

to find out the real reasons for ineffective learning, from which re-instructions and suitable changes can be made

1.7 Organization of the study

This study consists of 5 chapters

Chapter 1 introduces the general background of language teaching and

learning as well as the situation of the university where this study was conducted It also presents the aims, research questions and the significance of the study

Chapter 2 is literature review It firstly generalizes the theoretical framework

of the study In addition, it reviews all studies related to this study The chapter ends with a research model

Chapter 3 presents the methodology of the research It describes the research

design, participants, the instruments and procedures for data collection and data analysis

Chapter 4 reports the results collected It describes students’ beliefs in

speaking skill development and the practices of using learning strategies It also describes the correlation between students’ beliefs and their practices of using learning strategies The chapter ends with a discussion on the findings

Chapter 5 provides a conclusion to the research questions Recommendations,

limitations and suggestions for further research are also stated

Chapter 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter presents the theoretical background of the study Firstly, it presents definitions of speaking skill and aspects of speaking Then it continues to present learners’ beliefs with definitions and the importance of learners’ beliefs in foreign language learning Next, it talks about language learning strategies, in which definitions, classification and the importance of learning strategies are included After that, relationships between learners’ beliefs and language learning strategies are described Summary of previous studies completes this chapter

2.1 Speaking skill

2.1.1 Definition of speaking skill

Spratt et al defined that ‘speaking involves using speech to express meanings

to other people’ According to Shabani (2013), ‘speaking is the performance of speakers’ competence’, that is to say, speaking shows how competent a speaker is In addition, as Boonkit (2010) states, ‘speaking is one of the four macro skills necessary for effective communication in any language, particularly when speakers are not using their mother tongue’ Consequently, Shabani (2013) concludes that ‘speaking

is fundamental and yet demanding skill to be mastered by learners of English as a foreign language’ Indeed, speaking has been considered the most demanding and

challenging skill to develop for learners in learning a foreign language, compared to other skills such as listening, reading and writing because it requires the ability to use the language properly in social interactions (Latha, 2012)

Speaking skill is considered as a priority for many second language learners (Richards, 2012) It is also believed that language learners’ competence is often judged by their speaking ability in real life situations because it is often the first impression to other people in everyday interaction (Liao & Chiang, 2004)

One of the salient features of speaking skill which makes it distinct from other skills is the speakers need to process very quickly to transfer all the knowledge they have in mind to produce the appropriate language under the pressure of time, whereas other skills such as writing, the learners have time to think before producing the language Thus, it can be clearly explained that knowing the linguistic components

of the language is not enough to be successful speakers, as Shabani (2013) states In the same point of view, Chastain (1988) asserts that speaking a language involves more than simply knowing the linguistic components of the message, and certainly developing language skills requires more than grammatical comprehension and vocabulary memorization

2.1.2 Aspects of speaking

Learning to speak a foreign language requires many different aspects It does not mean just knowing the grammatical and semantic rules (Shumin, cited in Latha, 2012), or mastering vocabulary and grammatical structures (Shabani, 2013) Shumin adds that beside these elements, learners must also acquire knowledge of how native speakers use the language in the context of structured interpersonal exchange, in which many factors interact (cited in Latha, 2012) Scrivener (2005) asserts that sufficient knowledge of vocabulary, grammar, culture, genre, speech acts, register, discourse, and phonology must be acquired in order to communicative effectively (cited in Asakereh & Dehghannezhad, 2015)

According to Thornburry (2008), in order to be able to speak a language the speakers need to master linguistic knowledge, which comprises of genre knowledge, discourse knowledge, pragmatic knowledge, grammar, vocabulary and phonology Besides, extra-linguistic knowledge which includes topical knowledge and cultural knowledge is also a very important aspect for language speakers Regarding this matter, Cohen (1990) adds that communication strategies are also very important in oral communication as they are utilized to keep the conversation going on Other than that, while Gangal (2012, p 285) believes that regular practice in oral communication

will yield increasingly satisfying results on the students’ journey which lead them to achieving effective speaking skills, language aptitude is considered a very essential element besides motivation in developing language skill in general and in speaking skill in particular As Dornyei (2005) states that language aptitude is, besides motivation, the strongest predictor of foreign language learning success (cited in

Pawlak, Klimczak & Majer, 2011) Pawlak et al (2011) also deem that ‘reaching a near-native competence in speaking by a highly able foreign language learner is a function of many and varied factors such as aptitude,…’

2.1.2.1 Linguistic knowledge

To be able to speak well, learners must have sufficient knowledge of the language (Richards, 2012) To put it another way, linguistic knowledge is a very essential factor in speaking competence Canale & Swain (1980) define four aspects

of linguistic knowledge: grammatical knowledge, phonological knowledge, lexical knowledge and discourse knowledge Similarly but putting it in more detailed, Thornbury (2005) presents aspects of linguistic knowledge such as genre knowledge, discourse knowledge, pragmatic knowledge, grammar, vocabulary and phonology

2.1.2.1.1 Vocabulary

Vocabulary is defined as the knowledge of words and consists all of the words speakers know and use when speaking (Stahl and Nagy, 2006, cited in Nouralian et al., 2013) In which, words are the means speakers use to communicate with other

people According to Schmitt (2010), vocabulary has been recognized as ‘a vital component and a good indicator of second language performance and proficiency’

(cited in Koizumi & In’nami, 2013) Consequently, those who have wide knowledge

of words will have rich language use in speaking (Nouralian et al., 2013) In their study, Nouralian et al (2013) also concludes that a large and rich vocabulary knowledge can improve speaking ability of EFL students With the same point of view, Milton agrees that vocabulary size is a very major contributor to success in

language performance It has been always believed that it is possible to communicate effectively with imperfect grammar if the correct vocabulary is known

In his book, Richards discusses vocabulary knowledge in a larger term, lexical knowledge Lexical knowledge of language learners is developed with two levels, according to Richards (2012) The first level relates to the number of words and their meanings The second one is about the semantic knowledge of relationships among words which includes knowledge of lexical sets or chunks, knowledge about fixed formulaic and idiomatic expressions

2.1.2.1.2 Grammar

Though grammar is not as important as the role of vocabulary in speaking, it

is still considered a factor contributing to a successful speaker as Richards (2012)

asserts, ‘grammatical knowledge is fundamental to the development of any language skill’ According to Richards (2012), in terms of grammatical knowledge, learners

need to know ‘how verbs are inflected to denote tense, how words are strung together

to express specific grammatical structures and meanings, how to parse utterances they hear so that they can make further responses in conversation, etc’

2.1.2.1.3 Pronunciation

Pronunciation is an element which is closely related to speaking because it is

a tool to produce sound to make other people hear and understand In terms of phonological knowledge, language learners need to know how the sounds of the target language are pronounced; they also need to be aware of the presence of supra-segmental features of speech beyond the word such as stress, rhythm and intonation; more importantly, they need to know what communicative and discourse functions are served by features such as prominence and tones during speaking process (Richards, 2012)

speaker might say “Would you mind if I turn the volume down?” This is part of pragmatic knowledge According to Richards (2012), “politeness refers to the way

we take other speakers’ face needs into account” Regarding appropriate word choice

while speaking, Hamilton (2012) states word choice is so important because it can create different emotion reactions

2.1.2.1.5 Genre and discourse knowledge

In terms of genre knowledge, Richards (2012) mentions speaking with two main purposes: transactional function with the primary purpose is to convey information and facilitate the exchange of goods or services; and interpersonal function with the primary purpose is to establish and maintain social relations

Regarding discourse knowledge, Richards (2012) defines it as a competence

to know how to organize and connect individual utterances, as well as how to map this knowledge on to the turn-taking structures of interactive talk In general, speakers joining in a conversation should master communication rules which help them to know how to open a conversation, how to reinforce openness in others, how to make questions during conversation, how to reflect or clarify one’s understandings, and how to close a conversation, etc Without this kind of knowledge, interlocutor might fall in misunderstanding about each other (Young & Travis, 2012)

to deal with the problems that the language users face when communicating by employing appropriate techniques

Different authors categorized communication strategies differently depending

on their purpose However, there are still some common among them In general, communication strategies comprise of avoidance strategies (including topic avoidance and message abandonment), compensation strategies (including approximation, word coinage, , non-linguistic signal, literal translation, , code switch, appeal for help, stalling or time-gaining strategies, etc.)

According to Tarone (1986), communication strategies include the following techniques:

Word coinage – the speaker makes up a new nominal expression to refer to the entity

Circumlocution – the speaker describes the properties of the entity instead of naming it

Elaboration: the speaker builds redundancy into the message by means of

repetition, paraphrase and explication

Borrowing: Literal translation – a learner translates word for word from the

L1

Language switch – a learner uses an L1 expression without translating Appeal for assistance: a speaker asks for the desired referential expression Mime: the speaker uses nonverbal expressions/ gestures

Amongst the strategies listed above, ‘native speakers are more likely to use circumlocution and approximation strategies since they require basic vocabulary’ (Tarone & Yule, 1983; cited in Lindblad, 2011) whereas avoidance strategies are in still in debate whether it is a communication strategy because it does not really help communication (Lindblad, 2011)

(2013) study indicated that ‘background knowledge has a significant effect on speaking ability’ He also adds that topic familiarity is an important aspect in

improving speaking about the topic (Shabani, 2013) Meanwhile, cultural knowledge

helps speakers to ‘adapt their use of English to learn about, understand and appreciate the values, ways of doing things and unique qualities of other cultures’

(Choudhury, 2014)

2.1.2.4 Regular practice

As the old saying says ‘Practice makes a man perfect’ Gangal (2012) further states that ‘regular practice in oral communication will yield increasingly satisfying results on the students’ journey which leads them to achieving effective speaking skills’ Indeed, practice helps bridge the gap between students’ knowledge and their

performance Also, speaking practice can help expose gaps in students’ vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation and eventually improve their oral fluency, according to

Gan (2012) Nouralian et al (2013) stated that ‘time spent on studying English, staying in English speaking countries, speaking English outside of school, speaking English with non-native English speakers,… are correlated positively with various aspects of speaking performance’ Obviously, spending time on regular practice out

of class such as watching television, listening to English materials, accessing multimedia websites or speaking in English with other people can really help enhance students’ speaking ability (Nouralian et al., 2013; Boonkit, 2010)

2.1.2.5 Language aptitude

As stated above, language aptitude is one of the important predictor of foreign language learning success (Dornyei, 2005; cited in Pawlak et al., 2011) Many theorists and researchers have confirmed that some people possess the special ability for learning language which some others do not Also, it is the language ability which helps learners succeed in language learning

As presented above, there are many aspects contributing to the success of a language speaker which depends on the subjects However, this element cannot be controlled by the learners themselves It is something which is believed to be gifted

by some people but others do not Thanks to this kind of gifted ability, some learners find learning foreign language in general and learning English in particular much easier and faster

2.2 Learners’ beliefs

2.2.1 Definition of learners’ beliefs

Learners’ beliefs have been a great interest to many researchers in the field of

language learning for the last three decades Learners beliefs are described as ‘general assumptions that students hold about themselves as learners, about factors influencing learning, and about the nature of learning and teaching’ (Victori & Lockhart, 1995); or as ‘subjective ideas, assumptions, representations and notions that learners hold to be true about language learning’ In second language field,

learners’ beliefs are defined as metacognitive knowledge and these two terms are often used interchangeably with each other (Li, 2010) To state it more specifically,

Wenden (1991) adds that language learning belief is the ‘knowledge held by language learner about various factors in language learning process, about how to learn a language, language skills, and communicative competence’ (cited in Li, 2010).These

beliefs can be positive or negative which can facilitate or debilitate language learning

However, due to the complex personal social and cultural features, beliefs seem to be stable, strongly held and resistant to change (Asbjornson, 1991, cited in

Li, 2004) Richards & Schmidt (2002) also stated that ‘learners beliefs system are relatively stable set of ideas and attitudes about how to learn language, effective teaching strategies, appropriate classroom behavior, their own abilities and their goals in language learning’ (Abid, 2002) Similarly, Gaies (1998) added that one of

the three characteristics of beliefs about language learning is that beliefs are relatively stable over time By contrast, several researchers believe that learners’ beliefs are both dynamic and situation specific, which means beliefs change over time as a product of new situational experiences (Sakui and Gaies, 1999; Ellis, 2002, 2008; Tanaka, 2004; Zhong, 2008, cited in Agudo, 2004) Gaies further states that beliefs are subjective understanding, and idiosyncratic, that is, beliefs systems are unique to individuals (as cited in Agudo, 2014)

The system of learners’ beliefs cover a number of aspects, including beliefs about the nature of English, the speaker of English, the four language skills, teaching activities, language learning, appropriate classroom behavior, the learners’ own abilities and about the goals for language learning (Richards and Lockhart, 1996, as

cited in Erlenawati, 2002)

2.2.2 The importance of learners’ beliefs in language learning

Learners’ beliefs have been considered to be the most important perspective since they were proved to have an important influence on every aspects of learning process It can be seen that learners’ beliefs about learning a language influence on both styles and strategies, and they, therefore, also have a powerful impact on the success of language learning (Horwitz 1987, Tarone & Yule 1989, Brown 1994 as cited in Boakye) Horwitz once addressed the beliefs students hold about language learning can influence the way they go about doing it, such as learning strategies

(cited in Bernat E., n.d.), motivation and expectation about language learning,

perceptions about what is easy or difficult (Richards& Lockhart, 1994, as cited in Agudo) and influence the strategies students choose in learning (Richards and Lockhart, 1994; cited in Agudo, 2014) Other than that, it is deemed that attitudes to learning and the perceptions and beliefs may have a profound influence on learning Cotterall, 1996, cited in Bernat, n.d.) and may directly influence or even determine a learner’ attitude and motivation when learning the language (Riley 1996, cited in

Bernat, n.d.).With regard to this perspective, Arnold and Brown (1999) concluded

that learning outcomes seem to be greatly influenced by beliefs and attitudes (Agudo, 2014) In speaking skill development, Zedjli’s study resulted that the beliefs Omani learners have about speaking English are likely to influence their learning and particularly the development of their oral skills

It is suggested that foreign language teacher should be aware of their learners’ beliefs about language learning to better understand how they actually approach the language learning (Benson & Lor, 1999), as cited in Agudo, 2014) Indeed, learners’

beliefs and perceptions play an important role in language learning Therefore, these beliefs and perceptions should be properly understood by teachers to ensure the effectiveness of the language lessons (Haron, 2012) With regard to this perspective, Horwitz (1999) asserted that ‘understanding learners’ beliefs about language learning

is essential to understanding learners’ strategies and planning appropriate language instruction’ (cited in Liao & Chiang, 2004) Similarly, Rokeach (1968) also assumed that learning about learners beliefs is important for both language instructors… because ‘beliefs are predispositions to action’ (Rokeach, 1968 as cited in Nikitina & Furuoka, 2006) Accordingly, knowledge of learners’ beliefs will provide teachers with better understanding of their learners’ expectation, commitment, and satisfaction

in their classes; and above all teachers will somehow contribute to the success of language learning (Cotterall, 1995; Yang, 1999, Chawhan and Oliver, 2000, Kim-Yoon, 2000) At the same time, learners need to be aware of their own beliefs by addressing them to teachers in order to avoid clash with teachers’ beliefs and by assessing how their beliefs may affect their foreign language learning (Kalaja, 2003

as cited in Agudo, 2014)

2.3 Language learning strategies

2.3.1 Definition of language learning strategies

Oxford (1990) defines learning strategies as steps taken by learners to enhance their own learning (cited in Zoe & Alexandros, 2012) With another perspective,

O’Malley and Chamot (1990) stated learning strategies are ‘special thought or behaviours that individuals use to help them comprehend, learn or retain new information’ (cited in Zoe & Alexandros, 2012) Oxford (1999) then adds that

learning strategies are “specific actions, behaviours, steps or techniques that students use to improve their own progress in developing skills in a second or foreign language Hence, these strategies can facilitate the internalization, storage, retrieval

or use of the new language” (cited in Zoe & Alexandros, 2012) Language learners consciously or unconsciously employ a variety of learning strategies which refer to

techniques, principles or rules that learners utilize to learn, solve problem and complete a task independently (Mercer & Mercer, 1998; Dreyer & Oxford, 1996; cited in Salami, 2014) Furthermore, according to Chamot (2004), language learning

strategies are the ‘the conscious thoughts and actions that learners take in order to achieve a learning goal’ Other than that, Oxford (1990) assumed that language

learning strategies are used to make learning more enjoyable, more self-directed, more effective and more transferable to new situation

2.3.2 Classification of language learning strategies

Many different theorists and researchers have proposed different ways of categorizing language learning strategies For example, O’Malley and Chamot (1990) divide language learning strategies into three main groups including cognitive strategies, metacognitive strategies and social/affective strategies Meanwhile, Oxford (1990) firstly distinct language learning strategies between direct strategies and indirect strategies, then they are divided into six subgroups as follows

(1) cognitive strategies: used to manipulate language for identification, storage and retrieval of information;

(2) metacognitive strategies: used for pre assessment, preplanning, evaluation and post evaluation of language learning activities;

(3) memory strategies: used to help learners to recall information like word association or semantic mapping;

(4) compensation strategies: used to make up for a deficiency in learning; (5) affective strategies: used to mitigate learners’ anxiety;

(6) social strategies: used to facilitate learning by interaction with others

The general framework of Oxford’s (1990) taxonomy of language learning strategies

is shown in Figure 1

Figure 1: Oxford’s (1990) taxonomy of learning strategies

2.3.3 The importance of language learning strategies in language learning

Language learning strategies, as stated by many different researchers, play a vital role in language learning success because they are “tools for active, self-directed involvement, which is essential for developing communicative competence” (Zoe & Alexandros, 2012) Obviously, the use of appropriate language learning strategies will yield results in improved proficiency and greater self-confidence (Oxford, 1990) Research has shown that learners employ different learning styles and strategies during the second language learning process (Horwitz, 1987; cited in Boakye, 2007) Successful language learners in foreign language learning context are able to use a variety of language learning strategies to facilitate their learning Certainly, the use

of learning strategies can either facilitate or impede students’ language learning

2.4 The relationship between learners’ beliefs and language learning strategies

Language learning strategies are believed to be closely related to learners’ beliefs about language learning The relationship between L2 learners’ beliefs and

Learning

strategies

Direct strategies

Indirect strategies

Memory strategies

Cognitive strategies

Compensation strategies

Metacognitive strategies Affective strategies Social strategies

learning strategies showed that L2 learner beliefs may influence and even limit the range of learning strategies (Yang, 1999; Wen & Johnson, 1997) If the beliefs students hold is correct, the learning strategies they use will facilitate their learning

In contrast, if what they hold in their mind is erroneous which they believe is correct, the learning strategies they use is limited and even in some cases those learning strategies can impede their learning According to Wen and Johson (1997), there are direct effects of beliefs about learning on strategy use (cited in Susan, 1995) For example, the learners’ beliefs about their self-efficacy affect their frequency of strategy use, as Susan’s (1995 study found Pintrich (1989) and Pintrich and De Groot (1990) studied the relationship between students’ motivation and strategy use and found out that the students who believe that the course material is interesting and valuable tend to use all kinds of learning strategies (cited in Susan, 1995) Indeed, the use of learning strategies depends on what beliefs and expectations the students hold

in their mind about a subject Hence, teachers should be aware of their students’ beliefs about language learning to recognize their expectations of, commitment to, success in and satisfaction with their English class (Horwitz, 1998; cited in Zare-ee

& Salami, 2014)

2.5 Previous studies on students’ beliefs and on the relationship between

students’ beliefs and their learning strategy use

As the purpose of the current study is to investigate the students’ beliefs in speaking skill development, this section starts with reviews of previous studies that focused on students’ beliefs in language learning in general and in speaking skill development in particular After that, it reviews previous studies on the relationship between students’ beliefs and their practices of using learning strategies

2.5.1 Previous studies on students’ beliefs about language learning

With the interest in exploring what beliefs students hold about language learning in general and in speaking skill in particular, researchers have conducted many studies in various aspects of language learning Most studies investigating

learners’ beliefs about language learning tend to follow Horwitz’s (1987) Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) which focuses on five major aspects: (1) the language aptitude, (2) the nature of language learning, (3) the difficulty of language learning, (4) learning and communication strategies, and (5) expectations and motivations The following section focuses on reviewing learners’ beliefs about aspects which are related to the current study

In Truitt’s (2004) study, he investigated the beliefs about language learning of university students learning English as a second language (ESL) in Korea There were

204 male and female students aged from 18 to 29 participating in this study In order

to explore beliefs Korean EFL students have about language learning, the questionnaire adopted from Horwitz’s (1983) the beliefs about language learning inventory (BALLI) was used The result indicated that culture and pronunciation were believed to be important in language learning but grammar was not Besides, they believed that strategies of repeating and practicing were significant In terms of language aptitude, they thought that some people had a special ability to learn language which they might feel they personally did not have Surprisingly, the students confessed that they do not enjoy practicing English with native speakers

Agudo (2014) conducted a study to find out what Spanish learners actually believe and expect from their English class 218 Spanish secondary students from two schools were selected randomly for this study In order to collect data for the study purpose, a 45 statement questionnaire employing a 5-point Likert scale ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree developed by Sakui and Gaies (1999) was used This questionnaire was developed by using a combination of original items and others from previous questionnaires, mainly Horwitz’s BALLI The results obtained from students’ response reflected different aspects of language learning In which, it showed that most students believed that a great amount of repetition and intensive oral practice were essential for successful language learning (85.3%) 70.2% of

students believed that listening to tapes and watching English programs on television were very important in learning English

Also utilizing Horwitz’s (1985) BALLI questionnaire, Altan (2006) investigated the beliefs about language learning of foreign language on university students A total of 248 students including male and female majoring in English, German, French, Japanese and Arabic at different year levels from first year to fourth year, with a medium age of 22 participated in the study The study looked into five areas: The language aptitude, the difficulty of language learning, the nature of language learning, learning and communication strategies and motivations and expectations In terms of foreign language aptitude, the results state that most students

of all groups endorsed the concept of foreign language aptitude or special abilities for language learning Furthermore, many people believed that learning a foreign language was a matter of learning grammar rules or new vocabulary words Also, they admitted the importance of repetition and practice in language learning

Suwanarad (2012) investigated students’ perceptions about English language learning and learning strategies of master students in Thailand There were 220 Thai graduate students studying for master degree at a public university in Thailand participating in this study The findings revealed that, in terms of language aptitude, three quarters believed that some people possess a special ability for language learning Also, knowing about English-speaking cultures was considered important for interacting with other English language speakers in oral communication context whereas grammar was not believed so Regarding the role of regular practice, the result showed that almost all of the students believed it was very important for improving students’ language learning and communication skills

With the hope to explore poor and good learners’ language beliefs and their language strategy use and to see if there is any significant relationship between the poor and good learners, Kayaoglu (2013) conducted a study on 146 Turkish undergraduate students, with 86 of them classified as ‘poor’ and 60 as ‘good’ The

results stated that both poor and good learners agreed about the benefit of practicing English with other students as well as admitted the language aptitude Meanwhile, in terms of pronunciation, poor learners had strong feeling about English with excellent pronunciation while good learners did not On the contrary, good learners viewed watching English TV or listening to English videos important in language learning Good learners also agreed with the role of culture in English speaking development

Boakye (2007) investigated students’ beliefs about language learning to explore the idea that the language learning process among students was substantially influenced by their beliefs about this process The study adapted Horwitz’s (1987) BALLI which accessed students’ beliefs in terms of aptitude, motivation, learning and communication strategies, the nature of learning and the difficulty of language learning It was found that the students’ beliefs had a negative influence on their learning strategies which, in turn, affected the success or other wise of the language learning process Similarly to other studies, this study reported that the participants believed that some people had a special ability for learning languages Majority of them enjoyed practicing English with other people and they also agreed that it was important to create opportunities to use the language outside class Regarding linguistic aspects, surprisingly, most of the students believed that both grammar and vocabulary were the most important aspects of language learning

To contribute to the literature but focus on different group of students, Bernat (2006) investigated beliefs about language learning among 20 adult Vietnamese ESL learners The participants in this study were migrants to Australia with relatively little past formal educational experience and learning English for immediate survival needs Results indicated that, despite the respondents’ reported lack of language learning aptitude, and the belief in the supremacy of child’s second language acquisition, the learners’ motivation remained high Moreover, majority of the participants believed that some people had a special ability for learning foreign language Also, they believed that learning grammar was the most important part of

language learning and that learning English in an English-speaking country was best, whereas they did not place the importance on knowing about English speaking cultures Besides, most of them strongly endorsed repetition and practice with cassettes or tapes They also enjoyed practicing English with the Australians they meet, and they believed it was important to repeat and practice a lot

Ariogul et al (2009) explored foreign language learners’ beliefs about language learning on Turkish university students Among 343 subjects participating

in this study, there were three groups, one group learning French, one group English and the other German All of them were freshmen students The findings showed that all three groups of participants agreed that some people possessed a gift for language

In terms of the importance of culture in foreign language learning, French and German groups agreed with that while just a minority of English group did Most students from three groups viewed excellent accent important in speaking foreign language

Another study was conducted in Saudi university, Egypt, to investigate students’ beliefs about foreign language learning and their relationship to gender (Allah, 2012) In order to collect data for study purpose, a questionnaire modified from Horwitz’s (1987) was utilized The results presented that Saudi university students had positive and realistic beliefs about foreign language as regard the nature

of language learning, communication strategies, and motivation and expectations about learning English as a foreign language The results also indicated that generally male and female students held similar beliefs about language learning as regard the difficulty and the nature of language learning However, there were several discrepancies between two groups’ response found as regard the areas of English language aptitude, learning and communication, and motivations and expectations Specifically, majority of the respondents believed that learning new words and a lot

of grammar rules were the most important parts of language learning Many of them also agreed that it was important to repeat and practice a lot as well as realized the

importance of practicing English with the English speaking people they met Surprisingly, most of them believed that it was important to speak English with excellent pronunciation

A study conducted by Abid (2012) explored beliefs about learning English as

a foreign language of EFL Iraqi learners The participants of the study were undergraduate students, majoring in English as a foreign language Horwitz’s BALLI questionnaire was administered to the students to collect data In terms of the four skills, the students believed that speaking was easier than listening skill, but more difficult than reading and writing The results also presented some erroneous beliefs For example, they believed that it was important to say everything with correct pronunciation and grammar Also the result indicated that they depended too much

on translation as a learning strategy

2.5.2 Previous studies on students’ beliefs about speaking skill development

In the area of speaking, Al-Zediali (n.d.) conducted a study on 31 female

Secondary students in Oman using three kinds of instrument: a questionnaire, classroom observation and focus group interviews The study aimed to explore students’ opinions on different aspects such as learners’ feelings about speaking English, ways to learn to speak English, how teachers can motivate students to speak, the importance of using L2 in classroom, elements for developing speaking (grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, etc.), teachers’ correction, etc The results reported that generally the learners in this study had positive views about learning to speak English They placed the importance on the knowledge of vocabulary than on that of grammar Besides, for them pronunciation and understanding of meaning were their main problems in speaking and they also confessed that they did not have opportunities to speaking English outside the classroom This study explored students’ opinions about ways to learn to speak English; however, it only focused on

a part of linguistic knowledge Thus, it did not provide a complete picture in terms of aspects for speaking skill development

Meanwhile, Nazara’s (2011) study which investigated students’ perception on EFL speaking skill development revealed that all students viewed speaking important and insisted on the importance of having more time for practice though they got interesting materials, empowering activities and proper opportunity to practice speaking Although this study aimed to explore students’ perception on speaking area, its focus spread into different areas such as materials, activities, practice, etc Thus, internal aspects for speaking development that a speaker must have were not fully explored

In Hong Kong, Wu (2012) explored beliefs about language learning and of-class language learning activities of young adult ESL The findings indicated that learners held positive beliefs about learning speaking In addition, out-of-class such

out-as watching films and television, reading, listening to English songs, music and radio channels, formal learning and practicing speaking with others were activities that the students regarded important and carried out most frequently Furthermore, students who believed that out-of-class language learning activities useful were found to possess more positive beliefs This study focused mainly on out-of-class activities for developing speaking, whereas other aspects relating to speaking skill development were not included

In Vietnam, Tran T.M.V (2011) conducted a study investigating the influence

of students’ beliefs on their speaking performance on 40 English majors at Ho Chi Minh University of Industry (HUI) The study was conducted on both male and female students studying third academic year The participants’ English proficiency was considered to be at intermediate level The study examined students’ beliefs by modifying Horwitz’s questionnaire (1988) about Beliefs about Language Learning Inventory (BALLI) This questionnaire included 20 statements and was evaluated according to five-Likert scale which covered fine aspects: The foreign language aptitude, the difficulty of language learning, the nature of language learning, learning and communication strategies, motivation and expectation The results showed that

the students have good conceptions of regularly repeating and practicing the language Also, the students participating in this study did not approve that they had foreign language aptitude Because this study adapted Horwitz’s BALLI which focuses on language learning in general and the questionnaire was spread into different areas, aspects of speaking were not explored deeply

2.5.3 Previous studies on the relationship between students’ beliefs and their learning strategy use

The research of learners’ beliefs and strategy use has received a remarkable amount of attention by researchers for the past three decades Most studies agreed that learners’ preconceived beliefs about language learning have an effect on strategies they are using in fulfilling the objective The following section reviews all studies investigating learners’ beliefs about language learning and the relationship between their beliefs and the use of learning strategies

Saeb & Zamani (2013) conducted a study to explore the difference in language learning strategies and beliefs about language learning between high school students and students attending English institutes Oxford’s (1990) SILL and Horwitz’s (1987) BALLI were used as instruments to collect data Significant differences between the two groups regarding their strategy use and beliefs about language learning were found in this study In particular, students attending English institutes used significantly more memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive and social strategies Meanwhile, regarding the language learning beliefs, the differences between the two groups were significantly only with regard to beliefs about the difficulty of language learning, and motivation and expectation, where institute students held stronger and more positive beliefs than high school students

Kasma (2012) investigated students’ perceptions about English language learning and learning strategies of master students in Thailand There were 220 Thai graduate students studying for master degrees at a public university in Thailand

participated in this study The results showed that a large number of students considered themselves to be unsuccessful English language learners whereas only a small percentage of the students with greater use of learning strategies rated themselves as high achiever Also, the students’ beliefs were reported to be related to their use of learning strategies to some extent In terms of learning strategies use, it was found that the most used learning strategies are cognitive strategies with 85% of the students professed, 63% admitted they used social learning strategies, whereas memory strategies and affective strategies were used at a medium rate by the participants

Aiming to explore what beliefs non-English major students hold about language learning, Zare-ee & Salami (2014) conducted a study to investigate the use

of language learning strategies by 175 Iranian learners majoring in Engineering, Humanities, and Sciences The current study utilized 36 statement items adapted from Horwitz’s BALLI which was developed to assess learners and educators’ beliefs about different issues relating to language learning (Horwitz, 1987, 1988, 1999) This instrument covers five areas: foreign language aptitude, the difficulty of language learning, the nature of language learning, learning and communication strategies, and motivations and expectations The other instrument consisted of 49 statement items adapted from Oxford’s (1990) SILL reflecting the frequency of strategy use on a five point-Likert scale The taxonomy of strategies consists of six broad categories: memory strategies, cognitive strategies, compensation strategies, metacognitive strategies, affective strategies and social strategies This study attempted to test the relationships among learners’ beliefs about language learning, English proficiency and the use of language learning strategies The results showed that metacognitive strategy use was at the highest rank while affective strategy use was at the lowest Moderate positive correlation between students’ beliefs about English language learning and their use of learning strategies were found

Liao & Chiang (2004) conducted a study on 143 college students distributed between first year to fifth year of study The study used Horwitz’s BALLI and Oxford’s SILL to investigate the relationship between students’ beliefs in language learning and their learning strategy use It is found that 19 out of 34 BALLI items were significantly correlated with strategy use of the SILL, which meant that the level

of consistence between the two variables of learning beliefs and learning strategies is medium Also, there was a close connection between students’ beliefs in their ability

to master English, high self-efficacy for learning English, the value of form-focused learning, the importance of learning and communication strategies and their integrative motivation to socialize with English speakers and their frequent use of learning strategies In general, learners’ tendency to use strategies was directly affected by various categories of beliefs they are holding

Li (2010) explored the relationship between foreign language learning beliefs and the strategy use among 214 English major sophomores of vocational colleges in China With a questionnaire designed by the author and some items choses form Horwitz’s (1987) BALLI, the researcher investigated the students’ beliefs in six categories: foreign language aptitude, the difficulty of language learning, the nature

of language learning, learning and communication strategies, learner motivations and expectations, and mother tongue reliance In terms of learning strategies use, Oxford’s (1990) SILL (version 7.0) was utilized The results indicated that majority

of students agree with beliefs statements and hold strong opinion about the six belief categories, especially about the language learning and communication strategies Regarding learning strategy use, the subjects of this study use learning strategy at medium level, which meant they sometimes use them, in which compensations were the most popular strategies while memory strategies were least used, surprisingly The study also indicated the moderate correlation coefficient between the language learning beliefs and frequency of strategy use

Joycey and Sougari’s (2010) study reported the findings on a study conducted

to explore perceptions of 516 Greek young learners about foreign language learning and teaching The study also sought to answer if there was any difference in terms of perceptions towards language learning and teaching as well as learning strategy use between primary and lower secondary students The study yielded some important findings For example, older learners reported that attempting to speak in English despite their incomplete knowledge of the language system while younger learners did not By contrast, primary learners held the view that knowing the rules was quite important, while lower secondary students did not share the view Regarding learning strategy use, of the six categories investigated, metacognitive and affective strategies were reported as the most commonly used whereas social strategies were the least used by primary learners and memory strategies were not frequently implemented by lower secondary learners

In summary, the following table recapitulates the learners’ beliefs about language learning and the relationship between their beliefs and strategy use

Author Participants Culture

aspect Pronunciation Grammar

Repeatin

g

Regular practice

Language aptitude

Practice speaking with others

Listening

to English programs

Watching English programs

Vocabulary aspect

Truitt

(2004)

ESL university students important important unimportant important important important Not enjoy

(unimportant) Agudo

(2014)

Altan (2006) Non-English major

important important important Important

EFL adult learners - Have negative behavioral attitude towards learning speaking skill

- Have positive cognitive and emotional attitude

The summary table of previous studies on learners’ beliefs about language learning reveals that learners’ beliefs about language learning have some commons Regarding the linguistic knowledge, most students believe that aspects of linguistic knowledge are important for language learning in general and in speaking skill development in particular

like vocabulary aspect (Altan, 2014; Boakye, 2007; Allah, 2012); Al-Zediali, n.d.);

pronunciation aspect (Truitt, 2014; Kayaoglu, 2013; Ariogulet al., 2009; Allah, 2012; Abid, 2012) In terms of grammar aspect of linguistic knowledge, the researches show differences While some studies report that students believe grammar to be important to language learning (Altan, 2006; Boakye, 2007; Bernat, 2006; Allah, 2012; Abid, 2012; Al-Zediali, n.d.), some others show the disagreement of students toward this aspect (Truitt, 2004; Suwanarad, 2012) With regard to the role of English speaking culture in language learning, most studies state that students regard this aspect important (Truitt, 2004; Suwanarad, 2012; Kayaoglu, 2013; Ariogulet al., 2009) In contrast, Bernat’s (2006) study investigating beliefs of Vietnamese immigrants in Australia shows difference This group

of learners considers cultural aspect unimportant in language learning Concerning regular practice, all studies found present consistent result, that is, all students agree that regular practice plays an important role in language learning (Truitt, 2004; Agudo, 2014; Suwanarad, 2012; Bernat, 2006; Allah, 2012; Tran, 2011) Several studies also report that the students view watching or listening to English programs significant in language learning (Agudo, 2014; Kayaoglu, 2013; Bernat, 2006) Respecting this aspect, while students participating the studies of Kayaoglu (2013), Boakye (2007), Bernat (2006), Allah (2012), Al-Zediali (n.d.) and Tran T.M.V (2011) regard practicing speaking English with other people, such as their classmates or foreigners that they meet, important and joyful, Truitt’s (2004) study in Korea states that the students do not find it important or joyful to practice speaking English with foreigners Respecting language aptitude, many studies found that students believe that language aptitude important and that some people have a special ability to learn language