Literature review

Strategies
In general, strategies are specific actions taken to accomplish a given task (Anderson, 1999; Cohen, 1998). The aim of strategies is to promote learner autonomy and to make learning more efficient. Marking the difference between strategy and skill causes confusion at times. Strategies are plans that readers adopt to achieve their goals. Skills, on the other hand, are the abilities acquired that make it possible for the learners to achieve their goals (Paris, Wasik & Turner, 1991).
Different criteria and taxonomies exist for classifying learning strategies. Cohen (1998) indicates that some strategies, such as memorization strategies, contribute directly to learning whereas other strategies, such as verifying that the intended meaning has been transferred, are language usage oriented.
Strategies are commonly divided into four categories: cognitive strategies, metacognitive strategies, compensation strategies, and social/affective strategies. Cognitive strategies are mental methods for processing information (Cohen, 1998). They include visualization, underlining, analyzing, and making associations (Oxford, 1990). Metacognitive strategies are the strategies that help the learners to plan, monitor, and reflect on their learning (Anderson, 1999; Grabe, 1991). They require learners to be aware of the task demands, plan the necessary steps to complete it, and monitor and evaluate the learning process by self-questioning. According to Oxford (1990), compensation strategies involve guessing while reading and inferencing. They enable learners to compensate for their limitations of grammar and vocabulary and make it possible for learners to use the language. Social/affective strategies help learners to keep motivated and deal with the problems of learning a new language (Oxford, 1990).
Oxford (1990) groups language learning strategies under two broad categories: direct and indirect. Memory, cognitive and compensation strategies fall into the category of direct strategies which are used for dealing with languages. On the other hand, indirect strategies which involve metacognitive, affective and social strategies are used for general management of learning.