Towards A Descriptive Language Learning Strategy Inventory – The Dellsi

Abstract

The paper reports on the development of a descriptive and dynamic inventory called The Descriptive Language Learning Strategy Inventory (DeLLSI). This inventory was designed to identify learning strategies of Malaysian tertiary learners while reading an academic text for the purpose of summarizing the text.  Two groups of proficient and less proficient ESL learners read and summarized an academic text orally before being interviewed to clarify doubts arising from their think alouds. The entire process was audio-recorded and then transcribed verbatim. The completed summaries were also examined to check for accuracy with a suggested summary. Statements indicating strategy use were identified from the transcripts and these were then matched with the appropriate strategy in the inventory. This helped ensure the inventory was easier to use and reduced the difficulty of identifying strategies thus ensuring uniformity in strategy identification and research. This inventory also provides a useful supplement to existing inventories because its dynamic nature enables a strategy researcher to adapt it to specific skills and tasks.