The language teacher aiming at training his students in using language learning strategies should learn
about the students, their interests, motivations, and learning styles. The teacher can learn what
language learning strategies students already appear to be using, observing their behavior in class. Do
they ask for clarification, verification or correction? Do they cooperate with their peers or seem to
have much contact outside of class with proficient foreign language users? Besides observing their
behavior in class, the teacher can prepare a short questionnaire so that students can fill in at the
beginning of a course to describe themselves and their language learning. Thus, the teacher can learn
the purpose of their learning a language, their favorite / least favorite kinds of class activities, and the
reason why they learn a language. The teacher can have adequate knowledge about the students, their
goals, motivations, language learning strategies, and their understanding of the course to be taught
(LessardClouston 1997:5). It is a fact that each learner within the same classroom may have different
learning styles and varied awareness of the use of strategies. The teacher cannot attribute importance to only one group and support the analytical approach or only give input by using the auditory mode.
The language teacher should, therefore, provide a wide range of learning strategies in order to meet
the needs and expectations of his students possessing different learning styles, motivations, strategy
preferences, etc. Therefore, it can be stated that the most important teacher role in foreign language
teaching is the provision of a range of tasks to match varied learning styles (Hall 1997:4).
In addition to the students, the language teacher should also analyze his textbook to see whether the
textbook already includes language learning strategies or language learning strategies training. The
language teacher should look for new texts or other teaching materials if language learning strategies
are not already included within his materials.
The language teacher should also study his own teaching method and overall classroom style.
Analyzing his lesson plans, the language teacher can determine whether his lesson plans give learners
chance to use a variety of learning styles and strategies or not. The teacher can see whether his
teaching allows learners to approach the task at hand in different ways or not. The language teacher
can also be aware of whether his strategy training is implicit, explicit, or both. It should be
emphasized that questioning himself about what he plans to do before each lesson and evaluating his
lesson plan after the lesson in terms of strategy training, the teacher can become better prepared to
focus on language learning strategies and strategy training during the process of his teaching (LessardClouston
1997:5).