Vocabulary Learning Strategies Employed by Vietnamese EFL Undergraduate Students: Evidence from Second-Year English Majors
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Abstract
Employing effective vocabulary learning strategies is crucial for English as a foreign language (EFL) learners to overcome vocabulary learning challenges. Therefore, this descriptive study aimed to investigate the vocabulary learning strategies employed by university-level students. Based on the Raosoft sample size calculator, 120 second-year English majors at a Vietnamese University in the Mekong Delta were selected as the study population. Data were collected using a 29-item questionnaire on a 5-point Likert scale to explore the vocabulary learning strategies students employed. Findings from the quantitative strand of the questionnaire indicated that students employed vocabulary learning strategies at a medium level, as indicated by the mean statistical measure presented. According to the One-way ANOVA analysis, students selected memorization, cognitive, metacognitive, and determination strategies for vocabulary learning, whereas social strategies received little attention. Based on the findings of the study, students are encouraged to adopt effective strategies for vocabulary learning at various English proficiency levels to enhance their lexical knowledge. Furthermore, pedagogical implications are provided to assist both teachers and students in improving the quality of English language pedagogy and learning achievement.
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