Strategies used by Kuwait University English Language student teachers in learning new English vocabulary

Abstract EN

The present study investigated English language student-teachers’ strategies in learning new English vocabulary with reference to some variables (gender and year of study).

The sample consisted of 70 students: 29 males and 41 females from the College of Education at Kuwait University.

The analytical descriptive approach was applied and a questionnaire was used as a data collection tool.

The coefficient alpha Cronbach was (0.920) of the 41 questionnaire items divided into three domains: vocabulary determination strategies, metacognitive strategies, and memory strategies.

The statistical packages for social sciences (SPSS) were used to obtain percentages, means and standard deviations.

Both t-test and One Way ANOVA were also applied for data analysis.

The results indicated that the degree of students’ use of these strategies came to a medium degree.

On the one hand, the most used strategy was the cognitive strategies with a special focus on in-class note-taking strategy.

On the other hand, the least used strategy was the memory strategies with a special focus on grouping words spatially on a page.

The study concluded with a number of recommendations to enhance vocabulary learning