STRATEGIES IN VOCABULARY LEARNING

Abstract

This study sets out to investigate the vocabulary learning strategies used by successful ('good') and less successful ('poor') Form Four pupils in national (Type 1) and national type (Type 2) schools in Penang, Malaysia. The first objective is to identify strategies used by successful and less successful pupils. The second objective is to identify the vocabulary learning strategies frequently employed by Type 1 and Type 2 pupils. The study is based on the assumptions that successful pupils employ a particular set of vocabulary learning strategies which are not used by less successful pupils, and that some strategies utilized by Type 1 pupils differ from those used by Type 2 pupils. The main instrument for collecting the data in this study is a questionnaire administered to pupils. Questions in this instrument were based on the framework of vocabulary learning strategies which had been derived from Oxford's (1990) and Chamot et al's (1988) classifications of learning strategies. The questionnaire was supplemented by structured interviews with the teachers. The research was conducted in seven schools with a total of 141 pupils and seven teachers. Pupils in each school were categorized into 'good' and 'poor' according to the criteria set by the researcher, based on grades obtained in the SRP (Lower Certificate of Education) and the most recent school examinations. The finding confirmed the hypotheses of this research. First, the results showed that some of the strategies employed by good pupils were seldom used by poor pupils. These strategies are ‘inferencing’, ‘mnemonics’, 'elaboration" and 'guessing accurately'. Second, the data revealed that there was a difference in strategies used by pupils in Type 1 and Type 2 schools. The most prominent difference was found in the use of "memorization' as a means to practise newly tat1ght words. which was employed by most Type 2 good pupils but by only a small portion of good pupils in Type 1 school Based on the findings, it is recommended that some language lessons should be allocated to teach pupils effective strategies for vocabulary learning. By learning how to learn, not only will pupils learn vocabulary in an efficient and effective manner, they will also develop independence in learning hence taking responsibility for their own learning.