A Comparison of Vocabulary Learning Strategies of Iranian EFL University Students: Repeating versus Cooperating with Peers

Maki Naeimi,Thomas Chow Voon Foo

doi:10.5539/elt.v7n7p102

Abstract

Vocabulary learning and assessment are considered as the key basis for the training of English as a foreign language. However, it is time-consuming, uncertain and repetitious for the teachers to assess the proficiency of the students’ vocabulary storage. This paper reports the results of a study which aimed to investigate the effect of Repeating as a direct vocabulary learning strategy versus Cooperating with Peers as an indirect vocabulary learning strategy teaching on the improvement of word knowledge on reading comprehension skill of Iranian undergraduate students. In order to attain the aim of the research, a vocabulary test was administrated to one hundred and forty-six male and female pre-intermediate EFL university students. Ultimately, seventy-eight pre-intermediate language learners were elected and appointed into two experimental groups (A and B) based on a vocabulary pre-test. The group (A) was taught vocabulary through Using Repeating vocabulary learning strategy and the group (B) was taught Cooperating with Peers vocabulary learning strategy for the aim of improving their lexical knowledge in reading comprehension skill. In the end of the treatment period, another vocabulary test (post-test) was implemented to all the students of two groups. After analyzing the data of the study that administered through using Independent samples t-test statistics, the results showed that there was a considerable difference between the two experimental groups under analysis in terms of their vocabulary improvements. The outcomes revealed that Repeating as a direct vocabulary learning strategy can cause to higher accomplishments of word storage in reading comprehension skill of Iranian pre-intermediate EFL undergraduate learners.

Highlights

Considering the point that English language has long been the language of correspondence in all over the world as well as most significant second or foreign language in the non-English speaking countries, so this language is supposed one of the extremity substantial languages in the world (Liu, 2009; Liu et al, 2010)
This paper reports the results of a study which aimed to investigate the effect of Repeating as a direct vocabulary learning strategy versus Cooperating with Peers as an indirect vocabulary learning strategy teaching on the improvement of word knowledge on reading comprehension skill of Iranian undergraduate students
By examining the studies conducted in the area of teaching language as a foreign language, whereas, one can note that little attention has been paid to the effect of direct and indirect vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) on Iranian EFL learners

Summary

Introduction

Considering the point that English language has long been the language of correspondence in all over the world as well as most significant second or foreign language in the non-English speaking countries, so this language is supposed one of the extremity substantial languages in the world (Liu, 2009; Liu et al, 2010). English language is believed the most significant foreign or second language (Laborda, Magal-Royo, Rocha, & Álvarez, 2010; Sun et al, 2011) In this manner, this point is a necessary argument to expand a prospect proposition by which to encourage learners in acquiring English as foreign language (Liu et al, 2010). In order to acquire another language, it is necessary to acquire a substantial amount of new vocabulary items of that language This large exercise takes confrontations and dilemma to all foreign language learners (Krashen, 1989; Nation, 2001). The opinions can be stated successfully just when learners are armed with adequate number of vocabulary with which to do so

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Conclusion