JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching https://e-journal.undikma.ac.id/index.php/jollt Email: jollt@undikma.ac.id DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.33394/jollt.v%vi%i.7656 July 2023. Vol.11, No.3 p-ISSN: 2338-0810 e-ISSN: 2621-1378 pp. 447-460 JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, July 2023. Vol.11, No.3 | 447 VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES VIS-A-VIS VOCABULARY TEACHING STRATEGIES Abrar Kedir Mohammed English Assistant Professor, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Ethiopia Corresponding Author Email: kedirabrar@yahoo.com Article Info Abstract Article History Received: April 2023 Revised: June 2023 Published: July 2023 Learning a foreign language entails a learner developing special efforts or ways of learning to acquire the target language effectively. This can be achieved through using appropriate learning strategies. Thus, this article looks at the relationship between vocabulary teaching methods and vocabulary learning strategies employed by students and teachers in secondary schools. A mixed methods design was used to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observations. Separate analyses of the data were conducted, and the qualitative findings were used to support the numeric findings. The results showed that because teachers weren't always using them to teach vocabulary lessons, vocabulary teaching strategies were found to be less effective and practical in the sample schools. It also found that the students were unable to effectively use techniques for learning new word meanings and cementing them in their long-term memory. As a result, vocabulary teaching and learning methods have not received much attention from teachers and students. Thus, teachers should be given refreshment training on the teaching strategies of vocabulary so as to help students to make use of vocabulary learning strategies. Besides, it is suggested students’ training on how to use the strategies and promote a sense of autonomous learning. Keywords Vocabulary learning; Learning strategies; Vocabulary teaching strategies; How to cite: Mohammed, A. K. (2023). Vocabulary Learning Strategies vis-à-vis Vocabulary Teaching Strategies, JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, 11(3), pp. 447-460. DOI: https://doi.org/ 10.33394/jollt.v%vi%i.7656 INTRODUCTION Learning a foreign language is highly dependent on conscious learning. As a result, a learner is expected to develop his/her own ways of learning to overcome the challenges of foreign language context. The effectiveness and independence of language learners depend on their language learning techniques. Thus, conscious learning is crucial for acquiring a foreign language. In order to overcome the difficulties of the foreign language context, a learner is required to create his or her own learning strategies. Cook (2001) suggests encouraging students to become independent both inside and outside of the classroom. Knowing how to employ appropriate strategies could be the most practical approach to accomplish this. Additionally, O'Malley and Chamot (1990), using the right approach is associated with improved learning outcomes. Additionally, according to Williams and Burden (1997), recent studies in the field of learning strategies have demonstrated that the deliberate use of strategies can greatly enhance learning. Schifini (2006) believe that using different vocabulary teaching strategies as illustrations, demonstrations, synonyms and definitions, etc. will help students remove the uncertainty and frustration they feel when meeting new words in a text. It is obvious that in class students have a variety of vocabulary learning strategy preferences. Thus, teachers should not only plan to include new vocabulary items in their lesson plans but also they need to think about matching their vocabulary teaching strategies with the students learning https://e-journal.undikma.ac.id/index.php/jollt http://issn.pdii.lipi.go.id/issn.cgi?daftar&1366476729&1&& http://issn.pdii.lipi.go.id/issn.cgi?daftar&1524725326&1&& Mohammed Vocabulary Learning Strategies vis-a-vis ……….. JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, July 2023. Vol.11, No.3 | 448 strategies. Teachers have to recognize that learners have their own vocabulary learning preferences. Carter and McCarthy (1988) described that very little can be communicated without grammar, but nothing can be communicated without vocabulary. If the learners' vocabulary learning strategies and the teachers' vocabulary teaching strategies are not compatible, vocabulary learning will not be useful. Particularly, teachers might employ unsuitable vocabulary teaching methods or learning techniques that ignore the interests and needs of the students. According to Schifini (2006) and Widdowson (1990), students will benefit from the use of various vocabulary teaching strategies, such as examples, demonstrations, synonyms, and definitions, to help them overcome their apprehension and frustration when they encounter new terms in a text. According to Chugo (2004), many of the previous vocabulary teaching –learning techniques teachers and students have used are not worthwhile because they do not help students to retain as well as retrieve words. Vocabulary learning would be non-functional if there is a mismatch between vocabulary learning strategies used by the learners and the teachers’ vocabulary teaching strategies. Particularly, the teachers may use inappropriate vocabulary teaching techniques or learning strategies, which do not involve students’ interest and needs. It is clear that students use a range of vocabulary learning techniques in the classroom. Thus, vocabulary must be highly valued by language teachers because it is crucial to language. According to Harmer (1991), lexicon is the language's "muscle" and "bones," without which words are meaningless. Segler et al. (2001) claim that teachers should focus on vocabulary teaching strategies like using dictionaries, journals, semantic mapping, and parts of speech. Similar to this, Ghazal (2003) asserted that when teaching vocabulary, teachers might ignore students' linguistic abilities, interests, learning preferences, and general backgrounds in favor of focusing exclusively on the textbooks. As a result, they might not approach the instruction of vocabulary in an ethical manner. However, the teachers’ inability to use appropriate vocabulary teaching strategies may lead their students not to have adequate vocabularies and this in turn also leads them to lose interest in learning English language, in general, vocabulary lessons in particular. This is what we see in our situations. Getnet (2008) study explained that there is a relationship between language learning achievement and vocabulary-learning strategies, i.e. high achievers frequently or always use more wide range of vocabulary learning strategies than low achievers. The other research is by Abebe (1997) on strategies of vocabulary learning employed by first year students at Addis Ababa University indicates that a wide range of English vocabulary acquisition strategies were reported by the target sample students but only few of the strategies were reported to be used by a large number of the students. In general, if teachers are unable to employ effective vocabulary teaching techniques, students may develop insufficient vocabularies and lose interest in learning English. Thus, this study's aim was to address the following issues; What are the vocabulary learning strategies that learners’ use? And what are the vocabulary teaching strategies that teachers employ? Review of Literature Vocabulary Teaching and Learning Strategies Brown (1994) described teaching is showing or helping someone to learn, how to do something, giving instruction, guiding the study of something, providing with knowledge, causing to know or understand. The author also explained learning is as acquiring or getting knowledge of a subject or a skill by study, experience or instruction. This definition expands the opportunity of learning in that learning is not confined to classroom instruction only but it Mohammed Vocabulary Learning Strategies vis-a-vis ……….. JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, July 2023. Vol.11, No.3 | 449 can be gained, apart from teaching, through experience, self-study and interaction with the immediate surrounding which is particularly essential for language learning. There is planned and unplanned vocabulary teaching methods, according to Singleton et al. He clarified that unplanned teaching strategies are connected to instructors' impromptu responses with the intention of assisting students when the situation calls for it. The term "planned vocabulary teaching" alludes to intentional, direct, explicit, and well-defined vocabulary instruction. The development of comprehending, speaking, reading, and writing abilities is typically the goal of English language instruction. It is important to pay attention to phonology, grammar, and vocabulary within each of the abilities. Every one of the linguistic abilities uses vocabulary, structure, and sounds. Nunan (1995) contends that effective vocabulary development is essential for acquiring a language. The presence of little vocabulary in our student’s mind may seem a sign of unsuccessful learning or poor communication skills. In line with this, proponents of learner-based teaching have promoted the idea of giving their students the tools and strategies to learn independently (O’Malley and Chamott, 1990). According to research, vocabulary can be readily increased by teaching particular words using vocabulary learning techniques. The most essential and frequently used words should receive priority attention from language teachers, according to recommendations. In other words, instructors should arm students with fundamental vocabulary that they use frequently before teaching skills (reading, listening, writing, and speaking). The most common words should be clearly taught so that they are requirements for language use (Asberold and Field, 1997). Nunan (2003) asserts further that word instruction and acquisition must be integrated into a language course's overall structure. These include speaking and writing as well as hearing, reading, sounds , vocabulary, grammar, and discourse. He recommends giving priority to the high-frequency words across the four strands of a course, concentrating on the vocabulary in the most effective manner, and encouraging students to reflect on and take ownership of their learning. Oxford's (1990) classification system and the difference between discovery and consolidation are both used to organize Schmitt's (1997) final taxonomy of vocabulary learning methods. Five categories (determination, social, memory, cognitive, and meta- cognitive) and 58 distinct strategies make up the taxonomy of vocabulary acquisition techniques. Determination Strategies (Det): According to Nation (2000), although productive skills (writing and speaking) require the knowledge of several aspects of a word, meaning is the principal aspect that learners are most concerned with. Hence, to learn the meaning of a word for the first time, learners use various strategies. Some advanced learners look for affixes and roots (word formation clues), others look for contextual clues (guessing from context), and still others look up a word in a dictionary for the correct meaning. Of course, there are more ambitious and determined learners who are able to make use of the combination of all of them instead of resorting to another person’s help. Social Strategies (Soc): These strategies refer to the interaction of the language learner with his or her classmates and teachers to obtain word meaning. Language being a social behavior, it requires two or more people to communicate, and communication is a function of the active participation of the communicators. Language learners very often use social strategies, namely, asking questions, cooperating with peers, and interacting with more proficient users of the language and native speakers when the opportunity is obtained (Oxford 1990 and Schmitt 2000). Memory Strategies (Mem): As the name explains, memory strategies are used to support recalling and retrieving words once they are learned. One of the major problems FL learners encounter, according to Gu (2005), is how to make words accessible to memory after Mohammed Vocabulary Learning Strategies vis-a-vis ……….. JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, July 2023. Vol.11, No.3 | 450 they are learned. Likewise, Oxford (1990) painfully explains, "Though some teachers think vocabulary learning is easy, language learners have a serious problem remembering the large amounts of vocabulary necessary to achieve fluency." Memory strategies, therefore, assist learners to ease this problem. Cognitive strategies (Cog): these are strategies that enable learners to understand and produce new language. Cognitive strategies are particularly fundamental for language learners because practice and manipulation of the target language, typical language learning principles, are the major components of these strategies (Oxford 1990; Schmitt and McCarthy 1997). Meta-cognitive Strategies (Met): These are strategies that assist learners in regulating their own cognition, focusing, planning, and evaluating their progress (Oxford, 1990). To use meta-cognitive strategies, learners must be more conscious and ambitious about their learning. Schmitt (2000) also writes that these strategies involve a conscious overview of the learning process and making decisions about planning, monitoring, or evaluating the best ways to study. RESEARCH METHOD n this study, a mixed-methods approach was employed to address the research questions and develop a comprehensive understanding of the subject under investigation. The decision to adopt a mixed methods design was motivated by the need to obtain diverse and nuanced answers to the research questions. By incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods, the study aimed to gather a wide range of information regarding the respondents' relationship between vocabulary teaching and learning strategies. To ensure a comprehensive data collection process, a quantitative descriptive approach was specifically utilized. This approach involved the implementation of various data collection instruments, namely questionnaires, interviews, and classroom observations. The questionnaire was employed to gather quantitative data, enabling the researchers to obtain measurable insights into the respondents' vocabulary teaching and learning strategies. Additionally, interviews were conducted to delve deeper into participants' perspectives and experiences, providing qualitative data that enriched the understanding of the research topic. Furthermore, classroom observations were carried out to directly observe and document the practical implementation of vocabulary teaching strategies in real educational settings. By integrating multiple data collection methods, the study aimed to achieve a more comprehensive and holistic understanding of the research topic. The mixed-methods design facilitated the exploration of both quantitative and qualitative dimensions, enabling the researchers to triangulate findings and derive more robust conclusions. Ultimately, this approach contributed to the development of a thorough understanding of the complex relationship between vocabulary teaching and learning strategies, shedding light on effective approaches that can enhance language learning outcomes. Population and Sample The study's target population was grade 11 teachers and students in two secondary schools. The study included 156 students from both schools (111 male and 45 female), or 17.27% of the total population. In addition, all grade eleven English teachers (8), from each of the two schools, were included. For a quantitative study, this section is used to declare the number of population and sample or the subject(s) selected for a qualitative study. In selecting sample and subject, please declare your technique and/or your parameter. Furthermore, in a study using study groups, write in brief about how groups are allocated. Instruments For quantitative data, adapted questionnaire that consists of 32 items based on Schmitt’s (1997) taxonomy of vocabulary learning strategies was used to survey teachers and students. Mohammed Vocabulary Learning Strategies vis-a-vis ……….. JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, July 2023. Vol.11, No.3 | 451 This taxonomy consists of determination, social, memory, cognitive, and meta-cognitive learning strategies. The students’ questionnaire was translated into Amharic and piloted before the actual process of data collection. Item analysis was also performed using SPSS version 16 to ensure the scale's internal consistency. The best items were selected by using the item-total correlation index. 2 items with the lowest index (0.45 and 0.51) were eliminated as they have low correlation. 32 items were retained, and the Cronbach Alpha coefficient computed was 0.96 for discovery and 0.99 for consolidating items. For qualitative data, classroom observation was conducted to gather more useful information on how effectively the sample teachers teach vocabulary lessons and crosscheck the results found from the survey. Besides, the interview was conducted with randomly chosen sample students. Data Analysis In order to analyze and compare the differences between vocabulary learning strategies and vocabulary teaching strategies, the survey data collected in this study were subjected to frequency and percentage computations. This quantitative analysis approach enabled the researchers to quantify and establish the prevalence of various strategies employed by the participants in both vocabulary learning and teaching contexts. By computing frequencies and percentages, the researchers were able to identify the relative frequencies of specific strategies and assess their significance in relation to the research objectives. Conversely, the qualitative analysis focused on the students' interviews and classroom observations, aiming to consolidate and complement the insights obtained from the teachers' questionnaire. Through the process of organization and analysis, the qualitative data from the interviews and classroom observations were carefully examined to identify patterns, themes, and recurring ideas. This rigorous qualitative analysis allowed for a deeper understanding of the participants' perspectives, experiences, and contextual factors that influenced vocabulary learning and teaching strategies. By integrating both quantitative and qualitative analyses, the study employed a mixed-methods approach to provide a comprehensive understanding of the complex relationship between vocabulary learning and teaching strategies. The quantitative analysis of survey data offered numerical insights, while the qualitative analysis of interviews and classroom observations enriched the findings by capturing nuanced and contextual information. The consolidation of these two forms of analysis contributed to a more robust interpretation of the data, yielding valuable insights into the effectiveness and potential improvements of vocabulary teaching and learning strategies in educational settings. RESEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION Research Findings This study aimed to find ouout the vocabulary learning strategies used by learners and vocabulary teaching strategies employed by the teachers. Table 1 showed that some determination strategies employed by learners in vocabulary classroom. Table 1 Determination Strategies N o Items Subjects Responses Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently Very Fre. F % F % F % F % F % 1 Guessing words in context Students 35 23.0 31 20.4 31 20.4 33 21.7 22 14.5 Teachers - - 1 12.5 - - 4 50 3 37.5 2 Use of bilingual dictionary Students 5 3.3 17 11.2 26 17.1 32 21.1 72 47.4 Teachers 6 75 1 12.5 - - 1 12.5 - - 3 Use of monolingual Students 16 10.5 42 27.6 29 19.1 27 17.8 38 25 Teachers - - - - 4 50 2 25 2 25 Mohammed Vocabulary Learning Strategies vis-a-vis ……….. JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, July 2023. Vol.11, No.3 | 452 dictionary 4 Guessing meaning by analyzing part of speech Students 19 12.5 58 38.2 29 19.1 28 18.4 18 11.8 Teachers 1 12.5 - - 1 12.5 4 50 2 25 5 Analyzing affixes and roots Students 12 7.9 24 15.8 40 26.3 36 23.7 40 26.3 Teachers - - 3 37.3 2 25 2 25 1 12.5 6 Making use of word cards Students 110 72.4 16 10.5 12 7.9 10 6.6 4 2.6 Teachers 3 37.5 1 12.5 2 25 2 25 - - 7 Check for L1 cognate Students 36 23.2 42 27.6 28 18.4 24 15.8 4 2.6 Teachers 3 37.5 2 25 1 25 1 25 1 25 Item 1 in the above table illustrated that some students seemed to be ignorant of using the strategy of guessing words from context. 43.41% of the subjects reported that they didn’t apply the strategy to discover meaning. On the other hand, 35.18% of the students reacted favorably to the strategy. However, almost all of the teachers (7 of them) noted that they employed guessing words in context to make students discover words’ meaning. 68.41% of the students responded that they used a bilingual dictionary, whereas very few (14.46%) of them had shown a low reaction to the use of the strategy. However, the majority of the teachers (7) did not advise students on how to use the strategy; only one teacher responded positively. Here it can be deduced that students applied the strategy to solve their immediate problems without the help of teachers. It was learned that a considerable number of students seemed to use a monolingual dictionary and analyze affixes and roots to discover words’ meanings. 42.76 percent and 49.94 percent of the subjects, respectively, responded positively to the strategies for determining the meaning of words. On the other hand, half of the teachers (4 students) reported that they advised their students to use a monolingual dictionary. Three of the teachers, however, stated that they used analyzing affixes and roots. Similarly, 50.65 % and 82.88 % of the students, respectively, noted that they did not discover words’ meaning by analyzing parts of speech and did not have experience of using word cards, whereas only 9.75 % of the students had shown a high reaction to the use of word cards to discover words' meaning. The majority of teachers (6), on the other hand, required students to analyze parts of speech to discover meaning, but half of the teachers (4) did not use the strategy of using word cards. This implied that the teachers didn’t help their students to discover words’ meaning. As indicated in the table, students (51.3%) seemed to ignore checking for L1 cognates to discover words’ meaning. Only 17.4% of the students responded that they used the strategy. However, the majority of teachers (5) stated that they did not encourage students to check L1 cognate to find meaning. Table 2 Social Strategies No Items Subjects Responses Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently Very Fre. F % F % F % F % F % 8 Discovering meaning through group work activity Students 27 17.8 35 23.0 41 27 31 20.4 18 11.8 Teachers - - 4 50 1 12.5 2 25 1 12.5 9 Asking a classmate for help to Students 8 5.3 19 12.5 31 20.4 34 22.4 60 39.5 Teachers - - 2 25 - - 4 50 2 25 Mohammed Vocabulary Learning Strategies vis-a-vis ……….. JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, July 2023. Vol.11, No.3 | 453 understand 10 Asking for help in conversation Students’ response 38 25 33 21.7 32 21.1 26 17.1 23 15.1 Teachers 1 12.5 - - 3 37.5 2 25 2 25 11 Asking a teacher for explanation of new words Students 26 17.1 33 21.7 38 25 24 15.8 31 20.3 Teachers 1 12.5 2 25 - - 3 37.5 2 25 The responses to Item 8 showed that some students did not discover the meaning of words through group work activities. 40.8 percent of the students affirmed that they didn't discover the meaning of new words through group work activities, but 32.2 percent of the students highly reacted to the item. On the other hand, 4 of the teachers reported that they didn’t make students discover the meaning of new words through group work activities, whereas 3 of the teachers noted that they most of the time employed the strategy. Item 9, as shown in the above table, demonstrated that the majority of the students (61.9%) applied the strategy of asking a classmate for help to discover word meanings. Only 17.8% of the students noted that they did not apply the strategy. Similarly, 6 of the teachers noted that they encouraged students to ask a classmate for help in discovering words’ meaning, but 2 of the teachers reacted the other way. Here, it would be inferred that teachers encouraged students to ask for help, and the students practiced the strategy to discover the meaning of words. The responses to items 10 and 11 indicated that 46.7% and 38.8% of the students had shown a high reaction to the items, respectively, which means some of the students did not use the strategy of asking their friends in conversation as well as the teachers for help. In contrast, 4 and 5 of the teachers, respectively, reported that they encouraged students to apply the strategies. Table 3 Social Consolidating Strategy No Item Subjects Responses Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently Very Fre. F % F % F % F % F % 12 Studying and practicing words in group Students 34 22.4 38 25 35 23.0 24 15.8 22 14.5 Teaches 1 12.5 1 12 2 37.5 3 25 2 25 As shown in the above table, a considerable number of students (47.4%) did not study and practice in group to consolidate words’ meaning. Only 30.3 % of the students had shown their high reaction to the strategy. On the other hand, more than half of the teachers (5) reacted highly to the strategy except one teacher who replied the other way. Table 4 Memory Strategies No Items subjects Responses F % F % F % F % F % 13 Use of a new words in sentences Students 29 19.1 55 36.2 37 24.3 23 15.1 8 5.3 Teachers - - - - 2 25 5 62.5 1 12.5 14 Forming a mental picture of a new word Students 47 30.9 23 15.1 26 17.1 26 17.1 30 19.7 Teachers 2 25 2 25 2 25 1 12.5 1 12.5 Mohammed Vocabulary Learning Strategies vis-a-vis ……….. JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, July 2023. Vol.11, No.3 | 454 No Items subjects Responses F % F % F % F % F % 15 Connecting a word with synonyms/an tonyms Students 11 7.2 25 16.4 36 23.7 50 32.9 30 19.7 Teachers - - 1 12.5 1 12.5 4 50 2 25 16 Connecting new words with personal experience Students 19 12.5 30 19.7 34 22.4 42 27.6 27 17.8 Teachers 1 12.5 - - - - 5 62.5 2 25 17 Describing words in ones own Students 11 7.23 28 18.4 32 21.1 38 25 42 27.6 Teachers - - - - 2 25 3 37.5 3 37.5 18 Grouping words together Students 32 21.1 37 24.3 30 19.7 27 17.8 16 10.5 Teachers 1 12.5 3 37.5 2 25 1 12.5 1 12.5 19 Use of new words in conversation or writing Students 9 5.92 32 21.1 38 25 37 24.3 36 23.7 Teachers - - 2 25 2 25 3 37.5 1 12.5 20 Connecting words with physical objects Students 21 13.8 34 22.4 36 23.7 35 23.0 26 17.1 Teachers - - - - 3 37.5 3 37.5 2 25 21 Use of semantic maps Students 11 7.23 25 16.4 36 23.7 50 32.9 30 19.7 Teachers - - 1 12.5 1 12.5 4 50 2 37.5 22 Associating a word with other Students 46 30.3 38 25 29 19.1 21 13.8 18 11.8 Teachers - - 2 25 4 50 2 25 - - 23 Make word lists and write their translations in to L1 Students 38 25 24 15.8 32 21.1 30 19.7 28 18.4 Teachers 1 12.5 2 25 1 12.5 4 50 - - As indicated in the above table, the responses to item 14 illustrated that 46% of the students responded that they did not employ the strategy of forming a mental picture of a new word to remember it. 36.83 percent of them had shown a high reaction to the use of the strategy. On the other hand, 4 of the teachers stated that they didn't encourage students to form a mental picture of a word to consolidate its meaning. Only two people responded positively to the strategy. According to the respondents, most of the students used the strategies of connecting a word with synonyms or antonyms (52.6%) and describing words in their own words (52.6%) to consolidate meaning. Similarly, the majority of teachers (7 and 6) reported using the strategies to help students consolidate word meaning. This showed that teachers and students employed the strategy to consolidate the meaning of words. Concerning connecting new words with personal experience, a considerable number of students (45.4%) reacted positively towards the use of the strategy, whereas 32.2% of them showed a low reaction to it. On the other hand, almost all teachers (7%) responded that they employed the strategy to advise students to connect new words with their personal experience to consolidate the meaning of words. Items 18 and 23 in the above table demonstrated that some of the students did not use the strategy of grouping words together and making word lists and translating them into L1 to Mohammed Vocabulary Learning Strategies vis-a-vis ……….. JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, July 2023. Vol.11, No.3 | 455 remember them. 45.4 percent and 40.8 percent of the students, respectively, asserted that they didn’t apply the strategies to consolidate words’ meaning. Only 28.3 percent of them favored grouping words together and making a word list to remember words. And 38.1% of the students had shown their high reaction to the strategy of making word lists and translating them into L1. Similarly, four of the teachers replied negatively to the strategy, saying they did not employ grouping words together. Only two teachers had responded highly. Four of the teachers, however, responded that they advised students to make word lists and translate them into their L1. In the above table, items 19 and 20 revealed that a relatively considerable number of the students applied the strategy of using new words in writing or conversation and connecting words with physical objects to remember them. 48% and 40% of students, respectively, reported that they used the strategies to remember words the majority of the time. On the other hand, 4 and 5 of the teachers, respectively, had shown a high reaction to encourage students to apply the strategies. The students' responses also revealed that the majority of them 52.6% used semantic maps to memorize words' meaning but 32.2% of the students reacted low to this strategy. Similarly, 6 of the teachers affirmed that they advised their students to use semantic maps to consolidate words’ meaning, but 2 of the teachers noted that they didn’t employ the strategy. The responses to items 13 and 22 depicted that most of the students did not apply the strategy of using a new word in sentences and used associating a word with others to consolidate words’ meaning. This accounted for 55.3 percent and 55.3 percent, respectively, while 20.4 percent and 25.4 percent of students responded positively to the strategies. However, 6 of the teachers affirmed that they encouraged students to use the strategy of using a new word in sentences, but only 2 of the teachers noted that they encouraged students to employ associating a word with others to consolidate words’ meaning. Here, it could be said that the teachers should have helped students practice the strategies to retain the target words. Table 5 Cognitive Strategies No Items Subjects Never Rarely Sometimes Frequently Very Fre. F % F % F % F % F % 24 Keeping a vocabulary notebook Students 36 23.7 46 30.3 25 16.4 26 17.1 19 12.5 Teachers 1 12.5 2 37.5 1 12.5 3 37.5 1 12.5 25 Writing words while watching TV or films Students 60 40.1 30 19.7 29 19.0 22 14.5 9 5.9 Teachers 4 50 2 25 - - 1 12.5 1 12.5 26 Writing words while reading books or magazines Students 39 25.7 39 25.7 28 18.42 16 10.5 30 19.7 Teachers 3 37.5 3 37.5 1 12.5 1 12.5 - - 27 Verbal repetition Students 20 13.2 39 25.7 24 15.8 30 19.7 39 25.7 Teachers 1 12.5 1 12.5 4 50 - - 2 25 28 Written repetition Students 24 15.8 27 17.8 37 24.4 26 17.1 38 25 Teachers 2 25 1 12.5 3 37.5 2 25 - - 29 Writing down words while hearing Students 5 3.3 17 11.2 26 17.1 32 21.1 72 47.4 Teachers - - 1 12.5 2 25 3 37.5 2 25 30 Writing word lists Students 1 .65 24 15.8 32 21.1 48 31.6 46 30.3 Teachers - - 2 25 - - 4 50 2 25 Mohammed Vocabulary Learning Strategies vis-a-vis ……….. JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, July 2023. Vol.11, No.3 | 456 As shown in Table 5, nearly 54 percent of students replied that they did not keep a vocabulary notebook to consolidate words' meaning, but only 29.7 percent of them reacted highly. On the other hand, four of the teachers expressed a strong desire to assist students in using the strategy to consolidate word meaning. Here it is possible to say that there is a mismatch, but students should have practiced the strategy. The above table also summarized that the majority of the students did not write words while watching television or films (59.9%), and 51.3% of them responded that they did not write words while reading books or magazines to remember them. Only 27.9 percent and 30.6 percent of the students responded positively to the strategies. On the other hand, most of the teachers asserted that they didn't employ the strategies to make students consolidate words' meaning. According to the responses of the students to item 27, most of the students tended to say a word aloud repeatedly to remember it. 51.9 percent of the students affirmed that they applied the strategy of saying a word aloud to consolidate words’ meaning, but 22.4 percent of the students said that they didn't use the strategy. In contrast, only 2 of the teachers reported that they encouraged students to say a word aloud, but 4 of the teachers showed a low reaction towards the strategy. The implication here is that students used the strategy without the assistance of their teachers. This showed a mismatch. Teachers should have employed the strategy to make students consolidate the meaning of words. As it is indicated in the above table, students' responses to items 29 and 30 stated that the majority of the students applied the strategy of writing words when hearing and making word lists to consolidate meaning. 68.4 percent and 61.8 percent of the students, respectively, asserted that they applied the strategies. Similarly, 5 and 6 of the teachers, respectively, affirmed that they employed the strategies to encourage students to consolidate the meaning of words. Concerning the strategy of written repetition, some students (42.1%) showed a high reaction toward the strategy, but 33.6% of them responded that they didn’t apply it to consolidate words’ meaning. Similarly, 3 of the teachers noted that they didn’t employ the strategy, but 2 of them reacted the other way. Table 6 Metacognitive Strategies No Items Subjects Never Rarely sometimes Frequently Very Fre. F % F % F % F % F % 31 Reviewing words before test Students 13 8.6 29 19.1 42 27.6 43 28.3 25 16.4 Teachers - - 1 12.5 - - 4 50 3 37.5 32 Testing oneself to check word knowledge Students 15 9.9 18 11.8 29 19.1 40 26.3 42 27.6 Teachers 1 12.5 - - 2 25 4 50 1 12.5 Regarding item 31, a significant number of students (44.7%) responded that they used the strategy of reviewing words before a test to remember them, while 27.7% had a negative reaction to the strategy. On the other hand, almost all of the teachers (7 of them) noted that they encouraged students to review words before a test. Only one teacher said that he didn’t employ the strategy. The findings also summarized that the majority of the students applied the strategy of testing themselves to check their word knowledge, i.e., 53.89 percent of the students reacted highly to this strategy, whereas 20.7 percent of them said that they did not apply the strategy to consolidate words’ meaning. When we see the teachers' responses, five Mohammed Vocabulary Learning Strategies vis-a-vis ……….. JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, July 2023. Vol.11, No.3 | 457 of them note that they encouraged students to test themselves to consolidate the meaning of words. Only one teacher said that he didn't employ the strategy. Discussion Students and teachers were asked to rate how often they use the strategies for determining the meaning of words at the first encounter. Determination strategies facilitate gaining knowledge of a new word. As a result, as shown in Table 1, using a bilingual dictionary was a popular vocabulary learning strategy for assisting students in discovering the meanings of words.68.4 percent of them affirmed that they used a bilingual dictionary. During the interview session, most students explained that they used a bilingual dictionary. This response seems to be in line with what Schmitt (2000) says: a good dictionary provides a lot of information about a word, including spelling, pronunciation, synonyms, antonyms, collocations, etc. However, seven of the teachers noted that they didn’t advise students to use a bilingual dictionary. This shows that there is a mismatch between students and teachers in the use of the strategy. During the observation, all of the teachers were seen making students guess words from context, as they used the strategy for the majority of the class time. However, in the interview with the students, most of them explained that they did not use guessing strategies to get the meaning of words for the first time, but scholars like McCarthy (1990) argue that a word learned in a meaningful context is best remembered and assimilated. Using a monolingual dictionary and analyzing affixes and roots as strategies to discover the meaning of words were moderately favored the students. A few teachers noted that they employed the strategies. However, Gu (2005) discuss that monolingual dictionaries are more useful than bilingual ones. Students tended to ignore the use of parts of speech to discover words’ meaning, i.e., 50.7% of them stated that they didn’t apply the strategy, whereas the majority of the teachers (6) noted that they employed it to make students discover words’ meaning. It is possible to say that there is a mismatch in the strategy's application here. Regarding the use of dictionaries, word parts, and word cards, Nunan (2003) argues that using word parts to help remember words for dealing with low frequency words and using word cards for deliberate learning are better than looking up words in dictionaries. Nation (2001) also asserts that word cards are extremely effective. The use of checking L1 cognates was not a favored strategy by the teachers and students. 51.3% of the students noted that they did not apply the strategy. Similarly, more than half of the teachers stated that they didn't employ it. However, scholars like Schmitt and McCarthy confirmed that paired associate learning is useful to learn a large number of words in a short period of time. Asking a classmate for help is favored by the majority of teachers and students. 61.83% of the students confirmed that they applied the strategy. Similarly, 6 of the teachers asserted that they always employed the strategy to discover words’ meaning. During the interview, some of the students explained that they asked other people to understand the meaning of a new word as an alternative strategy. The other social strategy, discovering words' meanings through group work activities, was not supported by the teachers. Four of them noted that they didn’t employ it. Similarly, students also seemed to ignore the strategy, i.e., only 32.2% of them reacted highly to it. The response given by the teachers and students seems to contradict what the literature says. Despite the fact that discovering word meaning through group work activity is neglected by the respondents, Schmitt (2000) argues that discussing word meaning in a group is important not only to determine the initial meaning but also to consolidate word knowledge. The social strategy of studying and practicing words in groups seems to be ignored by the students; i.e., 47.36 percent of them reacted negatively towards the strategy. However, half of the teachers (4) indicated that they advised students to use the strategy to consolidate Mohammed Vocabulary Learning Strategies vis-a-vis ……….. JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, July 2023. Vol.11, No.3 | 458 word meaning. Even though developing learners’ autonomous vocabulary learning is an essential strategy in the acquisition of a massive vocabulary in English as a foreign language or English as a second language, language learning is in principle a social phenomenon. The little importance attached to social strategies by the subject population (students and teachers) would probably slow down the process of vocabulary acquisition. As shown in Table 5, most students did not support vocabulary learning strategies such as using new words in sentences and associating a word with others in order to remember words and consolidate their meaning. On the other hand, the majority of the teachers (6) noted that they employed the strategy of using a new word in sentences. This demonstrated a mismatch in the strategies used by students and teachers. During the interview, a few interviewees posited that they used word association to remember words. When we look at the strategies such as using semantic maps, describing words in one's own words, and the use of synonyms or antonyms, they were favored memory strategies by most of the students and teachers. Similarly, during an interview, some students explained that they connect words with ones they already know. Hedge (2002) discusses that the best way to remember new words is to incorporate them into language already known. Though grouping words together was an ignored strategy by the students and teachers, scholars argue for grouping words to remember them. Schmit (2000), for example, explained that the principle of grouping words together with previously learned vocabulary items that are already part of the learner's mental lexicon will serve as a hook to the new words so that they are not forgotten. Newly learned words, on the other hand, are prone to forgetting. Connecting words with personal experience and making word lists and translating them into L1 were favored strategies by the teachers. Majority of them asserted that they employed the strategies. Oxford (1990) explains that learning foreign language vocabulary requires conscious manipulation of newly learned words so that memory can be enhanced. This cognitive processing of vocabulary learning involves the repetition of new words to oneself and recording them into vocabulary notebooks for contrast revision. In this connection, the sample students were asked if they were using any of the cognitive strategies for vocabulary learning. 55.38 percent of the students asserted that they applied verbal repetition strategy. However, only two of the teachers noted that they employed it. Verbal repetition was also strengthened by the students during the interview. This showed a mismatch between students and teachers in the use of the strategy. According to Nation (2000), most of the forgetting occurs immediately after new information is learned, and the rate of forgetting decreases as time passes. The notion of repetition entails the importance of recycling items in textbooks and classroom instructions. Recycling previously encountered words aids in the consolidation of those words in long-term memory. Keeping a separate vocabulary notebook was not supported by the students (53.94%) and 4 of the teachers noted that they employed it to advise students to consolidate the meaning of words. Similarly, during the observations, most teachers focused on vocabulary teaching strategies such as advising students to write words and keep a separate vocabulary notebook. This also showed a mismatch. Writing words while hearing them and making use of word lists were favored strategies by the students and teachers to consolidate the meaning of words. 68.4% and 62.8% of the students, respectively, noted that they applied the strategies. Similarly, teachers support the employment of the strategies. That is, 5 and 6 of them, respectively, affirmed that they encouraged students to write down words while hearing them and make word lists to consolidate the meaning of words. Most students and teachers did not support strategies such as writing words while reading books or magazines or writing words while watching television or film programs. Mohammed Vocabulary Learning Strategies vis-a-vis ……….. JOLLT Journal of Languages and Language Teaching, July 2023. Vol.11, No.3 | 459 Similarly, some of the teachers, respectively, affirmed that they did not encourage students to apply the strategies. During the interview with the students, most of them explained that they simply learn words that are available in their textbook and are expected to appear on examinations. Here, it is possible to say that students neglect to write words while reading books or magazines and watching television or films. Teachers appear to be unaware of how to encourage students to use the strategies. Schmitt and McCarthy (1997) explained that meta- cognitive strategies are used by students to control and evaluate their learning by having an overview of the learning process in general. Some successful language learners are more concerned with their word knowledge and tend to use meta-cognitive strategies extensively. These learners are more ambitious about enriching their vocabulary store by planning their vocabulary learning, selecting and recording words of interest, and testing and evaluating their process. The author further argue that testing oneself gives input into the effectiveness of one’s choice of learning strategies, providing reinforcement if progress is being made or a signal to switch strategies if it is not. Reviewing words before a test seemed to be a strategy moderately supported by the subjects. 44.72 percent of the students noted that they applied the strategy. Similarly, 3 of the teachers had shown a high reaction to the strategy. However, during the interview, most of the interviewees explained that they test themselves and evaluate their progress in learning vocabulary before examinations. CONCLUSION In the study, social strategies seem to be employed better than determination strategies by the teachers, as the group data showed, teachers and students did not regularly use the strategies. Similarly, memory strategies appear to be employed more by teachers than students; the group data showed that the strategies were not usually implemented by the sample teachers and students. The same conclusion can also be drawn from the implementation of cognitive strategies. Besides, the meta-cognitive strategies seem to be used by both subjects; the group data revealed the same result as other sub-categories. Thus, vocabulary teaching strategies were found to be less effective and practicable in the sample schools because the teachers were not always employing them to teach vocabulary lessons. Students were not also able to use a variety of vocabulary learning strategies. 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