Strategic Talk in TTT and Students’ Self-reported Strategy Use: A Moroccan EFL Classroom

Abstract

The present study aimed to examine ‘strategic talk’ in teachers’ talking time (TTT) and students’ strategic awareness. This was carried out in a model classroom involving a group of 25 Moroccan EFL baccalaureate students from Lalla Aicha high school, Rabat. Oxford (1990) Strategy Inventory of Language Learning (SILL) was used to assess students’ level of strategic awareness, and two teacher observations were carried out for the qualitative side of the paper. The mixing of methods was encouraged by the objective of exploring variations in the type of LLS students report to use, whether there were any instances in teacher talking time (TTT) that matched the reported choice of students, and/or seemed to motivate it. Accordingly, the findings revealed metacognitive strategies as the most reported LLS utilized by students, and cognitive strategies being the least. The qualitative observation demonstrated this pattern in how the TTT mainly consisted of the teacher managing and directing students’ cognition, and wherein little room was given to any kind of form of reflective thinking other than answering subject related questions. Nevertheless, students who reported high level of use of both cognitive and metacognitive strategies, together, showcased a high score for the remaining categories as well. This implies that cognitive endeavors are the vehicle of metacognition, and together they can lead to positive and educated actions in learning.