Vocabulary Strategies Research Articles

An Analysis of Vocabulary Learning Strategies Employed by Thai EFL Undergraduates: Dictionary Use

As a number of researchers in Thailand have investigated the use of vocabulary learning strategies by Thai learners at all levels, it is now worth specifically looking at how undergraduates learn new vocabulary words since these learners are considered more mature and might have learned more strategies compared to those with lower levels of education. In this article, the VLS taxonomy from Schmitt (1997) is emphasized with an aim to recognize possible links among the results from various studies on the use of VLS by Thai learners at a university level. Among the various research studies the writer looked at, only five of them with a VLS questionnaire adapted from Schmitt’s (1997) were selected to be presented in this paper. The findings all revealed that Thai EFL undergraduates prefer using a bilingual dictionary to other vocabulary strategies in their attempt to comprehend the meaning of the target word. This not only affirms the learners’ preference but also reflects how they were involved in VLS instruction throughout their lifelong learning. Hence, this article provides some thoughts concerning the popularity and benefits of bilingual dictionaries. Also, Thai lecturers can make use of the findings to improve their VLS instruction and inquire further as to whether this strategy is still a top ranking one in long-term observations in order to be better able to handle effective VLS instruction.

The Effectiveness of Vocabulary Self-Collection and Word Mapping Strategies for Teaching Vocabulary to Maritime Cadets With High and Low Metacognitive Awareness

Teaching Maritime English Vocabulary to cadets can be very challenging for an English teacher. Cadets have daily tight schedules and physical activities that often consume their energy. It is important for the teachers to find out a strategy that is effective to be implemented in the classroom. This research was aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy (VSS) and Word Mapping Strategy (WMS) for teaching vocabulary to maritime cadets with high and low metacognitive awareness. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a 2x2 factorial design.Two experimental groups of the first year Nautical Cadetsof Semarang Merchant Marine Polytechnic were involved in this study. There were 36 participants. Metacognitive Awareness Inventory and Maritime English Vocabulary Assessment were used as the instrument for collecting the data. Observation was also conducted to support the data findings. To analyze the data, Paired Sample T-test and Two Way ANOVA were used.The research findings showed that both VSS and WMS are effective to be used in teaching Maritime English Vocabulary to cadets with high and low metacognitive awareness. However, when we compared the effectiveness of VSS and WMS, the findings revealed that VSS was more effective to be used in both high and low metacognitively aware cadets.The statistical analysis showed that there is an interaction among vocabulary teaching strategies, metacognitive awareness and vocabulary mastery.

Individual Differences in Strategy Use for L2 Lexical Inferencing: The Case of Learning Styles

This study aimed to examine the effect of the second language (L2) learners’ perceptual learning style preferences on their strategy use for lexical inferencing and the treatment effect from an explicit instructional program. Joy Reid’s (1995) Perceptual Learning Style Preferences (PLSP) Inventory, a lexical inferencing test, and a vocabulary strategy questionnaire were administered to 145 university students during a 15-week reading course. The results of a simple regression analysis showed that the tactilc students tended to use more lexical inferencing strategies than the others with different learning styles; and that the visual learners tended to use strategies less frequently, compared to the other counterparts. Further analysis of simple regression indicated that the individual learners benefited most from the treatment effect, followed by the visual learners. The findings can be of significance for teachers and the L2 learners to concern individual differences in L2 inferential strategy use.

Vocabulary Learning Strategies of Libyan Learners of Omar Almukhtar University, Derna

Studying previous literature, it is found that some surveys promote teaching specific types of learning strategies to help learners in vocabulary acquisition. However, there was few studies concentrated on EFL Libyan learners. Therefore, this paper aims to address the vocabulary learning strategies used by Libyan Learners at Omar Almokhtar University and the correlation between the strategies they utilize and their English proficiency level. 26 male and female majors were asked to complete a vocabulary questionnaire. Participants reported using a number of vocabulary strategies: words cards, using dictionaries, repeating new words, and using notebooks. It essentially attempted to investigate the following: I- the relation between the use of various vocabulary learning strategies with both learners' English proficiency and the evaluation of their vocabulary. II- See whether there is a correlation between the number of used strategies and gender aspect. III- Promote the most useful and successful strategy. It found that learners ' proficiency level improves at the same time as they use more learning strategies. In terms of gender aspect, Libyan male students use more strategies than females. In addition, they differ in using specific types of strategies; for example, males use strategies of repeating new words and word cards in comparison with girls who overwhelmingly use dictionaries. This survey concluded that the technique of using dictionaries is the most efficient strategy in vocabulary learning.

Vocabulary Strategies and Bridging the Gap from Learning to Read to Reading to Learn

The present study offers a solution to students’ difficulties in reading by examining the effect of two instructional strategies for teaching reading: semantic mapping and morphological analysis, using multimedia as a vehicle for achieving the desired goals. Technology in the present study incorporates fun, meaningful resources that enhance the experimental group students’ vocabulary, and allow the reading instructor to assess the students’ progress in reading. 58 EFL university students enrolled in the first year of the English Department at Al-Imam University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia participated in the present study. They were chosen randomly and were divided into two groups; an experimental group and a control one. Each group had 29 participants aged between twenty and twenty one years old. A pre-test was applied to check out their standard in comprehending the reading texts before the inauguration of the experiment. During the time of the experiment, the control group was taught by the traditional method which focuses on relying on their memorization of long lists of vocabulary, rote learning, reading aloud, repetition and the translation of the new vocabulary. Participants of the experimental group were taught by semantic mapping and morphological analysis that focus on the comprehension of the key vocabulary and concepts included in the reading texts. The experimental group only was taught in the reading classes by implementing the semantic mapping and morphological analysis strategies while the control group was taught by the traditional previously mentioned way. The post-test was applied on both groups of the study at the end of the experiment to check out the students’ reading comprehension standard. The experiment lasted for three months’ time during the first semester of the year 2015. The findings revealed that teaching reading by semantic mapping and morphological analysis strategies improved experimental group students’ comprehension of the reading texts.

Developing Content Knowledge in Struggling Readers: Differential Effects of Strategy Instruction for Younger and Older Elementary Students

This study compared the effects of 2 strategy-based comprehension treatments intended to promote vocabulary and content knowledge for elementary students at risk for developing reading difficulties (N = 105) with a traditional content approach. The study examined the effectiveness of strategy versus nonstrategy instruction on reading comprehension, vocabulary, and knowledge acquisition. In addition, the study considered the trade-offs between using a program focused on building vocabulary and a program focused on building content knowledge through strategy-based dialogue. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses revealed that the vocabulary strategy instruction produced higher vocabulary acquisition than the other conditions for younger students. However, traditional content instruction was more effective for older students. The findings suggest that practitioners should focus heavily on vocabulary when using expository texts with young children. Based on our results, we suggest blending the best of content and strategy instruction to optimize comprehension instruction in the classroom.

Locating qualitative studies in dementia on MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO: A comparison of search strategies

Qualitative research in dementia improves understanding of the experience of people affected by dementia. Searching databases for qualitative studies is problematic. Qualitative-specific search strategies might help with locating studies. To examine the effectiveness (sensitivity and precision) of 5 qualitative strategies on locating qualitative research studies in dementia in 4 major databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL). Qualitative dementia studies were checked for inclusion on MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. Five qualitative search strategies (subject headings, simple free-text terms, complex free-text terms, and 2 broad-based strategies) were tested for study retrieval. Specificity, precision and number needed to read were calculated. Two hundred fourteen qualitative studies in dementia were included. PsycINFO and CINAHL held the most qualitative studies out the 4 databases studied (N=171 and 166, respectively) and both held unique records (N=14 and 7, respectively). The controlled vocabulary strategy in CINAHL returned 96% (N=192) of studies held; by contrast, controlled vocabulary in PsycINFO returned 7% (N=13) of studies held. The broad-based strategies returned more studies (93-99%) than the other free-text strategies (22-82%). Precision ranged from 0.061 to 0.004 resulting in a number needed to read to obtain 1 relevant study ranging from 16 (simple free-text search in CINAHL) to 239 (broad-based search in EMBASE). Qualitative search strategies using 3 broad terms were more sensitive than long complex searches. The controlled vocabulary for qualitative research in CINAHL was particularly effective. Furthermore, results indicate that MEDLINE and EMBASE offer little benefit for locating qualitative dementia research if CINAHL and PSYCINFO are also searched.

INVESTIGATING THE WORKING MEMORY AND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION STRATEGIES AMONG MONOLINGUAL AND BILINGUAL CHILDREN IN A CLASSROOM’S SETTING

The present study aimed at comparing the working memory of Greek monolingual students to bilingual ones from migrant backgrounds who all attend primary school. Secondly, an effort was made to investigate the correlation of the working memory with the academic performance in both groups. Moreover, the correlation of the vocabulary strategies, employed by monolingual and bilingual students in an integrated memory-based text framework (Rachanioti, Griva & Alevriadou, 2017), with their working memory was explored. The sample consisted of 20 monolingual and 20 bilingual students of Albanian origin, who attended the 5 th and 6 th grade of three primary schools in Eastern Thessaloniki, Greece. The monolingual and bilingual students were matched according to their mark reports on academic performance. The Automated Working Memory Assessment (Alloway, 2007) was used to assess the students’ working memory. The data revealed that monolingual and bilingual students did not differ either in the verbal working memory or the visuospatial working memory performance. A statistically significant positive correlation between working memory and academic performance was found in both monolingual and bilingual students. The correlation of the Process strategies with the verbal working memory was statistically significant in monolingual students, as well as in the bilingual ones. The Memory strategies were positively correlated with the verbal and visuospatial working memory in both groups. The Confirmation / consolidation strategies were positively correlated with the verbal working memory only in the bilingual students. Results are discussed in terms of memory strategy instruction that may compensate for a poor working memory of both monolingual and bilingual students in a classroom’s setting, thus aiding to improve their academic performance. This study is the first trial of the AWMA in Greek students as well as bilingual immigrant ones. Article visualizations:

The Effect of Vocabulary Self -Selection Strategy and Input Enhancement Strategy on the Vocabulary Knowledge of Iranian EFL Learners

The present study was designed to investigate empirically the effect of Vocabulary Self -Selection strategy and Input Enhancement strategy on the vocabulary knowledge of Iranian EFL Learners. After taking a diagnostic pretest, both experimental groups enrolled in two classes. Learners who practiced Vocabulary Self-Selection were allowed to self-select each word from the text they wanted to, but the learners who practiced Input Enhancement strategy one session later than the other group, were just allowed to choose the words among the textually enhanced ones which were just limited to the finalized words of the Vocabulary Self-Selection group. After about three months of treatment, seen and unseen posttests were administered. The results revealed positive effects of both strategies on the vocabulary knowledge of the Iranian EFL learners. Thus it could be safely concluded that Vocabulary Self-Selection and Input Enhancement strategy were quite effective in the development of vocabulary knowledge. The performance of the two groups of Iranian EFL learners on the achievement posttest, as statistically shown, indicates that the Vocabulary Self-Selection group could outperform the Input Enhancement group on the vocabulary knowledge. The results revealed positive effects of both strategies on the vocabulary knowledge of the Iranian EFL learners. It was finally concluded that Vocabulary Self-Selection group outperformed those in Input Enhancement group. Thus it could be concluded that Iranian EFL learners who practiced Vocabulary Self-Selection strategy outperformed those who practiced Input Enhancement. Vocabulary Self-Selection strategy fostered vocabulary learning.

Iranian Intermediate EFL Learners' Vocabulary Inferencing Strategies: A Qualitative Study

The present qualitative and interpretative study aims to investigate Iranian EFL learners' L2 vocabulary strategies. The distribution of strategy types and what factors contribute to the success of the inferencing strategies are the two main purposes of the study. Using think-aloud procedures with 15 Iranian EFL learners, the present study explored L2 learners' inferencing strategies and the relationship with their success. Sixteen types of inferential strategies were revealed to be employed by the participants and two types of inferences were identified: successful and less successful inferences. The results of the study are discussed in the light of the similar studies and the suggestions for future research are made. The study has a number of pedagogical implications for L2 research and practice, L2 teachers, syllabus designers, and educational psychology.

A Review of Selected Research into Chinese EFL Learner Strategies Over the Last Two Decades

This article reviews part of the research on Chinese EFL students’ language learning strategies carried out in the last 20 years and classifies these studies into six main categories: comprehensive strategy use, vocabulary strategies, listening strategies, reading strategies, writing strategies and oral communication strategies. Through comparing and contrasting the differences and similarities in methods and findings of these studies, the author believes that future research in the same domain should be conducted in various cultural contexts and participant selection should not be restricted to tertiary education scenario. Besides, different aspects of the language should also be examined through integrated research methods.

The Acquisition of Vocabulary Through Three Memory Strategies

The present study reports on an action research study that explores the implications of applying three vocabulary strategies: word cards, association with pictures, and association with a topic through fables in the acquisition of new vocabulary in a group of EFL low-level proficiency teenagers in a public school in Espinal, Tolima, Colombia. The participants had never used vocabulary strategies before and struggled to memorize and recall words. Two types of questionnaires, a researcher’s journal, and vocabulary tests were the instruments used to gather data. The results showed that these strategies were effective to expand the range of words progressively and improve the ability to recall them. The study also found that these strategies involve cognitive and affective factors that can affect students’ perception about the strategies and their use. The implementation of the strategies highlighted the need to train teachers and learners in strategies intended to teach and learn vocabulary and to include them in the English language program in any school.

Vocabulary Strategy Training- A Rational Study among Engineering Students

<em><span>The present study aims at identifying a specific set of strategies necessary for the enhancement of the vocabulary based on the needs survey. It also researches the effectiveness of strategy training course in improving students’ competence in English. </span></em>

The Effect of Using Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy on Students’ Reading Comprehension and Their Motivation

The main aim of this study was to find out the effect of using vocabulary self-collection strategy on students’ reading comprehension and their motivation at Language Development Center of UIN SuskaRiau. It was a quasi-experimental research which was carried out in Comparison Group Pre-test/Post-test Design. The sample of this research was students of the Language Development Center who took English course at Level 2. They were divided into two groups, namelyan experimental class (PB 15) and acontrol class (PB 16) with a total of 58 students. The data were collected by using a reading comprehension test and a questionnaire. Vocabulary self-collection strategy was applied as treatment. The result of this research shows that there was a significant effect ofthe treatment on the students’ reading comprehension in the experimental group. The t-test result was 4.259;and its df was 56, by comparing number of significance. If probability is >0.05, the null hypothesis (H 0 ) is rejected. If probability is <0.05, the alternative hypothesis (H a ) is accepted. Because of the significance was 0.000 < 0.05, H a was accepted; and consequently H 0 was rejected. There was also a significant effect of the treatment on the students’ motivation inthe experimental group. The t-test result was 8.431;and its df was 56, by comparing number of significance. Because of the significance was 0.000 < 0.05, thus, H a was accepted andH 0 was rejected.

Children ‘Think Aloud’ and ‘Talk About’ Vocabulary Strategies in an Integrated Memory-based Text Framework

The present study aimed at recording and comparing the vocabulary strategies employed by Greek students and bilingual immigrants in an integrated memory-based text framework. Moreover, an effort to correlate the language strategies employed by the participants with their academic performance was attempted. The sample consisted of 20 monolingual and 20 bilingual students of Albanian origin, who attended the 5th and 6th grade of three primary schools in Eastern Thessaloniki, Greece. The monolingual and bilingual students were matched according to their mark reports on academic performance. Qualitative techniques were used for data collection: a) an instrument for recording students' profiles and their difficulties in acquiring vocabulary and memorizing a text b) ‘think aloud’ protocols and retrospective interviews. The identification of the strategies, employed by monolingual and bilingual children in an integrated text framework resulted in the compilation of a strategy model: a) exploration strategies, b) process strategies, c) memory strategies and d) confirmation/consolidation strategies. The correlation of the process strategies with the academic performance was statistically significant in monolingual students, as well as in bilinguals. A stronger positive correlation was found between the memory strategies and the monolinguals’ academic performance, while a positive trend also emerged for bilinguals. Although the study is limited in scope, the strategies resulted from the analysis of the collected data, constitute a holistic process/approach of vocabulary acquisition in an integrated memory-based text framework.

The Complexity of the Language Level and the Multimodality Used in Singaporean and Indonesian Science Textbooks Written in English for Primary Three and Four

Teaching Maritime English Vocabulary to cadets can be very challenging for an English teacher. Cadets have daily tight schedules and physical activities that often consume their energy. It is important for the teachers to find out a strategy that is effective to be implemented in the classroom. This research was aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy (VSS) and Word Mapping Strategy (WMS) to teach Maritime English vocabulary of cadets with high and low metacognitive awareness. This study employed a quasi-experimental design with a 2x2 factorial design.Two experimental groups of the first year Nautical Cadetsof Semarang Merchant Marine Polytechnic were involved in this study. There were 36 participants. Metacognitive Awareness Inventory and Maritime English Vocabulary Assessment were used as the instrument for collecting the data. Observation was also conducted to support the data findings. To analyze the data, Paired Sample T-test and Two Way ANOVA were used.The research findings showed that both VSS and WMS are effective to be used in teaching Maritime English Vocabulary to cadets with high and low metacognitive awareness. However, when we compared the effectiveness of VSS and WMS, the findings revealed that VSS was more effective to be used in both high and low metacognitively aware cadets.The statistical analysis showed that there is an interaction among vocabulary teaching strategies, metacognitive awareness and vocabulary mastery.

Investigating The Effectiveness Of Cognitive Vocabulary Strategy Instruction In Raising Learners’ Metacognitive Awareness For Long-Term Mass Lexis Learning

This paper reports on a study that investigates the role of learning vocabulary and the importance of intentionally instructing learners the techniques of vocabulary learning strategies. This study aimed at implementing a framework of Vocabulary Learning Strategies to enhance learners’ Metacognitive awareness resulting in maximizing their lexis repertoire. It investigates a causal relationship between the direct instruction of VLS and its impact on improving learners Metacognitive strategies towards; learning and retaining vocabulary. It is between the first variable; teaching learners how to learn vocabulary (through the means of Vocabulary Learning Strategies); in other words, the effect of Metacognitive strategy training and the impact of this instruction –the second variable- on raising their Metacognitive awareness to become autonomous and maximize their vocabulary repertoire; leading to the development of lexical knowledge and retention. Our field work consists of a questionnaire designed in accordance and in reliance with Schmidtt’s inventory of Vocabulary Learning Strategies. After gathering preliminary data from questionnaire analysis; a test is designed to serve the aim of spotting the VLS frequency use, and sum of strategies displayed. The test guides the construction of a step by step procedure to teach more elaborate strategies and enable learners become autonomous.

Third language vocabulary acquisition: The influence of Serbian and Hungarian as native languages on the English language

This paper examines the influence of bilingualism on the use of vocabulary learning strategies during the acquisition of a third language. More precisely, it debates whether having a knowledge of two languages is beneficial for the awareness and frequency of strategy use. In this analysis, the use of learning strategies of pupils bilingual in Hungarian and Serbian language is compared to their monolingual peers of Serbian language while acquiring English as a third language. Since third language acquisition (TLA) is a relatively new and unexplored area, little research has been done on this specific topic. This particular study is situated in Serbia and used a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire as a way of collecting data consisting of two parts. The first part was based on three questionnaires on vocabulary strategies proposed by Gu and Johnson (1996), and Schmitt (1997), and on Oxford’s (1990) Strategy Inventory for Language Learning. The second part consisted of pupils’ suggestions and thoughts on learning strategies, together with their background information. Further discussion focuses on the use of bilinguals’ vocabulary strategies and their frequency compared to monolinguals’.

Retrieval of Remote Sensing Images with Pattern Spectra Descriptors

The rapidly increasing volume of visual Earth Observation data calls for effective content based image retrieval solutions, specifically tailored for their high spatial resolution and heterogeneous content. In this paper, we address this issue with a novel local implementation of the well-known morphological descriptors called pattern spectra. They are computationally efficient histogram-like structures describing the global distribution of arbitrarily defined attributes of connected image components. Besides employing pattern spectra for the first time in this context, our main contribution lies in their dense calculation, at a local scale, thus enabling their combination with sophisticated visual vocabulary strategies. The Merced Landuse/Landcover dataset has been used for comparing the proposed strategy against alternative global and local content description methods, where the introduced approach is shown to yield promising performances.

SUCCESSFUL LANGUAGE LEARNING STRATEGIES USED BY SUCCESSFUL YEAR 5 ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL) LEARNERS

Research on language learning strategies in Malaysia has been carried out extensively since mid 1990s. However, these studies have not covered the language learning strategies among native pupils in suburban primary school in Mukah, Sarawak. The main objective of the study was to identify the language learning strategies used by English as Second Language (ESL) learners. Data was collected using a survey questionnaire with 20 outstanding Year 5 ESL Iban learners in one of the suburban schools in Mukah, Sarawak. The instrument used in this study include a Language Strategy Use Questionnaire adapted from Language Strategy Use Inventory by Cohen, Oxford and Chi (2002). The adapted version of Language Strategy Use Questionnaire consists of 60 statements concerning the four major English language skills, namely listening, speaking and reading as well as acquisition of vocabulary and grammar. Data was analyzed through mean, frequency, percentage and standard deviation. The findings revealed that these learners were moderate users of listening, reading, writing, grammar and vocabulary strategies and low users of speaking strategies. There were variations in responses with regard to the use of language learning strategies among primary school learners. The pedagogical implications of the findings are also discussed.