USING LEARNING STRATEGY INSTRUCTION TO PROMOTE ENGLISH LANGUAGE STUDENTS' ACADEMIC SUCCESS

Performance-based procedures focus not only on what students must know after instruction but with what they are able to do after instruction. The performance-based approach stresses that students can be successful when they are provided with sufficient time and support, and that the primary goal of education is not completion of units or examination scores, but to promote achievement. An essential feature in second language academic success is the ability to apply learning strategies independently, in particular with reading and composition. Students must learn to be proactive in order to recognize problems and to apply strategies to resolve the difficulties in learning. However, often the skills used for strategic learning are not taught to L2 students, or if they are, then only briefly as procedures with little attention to independent use as strategies. This paper first describes fundamental features of learning strategies and performance-based instruction, then discusses how the approach can be used to develop strategic learning abilities of L2 students. A multicomponent strategy system focusing on the various steps in active learning promotes strategic learning for L2 learners is described. Finally, the paper reflects on the role of the language teacher in promoting strategic learning. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]