Abstract:
The aim of this study was to evaluate and validate language learning strategies used by
excellent students based on gender, socio-economy, types of school, and academic
background in the English Studies Programme at Riau University, Pekanbaru. This study
investigates students’ reading strategies in terms of memory, cognitive, compensation,
metacognitive, affective and social. This study comprehensively investigates excellent
students’ learning strategies in reading. One hundred and one subjects who are studying and
doing well in the English Education programme were recruited for this study. The data were
analyzed using a descriptive statistic with min. For this study the data were collected using
questionnaire to explore the learning strategies of excellent students. A pilot study was
conducted to increase the reliability of the instrument used and was assessed using cronbach
alpha and value was between 0.82 and 0.91. The findings show different language learning
strategies among the students based on gender, ethnic group, parents' income, and academic
results in secondary school. It was found that there was no significant difference in learning
strategies among excellent students based on types of school. This study This finding has
important implications for various parties in educational sector to cooperate in their effort to
develop and improve the students' learning strategies in order to produce quality human
capital.
