Reasons for Frequent and Infrequent Use of Vocabulary Learning Strategies by Thai EFL Students
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Abstract
Vocabulary plays a key role to language learning process. For EFL students, vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) can help facilitate students’ vocabulary learning. Different students may employ different techniques or strategies to learn vocabulary. Why the individual students at the tertiary level use certain vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) is what to be presented in this article. The present study was intended to examine the reasons why Thai tertiary-level students studying in the Northeast of Thailand used certain VLSs frequently and other VLSs infrequently. Nine hundred and five students had reported their VLSs used on the strategy questionnaire. For this study, forty- eight students were selected based on their convenience and availability to clarify the reasons why they used certain VLSs frequently and other VLSs infrequently. A semi-structured interview was used to elicit the reasons behind the students’ strategy choices. The data were transcribed more or less verbatim and translated into English for the content analysis. The various reasons given by the participants were closely examined and compared for the similarities and differences. Seven categories emerged as the seven reasons for the frequent use of certain VLSs while nine categories emerged as nine reasons for infrequent use of certain VLSs. The range of reasons emerging from the qualitative data reflects the fact that the use of certain VLSs depends upon the individual participants’ perspective. The qualitative results of present investigation have contributed to the aspects related to the use of VLSs which seems scarce in the Thai contexts.
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