Vocabulary Learning Strategies of EFL Junior High School Students in Taiwan

• Main Authors: Jin-Wei Ciu, 邱矜維
• Other Authors: Ching-Ying Lin
• Format: Others
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/06922608805340870281

碩士 === 國立屏東商業技術學院 === 應用英語系(所) === 100 === ABSTRACT The main purpose of this study was to examine the vocabulary learning strategies used by grade 8 junior high school students in Taiwan. The effects of gender differences, language proficiency, English learning experience, parental involvement and socioeconomic status were explored. The correlation of students’ vocabulary learning on four skills was indicated. The subjects were 181 grade 8 junior high school students. The instruments included a questionnaire and a test. The questionnaire of vocabulary learning strategies adopted from Schmitt (1997). Five categories and forty seven items were referred. It involved determination strategies, cognitive strategies, metacognitive strategies, memory strategies and social strategies. The researcher chose vocabulary from the version of Kang Hsuan, Nani and Joy junior high school textbooks for the test. The test involved listening, speaking, reading and writing. The results reported most subjects did not use vocabulary learning strategies often. Determination strategies were the most used. Social strategies were the least used. The females used vocabulary learning strategies more often than the males. There were significant differences between the males and the females showed in four categories. Social strategy category was the only one which did not show significant differences. The high language proficiency level students had better awareness of using vocabulary learning strategies than the low language proficiency level students. In terms of students’ English learning experience, parental involvement and socioeconomic status, the positive correlation was revealed among them. Students’ performance on listening was good, but students’ performance on pronunciation was poor. With regard to the above results, the researcher suggested that junior high school English teachers could instruct vocabulary learning strategies for students. Parents could pay more attention to their children’ English learning at home. Keywords: vocabulary learning strategies, gender differences, language proficiency, English learning experience, parental involvement, socioeconomic status