The Effectiveness of Strategy-based Vocabulary Instruction on Iranian EFL Learners' Recall

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 603
Author(s):  
Elham Izadpana ◽  
Narjes Ghafournia

This study investigated the preferred vocabulary strategies, used by Iranian intermediate EFL learners and also the effect of strategy-based vocabulary instruction on students’ recall once immediately after the instruction period and once after a time interval (two weeks). In order to determine the learners’ level of proficiency, NET (Nelson English Test) was administered to the intended population. Those students, whose score fell within the range of 28-33 were labeled as intermediate. To identify the learners’ preferred vocabulary learning strategies, a questionnaire known as VOLSI (Vocabulary Learning Strategies Inventory) was given to them. The results indicated that there was not any significant difference between the mean scores of the participants in the control group and the participants in the experimental group (0.46). In simple words, the two groups were homogenous in terms of lexical knowledge at the beginning of the course. With regard to the obtained results for the two post-test phases, it was found that the post-treatment means of the two groups were significantly different in terms of recalling vocabulary.  Taken together, the findings of this study support the foreign language research literature on vocabulary strategy training.

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-54
Author(s):  
Hatice Okyar

This study aimed to (a) identify vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) employed by Turkish EFL learners; (b) determine whether the use of VLSs varies by gender. To achieve these aims, the vocabulary learning strategies scale developed by Kocaman and Kizilkaya Cumaoglu (2014) was administered to preparatory school students (n=209) at a state university in Turkey. Descriptive statistics (means, standard deviations) and an independent-samples t-test were used for statistical analyses. The results revealed that the frequency of VLS use was at a medium level. In addition, analysis of the sub-dimensions of the scale showed that memory, cognitive, compensation, and social strategies were used at a medium frequency level, while metacognitive and affective strategies were used at a high frequency. When VLS use was analyzed with respect to gender, a significant difference was seen between males and females, with female students having a higher total mean score than male students. Also, female students reported more use of memory, cognitive, compensation, metacognitive, and affective strategies; however, no statistically significant gender difference was found regarding the frequency of the use of social strategies.


Author(s):  
Abdullah Sarani ◽  
Habib Shirzaei

Vocabulary is viewed as a major part of language proficiency as it allows learners to use four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing. The present study was carried out to compare Iranian undergraduate and postgraduate EFL learners’ use of vocabulary learning strategies. After that the study tried to see if there was any difference between highly-motivated and low-motivated learners with regard to vocabulary use. Finally, it aimed at investigating the differences between the Iranian EFL male and female learners’ use of vocabulary learning strategies. A group of 150 Iranian undergraduate and postgraduate EFL learners (75 males and 75 females) both at BA and MA levels from Zahedan universities were selected randomly. The participants’ ages ranged between18 to 42. The data were obtained through two questionnaires: Taxonomy of Vocabulary Learning Strategies developed by Schmitt (1997) and Gardner’s (1985) Attitude/ Motivation Test Battery (AMTB). The findings of the study showed that there was a significant difference between undergraduate and postgraduate EFL learners’ use of vocabulary learning strategies. Also, there was a difference between highly-motivated learners and low-motivated learners’ use of vocabulary learning strategies. Moreover, the results showed that the interaction between the learners’ gender and motivation was significant. The results are theoretically and pedagogically significant for EFL teachers and applied linguists


2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 511 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shohreh Kashani ◽  
Sajad Shafiee

A multitude of factors are involved in learning a second language, among which knowing ample vocabulary plays a crucial role. Despite many efforts for vocabulary learning, one of the first problems of foreign language learners, especially Iranian EFL learners, is how to commit lots of foreign words to memory. The present study aimed to compare three vocabulary learning strategies (flashcard strategy, sentence writing method, and vocabulary notebook strategy) with the traditional way of vocabulary learning (repetition) among Iranian elementary EFL learners to find out which one was the most efficient approach to vocabulary learning and best increased long-term retention of meaning. To do this end, four groups (three experimental groups and one control group) were chosen to take part in the experiment. The groups were all homogenized in the wake of administering a vocabulary pretest, and then each of the experimental groups was exposed to its pertinent treatment. After the completion of the experiment, and in the light of a vocabulary posttest, the results showed that there existed differences among the four strategies in terms of vocabulary learning and retention. In terms of vocabulary learning, the difference among the four groups was significant, but the difference on posttest which examined the long-term retention of the new vocabularies was not statistically significant. The study revealed that flash card strategy was the best strategy for vocabulary learning process among elementary level learners.


Vocabulary learning is one of the problems in language learning skills. Tackling such problems is to provide useful and effective strategies for enhancing students’ VLSs. Therefore, this study aims to survey vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) utilized among English as a Foreign Language learners (EFL) in Baghlan University of Afghanistan, and to study the high and least frequently used VLSs that contributes to the learners’ vocabulary knowledge. This study utilizes a descriptive quantitative research method with 67 EFL learners who participated in the survey questionnaire adopted from Oxford (1990) taxonomy of VLS from different faculties of Baghlan University. The findings indicated that EFL learners preferably utilize VLSs at a medium level, and the highly used vocabulary learning strategies are the social strategies through which they ask the native speakers, teachers, and classmates for the meanings of new words in English language conversation. Determination, cognitive, and memory strategies are respectively followed by the learners. Whereas, metacognitive strategies are the least used strategies among EFL learners, the reason is that they only focus on the materials related to examination; explore anything about the new words for learning, and rarely think of their improvement in vocabulary learning.


2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saeedeh Rajayi ◽  
Mahpareh Poorahmadi ◽  
Mahpare Poorahmadi

A considerable body of research has been conducted on effective vocabulary instruction to improve vocabularylearning. However, no research has been done to empirically document the link between teaching vocabulary through“Kik’ application and vocabulary learning. Thus, this study was conducted to fill this gap in research related to thisphenomenon. To this effect, 61 intermediate EFL learners from Joyandegan language institute were selected throughconvenience sampling and randomly assigned to two groups; experimental and control group. In this pretest, posttestexperimental study, only the experimental group received training through “Kik” application. The comparison of thescores of Teacher Made Vocabulary Test showed that the scores of experimental group were higher than those of thecontrol group. The comparison of the scores of Teacher Made Vocabulary Test showed that the scores ofexperimental group were higher than those of the control group. This provided a statistically significant relationshipbetween the independent variable, teaching vocabulary through “Kik” application, and vocabulary learning which isthe dependent variable. The results of this study point to a probability that on using of “Kik” for teaching vocabularyand the results of this study showed that using “Kik” for teaching can have a significant impact on EFL learners’vocabulary learning.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Mehdi Solhi Andarab

The recent improvements in technology and their integration in language learning have played a facilitating role invocabulary acquisition. Quizlet, an online teacher-/student-friendly tool, is one of the leading applications invocabulary acquisition. Along with the effectiveness of visualization in acquiring vocabulary, humor has been alsoextensively indicated to carry a significant role in language learning. With all its facilitating features, the integrationof technology, humor, and vocabulary can be achieved via Quizlet. In this study, the visual integration of humoraccompanying vocabulary on Quizlet was taken into scrutiny to see to what extent humor-integrated pictures onQuizlet account for the retention of vocabulary acquisition. With this purpose, this study examined the effect ofhumor-integrated pictures on vocabulary acquisition of 45 intermediate English as a foreign language (EFL) learnerson Quizlet. In so doing, the experimental group received a series of unknown vocabulary items for which theintegrated pictures were humorous, while the vocabulary items assigned for the control group were identical, but innon-humorous contexts. At the end, an independent samples t-test applied on the scores achieved from a posttestindicated a significant difference in scores of the control group and that of the experimental group. In fact, thelearners in the experimental group significantly outperformed their counterparts in the control group. The resultsindicated that linking vocabulary items with humorous pictures is more effective than using non-humorous context inlearning vocabulary. Apparently, as the results indicate, the significant effectiveness of technology in vocabularylearning can be boosted with the help of humorous context. The findings shed light on the importance of technologyin language learning and its linking with humor in vocabulary learning.


2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 213
Author(s):  
Maryam Sharafi Nejad ◽  
Shohreh Raftari ◽  
Lin Siew Eng

<p>Based on the findings of previous studies which highlight the role of vocabulary knowledge  in English as a Foreign Language/English as a Second Language (EFL/ESL) learners’  learning process, this study is aimed at exploring<strong> </strong>the effectiveness of critical thinking on vocabulary learning by Malaysian EFL learners. .To achieve the purpose of this study, 60 male undergraduate EFL learners studying English at Asian EFL Academy Language Institute in Pinang were selected after administering Preliminary English Test.To examine whether there is a significant difference between experimental and control group, two parallel versions of Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (Pribakht &amp; Wesche, 1993) were used as pre-test and post-test. The participants in experimental group were instructed on how to employ critical thinking strategies on vocabulary learning. The results of the post-test showed that the experimental group who received formal instruction based on the critical thinking strategies revealed the prominent <a href="https://www.google.com.my/search?newwindow=1&amp;biw=1366&amp;bih=609&amp;q=define+development&amp;sa=X&amp;sqi=2&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjsxaLZw_nLAhVMFJQKHWTjC10Q_SoIHjAA">development</a> and interest in vocabulary learning. The t-test also indicated a significant difference between the performance of the control and experimental group.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
pp. 218-223
Author(s):  
Ghada Alahmad

It is generally agreed in the field of Foreign Language Learning (FLL) that Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLSs) are a subcategory of the more general Language Learning Strategies (LLSs). Research into LLSs began based on the belief that language aptitude was not the only determinant factor of language achievement, and that the learners’ own learning effort and the way they approach language learning also played a major role. The purpose of this study is to investigate VLS use of Saudi female undergraduate EFL learners in each stage of the Vocabulary Learning Process (VLP) and its relation to their vocabulary size. The study population consisted of female students enrolled in the final year of the undergraduate English language program in an English department in a Saudi university. Forty-one students participated in this study, and two data collection instruments were used. The first instrument was a frequency of use questionnaire designed based on the learning process-oriented taxonomy of VLSs. The second was a Vocabulary Size Test. The analyses show that the participants used 17 strategies with a high frequency in all the stages of the VLP except for Stages Four and Six. The analyses also show that the most frequently used strategies were mainly cognitive strategies (nine strategies) and metacognitive strategies (five strategies). In terms of the relationship between the use of VLSs and vocabulary size, two strategies were found to be positively correlated with the participants’ vocabulary size. Interestingly, other strategies that are known to be effective in vocabulary learning were found to have a negative correlation with the participants’ vocabulary size.


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