Qualitative research on language learning strategies and self-regulation

Scholarship on language learning strategies has evolved from small-scale, practitioner-oriented studies to predominantly large-scale, questionnaire-driven research. This general shift has been instrumental in contributing to the field’s increased popularity. Robust quantitative studies are valuable. However, many scholars have called for more qualitative research to understand learners’ strategic behaviors in greater depth. Similarly, research on self-regulated learning can also benefit from qualitative inquiry. While self-regulated learning was once considered a replacement for language learning strategies, it is now commonly researched as a complementary construct within the same domain. As such, this special issue showcases recent qualitative studies that explore the complex “why” and “how” of language learning strategies and self-regulated learning. Originating from a symposium at the 2023 AILA World Congress, this collection brings together a range of methodologies, illustrating diversity within qualitative approaches and providing empirical insights that advance both theory and practice. In this introduction, we explain our rationale for proposing this special issue, discuss key issues it addresses, and conclude by providing future directions for research.