ABSTRACT
Chapter 4 zooms in on learner reflection in the specific context of learning English as an additional language within the field of TESOL. The chapter provides the important theoretical foundation that is integral to understanding the practitioner research presented in Chapters 5 to 8 regarding student learning of reflection and strategic behaviours. This chapter summarizes over five decades of research that led to identifying English language learners’ strategic behaviours, presents the debates and criticisms related to the definitions and the conceptualization of language learning strategies, and focuses on using reflection to develop language learners’ strategic competence and improve language learning and language use.
