The role of vocabulary learning strategies in lexical progression in an ESL context

Jafari, Nuzhat

dc.contributor.author	Jafari, Nuzhat	en
dc.date.accessioned	2019-07-15T09:55:27Z
dc.date.available	2019-07-15T09:55:27Z
dc.date.issued	2017
dc.identifier.citation	Jafari, N. (2017) `The role of vocabulary learning strategies in lexical progression in an ESL context` PhD thesis. University of Bedfordshire.	en
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10547/623355
dc.description	A thesis submitted to the University of Bedfordshire, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of doctor of Philosophy.	en
dc.description.abstract	This study explores vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) behind the lexical progression in adult learners assessed by productive vocabulary tests. Previous research has provided some insights into this issue (Ahmad, 1989; Gu and Johnson, 1996; Wu, 2005). Such research, however, tended to focus on individual or a small number of strategies, and very few studies looked at a group of VLSs as a whole (e.g. Schmitt, 1997) particularly in the Pakistani tertiary ESL context. This large-scale, longitudinal study was therefore designed to fill this gap, by examining the impact of some curricular and extra-curricular VLSs on vocabulary gain assessed by two types of a productive vocabulary test. The two types of test (i.e. general and course-related vocabulary tests) were administered twice to 578 Pakistani tertiary students who were learning English as a second language with a one-year gap in between to assess the learners’ vocabulary progress. They also responded to the VLS questionnaire to report on the VLS they adopted, and 120 of them also took part in four weeks’ structured vocabulary learning diary reports (N=120 x 4 weeks) as well as interviews to elaborate on their VLSs use. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks tests identified the learners’ significant vocabulary gain between the pre-and post-tests. A series of multiple regression analyses showed extra-curricular, self-initiatives and selective-attention strategies significantly predicted general vocabulary progress, whereas the curricular, dictionary for comprehension, association and imagery and selective-attention strategies turned out to be best positive predictors of course-related vocabulary progress. Structured weekly diary reports and interview data indicated complex nature of VLSs use, such as the use of certain VLSs in particular contexts and two or more strategies in combination. Students who progressed in both general and course-related vocabulary seemed to use a variety of strategies in combination, and their balanced and integrated approach appeared to be the most efficient in general and course-related vocabulary progression. i turned out to be best positive predictors of course-related vocabulary progress. Structured weekly diary reports and interview data indicated complex nature of VLSs use, such as the use of certain VLSs in particular contexts and two or more strategies in combination. Students who progressed in both general and course- related vocabulary seemed to use a variety of strategies in combination, and their balanced and integrated approach appeared to be the most efficient in general and course-related vocabulary progression.
dc.language.iso	en	en
dc.publisher	University of Bedfordshire	en
dc.rights.uri	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/	*
dc.subject	vocabulary learning strategies	en
dc.subject	vocabulary tests	en
dc.subject	language learning	en
dc.subject	vocabulary progress	en
dc.subject	English language learning	en
dc.subject	X162 Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL)	en
dc.title	The role of vocabulary learning strategies in lexical progression in an ESL context	en
dc.type	Thesis or dissertation	en
dc.type.qualificationname	PhD	en_GB
dc.type.qualificationlevel	PhD	en
dc.publisher.institution	University of Bedfordshire	en
html.description.abstract	This study explores vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) behind the lexical progression in adult learners assessed by productive vocabulary tests. Previous research has provided some insights into this issue (Ahmad, 1989; Gu and Johnson, 1996; Wu, 2005). Such research, however, tended to focus on individual or a small number of strategies, and very few studies looked at a group of VLSs as a whole (e.g. Schmitt, 1997) particularly in the Pakistani tertiary ESL context. This large-scale, longitudinal study was therefore designed to fill this gap, by examining the impact of some curricular and extra-curricular VLSs on vocabulary gain assessed by two types of a productive vocabulary test. The two types of test (i.e. general and course-related vocabulary tests) were administered twice to 578 Pakistani tertiary students who were learning English as a second language with a one-year gap in between to assess the learners’ vocabulary progress. They also responded to the VLS questionnaire to report on the VLS they adopted, and 120 of them also took part in four weeks’ structured vocabulary learning diary reports (N=120 x 4 weeks) as well as interviews to elaborate on their VLSs use. Wilcoxon Signed Ranks tests identified the learners’ significant vocabulary gain between the pre-and post-tests. A series of multiple regression analyses showed extra-curricular, self-initiatives and selective-attention strategies significantly predicted general vocabulary progress, whereas the curricular, dictionary for comprehension, association and imagery and selective-attention strategies turned out to be best positive predictors of course-related vocabulary progress. Structured weekly diary reports and interview data indicated complex nature of VLSs use, such as the use of certain VLSs in particular contexts and two or more strategies in combination. Students who progressed in both general and course-related vocabulary seemed to use a variety of strategies in combination, and their balanced and integrated approach appeared to be the most efficient in general and course-related vocabulary progression. i turned out to be best positive predictors of course-related vocabulary progress. Structured weekly diary reports and interview data indicated complex nature of VLSs use, such as the use of certain VLSs in particular contexts and two or more strategies in combination. Students who progressed in both general and course- related vocabulary seemed to use a variety of strategies in combination, and their balanced and integrated approach appeared to be the most efficient in general and course-related vocabulary progression.