T1 Abstract Institutional Repository | Satya Wacana Christian University: Students’ Learning Strategies in Learning Modal Auxiliaries

STUDENTS’ LEARNING STRATEGIES IN LEARNING MODAL
AUXILIARIES

Wiwid Wahyuni

Abstract
It is commonly known that grammar is one of difficult aspects for many ESL students
regardless of their proficiency level. One part of grammar lesson that should be
mastered is modal auxiliaries. There may be several causes that lead to students’
difficulties in learning it. This study attempts to find what strategies that students use
in learning modal auxiliaries and also what strategies that students find most useful.
This study took place in Faculty of Language and Arts in Universitas Kristen Satya
Wacana with the participation of 60 students from 2 Intermediate Grammar classes.
The data were collected through a 35-item questionnaire by using learning strategies
questionnaire which was adopted based on Oxford (1990 as cited in Gürata 2008) and
O’Malley et al (1985 as cited in Zare 2012) learning strategies classification. The
aspects include: memorization strategies, cognitive strategies, compensation
strategies, metacognitive strategies, affective strategies, and social strategies. The
analysis of the data revealed that social-affective strategies were the most frequently
used by students. The findings from this study also indicated that students consider
cognitive strategies as perceived useful strategies.

Key Words: language learning, learning strategies, grammar, modal auxiliaries