ABSTRACT

The objectives of this research are to find out problems faced by successful
EFL learners with emotional impairment and to identify strategies they use.
This research belongs to qualitative research with the type of case study. The research subject is one successful EFL student with emotional impairment from SMP Negeri 14 Surakarta. The sources of data come from the informant, teacher, the informant’s friends and sister. The techniques of data collecting are in-depth interview, observation and document analysis. Techniques used to reach the validity of the data are triangulation and member checking. The techniques of data analysis are data reduction, data display, conclusion drawing and verification.
The result of the research shows that 3 main problems of the learner are on grammar,   vocabulary   and   self   confidence.   The   others   are   problems   on pronunciation, speaker’s speaking rate, focusing when listening, spelling and learning facilities. The learner uses some effective strategies in order to overcome these problems and improve his skills. The types of the strategy are creating mental linkages,   employing   action,   practicing,   analyzing   and   reasoning,   creating structure for input and output, guessing intelligently, overcoming limitations in speaking and writing, centering your learning, arranging and planning your learning, evaluating your learning, taking your emotional temperature, encouraging yourself, lowering your anxiety, asking questions, cooperating with others and empathizing with others.
The  conclusion  of  the  research  is  although  the  learner  has  some  emotional
impairment that may impede him to attain learning achievements in the EFL context, he shows  that he  is  able to overcome  his  problems  through  strategy  uses  and become a successful EFL learner.

Keywords:      case study, learning problem, learning strategy, language learning strategies,successful EFL learner,  emotional impairment