Content area
Abstract
Given the significance of learning vocabulary in another language, many studies have recognized that the task influences learner's need to develop learning strategies to support their vocabulary learning efforts. However, a large body of research on vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) has paid disproportionate attention to the effectiveness of individual VLS and to their identification, rather than to strategies' relevance to L2 tasks.
This mixed-methods study investigated VLS when tied to specific reading and writing tasks in learning strategy inquiry. 438 ESL university students participated in the quantitative phase. Of them, eight participants from five different countries were involved in reading an academic text and writing summary of the text in the qualitative phase. The purposes of this study are: (1) to explore task-specific VLS uses in academic reading and writing; (2) to examine underlying constructs in VLS; (3) to investigate the relationship between VLS use and key factors comprised of learner variables and vocabulary proficiency; (4) to investigate the similarities or differences among the learners clustered by vocabulary proficiency (VP) (e.g., low or high VP) and frequency of their VLS use (e.g., active or inactive use of VLS).
Based on the data collected from the skill-related VLS instrument, Vocabulary Size Test, pre-/post-task interviews, and think-aloud protocols, the key findings revealed the participants in reading frequently used look-up strategies and cognitive-mediated strategies. While writing, they frequently used interpretive resource-driven strategies to gain and confirm the meaning and usage of unknown words. Overall, high active VLS users consciously tried to improve vocabulary knowledge consistently investing time and effort into learning vocabulary. Additionally, they tended to orchestrate multiple strategies in combined or sequential ways depending on the tasks, needs, and prior knowledge, whereas the low active VLS users with low VP tended to employ isolated and non-sequential strategy in L2 reading and writing tasks. The implications for vocabulary instruction include low active VLS users should broaden their repertoire of VLS while also learning to use VLS in sequential ways to compensate for their lower vocabulary knowledge in L2 academic reading and writing.
