Vocabulary learning strategies by Wissam Ali Askar
1. A survey on the use of vocabulary
learning strategies by ELT and EFL
students of Duhok University in
Northern Iraq
Wisam Ali Askar
2. Outline
Introduction
Statement of the problem
The aim of the study
Research Questions
The significance of the study
Review of the literature
Research Methodology
Results and Findings
Implications
Suggestions for future studies
3. Introduction
Wilkins (1972, p.111) stated, “Without grammar, very
little can be conveyed; without vocabulary, nothing can
be conveyed”.
Researchers like Hedge (2000) and Yu-Ling (2005)
indicated that vocabulary in the language learning
classes has long been neglected
4. Statements of the Problem
Lack of attention to vocabulary by learners and
teachers to VLSs.
Most of language learners have been to taught
to acquire vocabulary based on its phonetic
representation or their Kurdish meaning.
Lack of different strategies in learning
vocabulary.
5. The aim of the study
The major purpose of the study was to
examine and compare the vocabulary
learning strategies employed by the ELT
and EFL students as well as the relevance
of gender and grade levels in terms of
using learning strategies.
6. Research Questions
1. Are ELT and EFL undergraduate learners
high, medium or low VLS users?
2. What are the most and least frequently used
VLSs by ELT and EFL learners?
7. Research Question
3. Are there any significant differences
between male and female learners in VLS
use?
4. Are there any significant differences
among graders in VLS use?
5. Are there any significant differences
between ELT learners and EFL learners in
applying VLSs?
8. The significance of the study
An awareness of the important of
vocabulary.
An awareness of different VLSs.
9. Review of the literature
Definitions of vocabulary learning strategies
In this study, VLS means “any devices, tools or
techniques used by the language learners to
retain their vocabulary easily”.
Classification of VLSs
Social
Memory
Cognitive
Metacognitive
10. Methodology
The research design: Survey
Creswell (2012, p.376) stated that we “use survey
research to determine individual opinions”.
Participants:
The study included 466 students.
199 male (42.7%) and 277 females(57.3%)
223 (47.9%) were ELT students from the Faculty of
Basic Education and 243 (52.1%) were EFL
students from the Faculty of Humanities.
11. Methodology
The study included 129 1st year students, 139
2nd year students, 106 3rd year students and 92
4th year students.
The questionnaire
Tek’s (2006) VLS questionnaire , 36 items was
used.
Five point Likert scale was used to find the
frequency of each strategy: Never, Sometimes,
Often, Usually, and Always.
12. Methodology
Data collection procedures
Permissions letters.
Instructions explained in English and Kurdish.
Data Analysis:
Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS 20)
The frequency method, T-test, One way ANOVA, and Post-
hoc
13. Results and Findings
The students of this study were found to be medium
strategy users(M=2.98) .
Frequency of Strategy Use in the Four Main
Strategy Categories
Strategies M S.D. Strategy
level
Cognitive 3.29 1.08 Medium
Memory 3.06 1.06 Medium
Metacognitive 2.89 1.14 Medium
Social 2.69 1.12
Medium
14. Results and Findings
The Most and Least Frequently Used Vocabulary
Learning Strategies
The five most used strategies
Strategy items Mean
1. Use English language internet 3.80
2. Take notes in class. 3.77
3. Use a bilingual dictionary 3.69
4. Image word’s meaning. 3.53
5. Use a monolingual dictionary 3.51
15. Results and Findings
The five least used strategies
Strategy items
Mean
1. Test with your parents, if they know English
1.90
2. Ask your school teacher for Kurdish translation
2.03
3. Ask your teacher to check your word lists for
accuracy 2.32
4. Listen to English- radio program
2.45
5. Read an English language newspaper
16. Results and Findings
Vocabulary Learning Strategy Use and Gender
T-test shows the statistic significant differences only
between the use of four individual strategies and
gender.
strategy Sig.
Take notes in class 001*
Test with your parents, if they know English 003*
Learn by pair work in class 001*
Learn by group work in class 002*
These findings support the idea that the females tend
to use more social strategies than males.
17. Results and Findings
Vocabulary Learning Strategy Use and Grade
Level
The Grade Mean
Fourth grade 3.03
Third grade 3.01
First grade 2.99
Second grade 2.92
The more experienced students in studying English
use more VLSs than the less experienced students in
learning English
18. Results and findings
Vocabulary Learning Strategy Use and Field of Study
T-test shows the significant differences between the use of
six individual strategies and field of study.
strategy
Sig.
Connect the word to its synonyms and antonyms
.000
Use new word in sentences
.000
Ask your teacher to check your word lists for accuracy
.002
Ask your teacher for sentence including the new word
.000
Memorize parts of speech
.000
Use English language internet
19. Implications
Vocabulary was not taught explicitly.
Teachers ‘s familiarity with VLSs Training the
learners
Collaborative and interaction activities.
20. Suggestions for further research
Investigating whether teachers teach or apply any
of the strategies in their own classrooms.
The parents’ English language
Using qualitative data collection
No difference between male and females in English
majors does not mean that there is no difference of
non-English majors.
Notas del editor
Therefore, the most crucial factor in learning any language is knowing a great number of vocabulary.
The items are divided into four categories, social, memory, cognitive and metacognitive. Each category consists of 9 items.
This finding suggests that more experienced students (fourth and third year students) in studying English reported more frequent use of VLSs than the less experienced students (second and first students) in learning English
It was concluded that there is a slight difference between the ELT and EFL learners in strategy use. This significant difference, to some extent, was in favour of ELT students than the EFL students.