Effective Vocabulary Learning StrategiesMA

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Effective Vocabulary Learning Strategies: Perspectives from Cambodian

Students and Teachers
Thesis · January 2011

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.17395.17445
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ROYAL UNIVERSITY OF PHNOM PENH
INSTITUTE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH
Effective Vocabulary Learning Strategies:

Perspectives from Cambodian Students and Teachers
A Research Report
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for the Degree of
Master of Arts (MA in TESOL)
By
Heng, Kimkong
Supervisor:
Meas, Sopheak
Phnom Penh 2011

DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this research report is my own original work except as cited in the
references and that it has not been previously submitted to this University or any other
institution for any degree, diploma, or qualification.
Heng, Kimkong
December, 2011
i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my research report supervisor, Mr. Meas
Sopheak, for his guidance, encouragement, support, patience and understanding. Without his
understanding and constructive feedback this written work would not have been possible. I am
deeply indebted to him.
I would also like to extend my thanks to all my lecturers at the Department of English in the
Institute of Foreign Languages, Royal University of Phnom Penh for their input, support, care
and inspiration throughout the whole course of my MA in TESOL study. My gratitude also goes
to Ms. Heng Sokha, the MA-in-TESOL coordinator, for her assistance in processing and making
my research proposal possible.
Moreover, I also owe my gratitude to the five teachers and five students at a private institute in
Cambodia where I conducted this research study for their voluntary and active participation. I
particularly would like to thank the Head of the Department of English of the Institute for
allowing me to carry out the study.
Last but not least, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to my beloved family, relatives and
friends for their love, care, support and encouragement. Without their presence and emotional
support, the writing of this research report would have been much harder and almost impossible.
Thus, I thank them all.
ii
ABSTRACT
Learning vocabulary is a basic constituent of learning a language. The more words we know, the
better we understand what we read and listen to. Our vocabulary knowledge also reflects how
well we can express ourselves in speaking and writing. Because of the importance of vocabulary
to the four macro skills as well as to our study and life, much attention has been paid and many
studies have been conducted to investigate effective vocabulary learning strategies. However,
not much research into the effective vocabulary learning strategies has been carried out in the
Asian EFL contexts, particularly in a Cambodian EFL setting. Therefore, this present was
initiated in order to investigate effective strategies for vocabulary learning perceived by five
Cambodian EFL teachers and students teaching and learning English at a private school in
Cambodia, respectively in order to identify what the most effective strategies are, how they are
used, and what can be drawn for the implications for vocabulary learning and teaching. In this
study, semi-structured interviews were used as a method of data collection, and the results
showed that there is a variety of effective strategies for learning vocabulary as well as a number
of common problems faced by Cambodian EFL teachers and students. Solutions to the problems
and suggestions to improve the process of teaching and learning vocabulary were then
presented, followed by implications for further research into effective vocabulary learning and
teaching strategies in the Cambodian EFL context.
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION......................................................................................... 1

Introduction.................................................................................................................................. 1
1.1. Rationale and Context of the Study........................................................................ 1
1.2. Purpose of the Study................................................................................................. 2
1.3. Structure of the Study ............................................................................................. 2
CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................... 3

Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 3
2.1. General Vocabulary Learning Strategies............................................................... 3
2.2. The Taxonomy of Vocabulary Learning Strategies.............................................. 4
2.3. The Most Frequently Used Vocabulary Learning Strategies………..…………. 5
2.4. Vocabulary Learning Strategies in Asian Contexts.............................................. 6
2.5. Difficulties in Learning and Teaching Vocabulary………………..……………. 7
2.6. Strategies to Cope with Difficulty in Learning Vocabulary …………………… 7
2.7. Research Questions ……………………………………………………………….. 8
CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY .................................................................................. 9

Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 9
3.1. Research Setting........................................................................................................ 9
3.2. Research Participant................................................................................................ 9
3.3. Research Design………………………………………………………………….. 10
3.4. Methods of Data Collection and Analysis…......................................................... 10
3.4.1. Research Ethics……………………………………………………………… 10
3.4.2. Semi-structured Interview…………………………………………………..... 11
CHAPTER FOUR FINDINGS ................................................................................................ 13

Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 13
4.1. Effective Vocabulary Learning Strategies............................................................ 13
4.1.1. Teachers’ Perceptions of Effective Vocabulary Learning Strategies………... 13
4.1.2. Students’ Perceptions of Effective Vocabulary Learning Strategies………… 15
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4.2. Effective Vocabulary Teaching Strategies……………………………………… 18
4.3. Problems of Learning and Teaching New Words and Solutions……………... 21
4.3.1. Problems of Learning New Words and Solutions……………………………. 21
4.3.2. Problems of Teaching New Words and Solutions……………………………. 22
4.4. Suggestions for the Improvement of the Process of Teaching and Learning
Vocabulary……………………………………………………………………………. 25
4.4.1. Suggestions for Students to Learn English Vocabulary Effectively……..…… 25
4.4.2. Suggestions for Teachers to Teach English Vocabulary Effectively………… 27
CHAPTER FIVE DISCUSSION.............................................................................................. 30

Introduction ............................................................................................................................... 30
5.1. Effective Vocabulary Learning Strategies……………………………………… 30
5.2. The Most Frequently Used Vocabulary Teaching Strategies……….………… 33
5.3. Common Problems in Learning and Teaching Vocabulary…………………... 35
5.4. Solutions to the Problem in Learning and Teaching Vocabulary...................... 36
5.5. Suggestions to Improve Vocabulary Teaching and Learning…........................ 38
CHAPTER SIX IMPLICATIONS & CONCLUSION.......................................................... 40

Introduction................................................................................................................................ 40
6.1. Pedagogical Implications ....................................................................................... 40
6.1.1. Implications for Language Teachers………………………………..…….. 40
6.1.2. Implications for Students of English…………………………….….……... 42
6.1.2.1. Vocabulary Learning Strategies Used by Cambodian EFL Students……… 42
6.1.2.2. Problems Teachers and Students Face in Learning and Teaching
Vocabulary………………………………………………………………………….. 42
6.1.2.3. What Students Should Do…………………………………….……………. 43
6.2. Limitations of the Study…………………………………………………………. 44
6.3. Research Implications…………………………………………………………… 44
6.4. Conclusion………………………………………………………………………... 45
REFERENCES.............................................................................................................................. 46
LIST OF APPENDICES.............................................................................................................. 51
v
Appendix 1: Consent Form............................................................................................. 52
Appendix 2: Interview Protocol..................................................................................... 53
Appendix 3: A Sample of Interview Script………………………………………........ 55
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LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.1 Problems students have while learning new words.................................................... 21

Table 4.2 Problems teachers have while teaching new words………………………..……….. 23
Table 4.3 Students’ suggestions on how to learn English vocabulary effectively...................... 25
Table 4.4 Teachers’ suggestions on how to learn English vocabulary effectively……............. 26
Table 4.5 Students’ suggestions on how to teach English vocabulary effectively……............. 27
Table 4.6 Teachers’ suggestions on how to teach English vocabulary effectively..................... 28
vii
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Introduction
This small scale case study is initiated in order to investigate effective strategies for vocabulary
learning used by five Cambodian EFL teachers and students teaching and studying English at
different levels (i.e. from elementary to advanced level) at a private school in Cambodia. This
introductory chapter will first present the rationale and context of the study, and then the
purpose of this study is highlighted, followed by a brief description of the structural
organization of the whole paper.
1.1. Rationale and Context of the Study
Vocabulary which is generally and widely considered to be one of the most essential elements
of a language plays a pivotal role in determining whether or not students will be successful in
learning a language and getting their message across. The extensive knowledge of vocabulary is
absolutely crucial and highly desirable. It is believed that vocabulary knowledge is vitally
important for the four macro skills, such as listening, reading, speaking and writing. Our lack of
vocabulary knowledge is more likely to result in great difficulty in expressing ourselves both in
speaking and writing. Because of the significance of vocabulary knowledge in effective
communication, vocabulary learning and instruction are attracting considerable attention from
researchers and practitioners, particularly students and teachers.
There are a lot of research that has been carried out in the area of vocabulary learning strategies
in order to determine the effective and most frequently used vocabulary learning strategies.
However, not much research into vocabulary learning strategies has been conducted in the
Asian EFL contexts, especially in Cambodian EFL context. Moreover, many Cambodian
students may not be aware of those crucial strategies and most teachers tend not to teach their
students explicitly how to apply vocabulary learning strategies as effectively as possible. This
1
might be due to the fact that vocabulary learning strategies have been taken for granted by both
teachers and students, and not many professional teacher-training courses regarding effective
vocabulary learning and teaching strategies have been made possible for Cambodian EFL
teachers. Therefore, this present study aims at investigating effective strategies for vocabulary
learning used by five Cambodian EFL teachers and students teaching and learning English at a
private school, respectively in order to identify what the most effective strategies are, how they
are used, and what can be drawn for the implications for vocabulary learning and teaching.
1.2. Purpose of the Study
This present case study was carried out with an aim to fill the gap of the lack of research into
vocabulary learning strategies in the Cambodian context and to raise both teachers and students’
awareness of the importance of strategies for learning vocabulary. It is hoped that the findings
from this study could arouse learners’ interest and enable them to select and use strategies for
vocabulary learning which are suitable for them. Moreover, this study may serve as a guide for
Cambodian EFL teachers who are interested in introducing effective vocabulary learning
strategies into their classroom, and it may also help teachers to instruct their learners to apply
vocabulary learning strategies as efficiently as possible in the context of Cambodian EFL
classrooms.
1.3. Structure of the Paper
Divided into six chapters, this paper shares the typical structure of the research study. In other
words, this paper starts with Chapter One – an introductory chapter – which introduces the
rationale and context of the study as well as the research objectives. Then Chapter Two reviews
the literature of the past study regarding the most frequently used and effective vocabulary
learning strategies, followed by the presentation of the research questions. Chapter Three
describes the research setting, participants, research design, methods of data collection and
analysis, together with the issue of ethical consideration, the so-called research ethics. Chapter
Four presents the findings of the study based on the three proposed research questions. Chapter
Five discusses the findings with reference to some of the literature review to highlight
similarities or differences. Chapter Six – a concluding chapter – concludes the paper by
presenting pedagogical implications, the limitations, and the conclusion of the study.
2
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Introduction
As its name suggests, this chapter reviews the literature of the past study in order to ensure that
this study is not done in ignorance of the previous related literature. In other words, literature
regarding vocabulary learning strategies has been consulted and examined. The literature review
in this chapter focuses on five important aspects of vocabulary learning strategies. First, general
vocabulary learning strategies are presented, and the taxonomy of vocabulary learning strategies
is then explored. After that this chapter looks at previous studies concerning the most frequently
used vocabulary learning strategies, followed by a brief examination of vocabulary learning
strategies in Asian context, difficulties in learning and teaching vocabulary, and strategies to
cope with difficulty in learning vocabulary. Finally, this chapter ends with the presentation of
the research questions.
2.1. General Vocabulary Learning Strategies
In order to find out effective vocabulary learning strategies, a large amount of research on
vocabulary learning strategies has been conducted. Most of the research focus on three
important areas: 1) general vocabulary learning strategies; 2) a taxonomy of vocabulary learning
strategies; and 3) the most frequently used vocabulary learning strategies (Lip, 2009; Nation,
2001; Oxford, 1990; Schmitt, 1997). The vocabulary learning strategies generally involve
cognitive strategies, metacognitive strategies and social strategies. According to Hedge (2000),
learners use a range of cognitive strategies in order to learn words such as using keywords,
making associations and learning words in group. He defines cognitive as a mental operation
concerned with working on new words in order to understand, categorize, and store them in a
mental lexicon. Similarly, Schmitt (1997) states that cognitive strategy including written and
spoken repetition, word lists and flash cards are common strategies used in many parts of the
world. Taking notes in class and keeping vocabulary notebooks are also useful and
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recommended by many teachers and writers. Metacognitive strategies, according to Schmitt
(1997, p. 216), “are used by students to control and evaluate their own learning, by having an
overview of the learning process in general.” Whereas social cognitive strategies involve asking
someone, usually teachers and peers, for the synonyms, definitions or example sentences of a
particular unfamiliar word.
According to Ghanal (2007), it is crucial to train learners to become independent during the
process of L2 vocabulary learning because independent learners are self-directed and capable of
taking responsibilities for their own learning and building up their confidence, involvement and
proficiency (Oxford, 1990, as cited in Ghanal, 2007). Therefore, teachers should raise students’
awareness of the importance of vocabulary learning strategies. Similarly, Hismanoglu (2000)
states that language learning strategies are very important because they help learners learn the
target language effectively. Fedderholdt (1997, as cited in Hismanoglu, 2000) suggests that “the
language learner capable of using a wide variety of language learning strategies appropriately
can improve his language skills in a better way.” Moreover, in their article, Hunt and Beglar
(2004) point out that teachers should emphasize the importance of guessing-from-context skills
by drawing students’ attention to the value of good sentence examples which provide
collocational, grammatical, and pragmatic information about words. They go on to point out that
vocabulary learning strategies, particularly extensive reading and listening, guessing from
context, and using dictionary play a major role in developing the learners’ vocabulary
knowledge.
2.2. The Taxonomy of Vocabulary Learning Strategies
In addition to the general vocabulary learning strategies mentioned above, the taxonomy of
vocabulary learning strategies have attracted many researchers’ attention. One of the most
famous taxonomy of vocabulary learning strategies is Schmitt’s (1997) taxonomy. In this
taxonomy, there are two main types of strategies: discovery strategies and consolidation
strategies. Discovery strategies include determination strategies and social strategies while
consolidation strategies encompass social strategies, memory strategies, cognitive strategies and
metacognitive strategies. According to Akbari and Tahririan (2009, p. 39), “Schmitt’s (1997)
taxonomy seems to be the most exhaustive and has the advantage of being organized around an
established scheme of language learning strategies.” Other well-known taxonomies of
4
vocabulary learning strategies are Oxford’s (1990) social, memory, cognitive, and
metacognitive strategies; Gu and Johnson’s (1996) metacognitive, cognitive, memory and
activation strategies; and Nation’s (2001) planning, source and processes categories.
Gu and Johnson’s (1996) metacognitive strategies, according to Ghanal (2007), consist of

selective attention and self-initiation strategies while cognitive strategies include guessing
strategies, dictionary uses, and note taking strategies. Memory strategies, on the other hand,
entail rehearsal and encoding (i.e. association, imagery, visual, auditory, semantic, and
contextual encoding) strategies. The last strategies in this taxonomy are activation strategies
which, as its name suggests, aims at activating the vocabulary that we have learned by using
them in different contexts. A more comprehensive taxonomy of vocabulary learning strategies,
however, is Schmitt’s (1997) taxonomy. Schmitt (1997) divides the strategies into two groups:
Discovery strategies (strategies for the discovery of a new word’s meaning) and Consolidation
strategies (strategies for consolidating a word once it has been encounter). The first group
consists of determination strategies and social strategies while the second includes social
strategies, memory strategies, cognitive strategies, and metacognitive strategies. It should be
noted that social strategies are found in both categories because they can be used at any stage of
vocabulary learning. Another recent taxonomy is that of Nation’s (2001). Nation categorized all
vocabulary learning strategies into three classes: planning, source and processes. The first
category, according to Ghanal (2007), involves making a decision on where, how and how often
to focus attention on the vocabulary item. The second category (i.e. source) is to do with getting
information about the word in order to know it. The third one includes noticing, retrieving and
generating (e.g. creating sentences containing new words) strategies.
The examination of the taxonomy of vocabulary learning strategies plays a crucial role in this
present study because it ensures that this study has consulted related literature, particularly the
famous taxonomies of vocabulary learning strategies as mentioned above. It also builds a
conceptual framework from which this study can be developed.
2.3. The Most Frequently Used Vocabulary Learning Strategies
Furthermore, a number of studies have been conducted to investigate the most frequently used
vocabulary learning strategies. In his study with Chinese EFL postsecondary students in Hong
5
Kong, Lip (2009, p. 77) found that “the most frequently used and most useful vocabulary
learning strategies are 1) spelling the word in the mind repeatedly; 2) analyzing the word by
breaking down the sound segments; and 3) remembering words by doing a project; and 4)
asking classmates for the meaning of the word.” In another study by Shiwu (2005) with EFL
learners in Taiwan, it is found that the most popular strategies used by students from different
age groups and levels are using electronic dictionaries, particularly bilingual dictionaries, and
guessing the meaning of the words from context. Another study reports that the use of
dictionary, simple use of context and repeated pronunciation of the word and its meaning are
among the most frequently used strategies of Indonesian postgraduate students in learning new
words (Subekti & Lawson, 2007). O’Malley and Chamot (1995) describe three main strategies
used by second language learners. Those three categories are metacognitive strategies, cognitive
strategies and social/affective strategies. They found that selective attention, preparation, self-
management, repetition, notetaking, imagery, and translation are among the most frequently
used vocabulary learning strategies while social/ affective strategies (e.g. cooperation and
questioning for clarification) were used infrequently.
2.4. Vocabulary Learning Strategies in Asian Contexts
Research has shown that a number of vocabulary learning strategies are employed by Asian
EFL learners. According to Suppasetseree and Saitakham (2008), for example, English and
non-English major students in Thailand use a variety of vocabulary learning strategies such as
guessing strategies, dictionary strategies, note-taking strategies, memory strategies, encoding,
and activation strategies. Moreover, in their study with English and non-English major students
at two universities in Thailand, it is found that high achieving students, regardless of their
majors, most frequently used guessing strategies (i.e. guessing vocabulary meaning from the
context), while low achievers preferred to use dictionary strategies for learning English
vocabulary. Another study in a similar context by Anugkakul (2011) which aimed at comparing
language learning strategies employed by Chinese and Thai students studying at a university in
Thailand revealed that Chinese students used language learning strategies more frequently that
Thai students. Moreover, it is found that compensation and meta-cognitive strategies were the
most frequently used strategies while memory strategies were the least frequently used among
the participants.
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2.5. Difficulties in Learning and Teaching Vocabulary
The fact that English has a vast number of words posts a big problem for students and teachers
alike. There are many studies focusing on difficulties in learning and teaching English
vocabulary. Because of the large vocabulary size, according to Nation and Meara (2002),
learners of English have many problems in trying to learn all the difficult or technical words
mainly found in the written text. They also find it hard to use the words in the right context and
to get their message across. Moreover, learners also have limited access to the kinds of texts that
they can read without any difficulty. The same authors also highlighted the negative impact of
vocabulary size on the way English is taught. They mentioned that teachers cannot hold high
expectations of their students because of the “sheer size of English vocabulary”.
Nation (2005, p. 47) also states that “the main problem with vocabulary teaching is that only a
few words and a small part of what is required to know a word can be dealt with at any one
time.” In another study with advanced English learners in China, Nan and Mingfang (2009)
found that many learners have problems with “word choices”. In other words, students have
difficulties putting their ideas into words, that is, they cannot find the right English words they
need to express their ideas in speaking and writing. The study also indicated that students also
have great difficulty with spelling, pronunciation and comprehension of the meaning of the
words.
I think all the problems mentioned above are not uncommon in the Cambodian EFL context.
This study will explore whether or not the selected participants share similar difficulties like
other Asian learners of English, and possible solutions will be made to tackle those problems.
2.6. Strategies to Cope with Difficulty in Learning Vocabulary
To cope with the difficulty in learning vocabulary, many studies have been initiated (e.g., Folse,
2008; Ghanal, 2007; Lew & Galas, 2008; Nan & Mingfang, 2009; Nation, 2007; Nation &
Meara, 2002). Folse (2008) suggested in his article that in order to help students succeed in their
vocabulary learning, three goals should be accomplished: (1) focus on the vocabulary, (2)
experience multiple retrievals of vocabulary and (3) develop successful vocabulary learning
strategies. He went on to suggest six vocabulary activities for the ESL/EFL classroom such as
7
(1) keeping a running list of words, (2) using vocabulary cards, (3) ranking vocabulary items,
(4) vocabulary ladder puzzle, (5) vocabulary sentence auction, and (6) scrambled vocabulary
envelopes. In addition, Ghanal (2007) also tried to raise an awareness of the importance of
helping students to become independent learners. He suggested that learners should be trained to
use vocabulary learning strategies effectively. Similarly, Lew and Galas (2008) who conducted
a study with Polish primary school children found that a dictionary skills training program is
really recommended because it improves students’ performance substantially and significantly.
Furthermore, to ease the problems regarding vocabulary learning, Nan and Mingfang (2009)
emphasized the significance of mastering a large number of high frequency words and
collocations. They suggested using the Voice of America (VOA) Special English program to
increase advanced English learners’ vocabulary and improve their spoken and written skills.
With a similar goal, that is, helping learners cope with difficulty in learning and improving
vocabulary, Nation (2007) recommended in his well known article on the Four Strands of a
language course that large amounts of comprehensible input through listening and reading
should be provided to the students. Moreover, students should be supported and encouraged to
produce the language both in spoken and written forms as much as possible. They should also
be trained to use the learning strategies which may contribute to their language learning,
particularly vocabulary learning.
2.7. Research Questions
In an attempt to find out effective vocabulary learning strategies used by the selected
Cambodian teachers and students, the following research questions are asked:
1. What do the teachers teaching English at a private school perceive as the most
effective vocabulary learning and teaching strategies for their students, and what
challenges do they have in using and teaching those strategies?
2. What do the students studying English at a private school perceive as the most
effective vocabulary learning strategies for themselves, and what challenges do they
have in using those strategies?
3. What suggestions can be made in order to improve the process of effective teaching
and leaning vocabulary?
8
CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Introduction
This chapter discusses such elements of the methodology of the study as the research setting, the
participants, research design, and the methods of data collection and analysis in which the
research ethics is also considered.
3.1. Research Setting
This research took place in one of the private English institutes in Cambodia where the
researcher currently works as a teacher of English. The institute under study is a North
American based standard institute specializing in English languages and computer skills. It has
been offering a series of general English language training programs for all learners of English
as a foreign language and computer studies for all students.
3.2. Research Participants
In this small-scale study, five Cambodian EFL teachers and five Cambodian EFL students who
were teaching and studying at a private institute in Phnom Penh, Cambodia were selected to
participate. The participants were teaching and learning English at different levels ranging from
an elementary to advanced level. The selection of these participants for the study was based
mainly on two reasons. The first one was to do with a matter of accessibility (i.e. convenience
sampling) since half of the participants were the researcher’s colleagues and the rest were
students studying at the school where the researcher works. Another reason was related to the
participants’ interest and willingness to participate in the study. In other words, the participation
in this study was entirely voluntary, and all participants were well informed about the purpose
of the study as well as the fact that their voices would be recorded for analysis before they
decided to participate. It should also be noted that a consent form was given to each participant
9
prior to the interview session in order to invite them formally to take part in the study as well as
to assure the anonymity and confidentiality of their information and identity.
3.3. Research Design
The fact that case study was selected as an investigative tool to examine students and teachers
informants’ perspectives on vocabulary learning strategies in this study is based on a number of
reasons. First, case study is “quite extensively used across a number of different disciplines”
(Swanson & Holton, 2005, as cited in Berg, 2009). Second, according to Bogdan and Biklen
(2003, ac cited in Berg, 2009), case study is defined as “a detailed examination of one setting, or
a single subject, a single depository of documents, or one particular event”. Moreover, Berg
(2009, p. 317) goes on to define that case study as a method which could “gather enough
information about a particular person, social setting, event, or group to permit the researcher to
effectively understand how the subject operates or functions”. Finally, case study is “an in-dept
exploration of an activity, event, process, or individuals”, and it focuses on individuals rather a
group (Creswell, 2005, p. 439). Case study, however, has been criticized by several critics.
Brown and Rodger (2002), for example, claimed that case study lacks scientific rigor and poses
threats to internal and external validity, and/or issues regarding reliability and generalizability.
Yet, because of the nature of this research study (i.e. investigating perspectives from single
individuals), case study is believed to be an appropriate investigative tool, as supported by Berg
(2009, p. 317) who stated that “case study is an approach capable of examining simple or
complex phenomenon, with units of analysis varying from single individuals to large
corporations and businesses”.
3.4. Methods of Data Collection and Analysis
3.4.1. Research Ethics
In order to assure the absence of any possible ethical issues regarding this study, verbal
permission was first sought from and granted by the Head of the English Department of the
institute under study. The participants were then invited to participate voluntarily in the study
based on their interest, willingness and availability. They were also made well aware of the
purposes of the study, the anonymity and confidentiality of their information, and their complete
10
freedom to withdraw from the study at any stage without any negative consequences or
discrimination. Moreover, by being given a consent form (see Appendix 1) to sign before the
interview was conducted, each participant was well informed that the one-on-one interview with
him/her would be recorded for analysis and only the researcher and his supervisor would have
access to the interview script and sound. It should also be noted that each participant received a
small notebook as a token of the researcher’s gratitude for their active participation. Although
they would not be able to get any extra benefit from this study, the information provided by
them would be of great value to other Cambodian EFL teachers and students who were
interested in learning more about effective vocabulary learning strategies. Moreover, their
information may shade some light on the issues of vocabulary learning strategies in the
Cambodian EFL context on which further research could be based.
3.4.2. Semi-structured Interview
To discover the vocabulary learning strategies used by the ten participants, ten separated in-
depth semi-structure interviews were used as the sole means of data collection in this study.
According to Creswell (2005), a semi-structure interview is one of the most useful methods in
collecting qualitative data because the interviewer could ask specific questions to elicit the
information from the participants and the interviewees could freely describe their personal
information in detail.
It should be noted that each selected teacher and student was informed about the purpose of the
study before they were interviewed, and permission to audio-tape each interview was requested.
After the interviewees agreed to have their interview audio-taped, the researcher started to pose
questions for discussion. There were seven main questions (see Appendix 2) and some probing
questions in order to collect data from the participants to answer the research questions. The
interviews were designed in two languages – English and Khmer – and all participants were
asked whether they would like the interview to be in English or Khmer. Most of the informants
chose to be interviewed in English while three of them preferred Khmer, which is their native
language. The interview lasted around 15 minutes, and at the end of each interview all
participants were assured of the anonymity and confidentiality of their information. After the
interviews, recordings were transcribed without any editing. The interview transcripts (see
11
Appendix 3 for a sample of the interview script) were then examined and compared with each
other to find out the patterns or themes which could be used to answer the research questions.
In order to ensure the practicality and clarity of the questions, one pilot interview was conducted
with a teacher at the institute being studied. The pilot resulted in one question being included to
further probe into the suggestions the participants might have regarding what to do to improve
the process of teaching and learning vocabulary.
12
CHAPTER FOUR
FINDINGS
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Introduction
This chapter which presents the findings of the study with reference to the three main research
questions is divided into four sections. Section 1 discusses the effective vocabulary learning
strategies by looking at different perspectives from student and teacher informants. Section 2
presents teacher informants’ view on effective vocabulary teaching strategies, and section 3
delineates the problems students and teachers face in learning and teaching vocabulary
respectively, followed by the presentation of possible solutions proposed by the participants.
Section 4 presents the findings which respond to the third research question – suggestions for
the improvement of the process of teaching and learning vocabulary.
Careful examination of the interview transcripts revealed four main themes described as
follows:
4.1. Effective Vocabulary Learning Strategies
4.1.1. Teachers’ Perceptions of Effective Vocabulary Learning Strategies
Teachers’ perceptions of effective vocabulary learning strategies is one of the research questions
in this study. After the data from the informants has been analyzed, it is found that “extensive
reading” is believed to be one of the most effective vocabulary learning strategies. They seemed
to express in a complete agreement that reading can effectively improve students’ vocabulary
because through reading can the students be exposed to a lot of new words as well as repeated
encounter with those words. One of them, for example, put it:
“For students, in order to improve their vocabulary, they have to read a lot. Because
when we read a lot, we meet a lot of words.” (Teacher E)
13
Besides extensive reading, the teacher informants also believed in the usefulness of putting the
words into practice. They asserted that one of the most effective strategies to learn English
vocabulary is to use the words that we have learned as much as possible. We can create example
sentences by using those new words, or we can use those words in our speaking and writing. As
one of the teachers commented:
“They should try to make examples by using the vocabulary that they have learned. They
should try to practice vocabulary often, they can speak, they can use vocabulary with
their friends or teachers or someone that they can.” (Teacher E)
The data from the study also indicated that memory strategies (e.g. memorization and repetition)
were considered to be effective strategies for vocabulary learning as well. Despite the decline in
popularity of Grammar Translation Method (GTM), it seems that memorization still manages to
be in the list of the effective vocabulary learning strategies among the teacher informants. As
one of them mentioned:
“The students should try to remember the spelling of the words and also the meaning of
the words because if the don’t remember the meaning of the words, they cannot use it.”
(Teacher D)
Apart from what has been mentioned above, there are a number of other strategies the
participants perceived to be effective for learning vocabulary such as note taking, dictionary use,
making our own dictionary (i.e. making wordlist alphabetically or by themes), and review. The
following are some of the comments which reflect their perceptions:
“They make their own dictionary, they kind of put all those new words together, arrange
it in alphabetical order so it helps them.” (Teacher B)
“So when we meet new words, we note it in our notebook. After we note those new
words, we check their meaning. After we check the meaning, we start to learn and figure
out how to remember those words.” (Teacher E)
14
Moreover, some of the teacher participants also stressed the significance of being active,
discovery, and independent learners when asked about effective vocabulary learning strategies.
They mentioned that students should be active learners in the classroom by actively involving
themselves in the class activities. They should try to figure out the techniques that work best for
them because there is not a single technique that works with everyone. One of the informants
put it this way:
“The most important point is that they try to involve in classroom activity when they
learn the vocabulary [...]. If they don’t involve in those activities, they will not
remember, just listen and then they will forget it.” (Teacher B)
From the findings, it should be noted that all teacher informants agreed on the effectiveness of
extensive reading in helping develop students’ vocabulary. They were also convinced that
putting new words that have just been learned into practice through speaking and writing is a
key factor which improves students’ vocabulary, particularly active one. Moreover, the findings
showed that note taking, dictionary use, memorization, and independent learning also contribute
to the success and development of students’ lexicon.
4.1.2. Students’ Perceptions of Effective Vocabulary Learning Strategies
Strategies students perceive to be effective for learning vocabulary is one of the research
questions this study seeks to answer. Based on the data analysis, it was found that most of the
student participants agreed that practice makes perfect. They believed that seeking an
opportunity to practice using new words in writing and speaking is very important for them to
remember the words. The following comments were typical:
“I also use the new words that I learn by creating the sentences using the new words. Try
to use the new words by speaking it out loud.” (Student A)
“…speaking can help us as well. For example, we can practice the words or phrases we
have taken note in our book with our classmates, especially our teacher.” (Student B)
15
Another strategy that all student informants believed to be a facilitating factor in improving their
English vocabulary is reading. They pointed out that reading not only offers them plenty of
chances to meet new words, but also provides them with constant exposure to those words,
which is one of the major stimuli to remembering and improving new words. Most of the
participants tended to state in agreement about the importance of reading such as the following:
“I think reading books is most effectively to learn English vocabulary because I like
reading books when I feel lonely and I also can learn from it so much for both
vocabulary and speaking skill.” (Student A)
“To remember the words, I often read books. For me I like reading because when I read,
I meet the words again and again which makes me remember the words. I also read
newspapers, magazines, especially story books which have lots of new words.” (Student
C)
The data from the study also indicated that the use of dictionary plays a pivotal role in the
process of learning new words as well as the development of students’ vocabulary. This is not
surprising since dictionary is obviously crucial for a comprehensive understanding of new
words. It provides students with all necessary information needed to know a word such as its
parts of speech, spellings, pronunciations, definitions, usage notes and other grammatical
features. Almost all participants seem to share similar opinion regarding the importance of the
dictionary in helping them to know new words. One of them commented as follows:
“I always highlight difficult words when I meet them. I take note those words and check
the dictionary for their meaning, parts of speech, pronunciation and how they are used.”
(Student C)
Moreover, all student informants also stressed the significance of keeping notebooks and asking
for help from their teachers and peers. They believed that taking notes and writing down new
words into their notebook offer them quick and easy access to those new words whenever they
needed them. Having notebooks at their disposal, Student B and Student C commented as
follows:
16
“After reading, we have to take note the words or phrases in our notebook. Moreover, if
possible we can write down the important things like the paragraph, short paragraph or
short text and often read it so that you can remember the words in it.” (Student B)
“…I always write down new words in my notebook. When I forget the words, I can
check it in the book and review it again so that I can remember.” (Student C)
Further, Student A and Student C claimed that they often turned to their teachers and peers for
help when they did not understand or they are not sure of the meaning of any word. The
following is the response from Student A when asked about techniques and strategies he uses to
learn English vocabulary.
“…I am trying to read and understand what the words mean by checking the definitions
from the dictionary and asking for help from the teachers. […] I don’t understand the
meaning at all, so one of my solutions is asking help from my teacher for this word.”
(Student A)
Apart from what has been mentioned above, the interview data also indicated that the
participants employed a variety of strategies to learn and expand their vocabulary such as
speaking the words out loud, listening to radios or TV programs, guessing the meaning from
context, using flash cards, studying word lists and translation. The following comments can be
seen in the interview transcription:
“…we should listen. We can listen to TV programs that have subtitles so that we can see
new words again and again which makes us remember. Moreover, we can listen to
radios in English.” (Student B)
“My own techniques or strategies that I study vocabulary err first of all I do a flash card.
I mean err we can look err at one side the word and another side the meaning. And
another one I do the word list…” (Student E)
Memorization is another good strategy shared by most participants. The data showed that almost
all student informants emphasized the importance of learning new words through memorization.
17
They seemed to view in agreement that memorizing plays a significant role in helping them to
remember the spelling and definition of the new words. Moreover, it is a good alternative to
using new words in speaking and writing because not all students have chances to put the new
words they have just learned into practice due to several limiting reasons such as shyness, lack
of confidence or fear of making mistakes. The following comments reflected the view of each
informant:
“I try to memorize the words by repeating them many times.” (Student C)
“And after that I memorize it again and again… […] so to solve that problem err I have
to memorize it again and again.” (Student D)
“try to write as much as possible, try to use it as often as I can. And also hmm try to
write on a whiteboard such 20 or 30 times. […] The solution I think try to remember
it…” (Student E)
4.2. Effective Vocabulary Teaching Strategies
Besides what students viewed as effective vocabulary learning strategies, the interview data also
revealed teacher informants’ view on effective vocabulary teaching strategies. When asked what
strategies they use to teach vocabulary to their students, all participants stated that they
employed a number of classroom activities they believed conducive for the development of their
students’ vocabulary. Those strategies include word hunting, word matching, word supply, word
jumble, sentence or paragraph completion and gap filling. As one of them put it:
“…usually I use err word matching can be word supply or word jumble and unscramble
the words.” (Teacher A)
Other participants also shared the same strategies as Teacher A; they claimed that they usually
asked their students to work in groups in order to match the words with the definitions (word
matching) or find the right word for each definition (word supply/word hunting). Furthermore,
they provided their students with examples, definitions, and visual aids so that their students
18
could easily and quickly grasp the meaning of new words in context. For example, Teacher D
said that:
“…and sometimes I bring the real objects to the class because I think that real objects
can make the students understand very well of the meaning of vocabulary. And
sometimes I explain them by giving definitions, I just give them definitions directly
because I don’t want to waste time or the time is limited.”
There are several other vocabulary teaching strategies teacher participants perceived as effective
and worth introducing to the students. Those strategies are classroom games which center on the
belief that learning should be fun and students should be given plenty of chances to explore and
experience the target words first-hand. As two of the teacher participants commented:
“…we have word hunting, slap the board, rub out and remember and word hiding.”
(Teacher B)
“I think if possible we can ask the students to perform or mime […] So we can ask one
student to come to the whiteboard and do gesture and we ask him or her what the gesture
is about. We can ask them to gesture an activity like swimming or smoking a cigarette.”
(Teacher E)
In addition to this, Teacher A said that he frequently allowed his students to talk and write freely
using the new words they have already learned. He commented that asking his students to talk
or write freely using the words they have just learned is one of the techniques he uses to teach
vocabulary to his students.
What is more, it is interesting to find out that all teacher informants, by common consent,
acknowledged the unquestionable existence of dictionary in the classroom. They reported
encouraging their students to bring the dictionary to class by giving them extra score or
promising them good class participation grade. One teacher, for example, mentioned that:
“And for word matching sometimes, you know some students don’t have dictionary, so
how can I solve this problem? For me I need to encourage them to err use the dictionary
19
in the class err I need to give them some score if they bring dictionary to the class or if
they have dictionary I give them some points, extra points. So by doing so, students err
you know usually bring dictionary to the class, so it can helps me to run the lesson
smoothly.” (Teacher D)
Regarding the importance of using dictionary in the classroom, Teacher C said that he often
allowed his students to explore and discover the meaning as well as the pronunciation of new
words on their own by consulting the dictionary. He outlined his strategies like this:
“And sometimes I ask them to listen to the dictionary OK I mean the technology
dictionary [electronic dictionary] to help them to pronounce correctly OK. So that is the
way they may know and then you know they can compromise with their errors of
pronunciation, and another thing they might know how to stress the word at the same
time.”
It should be noted that the interview data indicated that direct translation (English to Khmer and
vice versa) is inevitable in some Cambodian EFL classrooms because of time efficiency and
language barriers. This usually happens in low level classes as Teacher B pointed out:
“Hmm I think once in a while I use translation, but very rare because sometimes low
level it’s very difficult [to explain].”
Last but not least, the results indicated that spaced repetition [review] of previously learned
vocabulary is vitally important for the success of vocabulary learning and teaching process. One
of the informants, Teacher A, mentioned “…usually I try to give time to students to review the
vocabulary by writing on the board or something.”
However, when further asked about their views on the above-mentioned vocabulary teaching
strategies, all of the teacher participants tended to share the same opinions. They believed that
word matching, word supply (i.e. word hunting), word jumble/unscrambled, giving examples,
and using pictures are the most effective. Two of them, for example, asserted as follows:
20
“I think hmm you know word matching is one of the effective techniques which I use
often in the class…” (Teacher C)
“To make it easy to understand, among the techniques that I have mentioned, I think
word hunting and using pictures are the most important.” (Teacher E)
4.3. Problems of Learning and Teaching New Words and Solutions
Having discussed the effective strategies participants used to learn and teach vocabulary, it
would be interesting to find out problems students and teachers face in learning and teaching
vocabulary respectively as well as the solutions to those problems.
4.3.1. Problems of Learning New Words and Solutions
The examination of the interview data showed that student informants faced a lot of difficulties
while trying to learn and improve their vocabulary. Those problems can be seen in Table 4.1
below.
Table 4.1 Problems students have while learning new words

Problems Frequencies Percentages
of mention (%)
Difficult words/technical words 3 16.6
Cannot remember new words or remember only a short time
3 16.6
Difficulty in new word spelling 3 16.6

Do not understand the meaning of new words or the whole
2 11.1
sentence
No chance to use or never use new words 2 11.1
Pronunciation of new words 2 11.1
Do not know how to use or cannot use new words 2 11.1
Spend a lot of time to learn and remember 1 5.5
Note: Students could give more than one response (n = 18)
21
The table above shows that there are a number of problems that students face while trying to
learn and expand their vocabulary. Those problems are mainly related to the amount of time
spent on and the difficulties in trying to remember the spelling and definition of new words,
knowing how to pronounce the words and being able to use the words in speaking and writing.
Furthermore, other difficulties include lack of chances to practice using the words and the
inability to comprehend the exact meaning of a particular words, phrases or sentences. It should
be noted that among all problems students face the amount of time spent on trying to learn and
remember new words was least mentioned by the students (5.5%).
Regarding the solutions to the above-mentioned problems, the student informants stressed the
significance of several possibilities which could cure the situations, such as asking for help from
teachers and friends, seeking an opportunity to practice using the words, keeping notebooks and
taking notes, reading books, newspapers or magazines, reviewing the learned vocabulary as
often as possible, consulting the dictionary, and simply trying to memorize the words. The
following are examples of their comments which further illustrate this:
“When I meet problems, I always ask for help from my teacher or practice speaking with
them using the words that I have learned. I also practice with my friends and
classmates…” (Student B)
“…to solve that problem err I have to memorize it again and again, and try to use it like
example I want to remember one word if I still forget it, I will take note… […] I think
for my idea to improve vocabulary effectively err just read books a lot. So when I read
books a lot, I can improve because I meet that word again and again.” (Student D)
“So about my solution, for my err for the pronunciation, I check dictionary…” (Student
E)
4.3.2. Problems of Teaching New Words and Solutions
In addition to the problems that students had, the data indicated that teachers also faced several
problems when teaching vocabulary to their students. This is not surprising because problems
22
are not uncommon in the process of learning and teaching vocabulary. However, most of the
problems mentioned by the teachers were closely linked to difficulties students are struggling.
Table 4.2 outlines these findings:
Table 4.2 Problems teachers have while teaching new words

Problems Frequencies Percentages
of mention (%)
Students cannot spell or pronounce the words. 3 27.2
Students don’t understand the definitions or contexts. 2 18.1
Students do not want to work in pairs or groups. 2 18.1
Students are shy to talk/speak English. 1 9
Spend a lot of time to explain to the students 1 9
Students cannot use the words that they have learned. 1 9
Students do not bring the dictionary to class. 1 9
As can be seen in Table 4.2, most of the problems faced by the teachers lied in the difficulties
students have in trying to remember the spelling and definition of new words, knowing how to
pronounce the words and being able to use the words in speaking and writing (see Table 4.1
above). The problems may also arise from students’ fear or lack of confidence in taking risks or
making mistakes and, to some extent, they may result from students’ not bringing the dictionary
to the classroom. In other words, the fact that students are shy or unwilling to participate or be
involved in classroom activities, together with the fact that students do not have the dictionary,
poses a big problem to the normal course of vocabulary teaching. It is interesting to find that the
most common problem teachers have when teaching vocabulary to their students was the
students’ inability to spell or pronounce the words correctly (27.2%) while the problems with
students’ shyness, students’ inability to use the words productively, students’ lack of interest in
bringing the dictionary to class, and the amount of time spent on explaining the meaning of the
words to the students were least mentioned by the teacher informants (9% each).
Besides, the table above indicates that two teacher participants faced the problems of asking
students to work in pairs or groups. They expressed their concern that some students did not
23
want to work in groups because they were too dependent on the teacher while others refused to
work with their classmates who did not belong to their group. The following comments reflect
their concern:
“Yeah sometimes you know the students don’t want to work err with each other because
err they always depend on the teacher, and sometimes the students want to, want the
teacher to teach vocabulary directly by giving them definitions…” (Teacher D)
“So my problem is to ask them [students] to work in group to do word matching, they
refuse to work together, they insist on working with their own friends, so this is the main
problem when I want them to work in groups because they demand to work with their
friends, and refuse to work with other students. This is the most difficult problem for
me.” (Teacher E)
However, the interviewed teachers offered some solutions to address those problems. Teacher
A, for instance, mentioned that he always encouraged his students to study hard by sharing some
of his learning experience to inspire them. Moreover, he tried to use a lot of pair and group work
in his teaching so that his students could have enough chances to interact and learn from one
another. Similarly, another participant (Teacher B) also highlighted the importance of using
group work. He then said further that repetition, dictations and vocabulary games also helped, to
some extent, solve the difficult situation. In addition, the majority of the teacher informants
believed that the use of dictionary could solve a lot of problems, especially problems related to
pronunciation and definition of new words. The last suggestions put forward by the teacher
participants were to shower the students with praise and encouragement so that they are
motivated to learn and be confident to take risks and learn from mistakes. The following are two
excerpts from the interview data which show their solutions to the problems.
“…try to encourage your students and we try to get them learn with their partner in
group to discuss with their partner and share the ideas. We the teacher we can elicit the
students to hmm share experience in learning those vocabulary…” (Teacher A)
“I try to praise and encourage them and tell them that it is not good to refuse to work
with other classmates.” (Teacher E)
24
4.4. Suggestions for the Improvement of the Process of Teaching and Learning Vocabulary
When further asked about their suggestions or recommendations to improve the process of
teaching and learning English vocabulary, both student and teacher participants seemed to have
similar opinions as discussed below.
4.4.1. Suggestions for Students to Learn English Vocabulary Effectively
All participants were asked to share their views on what students should do in order to learn
vocabulary effectively. Based on the data analysis, it was found out that the suggestions shared
by all informants were what they perceived as effective vocabulary learning strategies described
in the previous section. Table 4.3 summarizes the suggestions made by student participants
concerning how to learn English vocabulary effectively.
Table 4.3 Students’ suggestions on how to learn English vocabulary effectively

Frequencies Percentages
Students’ suggestions to learn vocabulary effectively
of mention (%)
Make up sentences and try to use new words in speaking and
4 19
writing
Listen to foreigners or radios and watch movies or TV
4 19
programs in English
Read books a lot 3 14.2
Study hard 2 9.5
Take notes, write new words on a piece of paper and stick it
2 9.5
on the wall, and write the words again and again
Other strategies: Review the words often; practice
28.5
pronouncing the words; memorize the definitions by saying it
6 (4.7 for each
out loud; use flash card; be confident and never give up; and
strategy)
find out the techniques that work best for ourselves
25
As Table 4.3 shows, all participants believed that putting new words they have just learned into
practice was one of the key factors in effective vocabulary learning. They also perceived
extensive listening and reading to be contributory factors which play a significant role in the
process of successful vocabulary learning. Moreover, they recommended some strategies that
they had previously mentioned when asked about the effective strategies for learning
vocabulary. Those suggested strategies included taking notes of new words, repetitive writing to
remember the spelling, using flash cards, memorizing the definitions and reviewing previously
learned vocabulary. In addition, the table above indicates that in order to learn and improve
vocabulary effectively, students needed to work really hard and be confident. They had to
believe that they could make a difference to themselves, and they should be determined and
never give up hope. More importantly, students should figure out the techniques that work best
for them because there is no one technique that works in all situations and/or with everyone.
Among all suggestions made by the students, trying to use new words in speaking and writing
and listening or watching movies or other English programs were most suggested (19%).
Several other strategies such as memorization, review, pronunciation practice, and flash card
use, however, were least suggested (4.7% each).
Furthermore, the interview data also indicated suggestions put forward by the teacher
informants in order for students to improve their vocabulary effectively, as can be seen in Table
4.4 below.
Table 4.4 Teachers’ suggestions on how to learn English vocabulary effectively

Teachers’ suggestions to learn vocabulary effectively
of mention (%)
Practice using new words in speaking and/or writing as much
4 28.5
as possible
Read books, newspapers or magazines a lot 2 14.2
Develop a reading habit 1 7.1
Make your own dictionary 1 7.1
Review often 1 7.1
Do self-study and make use of the internet 1 7.1
Memorize the definitions and spellings of new words 1 7.1
26
Use word mapping and word list 1 7.1
Take notes and check the meaning of new words we meet 1 7.1
Find out the techniques that work best for yourself 1 7.1
Table 4.4 illustrates some suggestions teacher informants perceived as effective for students
who want to enlarge their vocabulary. It appeared that what they suggested was similar to
students’ suggestions because they also emphasized the importance of putting new words into
practice, especially in speaking. Moreover, they also agreed that extensive reading greatly and
positively contributed to the ongoing process of vocabulary development. The table also lists
some suggested strategies such as note taking, memorization, word listing, word mapping and
personal dictionary making. Additionally, the teacher informants also firmly took their stance
toward the positive influence of independent learning by suggesting that students do a lot of
self-study and figure out vocabulary learning techniques that are practical and workable for
them. From the table it is obvious that using new words in speaking and writing and reading
books or newspapers were most suggested by the teachers with the percentages of 28.5 and
14.2, respectively.
4.4.2. Suggestions for Teachers to Teach English Vocabulary Effectively
When further asked about what they think classroom teachers should do in order to better teach
vocabulary to their students, both teacher and student informants shared their point of view as
presented in the following tables:
Table 4.5 Students’ suggestions on how to teach English vocabulary effectively

Students’ suggestions to teach vocabulary effectively
of mention (%)
Review the vocabulary often by asking students questions 2 22.2
Plan the lesson well 1 11.1
Teach students the learning strategies 1 11.1
Assign extra work for students do research 1 11.1
Help students by providing them with full support 1 11.1
27
Encourage students to practice using new words 1 11.1
Give students chances to practice (e.g. short conversation) 1 11.1
Give word lists and give a lot of quizzes 1 11.1
Table 4.5 clearly shows what students needed from their teachers so that they can effectively
learn English vocabulary. They seemed to suggest their own teachers as well as other teachers
provide students with help, encouragement and more chances to practice using new words.
Moreover, the table also demonstrates students’ belief about the significance of maximum
exposure to the target language, evidenced by the comments from Student C and Student E who
wanted their teachers to assign them extra work and give them a lot of quizzes respectively. The
table above further shows that students wanted their teachers to teach them the learning
strategies and give them a considerable amount of time to explore and experience the language
on their own. It can be seen from the table that most students suggested teachers to review the
vocabulary often by asking them a lot of questions (22.2%).
The interview data also revealed teacher informants’ suggestions on how to teach English
vocabulary effective as illustrated in Table 4.6 below.
Table 4.6 Teachers’ suggestions on how to teach English vocabulary effectively

Students’ suggestions to teach vocabulary effectively
of mention (%)
Use word matching, word hunting and sentence completion 3 15
Review often and practice using the words as much as
2 10
possible
Encourage students to keep notebooks and do self-study 2 10
Employ a lot of group work 2 10
Give a lot of quizzes and dictations 2 10
Use funny or interesting strategies 2 10
Other strategies: Encourage students to learn harder and
35 (5 for each
have the habit of learning vocabulary; give students extra 7
strategy)
handouts (e.g. synonym or antonym of the words); practice
28
the four macro skills; use gesture, mime or visual aids (i.e.
pictures, videos, maps, etc.) to explain the meaning of the
words; be well-prepared; and know students’ ability
As can be seen in the table above, most of the suggestions made by teachers centered around the
importance of encouragement, review and the use of teaching strategies. The participants
believed that interesting strategies could arouse students’ interest and actively involve them in
the teaching and learning process. The table also indicates that word matching and word hunting
were still considered to be effective tasks which promote learning and thinking among students.
Moreover, the table also lists such common suggested strategies as keeping notebooks, using
gestures, mimes and visual aids, using dictations and quizzes to encourage students to learn
harder, and allowing students enough time to practice using new words as much as possible.
More interestingly, almost all teacher participants said in agreement that the use of group work
had a beneficial influence on students’ vocabulary learning process because it promoted
interactions and peer learning among students. In addition, the teachers also saw the value of
knowing students’ real ability which is one of the key contributors to effective teaching.
However, it should be noted that most teachers seem to suggest using such vocabulary tasks as
word matching, word hunting and sentence completion (15%) while the use of group work,
quizzes, encouragement, review, practice, and other strategies received less emphasis (10%
each).
29
CHAPTER FIVE
DISCUSSION
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Introduction
This chapter discusses the findings of the study with reference to some of the related literature.
It examines in more detail the effective and the most frequently used vocabulary learning
strategies as well as the common problems in learning and teaching vocabulary. This chapter
also discusses the solutions to the problem, with a final section on the suggestions proposed by
the informants to improve the process of teaching and learning vocabulary.
The purpose of this case study has been to investigate students and teachers’ perspectives on
effective vocabulary learning strategies and to consider constructive suggestions offered by the
participants in order to seek improvement to the process of teaching and learning vocabulary in
the Cambodian EFL context. Based on the results described above, there are a number of key
factors which exert considerable influence on the development of students’ vocabulary and there
are many strategies students use to learn and improve their English lexicon. The results also
indicate that both students and teachers face a lot of problems while trying to learn and teach
English vocabulary. However, the participants seem to offer similar suggestions regarding what
and how to do to improve the vocabulary learning and teaching process. The findings generate
the following discussions.
5.1. Effective Vocabulary Learning Strategies
As been mentioned above, a number of strategies and factors are believed to contribute to the
success of learning vocabulary. The fact that all participants consider practicing using new
words in their speaking and writing as effective is not unusual because as the saying goes
“practice makes perfect”. All participants are well-informed that learning a new language
requires a lot of practice in the four macro skills in order for them to be able to use the language
communicatively. They are also aware that learning vocabulary by using it allows them to
30
remember better and longer because they are exposed to and experienced the language directly
and personally. This finding is consistent with one of Nation’s Four Strands of a language
course – the meaning-focused output strand. Nation (2007) stated that learning through speaking
and writing, that is, using language productively is vitally important. In other words, the
meaning-focused output strand should be taken into consideration and enough time should be
spent for this strand.
The results also reveal that the use of notebooks to keep records of new words and extensive
reading play a major role in expanding students’ vocabulary size. This is a common knowledge
since reading gives students ideal chances for them to meet new words, which is one of the best
possible ways to develop the lexicon of a language. This result is also supported by an article by
Nation (2005, p. 10) which pointed out that “reading is a source of learning and a source of
enjoyment. It can establish previously learned vocabulary and grammar; it can help learners
learn new vocabulary and grammar; and through success in language use it can encourage
learners to learn more and continue with their study”. Moreover, extensive reading has been
found to help develop sight vocabulary, general vocabulary, and the knowledge of the target
language (Renandya & Jacobs, 1997 as cited in Tran, 2006), and it plays a major role in
developing the learners’ vocabulary knowledge (Hunt & Beglar, 2004). Besides extensive
reading, students also see the value of using notebooks to keep notes of new words they have
learned or met. They acknowledge the importance of note taking because they can freely and
easily read through their notes again to review or to re-study the words they might forget. The
importance of using notebooks to jot down new words for later study or review, as found in this
study, is also evidenced by Schmitt (2000). Schmitt (2000, as cited in Tran, 2006) categorized
vocabulary learning strategies into two groups: consolidating the new word and discovering the
meaning of the new word. And one technique in the first group is to keep a vocabulary
notebook. The finding is also in consistent with Fowle’s study with Thai students. Fowle (2002,
p. 383) found that “the students have definitely become more actively involved in the learning
of vocabulary as a result of the notebooks. They are usually aware of words that they have
encountered and recorded in their notebooks, which at least indicates a receptive knowledge of
these words, and they are able to refer back to their notebooks and refresh their knowledge of
any given lexical item or set”.
31
Moreover, the results suggest that the dictionary is a good source of useful information about
new words. Both teacher and student informants highlighted the significance of possessing and
using a good dictionary to find out all necessary information about the words despite the fact
that too much reliance on the dictionary or frequent dictionary consultation may slow down the
reading speed, affect the reading comprehension or distract our attention from content of the
reading text (Fraser, 1999; Knight, 1994; Kobayashi, 2005). In fact, no one disagrees with the
usefulness of the dictionary in helping students and teachers to learn English vocabulary.
Students, for example, need to consult the dictionary as much as possible to learn more about
the main features of a particular word, especially its spelling, definition, pronunciation and part
of speech. Similarly, teachers also need to check the dictionary to make sure that they provide
students with accurate and detailed information of the words to which they are introduced. The
effectiveness of using the dictionary to help improve vocabulary learning is validated by several
studies (see Hunt & Beglar, 2004; Intaraprasert, 2010; Nation, 1989; Shiwu, 2005; Subekti &
Lawson, 2007; Suppasetseree & Saitakham, 2008).
In addition, it is interesting to find out that the student participants employed a variety of
techniques to learn and develop their vocabulary. Those techniques include listening to radios or
TV programs, guessing the meaning from context, using flashcards, keeping and learning words
from the wordlists, translation and memorization. Almost all participants agreed that in order to
improve their vocabulary, students need to be constantly exposed to the language through
reading and listening. Therefore, it seems that both teachers and students are convinced of the
effectiveness of extensive listening in learning vocabulary as well as learning English in
general. This finding supports the previous study by Hunt and Beglar (2004) discussed above.
Besides learning new words through reading and listening and learning by using the words in
speaking and writing, this present study also indicates that the use of translation and
memorization is still common in some Cambodian EFL contexts, at least to the context of the
institute being studied. Although the teacher participants claim that they use such techniques as
giving definitions, using realia, or making gestures or mimes to explain the meaning of the
words, they sometimes provide their students with direct translation from English to Khmer or
vice versa. The reasons behind this may result from the fact that almost all language classrooms
in Cambodia are composed of students with the same first language (i.e. Khmer), which
provides an ideal environment for translation to take place. Moreover, using translation can save
32
a lot of classroom time, particularly for low level students because both parties – teachers and
students – can easily understand each other and they can get their message across quickly.
However, with the growing popularity of the Communicative Language Teaching (CLT)
method, the use of direct translation in the classroom is greatly reduced. This might be because
of the fact that Grammar Translation Method (GTM) pays less attention to students’ oral
communication skills. Moreover, translation alone is not enough for students to comprehend the
exact and accurate meaning of the words and be able to use the words orally and/or in a written
form (Sapargul & Sartor, 2010). In addition, Grammar Translation focuses on “the ability to
‘analyze’ the language, not the ability to ‘use’ it”, meaning that “an ability to communicate
orally in the target language” is not strongly promoted (Schmitt & Murcia, 2002, p. 4).
These findings also present the widely-used and possibly the overused technique for learning
and remembering vocabulary – memorization. All student informants claimed that they always
tried to memorize the words they have learned by repeating them many times or saying them out
loud. Even the teachers mentioned that they usually encouraged their students to memorize the
spelling and definition of the new words because they believed that the more students spend
time memorizing the words, the better chance they will remember them, regardless of how long
they will remember. This frequent use of memorization to learn English vocabulary is in
consistency with a number of studies (see Lip, 2009; Mehrpour, 2008; Rang Lee & Oxford,
2008; Schmitt, 1997; Schmitt & Schmitt, 1993; Subekti & Lawson, 2007). A study by Rang Lee
and Oxford (2008), for example, indicated that memory strategies such as repetition and
dictation were favored by most high school Korean students. Likewise, another study with
Iranian learners of English conducted by Mehrpour (2008) also found that rote memorization of
word lists as a decontextualizing or direct technique of vocabulary teaching/learning is better
than sentence-making practice as a contextualizing or indirect technique, particularly for
learners at the beginning levels of language instruction. Moreover, a study by Schmitt and
Schmitt (1993) with Japanese EFL students also revealed that the most useful vocabulary
learning strategies are (1) written repetition and (2) verbal repetition.
5.2. The Most Frequently Used Vocabulary Teaching Strategies
The results show that there are a number of strategies teacher participants perceived as effective
for teaching vocabulary. Word matching, word hunting, word jumble, sentence completion and
33
gap filling are among the strategies they mentioned. The majority of the interviewed teachers
tended to use those tasks to introduce their students to or to give them repeated exposure to the
new words. They believed that by asking their students to work in pairs or groups to complete
the above-mentioned tasks, their students will at least learn something from the tasks, that is,
they become more familiar with the words they are supposed to learn. Based on the researcher’s
observation and experience, word matching, word hunting, sentence completion and gap filling
are very common tasks in Cambodian EFL classrooms. Therefore, it is undoubtedly true that
those tasks are already familiar enough to both students and teachers, which makes the latter
believe in the effectiveness of such tasks inside the classroom setting. Moreover, Nation (1974)
suggested in his article that there are a variety of techniques teachers can use to create students’
interest in new vocabulary and to teach them accordingly. Those suggested techniques or
activities are using scrambled letters, word matching, demonstrations, drawing, sentence
completion, and supply-the-word technique, just to name a few.
Obviously, asking students to complete the tasks mentioned above is not enough. Learning a
foreign language, particularly the language with a vast number of words like English, requires
more than just doing the tasks of matching the words with their definitions and using the words
to complete the sentences or paragraphs. Rather, a deep understanding of the meaning of the
words and how the words are used is required. That is why some of the teacher participants
claimed that in order for their students to understand the meaning of new words clearly and
quickly, they often provided their students with examples in which the words are used,
definitions of the words, translation and realia. The findings of this study support Schmitt and
Schmitt (1995, as cited in Hunt and Beglar, 2002) who claimed in their article that sentence
examples, parts of speech, definitions, and key word images should be added to the vocabulary
cards or notebooks because they can help students to remember the new word better. Similarly,
Schmitt (1997) also emphasized social cognitive strategies which involve asking teachers and
peers for the synonym, definition or example sentence of a particular word you do not know.
In addition, it was found out that the use of dictionary was mentioned by most of the
participants when asked about strategies for effective vocabulary instruction. More than half of
the interviewed teachers acknowledged that students needed to consult the dictionary if they
wanted to know more information about a particular word. They also agreed that students
should bring the dictionary to the class because they can use it whenever they need it,
34
particularly when they are asked to work in pairs or group to do such tasks as word matching
and word supply. Thus, being able to use the dictionary effectively is an essential learning skill
students should possess. The importance of the dictionary checking skill is supported by Chen’s
(2011) study with undergraduate English major students in China. The study found that
dictionary use can effectively facilitate vocabulary comprehension and enhance incidental
vocabulary acquisition, suggesting that dictionary use is a more effective strategy of vocabulary
learning than contextual guessing. Another study by Suppasetseree and Saitakham (2008) also
indicated that English and non-English major students in Thailand use a variety of vocabulary
learning strategies, and one of those is dictionary strategies. In addition, it is found that low
achieving students preferred dictionary strategies to other strategies.
The last strategy which is worth discussing in this section is the use of classroom games to teach
and review vocabulary. Apparently, there is a host of games which can be used to help improve
vocabulary instruction. Those vocabulary games, to name a few, include “Slap the board”, “Rub
out and remember”, “Next letter”, “Bingo”, and “Hangman”. It should be noted that language
games not only create fun and competition among students, but also they encourage student
interaction which is needed for the development of their interlanguage as well as their learning
process in general. Thus, it is recommended that appropriate educational games should be
incorporated into the classrooms. The use of classroom games to improve vocabulary learning
and instruction is seen in a study by Huyen and Nga (2003) who conducted an action research in
their own classrooms. They found that vocabulary games do have “advantages and effectiveness
in learning vocabulary” because games create a relaxed and fun classroom environment which
helps students learn and retain new words more easily. Moreover, games can generate students’
interest in new or previously learned words, which is a key factor in motivating students to be
actively involved in the learning activities. Above all, vocabulary games offer students chances
to use the target language (i.e. English) flexibly and communicatively by bringing “real world
context into the classroom”.
5.3. Common Problems in Learning and Teaching Vocabulary
The results indicated that both teachers and students face a lot of problems or difficulties when
it comes to teaching and learning new words. As mentioned earlier, teachers and students shared
similar difficulties. The most common problems students face are the inability to remember the
35
spelling and definition of new words, the difficulties in pronouncing the words, and the lack of
chances and ability to put the words into practice. Most of the problems found in this study are
shared by almost all learners of English from around the world. For example, as mentioned
earlier, Nation and Meara (2002) claimed that learners of English face many problems in trying
to learn all the difficult or technical words. Also, they have difficulties in putting the words into
use or getting their message across. Likewise, Chinese students of English also share similar
problems. They are reported to have problems with word choices (i.e. finding the right words to
express their ideas), spelling, pronunciation, and comprehension of the meaning of the words
(Nan and Mingfang, 2009).
Similarly, teachers also face a number of problems in their vocabulary teaching. Based on the
findings above, the problems teachers face are actually their students’ problems or students-
related problems. For instance, the teachers considered their students’ inability to spell,
pronounce or remember the definition of new words as the problem which impedes the smooth
running of their class. Moreover, the unwillingness of some students to work in groups with
those who do not belong to their circle of close classmates, together with their shyness, poses a
big problem for successful vocabulary instruction as well as the day-to-day classroom
management. This finding is very interesting because it may be able to raise teachers’ awareness
of the problems which stem from students’ lack of cooperation and unwillingness to join in
groups. What is more, the finding may help remind both students and teachers about the
effectiveness of group work which is one of the most important tasks in any language
classroom.
5.4. Solutions to the Problem in Learning and Teaching Vocabulary
As for the solutions to the problems discussed above, the results show that teachers and students
share similar opinions regarding what to do to tackle the problems in teaching and learning
English vocabulary. The students, for example, constantly ask for help from their teachers or
friends whenever they do not understand or need more explanation while the teachers feel that
praise and encouragement are very important for their students. It seems that the students need
support from their teachers, and the teachers understand that their students need support and
encouragement from them. Moreover, the findings present several techniques believed by
students to be able to help them deal with problems they are facing. Those techniques are not
36
new or uncommon; they are techniques that students use to learn their vocabulary, such as
reading, keeping notebooks, using new words in speaking or writing, using dictionary,
reviewing, and memorizing the words. These findings are in line with several studies (see Hunt
& Beglar, 2004; Schmitt, 1997; Schmitt and Schmitt, 1993; Shiwu, 2005; Suppasetseree &
Saitakham, 2008).
Not so much different from the students, the teachers also perceive some strategies as effective
solutions to the problems in their classroom. As the results illustrate, the teachers suggest that
words of encouragement and praise should be frequently given to the students in order to
motivate them to be active, confident and enthusiastic learners in the classroom. This result
confirms the findings of a study conducted by Tuckman and Sexton (1991) which examined
encouragement as a factor that motivates students to engage in or persist in performance on a
task. In that study, it is found that students who received encouragement were significantly
higher in final self-efficacy and earned significantly more performance points than students who
received no encouragement. Moreover, the findings of this study also support another study by
Frank (2009) which found that a statistically significant increase in academic performance was
produced through the implementation of direct praise.
The teachers also recommend employing a number of classroom activities or tasks such as
vocabulary games, dictations, spoken and written repetition, and group work. They certainly
believe that those tasks could provide their students with a great deal of practice time as well as
constant exposure to the language. Furthermore, they also underscore the importance of using
dictionary inside and outside the classroom. The fact that no one questions the importance of the
dictionary may be due to the rich source of information about the words that it has to offer. It is
obvious that not only do students have problems with the spelling, definition, pronunciation and
other grammatical features of the words, but teachers also experience the same things.
Therefore, both groups seem to recognize how useful the dictionary is, and they believe that
many words-related problems that students and teachers face can usually be solved by
consulting a good dictionary.
37
5.5. Suggestions to Improve Vocabulary Teaching and Learning
The findings regarding teachers and students’ suggestions for the improvement of the process of
teaching and learning vocabulary reveal that in order to learn English vocabulary effectively
students have to seek an opportunity to use the words they have learned both in speaking and
writing as much as possible. Moreover, they have to regularly expose themselves to the
language through reading and listening extensively. They also need to learn to develop the habit
of keeping notes of new words whenever they encounter them. The results also suggest that
students should be hard working and independent, that is, they have to undertake maximum
amount of self-study at home. In addition, the students who want to improve their vocabulary
effectively have to figure out the techniques or learning strategies which are workable for them.
In other words, they have to adapt and adopt the vocabulary learning strategies they believe
useful and effective for their study and their vocabulary learning in particular. The results also
highlight the usefulness of memorization and review in helping develop students’ vocabulary.
Although memorization is considered to be a traditional way of learning, it is still widely used
and believed to be useful. These findings support the claim made by Sapargul and Sartor (2010)
who stated that a teacher-centered method that includes the intensive study and memorization of
grammar rules and vocabulary is still used in many EFL settings.
As for the suggestions on how to teach English vocabulary effectively, the findings of this study
provide several possible remedies. Firstly, both teachers and students believe that a good teacher
must provide his or her students with support and encouragement. They should motivate their
students to study hard and have a habit of noticing and learning new words they meet in their
everyday life. Secondly, teachers should give their students many quizzes and extra work on
vocabulary such as dictations and other vocabulary-based tasks like word matching and word
hunting. Teachers need to employ a lot of pair work and group work as well because they
promote students’ interaction and peer learning. There might be, however, some challenges in
introducing Cambodian EFL students to frequent use of pair work and group work due to their
so-called introvert nature and the fact that traditional teacher-centered method is still flavored by
a number of students. Yet, the regular employment of pair and group work is highly
recommended in order to ensure that students have chances to learn from and interact with one
another among the group. Thirdly, as have been mentioned throughout this study, teachers
should allow students to practice using new words as much as possible. They can do this by
38
adopting a communicative approach to language teaching, commonly known as Communicative
Language Teaching (CLT) because in this approach, according to Savignon ( cited in Murcia,
2001), the learner is the central focus of attention. Therefore, teachers should take into
consideration the development of learner’s ability to actually use the language for
communication, and they should design tasks which offer learners an opportunity to interact
with one another using the words they have just learned.
Moreover, the results confirm the effectiveness of the regular review of previously learned
vocabulary as well as the use of interesting techniques to present and teach new words. It is
interesting that nearly half of the teacher participants suggest using funny and stimulating
techniques to draw their students’ attention to their teaching and other classroom activities, and
almost all of them take a positive attitude toward the essential role of the review in learning and
remembering English vocabulary. The results also indicate that in order to explain the meaning
of new words to their students effectively, teachers should try to use gestures, mimes and visual
aids as much as possible. The effectiveness of using visual aids (i.e. pictures, videos, maps, etc.)
in language classrooms, suggested in this study, is also advocated by a study by Akbari (2008)
with Iranian students which found that pictures are more useful and can play an important role
in teaching vocabulary items to Iranian EFL learners. He concluded that the contribution of
pictures in teaching vocabulary items to elementary Iranian EFL students led to a higher level of
vocabulary improvement.
Finally and more importantly, another suggestion which is worth taking into account is the fact
that teachers should know their students’ ability clearly because it is one of the most important
factors which contribute to the success of effective teaching. Obviously, knowing students’
weaknesses and strengths is vitally important because teachers can tailor their lesson to meet
each student’s needs. Moreover, it can develop students’ trust and improve teacher-student
relationship, which makes students feel safe and comfortable in the classroom. Harmer (2005),
for instance, pointed out that teachers should recognize students’ individual differences as well
as their learning styles. They should take into account the different levels of students’
motivation, educational backgrounds, and linguistic abilities. In a similar vein, Williams and
Burden (1997) suggested that learners’ individual views of themselves and their self-concept
should be taken into consideration in order for us to be able to provide them with support and
encouragement they may need.
39
CHAPTER SIX
IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION
……………………………………………………………………………………………………..
Introduction
This is the final chapter of this research study. It concludes this paper by first presenting
pedagogical implications of the study, and then describing the limitations of the study, followed
by a short section on research implications. The last section in this chapter is the conclusion of
the study which brings an end to the study by calling for further research into effective
vocabulary learning and teaching strategies in the Cambodian EFL context in order to get richer
and more in-dept information pertaining to the process of effective teaching and learning
vocabulary.
6.1. Pedagogical Implications
Based on the findings of the study, pedagogical implications for language teachers and students
can be drawn as follows:
6.1.1. Implications for Language Teachers
This study has found that there are many classroom tasks teachers use to teach and introduce
new words to the students. The most commonly used tasks are word matching, word hunting,
gap filling, and sentence completion. Teachers also employ other vocabulary teaching strategies
such as giving students examples in which the new words are used, explaining to them the
definitions of the words, using visual aids to enhance their understanding of the meaning of new
words, and using direct translation. Moreover, this study suggests that vocabulary games, for
example, Slap the board, Rub out and remember, Bingo and Hangman, just to name a few, are
very useful because they not only provide students with fun and challenges, but also give them
opportunities to review the words they have already learned in an exciting and competitive
manner. More importantly, the findings also highlight the importance of using the dictionary to
40
get more necessary information of the words, particularly to check or double check the
definition, spelling, pronunciation, and other important grammatical features of the words which
tell us how the words are used in the sentence. Therefore, Teachers should pay full attention to
the developmental process of students’ vocabulary by creating an encouraging and secure
classroom environment where maximum amount of practice time is ensured and a high level of
praise and full support is offered.
Similarly, to help improve students’ vocabulary, teachers need to offer a high level of praise,
support and encouragement to their students, and they should not forget that students need to be
repeatedly exposed to the language in order for them to learn and remember effectively.
Therefore, cumulative exposure to the language as well as plenty of chances to practice using
the words should be made available to the students. In a similar vein, teachers should provide
students with ample opportunity to work with vocabulary by letting them do quizzes, pair work,
group work, dictations and other vocabulary games. Also, it is vital that teachers should try to
review the vocabulary they have taught to their students as much as possible.
Furthermore, teachers may need to introduce their students to fun and interesting teaching
techniques which could create their interest and actively engage them in the class activities in
which they are supposed to participate. They may also use gestures, mimes and visual aids to
enhance their students’ understanding of the meaning of new words because by seeing real
things via visual aids the chance for students to grasp the exact meaning of new words could be
maximized. Equally important, to teach vocabulary as well as English language in general
effectively to the students, teachers also need to consider their students’ linguistic ability and
background knowledge. They should take into consideration the actual ability of the students to
use the language productively as well as the level of their motivation and willingness to
participate in class activities because these factors have a profound influence on the day-today
running of the class. Obviously, knowing students’ ability clearly is absolutely imperative
because it could help teachers to shape their lesson to fit into their classroom setting. In other
words, they can tailor or play around with their lesson to cater for the needs of each and every
one of the students.
Above all, teacher should also be well aware of the current development in the field of Second
Language Acquisition in order to be get themselves updated and avoid being obsolete. They
41
should seize every opportunity for professional development to develop their knowledge and
skills so that they could bring about significant changes to their classroom practices and to
improve their vocabulary instruction more effectively.
6.1.2. Implications for Students of English
6.1.2.1. Vocabulary Learning Strategies Used by Cambodian EFL Students
As can be seen in Chapter Four, it is found that there are a number of strategies Cambodian
students of English use to learn and improve their vocabulary. The most popular ones are
seeking an opportunity to practice using new words in speaking and writing, exposing
themselves to the language regularly via extensive reading and listening, consulting a good
dictionary for more necessary information about specific words, keeping notebooks, and asking
help from teachers and friends. Furthermore, we find that students use several other vocabulary
learning strategies such as guessing the meaning of the words from context, using flashcards,
translations and memorization. Although memorization is generally believed to be a traditional
way of learning vocabulary, it is still applicable to some extent, at least to some learners,
because it may help those who lack confidence and bravery, or those who are devoid of chances
to use the words they have learned communicatively to gain more self confidence and
competence through written and spoken repetition.
6.1.2.2. Problems Teachers and Students Face in Learning and Teaching Vocabulary
The results also reveal a number of problems that students and teachers face in learning and
teaching English vocabulary (see Table 1 and Table 2 above). As described earlier, most of the
problems are to do with the complexities arising from new words which students have to try to
learn and remember, for example, the definition, spelling, pronunciation and other important
features of the words. Above all, another major problem is how the words are actually used both
in speaking and writing. To put in simply, it is obvious that knowing how to use the words and
being able to use the words in spoken or written forms are absolutely crucial, yet difficult when
it comes to vocabulary learning and teaching. This is why both teachers and student seem to
admit that the students’ inability to use the words they have already learned is a major problem
for them. Additionally, another problem which may be surprising to some readers is the fact that
42
some students are not willing to participate actively in the class activities, especially group
work. This problem really has a negative effect upon the vocabulary learning and teaching
process because in order to ensure the smooth running of any language classroom, students, not
teachers, are expected and required to be active members in the class. We also find that the
shyness of the students, together with the absence of the dictionary when it is needed, causes a
big problem as well.
6.1.2.3. What Students Should Do
Based on these findings, the implications for students are that students should work in close
collaboration with their teachers and peers and enthusiastically participate in any classroom
activities for the benefit of their study and vocabulary learning in particular. They should
explore and try out the vocabulary learning strategies they know about in order to see how
useful or effective they are, then they can adapt them for their personal use in improving their
vocabulary and their English in general. Also, they should be confident and optimistic about
their ability to learn and use English vocabulary by taking every opportunity to practice using
the words they have learned, asking for help from their teachers and friends and never ever
giving up trying.
What is more, the findings lead to a conclusion that despite plenty of difficulties students and
teachers face while trying to learn and teach vocabulary, there lies a handful of key factors (i.e.
solutions) which both parties can adapt and adopt to their own advantage. To be straightforward,
students should be confident and feel free to ask their teachers and peers for help whenever they
need it. They should develop a reading habit and always pay more attention to new words they
encounter in their reading and listening. Also, they need to read and listen extensively and make
maximum use of the dictionary in order to find out more information about the words, so that
they could use them in their productive skills. Moreover, they should take every opportunity to
memorize and practice using the words they have learned either in speaking or writing, and they
should learn to keep records of new words they met or will meet by using notebooks or other
possible note taking devices (e.g. phones) in order to have easy access to those words in case
they want to review or refresh their memory of the previously learned words. Most importantly,
students have to be hardworking and independent, and they have to explore various possibilities
43
to figure out the learning techniques which work best for them so that they can make good use
of them to enlarge their vocabulary size.
6.2. Limitations of the Study
This study is limited in scope since the number of participants is relatively small. The study
explored the views of a group of participants from a private school only; it did not extensively
study the perceptions of participants from other public or private institutions, such as English
centers, institutes, schools and universities. Because of a short timeframe, there is lack of
classroom observations to prove the claims made by the teacher and student informants in the
interviews as well. This study also fails to do member checking to enhance the reliability of the
interpretation of the data because of the time constraint as mentioned earlier. In addition, this
case study is in need of a triangulation method to cross check the findings by exploring in more
details different perspectives from a larger number of participants through a three-dimensional
data collection method such as interviews, questionnaires and classroom observations. Given
these limitations, it would be inappropriate to conclude that the views of the participants
examined above represent those of all Cambodian students and teachers. Therefore, the
generalizability of the findings is relatively limited. However, some conclusions can be drawn
from the findings which may be of relevance and significance, to some extent, to the Cambodian
EFL context.
6.3. Research Implications
Taking the limited number of participants as well as the absence of triangulation method in data
collection of this study into consideration, further research into effective vocabulary learning
and teaching strategies should include a larger number of participants from different levels and
educational institutions both private and public, and the combination of such methods of data
collection as interviews, questionnaires and classroom observation should be employed in order
to enhance the generalizability and reliability of future research studies. Moreover, more studies
on vocabulary learning and teaching strategies in Asian EFL/ESL contexts should be
extensively reviewed so as to better understand the current development of research into
vocabulary learning and teaching strategies in the contexts which are similar to that of
Cambodia.
44
6.4. Conclusion
This case study has investigated students and teachers’ perspectives on effective vocabulary
learning strategies, and it has shown that there are a number of strategies Cambodian students of
English use to learn and improve their vocabulary. The study has also identified the most
effective vocabulary learning strategies as well as the common problems, perceived by the
participants, in learning and teaching English vocabulary. Moreover, this study has also made
some implications for teachers and students in order to improve the process of vocabulary
learning and teaching as presented in the previous chapter. Most importantly, the study has also
acknowledged the limitations which could be addressed by further research in a similar context.
Despites the limitations, it is hoped that this study could raise both teachers and students’
awareness of the importance of strategies for learning vocabulary, and it may help teachers to
instruct their students to apply vocabulary learning strategies as efficiently as possible in the
context of Cambodian EFL classrooms. Most particularly, this study may help fill the gap of
very limited study on vocabulary learning strategies in the Cambodian context, and more
attention could be drawn to the significance of vocabulary learning and teaching strategies
which seems to be overlooked and taken for granted.
When all is said and done, it is recommended that further research into effective vocabulary
learning and teaching strategies in the Cambodian EFL context should be carried out to improve
the process of teaching and learning English vocabulary as well as to bring about positive
changes to the current classroom practice in order to benefit individuals and Cambodian
educational systems at large.
45
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50
LIST OF APPENDICES
…………………………………………………………………………….......
Appendix 1: Consent Form
(Teacher and Student)
Appendix 2: Interview Protocol
(Teacher and Student)
Appendix 3: A Sample of Interview Script
(Teacher E and Student E)
51
Appendix 1: Consent Form
ROYAL UNIVERSITY OF PHNOM PENH

INSTITUTE OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
Department of English
October 22nd, 2011
Invitation to Take Part in a Research Study

Dear participant,
My name is Heng Kimkong, a student of a Master of Arts degree in Teaching English to Speakers of
Other Languages (MA in TESOL) at the Department of English at the Institute of Foreign Languages, Royal
University of Phnom Penh. I am conducting a research study on “Effective vocabulary learning strategies:
Perspectives from Cambodian teachers and students” and would like to invite you to participate. The
purpose of this study is to investigate effective strategies for vocabulary learning used by Cambodian EFL
teachers and students teaching and learning English at a private school in Cambodia.
To assist me with this research, you are invited to participate in an interview, which will last
approximately 15 minutes. This interview will be audio-recorded and the recording will be destroyed after
the publication of the study. Only my supervisor and I will have access to this information. I wish to assure
you that all information obtained will be used for research purposes only and no part of your identity will be
revealed in any report of the completed study. Please complete the reply slip below to indicate whether you
are willing to participate in this research. Participation is entirely voluntary, which means that you can
choose to stop at any time without negative consequences. If you have any questions about the research,
please feel free to contact me via my phone number (+855)17-717236 or email at sabaynass@yahoo.com, or
my supervisor at iflsopheak@yahoo.com.
If you are willing to participate in this research, please sign with your name below. Your help and
participation is highly appreciated.
Yours sincerely,
Heng Kimkong
Department of English
The Institute of Foreign Languages
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reply Slip
Name of Participant: _______________________________________
I  will  will not participate in the research.
Signature:
______________________________________
Date:
_______________________________________
52
Appendix 2: Interview Protocol
A. Interview Protocol for Teachers
1. How long have you been teaching English?
2. Can you tell me your techniques or strategies that you use to teach vocabulary to your
(elementary/pre-inter/intermediate/upper/advanced) students?
3. Among the techniques you mentioned, what do you think are the most important techniques
to help your students at (elementary/pre-inter/intermediate/upper/advanced) levels to learn
English vocabulary more effectively? Why do you think so?
4. What are the problems you have when you teach new words to your students, using those
strategies? How do you solve them? Can you give some examples?
5. How can you train your students to learn and improve their vocabulary effectively? Can you
give some examples?
6. What are your recommendations to help teachers teaching at your level to teach vocabulary
effectively?
7. What are your suggestions or advice for students who want to improve their vocabulary?
53
B. Interview Protocol for Students
1. How long have you been studying English?
2. Can you tell me your techniques or strategies that you use to learn vocabulary?
3. Among the techniques you mentioned, what do you think are the most important techniques
to learn English vocabulary more effectively? Why do you think so?
4. What are the problems you have when you learn new words using those strategies? How do
you solve them? Can you give some examples?
5. How can you train yourself to learn and improve your vocabulary effectively? Can you give
some examples?
6. What are your recommendations to help students learning English at your level to learn
vocabulary effectively?
7. What do you think your teacher or other teachers should do to help improve their students’
vocabulary more effectively?
54
Appendix 3: A Sample of Interview Script
A. A sample of teachers’ interview script (Teacher E)
Interview Script with teacher (advanced level)
I = interviewer TE = teacher teaching at advanced level
I Good evening. First of all let me introduce you to my project err my project aims at
investigating effective strategies for vocabulary learning used by Cambodian EFL
teachers and students teaching and learning English at a private school in Cambodia.
And this project is hoped togenerate teachers and students’ awareness of the importance
of vocabulary learning strategies and it can enable students to select some strategies
which may be useful for them, and it may also provide teachers with some suggestions
in order to better teach their students vocabulary learning strategies. And I’d like to
assure you that the information that you will give to me will be kept confidential and
your identity will not be revealed and it will be anonymous. So let’s go straight to the
questions. Err question number one, how long have you been teaching English.
TE I have been teaching English for 3 years at this workplace, but I have taught at other
places for 4 years, so in total I have been teaching for 7 years.
I Can you describe the techniques or strategies that you use to teach vocabulary to your
students?
TE The techniques and strategies that I use are first matching. We know that matching asks
students to match the words and definitions or sometimes I use word hunting. In word
hunting we give definitions to the students but we ask them to find the words. We let
them read a passage, for example, the passage about science, and in the passage there are
10 paragraphs, so we divide each paragraph for each group, for example, group one is
responsible for two paragraphs and other group also two paragraphs, but we give them
definitions and we tell them the lines. For example, in line 2, the word has this meaning,
so you have to find the word that has this meaning. So this is my strategies.
I Do you have any other strategies besides word hunting?
TE I think word hunting really works well, or sometimes slide show. In slide show, we let
students see the picture and we ask them to describe the pictures, what it is about? For
example, we show the students the picture of reservoir, which is the place for storing
water or other things. Sometimes it’s hard to explain to them so we use the picture, we
show them and explain that reservoir is a place for storing water. So sometimes I use
matching, definition and sometimes I use word hunting or pictures.
I Thank you. Among the techniques that you have mentioned, what do you think are the
most important techniques to help your students learn vocabulary more effectively?
55
TE Well, among matching, word hunting and slide show or pictures, I think word hunting
and pictures work really well with the students because word hunting makes the students
think harder. They read and try to find the word which match to the definition given. But
by saying like this, it doesn’t mean that matching is not good. It depends on the situation,
but according to my observation, word hinting and pictures really help students because
sometimes the students are still no clear about the meaning of the words after we use the
word hunting as I have explained earlier. For example, the word reservoir means a place
for storing water, but sometimes they still can’t find the word. So we can use picture to
help them. To make it easy to understand, among the techniques that I have mentioned, I
think word hunting and using pictures are the most important.
I Thank you. What are the problems you have when you teach new words to your
students, using those strategies?
TE Well, this question is very good. I think the strategies such as word hunting, using
pictures and matching have no problem, but the problem is working in groups.
Whenever they work in group my students are mixed and they are in two different
groups. All of them are not my old students, some students are my ex-students, others
are from other classes. So my problem is to ask them to work in groups to do word
matching, they refuse to work together, they insist on working with their own friends, so
this is the main problem when I want them to work in group because they demand to
work with their friends, and refuse to work with other students. This is the most difficult
problem for me.
I Besides the problem of asking students to work in groups, do you have any other
problems in teaching vocabulary to your students?
TE The main problem is to ask them to work in groups, but when I present words to them
using pictures or slide show, word hunting or watching, there’s no problem because
every technique has its good point. But the problem is to ask them to work in groups
because if we want them to work in groups, they have to collaborate so that they can
learn from each other more. But the problem that I am facing is to ask them to work in
groups. It’s hard to present word hunting, matching and slide show.
I How do you solve the problems that you have?
TE My solution is that I try to tell them that if they do like that, their study will not improve.
I try to praise and encourage them and tell them that it is not good to refuse to work with
other classmates. I tell them that I ask them to work in groups is because I want them to
learn from each other. They can share what they have and I try to use praise and
encouragement.
I As an English teacher, how can you train your students to learn and improve their
vocabulary effectively?
TE Thank you. The strategy that I use to help my students learn and improve their
vocabulary is that when they have learned new words, for example, particular, reservoir
and agitated, I ask them to have a notebook so that they can write down the words they
have learned today. So they can write down the words they have learned today into their
56
notebook when they get home, but we ask them to write down the words in an
alphabetical order like A or B. So what they have learned today, they can copy it into
their notebook when they get home. For example, particular is in P list and so on. But
this is not the only technique I use. Before I finish my lesson, I usually ask my students
what the words they have learned are if I teach them vocab on that day before they leave.
So first, I review what they have learned, and when I go back home, I ask them to write
all the words they have learned into their notebook. When they come back to school
tomorrow, I review all the words they have learned. Another strategy is to use map. If
we learn a lot of words today, we can write a main word in a circle and then we ask the
students to find other words which are related to the main word. For example, the word
‘kitchen’, we can write it on the board and circle it then students can find the words
related to kitchen such as fork or knife. So this is a strategy that helps them improve
their vocabulary.
I Do you have other strategies besides mapping and making word list?
TE I think usually we have word list and map, and it’s important to review by asking
questions and answers. We can give them the definitions, for example, a place for
storing water. Then we ask the students to tell us the word which has similar meaning as
the definition we gave them. Sometimes we give them the word and we ask for the
definition. This is the strategy we use to help students in the classroom. We can also ask
them to write down the words that they have learned into their notebook at home, but in
class I usually use review and questions and answers.
I Thank you. What are your recommendations to help teachers teaching at your level to
teach vocabulary effectively?
TE I think different teachers have different strategies to teach vocab to their students such as
matching, word hunting or slide show, but any strategy doesn’t matter. What matter is
asking to work in groups because working in groups makes students learn more.If we
use all the techniques with students individually, I think it does not work so well. If the
students work individually, we don’t know whether they do their work or not, but if we
ask them to work in group, they can share ideas with their friends. If they don’t want to
do, they friends may ask them something about the task so they have to do it even they
don’t want to. One more thing is that teachers must have their own strategy or plan,
meaning that in order to teach vocabulary effectively, they have to be well prepared by
having all necessary documents related to the target vocabulary such as pictures and
something else. Moreover, they should tell their students to have notebook to write down
all the new words and they can check it once in a while based on their time availability
to make sure that the students have written down some words in it. This is my idea.
I Do you have any other suggestions?
TE I think if possible we can ask the students to perform or mime, but it depends on the
level. Sometimes at low level we can’t use word hunting or word matching, especially at
intro level. So we can ask one student to come to the whiteboard and do gesture and we
ask him or her what the gesture is about. We can ask them to gesture an activity like
swimming or smoking a cigarette. Therefore, in order to make a teacher teach
vocabulary effectively, we should take care some factors such as level. If the students
57
are in low level, we should use a lot of visual aids or gestures. But for high level, I
suggest teachers use matching or word hunting or we can use visual aids when
necessary.
I Finally, what are your suggestions or advice for students who want to improve their
vocabulary?
TE For students, in order to improve their vocabulary, they have to read a lot. Because when
we read a lot, we meet a lot of words. If we don’t read a lot, we don’t meet new words.
So how can we improve our vocabulary? This is the problem. My suggestion for the
students is to read a lot, read in English like reading newspapers and many other things.
So when we meet new words, we note it in our notebook. After we note those new
words, we check their meaning. After we check the meaning, we start to learn and figure
out how to remember those words. So in order to remember those words, they should
often speak with their friends using those words that they have learned or they can list
the words as I have mentioned or they can use map for words that are related. These are
my strategies for the students.
I Do you have more ideas?
TE I have no more.
I Thank you so much for your time and participation. Thanks for your idea, advice and
suggestion as well. I’d like to promise you that what you have shared to me will be kept
confidential. Thank you.
58
B. A sample of students’ interview script (Student E)
Interview Script with student (advanced level)
I = interviewer SE = student studying at advanced level
I Good morning. First of all, let’s me introduce you to my research study. This research
study is a small scale research study which aims at investigating effective vocabulary
learning strategies used by Cambodian teachers and students at a private school in
Cambodia. And this study is done to fulfill the requirement of the Master of Arts in
TESOL at the Institute of Foreign Languages. Err this study is hoped to raise teachers
and students’ awareness of the importance of vocabulary learning strategies, and it may
help students to select learning strategies which may be effective for them. And
moreover, this study also provides some useful suggestions which may help them to
teach their students vocabulary effectively. There are about seven questions in this
interview, and it will last around 15 minutes. And I’d like to assure you that the
information that you will provide to me will be kept confidential and your identity will
not be revealed and it will be anonymous. Thank you. So let’s go straight to the
questions. Question number one, how long have you been studying English?
SE Hmm I’ve been studying English for 5 years.
I OK. So during your study, can you tell me your strategies or techniques that you use to
learn English vocabulary?
SE My own techniques or strategies that I study vocabulary err first of all I do a flash card. I
mean err we can look err at one side the word and another side the meaning. And
another one I do the word list or practice in the workbook, in the workbook which is err
provides me many practice.
I So besides using flash card and using notebooks, so you have any other strategies that
you use to learn English vocabulary?
SE There are many ways that we can learn vocabulary err such we try to err remember for
example we have err one partner that we practice together, one say the word and another
one say the meaning (not clear) so I try to write as much as possible, try to use it as often
as I can. And also hmm try to write on a whiteboard such 20 or 30 times.
I So do you have any other strategies besides what you have mentioned?
SE Another strategy I think besides there are many but I don’t use it.
I OK. So among the techniques that you have mentioned, what do you which techniques
err are more important for you that you think will help you learn vocabulary more
effectively?
59
SE In my opinion I think err asking my brother to call the definition or call the word and I
say the definition of the word and another one which is err a flash card because err I no
need a person to help me and I can study by myself. I can read it, I can see the word and
then I can say out the definition and then I can correct it by myself by looking at another
side of the flash card.
I So when you learn new words, what are the problems that you face and how do you
solve those problems?
SE OK. The problem is pronunciation. I mean how do we pronounce the word? Another one
about the spelling and the last one is about always forget about it. Because new words
we just remember them for a short time and if we try not, if we don’t try to use it often,
we will forget about it. So about my solution, for my err for the pronunciation, I check
dictionary hmm I use my laptop to pronounce it. I mean open the dictionary and about
my forgetness, I try to write it everywhere I can see. Something like that and the last one
remember about something, I think try to use it as many time as possible because try not
to use the same words that you usually use, but you use that word which is mean the
same that you want to use the old one that you used to use.
I So you try to use the words, the new words in speaking and writing, right?
SE Yeah, we we state it.
I Do you have any other problems?
SE Problems? Another problem that err I want to use it, I want to use that word but when I
speak, I always forget to use that word. It makes me forget it but err just it’s the main
problem because I always use the same word, never use the new words. The solution I
think try to remember it err it’s still the same solution because one thing that because our
brain is the main center that controls every activity. So I try to remind myself.
I So how can you train yourself to learn and improve your vocabulary effectively? Can
you give your example?
SE I train myself? Train myself, just I think say out loud and try to remember it err
pronounce it, pronounce it correctly and for example such when I stay alone or in my
bedroom I always err remem I mean I use my flash card, say out loud and sometimes I
remember the definition, the right word when we use it. Something like that, the way
that I train myself.
I So do you think it’s useful for you?
SE Sure, because I like that way.
I So what are your recommendations or suggestions for students who want to improve
their vocabulary?
SE Err I think every student has their own techniques to study vocabulary and study
effectively, but the main thing try to figure out by themselves because err different
60
person has different techniques, so you have to figure out by yourself what techniques,
what strategy that is err have effective err to themselves. So have to think about by
yourself and err practice it when you think that it is every effective to yourself. For my
own I do the flash card and ask my brother to call the words or the definitions. It is my
effective way, so there is no specific techniques that make students study effectively, but
you yourself can find your own techniques, but no techniques for everyone. I mean
specific that study effectively.
I So you mean different students use different techniques, but some techniques that are
useful for you, may not be useful for others?
SE Yeah.
I Anything else for the suggestions for students?
SE Suggestions for students? Hmm still the same as I use hmm I mean use it as often as
possible, and try to, try not to use the old words that you used to use. I mean use the
words that we use, we just study instead of the old words. Yeah like that because when
we use it, we can remember it, we can pronounce it and moreover the listeners can err
study a new word from you.
I Yes, very nice. So let’s go to the last question. As a student, what do you think your
teacher, your classroom teacher or other teachers should do in order to help students to
learn their vocabulary effectively?
SE One thing that I really satisfied with my teacher emm that my teacher provides me the
word list in I mean vocabulary in context, and teacher just give the word list and the next
session, he always ask the word that he provide last session. So if we just give the word
list, it is not really err make any sense to students because students just keep the handout
in the folder very nicely and then never touch it and to look at it. But my lecturer always
err after that session always ask the definitions or always ask the word in the list.
Something like that and if you have, if you cannot remember. I mean that no class
participation because it’s some kind of class activity. So no class participation mark
added. So everyone try to remember it so that’s why I do like it.
I Anything else for teachers that you think they should do in order to help students learn
their vocabulary more effectively?
SE Ohh give a lot of quiz related to the vocabulary because when everyone heard quiz they
will try to take all the handouts and they look at err try to remember all the list. At least
they, if they have no time, I’m sure that they still look at it a little bit. They try to review
hmm if they think that ohh no quiz because students, students some kind of like pressure.
If they don’t have pressure, they won’t do it.
I Yeah, your final thought about the effective vocabulary learning strategies that you
wanna share something. The last word.
61
SE The last word? Hmm it’s just still the same techniques, has no specific techniques to all
students, to every student. But you yourself try to figure out the main techniques or the
effective techniques to yourself. Which one you think it is very effective?
I Yes, thank you so much for your time and participation.
SE You’re welcome.
I Yes, thank you.
62
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Effective Vocabulary Learning Strategies: Perspectives from Cambodian

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Effective Vocabulary Learning Strategies:

Phnom Penh 2011

CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION......................................................................................... 1

CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................... 3

CHAPTER THREE METHODOLOGY .................................................................................. 9

CHAPTER FOUR FINDINGS ................................................................................................ 13

CHAPTER FIVE DISCUSSION.............................................................................................. 30

CHAPTER SIX IMPLICATIONS & CONCLUSION.......................................................... 40

Table 4.1 Problems students have while learning new words.................................................... 21

1.1. Rationale and Context of the Study

1.2. Purpose of the Study

1.3. Structure of the Paper

2.1. General Vocabulary Learning Strategies

2.2. The Taxonomy of Vocabulary Learning Strategies

Gu and Johnson’s (1996) metacognitive strategies, according to Ghanal (2007), consist of

2.3. The Most Frequently Used Vocabulary Learning Strategies

2.4. Vocabulary Learning Strategies in Asian Contexts

2.6. Strategies to Cope with Difficulty in Learning Vocabulary

2.7. Research Questions

3.1. Research Setting

3.2. Research Participants

3.3. Research Design

3.4. Methods of Data Collection and Analysis

3.4.1. Research Ethics

3.4.2. Semi-structured Interview

4.1. Effective Vocabulary Learning Strategies

4.1.1. Teachers’ Perceptions of Effective Vocabulary Learning Strategies

4.1.2. Students’ Perceptions of Effective Vocabulary Learning Strategies

“I try to memorize the words by repeating them many times.” (Student C)

4.2. Effective Vocabulary Teaching Strategies

4.3. Problems of Learning and Teaching New Words and Solutions

4.3.1. Problems of Learning New Words and Solutions

Table 4.1 Problems students have while learning new words

Difficulty in new word spelling 3 16.6

4.3.2. Problems of Teaching New Words and Solutions

Table 4.2 Problems teachers have while teaching new words

4.4.1. Suggestions for Students to Learn English Vocabulary Effectively

Table 4.3 Students’ suggestions on how to learn English vocabulary effectively

Table 4.4 Teachers’ suggestions on how to learn English vocabulary effectively

4.4.2. Suggestions for Teachers to Teach English Vocabulary Effectively

Table 4.5 Students’ suggestions on how to teach English vocabulary effectively

Table 4.6 Teachers’ suggestions on how to teach English vocabulary effectively

5.1. Effective Vocabulary Learning Strategies

5.2. The Most Frequently Used Vocabulary Teaching Strategies

5.3. Common Problems in Learning and Teaching Vocabulary

5.4. Solutions to the Problem in Learning and Teaching Vocabulary

6.1. Pedagogical Implications

6.1.1. Implications for Language Teachers

6.1.2. Implications for Students of English

6.1.2.1. Vocabulary Learning Strategies Used by Cambodian EFL Students

6.1.2.3. What Students Should Do

6.2. Limitations of the Study

6.3. Research Implications

Akbari, O. (2008). Teaching vocabulary items through contextualization and picture to

Hismanoglu, M. (2000). Language learning strategies in foreign language learning and

Intaraprasert, C (2010). Strategies for learning vocabulary employed by science-oriented