The Second Language Learning Strategies in Multilingual and Monolingual Contexts: A Mixed-Methods Study

This study explored factors influencing second language (L2) learning strategies in multilingual (Uzbekistan) and monolingual (Korea) contexts using a mixedmethods approach. Specifically, it investigated (1) differences in L2 learning strategies between the two groups and (2) the contextual factors affecting the strategies. As part of the quantitative methodology, a total of 134 participants 54 from Uzbekistan and 80 from Korea completed the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) questionnaire. Additionally, six participants (three from each country) were interviewed for qualitative insights. The findings show that L2 learning strategies were influenced by four key sociocultural factors: aspirations for the future self, globalization and societal progress, the role of the first language, and culturally rooted backgrounds. This study highlights that external sociocultural influences contribute significantly to differences in learning strategies, thus challenging the traditional view that individual differences are primary determinants. It emphasizes the importance of understanding broader contextual effects when examining language learning behaviors in different linguistic environments.