Investigating Vocabulary Learning Strategies in Thai High School Students: Science Program, Language Program and English Program

Abstract

This study investigated the vocabulary learning strategies used in Thai high school students. The aims of the project were threefold: (1) to identify the strategies used most and least frequently by the high school learners studying in different academic programs; (2) to compare if there are any differences in the uses of vocabulary learning strategies between different programs of study; and (3) to examine the relationship between strategy use when students learning vocabulary. A total of 491 high school students from different academic disciplines participated in this current study. A 47-item-questionnaire of vocabulary learning strategies was given to participants. Also, the qualitative data were collected through the semi-structured interview with 21 students. The interview recordings were immediately transcribed verbatim and translated from Thai into English to capture how things were said. The results indicated that the most frequently used strategies were determination strategies, whereas the least use fell into memory strategies. Indeed, the findings indicated that Thai high school participants used vocabulary learning strategies based on learning contexts. The qualitative findings further evinced the variety of vocabulary learning strategies with numerous degrees of strategy use. To conclude, this study highlighted the interrelatedness between vocabulary learning strategies and the use of strategies depends on the conditions for vocabulary learning.

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