The perception and use of vocabulary learning strategiesamong non english majors at ho chi minh city university of technology (hutech)

` MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY DOAN HUYEN TRAN THE PERCEPTION AND USE OF VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES AMONG NON-ENGLISH MAJORS AT HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (HUTECH) Major: English Language Course code: 60220201 HO CHI MINH CITY, NOVEMBER, 2020 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY - THE PERCEPTION AND USE OF VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES AMONG NON-ENGLISH MAJORS AT HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY (HUTECH) Submitted to the Faculty of English Language in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in English Language Course code: 60220201 By DOAN HUYEN TRAN Supervised by NGUYEN THI KIEU THU, Ph.D HO CHI MINH CITY, NOVEMBER, 2020 HCMC UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY POSTGRADUATE INSTITUTE HCMC, November 26th,2020 MASTER’S THESIS REPORT Student’s name: Doan Huyen Tran Sex: Female Date of birth: May 05th, 1990 Place of birth: Tien Giang Major: English Language Student code: 1741900050 I- Thesis title: The Perception and Use of Vocabulary Learning Strategies among Non-English Majors at Ho Chi Minh University of Technology (HUTECH) II- Objectives and contents: The study aims to investigate vocabulary learning strategies of non-English majors at Ho Chi Minh University of Technology (HUTECH) Three main objectives include probing students’ perceptions in terms of their awareness and level of importance of vocabulary learning strategies; students’ use in terms of frequency and preference; and the correlation between students’ perception in terms of the level of the importance of vocabulary learning strategies and their use in terms of frequency Moreover, four groups of vocabulary learning strategies are concentrated, comprising memory strategies (MEM), cognitive strategies (COG), metacognitive strategies (MET), and social strategies (SOC) The mixed methods approach was conducted in the current study Questionnaires were applied to collect quantitative data and processed by SPSS (24.0) to explore students’ perceptions; and students’ use Besides, qualitative data was collected by structured interviews to recognize students’ use In the same vein with quantitative data, the correlation between students’ perception and their use in terms of frequency was determined by SPSS (24.0) The findings showed that students were well-aware about vocabulary learning strategies of the current study Additionally, all those strategies were evaluated as important in learning vocabulary Regarding students’ use, four groups of vocabulary were used frequently Particularly, the majory of students considered social communication group as very i frequent use while memory group was not used as frequently as the three others Furthermore, “keep a vocabulary notebook with different topics” strategy” (COG), “watch English movies” (MET), “ask teacher for an L1 translation” (SOC) and “say new word alound when studying” (MEM) were used frequently Students’ responses in terms of preference also confirmed and supported students’ use in terms of frequency Furthermore, students’ perception correlated with students’ use in only cognitive group of vocabulary learning strategies There were not significant correlation between students’ perception and students’ use in metacognitive group, social group, and memory group It meant that students could realized the level of importance of vocabulary learning strategies but they did not use the strategies in metacognitive group, social group, and memory group as much as they thought III- Starting date: October 18th, 2018 IV- Completing date: November 26th, 2020 V- Academic supervisor: Nguyen Thi Kieu Thu, Ph.D ACADEMIC SUPERVISOR FACULTY DEAN Dr NGUYEN THI KIEU THU Dr NGUYEN THI KIEU THU ii CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I certify my authorship of the Master’s Thesis submitted today entitled: The Perception and Use of Vocabulary Learning Strategies among Non-English Majors at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH) In terms of the statement of requirements for Theses in Master’s programs issued by the Higher Degree Committee of the Faculty of English Language, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology Ho Chi Minh City, November, 2020 DOAN HUYEN TRAN iii RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS I hereby state that I, DOAN HUYEN TRAN, being a candidate for the degree of Master of Arts (in English Language) accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Master’s Theses deposited in the Library In terms of these conditions, I agree that the original of my Master’s Thesis deposited in the Library should be accessible for purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the Librarian for the care, loan, and reproduction for theses Ho Chi Minh City, November, 2020 Signature DOAN HUYEN TRAN iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my thesis supervisor, Dr Nguyen Thi Kieu Thu, who has provided insightful discussion, invaluable comments, straightforward criticism and strong support in the preparation and completion of this thesis, asserting his indispensable role as a whole-hearted thesis supervisor Without her support and guidance, this thesis would never have been completed My special thanks also go to the Institute of Postgraduate Studies, their staff members, and all the instructors who taught and assisted me in the program I would also like to thank all those who were willing to give me their helpful hands in the research project: the teachers in different faculties, in particular, Ms Vo Thi Thu Huong, Mr Tran Trung Nghia, and Ms Nguyen Thi Kim Ly for their great help and facilitation of the data collection for the study, and their suggestive remedies; all the second-year nonEnglish majors participating in the research for their cooperation; and all my friends for their support and encouragement in my fulfillment of the thesis This thesis would hardly have been made possible without the help, support, and incentive of a large number of people who now deserve my heartfelt thanks I am also very grateful to Mr Vo Duy Minh, for his kindness, priceless advice and assistance in the process of doing the research Last but not least, my sincere thanks go to my family for their love, understanding and support v ABSTRACT Vocabulary learning strategies are considered as “a wide spectrum of strategies used as part of an on-going process of vocabulary learning” (Gu and Johnson, 1996, p 669) Furthermore, vocabulary learning strategies could support students to understand the meaning of words and learn new words effectively The aim of the study is to investigate students’ perceptions and students’ use of vocabulary learning strategies among nonEnglish majors at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH) In the context of HUTECH, little is known about student’s perceptions and students’ use towards vocabulary learning strategies researches Therefore, there are three main issues addressed in the study (1) to determine students’ perceptions in terms of awareness and the level of importance of vocabulary learning strategies; (2) students’ use in terms of frequency and preference; (3) the correlation between students’ perception in terms of the level of importance of vocabulary learning strategies and their use in terms of frequency Particularly, mixed method is applied in this investigation To accomplish the objectives established in the research, questionnaires were used to collect quantitative data, which was distributed to 350 sophomores from four different majors, namely Business Administration, Marketing, Pharmacy, and Mechanical and Electronic Engineering Moreover, 10 sophomores were invited in structured interview to collect qualitative data The results showed that students were well-aware of vocabulary learning strategies of the current study Additionally, all those strategies were evaluated at important level in learning vocabulary Regarding students’ use, four groups of vocabulary were used frequently Particularly, a major of students used social strategies very frequently while memory strategies were not used as frequently as three others Students’ responses in terms of preference also confirmed and supported students’ use in terms of frequency On the other hand, the correlations between students’ perception in terms of the level of importance of vocabulary learning strategies and students’ use in terms of frequency were both strong and weak Students’ perception correlated with students’ use in only cognitive group of vocabulary learning strategies There were not significant correlation between vi students’ perception and students’ use in metacognitive group, social group, and memory group Key words: vocabulary learning strategies, perceptions, use, mixed methods, non-English majors vii TABLE OF CONTENTS Master’s thesis report…….…………………………………………… i Certificate of originality………………………………………………………… iii Retention and use of the thesis…………………………………………………… iv Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………… v Abstract…………………………………………………………………………… vi Table of contents………………………………………………………………… viii List of tables……………………………………………………………………… xi List of figures…………………………………………………………………… xiii List of abbreviations……………………………………………………………… xiv CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the study 1.2 Statement of the problem 1.3 Aims and objectives of the study 1.4 Research questions 1.5 Scope of the study……………… 1.6 Significance of the study……………… 1.7 Definitions of key terms.……………… 1.7.1 Vocabulary…………………… ………………………………… 1.7.2 Vocabulary learning strategies………………….………………… 1.7.3 Perception……….………… ……………………………….…… 1.8 Organization of the thesis …………… CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Vocabulary acquisition…………….………………… …………… 2.1.1 Vocabulary size for EFL…….…………….…… ……… … 2.1.2 Word knowledge………………………………………………… 2.1.3 The importance of vocabulary…………………………………… 2.1.4 Factors affecting vocabulary acquisition………………………… viii QUESTIONNAIRE BẢNG CÂU HỎI KHẢO SÁT (Vietnamese version) Thân chào bạn, Bảng câu hỏi nhằm thu thập liệu cho đề tài nghiên cứu: “Khảo sát chiến lược học từ vựng sinh viên không chuyên tiếng Anh trường Đại học Công nghệ Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh” Thơng tin bạn cung cấp đóng góp nhiều vào thành cơng đề tài khơng sử dụng ngồi mục đích nghiên cứu đề tài * Ghi chú: “Chiến lược học từ vựng” hiểu cách thức hoạt động học từ vựng Trong bảng hỏi sau với câu hỏi từ 01 đến 24, bạn vui lòng cho biết ý kiến cách đánh X vào ô số tương ứng để mức độ đồng tình bạn với câu Lưu ý ý kiến riêng cá nhân bạn; thực tế câu trả lời bạn khơng mang tính chất sai Đồng thời, ý kiến bạn không ảnh hưởng đến việc học bạn Các mức độ đánh giá thể sau: Bạn sử dụng chiến lược học từ vựng nào? Khơng thường xun Ít thường xuyên Tương đối thường xuyên Thường xuyên Rất thường xuyên 81 CHIẾN LƯỢC HỌC TỪ VỰNG Bạn sử dụng chiến lược học từ vựng nào? 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Tìm kiếm thơng tin trang mạng tiếng Anh Hỏi bạn lớp nghĩa từ vựng Thơng qua hoạt động nhóm Dán từ vựng tiếng Anh lên vật dụng Học từ vựng với tranh ảnh miêu tả nghĩa từ Hỏi giáo viên nghĩa tiếng Việt từ vựng Xem tin tức tiếng Anh Sử dụng thẻ có chữ, số, hình ảnh miêu tả từ vựng Lập danh sách từ vựng theo mẫu tự (A, B, C…) Lập sổ từ vựng ghi theo chủ đề Phát âm lặp lặp lại từ vựng Liên kết từ vựng với từ học Phát âm thành tiếng học từ vựng Ghi chép từ vựng lớp Xem chương trình ti vi tiếng Anh Thơng qua câu lạc tiếng Anh Đọc báo tiếng Anh (báo giấy, báo trực tuyến) Hỏi giáo viên từ đồng nghĩa từ vựng Hỏi giáo viên câu ví dụ có sử dụng từ vựng Xem phim tiếng Anh Đặt câu với từ vựng Nghĩ đến thứ tự chữ từ vựng Học câu có từ vựng Học từ vựng ứng dụng điện thoại 82 Tương Khơng Ít Rất đối Thường thường thường thường thường xuyên xuyên xuyên xuyên xuyên                                                                                                                         Thông tin liên hệ Họ & tên (không bắt buộc): ……………………………………………… Số điện thoại: ……………………………………………………… Email: ……………………………………………………… Chân thành cám ơn bạn! Thân chúc bạn nhiều sức khỏe thành công học tập! 83 RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIR (English version) Dear students, The following questionnaire aims to collect data for the study: "An investigation of vocabulary learning strategies of non-English majors at Ho Chi Minh University of Technology (HUTECH)" The information provided by you will contribute greatly to the success of the study and will not be used beyond the research’s purpose * Note: "Vocabulary learning strategy" is understood as a method or an activity to learn vocabulary In the following questionnaire with items from 01 to 30, please give your opinion by typing X in the corresponding number box to indicate your level of agreement with each sentence Note that it is your own personal opinion; in fact, your answer is not true or false At the same time, your opinion does not affect your current results in classes The rating levels are expressed as follows: Part - How is your awareness of VLS? Not Aware Slightly aware Moderately aware Aware Fully aware 84 VOCABULARY LEARNING No STRATEGIES How is your awareness of VLS? 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Search information in English websites Ask classmates for meaning Participate in group activities Put English labels on physical objects Picture presents word meaning Ask teacher for an L1 translation Watch English news (television/radio) Use flash cards Keep a vocabulary notebook following A, B, C, … letter Keep a vocabulary notebook following topics Repeat words orally Connect the new word with previous words Say new word aloud when studying Take notes in class Watch English television programs Participate in English clubs Read English news (paper/online) Ask teacher for synonym of new word Ask teacher for a sentence including the new word Watch movies with English language Write a sentence with new word Image position of letters in the word Learn sentence that has new word Use applications in smart phone Not aware Slightly aware Moderate ly aware Aware Fully aware                                                                                                                         Part - How you about the importance of VLS? 85 Not Important Slightly important Moderately important Important Very important VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES No How you about the Not important Slightly Moderately Very Important important important Important importance of VLS? 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Search information in English websites Ask classmates for meaning Participate in group activities Put English labels on physical objects Picture presents word meaning Ask teacher for an L1 translation Watch English news (television/radio) Use flash cards Keep a vocabulary notebook following A, B, C, … letter Keep a vocabulary notebook following topics Repeat words orally Connect the new word with previous words Say new word aloud when studying Take notes in class Watch English television programs Participate in English clubs Read English news (paper/online) Ask teacher for synonym of new word Ask teacher for a sentence including the new word Watch movies with English language                                                                                                     86 21 22 23 24 Write a sentence with new word Image position of letters in the word Learn sentence that has new word Use applications in smart phone                     Contact information Full name (optional): ……………………………………………………… Phone number: ……………………………………………………… Email: ……………………………………………………… Honestly thank you very much! Wishing you good health and great success in learning! 87 RESEARCH QUESTIONNAIR (English version) Dear students, The following questionnaire aims to collect data for the study: "An investigation of vocabulary learning strategies of non-English majors at Ho Chi Minh University of Technology (HUTECH)" The information provided by you will contribute greatly to the success of the study and will not be used beyond the research’s purpose * Note: "Vocabulary learning strategy" is understood as a method or an activity to learn vocabulary In the following questionnaire with items from 01 to 24, please give your opinion by typing X in the corresponding number box to indicate your level of agreement with each sentence Note that it is your own personal opinion; in fact, your answer is not true or false At the same time, your opinion does not affect your current results in classes The rating levels are expressed as follows: Not Frequent Slightly frequent Moderately frequent Frequent Very frequent 88 VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES No How you use vocabulary Not frequent Slightly frequent Moderately frequent Frequent Very frequent                                                                                                               learning strategies? 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Search information in English websites Ask classmates for meaning Participate in group activities Put English labels on physical objects Picture presents word meaning Ask teacher for an L1 translation Watch English news (television/radio) Use flash cards Keep a vocabulary notebook following A, B, C, … letter Keep a vocabulary notebook following topics Repeat words orally Connect the new word with previous words Say new word aloud when studying Take notes in class Watch English television programs Participate in English clubs Read English news (paper/online) Ask teacher for synonym of new word Ask teacher for a sentence including the new word Watch movies with English language Write a sentence with new word Image position of letters in the word 89 23 24 Learn sentence that has new word Use applications in smart phone         Contact information Full name (optional): ……………………………………………………… Phone number: ……………………………………………………… Email: ……………………………………………………… Honestly thank you very much! Wishing you good health and great success in learning! 90   APPENDIX B CÂU HỎI PHỎNG VẤN (Vietnamese version) Những khó khăn bạn học từ vựng gì? Trong chiến lược học từ vựng bảng câu hỏi, bạn thích chiến lược học từ vựng nào? Bạn có thường xuyên sử dụng chiến lược để học từ vựng không? Những chiến lược học từ vựng bạn sử dụng thường xuyên nhất? Ngoài chiến lược học từ vựng bảng câu hỏi, bạn thường học từ vựng nào? Có chiến lược bảng câu hỏi bạn thấy hữu ích sử dụng để học từ vựng không? Kể tên Chân thành cám ơn bạn! Thân chúc bạn nhiều sức khỏe thành công học tập! 91 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (English version) What are your difficulties in learning vocabulary? Regarding VLS in questionnair, what strategies you prefer? Do you use VLS in questionnair frequently? Which ones you use frequently? Besides VLS in questionnair, how you learn vocabulary? Is there any useful strategies in questionnair? Would you use these strategies in learning vocabulary? Namely Honestly thank you very much! Wishing you good health and great success in learning! 92 APPENDIX C Schmitt’s vocabulary learning strategies (1997) No Strategy Vocabulary learning Strategy group Strategies for the discovery of a new word’s meaning Analyse part of speech Analyse affixes and roots Check for L1 cognate Analyse any available pictures or gestures DET Guess from textual context Bilingual dictionary Monolingual dictionary Word lists Flash cards 10 Ask teacher for an L1 translation 11 Ask teacher for paraphrase or synonym of new word 12 SOC Ask teacher for a sentence including the new word 13 Ask classmates for meaning 14 Discover new meaning through group work activity Strategies for consolidating a word once it has been encountered 15 Study and practice meaning in a group SOC 16 Teacher checks students’ flash cards or word lists for accuracy 93 17 Interact with native-speakers 18 Study word with a pictorial representation of its meaning 19 Imagine word’s meaning 20 Connect word to a personal experience 21 Associate the word with its coordinates 22 Connect the word to its synonyms and antonyms 23 Use semantic maps 24 Use ‘scales’ for gradable adjectives 25 Peg Method 26 Loci Method 27 Group words together to study them 28 MEM Group words together spatially on a page 29 Use new word in sentences 30 Group words together within a storyline 31 Study the spelling of a word 32 Study the sound of a word 33 Say new word aloud when studying 34 Image word form 35 Underline initial letter of the word 36 Configuration 37 Use Keyword Method 38 Affixes and roots (remembering) 94 39 Part of speech (remembering) 40 Paraphrase the word’s meaning 41 Use cognates in study 42 Learn the words of an idiom together 43 Use physical action when learning a word 44 Use semantic feature grids 45 Verbal repetition 46 Written repetition 47 Word lists 48 Flash cards 49 Take notes in class COG 50 Use the vocabulary section in your textbook 51 Listen to tape of word lists 52 Put English labels on physical objects 53 Keep a vocabulary notebook 54 Use English-language media (songs, movies, newscasts, etc.) 55 Testing oneself with word tests 56 MET Use spaced word practice 57 Skip or pass new word 58 Continue to study word over time 95