Table of content

Abstract1

Acknowledgment1

I. Overview of study

1.1. Relationale 2

1.2. Previous studies6

1.3. Aims of studies 6

1.4. Research Subjects

1.5. Scope of the study

1.6. Research methodology

II. Literature review

III. Research findings

IV. Recommendations and suggestions

Conclusion

References

I
 List of tables and figures

Table 1. What Is Involved in Knowing a Word

Figure 3.1: How would students prefer to learn new words?

Figure 3.2. What category of words would students like to learn?

Figure 3.3. How do students want teachers to test their word knowledge?

Figure 3.4. How well do students learn new words in their current English course?

Figure 3.5. Do students look - up words while reading?

Figure 3.6. How well do students learn new words in their current English course?

Figure 3.7. In what way do students learn new words best?

II
 Abstract
People often want to know the best language to learn to get ahead in life. Many think that
learning English, the international language, is the best option. English is of course an
excellent choice, but I have to say it’s difficult for me to suggest just one language when
my successes in life have come from speaking so many more languages than English. I
will discuss the languages that have created opportunities for me in life, then dig in to
why English is important.

Acknowledgment

Son La is mountainous area in the Northwest of Vietnam. Because of the lack in high
quality equipments, students living in Son La don’t have a lot of changes to study and
develop their skills in English, especially listening, speaking skills. The Govement does
not focus on English education in this area, teacher are not qualified enough are two
reasons why there is a very small a number of good students in English in Son La.
English is more and more important this integration time between Vietnam and many
powerful countries in the world. English helps us to communicate, to share and negotiate
in commerce and education. The primary aim of the thesis is to find out the problem and
solution to solve this issue furthermore increase the rate of student good at English in Son
La area.

I was born in Son La province, more than anyone, I understand the problems my
hometown is facing. In the hope that can support my hometown, change the mind on
English education of people, direct students to bigger purposes in life, Son La in
particular and Vietnam in general. I decide to analyze the situation, seek out the solution
for improving the use and study English in this area.

1
I. Overview of study

1.1. Relationale

1.1.1. Son La province

Son La is a mountainous province with many communes in remote and difficult areas. At
the provincial level, Son La authorities have paid much attention to the development of
education in communes in remote and disadvantaged areas in the province.

In these places, although the socio-economic development is still underdeveloped, the

people's life is still very difficult, but the school system has been built spaciously, with
very few students sitting in school. In the temporary study room, as crooked as in
previous years

Son La is a border province in the north-west of the country. Its terrain is predominantly
mountainous, severely divided and is the third largest province in the country. However,
there are many difficulties in comparison with other provinces around Son La, which in
turn affected the socio-economic development of the province. Investments in transport
infrastructure rely only on central budgets, as provincial revenues are very low.

The road network is lacking and backward, the technical scale of many roads has not
reached the standard, too many cycles of renovation, the quality of the roads is still low,
mainly the road, especially roads rural communication

At present, in Son La, there are 77/204 communes and wards recognized to reach the age
of five years, accounting for 37.7%; According to the plan, Son La will strive to have 60
communes that will complete 5 years of age by 2013. This locality is striving to complete
the five-year PCGDMN by 2015. However, according to the five-year PCBA, one of the
biggest difficulties facing Son La is the facilities, equipment and toys for the 5-year-olds.

2
According to the report, the general situation of material facilities in the 5-year-old
children's classrooms is still very difficult; the proportion of solid classrooms in the
whole class has reached 50%. The number of temporary classrooms, tuition fees, rooms
are not enough space in accordance with many regulations; Sanitation for children and
teachers is not really guaranteed; The number of teaching aids is limited to the
requirements.

1.1.2. The importance of learning English vocabulary for student

Vocabulary is central to English language teaching because without sufficient vocabulary

students cannot understand others or express their own ideas.

Students often instinctively recognize the importance of vocabulary to their language

learning.

Aspect Component Receptive knowledge Productive knowledge

Form spoken What does the word sound How is the word
like? pronounced?
written
What does the word look How is the word written
word parts
like? and spelled? What word
parts are needed to express
What parts are
the meaning?
recognizable in this word?

Meaning form and meaning What meaning does this What word form can be
concepts and word form signal? used to express this
referents meaning?
What is included in this
associations
concept? What items can the concept

3
 refer to? What other words
What other words does this
could people use instead of
make people think of?
this one?

Use grammatical In what patterns does the In what patterns must

functions word occur? What words people use this word? What
collocations or types of words occur words or types of words
constraints on use with this one? Where, must people use with this
(register, when, and how often would one? Where, when, and
frequency . . .) people expect to meet this how often can people use
word? this word?

Table 1. What Is Involved in Knowing a Word

English vocabulary is complex, with three main aspects related to form, meaning, and
use, as well as layers of meaning connected to the roots of individual words. Teaching
vocabulary is not just about words; it involves lexical phrases and knowledge of English
vocabulary and how to go about learning and teaching it, which the next chapter explores.

Because it is a changing, growing reality, English vocabulary is challenging. Perhaps this

situation is most evident with computer-related vocabulary, such as the Internet, e-mail,
and 6 Teaching Vocabulary Web browser, which was not commonly used even 15 years
ago. Now, though, everyone seems to know these items and how important such realities
are to their lives and work. English vocabulary’s expansion is exciting, but it also means
that teachers and students alike need to be in the habit of learning vocabulary. People can
expand their English vocabulary knowledge in many different ways. As a native English
speaker, I have been learning vocabulary for many years, but I am still a learner because
English vocabulary changes and grows. Occasionally, I come across an unknown word or
phrase (or a new usage for one I already know) in something in print or online, or that I
hear on the radio or television. I will stop to consider what it might mean in that
4
particular context, and make a guess. If I have a dictionary close by, I will check it for the
word or phrase, or if I am at my computer I will check an online dictionary. Words and
phrases fascinate me, and if new ones seem useful, then these vocabulary items are ones I
may later use in my own speech or writing—even if it is to comment on this new
vocabulary item! Whatever their personality and learning style, both teachers and
students can develop a growing love for English vocabulary learning and naturally share
a passion for words and phrases in any language.

1.1.3. The Usage of studying English vocabulary in Son La province

Learning Vietnamese for ethnic minority students is a second language so it is not only
hard for teachers but also for themselves. Teachers are local people or have to know the
ethnic language of the students in teaching as well as communication.

Therefore, when students learn English, this is also a challenge for them when they come
to international languages in the global integration environment. Meanwhile, due to
limitations on pronunciation as well as learning conditions, teacher qualifications should
make learning English more difficult.

Currently, Son La province is trying to invest in development of education in many fields

such as mathematics, physics and especially English. English is a popular and important
language in the era of industrialization and modernization, but teaching and learning
English is not focused and high investment. Son La province has decided to focus on
developing English skills of students and students while improving the quality of teachers
and facilities are not good.

The status of students who do not spend much time learning English skills is still pretty
much. Students are still playing, families do not push for learning English because of low
knowledge, not aware of the importance of learning English at the time of international
integration, students do not have the opportunity to understand to learn. Early training,
giving themself more opportunities to develop themself.

5
1.2. Previous studies

Titel: English Vocabulary Learning of Students’ Attitudes Toward English Vocabulary

Learning

Acquiring and extending one’s vocabulary is of significant importance for the L2 learner.
In order to maximize the learning there are several methods to choose from. This study
examines upper secondary school students’ attitudes toward vocabulary teaching and
learning. This is done by using a qualitative data collection method in the form of
questionnaires. The results show that both students and teachers agree that focus should
be placed on a more varied vocabulary teaching with a strong emphasis on context-based
learning and written exams. Furthermore, the result display that students wish for a
higher degree of context-based learning but when it comes to assessment, they prefer
non-contextual testing methods. The results of the study can be useful for both future
teachers as well as teachers who are already working in upper secondary school, as they
could provide some guidance as to how students experience vocabulary learning

1.3. Aims of studies

1.3.1. Analyse the way students at high school in Son La learning English vocabulary

For the high school To Hieu in Son La - is a school located in the area of special
economic difficulties, students in remote areas with low cultural conditions, conditions of
learning and exchanges are limited so not aware. the importance of learning, especially
English. This leads to a situation where the quality of English subjects in the school in
recent years is very low.

According to the actual survey, the percentage of students achieving average grade of
English subjects in the high school in Son Son is only about 30% in the examination of
the first academic year 2011 - 2012 according to the test of the Department. In high
school graduation exams (in the form of objective tests), the proportion of students
scoring average English subjects of the school is always lower than other graduation
6
exams. This is a sad fact for English teachers like us. It must be said that English is a
difficult subject for all students, not only in the city but in the mountains as we do. With
Vietnamese students speaking and writing incorrectly leading to the situation students say
and write wrong English is very popular. Although students have been studying English
for 4 years in junior high school, many students do not know how to write and say a word
in English, but do not know the difference between nouns, verbs, adjective…

English is a compulsory subject in high school graduation exam but many students still
do not study hard, or just learn to deal, subjective lead to loss of root, poor school. What
causes this?

Causes of students learning English:

- For students:

+ Many students learn English as a difficult subject, do not learn to be afraid to study
English subjects, only to deal in class, home to study. English language requires students
to work hard, invest a lot of time, must have methods. But most students just focus on
some college exams, do not pay attention to English subjects or have the mentality "when
college will be good".

+ The condition of studying English subjects with the children in mountainous areas is
very short: reference textbooks, dictionaries, ice ...

- About the textbook program: The new textbook program is very difficult but also
higher, for students who have lost the original can not follow. On the other hand, the
program is integrated with other cultural subjects, requiring students to have a certain
level of education to meet the requirements. So many students can not afford the new
English textbook. On the other hand, students have to study too many subjects, and then
learn more, so the time spent on English is shared.

7
- On the teachers side: Teachers, despite their efforts in applying teaching methods in the
direction of activating the activities of students, can only apply the lessons with some
papers, some more teaching and some students. The reason is partly due to the content of
the textbook program is overload, the number of students in a class, the learning power of
students is limited, partly because some teachers are less willing to invest in the lessons. ,
less interested in teaching methods suitable for each student, so the quality and
effectiveness of the teaching of the subject is not really as desired. Many active teaching
activities have only been used formally, have not been invested, properly prepared and
implemented properly, so it was not effective. Weak pupils are not given proper care to
help them rise.

- On the side of mass organizations and professional groups: The professional group has
not created a learning environment for foreign languages, yet has created a playground to
attract and attract students interested in learning English and understand the importance
of English. of English subjects.

1.3.1.1. Teaching and learning conditions are not met

Although more attention was paid to the fact that the facilities for teaching and learning
English is still lacking compared to demand. Out of the total of 40 public schools in the
whole province, there are 5 schools with specialized language rooms and intelligent
classrooms. The reason is that these devices need a lot of money. In some rural areas,
people's livelihoods are difficult to mobilize.

In some places there are vehicles but due to many years of investment have broken or
technology backward, not suitable with the program, new methods of education. For
example, 5 years ago, To Hieu high school (Son La city) was invested with computer
system, multi-function speaker, projector, marking pen to support teaching and learning
foreign languages. However, after a short time of use, some items have problems.

8
English teaching in these areas also faces many difficulties. For example, many English
teachers pay low salary, teaching hard, distance, so not sticking, stable long-term,
enthusiasm for the profession; Most pupils of these schools are ethnic minorities so their
awareness is limited. travel conditions are far, the roads are not convenient; facilities are
still lacking; The interest in learning is limited.

1.3.1.2. The demand for English of student is not high

Demand and awareness of the importance of learning English in school age is not high.
Recognizing that the most important maths, physics, chemistry, and so on are the parents
of their children who are not aware of English. Now is the important subject and easy
development improve life.

On the student side, students who are interested in learning a foreign language still find
that many students do not like to study or find it difficult to study the subject. English is
compulsory in high school graduation exams and compulsory examinations in specialized
schools. Although it is an important exam, many students are still skilful, cognitive or
subjective, leading to a lack of foundation, poor academic performance and therefore
failing to pass the exam. Most students in rural areas do not have access to reference
books, English learning software or the Internet to study online. The study program is
heavy and dry, which in part causes discouragement and neglect. The concern of the
family is very limited. Therefore, the quality of learning, especially in schools in rural
areas, remote areas is not high.

Programs, textbooks overload, especially for grade from grade 10 or above. Therefore, to
distribute the content of textbooks according to the distribution of the program, teachers
can not go into depth lecture. New textbooks focus on the training of skills, but in
practice the focus is on grammar and reading skills so the grammar of students is not
deep. Moreover, unlike other countries, in Vietnam, the language environment is very
limited, so students do not have the conditions to practice skills.

9
Finally, equipment, teaching aids: The necessary teaching aids such as tapes, cassette
discs most schools are equipped. However, many schools, casettes or poor quality of the
use of the teacher lead the teacher to read to students or the quality of listening is not
good during the listening English. Reference books, dictionaries and other tools in the
library are not yet available. English language teaching rooms are equipped but only in
some schools and the efficiency of these rooms is not high.

Overall, the equipment used for teaching English is poor and not well used.

For centers, foreign language facilities, teaching quality is low, many units lack
investment in facilities to improve the quality of teaching. Students are less likely to
study, but follow a degree.

1.3.1.3. Students lack the opportunity to learn English vocabulary

In fact, to learn foreign languages, improve the ability to use English proficiency, must
create a communication environment, practice regularly. Seeing this decisive solution,
despite efforts, the education and training branch of Ho Chi Minh City can not create
opportunities for students because of many obstacles and difficulties. In short, in addition
to improving the quality of teaching English according to the standards required by the
Ministry of Education, Ho Chi Minh City continues to promote the policy of socialization
education to increase investment resources, improve the quality of foreign language
training . Accordingly, the Ho Chi Minh City Education Department encourages schools
to invite native teachers to teach practical lessons, provide opportunities for
communication, and practice listening and speaking skills for students. This approach is
expanding and the goal is to have at least one student per week practicing with foreign
teachers. In addition, Ho Chi Minh City also creates many playgrounds for
communication skills, enhancing the ability to use English through Olympic
competitions, English speech contest.

10
Self is too grammar focus while listening weak, bad, only read understand, writing is
quite good. Constantly depended on the question form available in the textbook, huddle
"how are you? I'm fine, thank you ". Ability to improvise when communicating almost
no”

1.3.2. Explaining why Students in Son La should focus on learning English vocabulary

In grades 8, 9, most of the content, which is about half the size of the whole program, is
still a familiar topic, revolving around students' daily lives such as friends, school, class.
There are "macro" topics such as tourism, scientific invention, computer but only a small
part. In contrast, the "macro" theme occupies a large part of the English language
knowledge in the 10th grade.

So, at the start of the 10th grade program, students are sure to be shocked, even
overwhelmed. English 10th grade vocabulary is divided into 16 topics, with various
contents on life such as special education, communication, environmental protection,
music ...

From the list of topics, we can see that the topics are more specialized and focused.
Therefore, students need to know how to arrange the lesson volume and allocate a
reasonable amount of time to capture the knowledge, to meet the needs of the lesson but
still have enough time for other subjects as well. such as participating in group activities
outside school hours.

However, another very important point that 10th grade students should pay attention to is
vocabulary training. In Year 10, they began more in real-life contact, communicating
more, and began planning important long-term plans, such as study abroad.

Therefore, besides capturing the semantics and writing new words proficient, they need
to pay more attention to the speaking skills, and pronunciation of the vocabulary. At
times, just by using a wrong syllable, they can make the listener misunderstood a
completely different meaning, significantly reducing communication efficiency.
11
At the same time, when learning vocabulary, in addition to learning about the vocabulary
of that vocabulary, the modified form of the verb in transition, the students also have to
know how to distinguish the use of that vocabulary when the same a different kind of
word.

For example, the verb "invent" has two meanings: "invention" and "inventor". Also from
economy, there are 2 from economic (economical, related to profit) and economical
(economical, less expensive).

With these complex requirements, they need to have a strong background in reading, and
can not lack the support of highly qualified teachers to master the English vocabulary of
the class. ten.

1.3.3. Solutions to solve these challenges.

1.3.3.1. Improving the quality of English teachers in mountainous areas

Accordingly, there should be the participation, the hands of all forces in society,
especially the trio: School - Family - Society must have the unity of views, how to
organize teaching It focuses on raising the awareness of students and parents about the
position, meaning and importance of English in life, study and work in the integration
period.

At the same time improving the communication environment, the student's learning
motivation, this will change the notions are not correct in teaching and learning foreign
languages now, especially the teaching of the course run, to take the exam ...

Along with that, the education sector and authorities should continue to have mechanisms
to invest in facilities with functional classrooms, modern equipment for teaching (many
schools in the region mountains have not invested in modern equipment and functional
rooms for teaching English.

12
In addition, continue to plan training, improve professional skills for teachers of foreign
languages, create communication environment and raise standards for teachers.

Even advising all levels of government should have a mechanism for retraining or
transferring work to under-qualified teachers after being trained as a compulsory or
supplementary By contracting with reputable training institutions to train as early as
students.

Raising the spirit, positive attitude of teachers in teaching, self-learning and self-
improvement is indispensable to overcome difficulties, challenges, excellent completion
of tasks.

Finding rules to help students memorize lessons, memorizing vocabulary will help
children less hardship in learning English. The sentences, the related images, the sound
similarity in Vietnamese and English will help students interested in learning and actively
memorized. They will not feel that learning English is very difficult and difficult.

Teachers can use the first 10 minutes to help students practice speaking English instead
of checking out the old ones with dry and hard to remember formulas.

1.3.3.2. Improve the quality of teaching tools of teachers and pupils

In spite of the fact that in recent years the facilities of the schools have been invested
much, the English subjects are not only in the school's facilities but also in the supporting
facilities. Support for students to study at home such as music players, discs, internet ... ..,
while the condition of the family has many difficulties.

Students do not have the ability to practice speaking English (communication

environment) even the children themselves do not read or write Vietnamese. Students do
not have appropriate learning methods.

13
Teachers need to mobilize and train talented students in foreign languages. This should
be done in two ways: first, to train pupils to participate in provincial and national
competitions. Secondly, boldly sign up for a pilot English class to have a core group of
students.

This is to help them show their strengths and to build trust in the benefits of learning
foreign languages for all other students.

At the same time, they can express their confidence in speaking, have basic
communication skills in English, and develop other skills such as: Designing and using
power point, presenting to the crowd, gradually forming It gives them the confidence that
deep students can speak English well.

The materials for English are very rich and varied. Therefore, in addition to textbooks,
teachers should actively find and select materials from many sources such as: Search the
network of documents or schools across the country; Systematic gathering from
specialized training workshops.

The team needs to edit the syllabus, identifying the program's core requirements in order
to meet the program requirements but in line with the student's ability in the unit.

Teachers also put more information technology into their teaching, in addition to teaching
in the classroom, teachers set up a shared mailing address to assign assignments or
receive assignments.

Teachers introduce programs or websites to help them learn more and learn by
themselves. If the organization of teacher activities is reasonable, scientific and tested,
students will participate enthusiastically. Also through this self-study activity, teachers
will discover the children have good ability and help them develop their abilities.

1.3.3.3. Change the habit of learning vocabulary English of students

14
Most students learn English only because it is a compulsory subject and not interested in
the subject. Learning is just to deal with class tests, not even knowing what to do to do
something for themselves.

Even in urban and rural areas where many students are skewed, listening and speaking
skills are often overlooked due to the state of the art they study, so they ignore the main
purpose of learning the language. The purpose of communication is to concentrate on the
skills of preparing the exam.

Strengthen the organization of teacher and student clubs, seminars, professional seminars
for teachers to exchange, share experiences, learn from each other, update teaching
techniques. positive; To create conditions for teachers to study by themselves, to improve
themselves; Encourage teachers to attend training courses in the country and abroad, and
be granted international certificates.

Focus on reviewing, analyzing learning outcomes, and enhancing weak student support.

According to Kim, after each stage of the assessment, the teacher needs to fully analyze
the student's achievement. It is necessary to compare the results of students in the same
class, students in between classes.

From there, group students to have reasonable solutions. Teachers must help students
eliminate the feeling of self-doubt when learning a foreign language by constantly finding
solutions to make the subject interesting.

In addition to the reinforcement of knowledge, teachers must enhance the design of

practical activities that enable students to speak and speak English. Through these
activities, students have the opportunity to use their knowledge in communication and
they will find it exciting to be able to use the knowledge they have gained in real-life
communication in English.

15
Organize well timetable, evaluate the lessons, analyze the strengths and limitations of
lectures. At the professional meetings, teachers focus on improving solutions to improve
teaching effectiveness in each lesson, each lesson.

1.4. Research Subjects

Student at To Hieu high school in Son La province

1.5. Scope of the study

To Hieu high School in Son la

16
II. Literature review

A study of Helena Olsson about “English Vocabulary Learning in School”

2.1. Aim

This essay focuses on upper secondary school students’ attitudes towards L2 vocabulary
learning. First, it examines the students’ general opinion regarding vocabulary learning.
Secondly, it investigates what part the students’ gender plays in regard to their attitude
towards vocabulary learning. Thirdly, the study discusses the attitudes of students at two
separate course-levels and attempts to establish if course progression influences L2
students’ attitudes toward vocabulary learning.

2.2. Theoretical background

2.2.1. Acquisition and learning

Acquisition and learning are two terms in second language teaching established by
Stephen Krashen. Language acquisition refers to a subconscious process which happens
informally. According to Krashen (in Hoffman & Goodman,( 2009) acquisition requires
meaningful real interaction in the target language where the learner is an active partaker.
When working with acquisition the focus is put on the communicative act and increasing
the learners selfconfidence. Furthermore, language acquirers are not consciously aware of
the grammatical rules of the target language, but they develop a sense for correctness and
develop skills in spoken language without theoretical knowledge

Language learning on the other hand is the product of more formal instructions i.e. what
happens in the classroom. When working with learning the learner receives information
about the grammatical rules of the target language. Those rules, through a conscious
process, are transformed into conscious knowledge about the language (Hoffman &
Goodman, 2009 ).

17
According to Krashen and Terrell (1995), affective vocabulary activities may involve the
use of certain grammatical structures. However, vocabulary activities are not designed
to”teach” that structure. “The same is true for vocabulary; activities are not necessarily”
vocabulary builders”. 3 Students attention is not on vocabulary learning per se but on
communication, on the goal of an activity” (Krashen & Terrell 1983:156).

2.2.2. Vocabulary teaching methods

According to Milton (2001), previously conducted studies examining whether presenting

students with large amounts of vocabulary might be counterproductive have shown that
even the most proficient learner can be overwhelmed by a large amount of new
vocabulary presented, resulting in a lack of learning. Milton (2001) argues that by
reducing the amount of words, learning can be improved. Furthermore, it may be of
importance for L2 teachers to have a basic knowledge of how the memory and
memorization work. By gaining better awareness regarding this, teachers may better
maximize the effectiveness of their vocabulary teaching (Moras, 2001).

Since vocabulary learning is considered to be an essential part of acquiring a language, it

is imperative that both learners and teachers find a strategy that suits them. Research has
revealed that relying on only one vocabulary teaching method, is not the best alternative
when striving to optimize the learning of new vocabulary (Hiebert & Kamil, 2005).
According to Milton (2001 the input students receive needs to be varied in order for them
to develop a vocabulary that consists of diverse categories of words (Milton, 2001).
Empirical evidence (National Reading Panel [NRP], 2000) also indicates that drawing
connections between various reading materials and oral language in different contexts
seem to have an effect on the student’s ability to learn new words. One additional feature
that plays a central role when acquiring new vocabulary is how frequently the learner is
exposed to the specific word. Nation observes that in order to learn a word, the student
must have experienced many meaningful encounters with the given word, sometimes up

18
to as many as 16 times (Nation,2006). Furthermore, for certain learners it might take up
to 30 encounters before they recognize the word in a new context or in fluent speech.

However, focus cannot be put on varied input alone, but it also needs to be on practice.
One theory as to why words are not learned is that “information falls into disuse unless it
is activated fairly regularly” (Gairns & Redman, 1986:89). In other words, we need to
practice what we learn or the newly acquired input will gradually fade from our memory
and ultimately disappear. Consequently, it is of important that teachers create multi-
faceted experiences in order for the student to acquire new words and increase the depth
of the vocabulary that has already been learnt (Hiebert & Kamil, 2005).

The National Reading Panel has issued a list consisting of different guidelines that
teachers should pay attention to in order to create a multi–faceted leaning environment:

1. Vocabulary should be taught both directly and indirectly.

2. Repetition and multiple exposures to vocabulary items are important.

3. Learning in rich contexts is valuable for vocabulary learning.

4. Vocabulary tasks should be restructured when necessary.

5. Vocabulary learning should entail active engagement in learning tasks.

6. Computer technology can be used to help teach vocabulary.

7. Vocabulary can be acquired through incidental learning.

8. How vocabulary is assessed and evaluated can have differential effects on instruction.

9. Dependence on a single vocabulary instruction method will not result in optimal

learning. (National Reading Panel [NRP], 2000)

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2.2.2.1. Word-lists

A widespread method of teaching vocabulary is the use of word-lists. This method

provides the student with new vocabulary in a list form. These lists are often connected to
a text, 5 providing a context for the words. When working with word-lists one approach
is to isolate the words from any context and just provide the translation of the words in
question, where the teacher never asks the learners to use the words in a context of a text.

According to Nation (1990), there are advantages with using word-lists as a teaching
method. One of the benefits is that the student may acquire a large number of words in a
comparatively short time. There are two factors that contribute to making the learning
more efficient is one if the foreign word-form is associated with a word in the learner’s
native tongue, rather than with a foreign synonym or definition. Secondly, in order to
maximize the learning, each wordform and its translation should be put on a small card
with the foreign word on one side and the translation on the other. These two strategies
have proven to be more effective than having students write them in a book or on a sheet
of paper (Nation, 1990).

2.2.2.2. Learning vocabulary through reading

Another alternative way of acquiring vocabulary is through extensive reading.

Researchers as well as teachers, agree on the fact that reading helps learners to
significantly expand their vocabulary. “Reading is important, because comparisons of
large corpora show that written texts are richer in lexis than spoken ones” (Horst, 2005).
According to the National Reading Panel (2000), using extensive reading is considered to
be one of the best ways of presenting vocabulary in a rich context. It is argued that by
using authentic texts, a more profound vocabulary teaching can be performed then by
teaching isolated words without any context.

Another method of teaching reading is to let the learner guess the meaning of a word
entirely from its context. The aim of this method is for the student to be able to make

20
qualified assumptions about the meaning of a word, just by using the context provided.
By working with context-based vocabulary learning, teachers can encourage students to”
develop different strategies for inferring the meaning of the new word from the context in
which they occur” (Nunan1991). Nation (2001) argues that learning from context is a
form of incidental learning 6 that occurs when reading extensively, listening to a story
being told, watching TV or taking part in a conversation and should therefore be used as
a complement to other methods. Furthermore, in order to “maximize the student’s
learning, the teacher should encourage students to read as much as possible, and also
provide them with exercises involving guessing from context” (Nation, 2001:250).

Studies have also shown that in order to increase the quantity of new vocabulary through
reading, the quantity of text used has to be quite extensive (Nation, 2001:149). Moreover,
the ideal way of working with a text is to link exercises to the text, enabling the teacher to
check the comprehension-level of the student (Nation, 2001).

An important factor when working and succeeding with this method is for teachers to
have a good knowledge of the learners’ current vocabulary size in order to find
appropriate reading material that will contain the optimal ratio of both known as well as
unknown words (Nation, 2001). Milton talks about factors such as “availability,
learnability, and words that are opportunistically available or related to the learner’s
level, needs or interests” (Milton, 2001:195) which are to be taken into consideration in
the process of selecting adequate material.

Consequently, words that should be learned cannot be selected based on the teachers’
choice of unknown texts, but need to be established in the learners’ actual knowledge.
This requires that the teacher, prior to selecting the teaching-material, assesses the
learner’s level of language proficiency

In order to correctly infer the meaning of a word, the reader needs a number of clues that
provide sufficient information for understanding the text. Examples of clues can be
“grammar, punctuation, definition, contrast, connectives, reference words, word analysis
21
and the learner’s experiences and common sense” (Nation, 2001:232). The next stage is
to look at 7 the word’s immediate context and then to take a broader view of how the
clause containing the word relates to other clauses, sentences, or paragraphs. However,
Nation (1990) states that this way of working, using different stages, is only used in order
to get the inexperienced students to develop their skills as efficient readers. Once they
have become more experienced readers, these steps are no longer required (Nation,
1990). One of the advantages of this method, it is argued is that not only does incidental
learning occur, but there are also the additional benefits from learning through context,
such as the improvement of grammatical knowledge, the understanding of text structure,
improved reading skills and also the experience of how wonderful it might be to read
(Nation, 2001).

However, in other studies (Beck, McKeown, & Kucan, 2002) argue that there is a
problem when learning vocabulary through context- based reading. Factors such as
intonation, shared psychological surroundings as well as body language, are all features
that written texts lack. Beck et al., (2002) state that even though written texts lack
important features, new words can be learnt through reading. However, it is argued that
the amount and diversity are not particularly substantial. Furthermore, the learner has to
have multiple encounters with the words before learning can be fully accomplished.
According to studies of vocabulary and reading, out of 100 new unfamiliar words found
while reading, as few as 5 to 15 will be learnt (Beck et al., 2002). Beck et al, also point to
the fact that students who are considered somewhat weak, rarely participate in any
extensive reading activities or choose literature that challenges them in any way.

2.2.2.3. Dictionary use when learning vocabulary

Many studies (Prichard, 2008) have shown that extensive reading helps to improve
learners’ reading comprehension and can even lead to improved lexical development.
Prichard also states that teachers who tend to focus on traditional grammar translation
methods, more often encourage their learners to look up words in a dictionary as a help to

22
decoding the text. 8 However, teachers using on a more communication based approach,
more often emphasize the importance of understanding the central points and the
information needed in order to complete a follow up task, rather than pointing out the
necessity of understanding each word (Prichard, 2008).

When using extensive reading to acquire vocabulary, looking up words using a dictionary
is considered an effective method for learning vocabulary by many teachers and students.
Studies focusing on dictionary use have been performed, using comprehension results
post reading, from students where one group used a dictionary and the other did not. In
these studies, contrasting results are revealed, however, one conclusion that can be
drawn, is that dictionary use can facilitate comprehension. Thus, it is argued that rather
than discussing whether dictionaries should be used, or not, the discussion needs to center
around how to optimize learners’ use of dictionaries (Prichard, 2008). Nation (1991)
argues that teachers must keep in mind that the outcome of using dictionaries to acquire
vocabulary is dependent on the learner’s background and ability to relate to the text.

Furthermore, studies support that learners are more likely to find the accurate definition
of a word in a dictionary, than by guessing from context. Prichard (2008) states that it can
be assumed that if the use of dictionaries can increase comprehension, there is also a
possibility that it “may lead to incidental learning of unknown words” (Prichard, 2008:3).
However, Hirsh and Nation (2001) argue that in order for incidental vocabulary learning
to take place, the learner needs to be familiar with up to as much as 98% of the running
words in the text which is a level of proficiency that is reached only by a small
percentage of the students (Prichard 2008). To obtain this level of learning is to many
students too time consuming. However, Prichard (2008) presents a solution to the
problem In order to eliminate the time consuming element teachers might provide the
students with reading material which has marginal glosses integrated into the document,
and therefore enable them to work with dictionaries while reading in a more efficient
way.

23
Prichard suggests that one approach to working with dictionaries might be through
selective use. When working with selective dictionary use it is recommended that
students focus on the most frequently used words in the text or a passage. These words
are vocabulary that cannot be guessed at from the context and therefore need to be looked
up

2.2.2.4. Acquiring vocabulary through the media and the computer

In the last decade, the media and the Internet have evolved rapidly and are now a
significant part of society. The media provides both teachers as well as students with
many opportunities on a daily basis to hear and read authentic material in the L2 and use
this in language teaching. For the language teacher the new technology has revealed new
possibilities as to how teaching can be performed. This enables the teacher to access a
wide range of different material such as newspapers radio and television broadcasts.
Lekakos et al. (2008) argue that television, soap operas, films, and news reports offer the
learner a rich variety of language experiences. However, Lekakos et al., (2008)
emphasize, that teachers when using television as a teaching-tool have to be aware that
students can consider television as mainly a fun activity and not an alternative teaching
method. Lekakos et al., (2008) state that in comparison to other media and platforms,
television has come to be seen as inferior and been labeled as leisure and has therefore
been underused in the language classroom.

In a study examining the effects of television on vocabulary acquisition, Pemberton’s

(2008) results showed that in order to fully expand the vocabulary using television, the
learner needs to have access to a transcript of the TV series to maximize his/her learning.

In addition, there is the issue of whether teachers should provide subtitles for the movies
being screened. Using subtitles for watching movies or television programs provides the
10 learner with some support as to comprehension and retention. Koskinen et al. as cited
in Pemberton (2006) argue that captioned television can be utilized as an effective
instructional tool in learning vocabulary. Furthermore, studies also indicate that learners
24
viewing programs with an L2 audio track but with subtitles in the L1 language can lead to
incidental learning (Pemberton, 2006). However, Lipsitz et al.(2006) claim that as
television programs and movies produced in the USA have come to dominate the global
scene, and the effectiveness of using these programs for teaching vocabulary is slightly
limited due to the prevalence of fragmented sentences. Thus, the language level in these
programs does not serve as a learning opportunity for those students aiming going on to
higher education and is only suitable for the learners at a lower level (Lipsitz et al. 2006).
Lipsitz et al. state that research has shown that American TV-programs airing on prime
time only used a limited number of different words about 4000. According to Lipsitz, in
order for a TV program to help build new vocabulary, it needs to use more than 10,000
words.

One additional way to acquire vocabulary is through the use of a computer. The NRP
(2000) argue that, “multiple exposures to vocabulary items are important. Learning in
rich contexts, incidental learning, and use of computer technology all enhance the
acquisition of vocabulary” ([NRP], 2000).

The National Reading Panel (2000) observes that a number of studies have established
that the use of computers in vocabulary instruction is more effective than tradtional
methods, and that particular, the possibility of using hypertext1 is an advantage. Through
the Internet, the student may also easily access magazines, television, radio, blogs and
discussion-boards (Murphy& Hurd, 2005).

25
III. Research findings

3.1. How do students prefer to learn new vocabulary?

When examining and analyzing the collected data, it was shown that all the participating
students considered it imperative to learn new words in order to improve their language
skills. Furthermore, the collected data revealed that in the experience of the students,
words, which are taught during lessons and homework, are not fully memorized. Several
students stated that “words just stay until the tests are done, then I forget them”.
According to the data, several students maintained that the number of words they are
required to learn is too extensive and therefore, they only learn the words for the test.
Moreover, there is no recapitulation of the newly learnt words after the vocabulary tests
have taken place. The absence of repetition is, as previously observed by Gairns and
Redman (1986), and also argued by the students in this study, one reason as to why words
are not learned. Furthermore, the students state that in their current English courses they
are not given opportunities to practice and actively use new vocabulary.

Figure 3.1: How would students prefer to learn new words?

26
The data also disclosed that when stating their opinion on how they prefer to learn new
words, students’ answers varied in range as seen in Figure 1. It is imperative that the
input students receive be varied in order for them to develop their knowledge and skills.
The students in this study stated that if they were to use diverse media sources, they
believed that their vocabulary would increase in a more effective way as the computer
can provide a varied selection of both spoken as well as written texts.

One of the methods preferred by a majority of the students was learning through
movies/computer and books, all of which studies have shown to be excellent sources of
input. As seen in Figure 3.1, students claimed that an efficient way to acquire new
vocabulary would be by watching movies or television. However, additional comments
also revealed that they considered watching movies to be an entertaining activity that
does not demand as much effort on their part. Consequently, teachers have to thoroughly
plan and carry out activities involving movies and television, as well as presenting
opportunities such as interactive communication and language labs. Furthermore, it is
also important that language teachers acknowledge that in order for words to be learnt,
the viewing should be complemented by transcripts and preparatory work.

A number of studies have established that the use of computers in vocabulary instruction
is more effective than traditional methods. Students stated that they prefered working
with the computer since they had easy access to online dictionaries where they both could
hear the pronunciation as well as see authentic 16 examples of the word in sentences.
Furthermore, one student argued that using a computer for vocabulary training would be
an effective resource when learning new words, as the computer programs provided by
the school also allow the student to hear the words being pronounced. In addition to the
benefit of actually hearing the words, several programs provide a selection of exercises,
for example, fill in the gap (a text where one word is left out) and word puzzles which
students considered to be positive features when using a computer in vocabulary learning.
Additionally, by having access to a computer, the teacher has the opportunity to make use
of the Internet and its resources.

27
One additional feature that plays a central role when acquiring new vocabulary is how
frequently the learner is exposed to the specific word. It can take up to as many as 30
encounters before a learner is familiar with a new word. When questioned on how well
they were currently learning new words a majority of the students answered “Not at all”,
with additional comments to the effect that the main reason for the discontent was the
low number of lessons per week. Consequently, if the number of lessons per week is too
few, the 30 encounters will be hard to achieve and optimal conditions for acquisition will
not be reached. Therefore, the teacher has to find alternatives in order to allow the
students to be exposed to authentic language samples, as well as exclusively use the
target language when teaching and interacting with them.

3.2. What sorts of words would students like to learn?

According to the data shown in Figure 3.2, students would like to learn words that are
useful to them, indicating that they rate the ability to use the words in real communicative
situations highly.

Figure 3.2. What category of words would students like to learn?

Furthermore, students stated that they would like to acquire words connected to their
future work careers, such as phrases they could use when serving at a restaurant or when

28
working at a car-repair garage. In order to increase students’ active and passive
vocabulary, it is essential that the teaching provide varied input, exposing the learner to
different situations and contexts.

The importance of varied input that are opportunistically available or related to the
learner’s level, needs or interests”, pointing to the fact that the words have to be chosen
based on learners skills and interest in order to be learned. As Figure 3.2 shows, 14 % of
the students stated that 18 they would like to focus on difficult words, meaning words
that would render a high grade at the end of the course.

3.3. Assesment

When asked how they preferred to be tested on newly learnt words the most common
answer was (see Figure 3.3), “by written tests” whilst a minority of respondents
suggested “by oral context-based tests”. The written tests at this school are generally
created in the form of wordlists, where students are requested to provide the correct
meaning of a word, either in the native language or in the target language, without
including any context at all. Furthermore, students stated that they would prefer to be
tested on fewer words more frequently rather than, as now, quite infrequently on a large
amount of words.

29
 Figure 3.3. How do students want teachers to test their word knowledge?

These comments combined with the collected data show a contradiction as students claim
that one of the most significant features when acquiring new vocabulary is being able to
distinguish in which contexts words can be used, yet when asked how they wish to be
assessed, the answers indicated that they still prefer word-list based tests. Word-list based
methods of assessment do not provide a complete testing in terms of varied context-based
learning situations. According to previously conducted studies, assessment methods are
tending to move away from word-list assessments towards a more communicative
assessment.

3.4. How well do students learn words in their current courses?

As shown in Figure 3.4 a majority of the students claimed that they learn new words well
in their current English course. However, as Figure 3.4 shows, 22 % of the students stated
that they did not learn new vocabulary at all and the additional comments made by those
students indicate that the number of lessons combined with the large amount of words are
the two major reasons why this is so.

30
Figure 3.4. How well do students learn new words in their current English course?

3.5. Dictionary use

The data revealed that students’ found learning vocabulary through reading to be a
satisfactory method. As this method is strongly associated by some teachers with
students’ ability and willingness to look up unknown words in a dictionary while reading,
the question “do you look up words in a dictionary while reading” was of interest. Data
indicated that students rarely use a dictionary to look up unknown words, leading them to
guess the meaning of the unknown word from the context. As illustrated in Figure 3.5,
38% of the students stated that they occasionally look up words they do not know.
Several of the respondents also claimed that the main reason for not looking-up words
while reading was laziness, as they consider it too time-consuming. The time aspect of
dictionary use can, as argued by Prichard, be managed by integrating marginal glosses.
As a result, time spent on looking up words, which according to the students appears to
be the main reason for not using a dictionary, can be reduced. Furthermore, students’
additional comments showed that they found it important to look up certain words in
order to understand the context of the text, a method known as “selective dictionary use.”

As shown in Figure 5, 28 % of the students argued that they felt no need to look up words
while reading, since as they claimed they knew all the words. One core issue when

31
working with vocabulary is that students in need of developing their vocabulary rarely
engage in extensive reading, nor do they choose books containing a larger number of
unfamiliar words that challenge them by.

Figure 3.5. Do students look - up words while reading?

Moreover, the data revealed that the participating students felt no need to look up words,
as they used the context as a guide to what the word could mean. Teachers must keep in
mind that the outcome of using dictionaries to learn vocabulary is dependent on the
learner’s background and ability to relate to the text. Therefore, the teacher has to take
responsibility for providing the learner with appropriate literature in order to present the
learner with a challenge. Furthermore, in order to “maximize the student’s learning, the
teacher should encourage students to read as much as possible, and also provide them
with exercises involving guessing from context”.

3.6. Gender differences

As the respondents were asked to state their gender in the questionnaire, the data
collected from the students could also be analyzed from a gender-oriented perspective.
Out of 74 participating students, 41 were boys and 33 girls.

32
In general, (see Figure 3.6) boys and girls were equally pleased with their current
situation and the teaching material being used. However, the girls stated that they would
prefer a more diverse teaching method which states that “multiple exposures to
vocabulary items are important. Learning in rich contexts, incidental learning, and use of
computer technology all enhance the acquisition of vocabulary”. Suggestions for various
sources of input mentioned by the students were extended reading, music and movies, all
of which are excellent bases for vocabulary acquisition. Students also argued that if
teachers were to lower the demands on the students, more words would be acquired.

Figure 3.6. How well do students learn new words in their current English course?

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 3.7, boys seem to agree that out of the numerous
strategies they have come across so far when working with vocabulary learning, word
lists and homework are the best methods. As Figure 3.7 shows, girls, alongside with boys
consider word lists, movies and books to be key sources to increasing their vocabulary.
Both boys and girls found the computer to be a useful resource when acquiring and
working with vocabulary, stating that computers are excellent learning tools since they
offer not only the Internet but numerous sources for both reading, as well as hearing
English in various contexts.

33
 Figure 3.7. In what way do students learn new words best?

Comparing the results concerning assessment, both boys and girls agreed that the
numbers of words tested by exams are often too extensive and that if fewer words were
given to be learned, the actual learning would not only increase but it would also be
easier to learn and remember the previously learned words. In addition, both groups agree
that the best way of learning vocabulary is through repetition that is later examined in the
form of written tests. When asked about preferred assessment methods, a small group of
students stated that they would prefer not to be tested at all. They stated that checking
whether or not words were learnt was up to the students themselves and not a teacher
related issue.

34
IV. Recommendations and suggestions

4.1. Recommendations

This study has found that most students seem to favor written exams in the form of
multiplechoice questions. This result is somewhat surprising, as many recent studies have
found that in order to optimize the learning, focus should be placed on various context-
based, communicative tests, rather than multiple-choice exams that do not provide any
context at all. One conclusion that might be drawn from this is that it is extremely
important for the teacher to find a way to motivate students to learn new vocabulary as
well as to point out and present the benefits of different teaching methods and testing
methods. The importance of making it clear to the students how different teaching
methods work and what the various ways in which words are learnt cannot be stressed
enough. Furthermore, this result could also be interpreted as reflecting a teacher related
problem since the lack of time might be a major reason why teachers use multiple-choice
tests. However, this is something that I have no data to support, though it would certainly
be an interesting topic to study further.

The data used in this study also show that students have a clear idea of how they can use
different sources of input in their language training though they lack the knowledge of
how that input can be transformed into permanent knowledge in their memory. Moreover,
the tendency seems to be that students in the A course preferred oral exams and that the
students in the B course favored written assessments. This might be seen as an indication
of different content in curriculums or a higher degree of stress regarding grades as several
students in the study stated that they would like to focus on words necessary for
achieving a high grade.

For future research it would be interesting to examine and compare students’ and
teachers’ view on vocabulary learning strategies through interview, or to follow a small
group of students for an entire course and monitor their vocabulary development.

35
4.2. Suggestions

The Best Ways to Learn English Vocabulary

1. Keep a list

Words are all around us. Sitting down and looking up words in a dictionary is not the
only way to find new vocabulary. You can find new words by talking with English
speakers, watching shows in English, reading the news—anywhere, anytime. To keep
track of new words, keep a vocabulary list.

Put this list somewhere portable (easy to carry around)—a little notebook, your phone—
so you can access it from anywhere.

As you find words you don’t know, write them down. Make sure to keep plenty of space
between words so that you can write more about the words later. When you get the
chance (at the end of the day, or at the end of the week) find out what these words mean.
You can write the definition however you want, translated to your native language,
copied from the English dictionary or written in your own original words.

However you do it, we recommend also writing down the part of speech (e.g., verb,
noun, adjective), different versions of the word (for example, if you write down the
word “fish” you could also write down information for fishing, fishy, fisherman, etc.), and
a fullsentence using the word.

2. Use new words in conversations

Now that you have a list, it can be easy to forget about these words as you move on to
new ones. This is especially true for common words and words that you’re not sure how
to use. The more you use the words, the better you’ll remember them.

Read your list at the end of each week. Try using your new words during the week as
often as you can. After you have been recording lists for a while, go back and read your

36
old lists. How well do you remember those words from the older lists? Take any words
you have forgotten from your old lists and add them to your new list.

3. Play games

Who said that studying can’t be all fun and games? Games like Scrabble or Vocabador
offer great ways to learn new words.

There are lots of games you can play to strengthen your vocabulary.

Games are a good way to learn because they make learning fun, and they help give you
context for your new words. That means you’re giving the word you learn an extra
meaning. For example, you might remember the way that the word was used during the
game. You might remember your friend laughing about how the word was used. You
might remember that it was very hard to think of that word the first time while playing!
Having a real-life memory attached to that word makes it much more memorable.

4. Don’t try to remember words alone

As we already mentioned, it is better (and easier) to learn new vocabulary by giving them
some context. One way to do this is to remember words in a sentence. This is a great
option because you will not only know the word, but you will also know exactly how to
use it in conversation.

Another option is to remember words by groups. If you just learned the word
“humongous” (very large), you can memorize it by thinking of a group of words getting
bigger and bigger—large, huge, humongous. This also gives the chance to learn even
more words at the same time.

For example: large, humongous, gargantuan. What do you think “gargantuan” means?

5. Visit dictionary websites

37
Sure, you can use a dictionary to look up a word. But many dictionary websites these
days have so much more to offer!

Explore dictionary websites like Vocabulary.com and Dictionary.com and you’ll find lots
of resources and things to do or read that can help you learn new words. Online
dictionaries often have interesting word-related blogs, games you can play and “word of
the day” newsletter subscriptions.

Merriam-Webster even has a learner’s dictionary (with a “word of the day” option that
teaches you a new English word every day) with useful words for people learning
English. Perfect!

6. Write a blog

Reading blogs is a nice way to learn new words, but writing a blog is even better!

You can start a free blog on many websites like WordPress and Tumblr. What you write
in your blog and who sees it is all up to you. You can write about fashion or cats…or cat
fashion—write about whatever interests you.

As you write, you will probably need to look up words in a dictionary. As you look up
words, you will start to remember many of them! Using them in your blog gives them
great context which will help your memory. You will learn exactly how to use them in
writing.

You can go back to your notebook of new words and choose a list of words that you
want to use before you write the blog. Writing with these words will help you practice
and remember them.

Share your blog posts with friends and native speakers. Ask them for feedback. This will
help make sure you used your words correctly.

7. Learn word parts

38
Many words can be broken down into smaller parts. For example, the word “dictionary”
comes from the Latin word dictio, which means “to speak.”

This is called the root of the word. A root word is a base used to create many words.
Now that you know the root word dictio, you might notice it in other words too, like
dictate, dictator and contradict. Even if you don’t know what the words mean, you now
know that they have something to do with speaking.

Learning word parts is a great idea because you don’t just learn one word, you learn other
words that use these parts. You will also be better at guessing the meanings of new
English words, because you will know what some parts of these words mean.

There are more parts to words than roots. Along with roots, words use prefixes (word
parts that come in the beginning of the word) and suffixes (word parts that come at the
end of a word).

Many dictionaries break down the word into these parts and tell you where these parts are
from.

8. Read special vocabulary books

Reading is a good way to learn new words, but what you read can also make a huge
difference in how much you learn.

Choose books that are a little bit challenging for you, and you will learn a lot more than if
you read at your level. If you read a book at your level, you may already know all the
words. If you read a challenging book, you will need to learn many new words.

You can also try reading special vocabulary books. These are fiction books that include
over 1,000 vocabulary words and their definitions!

9. Take vocabulary quizzes

39
Now that you’ve learned a few new words, how well do you remember them? You can
have fun learning, but you need to make sure that you are making good progress.

After using your fun learning methods, test yourself later with a more traditional
method—quizzes.

Try using quizzes to make sure you still remember each word you learned, and to remind
yourself of the words you learned a while ago. There are many vocabulary quizzes you
can use to test yourself.

10. Learn the culture

There are a number of different kinds of English around the world. British and American
English might seem the same, but there are many little differences.

When you are learning new words, keep in mind which country you plan to visit, live in
or work in. You should learn British English if you plan to go to England, American
English if you plan to go to America, and so on.

The word color, for example, is spelled as “colour” in British English. British people
used the words “brilliant” and “cheers” often, but Americans prefer to say “cool” instead
of “brilliant” and “see you” instead of “cheers.”

Keep this in mind as you learn new words, and remember to learn words from the right
kind of English.

11. Learn with others

Learning is easier and more fun when you do it with others!

Find a group of friends who want to learn English with you, get an online native speaking
buddy or join a website with other learners. Whatever you choose to do, you will benefit
greatly from working with others.

40
One excellent group learning program you can join is called Toastmasters. This group has
meeting spots all over the world, and it helps people learn to speak in public. This can be
a huge help to you if you have trouble speaking English with others!

Another great idea is to talk to other English learners on Facebook. There are many
Facebook pages for English learners. Some are pages where English learners have
created an online community for support and friendship. Other pages have actual native
speakers helping the group learn. Find one, and your studying will suddenly get much
easier.

12. Ask “What does that mean?”

Finally, never be afraid to ask questions!

If someone uses words you don’t understand, ask them “what does that mean?” Many
people are very patient and understanding if you tell them that you’re learning English. In
fact, many will actually enjoy helping you!\

41
 Conclusion

In conclusion, this study was conducted in order to analyze upper high school students’
attitudes toward vocabulary teaching. Moreover, the initial objective was to see whether
any parallels between the two participating respondent-groups could be distinguished and
if any conclusion regarding the role of gender could be drawn. In order to find the
answers in both categories, a qualitative analysis was done using data was collected from
a questionnaire distributed to students in year one and two in upper high school.

The data collected that the majority of the students in the study were content with their
current form of vocabulary teaching. However, the respondents stated that they would
prefer a more contextualized type of acquisition, as they pointed out the necessity of
being able to use the words in the correct context. Moreover, the students studying at
vocational programs stressed the importance of learning vocabulary connected to their
future careers, something that they experienced as being neglected in their current
courses.

The data also showed a contradiction in terms of opinions regarding the importance of
context-based learning. The students claimed to favor a more context-based learning-
approach during classes, but later stated that assessments should be conducted by using
written tests that provide no context at all. One conclusion that might be drawn from that
result is that students might know that the best ways to learn new words are through
varied input and context-based learning. However, they are also aware of the fact that
learning strategies involving a more context oriented learning are more time consuming
and demand more effort on their part.

Furthermore, vocabulary-teaching methods preferred by students involve the use of

modern sources such as the Internet, movies or music. As the data revealed, apart from
using repetition and word-lists, modern media was the preferred method for learning new
vocabulary However, as previously studies as well as my own data showed, modern
technology is considered by students to be a source of entertainment rather than
42
instruction. It is important for teachers using modern technology such as television,
movies and computers to stress that these various sources of language input are not only
an entertaining element in lessons but should be seen as adequate vocabulary teaching
tools. Students’ state that by using these different sources combined with the course
textbook, vocabulary learning can be more effective and that variety of input can be the
optimal aid in learning new vocabulary as it provides variation in different areas of
proficiency. However, since the data was collected by using questionnaires, there was no
opportunity to ask the students to expand on their answers where needed. In a future
study a different method of collecting the data, such as interviews, would provide
opportunities both to obtain answers that are more elaborate as well as to ask follow-up
questions.

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 References

Beck, I.L., McKeown, M.G. & Kucan, L. 2002. Bringing words to life: robust vocabulary
instruction. New York: Guilford press..

Bensoussan, M., Sim, D. and Weiss, R. 1984. The effect of dictionary usage on EFL test
performance compared with student and teacher attitudes and expectations. Reading in a
Foreign Language. 2: 262-76.

Coady, J.,Huckin,T.2003. Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition. Cambridge

University Press. Cambridge

Dörneyi,Z.2002. Questionnaires in Second Language Research. Lawrence Erlbaum

Associates, Publishers. New Jersey.

magoosh.com/toefl/2014/12-fun-ways-to-learn-and-remember-new-english-vocabulary

content.wisestep.com/best-ways-learn-vocabulary-fast-effectively

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