Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLSs) Preferred by Saudi EFL Students

Sultanah Abdulmoslah Al-Bidawi

doi:10.5539/elt.v11n12p211

Abstract

The aim of this study is to identify Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLS) that seem to be used more frequently by Saudi undergraduate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students and to discuss the sub-strategies amongst the main five strategies identified by Schmitt&rsquo;s (1997) taxonomy of VLS. The population sample of 94 undergraduates was selected from Al Jouf University with the use of quantitative survey methodology. The questionnaire was designed based on Schmitt&rsquo;s (1997) taxonomy, with minor modifications. The findings reveal that Saudi undergraduate EFL learners highly preferred social strategies and, to a lesser degree, cognitive, meta-cognitive and determination strategies. It appears from this small sample size that memory strategies are the least preferred. From the sub-category strategies that appeared to be most preferred from the field work, our findings indicate that.

Highlights

1.1 Language Learning in an English as a Foreign Language (EFL) ContextIn 1970, the paradigm of language learning was shifted from the traditional to communicative approach, which focused attention on the student-centered learning
The aim of this study is to identify Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLS) that seem to be used more frequently by Saudi undergraduate English as a Foreign Language (EFL) students and to discuss the sub-strategies amongst the main five strategies identified by Schmitt’s (1997) taxonomy of VLS
Vocabulary learning strategies are considered subordinate to language learning strategies when “vocabulary is the biggest part of meaning of any language and it is the biggest problem for more learners” (Yaaccob et al, 2018)

Summary

Introduction

1.1 Language Learning in an EFL ContextIn 1970, the paradigm of language learning was shifted from the traditional to communicative approach, which focused attention on the student-centered learning. “No matter how well the students learn grammar, no matter how successfully the sounds of L2 are mastered, without words to express a wider range of meanings, communication in an L2 just cannot happen in any meaningful way” ( Carranza et al, 2015) This attention for vocabulary learning was unexpected in its importance for an EFL context. In recent years, this issue has been paid closer attention by numerous scholars and researchers, including Schmitt (1997), Oxford (1990), Bristi (2015), Elzuber (2016), Rabdi (2016), and Alqarni (2018). In foreign language teaching, it has been found that it is very important to encourage students to vary their language strategies when learning vocabulary and to teach them how to use specific strategies targeted to enhance the quality of the learning process (Baskinet et al, 2017)

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