In our view strategy is best reserved for general tendencies or overall characteristics of the approach employed by the language

learner, leaving 1. Stern 1983 techniques as the term to refer to particular forms of observable learning behavior. Weinstein and Learning strategies are the behaviors and thoughts that learner engages in 2. Mayer 1986 during learning that are intended to influence the learners encoding process. Learning strategies are techniques, approaches or deliberate actions that 3. Chamot 1987 students take in order to facilitate the learning, recall of both linguistic and content area information. Learning strategies are strategies which contribute to the development of the 4. Rubin 1987 language system which the learner constructs and affect learning directly. 1.Language learning strategies are behaviors or actions which learners use to Oxford make language learning more successful, self-direct and enjoyable. 5. 1.1989 2. The strategy concept [...] has come to mean as plan, set or conscious action toward achievement of an objective. They are specific actions taken by the learner to make learning easier, faster, more enjoyable, more self-directed, more 2.1990 effective and more transferable to new situations. Learning strategies are concerned with the learners attempts to master new 6. Tarone 1980 linguistic and socio-linguistic information about the target language. OMalley and The special thoughts or behaviors that individuals use to help them comprehend, 7. Chamot 1990 learn or retain new information. Any sets of operations, steps, plans, routines used by the learner to facilitate the 8. Rubin 1987 obtaining, storage, retrieval and use of information. Learning strategies are processes which are consciously selected by learners and which may result in action taken to enhance the learning or use of a second or 9. Cohen 1998 foreign language, through the storage, retention, recall and application of information about the language. According to Ellis (1994), the concept of strategy is somewhat fuzzy one, [...] not easy to tie down (Ellis 1994:529) and brings to light many problems. On the basis of a wide variety of definitions by many researchers, Ellis states that it is open to question whether learning strategies are recognized as behavioral, mental or as both. Oxford (1989), on the other hand, appears to see them as essentially behavioral, whereas Weinstein and Mayer (1986) describe them as both behavioral and mental. Another difficulty emphasized by Ellis is the nature of the behaviors classified as learning strategies. As stated by Stern (Ellis 1994), there is a distinction between strategies, which are defined as approaches to learning, and techniques, which are observable forms of learning (e.g. grammar or vocabulary). Other researchers (Ellis 1994), however, may refer to techniques as strategies and vice versa, which may further complicate terminology. Another point raised by Ellis (1994) is whether learning strategies are to be viewed as conscious and therefore intentional or subconscious and unintentional. Most investigators in this area of

research have not considered this issue, with the exception of Chamot (1987) who believes that learning strategies are deliberate actions. The fourth problem mentioned by Ellis examines whether learning strategies are viewed as having a direct or indirect impact on interlanguage development. Various scholars (Ellis 1994) regard them as having an indirect influence, which is an opposite view to that adopted by Rubin (1987).