Language aptitude, social strategies and personality traits in language learning

Results will be presented of a recent study that attempted to find out if any relationships between student aptitude for language learning and the use of social strategies could be identified. This exploratory study was conducted with 20 university students, second year English majors (Croatian native speakers), who worked in groups of four and in pairs on four communicative tasks (two decision making/problem solving tasks and two dictogloss tasks).  They also completed four LLAMA tests that measure language aptitude (Meara, 2005), a Language analytic ability test (Ottó, 2002), the SILL, Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (Oxford, 1989), and NEO Five-Factor Inventory personality profile assessment (Costa & McCrae, 1992). This seminar will focus on the presentation of those aspects of students’ social behaviour during the task performance that may point to the links between language aptitude and the use of social strategies. However, the identified associations do not seem to be linear and straightforward but rather mediated by individual personality traits.