A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY

A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY A STUDY ON SPECIALIZED VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES FOR FRESHMEN AT THUONG MAI UNIVERSITY

English terms in the field of economics are becoming increasingly important these days If you consider learning English as building a house, the vocabulary improvement is exactly the sustainable foundation for that house It could be due to the importance of these fields in life, or it could simply be that economic English is a valuable tool for one’s success However, for some reasons, vocabulary learning strategies are not used effectively The target of this study is to investigate the current situation of using these strategies as well

as the learning reality of English Faculty’s students – Thuong Mai University with English specialized words in the field of economy, with the aim to broaden vocabulary and develop language skills of students.

Firstly, the author attempted to review the definitions of a specialized vocabulary as well as the definitions of a specialized vocabulary learning strategy, aiming at providing comprehensive views of related theories for readers Furthermore, an attempt was made to clarify the roles of the vocabulary in practical working situations, the consequences of students encountering misunderstandings with specialized English, and the difficulties

or impacts of employing strategies to learn new specialized vocabularies.

This research included a ten-question survey, in addition to using

quantitative and qualitative methods, which was conducted with the goal of highlighting the specialized vocabulary learning situation, students’ abilities, and the frequency of using strategies by English Faculty participants Finally, some suggestions will be given to help students deal with these problems and improve effectiveness of vocabulary learning strategies They were expected to

be an updated and worthy material for further studies as well.

2

First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude toward teachers

at Faculty of English – Thuong Mai University for supporting me to finish this graduation thesis.

I would like to acknowledge my gratefulness to my instructor Mrs Nguyen Thi Thuy Hanh who passionately guided, assisted and encouraged me during the time I conduct this study research It was she who first inspired and interested me in the field of vocabulary learning strategies and in her gentle way, she has acted as an excellent supervisor from the very beginning when I started working with her up to the present Without her guidance, assistance and encouragement, I could not complete my thesis on time effectively I have been looking forward to receiving her comments and feedbacks to complete the thesis.

My appreciation is also extended to all 100 freshmen English-majored students in K56N English Faculty Those who took part in the survey, also helped me to collect and summarized the data to give research findings.

My last words would go to Thuong Mai University as an active learning environment where I have chance to receive knowledge and experience life as a university student In the university, I have been approached professional training and educating that is required by modern society.

Yours sincerely,

3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

4

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

SILL: Strategy Inventory for Language Learning

EFL: English as Foreign Language

ESL: English as Source Language

VLS: Vocabulary Learning Strategies

EPI: English Proficiency Index

NNES: Non – Native English Speakers

NES: Native English Speaker

GST: Graduate School of Theology

DET: Determination Strategy

SOC: Social Strategy

MEM: Memory Strategy

COG: Cognitive Strategy

MET: Meta – cognitive Strategy

HF: High – Frequency

GSL: General Service List

LLSs: Language Learning Strategies

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

5

CHAPTER 1: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY 1.1 Rationale of the study

“A man with a scant vocabulary will almost certainly be a weak thinker The richer and more copious one’s vocabulary and the greater one’s awareness

of fine distinctions and subtle nuances of meaning, the more fertile and precise

is likely to be one’s thinking Knowledge of things and knowledge of the words for them grow together If you do not know the words, you can hardly know the

thing.” – (Henry Hazlitt, “Thinking as a Science”)

We live in a multilingual world English serves as the lingua franca for education, trade and employment, and is an essential skill for anyone wanting

to succeed professionally or academically in the century English offers enormous opportunities, and language policy rightly focuses on how to give more equitable access to high levels of English language proficiency so that these opportunities can be inclusive rather than exclusive, open to all socioeconomic groups As observed from the reality, although a lot of other languages have been acceded, English remains the highly – using level and its role is not deniable That is the reason why an increasing number of people want to learn English and take advantage of it to become global.

D A Wilkins (1972, p.111) stated that “while without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed” The

saying sounds very familiar with a lot of people However, the researcher still wants to repeat it once more to confirm the importance of vocabulary in any

language Besides, “If a language could be considered as a house, then its grammar could be considered as cement and its vocabulary could be figuratively compared to bricks To build a complete house, not only cement but also bricks are needed Without bricks, no house can be built, even when plenty of high

quality cement is available.” (Huyen, 2004, p.1) This means that to be a

competent English communicator, one must acquire a good knowledge of

English grammar and have a rich amount of English vocabulary as well, which

is considered as an essential element of language

“Acquisition depends crucially on the input being comprehensible And comprehensibility is dependent directly on the ability to recognize the meaning

of key elements in the utterance Thus, acquisition will not take place without comprehension of vocabulary”.

Krashen and Terrell (1983 as cited by Youngkyu Kim,

residents The 2013 EPI (English Proficiency Index) provides as well several

headline – grabbing correlations between English proficiency, economic and social development As the report notes: “Historically, speaking a second language, or more specifically, speaking a highly valued second language, was a marker of the social and economic elite… However, globalization, urbanization, and the Internet have dramatically changed the role of English in the past 20 years Today, English proficiency is increasingly becoming a basic skill needed for the entire workforce, in the same way that literacy has been transformed in the last two centuries from an elite privilege into a basic requirement for informed citizenship”

The question now is “How could one master economic vocabularies in particular and English in general?” As seen in the educational environment, in

specific at Thuong Mai University, in order to complete the study schedule and fulfill all requirements of the actual working environment, students at the English Faculty must complete several lessons focusing on economic fields as well as the practice of analyzing and applying this specialized knowledge Thanks to these courses, students have not only strengthened their understanding of trade practices in English, allowing them to become more confident, but they have also discovered topics that they are interested in for further study The author discovered an interest in studying specialized vocabularies, specifically economic ones, through real and in – education observations, hence would like to conduct this research to highlight the difficulties faced by students, the most suitable approach for a particular circumstance, and to make the process of specialized vocabulary learning easier Above all, the author is passionate about English terms that have to do with economics, so this study is a way to help one understand and master them The knowledge gained, as well as the attempt and effort put forward in this report, are expected to assist students at Thuong Mai University’s English Faculty in becoming more confident and competent in mastering the new economic terms.

1.2 Previous study

Learning and using the English specialized vocabularies is a significant challenge for learners and even English users because it necessitates specialized expertise and realistic connections in order to grasp, “embrace”, and master all of the unique meanings defined by these terms as quickly as possible English specialized terms related to economics are often more difficult to deal with; it is not only learning of each single word, but also understanding the target language’s culture and specialized knowledge.

In fact, there have not been many previous studies that could mention exactly what one is looking for: economic vocabulary learning strategies or anything similar, so the author has referred to some related materials which are not really the same but similar and useful for this research What one might learn from them is not only the theoretical information or the findings but also recommendations which their owners submitted At last, the author highly appreciates the similarities and the differences among the previous researches and materials because of their value for one’s findings, contributing to make the research become more multidimensional.

Numerous studies on vocabulary learning strategies were conducted by

foreign researchers Hatch and Brown (1995) identified five steps in

vocabulary learning: a clear image, learning, source, a strong memory and

using Lawson and Hogben (1996) investigated how Australian college

students research the meaning of new Italian terms, discovering that they often repeat the spellings and meanings of the new words and that only a few students use context to guess the new words’ potential meanings Furthermore, students who used dictionaries frequently in their vocabulary research performed better on vocabulary tests than those who did not use dictionaries,

according to Luppescu and Day (1993).

Kafipour and Naveh (2011) investigated the impact of vocabulary

learning strategies on reading comprehension and discovered that certain

strategies make a difference Nosidlak (2013) examined the vocabulary

learning strategies employed by eminent English learners, as well as the relationship between language competence and specific vocabulary strategies Hence, students with limited vocabulary can save time and effort in their English studies by using the best vocabulary learning strategies.

Language learning strategies research has been prominent for more than

four decades, with several renowned writers such as Rebecca L Oxford (1990), Norbert Schmitt (1997), Michael Lessard – Clouston (1998),

Scharle & Szabó (2000), and others They let readers sense, pick, and apply

the most suitable stratagems for their improvement, on the other hand, they provided and clarified all relevant theories in detail so that learners could cover the substance of subjects and detect their shortage.

“Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL)” is one of the most

popular researches submitting the useful strategies in learning languages, in

general and learning vocabulary in particular of Rebecca L Oxford’s one (1990) According to ScienceDirect Magazine this research “is the most

frequently employed instrument in language learning strategy research” It comes in two versions: version 5.1 is for native English speakers learning a foreign language, and the remaining version – 7.0 is for non – native English speakers learning English (ESL or EFL students) Readers may self – evaluate their ability and efficiency in learning new vocabularies using qualitative methods and a wide range of linguistic assessments Throughout this work, the analysis, compilation, and discussion have all contributed to not only supporting and proving the given claims, but also diversifying and enriching the available studies In addition, readers can also benefit from the introduction of the taxonomy into two strategy groups: direct strategies

(including memory, cognitive, compensation strategies), and indirect strategies (including meta-cognitive, affective and social strategies) as well as the frequency of using each (the most common one is compensation strategies) This

implementation of these methods demonstrated their importance in the field

of linguistics, and it even became a benchmark for subsequent research In

summary, the Oxford (1990) study is fairly detailed and highly applicable to

language learning, teaching, and researching language, as well as its components such as vocabulary.

In China, Gu and Johnson (1996) studied the English vocabulary

learning strategies used by Chinese university students and further probed into the relation between strategies and performances, discovering that two meta –

cognitive strategies (selective attention and self – initiation) help the students

most in vocabulary learning while strategies like visual repetition of new vocabulary hinder the students’ vocabulary study In terms of vocabulary

learning, Ding (2006) made a distinction between good and poor learners,

pointing out that accurate use of strategies matters most while frequent use of strategies does not Fan (2003) conducted a survey and discovered that

excellent vocabulary learning strategies should be introduced to mediocre vocabulary learners, and that all students should be encouraged to create their

own effective vocabulary learning strategies Wu (2011) presented a

systematic study of vocabulary learning strategies used by non – English majors in colleges and discovered why weak learners struggle to use vocabulary learning strategies effectively and efficiently, arguing that English learners need more knowledge of acceptable vocabulary learning strategies under clear guidance.

It would be a mistake without including Norbert Schmitt (1997) and his

study “Using a Word Knowledge Framework to Research Vocabulary” while

conducting a study on language and vocabulary learning strategies If ones wants to rely on their own system to deal with vocabulary acquisition or specialized vocabulary learning only, Norbert Schmitt suggests that they had better “embrace” the taxonomy of Vocabulary Learning Strategies (taxonomy of VLS).

Vocabulary Learning Strategies

Consolidating Strategies Discovery Strategies

Memory Strategies

Determination

Strategies

Social Strategies

1.1 Schmitt’s Taxonomy of Vocabulary Learning Strategies (1997)

(Source: Implementing Learning Strategies Instruction (2018))

The distinctions between two well-known authors’ taxonomies – Rebecca L.

Oxford (1990) and Norbert Schmitt (1997) – did not confuse learners, but rather

helped them completely understand and apply what they had learned Norbert Schmitt’s research has become one of the leading studies in the field of linguistics due to the worldwide reputation and acceptance of these five strategies Besides, the the potential implications were presented in a separate section, with the aim of assisting readers in following the required language learning, teaching, or working orientations.

In 2003, Rebecca L Oxford, the author of SILL, attempted to expand on her

previous research in other dimensions She focused on not only “Strategies” but also

“Styles” in her study of “Language Learning Styles and Strategies: An Overview”

(2003) To put it another way, she put a lot of focus on “two key variables affecting

language learning: styles – the general approaches to learning a language; and strategies – the specific behaviors or thoughts learners use to enhance their language learning” Readers could easily find the various dimensions in learning styles (sensory preferences, personality types, desired degree of generality, and biological differences) as well as different learning strategies (collected from ancient Greek to now) in this study, thereby, assisting them in determining which ones were most suitable for them By research methods like the study in 1990, the meticulous explanation as well as the comprehensive approach, the information shown in this study is highly valuable as learning languages in general and learning vocabularies in

Metacognitive Strategies Cognitive

Strategies

particular “English Learning Styles and Strategies: An Overview” (2003), in

particular, contained a section emphasizing the consequences and applicability in teaching and learning English as a second language, which previous research omitted.

In brief, the author wanted learners to concentrate on “Learning Styles” and

“Learning Strategies” while they are in the language learning or even language

instructing phase.

Schmitt (1997) reached three general conclusions in an effort to

specifically interpret the results of general learning research and vocabulary learning studies, which are respectively as follows: first, the significance of vocabulary learning by most students prompt them to employ more strategies for this aspect of language learning than others; second, the students overuse some mechanical strategies such as memorization, note-taking, and repetition

in contrast to deep processing strategies such as guessing, imagery, and the keyword technique; and finally, they use a variety of strategies which is one of the vital characteristics of an effective learner who takes the initiative to

manage her/his vocabulary learning Schmitt also emphasized the significance

of drawing students' attention to the frequency of target words when they are being advised on vocabulary learning strategies Following this realization,

Nation (1990) and Schmitt (2000) advocated for the effective inclusion of

high-frequency words during the phase of vocabulary teaching and learning since they primarily necessitate strategies for analysis and consolidation, while low-frequency words would be encountered incidentally in reading or listening, requiring, consequently, methods for deciding their meanings, such as

guessing from context and using word bits, must be employed (p.133) These

assumptions, however, have not been confirmed by empirical evidence.

Additionally, the way by which an individual employs the strategy is contingent upon her/his cognitive approach to learning and her/his attitude

toward that task Kolb (1984) O’Malley et al (1985), for instance, found that

Asian students are reluctant to use strategies for imagery and grouping to learn

vocabulary, yet they outperformed the experimental groups merely applying

rote memorization strategies Schmitt (1997) surveyed 600 Japanese students

to resolve the categorization of students based on the strategies used and discovered that using a dictionary and repetition strategies are more requested and applied by learners who regard them as being most useful strategies for vocabulary learning and consider imagery as well as semantic grouping strategies to be the least useful There was also some evidence that more advanced learners used more nuanced and meaning – focused strategies than less advanced learners.

Gu and Johnson (1996) conducted a study to validate both the

metacognitive strategies of self – initiation and selective attention as important predictors of English proficiency in order to support the proposition regarding the relationship between vocabulary learning strategies and learners’ language proficiency and vocabulary knowledge Furthermore, an examination of the results on this topic revealed a positive relationship between several forms of vocabulary learning strategies and vocabulary breadth awareness, such as contextual note – taking, guessing, paying attention to word forming, skillful use of dictionaries, contextual encoding, and activation of newly learned words The efforts have also been made to demonstrate how using specific forms of vocabulary learning strategies can aid in vocabulary acquisition The results of those studies can be interpreted as evidence that learners who make an effort

to practice newly acquired vocabulary items outside of the classroom are more

effective in acquiring vocabulary (Kojic-Sabo & Lightbown, 1999; Moir & Nation, 2002).

On the other hand, several studies have focused on the factors that are strongly influenced that lead students to choose a specific vocabulary learning

strategy For example, Fan (2003) supposed that learners used strategies they

perceived to be more effective more often than those they perceived as less useful Another stream of research has looked at learning vocabulary strategies

in the context of the classroom In specific, Grenfell and Harris (1999)

provide insights into the efficacy of introducing awareness – raising exercises

to familiarize and alert learners to meta-cognitive strategies, directing them to

be more likely to use new vocabulary mnemonic strategies that were found to

be beneficial not only for learning vocabulary but also for enhancing test results.

Mizumoto and Takeuchi (2009) discovered that successful teaching of

strategies can also change the learners’ regular use of mnemonic strategies, which were positively linked to participants’ language efficiency, which is consistent with previous studies and supports the importance of instruction of vocabulary learning strategies in the classroom Reviewing the literature, several studies have been conducted to provide valuable insight into the relationship between vocabulary learning methods and both vocabulary breadth and vocabulary depth skills such as

Gu & Johnson (1996); Kojic-Sabo & Lightbown (1999); Moir & Nation (2002);

Nation (2001); Qian (2002); Schmitt (2008, 2010) Nassaji (2006), for instance,

attempted to demonstrate the relationship between vocabulary knowledge depth and

lexical inference strategies (as known as strategies for inferring the meaning of unknown words) He discovered that learners with a greater depth of vocabulary

information were often more effective in using lexical inference strategies.

Using strategies for learning vocabularies as a focal point, Bei Zhang

(2011) with “aims on the study of the strategies used by Chinese English major

students in vocabulary learning, the differences between effective and less effective learners in using vocabulary learning strategies”, completed a thesis

named “A Study of the Vocabulary Learning Strategies Used by Chinese Students” for Kristianstad University Aside from providing theoretical

background and demonstrating variations between individuals in vocabulary learning, the author went into practical strategies such as guessing strategy and learning words in context, semantic network use, bilingual dictionary use, repetition and persistence, and word classification Furthermore, in order to be more realistic, the author spent an entire chapter conducting a survey in which

35 participants were asked to complete a questionnaire with the aim of

ascertaining the true potential of students, detect problems, and make suggestions In addition to the study, the author provided a space for debate in which he compared the similarities and discrepancies between his results and those of others in order to provide a balanced view for students.

Bei Zhang (2011) used Chinese as the source language for his research, and

because of the contextual and sense similarities between Vietnamese and Chinese, the obtained results are so specific and relevant that English – Vietnamese studies, such as this one, prefer a lot In general, the assessment and discussion of these strategies are adequate and noteworthy; however, the author has not demonstrated

the reality of how often study participants use these strategies, and the number of 35

participants is insufficient to be representative for all.

Michael Lessard – Clouston (1998) articulated his intention of showing

and making clear “the participants’ strategies in and approaches to specialized

vocabulary learning” in his study “Specialized Vocabulary Learning and Use

in Theology”, which was more comprehensive than the preceding ones due to

concentrating on specialized vocabulary learning strategies only instead of all factors in language learning By providing “participants a potentially rich environment in which to learn this vocabulary”, the author focused on dealing with a variety of different fields such as neological vocabulary, technical, as well as some special ones with some useful strategies The author also highlighted the connection between socialization and academic literacy of

specialized terms The unique aspect of this research is how Michael Lessard – Clouston “examines the specialized vocabulary of theology and describes non

– native English speakers (NNES) and native English speaker (NES) participants’ learning and use of theological vocabulary during their early socialization into a graduate school of theology (GST)”, as a result, the author could highlight the gaps and problems encountered by non-native English learners before providing them with instructions to correct their errors based

on the performance of native English speakers Nonetheless, Michael Lessard

– Clouston’s methods are much less applicable to learning languages like

Vietnamese, Chinese, or Japanese since these languages are more emotional and contextual.

Tia Arsita Desiana (2014) conducted a report on economic vocabulary

acquisitions of students in the economic international program, titled

“Vocabulary Learning Strategies of Students in Economic International Program”, which also served as a graduation requirement This is one of the

closest studies to this subject since it focused on economic learning strategies rather than language learning strategies or vocabulary learning strategies Since the center was focused solely on one aspect, it was able to provide the closest observation as well as the most successful solutions for readers to clearly understand and adopt Several hypotheses of language learning, vocabulary learning, and grammar learning have all been illuminated from an economic standpoint Analyzing five of Norbert Schmitt’s renowned strategies

for learning economic vocabularies – including Determination Strategy

(DET), Memory Strategy (MEM), Social Strategy (SOC), Cognitive Strategy (COG), and Meta – cognitive Strategy (MET) – on a fundamental basis, the

Indonesian author made it detailed in their use and the frequency with which economic international program students employed them In addition to the survey’s actual results, the author developed a discussion that can speculate the explanations for students’ choices, the mistakes made when using these strategies, and proposed solutions for them to progress in economic vocabulary learning After all, the author concluded that learners prefer to use strategies that are fast, realistic, easy, and effective, such as context – based meaning guessing, group learning, and so on, rather than time – consuming ones.

While not as professional as the preceding research, a study titled

“Students’ Strategies in Learning English Specialized Vocabulary”

conducted by Le Pham Hoai Phuong and Thach Thi Hai Huyen (2017) as a

thesis to be submitted to the English Department, Hue University of Foreign

Languages, was able to assist the writer in diversifying the source of theory and findings.

This research also focused on English major’s students of a university with the aim of highlighting current strategies, their frequency in language learning processes, the student’s ability to use them, and their implications for real – world use First and foremost, the writers emphasized the importance of vocabulary, as well as specialized vocabulary, in language learning Next, using

Norbert Schmitt’s taxonomy of vocabulary learning strategies (VLS), this two

Vietnamese authors conducted a survey with specialized vocabulary and 100 English Department students Finally, they presented their findings among strategies, demonstrating that the use of time – consuming strategies was significantly lower than that of time – saving strategies For this reason, they concluded that participants appeared to care more about the outcome than the efficiency; in other words, they often found it difficult to obtain proper and effective strategies in a variety of contexts The authors hoped that this study would help readers partially diagnose their problems and fully understand all types of learning strategies as well as the factors influencing their selection, usage, and performance.

To conclude, previous studies which were referenced by the author all aim at providing strategies to help learners increase their interest in language learning in general and vocabulary in particular In reality, reviewing previous studies is a necessary step in completing this thesis Furthermore, consulting these useful studies led to helping learners find their own well – suited strategies, enriching the content of the analysis, and diversifying this material for referencing and learning.

1.3 Aims of the study

This study mainly focused on 2 purposes:

- The first goal is to examine the actual situation of learning specialized vocabularies as well as learning English and to get closer to a detailed

understanding of vocabulary of students at Thuong Mai University’s English Faculty.

- The second is to recommend effective, appropriate suggestions and strategies for each group of students and learners in order to enhance their ability to learn, store, and use basic English in general and specialized English

in particular.

Furthermore, the author wished to create a helpful document for learning and furthering one's studies, as well as to publish appropriate steps that can assist all students in the English Faculty in increasing lexical diversity, word choice accuracy, and avoiding grammar mistakes.

1.5 Scope of the study

In terms of research space, this study was carried out at English Faculty – Thuong Mai University In other words, this thesis focuses on freshmen of English Faculty – Thuong Mai University only as the research object serving to research the subject of “economic vocabulary learning strategies” Specifically, one hundred English Faculty’s freshmen had contributed to complete this research by fulfilling the survey.

In terms of research time, two month is the time for this study to be done, in specific, from February 22th to April 16th In which, the first ten days

is the time to refer to the previous study and finish the outline The author

reviewed and did the first chapter: Introduction The next week, the author

used to summarize the related theories and publicize the questionnaire The data analysis was done in the next 2 weeks from March 16th to April 5th and the remaining time was spent finishing the last chapter in this thesis.

In another aspect, this paper aims at working with the strategies with which students employ to learn English specialized vocabulary in the field of economy Because of the diversified aspects of vocabulary but the time constraint, the author also limited the scope of the subject which was studied Accordingly, just the ones in the economic field are worked with in the process

of study and acquisition.

1.6 Research methodology

There are several methods with which a research could be done, each of them, actually, is appropriate with different topics This study was conducted

with quantitative methodology and qualitative methodology.

Quantitative methodology emphasizes quantitative measurements and

statistical; questionnaires and surveys or by manipulating pre – existing statistical data with computational techniques; mathematical, or numerical analysis of data gathered by polls Quantitative analysis is concerned with collecting numerical data and generalizing it across groups of people or explaining a specific phenomenon.

Initially, this study used the questionnaire approach, which included knowledge collection, investigation, and interviews, to gather and classify participants’ actual skill in learning technical vocabulary in economic texts Ten questions in the questionnaire, in particular, served as an instrument, a tool, to assess English Faculty students’ actual comprehension and use of language

learning strategies proposed by Oxford (1990) and other researchers The

first questions asked participants to include details about their actual

experience interacting with new specialized vocabulary The next three questions allowed them to make a choice from a list of choices relevant to the theory of the strategies and difficulties in vocabulary learning The remaining tasks were all centered on determining the frequency at which six Oxford strategies, as well as various activities within them, were used.

The term “qualitative approach” refers to a market research technique

that focuses on gathering information through open – ended and conversational communication This approach considers not only “what” people think, but also “why” they think that way For instance, find a convenience store that wants to increase its customer base According to a systematic observation, the number of men visiting this store is higher An in – depth interview of potential customers in the group is one tool for determining why women were not visiting the shop.

For example, after successfully interviewing female consumers, visiting nearby stores and malls, and choosing them by random sampling, it was discovered that the store did not have enough products for women, so fewer women visited the store, which could only be understood by directly engaging with them and knowing why they didn’t visit the store because there were more male products than female products.

In the Introduction and Theory Framework sections, as well as open – ended questionnaires and participant observation in the survey, synthesizing and evaluating were used Using the synthesizing – analyzing approach entails spending time examining previous research, theses, and related documents in order to enhance the ability to analyze, select, compile, and conclude the required materials This move assists researchers in accumulating their own expertise while also providing them with a clear path to carry out their own studies.

Interview: This is a method of gathering knowledge through dialogue and interaction between two people This can be combined with a questionnaire to provide enough numerical and literal detail.

In reality, both qualitative and quantitative approaches were used in the questionnaire that was used to work with 100 participants Although a quantitative approach was used to deal with choice questions, statistics, logic, and an analytical position, the qualitative method would be used for data interpretation and synthesis with the selected data The questionnaire’s mixture of theoretical, realistic, open – ended, and option questions is intended

to provide an objective assessment of students’ abilities as well as the relationship between their practical behaviors and their competence.

1.7 Organization of the study

To settle the identified research subject and scope, this thesis consists of: Chapter I: Overview of the study

Chapter II: Literature review

Chapter III: Research findings

Chapter IV: Recommendations and suggestions

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Definitions of specialized vocabulary and vocabulary learning strategy

2.1.1 Definitions of specialized vocabulary

Despite the fact that vocabulary is a sub – skill of a language, it plays a

critical role in language learning and teaching “When we speak of a person’s

vocabulary, we mean the words he or she knows and is able to use” (Nandy 1994,

p.1) It is widely acknowledged that vocabulary is at the core of language

learning According to Rubin and Thompson (1994, p 79), “One cannot speak,

understand, read or write a foreign language without knowing a lot of words Therefore, vocabulary learning is at the heart of mastering a foreign language”.

Furthermore, Taylor (1992, p.30) notes that “Vocabulary pervades all

language learners or language teachers do in an English language class, regardless of the competence or language point being practiced” It is commonly

stated that understanding any language is impossible without knowledge of

vocabulary, whether in the spoken or written forms (Hall, 2000; Schmitt 2000; Hill, 1997) Language learners with a broad and diverse vocabulary are

thought to develop their listening, reading, speaking, writing, and critical

thinking skills (Smith 1998, p xv) Language learners with a limited

vocabulary, on the other hand, are likely to be hampered in their educational development That is to say, vocabulary is an important predictor of both language learning and language capacity.

There are several definitions of vocabulary, as well as specialized ones, all of which wish to make an impressive mark for their own topic so that readers could feel at ease using it in the vocabulary learning process According

to Wikipedia: “A vocabulary is a set of familiar words within a person’s

language A vocabulary, usually developed with people’s age, serves as a useful and fundamental tool for communication and acquiring knowledge Acquiring

an extensive vocabulary is one of the largest challenges in learning a second language” On the whole, vocabulary is regarded as a personal asset that plays

an important role in one's communication, performance, and life, and it can be expanded on a daily basis Each field has its own collection of vocabularies, known as specialized vocabulary, and people have a diverse set of vocabularies

in the fields with which they are familiar Specialized vocabulary could be

appeared under a lot of different labels as “terminological words” (Becka, 1972), “specialised lexis” (Baker, 1988), “terminological” (Peruzzo, 2014),

“domain – specific glossaries” (Perinan – Pascual, 2015) or “discipline specific vocabulary” (Woodward – Kron, 2018).

According to Cowan (1974), specialized terms are “context –

independent words which occur with high frequency across discipline” This

description differed from the others in terms of “context”, but it was highly

acceptable because it was one of the first to stress frequency of usage Trimble

appeared to broaden the prior definition in 1985 to include common terms

that “occur with specific meanings in the scientific and technical field” Trimble completely removed the word “context” from his statement in order to focus on

the scope of terms used.

“Specialized vocabularies are those vocabularies used in certain fields”

-Rael Dornfest (2003) There are several fields that include specialized

terminology, but according to the author, the economic, legal, and medical fields are the ones that come to mind first when discussing specialized vocabulary.

Being more detailed, Nation (2001) described specialized vocabulary as

“recognized specific to a particular topic, field or discipline” If the text is a

human, then specialized vocabulary would be seen as the heart, he said, and if people do not understand what the special terms mean, it would be difficult for

them to understand the whole text Seven years later, in 2008, Nation noted

that specialized or technical vocabulary can begin with high-frequency (HF) or low-frequency (LF) terms from the General Service List (GSL), and in academia,

he emphasized the value of acquiring specialized vocabulary to “attain academic literacy and to become part of their chosen academic discourse communities”.

The preceding definitions all tend to generalize the function and extent

of occurrence of specialized vocabulary, stressing the existence of specific disciplines where learning of these terms is beneficial for enhancing academic literacy in general In other words, acquiring specialized vocabulary is important for students to become more proficient not only in English but also

in their respective majors.

2.1.2 Definition of language learning strategy

Vocabulary learning strategies are considered a subset of language learning strategies Language learning strategies have received a considerable amount of significance since early 1970s for the crucial role they are playing in

in language learning Linguistic field’s professionals have been submitting a lot

of statements to provide useful strategies for learners to be good at acquiring language as well as vocabulary and specialized vocabulary, although research

into language learning strategies started in the 1970s (Rubin, 1975; Stern, 1975), controversy still rages over how they are defined (Tseng, Dörnyei, & Schmitt, 2006) However, Griffiths (2008, p 87) defines language learning

strategies as activities learners consciously choose to regulate their language

learning Interestingly, Cohen (2007) and Oxford (1990) include increasing

enjoyment in their definition: learners use strategies to make language learning more successful and also more enjoyable.

Naiman described strategies as “ a particular method of approaching a

problem or task, a mode of operation for achieving a particular and a planned

design for controlling and manipulating certain information” (Naiman, 1980, p 83) In the same fashion, Chaudron refers to strategies as “cognitive operations

that learners apply while in the classroom or other learning situations”

strategies refers to a choice that a learner makes while learning or using the

second language that affects learning” (Cook, 1993, p 79) To put it another

way, Dicinson supposed: “Learning strategy is concerned with actual activities

and techniques which lead to learn.” (Dicinson, 1987, p 20) In addition, Rubin in Griffiths (2008, p 85) states that “language learning strategies are

what students do” It is an active approach The active approach related to the term “actions” refers to activities that focus on what strategies they do in

learning, or according to Bialystok in Griffths (2008, p 86), “language

learning strategies as optional mean for exploiting available information to improve competence in a second language” It would be seem self evident that

strategies are chosen by learners, since learners who unthinkingly accept activities imposed by others can hardly be considered strategic given the emphasis on active in the learning process

An early definition given by Rigney (1978) who defines language

learning strategies (LLSs) as “a set of operations used by learners to aid the acquisition, storage and retrieval of information” Rubin (1987) refers to

LLSs as “any set of operations, plans, or routines, used by learners to facilitate

the obtaining, retrieval, storage and use of information” These two meanings both emphasize the activities used to learn and remember a vocabulary or information.

Oxford (1990) offered the same opinion with Rigney’s and Rubin’s.

Furthermore, she put herself in the students’ shoes by stating that LLSs even

involve “specific actions taken by the learner to make learning easier, faster, more enjoyable, more self – directed, more efficient, and more transferable to new situations”.

In general, there is, actually, no agreed definition of language learning strategies However, all available concepts of language learning strategies share the idea of taking learners’ actions in the learning process to make the easy access as center Therefore, learners could follow any given definitions with which they feel familiar and easy to understand.

2.2 Difficulties in learning new vocabulary

2.2.1 Roles of vocabulary in language learning

Vocabulary, as one of the knowledge areas in language, plays a great role

for learners in acquiring a language (Cameron, 2001) Harmon, Wood, &

Keser, (2009) as well as Linse (2005) statethat learners’ vocabulary

development is an important aspect of their language development Although it has been neglected for a long time, researchers have increasingly been turning their attention to vocabulary.

Vocabulary knowledge is often viewed as a critical tool for second language learners because a limited vocabulary in a second language impedes successful communication Underscoring the importance of vocabulary

acquisition, if Schmitt (1997) looked vocabulary as a central key in language

learning which could bring “communicative competence and the acquisition” to

students, Nation (2000) stated that “knowledge of vocabulary enables

language use and, conversely, language use leads to an increase in vocabulary knowledge”.

Many well – known authors, including Oxford (1990), Schmitt (1997), Nation (2000), have stated that vocabulary is critical to all aspects of English proficiency (i.e listening, speaking, reading, writing) Rivers and Nunan (1991) even noted that “without an extensive vocabulary, we will be unable to

use the structures and functions we may have learned for comprehensible communication”

According to research, second language readers rely heavily on vocabulary awareness, and a lack of that knowledge is the key and most

difficult obstacle for L2 readers to overcome (Huckin, 1995) ‘‘When students travel, they don’t carry grammar books, they carry dictionaries’’ (Krashen,

as cited in Lewis, 1993, p 25) Many researchers argue that vocabulary is one

of the most important – if not the most important – components in learning a foreign language, and foreign language curricula must reflect this.

Admittedly, with a sufficient set of vocabularies, learners can speak anything they want, assisting them in establishing a secure foothold and creating opportunities for themselves They can also understand what others are saying, which helps them cultivate themselves and develop good relationships with others Writing all the wanted things and comprehending everything you read are things that students can do if they have a large enough vocabulary.

2.2.2 Difficulties in language learning

In reality, each component of vocabulary can pose a challenge to learners

as they learn it As a result, if foreign learners want to master it, they must first understand its essence, which includes constantly encountering difficulties.

This study develops the list of difficulties given by Gairnsand Redman, Ur (1996).

a Difficulties in form

Pronunciation and spelling are two forms of vocabulary that are used as external contacts as learning Pronunciation expresses how a word sounds, while spelling expresses how a word appears.

For example : Word “vocabulary”

2.1 Analyzing factors in Form of “Vocabulary”

b Difficulties in in grammar

The grammar of a vocabulary is extremely essential and necessary in order to learn new words Grammatical issues could arise in the form of tense, plural, or something similar When learning a new verb (dream) for example, students could also learn its irregular past form (dreamt/dreamed), it will be irregular plurals form (fish) or other stuff if they acquire a new noun (fish) or it will be the comparison if students learn a set of vocabulary (include, consist of) The relationship between the language being learned and the others causes acquirers to be extremely perplexed and difficult to master both.

c Difficulties in word combinations

Form Vocabulary

Spelling V-o-c-a-b-u-l-a-r-y Pronunciation

/v u'kæbjul ri/ ə ə

Collocations, idioms, and phrases are examples of word combinations When it comes to word combinations, the difficulties lie not just in the context but also in the ambiguity and physical interaction between single words.

In fact, no one can guarantee that word combinations will not occur during the vocabulary learning process; therefore, the difficulties in this type of vocabulary must be addressed.

d Difficulties in a aspect of meaning: denotation, connotation, appropriateness

Vocabulary meaning is divided into two parts: denotation and connotation The denotation of a word refers to its clear, literal meaning, while the connotation refers to the associations The multi–meaning of vocabulary caused many difficulties and inappropriateness in learning; thus, flexibility in some contexts is needed.

e Difficulties in aspect of meaning: meaning relationship

In reality, the word relationship is the most challenging aspect of learning new vocabulary since it necessitates certain unchangeable rules that students must follow in order to master words Two words have a relationship, but learners want to learn them separately rather than clarifying the relationship before accessing to acquire words, creating difficulties, and vice versa.

2.3 Theory of English specialized vocabulary learning strategies

2.3.1 Definition of specialized vocabulary learning strategies

Vocabulary learning strategies are a part of language learning strategies, and specialized vocabulary learning strategies are a part of vocabulary learning strategies Because of the interdependence of topics, the theory of one

incorporates the theory of others In other words, the idea of economic

vocabulary learning strategies is partly borrowed from specialized vocabulary learning strategies, and the same is true for specialized vocabulary learning strategies and language learning strategies.

Rubin (1975) defined language learning strategies as “the techniques or

devices which a learner may use to acquire knowledge” The techniques or

devices listed by Rubin in her description are used to learn language in general, but they are ideal for learning technical vocabulary if learners use them to acquire specialized vocabulary and knowledge.

In terms of acquiring specialized vocabulary strategies, Schmitt (1997)

commented that “… the process by which an English as Foreign Language (EFL)

learner obtains, stores, retrieves, and uses specialized vocabulary items when encountering a word for the first time” Unlike Rubin, Schmitt stressed the learners’ method of acquiring, holding, and using the acquired one rather than acquiring only, as Rubin spoke.

So far, there has been no exact definition defining economic vocabulary strategies; however, based on the rules of borrowing information from a larger one and all provided expertise, the author would like to state that economic vocabulary learning strategies are the behavior, techniques, and devices that a learner may use to acquire, store, and use a new vocabulary in the field of economy.

In general, regardless of which parts of the language are learned, the meanings of these strategies describe the resources and activities that learners use during the learning process The more the subject detailed, the deeper strategies employed.

2.3.2 Type of specialized vocabulary learning strategies

As shown in the previous section, the most well – known taxonomies of vocabulary learning strategies are Oxford’s (1990) and Schmitt’s (1997) Both taxonomies included two strategy groups; however, while Oxford introduced

six separate strategies (memory, cognitive, compensation, meta – cognitive, affective, and social strategies), Schmitt only presented five (determination, social, memory, cognitive, and meta-cognitive strategies) There is no right or wrong between the two forms of classifications, and students prefer the one that is easier to obey The author would detail five basic strategies offered by Oxford in this study.

English language learning strategies can be either direct or indirect.

2.3.2.1 Direct Strategies

Direct strategies could assist students in learning, storing, and recovering information even though their language knowledge is lacking Cognitive, memory, and compensation strategies are all part of direct strategies.

a Cognitive Strategies

Cognitive strategies are learning strategies in which a person uses their own information to interact directly with new language materials.

According to Wikipedia, a cognitive strategies “need not be all “in the

head”, but will almost always interact with various aspects of what might be called of the “execution contact”” Cognitive interventions include four major

small learning activity types They are learning by receiving and transmitting

messages, evaluating and reasoning, and structuring input and output Oxford

described all individual behaviors that are supposed to be clear and physical approaches to a modern specialized vocabulary in these four groups.

Cognitive Strategies

for input and output

Receiving andSending messages Analyzing and

Reasoning

2.2 Classification of cognitive strategies

b Memory strategies

Memory strategies are known as direct strategies because they include the

target language specifically and clearly Schmitt (1997) introduces mnemonic as

Taking note Reasoning

deductively

Getting the idea quickly Repeating

Summarizing

Analyzing expressions

Using resource for receiving and sending messages

contrastivelyRecognizing

and using

formulas and

Transferring Recombining

Practicing

naturalistically