Sometimes when I need to make a left turn, I ride with the traffic and get into the left turning lane, but there are times when I'm unsure what to do.
I find some motorists seem to be caught off guard when I go left, as if I'm supposed to move as a pedestrian.

Is it always better to enter the left turning lane? Or are there other strategies for making left turns?

For me it depends on where I am, and what the traffic patterns are like. If it's light traffic, or I feel comfortable with the way the motorists have been treating me I'll pop into the turning lane with the proper hand signals. However When traffic is heavy, or people have been honking at me and hurling bikest slurs at me from their oh so fragile windows then I take the left turns with the pedestrians, crossing when the signals say to. I would rather stop, and wait than get carried a few feet by the hood of someone's car. Allows me time to take a sip from the water bottle or flirt with the cutie jogging. Guess that's more of a dating strategy than a turning strategy...

When traffic is light and I can easily merge into the left lane, I usually do. However, when its bumper to bumper or cars are really flying, I usually opt for a chicken left - ride across the street to the opposite corner, then cross the street when the light turns and traffic has stopped. The other thing that helps when making a left, (from a left turn lane or merging into the left lane), is sticking your left arm out to signify a left turn - this letds drivers behind you and approaching you know your intentions.

I don't have any stories of drivers stopping and thanking me for signalling or being a safe and courteous cyclist, but I've had very few run ins with them and I think because I'm relatively predictable when I ride might be a reason why.

I agree with the 2 posts above.

If the coast is clear I move into the left turn lane. If not I will ride to the corner in the right lane and take the pedestrian route.

Same thing. But I actually take it a step further. In heavy traffic, I transform from bicyclist to pedestrian. I get off my bike and walk it. Getting hit by a car twice will make you do that.

The heavier the traffic, the easier it is for me to fight my way over to a left turn lane. In fact, the motorists seem to be much more cooperative in making room for me after I signal when it is stop-and-go than when they are going over 40 mph. On two-lane 55 mph highways I just make sure the car I am getting in front of has plenty of time to deal with that, just like I do when I'm driving 40 tons down the highway. If cyclists make a habit of doing some sort of funky pedestrian turn, then that will become what is expected and those of us who are riding according to the law will have more unpleasant encounters.

I too agree with the 2nd poster. It depends on the traffic. If everyone is already stopped at the light, then it is a piece of cake. Just change lanes and go. But if traffic is heavy and moving quickly, then I too ride across in the right hand land, then stop and turn 90 degrees on the other side and wait for the light to turn green going the other way.

I have also done the "oh dang, no cars are in the left turn lane to trip the light" turn too. That is where I sit in the left turn lane through one series, unable to turn because the left turn signal never changes. So I wait until the cross traffic is moving, go left in the cross walk, hit the pedestrian signal, then cross to the other side and ride on.

You do what you can to get across town and keep from getting run over.

Yeah, this is my thinking and way, too. I just move like a car, like I'm supposed to. Sure, there have been times when, on multiple lane, one way streets, traffic was too heavy and fast moving for me to cross 3 lanes (not at intersection, so no turn light) to make the left when I decided to just pull to the right curb or corner and wait for traffic to clear, but generally, and especially at lights, getting left is really not a problem.

Maybe the trick is planning ahead enough (i.e. check behind) so that you adjust your speed to match the gap coming up from behind so that you can take the lane and complete the merge before traffic and you start jamming up at the intersection and have to stop.

+1 on the X walk use .. straight thru intersection, then use that X walk or the light ..
never mind the induction loop, I hit the pedestrian button.