Vocabulary learning strategies and vocabulary size: Insights from educational level and learner styles

Abstract

This study investigates the effect of different vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) as well as different learner styles on vocabulary size in Saudi Arabic-speaking students in higher education. The goals of this study were to examine which VLS undergraduates used more frequently than postgraduates and vice versa, to determine which VLS related positively and significantly to vocabulary size, and to explore individual learner styles and their relationship to vocabulary size. Participants filled in a VLS questionnaire and completed a vocabulary size test. The results indicated that undergraduates tended to use simpler strategies than postgraduates. The strategies of guessing a word’s meaning from context and watching television related positively with vocabulary size in both groups. Clustering analysis revealed two learner groups which differed in how frequently they used VLS overall, rather than in terms of which VLS they preferred. Those students who used more VLS overall also had larger vocabulary sizes, irrespective of educational level. We thus found no evidence for differences in individual learner styles in the current groups. We conclude that VLS usage should be encouraged overall, but that the need for instructors to cater to individual vocabulary learning styles may not be warranted.

Effects of Language Skills and Strategy Use on Vocabulary Learning Through Lexical Translation and Inferencing

“…The current study follows on from the results of Alahmadi (2015) and Alahmadi et al (2018), where we found a significant positive relationship between inferencing and vocabulary size across two participant groups. However, it was not clear whether engaging in inferencing increased participants' vocabulary size or whether learners with larger vocabulary sizes found inferencing easier (de la Garza and Harris 2017) and therefore used it more frequently.…”

“…The first finding is inconsistent with Alahmadi et al (2018) who found no such effect for postgraduates and the reverse effect for undergraduates, namely that those with higher vocabulary sizes reported asking instructors about word meanings more frequently than those with lower vocabulary sizes. This discrepancy may be due to participants' different vocabulary sizes across the two studies.…”

“…Previous studies have revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between the use of certain VLS and lexical knowledge (Alahmadi 2015;Alahmadi et al 2018;Al Qahtani 2005;Alqurashi 2013;Alsaif 2011;Hamzah et al 2009;Tanyer and Ozturk 2014). Of most relevance for the current study are VLS that relate to guessing the meaning of words from context and to dictionary use.…”

“…This discrepancy may be due to participants' different vocabulary sizes across the two studies. Undergraduates in Alahmadi et al (2018) had an average vocabulary size of 1976 words, compared to 3331 words for the current undergraduate participants and 5368 words for Alahmadi et al (2018)'s postgraduates. This pattern of results from Alahmadi et al (2018) and the current study could be explained by an inverse U-shaped relationship between vocabulary size and asking instructors about word meanings.…”

“…Several studies have found positive relationships between these two VLS and vocabulary knowledge in terms of breadth. For example, Alahmadi (2015), Alahmadi et al (2018) and Alsaif (2011) found a statistically significant positive relationship between the strategy of guessing a word's meaning from the provided context and English vocabulary knowledge in terms of breadth in Saudi participants across a range of educational levels. More generally, Alqurashi (2013) found that determination strategies, which include using monoligual or bililingual dictionaries and inferring meaning from context, showed the highest contribution (44%) to learners' vocabulary size, followed by social strategies (37%).…”