How Malaysian diploma students compensate for language learning: a survey study / Nur Ain Abdul Malek, Siti Ainul Ayzan Ayub and Tg Nur Liyana Tengku Mohamed Fauzi

This study was conducted to investigate the compensatory strategies used by Malaysian students in a public university in learning English. A survey using questionnaire items from Oxford's (1990) LLS focusing only on compensatory strategies was conducted on the first and third semester students. It was found that students prefer to use word substitutions and gestures when they cannot think of an English word, making guesses when trying to understand unfamiliar English words, and predict what the other person will say next. In contrast, students rarely think of new words, and they are unable to read English without looking up each new word. The results suggest that the use of compensatory strategies is widespread among Malaysian students and that they prefer certain strategies over others. The study concludes that a better understanding of compensatory strategies can help teachers develop appropriate instructional materials and strategies that address learners' specific needs.