This paper on language learner strategies utilizes a little used quantitative, datamining technique called cluster analysis to investigate characteristics of groups of South Korean learners of English. After 71 students in three first-year university liberal arts English conversation courses completed the Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL), and the number of learning strategies was reduced from 50 to 26 based on standard deviation (SD) results, the non-hierarchical (K-means) 3-cluster procedure was applied to the self-reported data. Following statistical analysis, each of the three cluster groups could be profiled according to achievement scores. At this point, six items emerged as particularly meaningful with regard to the latter, including direct strategies (a memory one and a cognitive one) and indirect strategies (two affective and two metacognitive). These strategies and their significance with reference to the local context as well as results previously reported in the literature are discussed. Finally, limitations of the study and implications for future research using cluster analysis are reported.

1. INTRODUCTION
 2. LITERATURE REVIEW
  2.1. Language Learning Strategies
  2.2. Cluster Analysis
  2.3. Studies on Language Learning Strategies Using Cluster Analysis
  2.4. Purpose of the Current Study
 3. RESEARCH METHOD
  3.1. Participants
  3.2. Language Education and the Language Program
  3.3. Instruments and Method of Data Collection
  3.4. Method of Data Analysis
 4. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
  4.1. Cluster Size
  4.2. Achievement
  4.3. Distinguishing Strategies
  4.4. Overall Strategy Use
  4.5. Differential Strategy Use
 5. DISCUSSION
  5.1. Memory Strategy: I Use Flashcards to Remember New English Words (S1)
  5.2. Cognitive Strategy: I Practice the Sounds of English (S2)
  5.3. Two Affective Strategies: I Try to Relax Whenever I Feel Anxiousabout Using English (S3) and I Encourage Myself to Speak EnglishWhen I am Afraid of Making Mistakes (S4)
  5.4. Two Metacognitive Strategies: I Try to Find out How to be a BetterLearner of English (S5) and I Plan my Schedule, so I Have EnoughTime to Study English (S6)
 6. CONCLUSION
  6.1. Summary
  6.2. Limitations
  6.3. Future Directions
  REFERENCES

• KwangHo Lee(Mokpo National University)
• Young-Ho Ahn(Mokpo National University)
• Jocelyn Wright(Mokpo National University)