ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to register my profound gratitude to Mrs Nguyen Thi Le, my supervisor, for her invaluable instructions, expertise and encouragement I would like to express my appreciation to the students as well as lecturers at Hanoi Pedagogical University N0.2 whose participations and opinions are the valuable materials for my research I would also like to give my special thanks to my classmates and my friends whose warm support and enthusiasm have contributed greatly to the development of the research Lastly, I am greatly to my family for their kindly encouragement endless support during the research’s finalization i ABSTRACT Vocabulary learning strategies play an important role in vocabulary learning Admittedly, lack of vocabulary knowledge will have an effect on all four of language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking In addition, vocabulary learning and word retention are always the problems encountered by students at university This study, hence, investigates EFL students studying English as a second language in Hanoi Pedagogical University N0.2 This study explores the strategy use of vocabulary learning among EFL learners The study could not have been completed without the help of FLF students at HPU2 A sample of 100 respondents participated in the study Data collection was carried out through questionnaires The results revealed awareness of students about how importance of vocabulary learning is in learning English, their beliefs in learning English vocabulary and their strategies most used in learning new words Based on the results of the survey, some effective strategies for students in learning new words are presented to help them as well as those who have interest in the field of learning English vocabulary ii STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP Title: A study on how to enrich English vocabulary for the first-year English major students at Hanoi Pedagogical University N0.2 (Graduation paper submitted in partial fulfillment of the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in English) I certify that no part of this study has been copied or reproduced by me from any other person’s work without acknowledgements and that the study is originally written by me under strict guidance from my supervisor Date submitted: May 2013 Student Supervisor Luu Thi Hong Men Nguyen Thi Le, M.A iii LIST OF ABBREVIATION EFL : English as a Foreign Language FLF : Foreign Language Faculty HPU2 : Hanoi Pedagogical University N0.2 L1 : Native language L2 : Second language LLS : Language learning strategies VLS : Vocabulary learning strategies iv LIST OF TABLES Table 1: A taxonomy of Schmitt’s vocabulary learning strategies Table 2: Personal information of the study participants Table 3: The importance of vocabulary learning Table 4: Attitudes of students toward learning of English vocabulary Table 5: The most-used strategies reported by students Table 6: The frequency of vocabulary learning strategies students v TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgements i Abstract ii Statement of authorship iii List of abbreviation iv List of tables v Table of contents vi PART ONE INTRODUCTION I Rationale II Aim of the study III Scope of the study IV Methods of the study V Significance of the study VI Design of the study PART TWO DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER ONE: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND I.1: Literature review in brief I.2 Language learning strategies (LLS) I.2.1.The definitions of learning strategy I.2.2.The characteristics of learning strategy I.3 Vocabulary and vocabulary learning strategies I.3.1 Knowing a word I.3.2 Vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) I.3.2.1 The definitions of vocabulary learning strategies I.3.2.2 Classifications of vocabulary learning strategies I.3.2.2.1 O’ Malley & Chamot’s VLS classification I.3.2.2.2 Gu and Johnson’s VLS classification I.3.2.2.3 Nation’s VLS classification vi I.3.2.2.4 Oxford’s VLS classification I.3.2.3 Clarifying Schmitt’s vocabulary learning strategies 10 CHAPTER TWO: METHODOLOGY II.1 Participants 14 II.2 Research instrument 14 II.3 Data collection 15 II.4 Method of data analysis 15 II.5 Data analysis 15 II.5.1 Students’ background information 15 II.5.2 Students’ attitudes of learning vocabulary 16 II.5.3 Students’ ways of learning vocabulary 18 CHAPTER THREE: MAJOR FINDINGS, DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATION OF SEVERAL EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR ENRICHING ENGLISH VOCABULARY III.1: Major findings and discussion 25 III.2: Recommendation of several effective strategies to enrich English vocabulary for the first-year English major students at Hanoi Pedagogical University N0 26 III.2.1: Reading English materials as much as you can 26 III.2.2: Using a dictionary 27 III.2.3: Learning roots, prefixes, suffixes 28 III.2.4: Create your own theme groups 29 III.2.5: Making your own word list 31 III.2.6: Using a thesaurus 31 III.2.7: Listening to the radio and watch film and television programs that use a college-level vocabulary 32 III.2.8: Using some vocabulary websites 32 vii PART THREE CONCLUSION CONCLUSION 34 REFERENCES 35 APPENDIX 37 SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES 37 viii PART ONE INTRODUCTION I Rationale Vocabulary is central to language and is of great significance to language learners Words are the building blocks of a language since they label objects, actions, ideas without which people cannot convey the intended meaning The prominent role of vocabulary knowledge in second or foreign language learning has been recently recognized by theorists and researchers in the field Wilkins (1976, cited in Thornbury 2002, p.13) contends that “without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed”, hence the crucial role of vocabulary in language learning English language is very important and in learning English language students have to learn vocabulary Vocabulary is a vital aspect in language, because it is essential for enhancing the four basic language skills, namely listening, speaking, reading and writing It is of utmost importance to people’s communication and language learning Learning vocabulary is a very important part of learning a language The more words you know, the more you will be able to understand what you hear and read; and the better you will be able to communicate (speak and write) clearly and concisely In fact, many first-year English major students realize that their vocabulary is limited so that they have difficulties in expressing their idea Another problem student faces in learning English vocabulary is that they learn new words, but they tend to forget what they have learned quite soon after they just learned them Moreover, students often complain they don’t know how to memorize massive vocabulary and thus, in turn, lose interest in English learning However, increasing English vocabulary is a challenging task because it depends on many factors such as the teachers, students, learning strategies and so on This task still needs more attention and research From my own interest in the field of vocabulary and the need to exploit efficient learning strategies that students can use to increase their vocabulary, I have conducted the study with the title: “A study on how to enrich English vocabulary for the first-year English major students at Hanoi Pedagogical University N0.2.” II Aim of the Study The ultimate goal of the study is to help the first-year English major students to establish and enrich their English vocabulary learning The study aims specifically to: 1) Explore students’ attitudes of English vocabulary learning 2) Explore strategies are used the most by the EFL students in English vocabulary learning 3) Suggest some effective strategies to improve students’ vocabulary learning III Scope of the Study The general research area of this study is vocabulary The phenomenon is strategies for learning vocabulary made by the first-year students of English of Foreign Language Faculty at HPU2 in the academic year of 2012/2013 Others relating to vocabulary are also briefly mentioned The population involved in the study is one hundred the first-year English major students at HPU2 IV Methods of the Study The study was carried out based on material collection and survey questionnaires For the theoretical basis, referential materials on English vocabulary and strategies for enriching vocabulary were gathered, synthesized and analyzed The problems were also pointed out, implications and suggestions were included For the practical basis, all the information and experience gathered from survey questionnaires with the first-year English major students were used to find out the effective strategies for enriching English vocabulary understand and tenth, I keep a vocabulary notebook to jot down new words I want to learn The strategy which students use the most was “I ask my teacher for a meaning of a new word” This definitely showed that the participants rely on a teacher and ask questions In my opinion, the students should not use this strategy a lot since it limits the students in becoming independent learners In general, students used some good strategies and they prefer learning a new word by writing and repetition Unfortunately, combination of vocabulary learning strategies is not used at all and this strategy should be encouraged among the students Using many useful strategies is a deep strategy which leads to word retention III.2 Recommendations of several effective strategies to enrich English vocabulary for the first-year English major students at HPU2 In this section, the author would like to suggest several efficient and practical strategies to increase the first-year students’ English vocabulary III.2.1 Reading English materials as much as you can Reading as much as you can is an effective approach for increasing vocabulary Through extensive reading, you can form your sensitivity to language and become more familiar with a good deal of words, from which you will benefit in future reading and writing By reading as many magazines, fiction and non-fiction books, and journals as you can, you will encounter new words You can guess the meanings of many of these words by their context – that is, you will get a clue to the meaning from the words that surround the new word If you are still not sure, you can look up the word in a dictionary to check if you were right It is very useful to read all genres of books, but this doesn’t mean you should start reading medical textbooks or other books with lots of new words on every page Choose books that you find quite easy to read You should read non-fiction and technical books because these will rapidly teach you not only new ways to speak, but also new ways to think Set aside time each day to sit down with your book You also should try to read the long, difficult stories in national, 26 international and business newspapers and magazines, especially the columnists’ blogs A magazine such as the Economist or Time is a great option where few newspapers are available because a subscription can be mailed any where economically Also you try to read at least one book and several magazines every week Not just this week and the next week, but every week for a long time As well as improving your vocabulary, you will also keep updated and backdated, and your general knowledge will increase One important point is that you should add the new words you meet in your reading to your own vocabulary When you see an unfamiliar word in a book, magazine, manual, etc., not skip over it impatiently Instead, pause for a moment and get used to its sound and its appearance At first, you should try to puzzle out its possible meaning in the context of the sentence Whether you come to the right conclusion or not is of no importance What is important is that, by that process, you're becoming super conscious of the new word As a result, you will suddenly notice that this word pops up unexpectedly again and again in all sorts of places For now your mind has been alerted to notice it Once you've tried this exercise, look it up in the dictionary and confirm its meaning After you've seen each newly learned word a few times, you will know fairly accurately not only what it means but also the many ways in which it can be used; best of all, it'll now form a part of your natural vocabulary III.2.2 Using a dictionary If you want to learn English vocabulary, you should have a good dictionary, preferably a college-level dictionary The dictionary should be all English (English-English dictionary), not a bilingual one A good dictionary should include the following information about a word:  Its pronunciation  Its part of speech (noun, adjective, verb, adverb)  A clear, simple definition  An example of the word used in a sentence or phrase  Its origin (root, prefix) 27 You don’t really know a word until you know how to pronounce it properly This is why a good dictionary shows you the pronunciation of each word It is not only the sound but the stress pattern which is important Remember you can use your dictionary in many ways – not just when you are not sure of the meaning of a word When you look up a word in the dictionary, you should make sure you know how to pronounce it One problem is that you know where the stress is If you stress a word wrongly, it makes you very difficult to understand Stress is often more important than perfect pronunciation A good dictionary will show you a word’s part of speech Words often have different grammatical forms Many words in English can be used in different ways When you look up a word in a dictionary, don’t stop at the first definition See how many other ways you can use it Sometimes one meaning is similar to another; sometimes the same word has several completely different meanings Don’t just learn one meaning of a new word; expand your vocabulary quickly by learning how to use the same word in different ways Use one with explanations that are easy to understand and which has sentences showing how you use the words Some words often occur with other words; they form word partnership A good dictionary will give examples of the way in which words go together like phrase verb This makes listening and reading easier because when you see one word you expect the other III.2.3 Learning roots, prefixes, suffixes Roots and prefixes from Latin and Greek make up many English words It has been estimated that more than half of all English words come from Latin and Greek Prefixes and suffixes are additions placed at the beginning and end of a root word to modify its meaning Learning roots, prefixes and suffixes will help you enrich your vocabulary A root is the base element of a word For example: “Pose” is a root meaning “put.” Study of the Greek and Latin root words provides a strong foundation for vocabulary development For example, if the student knows the Latin root “script” 28 = “write” they can better understand the meaning of the words scribe; transcribe, manuscript, prescription, inscription, describe, transcript A prefix is a word element that is placed before a root Adding a prefix to a root changes the meaning For example: “Ex-” is a prefix meaning “out” or “from.” “Expose” (prefix + root) means to uncover, disclose, or reveal (to “put out”) E.g When the tide went out, the shipwreck was exposed Prefixes rarely form a new part of speech and can be classified in many ways, either according to their origin on function or meaning A suffix is a word element that is placed after a root It changes the meaning of a root, too For example: “-tion” is a suffix that indicates a noun form An “imposition” (prefix + root + suffix) is a state of affairs in which someone inflicts (imposes) on someone a set of conditions that needs to be met E.g It was an imposition to ask him to go miles out of his way to pick up your package Suffixes change the meaning of stems both in lexical and grammatical meaning Suffixes also transfer words into different parts of speech There are four groups of suffixes:  Noun suffixes: -er, -or, -ing, -tion, -ness, etc E.g Learner, actor, studying, organization, happiness, etc  Verb suffixes: -fy, -ize, -en, etc E.g Beautify, economize, lengthen, etc  Adjective suffixes: -ful, -able, -less, etc E.g Beautiful, eatable, worthless, etc  Adverb suffixes: -ly, -wise, etc E.g Quickly, likewise, etc III.2.4 Create your own theme groups Words are easier to remember and learn when you group words with similar meanings under a theme For example, 29 be fond of devoted to cherish adore Then you can make another theme with the opposite detest loathe abhor repel despise New vocabulary items are best learned with a group of words associated with a theme You may know and recognize some of the words in each theme This will help you remember the new words that you not know Some words come under the same general meaning but differ slightly in meaning and use For example, if you take the theme “Type of light,” light,” you find several words that mean “to shine” such as glisten, twinkle, sparkle and glow The word “glisten” means “to shine,” but it is often associated with things that are wet, whereas the word “twinkle” implies the light is unsteady and is often associated with the star or a person’s eye “To sparkle” means to give small flashes of light, whereas “to glow” means to give a soft light or heat Use associations to remember remember the differences in meaning For instance, “sparkle” – diamonds, glass, water; “glow” – soft, warm light of a fire glisten glow TYPES OF LIGHT sparkle 30 twinkle Here is a word chart for professions: Concerning money Helping people Working with machinery Economist Social worker Engineer Banker Therapist Mechanic Stock broker Counselor III.2.5 Making your own word list Get a notebook for your vocabulary study and use it to create your own word list Whenever you read and come across a word you don’t know, write it down in your notebook together with the sentence in which you found it You should try to work out the meaning of the word from its context Then you look the word up in a dictionary and write the definition in your notebook Also, you write down any other information such as the root of the word, and see how it is connected to the meaning Lastly, you write your own sentence using the word Writing will help you remember the word and its meaning You should try to add a new word to your list every day III.2.6 Using a thesaurus It is easier to remember a word if you know related words A thesaurus is a good source for finding words that are related It may also list expressions that the words are used in To use a thesaurus, you look up the word you want in the index at the back The index entry is followed by one or more references, all of which are in some ways related to the word you are looking up (although they are not necessarily synonyms) A number following each reference will direct you to a section that contains lists of further related words Use your dictionary to find the precise meaning for any word you are unsure of Synonyms are words that have almost the same meaning; antonyms are words that have almost the opposite meaning Knowing the synonyms and antonyms of a word will expand your vocabulary Some dictionaries of synonyms 31 and antonyms explain each synonym and how it differs in meaning for other synonyms Since no two words have the exact same meaning, this is very useful for you III.2.7 Listening to the radio and watch film and television programs that use a college-level vocabulary Listening to good programs on the radio and television as well as to people who speak English well is another way of improving your vocabulary Since you cannot always ask the speaker to tell you what a particular word means, write down the words and look them up later Watching only network television (ABC, CBS, and NBC) and listening to only mainstream radio stations limits your exposure to new vocabulary Here are some local sources that will expose you to a wider vocabulary: Radio: - National Public Radio (in Western New York, WBFO FM-88.7), particularly "Morning Edition" from – 9am, and "All Things Considered" from – 7pm – CBC (from Toronto, AM 740) Television: - PBS (in Western New York and Southern Ontario, channel 17) – just about any program that interests you; also, instead of watching the news on the networks, try the News Hour with Jim Lehrer, from 6:30 – 7:30 pm on Channel 17 (or 7-8 pm on Channel 23) It is also useful to watch films which you are interested in with English subtitle III.2.8 Using some vocabulary websites You can use the internet as an aid to vocabulary development by exploring the abundant opportunities for learning available on the World Wide Web Look at vocabulary websites, especially those with a "Word of the Day." There are some great websites that can help you increase your vocabulary Many have games, and look for a "Word of the Day" feature Here are some useful sites: www.vocabulary.com www.readersdigest.com (click on “Word Power”) www.wordcentral.com 32 www.m-w.com/game/ (This web site by Merriam-Webster, the dictionary company, includes a very good “Word of the Day” page www.wordsmyth.net http://www.nytimes.com/learning/stud day/index.html (Another excellent “Word of the Day” feature www.worldwidewords.org http://home.earthlink.net/~ruthpett/safari/megalist.htm 33 PART THREE CONCLUSION It is apparent that vocabulary is an important ingredient of language and vocabulary learning is an essential part of second or foreign language learning Language learners need a wide array of target language words to be able to tackle successfully both production and comprehension activities in the second or foreign language However, students often have difficulties in learning English vocabulary because they must face with a great deal of vocabulary It is not easy to remember new words that they have learned One of reason for this situation is the lack of vocabulary learning strategies Learning new vocabulary is a challenge to foreign language students but they can overcome by having access to a variety of vocabulary learning strategies Students need to engage more strategies to enhance their learning and memory of the vocabulary Understanding the difficulties that the students have to encounter in learning new words, the study “How to enrich English vocabulary for the first-year English major students at Hanoi Pedagogical University N0.2” is specially designed In chapter one, the author presented the theoretical background of language learning strategies and vocabulary learning strategies In the next chapter, the results of the data showed that the strategies most often used by the first-year students at HPU2 In the last chapter, vocabulary learning strategies that students can employ is suggested It is hoped that the study will be significant in both theoretical and practical field to better the current situation of learning English vocabulary at HPU2 34 REFERENCES Beck, I L., McKeown, M G., & Kucan, L (2002) Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction New York: Guilford Chamot, A U (1987) The Learning Strategies of ESL Students In A Wenden and J Cohen, A D (1990) Language Learning: Insights for Learners, Teachers, and Researches Newbury House Cohen, A D (2000) Strategies in Learning and Using a Second Language Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press Cook, L K., & Mayer, R E (1983) Reading Strategies Training for Meaningful Learning from Prose New York: Springer Verlag Ellis, R (1997) Second Language Acquisition Oxford: Oxford University Press Flower, J., & Berman, M (1989) Build Your Vocabulary Hove: Language Teaching Publication Flower, J., & Berman, M (1989) Build Your Vocabulary Hove: Language Teaching Publication Greever, G., & Bachelor, J M (1922) The Century Vocabulary Builder New York: The Century Co Gu, Y Q., & Johnson, R K (1996) Vocabulary Learning Strategies and Language Learning Outcomes Language Learning, 46(4), 643-679 Kupper, L., & Russo, R P (1985) Learning Strategies Used by Beginning and Intermediate ESL Students Language Learning, 35(1), 21-46 Lasey, C (1990) Increase Your Vocabulary Oxford: Oxford University Press Lawson, M J., & Hogben, D (1996) The Vocabulary Learning Strategies of Foreign Language Students Language Learning, 46(1), 101-135 Mallery, R D (1944) How to Enlarge and Improve Your Vocabulary Philadelphia: The New Home Library McCarthy, M (1990) Vocabulary Hong kong: Oxford University Press 35 Morgan, J., & Rinvolucri, M (1986) Vocabulary Oxford: Oxford University Press Nation, I S P (2001) Learning Vocabulary in Another Language Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Nunan, D (1992) Research Methods in Language Learning Cambridge: Cambridge University Press O'Malley, J M., & Chamot, A U (1990) Learning Strategies in Second Language Acquisition Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Oxford, R L (1990) Language Learning Strategies Newbury House Oxford, R L (1990) Language Learning Strategies: What Every Teacher Should Know Boston: Heinle & Heinle Read, J (2000) Assessing Vocabulary UK: Cambridge University Press Rubin (Eds.) Learner Strategies in Language Learning New York: Prentice Hall Schmitt, N., & McCarthy, M (1997) Vocabulary Description, Acquisition and Pedagogy Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Schmitt, N (2000) Vocabulary in Language Teaching Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Skehan, P (1989) Individual Differences in Second Language Learning London: Edward Arnold Višnia Pavičić Takač (2008) Vocabulary Learning Strategies and Foreign Language Acquisition Multilingual Matters Wilkins, D A (1976) Notional Syllabuses London: Oxford University Press 36 APPENDIX: Survey Questionnaires BACKGROUND QUESTIONNAIRE Name Date _ Age _ Gender Please answer below questions and circle the options which are true to you You choose one option for each question How long have you been learning English? _ Do you enjoy learning English? A YES B NO How you rate your English proficiency? A Poor B Good C Very good How important you think vocabulary learning is in learning English? A Very important B Important C Not important What you think of learning English vocabulary? A Very difficult B Difficult C Not difficult Have you ever had any instructions (either by book or instructor) on different strategies to learn English vocabulary? A YES B NO 37 QUESTIONNAIRE Instructions The purpose of this survey is to collect information about the techniques you use when you learn English words, that is what you learn unknown words All the items below refer to different ways students use when learning English vocabulary Each statement is followed by five numbers, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, that you have to circle For items 32, 33, and 34 add any other strategy that you use but are not included in the taxonomy Key: = never or almost never use this strategy = I occasionally use this strategy = I sometimes use this strategy = I usually use this strategy = I always use this strategy Please read each statement carefully and then circle the answer that applies for you There are no right or wrong answer responses to any of the items on this survey and for this reason it is very important that you express your true opinion in this survey I think of relationship between what I already know and new things I learn in English I use new English words in a sentence so I can remember them I remember a new English word by making a mental picture of a situation in which the word might be used I use rhymes to remember new English words 5 I use flashcards to remember new English words I physically act out new English words 38 I review English lessons often I remember new English words or phrases by remembering their location on the page, on the board, or on a street sign I keep a vocabulary notebook to jot down new words I want to learn 10 I try to make use of prefixes and suffixes when learning a word 11 I try to learn the new word by repeating it out loud several times 12 I make a list of new words with Vietnamese translation and memorize them 13 I think of cognate words to understand the meaning of a word 14 I say or write new English words several times 15 I try to talk like native speakers 16 I use the English words I know in different ways 17 I start conversations in English 18 I watch English language TV shows spoken in English or go to movies spoken in English 19 I read for pleasure in English 20 I write notes, messages, letters, or reports in English 39 21 I look for words in my own language that are similar to new words in English 22 I find the meaning of an English word by dividing it into parts that I understand 23 I try not to translate word-by-word 24 To understand unfamiliar English words, I make guesses 25 I read English without looking up every new word 26 I translate passages from English to native language and vice versa 27 I study new words later in order to remember them 28 I use monolingual dictionary to discover the meaning of a new word 29 I use bilingual dictionary to discover the meaning of a new word 30 I use online dictionary to discover the meaning of a new word 31 I ask my teacher for a meaning of a new word 32……………………………………………………………………………… 33 ………………………………………………………………………………… 34 ………………………………………………………………………………… Modified based on Oxford’s Strategies Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) 1990 40 [...]... studying vocabulary learning strategies like Oxford (1990), Gu and Johnson (1996), Nation (20 01), Višnia Pavičić Takač (20 08) They each have their own way to describe the vocabulary learning strategies Generally, they focus their attention on the definition, classification, characteristics and uses of the vocabulary learning strategies In the book Learning Vocabulary in Another Language, Nation (20 01)... important ( 72% ) and no one felt that it was not important at all Almost students thought that learning English vocabulary was difficult and it was a good point that some students thought that learning vocabulary is not difficult (8%) This was expected because students knew that vocabulary development is a critical aspect of fluent communication However, the study investigated that out of 100 participants... strategy which leads to word retention III .2 Recommendations of several effective strategies to enrich English vocabulary for the first- year English major students at HPU2 In this section, the author would like to suggest several efficient and practical strategies to increase the first- year students English vocabulary III .2. 1 Reading English materials as much as you can Reading as much as you can... from students questionnaires were analyzed qualitatively to describe what strategies were used in English vocabulary learning The information was then displayed in forms of tables II.5 Data analysis This chapter presents the results of the research study The first section, the student background questionnaire reports what is the English learning background of the participant and what they feel about... learning vocabulary The second section, vocabulary learning strategies questionnaire reports the learning strategies used by learners II.5.1 Students background information In the first phase of the research, a six-item questionnaire was given to the respondents The background questionnaire collected data on a variety of background categories The participants have indicated their name, age, gender and... data collection and data analysis are extremely helpful for the author to have better understanding about students opinions on the English vocabulary learning and their preferences for the strategies they often applies as well First, the results showed that students were aware of the importance of learning vocabulary in learning English language Most of them believed that vocabulary learning was very... Significance of the Study The study was carried out to give a clear picture about vocabulary learning of the first- year English major students at HPU2 It also highlights the important role of enriching English vocabulary More importantly, it offers the theoretical basis for the implication of vocabulary strategies Pedagogically, the findings of the study are believed to be useful for the first- year English. .. lexical knowledge There is no doubt that attention to form and meaning of the unknown lead to a word retention In some case this may involve memorization of units that will later be analyzed and in other cases may involve learning a rule or pattern that is subsequently practiced and used I.3 .2 Vocabulary learning strategies I.3 .2. 1 The definitions of vocabulary learning strategies Researchers define vocabulary. .. minutes After the questionnaires were returned, the data were collected and the data were selected by analyzing the questionnaire individually II.4 Method of data analysis The data was analyzed using descriptive statistics to see the overall patterns of vocabulary learning strategies used by the 100 first- year English major students come from Course 38, Foreign Language Faculty at HPU2 Data collected... define vocabulary learning strategies just according to the definition of learning strategies Nation (20 01, p .21 7) states that vocabulary learning strategies are a part of language learning strategies which in turn are a part of general learning strategies” Based on O’Malley and Chamot’s (1990) definition of learning strategies, Schmitt (1997) defined that learning is the process by which information is ... vocabulary for the first- year English major students at Hanoi Pedagogical University N0.2.” II Aim of the Study The ultimate goal of the study is to help the first- year English major students to establish... information from the conversation or texts in listening and reading lessons They said that the reason for these difficulties is that they lack a great deal of vocabulary So, there is a need to. .. phenomenon is strategies for learning vocabulary made by the first- year students of English of Foreign Language Faculty at HPU2 in the academic year of 2012/2013 Others relating to vocabulary are also