Improving EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Mastery: An Action Research Approach

Download
2021-09-01
In this action research study, the researcher aimed to find and address a problem that English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners in her class come across to improve their language learning process. The action research study adopted mixed methods design using both qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis methods. Firstly, to identify the problem, the researcher observed the students closely, analyzed their midterm scores, and administered a diagnostic survey to the students. The data collected through these procedures indicated that vocabulary is the most problematic area for learners. Then, to diagnose the source of the problem, the researcher used a think-aloud protocol. In this way, rich verbal data about students’ reasoning during a vocabulary task were collected. After identifying that the source of the problem was a lack of strategy use, strategy training for contextual clues was implemented as an intervention for five weeks. Finally, the effectiveness of the intervention was evaluated through a paired-samples t-test. The analysis showed that students had significantly higher results in the vocabulary section of the second midterm compared to the first midterm. This study found that strategy training for using contextual clues is effective in improving EFL learners’ vocabulary mastery, independent of their language level.
Hayef:journal of education (Online)

Suggestions

Facilitating english as a foreign language learners’ vocabulary learning, task completion and contextual vocabulary exploration processes in a mobile supported situated learning environment
Uz Bilgin, Çiğdem; Tokel, Saniye Tuğba; Yalçın, Şenöm Tuğba; Department of Computer Education and Instructional Technology (2016)
The aim of this study was to investigate how vocabulary learning, task completion, and contextual vocabulary exploration processes of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners can be facilitated in a mobile supported situated learning environment. METU Science and Technology Museum which is a large, open space populated with interactive science exhibits was chosen as an authentic learning environment. Mobile system which includes instructions of the experiments and also provides dictionary and visual def...
EFL instructors’ cognitions and actions in relation to foreign language learning and teaching processes
Öztürk, Mustafa; Yıldırım, Ali; Department of Educational Sciences (2014)
The purpose of this study is to investigate EFL instructors’ language learning cognitions regarding linguistic aptitude, priorities in language learning, and good language learners; and language teaching actions with respect to pedagogical inclinations, instructional planning, error correction, learner-centeredness, and personal and professional development. The study also aims to describe the patterns of the relationships existing among those variables and examine the sources contributing to teachers’ cogn...
Investigating ELT instructors' perceived competencies: challenges and suggestions
Canbolat, Nilay; Daloğlu, Ayşegül; Department of English Literature (2013)
This study aims at finding out instructors’ perceived competencies in Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and Ministry of Education (MONE) competencies, and accordingly exploring strengths and weaknesses of the ELT undergraduate program as well as providing suggestions for a more effective and fruitful program. At the first phase of the research, a questionnaire is given to seventy-five participants, working in the department of Foreign Languages at various universities. For the secon...
The development of pragmatic competence: a study on requests
Yumun, Elif; Zeyrek Bozşahin, Deniz; Department of English Literature (2008)
The purpose of the study was to investigate the pragmatic competence of Turkish learners of English in requests at two levels of English proficiency. Another aspect of the study was to identify the overall and situational proficiency of the learners in performing the speech act of requests and to figure out development and transfer factors. Additionally, the extent to which the changing social variables of power and distance in each of the situations and through the situations affect the learners’ request b...
Investigation of psycho-social factors that affect english pronunciation preference of efl learners: the relationship between in-class injunctive norms for English pronunciation and fear of negative evaluation in elt classrooms
Ölçü, Zeynep; Yemenici, Alev; Department of English Literature (2008)
This thesis aims to investigate socio-psychological factors that affect foreign language learners’ pronunciation and focuses on the relationship between in-class injunctive norms for English pronunciation and Fear of Negative Evaluation (FNE). Injunctive norms are a type of social norms that define the expected behavior from the group members and sanctions for disobedience. They are evaluative in their nature. FNE is one of the three components of foreign language classroom anxiety and experienced when a pe...
Citation Formats
S. Tekir, “Improving EFL Learners’ Vocabulary Mastery: An Action Research Approach,” Hayef:journal of education (Online), vol. 18, no. 3, pp. 426–443, 2021, Accessed: 00, 2022. [Online]. Available: https://hayefjournal.org/en/improving-efl-learners-vocabulary-mastery-an-action-research-approach-13726.