4.2. Data collection instruments
Two data elicitation techniques were used in this study: a questionnaire and an interview. The questionnaire, which was administered to the students in two parallel versions, one devoted to learning English and the other to learning Russian, consisted of 16 Likert-type items. The initial four items concerned the participants' self-regulation in the learning of grammar: the ability to control one's learning, monitoring one's goals, motivation, and planning (Kormos & Csizer, 2014). This metacognitive dimension of learning, although not linked directly to the main theme of the study, was included in the questionnaire as an important factor which could influence other strategy choices. The remaining 12 items assessed the participants' use of cognitive grammar learning strategies with reference to their L1. Each item involved a 5-point ranking scale, which denoted either the level of agreement (1 = ‘not at all’, and 5 = ‘very much’), or frequency (1 = ‘never or almost never’, and 5 = ‘always or almost always’). The language of the questionnaire was English. Cronbach's alpha for items related to English grammar was 0.833, and for items related to Russian grammar it was 0.828, which indicates a high internal reliability of the tool. An exemplar of the questionnaire, in a blended version for both English and Russian grammar, is enclosed in the Appendix.
An important source of inspiration in developing the items was the general Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (Oxford, 1990), out of which certain items, e.g. regarding self-regulation strategies and some of the cognitive strategies, were selected and adapted, in relation to the literature on L1 use in learning L2 grammar, to fit the aims of the present study. For example, the SILL item “I look for patterns in the new language” was adapted to “I refer to a Polish grammatical structure in working on an English/Russian structure, because it helps me see the pattern of the sentence.” Because there is no existing inventory for grammar learning strategies with reference to learners’ L1, most of the items were invented for the needs of the study.
Semi-structured follow-up interviews were conducted with nine volunteers from the participant sample. Two core questions served as the basis for the interviews: “Do you find referring to Polish while learning English and Russian grammar useful? Why/Why not?”, and “In what ways do you make use of Polish in learning English and Russian grammar? What exactly do you do?”; however, other supportive questions were also asked when the need arose. The interviews were conducted in English and each of them lasted approximately 10 min.