ABSTRACT
Learning a foreign language (FL) is easier for highly motivated self-regulated learners. But how can language instructors help their students become more self-regulated and efficient? The results of an empirical study with novice-level students of Russian demonstrated the benefits of applying a self-efficacy-based instructional method to foster the students’ strategic self-regulation at the early stages of language learning. The purpose of the study was (1) to investigate novice students’ strategic self-regulated learning of Russian as a foreign language and the role of the proposed self-efficacy-based instructional method in fostering the students’ strategic self-regulated language learning (SRL), as well as (2) to establish student attitudes toward the proposed method. Acquiring and developing strategies for better self-regulation in the process of learning Russian as a foreign language was viewed through the lenses of Oxford’s (2011) Strategic Self-Regulation framework (S2R). The framework outlines certain metastrategies that help regulate the cognitive, affective, and sociocultural-interactive dimensions of foreign language learning. The study employed the sequential exploratory mixed-methods design and consisted of two phases: a quantitative phase for identifying higher and lower self-regulated students and a qualitative phase for investigating approaches to studying Russian employed by students at the novice level and their perceptions of the proposed instructional method. The findings demonstrated that the higher self-regulated students rely more on metacognitive strategies, whereas the lower self-regulated students mostly employ cognitive strategies. Both groups of students expressed positive attitudes toward the proposed instructional method and reported that it helped them become more metacognitively aware in the learning process and reduced anxiety. The participants also reported being more confident in content knowledge and in their language skills.
