International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 7, Issue 8, August 2017 159 ISSN 2250-3153 www.ijsrp.org The Relationships between Language Learning Strategies and Learning Styles of Ethnic Students at Thai Nguyen University, Viet Nam Dung Le Quang Thai Nguyen University, Thai Nguyen city, Viet Nam Abstract: The present study aims to explore the frequency of Language learning strategy use and examines the Language Learning strategies (LLS) of Thai Nguyen University (TNU) ethnic EFL learners in order to identify whether there is any meaningful relationship between the LLS and the learners’ learning styles. 527 ethnic students at Thai Nguyen University participated in the study. The Language Learning Strategy Questionnaire which is based on the Strategy Inventory Language Learning from Oxford’s (1990) and The Perceptual Learning Styles Preferences Questionnaire were administered to collect data for the present study. The findings from the present investigation, TNU ethnic students were medium strategy users. However, one strategy category, i.e., metacognitive category, was used at a high frequency as the most frequently used strategy category. Memory and cognitive strategies were used as the least frequently used categories by the participants of the study. In addition, learning styles did not have much influence on the learning strategy use. Index Terms: language learning strategy, ethnic students, learning styles, Thai Nguyen University I. INTRODUCTION Research results over the past decades have indicated that a key reason why many second language learners fail, while some learners do better with less effort, lies in various learner attributes such as personality traits, educational perspectives, motivation, cultural backgrounds, or language aptitude. It is also worth mentioning that types of strategies used by different learners vary due to stage of learning, teacher expectations, general learning styles, degree of awareness, teaching methods, text-books innovation, purpose for learning the language, and nationality or ethnicity (Bedell, 1993). To put it differently, a learner’s individual factors can influence which learning strategy the learners will use for their foreign language learning. Once well-managed, these variables can significantly contribute to a learner’s success in language learning. Many researchers (e.g., Reid, 1995; Zhang, 2005; Rahimi and Riazi, 2005; Yang, 2010, Minh, 2012; Zeynali, 2012; and Salahshour and Sharifi, 2013) suggest that strategies of successful language learners can supply a basis for aiding language learners, and the conscious use of language learning strategies makes good language learners. From the researcher’s experience as a teacher of English for more than 17 years with Thai Nguyen University (TNU), I am aware of the fact that students in general and ethnic students in particular are often confused to use their own strategies and abilities to transform their failing situations into successful learning experiences. In addition, I found that students with different individual identities study English in different ways and have different levels of proficiency. It seems that they are not what so called “lazy” and “not motivated”. Their language achievement may be affected by many individual factors and the culture which they inherited. Thai Nguyen University (TNU) is located in the northern midland and mountainous region where many ethnic minorities live in harmony for a long tradition, in which ethnic minorities accounted for 24% - the highest rate in the country with their own cultural identities. At present, TNU has a current enrollment of 90,000 students, of which there are about 65,000 undergraduate (55,000 full-time and 10,000 part-time) and others are professional vocational students. The annual application average is from 70-80,000 applications from various parts of the country, mostly from 16 northern upland provinces of Vietnam. So far, in Vietnam, quite a few studies have been conducted to explore the use of LLS at tertiary level and the relationships between LLS and learning styles. None have explored the choice or use of LLS which is influenced by learning styles in order to provide enough information which aid both teachers and educators in planning and of individual and group instruction. The present study examines the LLS of TNU ethnic EFL learners in order to identify whether there is any meaningful relationship between the LLS and the learners’ learning styles. II. LITERATURE REVIEW Language Learning Strategies Definitions and classifications Difficulties in defining LLS remain even at the basic level of terminology, each individual researchers define LLS in different ways such as ‘technique’, ‘tactic’ and ‘skill’. These definitions are sometimes overlap and conflict to each other. Just as Oxford (1990) defines the term as ‘behaviours’ or actions. This means LLS is observable, whereas Weinstein and