TY - JOUR

T1 - Vocabulary Learning Strategies and Vocabulary Size: Insights from Educational Level and Learner Styles

AU - Shank, Christopher

AU - Foltz, Anouschka

AU - Alahmadi, Alaa

PY - 2018/12/15

Y1 - 2018/12/15

N2 - This study investigates the effect of different vocabulary learning strategies(VLS) as well as different learner styles on vocabulary size in SaudiArabic-speaking students in higher education. The goals of this study wereto examine which VLS undergraduates used more frequently than postgraduatesand vice versa, to determine which VLS related positively andsignificantly to vocabulary size, and to explore individual learner stylesand their relationship to vocabulary size. Participants filled in a VLS questionnaireand completed a vocabulary size test. The results indicated thatundergraduates tended to use simpler strategies than postgraduates. Thestrategies of guessing a word’s meaning from context and watching televisionrelated positively with vocabulary size in both groups. Clustering analysisrevealed two learner groups which differed in how frequently they usedVLS overall, rather than in terms of which VLS they preferred. Those studentswho used more VLS overall also had larger vocabulary sizes, irrespectiveof educational level. We thus found no evidence for differencesin individual learner styles in the current groups. We conclude that VLSusage should be encouraged overall, but that the need for instructors tocater to individual vocabulary learning styles may not be warranted.

AB - This study investigates the effect of different vocabulary learning strategies(VLS) as well as different learner styles on vocabulary size in SaudiArabic-speaking students in higher education. The goals of this study wereto examine which VLS undergraduates used more frequently than postgraduatesand vice versa, to determine which VLS related positively andsignificantly to vocabulary size, and to explore individual learner stylesand their relationship to vocabulary size. Participants filled in a VLS questionnaireand completed a vocabulary size test. The results indicated thatundergraduates tended to use simpler strategies than postgraduates. Thestrategies of guessing a word’s meaning from context and watching televisionrelated positively with vocabulary size in both groups. Clustering analysisrevealed two learner groups which differed in how frequently they usedVLS overall, rather than in terms of which VLS they preferred. Those studentswho used more VLS overall also had larger vocabulary sizes, irrespectiveof educational level. We thus found no evidence for differencesin individual learner styles in the current groups. We conclude that VLSusage should be encouraged overall, but that the need for instructors tocater to individual vocabulary learning styles may not be warranted.

KW - Vocabulary acquisition

KW - vocabulary learning strategies

KW - postgraduates

KW - Arabic learners of English

KW - vocabulary size

U2 - 10.7820/vli.v07.1.2187-2759

DO - 10.7820/vli.v07.1.2187-2759

M3 - Article

VL - 7

SP - 14

EP - 34

JO - Vocabulary Learning and Instruction

JF - Vocabulary Learning and Instruction

SN - 2187-2767

IS - 1

ER -