Learning Strategies Used by EFL Students in Learning English Vocabulary

Abstract

Vocabulary learning is essential for students to learn the English language. Abtew (2021) stated that vocabulary is a crucial element of language skills. However, several studies found out that vocabulary learning in EFL students is still limited. This study aimed to find vocabulary learning strategies that are used by students when learning English. This study combined two theories from Schmitt (2000) and Gu and Johnson (1996) which became five strategies (Determination, Social, Memory, Cognitive, and Metacognitive). This study used a quantitative method with closed-ended questions in the questionnaire to 159 third-year high school students. The findings showed that all strategies were used by the students. Regarding the most used strategies, the majority of students used determination strategies. Three determination strategies used. The top one is checking the meaning of English words in Indonesian. The second most used strategy was the metacognitive strategy.