The use of English vocabulary learning strategies among university students

LAC HONG UNIVERSITY Faculty of English Language  - RESEARCH REPORT The use of English vocabulary learning strategies among university students: Lac Hong university Name: Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang Class: 15AV112 December 2019 LAC HONG UNIVERSITY Faculty of English Language  - RESEARCH REPORT The use of English vocabulary learning strategies among university students: Lac Hong university Name: Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang Class: 15AV112 Advisor: Trinh Dieu Hien, MA Nguyen Van Tan, PhD The use of English vocabulary learning strategies among December university2019 students The use of English vocabulary learning strategies among university students DECLARATION I, Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang, certify that the thesis entitled “The use of English vocabulary learning strategies among university students” is my work and has not previously been submitted for a degree or similar award at another institution Dong Nai, 2019 Nguyen Thi Thuy Trang ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This research would have not been completed without the invaluable help of many people, to whom my grateful acknowledgments are extended First and foremost, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to my advisors, Mrs Trinh Dieu Hien, MA, Mr Nguyen Van Tan, PhD., for their helpful guidance, practical suggestion, precious advice, great encouragement, and enthusiastic supervision They helped and supported me all the ways, so that I could meet the research deadline I am also extremely grateful to lecturers of Faculties at Lac Hong University who wholeheartedly supported me during my conduct of the survey Without their facilitation, I could hardly keep up with the research schedule Besides, my special thanks are addressed to Lac Hong university students who take the time to complete the questionnaires Finally, my appreciation for the support, understanding, and sympathy are sent to my beloved family and friends ABSTRACT Learning vocabulary has become an integral part of students' English language learning, and vocabulary learning strategies have been considered as approaches greatly facilitating the vocabulary learning process of students This study, therefore, with the aims of identifying the types of vocabulary learning strategies currently used by university students and investigating differences (if any) in vocabulary learning strategies use according to gender, university year groups and academic majors, hope to provide a better understanding to fully support students in this journey This is quantitative research and research design is under the form of a survey Data has been collected through the questionnaire and for analysis purposes, SPSS software has been used The results reveal that students use various strategies in their vocabulary learning processes Among them, learning spellings of the words to remember them and using dictionaries to find new English words’ meanings to remember the words are greater use Besides, significant differences in the use of specific vocabulary learning strategies based on gender, university year groups, and academic majors are found i TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introductory paragraph 1.2 Statement of the probem 1.3 Purposes of the study 1.4 Significance of the study 1.5 Scope of the study 1.6 Research Questions 1.7 Research Hypothesis CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Language Learning Strategies 2.1.1 Definitions of Language Learning Strategies 2.1.2 Classification of Language Learning Strategies 2.1.2.1 Language learning strategies’ classification of Bialystok 1978 2.1.2.2 Language learning strategies’ classification of Carver 1984 2.1.2.3 Language learning strategies’ classification of O'Malley et al 1985 2.1.2.4 Language learning strategies’ classification of O’Maley and Chamot 1990 2.1.2.5 Language learning strategies’ classification of Oxford 1990 11 2.2 Vocabulary Learning Strategies 18 2.2.1 Definitions of Vocabulary Learning Strategies 18 2.2.2 Classification of Vocabulary Learning Strategies 19 2.2.2.1 Vocabulary learning strategies’ classification of Schmitt and Schmitt 1993 19 2.2.2.2 Vocabulary learning strategies’ classification of Gu and Johnson 1996 22 ii 2.2.2.4 Vocabulary learning strategies’ classification of Schmitt 1997 25 2.2.3 Studies on vocabulary learning strategy use of students 28 CHAPTER 32 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY AND PROCEDURE 32 3.1 Aims and Objectives 32 3.2 Methodology 32 3.3 Population and sampling 32 3.4 Data collection 33 3.5 Procedure 34 3.6 Analysis plan 35 CHAPTER 36 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 36 4.1 The characteristics of respondents 36 4.1.1 The vocabulary learning questionnaire 36 4.1.1.1 Participants’ gender 36 4.1.1.2 Participants’ university year groups 36 4.1.1.3 Participants’ academic majors 37 4.2 Findings and discussion of research questions 38 4.2.1 Research question 38 4.2.2 Research question 41 4.2.2.1 Gender differences in vocabulary learning strategy use 41 4.2.2.2 University year group differences in vocabulary learning strategy use 45 4.2.2.3 Major differences in vocabulary learning strategy use 51 CHAPTER 71 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 71 5.1 The summary of the main findings of the study 71 5.1.1 Vocabulary learning strategies currently used by students 71 5.1.2 The difference in vocabulary learning strategy use 73 iii 5.1.2.1 Gender differences in vocabulary learning strategy use 73 5.1.2.2 University year group differences in vocabulary learning strategy use 74 5.1.2.3 Major differences in vocabulary learning strategy use 74 5.2 Contributions of the study 75 5.3 Implications of the study 76 5.4 Limitations and recommendations for further research 77 REFERENCES 79 APPENDIX A 82 APPENDIX B 87 APPENDIX C 91 APPENDIX D 97 APPENDIX E 100 APPENDIX F 104 iv LIST OF TABLES Table Bialystok’s (1978) language learning strategies classification Table Carver’s (1984) language learning strategies classification Table O'Malley et al (1985) language learning strategies classification Table O’Maley and (Chamot 1990) language learning strategies classification Table 5a Oxford (1990) language learning strategies classification 12 Table 5b Oxford (1990) language learning strategies classification 15 Table Schmitt and Schmitt’s (1993) vocabulary learning strategies classification 20 Table A summary of Gu and Johnson (1996) vocabulary learning strategies classification 23 Table Lawson and Hogben (1996) vocabulary learning strategies classification 24 Table Schmitt (1997) vocabulary learning strategies classification 26 Table 10 Frequencies of participants’ gender 36 Table 11 Frequencies of participants’ university year groups 37 Table 12 Frequencies of participants’ academic majors 37 Table 13 Means of vocabulary strategy use 39 Table 13 Means of vocabulary strategy use (cont) 39 Table 13 Means of vocabulary strategy use (cont) 40 Table 13 Means of vocabulary strategy use (cont) 40 Table 14 Other vocabulary learning strategies used by students 40 Table 15 Independent samples test on vocabulary use by gender 43 Table 16 Means of the vocabulary learning strategies use by gender 44 Table 17 ANOVA tests on vocabulary learning strategy use by university year group 45 Table 18 Post Hoc Tests on DET1 by university year group 46 Table 19 Means of DET1 by university year group 47 Table 20 Post Hoc Tests on SOC1 by university year group 48 v Equal variances not 873 902 657 assumed SOC Equal 2A variances 970 325 1.00 assumed Equal 1.00 assumed 2.889 090 assumed Equal M1 variances - 1.968 - variances not 1.99 assumed variances assumed Equal variances not assumed 915 161 1.99 Equal M2 067 -.073 191 313 -.062 062 -.183 059 314 -.062 062 -.183 059 555 -.042 071 -.182 098 555 -.042 071 -.182 098 046 -.144 072 -.285 -.002 047 -.144 072 -.285 -.002 628 -.032 066 -.162 098 628 -.032 066 -.162 098 - Equal 915 591 assumed ME 904 591 assumed Equal 911 - 903 variances not ME 915 SOC Equal variances 059 - variances not 3A 383 915 909 098 755 485 095 915 - 912 .485 93 600 ME Equal M3 variances 364 546 assumed Equal 970 assumed Equal M4 variances 008 assumed Equal assumed Equal M5 variances 929 835 - 915 110 - 914 variances not ME 915 970 - 914 variances not ME - 313 110 400 576 615 915 332 -.057 058 -.171 058 332 -.057 058 -.171 058 913 -.007 067 -.140 125 913 -.007 067 -.140 125 538 042 068 -.091 174 538 042 068 -.091 174 009 -.187 071 -.326 -.048 009 -.187 071 -.326 -.048 000 -.450 070 -.587 -.313 assumed Equal variances not 615 914 944 assumed ME Equal M6 variances 516 473 2.63 assumed Equal - variances not 2.63 assumed ME Equal M7 variances assumed 915 912 26.77 354 000 6.43 94 915 Equal - variances not 6.42 assumed variances 8.334 004 3.08 Equal - variances not 3.08 assumed variances assumed 000 -.450 070 -.587 -.312 002 -.206 067 -.337 -.075 002 -.206 067 -.337 -.075 000 -.248 070 -.385 -.111 000 -.248 070 -.386 -.111 844 013 065 -.115 141 844 013 065 -.115 140 256 -.081 071 -.221 059 256 -.081 071 -.221 059 - assumed COG Equal 871 COG Equal 894 915 903 896 14.79 Equal 000 3.55 - variances not 3.54 assumed 915 889 005 COG Equal variances 1.041 308 197 915 assumed Equal variances not 197 914 540 assumed MET Equal variances 1.875 171 1.13 assumed Equal - variances not assumed 1.13 915 910 95 691 MET Equal variances 283 595 assumed Equal 789 assumed MET Equal variances assumed Equal variances not assumed 789 915 - 914 variances not - 1.595 207 562 606 915 - 910 .561 96 105 430 -.052 066 -.181 077 430 -.052 066 -.181 077 575 -.044 078 -.196 109 575 -.044 078 -.196 109 APPENDIX D: Means of the vocabulary learning strategies use by gender Gender DET1 DET2 DET3 DET4 SOC1 SOC2 SOC3 SOC1A SOC2A SOC3A MEM1 N Mean Std Deviation Std Error Mean Male 453 4.05 998 047 Female 464 4.11 958 044 Male 453 3.64 1.016 048 Female 464 3.65 941 044 Male 453 3.45 1.081 051 Female 464 3.37 1.105 051 Male 453 3.39 1.081 051 Female 464 3.33 1.048 049 Male 453 3.75 1.158 054 Female 464 3.63 1.127 052 Male 453 3.53 1.132 053 Female 464 3.56 1.082 050 Male 453 3.76 1.078 051 Female 464 3.82 1.037 048 Male 453 3.85 1.067 050 Female 464 3.79 972 045 Male 453 3.84 948 045 Female 464 3.90 916 043 Male 453 3.49 1.126 053 Female 464 3.54 1.032 048 Male 453 3.48 1.122 053 97 MEM2 MEM3 MEM4 MEM5 MEM6 MEM7 COG1 COG2 COG3 MET1 MET2 Female 464 3.63 1.060 049 Male 453 3.37 1.017 048 Female 464 3.40 990 046 Male 453 4.06 880 041 Female 464 4.12 890 041 Male 453 3.78 1.022 048 Female 464 3.79 1.020 047 Male 453 3.75 1.015 048 Female 464 3.71 1.032 048 Male 453 3.57 1.090 051 Female 464 3.75 1.058 049 Male 453 3.57 1.124 053 Female 464 4.02 990 046 Male 453 3.68 1.054 050 Female 464 3.89 966 045 Male 453 3.80 1.134 053 Female 464 4.05 978 045 Male 453 4.00 962 045 Female 464 3.98 1.007 047 Male 453 3.86 1.101 052 Female 464 3.94 1.053 049 Male 453 3.53 996 047 Female 464 3.58 1.000 046 98 MET3 Male 453 3.53 1.204 057 Female 464 3.57 1.146 053 99 APPENDIX E: ANOVA tests on vocabulary learning strategies by university year group Sum of Squares DET1 Between 5.832 Within Groups 858.204 913 940 Total 875.701 916 7.272 2.424 Within Groups 869.689 913 953 Total 876.962 916 5.279 1.760 Within Groups 1089.812 913 1.194 Total 1095.091 916 926 309 Within Groups 1036.317 913 1.135 Total 1037.243 916 16.544 5.515 Within Groups 1181.118 913 1.294 Total 1197.662 916 Between Groups DET3 Between Groups DET4 Between Groups SOC1 Mean Square 17.497 Groups DET2 df Between Groups 100 F Sig 6.205 000 2.545 055 1.474 220 272 846 4.263 005 SOC2 Between 3.847 1.282 Within Groups 1117.787 913 1.224 Total 1121.634 916 14.271 4.757 Within Groups 1009.775 913 1.106 Total 1024.046 916 2.905 968 Within Groups 949.682 913 1.040 Total 952.587 916 3.424 1.141 Within Groups 791.609 913 867 Total 795.034 916 1.557 519 Within Groups 1065.464 913 1.167 Total 1067.021 916 731 244 Within Groups 1093.627 913 1.198 Total 1094.358 916 Groups SOC3 Between Groups SOC1A Between Groups SOC2A Between Groups SOC3A Between Groups MEM1 Between Groups 101 1.047 371 4.301 005 931 425 1.317 268 445 721 203 894 MEM2 Between 6.527 2.176 Within Groups 915.041 913 1.002 Total 921.568 916 2.449 816 Within Groups 715.039 913 783 Total 717.487 916 028 009 Within Groups 953.787 913 1.045 Total 953.815 916 5.917 1.972 Within Groups 953.159 913 1.044 Total 959.075 916 9.222 3.074 Within Groups 1054.623 913 1.155 Total 1063.845 916 1.932 644 Within Groups 1069.148 913 1.171 Total 1071.080 916 Groups MEM3 Between Groups MEM4 Between Groups MEM5 Between Groups MEM6 Between Groups MEM7 Between Groups 102 2.171 090 1.042 373 009 999 1.889 130 2.661 057 550 648 COG1 Between 625 208 Within Groups 943.482 913 1.033 Total 944.107 916 2.427 809 Within Groups 1035.965 913 1.135 Total 1038.393 916 2.747 916 Within Groups 885.144 913 969 Total 887.891 916 5.524 1.841 Within Groups 1057.643 913 1.158 Total 1063.167 916 2.815 938 Within Groups 909.313 913 996 Total 912.129 916 1.146 382 Within Groups 1262.041 913 1.382 Total 1263.186 916 Groups COG2 Between Groups COG3 Between Groups MET1 Between Groups MET2 Between Groups MET3 Between Groups 103 202 895 713 544 944 418 1.589 190 942 420 276 843 APPENDIX F: ANOVA tests on vocabulary learning strategy use by academic major Sum of Squares DET1 Between 2.786 Within Groups 867.342 913 950 Total 875.701 916 19.821 6.607 Within Groups 857.141 913 939 Total 876.962 916 15.166 5.055 Within Groups 1079.925 913 1.183 Total 1095.091 916 18.235 6.078 Within Groups 1019.009 913 1.116 Total 1037.243 916 18.796 6.265 Within Groups 1178.866 913 1.291 Total 1197.662 916 Between Groups DET3 Between Groups DET4 Between Groups SOC1 Mean Square 8.359 Groups DET2 df Between Groups 104 F Sig 2.933 033 7.038 000 4.274 005 5.446 001 4.852 002 SOC2 Between 4.965 1.655 Within Groups 1116.669 913 1.223 Total 1121.634 916 312 104 Within Groups 1023.734 913 1.121 Total 1024.046 916 6.424 2.141 Within Groups 946.163 913 1.036 Total 952.587 916 1.565 522 Within Groups 793.468 913 869 Total 795.034 916 16.618 5.539 Within Groups 1050.403 913 1.150 Total 1067.021 916 17.583 5.861 Within Groups 1076.775 913 1.179 Total 1094.358 916 Groups SOC3 Between Groups SOC1A Between Groups SOC2A Between Groups SOC3A Between Groups MEM1 Between Groups 105 1.353 256 093 964 2.066 103 600 615 4.815 002 4.970 002 MEM2 Between 5.365 1.788 Within Groups 916.203 913 1.004 Total 921.568 916 6.683 2.228 Within Groups 710.804 913 779 Total 717.487 916 4.291 1.430 Within Groups 949.524 913 1.040 Total 953.815 916 5.323 1.774 Within Groups 953.753 913 1.045 Total 959.075 916 4.554 1.518 Within Groups 1059.291 913 1.160 Total 1063.845 916 11.883 3.961 Within Groups 1059.197 913 1.160 Total 1071.080 916 Groups MEM3 Between Groups MEM4 Between Groups MEM5 Between Groups MEM6 Between Groups MEM7 Between Groups 106 1.782 149 2.861 036 1.375 249 1.698 166 1.308 270 3.414 017 COG1 Between 4.321 1.440 Within Groups 939.786 913 1.029 Total 944.107 916 6.708 2.236 Within Groups 1031.685 913 1.130 Total 1038.393 916 6.351 2.117 Within Groups 881.540 913 966 Total 887.891 916 6.082 2.027 Within Groups 1057.085 913 1.158 Total 1063.167 916 9.880 3.293 Within Groups 902.249 913 988 Total 912.129 916 9.185 3.062 Within Groups 1254.002 913 1.373 Total 1263.186 916 Groups COG2 Between Groups COG3 Between Groups MET1 Between Groups MET2 Between Groups MET3 Between Groups 107 1.399 242 1.979 116 2.193 087 1.751 155 3.333 019 2.229 083 ... Nguyen Van Tan, PhD The use of English vocabulary learning strategies among December university2 019 students The use of English vocabulary learning strategies among university students DECLARATION... to fill these gaps, the researcher undertakes a study on the topic: ? ?The use of English vocabulary learning strategies among university students? ?? 1.3 Purposes of the study The purposes of this... strategy use of students are discussed 2.2.3 Studies on vocabulary learning strategy use of students The use of vocabulary learning strategies among students is commonly identified in terms of factors