Integrating Vocabulary Learning Strategy Instruction into EFL Classrooms

Abstract

In the current study, explicit vocabulary learning strategy instruction was integrated into an EFL curriculum to investigate its effects on learners` vocabulary acquisition. A total of 180 EFL learners enrolled in the freshmen English program at a university in Taiwan participated in the study. The participants were guided to explore and practice an array of vocabulary learning strategies over a full semester. Participants` use of these different vocabulary learning strategies and their perceived usefulness of the strategies before and after strategy training were then compared. Student attitudes and opinions toward vocabulary learning strategy use and strategy training were compiled as well. The results suggest that vocabulary learning strategy training can bring about positive effects in students learning, as the majority of the participants reported using a greater number of strategies, using strategies more frequently, and found that such use of strategies was more useful. Differences in changes in vocabulary study habits after strategy training were found among those participants who had different levels of vocabulary proficiency. The most striking result to emerge from the data is that strategy training resulted in a radical increase in the frequency of low-level students` strategy use.

本研究旨在探究英語字彙學習策略訓練對學生在英語字彙學習上所帶來之影響。一百八十位臺灣的大一學生參與這項研究調查。研究結果顯示，學習策略訓練能對學生的字彙學習帶來正面的影響。在為期一學年的學習策略訓練結束之後，整體而言，學生對於字彙學習策略的瞭解程度增加，包含學習策略的種類及其運用方式。另外，在英語字彙學習上，學生所使用的學習策略，於數量與種類以及使用之頻率上皆顯著提高。相較於詞彙能力較高之群組，這項訓練對詞彙能力較低之群組在字彙學習策略的使用上所帶來的改變更為明顯。