A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University

A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the secondyear English major students at Thuongmai University

One of the biggest challenges that students will encounter during the process

of foreign language learning is learning vocabulary Vocabulary knowledge isviewed as a critical tool for second language learners because limited vocabulary in

a second language impedes successful communication Hence, in the case oflearning vocabulary in a second language, students need to be aware of vocabularylearning strategies

This study aims at investigating vocabulary learning strategies used by thesecond-year English major students at Thuongmai University Besides, the researchpaper suggested some possible solutions to help students better their vocabularylearning There are five categories of vocabulary learning strategies asdetermination, memory, social, cognitive, and metacognitive mentioned in thestudy These categories cover 28 strategies that were included in the researchquestionnaire A total of 120 second-year students from the English participated inthe study Because the data collection tools used in this research project were surveyquestionnaires, the findings were coded and analyzed by quantitative methods From the results obtained, the student’s awareness of the importance ofvocabulary learning strategies in their English learning process was realized Moststudents highly evaluated the role of vocabulary learning strategies in learningEnglish Among all strategies which were included in the survey questionnaire, themost commonly used strategy was using English-Vietnamese dictionary, and theleast used was asking the teacher to check flashcards or word list for accuracy.Based on the research findings of the study, some suggestions on students’vocabulary learning strategies were withdrawn, along with some recommendedsuggestions for further research

In order to complete this graduation paper, I have received many invaluablebits of help and encouragement from my teachers, family, and friends during theprocession of the research

First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest respect and profoundgratitude to my supervisor, Mrs Hoang Thu Ba, for her wholehearted support andhelpful guidance I am lucky enough to have her consideration encouragement,comments, and instructions, which are decisive factors leading to the completion ofthis study

Besides, I would like to send my sincere thanks to all the teachers in theEnglish Faculty of Thuongmai University for giving me professional knowledgethrough each lecture, which helped me a lot in fulfilling this research

I also owe a great debt of gratitude to the second-year English major students

at Thuongmai University, who spent their valuable time participating in the conduct

of my survey questionnaire Without their help and assistance, this research wouldnot have been completed

Last but not least, never enough thanks are sent to my precious family andfriends, who lent me more strength and motivation during the procession of thestudy

I’m looking forward to receiving comments and suggestions from teachers andreaders to complete the thesis successfully Thank you so much!

Sincerely,

Ly

Ngo Van Ly

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS iii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS v

LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS vi

1.1 Rational 1

1.2 Previous studies 2

1.3 Aims of the study 4

1.4 Research subjects 4

1.5 Scope of the study 5

1.6 Research methodology 5

1.6.1 Research design 5

1.6.2 Population and sample 5

1.6.3 Research instruments 6

1.6.4 Data collection 6

1.6.5 Data analysis 7

1.7 Organization of the study 7

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 8

2.1 Definition of vocabulary 8

2.2 Vocabulary learning strategies 8

2.2.1 Definition of vocabulary learning strategies 8

2.2.2 The importance of vocabulary learning strategies in language learning and teaching 9

2.2.3 Classification of vocabulary learning strategies 10

CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 16

3.1 Student’s awareness of vocabulary learning strategies 16

3.2 Vocabulary learning strategies used for discovering a new word’s meaning .19

3.2.1 Determination strategies 19

3.2.2 Social strategies 22

3.3 Vocabulary learning strategies used for consolidating a word in memory 24

3.3.1 Social strategies 24

3.3.2 Memory strategies 25

3.3.3 Cognitive strategies 26

3.3.4 Metacognitive strategies 28

3.4 Students’ use of all strategies in six categories 29

CHAPTER 4: RECOMMENDATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS 32

4.1 Suggestions on students’ vocabulary learning 32

4.1.1 The need for vocabulary learning strategy training 32

4.1.2 Learner responsibility 32

4.1.3 Dictionary strategies 33

4.1.4 Memory strategies 33

4.1.5 Use of vocabulary 34

4.2 Limitations of the study and suggestions for further research 34

CONCLUSION 35

REFERENCES 37 APPENDIX I

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

LIST OF TABLES AND CHARTS

Table 1: Gu and Johnson’s (1996) classification of vocabulary learning strategies.11

Table 2: Schmitt’s (1997) classification of vocabulary learning strategies 14

Table 3: Nation’s (2001) classification of vocabulary learning strategies 15

Table 4: Student’s use of all strategies in six categories 30

Chart 1: Years of learning English 16

Chart 2: Student’s awareness of vocabulary learning strategies 17

Chart 3: Time students spend practicing VLS each day 18

Chart 4: Students’ opinion about VLS being taught in class 19

Chart 5: Students’ use of Determination strategies 20

Chart 6: Students’ use of Social strategies 22

Chart 7: Students’ use of Social strategies 24

Chart 8: Students’ use of Memory strategies 25

Chart 9: Students’ use of Cognitive strategies 27

Chart 10: Students’ use of Metacognitive strategies 28

CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY

1.1 Rational

In the past decades, economic and cultural communication with foreigncountries has become active in Vietnam Hence, one of the most significant needsthat has been generated is language learning and teaching There is no doubt that asecond or foreign language plays an essential role in today’s world since it givespeople an open door to the world Among approximately 6500 languages thatoriginated in numerous communities, and English is considered one of the mostpopular languages globally English is the official language in 53 nations nowadays

It is also spoken as the first language by around 400 million people worldwide Since English is the most common language, many people try to learn English

as a second language or third language In this respect, vocabulary knowledge plays

a pivotal role in language learning and production since “without grammar little can

be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed” (Wilkins, 1972: 111).The lack of vocabulary knowledge influences the other five language skills, such asspeaking, reading, writing, listening and translating Unfortunately, a lot of studentsfind it hard to acquire vocabulary Gu and Johnson cite Meara (1996:655), whoclaimed that “learners themselves readily admit that they experience considerabledifficulty with vocabulary, and most learners identify the acquisition of vocabulary

as their greatest single source of problems.” Concerning the complexity of thisissue, it is safe to say that vocabulary learning strategies play a crucial role inlanguage learning as a part of language learning strategies Thus, being aware ofthese strategies is suitable for both teachers and students

Though many efforts have been made to develop vocabulary languagelearning, the real achievement has not been very satisfactory This may be caused

by different reasons One of the reasons may be this point that differences amongindividuals such as differences in social class, attitude, gender, aptitude, culture, andmotivation (Oxford, 2001) Another reason may be that there is no universal method

or techniques that can be created for language learning and teaching Consequently,the methods or strategies which work for one learner may not work for another one

since the methods or strategies which work for one learner in a specific conditionmay not work for the same one in a different setting.

In the process of integrating into the world, Vietnam also pinpoints theimportance of learning and teaching English to educate an adequate number ofEnglish users to adapt to new conditions However, in Vietnamese Universities ingeneral and Thuongmai University in particular, vocabulary is partly ignored.Although vocabulary is the biggest problem for most students, it does not receiveappropriate attention and is left to students to achieve vocabulary themselves.Students are usually instructed to look up a dictionary to find the meaning of thewords that they first encounter Subsequently, most students are unaware of theirown learning styles and tend to exploit vocabulary learning strategies ineffectively For the above-mentioned reasons, the researcher investigated commonly usedvocabulary learning strategies of students at Thuongmai University as well as giveout valuable solutions to improve their vocabulary learning The researcher decided

to conduct a study on the topic:

“A study on vocabulary learning strategies used by the second-year English major students at Thuongmai University.”

The researcher hoped that each student could find out their method to learnvocabulary in an easier, faster, more enjoyable, more self-directed, more effectiveway

1.2 Previous studies

Vocabulary learning strategies play an important role in the process oflanguage learning of every learner Therefore, many studies have been conducted toinvestigate on vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) for the past third-ty years Related to language matter in vocabulary learning strategies used by students,Katarzyna Maria Nosidlak (2013) conducted a study on vocabulary learning

strategies of the advanced students The purpose is to present the research results

on 102 English philology students at the Pedagogical University of Cracow, Poland.The study focuses on the vocabulary learning strategies used by the advancedEnglish students who are considered successful language learners The author tries

to discover and systematize the strategies used, especially by this group, which

successfully deals with countless new vocabulary items daily After a thoroughanalysis, the study showed that the advanced students use diverse and multiplesources of new words; the Internet is the most popular source of new vocabulary;traditional sources of vocabulary are still popular among advanced students ofEnglish The research also revealed that students on the higher proficiency levelsuse fewer and fewer kinds of different strategies, but they use similar strategies.Also, Gu and Johnson (1996) proposed two main dimensions of vocabularylearning strategies for their research The study focused on the relationship betweenvocabulary learning strategies Gu and Johnson investigated the vocabularystrategies used by 850 non-English major students at a China university by using aquestionnaire with those of a vocabulary test and a language proficiency test It wasfound that two main dimensions of vocabulary learning strategies are metacognitiveregulation and cognitive strategies, which cover six subcategories: guessing, using adictionary, note-taking, rehearsal, encoding, and activating While contextualguessing, the skill of using a dictionary, note-taking, encoding, and activatingcorrelated positively with both vocabulary size and general proficiency test;rehearsal was found to be the strongest negative predictor of both two tests

In Schmitt’s study (1997) conducted among 600 Japanese students in order toassess which vocabulary learning strategies the learners actually used and howhelpful they believe those strategies to be, the result showed that the learners useddictionary, repetition, word spelling, and contextual guessing most frequently Onthe other hand, they used few semantic maps and imagery strategies and consideredthem the least useful

Besides, Zou Nigjue (2011) reported on the study of the strategies use ofChinese English majors in vocabulary learning, the individual differences betweeneffective and less effective learners in applying vocabulary learning strategies, andthe relationship between their strategies and their outcome in English learning Inthis research, 118 junior English major students in Chinese University participated.Students were asked to take a vocabulary test and answer a vocabulary-learningquestionnaire The research findings were coded and analyzed by quantitativemethods The result also showed that seven vocabulary learning strategies, namely

applied, categorization, dictionary strategy, cooperation, elaboration, media, andself-monitoring, are positively correlated with the vocabulary test scores.

In Vietnam, Do Thi Kim Oanh (2012) carried out a research project on

English vocabulary learning strategies used by students The study’s purpose is to

explore the vocabulary learning strategies that the first-year students at Hai PhongCommunity College commonly use Two hundred seventy-six participants werechosen randomly from the first-year students enrolled in the college in the academicyear 2011-2012 The results showed that most students used a bilingual dictionary

to learn vocabulary They also asked the teachers for the meaning of new words Although many studies have been conducted to explore vocabulary learningstrategies adopted by language learners and the relationship between vocabularylearning strategies and vocabulary size, little attention has been paid to the languagelearners’ awareness of the importance of vocabulary learning strategies Hence, theresearcher attempted to carry out this study to not only figure out vocabularylearning strategies used by the second-year English major students but also thestudents’ awareness of the importance of vocabulary learning strategies

1.3 Aims of the study

The study aims at investigating the strategies used by the second-year Englishmajors in vocabulary learning at Thuongmai University To be specific, the firststep is to find out the students’ awareness of the importance of vocabulary learningstrategies; second, to explore vocabulary learning strategies that the second-yearEnglish major students commonly used during the vocabulary learning process

In order to accomplish the aims mentioned above, the study targets at findingthe answer to the following questions:

1) What is the students’ awareness of the importance of vocabulary learningstrategies?

2) What vocabulary learning strategies do the second-year English majorscommonly use at Thuongmai University?

1.4 Research subjects

The research subject of this graduation paper is the second-year studentsmajoring in English at Thuongmai university There was a total of 120 students

from Faculty of English participated in helping answer the question under the study.Most of them have learned English since they were in junior school

1.5 Scope of the study

The present study was conducted at Thuongmai University, Hanoi, Vietnam.Because of the limitations of time and knowledge, the study only focused oninvestigating vocabulary learning strategies commonly used by second-yearstudents from Faculty of English The research project was conducted for twomonths, starting from February 2021 to April 2021

1.6 Research methodology

1.6.1 Research design

The graduation paper was conducted on the basis of the quantitative researchmethod The quantitative method is used when the researchers are going collect andanalyze numerical data It can be used to find patterns and averages, makepredictions, causal test relationships, and generalize results The author found thequantitative research method easy to carry out and suitable to the context of thisstudy Other than that, it is also accurate, objective, and effective Therefore, theresearcher tried to collect data quantitively to achieve the aims of the studymentioned above

1.6.2 Population and sample

The study was conducted at Thuongmai University The university is located

in Hanoi, Vietnam, and was established in 1960 It ranked among the bestuniversities specialize in the commercial field in Vietnam

The conducted of data collection for this research was carried out on 120students in order to explore the vocabulary learning strategies they often used tolearn English vocabulary All the participants were second-year students majoring

in English at Thuongmai University, and the age of the students ranged from 19 to

20 Most of them have learned English since they were in high school Theresearcher selected the participants purposely Second-year students, rather thanfirst-year students, are chosen to participate in the graduation paper becausesophomores are more acquainted with their study at university than freshmen As aresult, they may be more aware of exploiting their English vocabulary learning

strategies It is likely that second-year students have received appropriate input toanswer the vocabulary learning strategies questionnaire For these above reasons,the main focus of the study is on second-year students majoring in English atThuongmai University.

1.6.3 Research instruments

Regarding the aims of the research, the study was conducted in thequantitative method The instruments used in this study were survey questionnaires Verma and Mallick (1999) pointed out that questionnaires are “one of the mostwidely employed tools in educational research.” Moreover, questionnaires are alsoconsidered very useful since it helps the author save “researcher time,” “researchereffort” and “financial resources.” Hence, the researcher wants to take advantage ofthis method to classify students’ vocabulary learning strategies

The survey questionnaire, which was to collect quantitative information, aims

to seek information about the second-year English major students’ awareness ofvocabulary learning strategies and find the vocabulary learning strategies thatstudents used most frequently The researcher designed a questionnaire consisting

of simple and specific questions It included two parts as follow:

Part 1 is designed to seek general information about the students’ awareness ofthe importance of vocabulary learning strategies

Part 2 is about vocabulary learning strategies Since all participants wereEnglish major students, the survey questionnaire was designed completely in theEnglish language The students were asked to tick any vocabulary learningstrategies they often used during their language learning process

1.6.4 Data collection

The data collection of this study was conducted through survey questionnaires.All the questionnaires were delivered to 120 second-year students from Faculty ofEnglish The questionnaire was divided into two parts Before filling out the survey,participants were told that their cooperation was voluntary They were also asked toanswer honestly to ensure the accurateness of the study’s results The surveyremained anonymous to lessen the propensity to answer in the way they think

researchers would like Participants were asked to point out whether or not theywould use a particular strategy to learn vocabulary.

The researcher also used online surveys as they are convenient and suitable tothe context of Covid-19 The questionnaires were recorded to summarize andanalyze the results and transferred to tables and charts with specific numbers

1.6.5 Data analysis

After the data has been collected successfully, they are processed with thequantitative method The quantitative data gathered in the questionnaires wereconverted into percentages The researcher used Microsoft Office, which is known

as one of the most popular spreadsheet software that enables the calculation to showthe results through specific tables and charts

1.7 Organization of the study

The study is divided into four parts Each part deals with an essential aspect ofthe study

Chapter 1: “Overview of the study” is the introduction of the study, which

contains the rationale, previous studies, aim of the study, research subjects, scope ofthe study, and the organization of the story

Chapter 2: “Literature review” presents a theoretical background of language

learning strategies and vocabulary learning strategies Moreover, the classifications

of language learning strategies and vocabulary learning strategies are viewed to set

up the theoretical framework for the investigation in chapter 3

Chapter 3: “Research finding” the researcher has justified and described the

research method in full detail together with presenting the results of the study

Chapter 4: “Recommendation and suggestions” identifies some solutions to

improve teaching and learning English in general, and English vocabulary inparticular at Thuongmai University, as well as the limitations of the study andsuggestions for further study

Also, “References” and “Appendix” will be listed on the study's last pages

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Definition of vocabulary

There are various definitions of vocabulary according to different scholars.Linse (2005:121) defined vocabulary as the collection of words that an individualknows While Neuman and Dwyer as cited in Bintz (2011:44), stated thatvocabulary is the words someone must know in order to communicate effectively:words in speaking (expressive vocabulary) and words in listening (receptivevocabulary) Another expert, Hornby (2006:1645), said vocabulary is all the wordsthat a person knows or uses when talking about particular subjects in particularlanguages

From some definitions about vocabulary above, vocabulary can be defined asthe words of a language, including single items and phrases that an individual needs

in learning a language, especially to communicate with others effectively In otherwords, vocabulary is all the words in a particular language that a particular personknows and uses to communicate effectively

Vocabulary is crucial to the English language because, without sufficientvocabulary, learners cannot understand others or express their ideas Wilkins(1972:111) once said, “without grammar, very little can be conveyed; withoutvocabulary, nothing can be conveyed.” It means even without grammar, people stillcan manage to communicate In contrast, it is impossible for people to express anyideas without vocabulary Vocabulary is an indispensable element in languagelearning The lack of vocabulary knowledge will bring many troubles to languagelearners Therefore, it is important for students to acquire more vocabulary andemploy the appropriate vocabulary learning strategies to develop greater fluencyand expression in English

2.2 Vocabulary learning strategies

2.2.1 Definition of vocabulary learning strategies

It is seen that vocabulary learning strategies have received a considerableamount of attention since the early 1970s for their crucial role in language learning

So far, there has been no unanimity among the scholars regarding the definitions of

VLS Vocabulary learning strategies are part of LLS, which are considered an art oflearning strategies

Wen Qiufang (2003) defined VLS as “behaviors or actions which learners use

to make learning more effective.” With reference to the definitions of Wen Quifang,VLS can be defined as “behaviors or actions which learners use to make vocabularylearning more effective.”

Catalan (2003) proposed a more detailed and concrete definition of VLS:

“Vocabulary learning strategies are knowledge about the mechanisms (processes,strategies) used in order to learn vocabulary as well as steps or actions taken bystudents to find out the meaning of unknown words, to retain them in long-termmemory, to recall them at will, and to use them in the oral or written mode.”

In general, most of the research projects which have been studied provides asimilar viewpoint about VLS

2.2.2 The importance of vocabulary learning strategies in language learning and teaching

For many people, learning a second or even third language is very importantfor them to accomplish their future careers It is particularly true in some countrieswhere students’ English ability is usually considered an indispensable requirement

in order to find a good job For these reasons, people have paid more attention tohow to learn a language effectively In which vocabulary performs a vital role inlearning a language Hence, all students should acquire an awareness of vocabularylearning strategies since proper strategy could help them enhance their vocabularylearning efficiency

According to Nation (2001), the main benefit of all learning strategies ingeneral is that they facilitate students to take control of their learning process so thatstudents likely take more responsibility for their studies With a variety ofvocabulary learning strategies, learners should decide what kind of strategy theywould like to use to get their desired results In order to emphasize the importance

of vocabulary learning strategies, Chamot (1999) stated, “Differences between moreeffective learners and less effective learners were found in the number and range ofstrategies used, in how the strategies were applied to the task, and in whether they

were appropriate for the task.” Therefore, if learners can choose suitable strategiesfor their learning process, they will be able to achieve success

It is no doubt that VLS plays an essential role during the process of languagelearning of students Therefore, teachers should train students how to use VLS andhelp them become better language learners However, there are cases that learnerwho also use the same VLS while becoming unsuccessful comparing to others.Therefore, helping students find good LLS and teach them to develop and use theseVLS accordingly is an extremely important task of language teachers

2.2.3 Classification of vocabulary learning strategies

Many definitions of vocabulary learning strategies have been proposed in thehistory of language researching Consequently, a considerable number ofresearchers have made attempts to categorize them

Some noteworthy classifications of vocabulary learning strategies proposed by

Gu and Johnson (1996), Schmitt (1997), and Nation (2001) will be discussed andexplained in more detail below

2.2.3.1 Classification of Gu and Johnson (1996)

Gu and Johnson (1996) classified second language (L2) vocabulary strategiesinto cognitive, metacognitive, memory, and activation strategies

Cognitive strategies in Gu and Johnson’s classification entail guessingstrategies, dictionaries, and note-taking strategies, while metacognitive strategiesinclude selective attention and self-initiation strategies Memory strategies aredivided into rehearsal and encoding categories Finally, activation strategies consist

of those strategies through which the learners actually use new words in differentcontexts

An overview of Gu and Johnson’s taxonomy of vocabulary learning strategieswould be summarized in the following table

Cognitive  Guessing strategies:

- Using background knowledge/wider context

- Using linguistic cues/immediate context

 Dictionary strategies:

- Dictionary strategies for comprehension

- Extended dictionary strategies

- Looking-up strategies

 Note-taking strategies:

- Meaning-oriented note-taking strategies

- Usage-oriented note-taking strategies

Metacognitive  Selective attention:

- Identifying essential words for comprehension

 Self-initiation:

- Using a variety of means to make the meaning of wordsclear

Memory  Rehearsal strategies:

- Using word lists

Activation  Using new words in different contexts

Table 1: Gu and Johnson’s (1996) classification of vocabulary learning strategies

2.2.3.2 Classification of Schmitt (1997)

Norbert Schmitt (1997) has developed a comprehensive inventory ofvocabulary learning strategies He divided the strategies into two major groups Onegroup is to discover the meaning of new words when learners encounter them forthe first time, and the other group is to consolidate the meaning of words whenlearners encounter them again The former group includes determination and social

strategies, and the latter includes cognitive, metacognitive, memory, and socialstrategies

Determination strategies are used by an individual when faced withdiscovering a new word’s meaning without recourse to another person’s expertise,while social strategies represent the interaction with other people to improvelanguage learning Memory strategies involve relating the word to be retained withsome previously learned knowledge, using some form of imagery or grouping.Meanwhile, cognitive strategies exhibit the common function of manipulation ortransformation of the target language by the learner Finally, metacognitivestrategies contain a conscious overview of the vocabulary learning process andmaking decisions about planning, monitoring, or evaluating the best ways to study(Schmitt, 2000:135-136)

This taxonomy is partly based on Oxford’s (1990) categorization scheme Thedetails would be illustrated in the following table:

Strategies for discovering the meaning of a new word

 Analyze affixes and roots

 Check for L1 cognate

 Analyze any available pictures or gestures

 Guess from textual context

 Bilingual dictionary

 Monolingual dictionary

 Word lists

 Flashcards

SOC  Ask teacher for L1 translation

 Ask teacher for paraphrase or synonym of new word

 Ask teacher for the sentence including the new word

 Asking classmates for meaning

 Discover new meaning through group work activity

Strategies for consolidating a word once it has been encountered

SOC  Study and practice meaning in a group

Teacher checks students’ flashcards and word lists for accuracy

 Interact with native speakers

MEM  Study word with a pictorial representation of its meaning

 Image word’s meaning

 Connect word to a personal experience

 Associate the word with its coordinates

 Connect word to its synonyms and antonyms

 Use semantic maps

 Use “scales” for gradable adjectives

 Peg method

 Loci method

 Group words together to study them

 Group words together spatially on a page

 Use new word in sentences

 Group words together within a storyline

 Study the spelling of a word

 Study the sound of a word

 Say new word aloud when studying

 Image word form

 Underline the initial letter of the word

 Configuration

 Use Key word method

 Affixes and roots

 Part of speech

 Paraphrase the word’s meaning

 Use cognates in study

 Learn the words of idiom together

 Use physical action when learning a word

 Use semantic feature grids

 Written repetition

 Word listsFlashcards

 Take notes in class

 Use the vocabulary section in textbook

 Listen to tape of word lists

 Put English labels on physical objects

 Keep a vocabulary notebook

MET  Use English-language media (songs, movies, newscasts, etc.)

 Testing oneself with word tests

 Use spaced word practice

 Skip or pass new word

 Continue to study over time

Table 2: Schmitt’s (1997) classification of vocabulary learning strategies

2.2.3.3 Classification of Nation (2001)

In a more recent attempt, Nation (2001) proposed the classification of variousvocabulary learning strategies The vocabulary learning strategies in theclassification are divided into three general classes, including planning, source, andprocesses

Planning strategies concern on deciding what words and aspects of words tofocus on, what strategies to use and how often to give attention to certain words.Meanwhile, sources strategies involve ways to find out information about words.This information may embrace all aspects of word knowledge and can be found inthe word itself (word part analysis), the context (guessing from context), sources ofreference (dictionaries), or L1 (via analogy) Finally, processes strategies consist ofways to remember words and make them available for use

The whole classification could be seen in the table below:

General class of strategies Types of strategies

 Choosing the aspects of word knowledge

 Choosing the strategies

 Planning repetition

 Using context

 Consulting in a reference source in L1 or L2

 Using parallels in L1 and L2

In summary, although the classifications mentioned above may differ in terms

of strategies they categorize, they all gave a broad list of vocabulary learningstrategies that are widely applicable by foreign language learners

Nation’s (2001) taxonomy is quite simple; it is probably the strongest point ofthis classification There are only classes and types of strategies that are mentioned

in plain terms Its simplicity is in contrast with Schmitt’s (1997) taxonomy whichhas up to 58 strategies, and Gu and Johnson’s (1996) taxonomy which uses manypsychological terms such as cognitive, metacognitive, self-initiation, etc However,the other two also have distinct advantages over Nation’s classification

For its comprehensive research of learner’s vocabulary learning strategies,Schmitt’s (1997) taxonomy is an effective and suitable research instrument toinvestigate vocabulary learning strategies used by a particular group or learners.Therefore, the researcher decided to choose Schmitt’s taxonomy as the basis for thedata analysis procedure of the study on vocabulary learning strategies used by thesecond-year English major students at Thuongmai University

CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION

3.1 Student’s awareness of vocabulary learning strategies

The data about the student’s awareness of vocabulary learning strategiesduring their language learning process was collected through the research survey.First and foremost, the data described student’s years of learning English would beshown in the following pie chart:

62.50%

Years of learning English

Less than 5 years 5 to 7 years 7 to 9 years More than 9 years

Chart 1: Years of learning English

According to the chart, most students who participated in the surveyquestionnaire have been learning English for more than nine years (62.5%) Thismeans that they started learning English since they were in primary school The rest

of the participants (37.5%) have been learning English for seven to nine years,which means that they started learning English since they were in secondary school

No students asked in the survey said they had learned English for less than 5 years,

or five to seven years Therefore, it can be noticed that all students have a ratherlong-time learning English

Regarding the issue of knowing vocabulary learning strategies, there wereapproximately 109 participants (90.8%) claimed that they had ever heard of VLS,while only 12 students (9.2%) said that they had never heard of that The researcherbelieves that this term was familiar to most of them since they are English majorstudents Some students said they did not know about VLS because they onlylearned vocabulary out of habit, and they did not think of it as a vocabulary learningstrategy

It is important for each student to recognize the role of vocabulary learningstrategies in the English learning process Chart 2 below presents detailedinformation for this issue:

15.80%

Student's awareness of vocabulary learning strategies

Very important Important Not important

Chart 2: Student’s awareness of vocabulary learning strategies

As shown in chart 2, all students have already recognized the importance ofvocabulary learning strategies There were101 students, which meant 84.2% of theparticipants agreed that vocabulary learning was very important in learning English.Other 19 students (15.8%) find it important There was no one underrate the role ofvocabulary learning strategies in learning English In summary, all students whoparticipated in the survey questionnaire were aware of the VLS role in their Englishlearning process

Learning vocabulary is a challenging process for all learners Hence, spendingtime practicing VLS to improve their vocabulary is very necessary Chart 3 belowshows the time students spend practicing VLS each day