Communication strategies for developing the learner’s autonomy

Taxonomy of the language learning strategies

There are many classifications of the Language Learning Strategies made by different authors. These classifications are more or less similar without major or radical changes. In what follows, we present some classifications according to different authors such as: O’Malley, Rubin, Oxford and Stern.
O’Malley’s (1985) classifies Language Learning Strategies into three main categories:

1. 
   Metacognitive Strategies; they require planning for learning, they are conscious, deliberate actions;
   
2. 
   Cognitive Strategies; they refer to specific tasks, they involve direct manipulation of the material;
   
3. 
   Socioaffective Strategies; they are related to social- mediating activities and involve interaction with others.
   

Rubin (1987) considers that there are three types of strategies used by the learners that contribute directly or indirectly to the language learning. They are as follows:
1. Learning Strategies;
2. Communication Strategies;
3. Social Strategies.
Learning Strategies contribute directly to the development of the language system and are of two main types:

• 
  Cognitive Learning Strategies refer to the operators or steps in problem-solving that require transformation, direct analysis or synthesis of the learning materials. Rubin identifies six cognitive learning strategies: Classification / Verification, Guessing / Inductive Inferencing, Deductive Reasoning, Practice, Memorization, and Monitoring. All these contribute directly to the language learning.
  
• 
  Metacognitive Learning Strategies are used to oversee control or self-direct the language learning. They involve different processes such as: planning, self-management or setting goals.
  

Oxford (1990) remarks that the aim of Language Learning Strategies is being oriented towards the development of communicative competence. She divides them into two main classes: direct and indirect which are further subdivided into six groups as follows:

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