Teachers' Attitudes and Approaches to Learning Strategies and Cross-curricular Topic ''Learning How to Learn''

master's thesis

• Title (croatian): Stavovi i pristupi nastavnika engleskog jezika strategijama učenja i međupredmetnoj temi "Učiti kako učiti"
• Author: Hanna Davidović
• Mentor: Renata Geld (mentor)
• Committee member: Stela Letica Krevelj (predsjednik povjerenstva)
• Committee member: Jasenka Čengić (član povjerenstva)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; (Department of English language and literature); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2023-07-13, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: HUMANISTIC SCIENCES; Philology; Anglistics

Abstract

The aim of this thesis was to examine how ESL teachers in Croatia foster development of language learning strategies in their students. The study looked at their approaches, education, opinions and experiences with learning strategies and has also touched upon their attitudes on cross-curricular topic Learning how to learn. The theoretical part of the study includes a short overview of history of language learning strategies, their position in 21st century, an overview of the cross-curricular topic and a summary of previous studies on this topic. The research part includes the current study and its aims, sample, instruments, procedure and findings. The study was conducted in Croatia in two parts. The first part was a semi-structured interview with four EFL teachers which served as a pilot study and a basis for a questionnaire, which is the base of the present paper and the main study. The results showed that teachers in Croatia have positive attitudes towards language learning strategies and that they instruct them regularly and in different manners taking into account individual differences. They are also familiar with the cross-curricular topic Learning how to learn and regularly teach its contents. Teachers' education on language learning strategies mostly comes from professional education and their own research and they readily try new approaches and strategies. However, the study indicated that teachers lack in their assessment of their students' use of strategies and ways to test this segment of curriculum.

Abstract (croatian)

Cilj ovog rada bio je istražiti na koje načine profesori engleskog jezika u Hrvatskoj potiču razvoj strategija učenja engleskog jezika, njihove stavove i obrazovanje o istima te stavove o međupredmetnoj temi Učiti kako učiti. Teorijski dio uključuje kratki pregled povijesti strategija učenja engleskog jezika, položaj strategija u 21 stoljeću, pregled glavnih ishoda međupredmetne teme Učiti kako učiti te sažetak prethodnih istraživanja na tu temu. Istraživački dio uključuje opis svrhe istraživanja, ispitanika, načina provođenja i pronalazaka. Istraživanje je provedeno u dva dijela. Prvi dio bio je polu-strukturirani intervju s četvero profesora koji je poslužio kao pilot istraživanje za drugi dio, upitnik proveden online u kojem je sudjelovalo 38 profesora. Rezultati su pokazali da profesori i učitelji u Hrvatskoj imaju pozitivne stavove prema strategijama učenja jezika te ih redovno poučavaju na razne načine uzimajući u obzir individualne razlike učenika. Upoznati su sa sadržajem kurikuluma međupredmetne teme Učiti kako učiti i poštuju njegove ishode. Obrazovanje profesora o strategijama učenja jezika najviše se svodi na stručne edukacije i njihovo vlastito istraživanje te oni spremno isprobavaju nove strategije. No, istraživanje je pokazalo da ispitanici imaju problema u procjeni i testiranju korištenja strategija kod svojih učenika.

• Keywords: language learning strategies; teachers; attitudes; cross-curricular topic; instruction
• Keywords (croatian): strategije učenja jezika; profesori; stavovi; međupredmetna tema; poučavanje
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:131:824423
• Study programme: Title: English Language and Literature (double major); specializations in: Linguistics, Literature and Culture, Translation, TEFL; Course: TEFL; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra edukacije engleskog jezika i književnosti (magistar/magistra edukacije engleskog jezika i književnosti)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Access restricted to students and staff of home institution
• Created on: 2023-07-14 10:20:02