scholarly journals Vocabulary Learning Strategies Used by Medical Students: Croatian Perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 44
Author(s):  
Jasmina Rogulj ◽  
Ivana Čizmić

<p>In order to be able to fully develop their academic and professional competencies, medical doctors (MDs) need to be highly proficient in English, which, among other things, implies the acquisition of vocabulary as an essential part of language knowledge. The current study aims at exploring vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) employed by freshman and sophomore medical students at the University of Split School of Medicine, Croatia. In particular, it focuses on (a) most and least frequently used VLS; (b) relationship between VLS subscales and different types of vocabulary knowledge; (c) differences in the mean strategy use between male and female students, and among low-, middle- and high-scoring students. The instruments used in the research were adapted version of the VLS Questionnaire (Pavičić Takač, 2008, p.152) and a vocabulary test designed by the author. The results indicate that medical students use a core inventory of VLS, whereby showing preference for the category of self-initiated vocabulary learning (SI-IVL) strategies and some individual formal vocabulary learning (FVL) and spontaneous vocabulary learning (SVL) strategies. Although students were not in favour of FVL at the level of the category as a whole, the results showed that the more frequently they employed FVL strategies, the better they scored on vocabulary tasks measuring controlled-productive type of vocabulary knowledge. Correlations revealed that female students used SI-IVL and FVL strategies significantly more often than their male counterparts. Results also suggest that there are no statistically significant differences in the mean VLS use among low-, middle- and high-scoring students. In conclusion, the results of this study provide a preliminary insight into the VLS used by medical students and their effect on students' vocabulary learning outcomes as well as into differences by gender and vocabulary proficiency. Since findings have proved rather inconclusive, these research questions need to be further investigated.</p>

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.


Author(s):  
Moh. Hasbullah Isnaini ◽  
Resda Cintami Laksana

<p class="abstract"><span lang="EN-AU">This study aims at investigating the phenomena of vocabulary strategies used by gamers of the Harvest Moon game. A survey study was conducted to see the most and the least frequent strategies used by the gamers while playing the game. To gain the data, the researcher distributed a questionnare which is adapted from the Schmitt’s taxonomy of VLS namely determination, social (discovery), social (consolidation), cognitive, memory, and metacognitive strategies. The result of the present study shows that the most frequent strategy used is cognitive strategy, the mean is 2.28 which indicates that most of the gamers use this strategy to improve their vocabulary learning. Meanwhile, the least strategy used is the social startegy since the mean score is 1.07 which suggests that the gamers do not really seek help from friends when they have problems with vocabulary. Taking the result of the study into the learning of vocabulary, it is suggested that teachers provide language learners with the cognitive strategy to accomodate their vocabulary learning, so that they can enhance their vocabulary.</span></p>


Author(s):  
Emad A. Alghamdi

Given the crucial role of vocabulary knowledge in language development, the literature is replete with studies that explore the effects of various vocabulary learning strategies. This chapter taps into two areas of research on vocabulary learning, multimodal glossing and digital gaming, and reports on an experimental study whose aim was to investigate the effect of providing EFL students (n=162) with three gloss conditions (L1 test + picture, L2 text + picture, and picture-only) when they play a video game on their vocabulary acquisition and retention. The students took two vocabulary tests immediately after playing the game, and again two weeks later. The findings revealed that while all groups benefited from multimodal glossing, the L1 text + picture gloss group significantly performed better than the other two groups in the acquisition and retention of the targeted words. The chapter concludes by discussing the limitations of the current study and suggesting new directions for future research.


2022 ◽  
pp. 580-601
Author(s):  
Emad A. Alghamdi

Given the crucial role of vocabulary knowledge in language development, the literature is replete with studies that explore the effects of various vocabulary learning strategies. This chapter taps into two areas of research on vocabulary learning, multimodal glossing and digital gaming, and reports on an experimental study whose aim was to investigate the effect of providing EFL students (n=162) with three gloss conditions (L1 test + picture, L2 text + picture, and picture-only) when they play a video game on their vocabulary acquisition and retention. The students took two vocabulary tests immediately after playing the game, and again two weeks later. The findings revealed that while all groups benefited from multimodal glossing, the L1 text + picture gloss group significantly performed better than the other two groups in the acquisition and retention of the targeted words. The chapter concludes by discussing the limitations of the current study and suggesting new directions for future research.


Author(s):  
Sharon Fung-Chien Kho ◽  
Joseph Ramanair ◽  
Ambigapathy Pandian

A good grasp of vocabulary enables language learners to articulate, comprehend and communicate ideas and concepts effectively. For learners whose first language is not English, mastering vocabulary knowledge in terms of the breadth and depth is challenging and needs to start at a young age through the use of various strategies. The lack of English language vocabulary knowledge would demotivate learners and even result in abandoning efforts to learn the language. Therefore, it is important that learners know and are able to use five strategies, which include determination, social, cognitive, memory, and metacognitive strategies to learn vocabulary. Determination and social strategies are in the discovery category, while social cognitive, memory, and metacognitive strategies are in the consolidation category. This study aims to determine the vocabulary learning strategies used by 132 Year Five primary school English language students in two urban National Type Chinese schools in Sarawak. It investigated the strategies these learners used, how frequently they used them, and their reasons for preferring particular strategies. Data were collected from two classrooms at each school through the use of questionnaire and individual interview. Questionnaire results were analysed descriptively in terms of mean scores and standard deviation while interview responses were coded, categorised and analysed using thematic analysis. The findings suggest that while the students employed moderate use of all the five strategies, cognitive strategies which involved mechanical approaches were the most used while social strategies were not used by all students.


2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 142
Author(s):  
Aravind B R ◽  
Rajasekaran V

The present research was carried out to study the cognitive and metacognitive vocabulary learning strategies of 36 ESL learners’. Schmitt’s Vocabulary Learning Strategies questionnaire was used to conduct the study. The study revealed the subsequent array of cognitive and metacognitive strategies employed by ESL learners. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were also conducted with 10 ESL learners’ who completed the questionnaire to get more reliable information about learners’ strategies with vocabulary learning. The findings indicated that ‘Using English Language Media’, ‘Verbal repetition’, ‘Take notes in class’ were the most popular strategies, whereas ‘Skip or pass new word’ and ‘Put English labels on physical objects’ were least used. The results of this paper provide many implications for English language teaching. Detailed explanations of the participants’ cognitive and metacognitive strategies were given in the discussion.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 167-186
Author(s):  
Iwan Kurniawan ◽  
Melinda Roza ◽  
Juhana Juhana

The purpose of this study was to determine the types of Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLS), the most and least frequently used VLSs by female and male students, and the types of VLSs chosen to address vocabulary learning problems. This study employed a survey technique. The population for this study was drawn from Lampung State Islamic University's English Education Department, which consisted of three classes and had a total enrollment of approximately 75 students. Female students totaled 64, while male students totaled 11. The sample consisted of fourth-semester students. The instrument used in this study was a questionnaire that Gu and Johnson proposed in 1996. Interviews were also used as a tool. All English department students at Lampung State Islamic University used one of four vocabulary learning strategies. Among the four categories of Vocabulary Learning Strategies, students in the three classes favoured metacognitive strategies the most, as indicated by the mean score (2.90). On the other hand, the least frequently used strategy was memory/repetition, as indicated by the lowest mean score (2.22). Female students tended to use metacognitive strategies, as indicated by their highest mean score (2.87), while male students tended to use memories/repetition strategies, as indicated by their average score (2.2). Additionally, the most frequently used strategy by male students was metacognitive strategy with a mean score of (2.93), while the least frequently used strategy was activation with a mean score of (2.93). (2.31). To overcome the problem of vocabulary acquisition, the students used the strategies of consulting a dictionary first, followed by learning grammar and asking other people second. The final strategies used were word practise and internet surfing. 


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasrah Mahmoud Ismaiel ◽  
AbdulRahman Awadh Al Asmari

The study of vocabulary can be considered a chief issue which the second language students encounter within the learning of another language especially, for non-English major students. This study aims at assessing the influence of a suggested program for enhancing EFL students` vocabulary and vocabulary learning strategies use. The sample of this study consists of (123) females, it is parted into two sections; the experimental group consists of 55 female students and the control group consists of 68 female students. During the course of the study, learners were randomly chosen and randomly were divided into the experimental and control groups. The aim of the study is twofold: (a) to assess if there exist notable discrepancies between these two groups on the English Language Vocabulary post-test and vocabulary language learning strategies. The study also aims to analyze if there exist important discrepancies in the mean grades of pre and post-test of the English Language Vocabulary test and vocabulary language learning strategies. The research applied will continue for 12 weeks throughout the second semester which includes the proposed program. Students` vocabulary learning strategies were measured by Schmitt’s (1997) questionnaire. This questionnaire contains 58 items covering five main strategies that are determination plans, social plans, memory tactics, cognitive plans and meta-cognitive programs. While the Students` English Language Vocabulary size was measured by English Language vocabulary test that was designed by the researchers. The research accomplished lasted for three months that encompasses the suggested plan. The gathered data demonstrated that there existed statistically important discrepancies between the experimental group and the control group on the post-test, in which the experimental one was more bolded. It also uncovred that there existed statistically important discrepancies among the pre-test and post-test outcomes for the experimental group on the diction examination. Moreover, the grades depicted that there existed statistically notable discrepancies among the experimental group and its counterpart. The data of the present research have notable insinuations for the learners and make an enhanced case for the study of diction and vocabulary. 


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):  
Dr. Leonard Shankar Rozario

One of the crucial challenges that learners face for processing second or foreign language (SFL) learning is learning vocabulary. Vocabulary is recognized as vital to language use in which insufficient vocabulary knowledge of the learners led to difficulties a SFL learning. Thus, in the case of learning the vocabulary in a SFL, students need to be educated with vocabulary learning strategies. Investigation for learning vocabulary and its connection to reading has become significant in the field of research in SFL acquisition. Since reading requires precise and spontaneous word recognition skills, learners need to be equipped with sufficient vocabulary knowledge to read fluently. Yet, for many SFL learners, reading is a 'suffocating slow process' (Anderson, 1991). One of the causes or often experienced by the students is that they don’t have enough vocabulary knowledge. As a result, they tend to surrender to understand the semantics of the text or skip reading the word, sentence and even the paragraph due to the unfamiliar words. These circumstances propose that some learners may not have enough skills to handle the unfamiliar words.


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