Focusing on Learning Styles and Strategies: A Diary Study in an Immersion Setting

Abstract

This diary study focuses on the second language learning styles and strategies of the diarist/researcher in a naturalistic setting, utilizing categories from Oxford's (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning and the Style Analysis Survey. The analysis of diary entries indicates that the learner's learning style remained relatively constant throughout her time in the language immersion situation, but her strategies, while consistent with her learning style, were more variable over time. The total of indirect strategies used (58%) was higher than the total of direct strategies (42%), with the most frequently used strategies being those in the metacognitive group. The diarist's learning style appeared to influence her use of learning strategies.