scholarly journals Saudi English Major Freshmen Students’ Vocabulary Learning Strategies: An Exploratory Study

Author(s):  
Ibrahim R. Alqarni

This study aims at exploring the vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) employed by Saudi Freshmen students majoring in English as a foreign language (EFL). The participants are 81 Saudi male students in their first semester in the English Department and Translation in the College of Language and Translation at King Saud University. Data was collected using a questionnaire which was adapted from the study of Rabadi (2016) and was analyzed using the SPSS program. The overall results of this study show that participants use all of the different vocabulary learning strategies: Determination strategies, Memory strategies, Cognitive strategies, Metacognitive strategies, and Social strategies, with different degrees of frequency. By looking at the sub-categories of the strategies the results indicate that Metacognitive strategies (mean score: 1.98/4) are the most used and/or preferred strategies by all participants, followed by Social strategies (MS: 1.91), Determination strategies (MS: 1.62), Cognitive strategies (MS: 1.39) and Memory strategies (MS: 1.26) respectively. However, the overall mean score of (1.63) for the use of the strategies indicates that the participants of this study are low/poor users of vocabulary learning strategies in general. 

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>


2021 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-36
Author(s):  
Biljana Radić-Bojanić

The paper examines how frequently high school students use EFL vocabulary learning strategies and whether contextual educational factors have any influence on strategy selection. The theoretical part discusses the importance of language learning strategies, which can facilitate the internalization, storage, retrieval, or use of the new language, factors that affect their usage and selection (e.g. nature of the task, students' motivation, foreign language proficiency, teacher's expectations, students' learning styles, students' gender), as well as the process of vocabulary acquisition. The empirical part presents the results of the analysis of a survey conducted among students from two high schools in Serbia, a vocational school and a grammar school. The aim of the research is to determine how frequently students use vocabulary learning strategies and if there are any statistically significant differences in strategy use between students from the two schools which are the consequence of different subjects and learning objectives. The results show that the majority of vocabulary learning strategies have medium use among high school students (seven out of nine memory strategies, seven out of nine cognitive strategies and two out of four compensatory strategies) and that there are certain inter-group differences (whereas students from the medical high school use memory strategies more frequently, students from the grammar school report higher use of cognitive and compensatory strategies). The results indicate that there are important cross-curricular links which point to the transfer of learning strategies from content subjects to English language classes.


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.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 117
Author(s):  
Sijing Fu

This study conducted the semi-structured interview to investigate the types of vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) Chinese English major university students employed and the factors for their VLS use. Chinese EFL learners frequently employed determination and cognitive strategies. They mainly used the mechanical strategies and focused on English words&rsquo; meanings based on Chinese equivalents. They preferred bilingual dictionaries, repetition, and memorization of fixed examples involving news words. They used metacognitive and memory strategies less frequently. This study proposed that Chinese EFL students&rsquo; rote memorization of English vocabulary was due to Chinese culture of learning, which values knowledge authority, consolidation and foundation, and also effort and perseverance. Additionally, the less L2 English immersion including L1 Chinese environment and non-communicative EFL environment also leads to Chinese EFL students&rsquo; VLSs use. Therefore, it is suggested that students be encouraged to use more memory strategies and metacognitive strategies. English teachers should provide students with strategy instructions and guide students to learn vocabulary through different types of VLSs in classes. After class, students could be encouraged to learn vocabulary incidentally through both intensive and extensive reading.&nbsp;


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-262
Author(s):  
Jing Yan

Abstract Learning Chinese vocabulary is challenging for learners whose first language is alphabet-based. Researchers have embarked on investigating Chinese vocabulary learning strategies from both a psycholinguistic and a pedagogical perspective. Learning strategies are defined as observable behaviors and mental actions that are consciously employed by learners for comprehending, processing, and storing language knowledge. This paper reports a study in which the think-aloud research method is employed for exploring Chinese vocabulary learning strategies of English-speaking learners. The participants were eight learners of Chinese from a university in the UK. The results reveal that learners employ orthographic strategies, semantic strategies, memory strategies, phonological strategies, and metacognitive strategies. Furthermore, this study found that overt physical behaviors and mental actions cannot be separated. Various mental actions were underneath similar physical behaviors, which may lead to variations in learning outcomes. Second, there are metacognitive strategies, with which the participants could use in deciding, monitoring, and evaluating the use of specific cognitive strategies. This study suggests that Chinese vocabulary learning strategies need to be described in a holistic manner wherein physical and mental actions involved in cognitive strategies and metacognitive strategies are all taken into consideration so as to inform strategy instruction.


JET ADI BUANA ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuri Lolita ◽  
Nur Fauzia

This study was conducted to examine the use of vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) by Music and Dance students as well as the impact of gender and grade levels on the use of learning strategies. A five Likert scale questionnaire, consisting of 36 items was classified under four strategy categories was administrated to 466 participants from the State University of Surabaya. There are male and female. The Statistical Package of Social Science (SPSS, version 20) was used to analyze the obtained data. The results of the descriptive statistics showed that The State university of Surabaya students were medium strategy users. The study also found that the cognitive strategies were the most popular strategies among the learners. Social strategies were found to be the least preferred strategies. The results of the t-test showed that in general, the scores of female learners regarding the use of VLSs were slightly higher than male learners. Moreover, Music learners were found to be more strategy users than Dance learners. The results of ANOVA revealed significant differences regarding the use of VLSs and grade levels. Keywords: Vocabulary learning strategies, Music/Dance learners


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 136
Author(s):  
Suci Fitriani ◽  
Febria Sri Artika

<p style="text-align: justify;">The purpose of this research is to investigate the Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLS) employed by international students who are studying English as a second language at the English Language Intensive Course for Overseas Students Program (ELICOS) of the University of Canberra College English Language Centre (UCCELC) in Australia. A qualitative design was used to gather information from six international students from different countries including Indonesia, China, Philippine, and Japan by using interviews. The results from the interview were then analyzed and presented by using the qualitative research procedures including coding, grouping, argument construction, and drafting. The finding of this research revealed that students at the ELICOS program employ various VLS including cognitive, metacognitive, memory, and social strategies. Cognitive strategies are identified as the most popular strategies used by the students, followed by metacognitive and memory strategies respectively and social strategies are recognized as the least popular. These findings have important implications in improving the quality of language teaching and learning process and enriching the research repertoire in the field of VLS.</p><p> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><em>Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui strategi pembelajaran kosa kata yang digunakan oleh mahasiswa internasional yang sedang mempelajari bahasa Inggris sebagai bahasa kedua di English Language Intensive Course for Foreign Students Program (ELICOS) di University of Canberra College English Language Centre (UCCELC) di Australia.  Desain kualitatif digunakan untuk mengumpulkan informasi kepada enam siswa internasional dari berbagai negara termasuk Indonesia, Cina, Filipina, dan Jepang dengan menggunakan wawancara. Hasil wawancara kemudian dianalisis dan disajikan dengan menggunakan prosedur penelitian kualitatif meliputi pengkodean, pengelompokan, penyusunan argumen dan penyusunan. Temuan penelitian ini mengungkapkan bahwa siswa pada program ELICOS menerapkan berbagai strategi pembelajaran kosakata termasuk strategi kognitif, metakognitif, memori dan sosial. Strategi kognitif diidentifikasi sebagai strategi paling populer diikuti oleh strategi metakognitif dan memori masing-masing dan strategi sosial diakui sebagai yang paling tidak populer. Temuan ini memiliki implikasi penting dalam meningkatkan kualitas proses belajar mengajar bahasa dan memperkaya khasanah penelitian di bidang strategi pembelajaran kosa kata. </em></p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Trần Thị Như Quỳnh

Vocabulary is extremely important for language learners. They will face difficulties learning a foreign language if their vocabulary knowledge is insufficient. The goal of this study is to find out which vocabulary learning strategies were used the most by third-year English majors and whether gender influenced their choice of vocabulary learning strategies. The participants are sixty-one English major students from Ho Chi Minh City University of Food Industry, fifty-three of whom are female and eight of whom are male. The questionnaire is the testing tool, and it is divided into five categories: determination strategies, cognitive strategies, memory strategies, metacognitive strategies and social strategies. The findings indicate that participants favoured guessing the meaning from context and making a list of words and memorizing the most, while social tactics were the least common. Furthermore, gender has little impact on the preference of vocabulary learning techniques.


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.


2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 174
Author(s):  
Kanthimathi Letchumanan ◽  
Paramasivam Muthusam ◽  
Potchelvi Govindasamy ◽  
Atieh Farashaiyan

<p>This article aimed at examining the various vocabulary learning strategies used by learners to learn a word. Data from the study showed that learners do use certain vocabulary learning strategies and that strategy has become their preferred vocabulary learning strategies. The study also showed that learners use more than one strategy to learn a vocabulary. Thus, the study confirmed that multiple use of vocabulary learning strategies are preferred by learners especially the cognitive, determination and metacognitive strategies.</p>


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