scholarly journals On vocabulary learning strategies among students of foreign languages

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 107-119
Author(s):  
Slađana Stanojević ◽  
Ana Petrović

Adequate and purposeful use of vocabulary is one of the primary goals of the process of learning and teaching a foreign language, given that the success in building language competence largely depends on it. Vocabulary learning strategies, as a diverse set of techniques focused on overcoming the various problems that arise when learning words, can help students to achieve this complex goal in the easiest and fastest way possible. While some strategies can be applied spontaneously, teaching practice and research (Oxford, 1990; Gu and Johnson, 1996; Schmitt, 1997; Fan, 2003; Šikmanović, 2013) indicate that students are often unaware of the breadth of the range of strategies at their disposal. The main goal of the research presented in this paper is to provide an insight into the attitudes of students of foreign languages towards the use of vocabulary learning strategies, as well as to examine the interrelationships between their attitudes and the perceived use of the strategies. The research was conducted by using a questionnaire on a sample of 47 respondents, and the results showed a significantly developed awareness of students about the usefulness of vocabulary learning strategies, which does not fully correspond to the recorded patterns of using the strategies. It was observed that students use social strategies the least, while they most often use determination and memorisation strategies, but they consider the cognitive and metacognitive types of strategies to be the most useful.

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-94
Author(s):  
Selpi binti Suhaedi ◽  
Nanning

The present study aimed to investigate Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLSs) used by undergraduate students (S1) of 6th semester and how they learned or acquired VLSs. In addition, the study compares the use of VLSs between low and high achievers of undergraduate students that consisted of 30 students. An explanatory sequential mixed research method was implemented in this study. The corroboration was used employing a questionnaire adapted from Schmitt’s taxonomy (Classification of VLSs) as the instruments. As for the qualitative approach, the writer conducted interviews to explore how the students acquired VLSs. The research report showed that the mean score indicated the uses of Determination strategies are most frequently used by both of achiever. Likewise, the least frequently used vocabulary learning strategy was Social strategies (Consolidation). There were no great differences found in using vocabulary learning strategies between the low and high achievers and they learn the most frequently used strategy in several situations such as, course, organization, English club, media, and etcetera. Effective vocabulary learning and teaching strategies need to be incorporated into students’ vocabulary learning process.


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 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 294-315
Author(s):  
Reem Ibrahim Rabadi ◽  
Batoul Al-Muhaissen

Abstract This study explores the use of Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLSs) by Jordanian undergraduate students majoring French as a Foreign Language (FFL) at Jordanian universities. The vocabulary learning strategies (Memory, Determination, Social, Cognitive, and Metacognitive) were used in this study following Schmitt’s taxonomy. A five-point Likert-scale questionnaire containing 37 items adapted from Schmitt’s (1997) Vocabulary Learning Strategies Questionnaire (VLSQ) administered to 840 FFL undergraduates randomly selected from seven Jordanian universities. The descriptive analysis showed that the participants of the study regardless of their year of study were medium strategy users overall. The results revealed that Memory strategies were the most frequently employed strategies, whereas the Social strategies were the least frequently used ones. Although the participants were medium strategy users, the results of the VLSQ disclosed that some individual strategies were employed at a high level. Accordingly, detecting these strategies will be beneficial to language instructors to improve effective vocabulary teaching techniques and to motivate language learners to use them more frequently.


Author(s):  
Lê Thị Tuyết Hạnh

<p><em>Abstract:</em> This study examined the use of vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) among EFL university students in Vietnam. The research involved 213 EFL university students, 61 second year students and 152 third year students at Vinh University. The study used mixed methods, including Schmitt (1997)’s VLS questionnaire, learners’ diaries and interviews. Results indicated that cognitive strategies were the most frequently used and social strategies, which are used to consolidate new words, are the least frequently used ones. The data from diaries and interviews also showed that there is a lack of organized practice of vocabulary learning among the participants. Some pedagogical implications are discussed and suggested for English vocabulary teaching</p><p>Key words: vocabulary learning strategies, vocabulary learning, EFL university students</p>


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.


2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Batoul Nematollahi ◽  
Fatemeh Behjat ◽  
Ali Asghar Kargar

Vocabulary learning is one of the crucial matters in second language learning. There is a vast body of research in this field which has been done by famous researchers around the world, but still there is no specific solution for extending lexical knowledge in the best way. Therefore, we have conducted a meta-analysis on a body of 30 research projects to investigate the usefulness of different strategies of vocabulary learning. The results showed that the strategies which are used by students are as follows in order: determination, cognitive, memory, meta-cognitive, and social strategies. Besides, it seems that guessing from context and using the dictionary are among the strategies which are most favored by successful students. In addition, the relationship between context, treatment, and methodology by vocabulary learning strategy were studied. It was clear that learners of different contexts would prefer different strategies, and teachers used specific strategies according to their syllabus. For further research, it is suggested to select a larger body of studies. It is advised to make teachers aware of the importance of choosing an appropriate strategy of vocabulary learning for language learners to pave the way of improving lexical knowledge for them.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (11) ◽  
pp. 1119
Author(s):  
Amir Marzban ◽  
Mojgan Firoozjahantigh

Two of the variables apparently contributing to the processes of EFL achievement are Willingness to Communicate (WTC) and Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLS). They seem to be fundamental among Iranian EFL learners due to the fact that semantics and its backbone—vocabulary—as well as the incentive or motivation, Willingness to Communicate (WTC)—influence the progress and improvement of the proficiency of Iranian EFL learners. Moreover, the review of literature clarifies the fact that few studies have tried to open up the relationship between these two variables, i.e. WTC and VLS. Hence, the present study explored the relationship between the WTC and VLS among Iranian EFL learners. Based on this, 137 intermediate Iranian EFL learners who were studying in a language institute in Tehran were selected as the participants of the study. They were asked to fill out two questionnaires including WTC and VLS. The finding indicated that there is a significant correlation between the two variables. The study provided some pedagogical implications for those who are concerned with language learning and teaching including language teachers, teacher trainers, syllabus designers, and EFL learners.


2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 242
Author(s):  
Mahsa Sistani ◽  
Mahmood Hashemian

<p>This study, first, examined whether there was any relationship between Iranian L2 learners’ vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs), on the one hand, and their multiple intelligences (MI) types, on the other hand. In so doing, it explored the extent to which MI would predict L2 learners’ VLSs. To these ends, 40 L2 learners from Isfahan University of Technology in Isfahan participated in the study, and the following instruments were utilized to collect the data: the Oxford Placement Test (OPT) to gauge participants’ proficiency level, the Multiple Intelligences Questionnaire (Mckenzie, 1999), and a vocabulary learning questionnaire based on the framework adopted from Schmitt’s (1990). The strategies were divided into five categories: determination, memory, social, metacognitive, and cognitive. To analyze the data, Pearson correlation was applied to find out the relationship between the participants’ intelligence categories and their preferred VLSs. Then, multiple regression analysis was run to indicate the significance of the specific VLSs in the participants’ intelligences. Results revealed that there was a strong positive relationship between participants’ intrapersonal intelligence and their tendency toward the cognitive and metacognitive strategies. Moreover, as participants’ scores in their interpersonal intelligence test increased, they inclined toward the social strategies more. A potential positive and significant relationship between visual/spatial intelligence and memory strategies and also linguistic intelligence and determination strategies was also found out. Overall results revealed that the participants made a significant difference regarding their decisions for particular VLSs, as intrapersonal, interpersonal, linguistic, and visual learners predicted more specific and significant VLSs in comparison with other types of intelligences.</p>


2020 ◽  
Vol 2019 (1) ◽  
pp. 375
Author(s):  
Steven Asquith

In this research project the benefits to students of creating and using spaced-repetition vocabulary flashcards based upon different modalities—audio, visual, written, and mixed—are investigated. The study, conducted over two semesters with a class of Media English students, required students to learn the course vocabulary in stages using each modality individually before finally creating mixed-modality flashcards. At the end of the project students wrote journals to reflect on what they had learned from utilizing the different modalities to remember vocabulary and their experiences of using the technology. Subsequent analysis of these journals provides insight into not only students’ attitudes towards mobile learning and using online vocabulary flashcards but also how students can become more critical in developing vocabulary learning strategies tailored to their needs 当研究では、学生が、オーディオ、ビジュアル、文章、混合など様々なモダリティー(手法)に基づいて、間隔反復語彙フラッシュカード作成及びそれを利用した勉強方法の効果について調査する。2学期にわたり実施した当研究では、メディア英語クラスの学生は、混合モダリティフラッシュカードを作成する前に、それぞれのモダリティを利用して段階的にコース語彙を学習する必要があった。プロジェクトの最終段階において、学生はテクノロジーを利用した語彙学習経験を通し、様々なモダリティを利用して学んだことを振り返り、記事にまとめた。学生の記事に対するその後の分析は、学生のモバイル学習及びオンライン語彙フラッシュカードの利用に対する勉強姿勢だけでなく、彼らのニーズに合う語彙学習方法をより慎重に見極め開発できるようになる事を示唆している。


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