strategy) and communication strategies (see communication strat-
egy) are those conscious or unconscious processes which language learners
make use of in learning and using a language.
see also heuristic, hypothesis testing, overgeneralization,
simplification^1strategy training n
also learner training
training in the use of learning strategies in order to improve a learner’s
effectiveness. A number of approaches to strategy training are used, including:
Explicit or direct training: learners are given information about the value
and purpose of particular strategies, taught how to use them, and how to
monitor their own use of the strategies.
Embedded strategy training: the strategies to be taught are not taught
explicitly but are embedded in the regular content of an academic subject
area, such as reading, maths or science.
Combination strategy training: explicit strategy training is followed by
embedded training.
stratified sample n
see sample
streaming n
also banding, tracking, ability grouping
the use of homogeneous groups in teaching.
stress n
the pronunciation of a syllable or word with more respiratory energy or
muscular force than other syllables or words in the same utterance. A
listener often hears a stressed word or syllable as being louder, higher in
pitch, and longer than the surrounding words or syllables. Different types
of stress can be distinguished:
Word stressrefers to the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables in
a word. A distinction used to be made in long words between stressed
syllables of varying degree, i.e. it was said that the syllable with the greatest
prominence had the primary stressand the next stressed syllable the
secondary stress. Now it is felt that while such distinctions are relevant
for citation forms, in an utterance the overall intonation tends to
neutralize the degree of stress within the individual word. Word stress may
distinguish between two words (e.g. a verb and a noun) that are otherwise
alike. For example, IMportas a noun is stressed on the first syllable, and
imPORTas a verb is stressed on the second (see also accent).
strategy training