Exploring the relationship between vocabulary learning problems and strategies among non-English major students at a public university

Abstract

The issue of vocabulary learning is still a big problem for non-English major students in Vietnamese universities, due to the limited exposure in classes which often leads to slow lexical acquisition. This research investigates the correlation between vocabulary learning difficulties and strategy use for 224 non-English majors at the Vietnamese public university applying a quantitate correlational design along with a confirmed questionnaire. The results indicate that learners faced vocabulary learning challenges at a moderately high level, with the most important problems being lexical ambiguity, pronunciation-spelling inconsistency, and lack of interest in learning. Also, they often admitted using compensatory tactics, especially consulting dictionaries, taking notes, and watching English media. The gender analysis shows that female students are more aware of lexical difficulties and use strategies more often than males. Also, students recognizing the least difficulties adopt more proactive and self-regulated strategies whereas the opposite is true for those who perceive their vocabulary knowledge as insufficient. These results indicate that individuals’ awareness of lexical issues is coupled with their level of strategic involvement, meaning that if vocabulary instruction based on strategies is used, it can lead to the development of the adaptive and self-regulated learning skills necessary for the Vietnamese EFL contexts.