Strategy-Based Instruction: Explicit Strategy Training and Iranian EFL Learners Test Performance

Strategy-Based Instruction (SBI) is a learner-focused approach to teaching that emphasizes employing learning strategies with the goal of enhancing both learner autonomy and proficiency in language contexts. SBI is multifaceted phenomenon and note taking strategy as one of its subcategories is writing down the main concepts, significant points, outline, or digest of information presented orally or in writing (Brown, 2007). The present paper reported the findings of a study that investigated the effect of explicit strategy training on learners’ achievement test scores in a higher education setting. To conduct the study, sixty participants in the same level of proficiency were selected purposely (N=60). They were taught how to take note based on the Cornell method (particular note taking method). Both questionnaire and interview were applied to elicit the attitudes of participants about strategy training in listening comprehension. The results indicated that note taking training strategy, in contrast to Iranian EFL learners’ attitudes has significant effects on Iranian listening test performance. However, the findings demonstrated that explicit strategy training is ineffective when there is not enough time to do so.