A Study on Vocabulary-Learning Problems Encountered by BA English Majors at the University Level of Education

Abstract

Proficiency in English language depends on the knowledge of its vocabulary possessed by the second and foreign language learners and even the native speakers. Though developing the vocabulary is vital, it poses several problems, especially, to non-native students of English. Students with a low vocabulary knowledge show weak academic performance in different courses related to the language skills, linguistics, literature, and translation at the university level of education. This study, in particular, aims to investigate the problems faced by English majors in learning the vocabulary at Prince Stattam bin Abdulaziz University (PSAU) in Saudi Arabia. It also puts forward some vocabulary-learning strategies to minimize the potential problems. The data consist of the responses of 100 student-participants (undergraduates) randomly picked up from five different levels (four, five, six, seven, and eight) of 4-Year BA English Program at PSAU. This quantitative study uses an online questionnaire, as an instrument, to collect the data. The results reveal that the English majors at PSAU face several problems in learning the vocabulary such as knowing the meanings of new words, pronouncing new words, using new words correctly, memorizing and spelling new vocabulary and so on. To its contribution, this study emphasizes the importance of learning the English vocabulary, draws students' attention towards it, highlights the problems encountered by students, and raises their awareness of the vocabulary. Future research may explore teachers' perspectives on students' vocabulary-learning problems and instructional methods implemented to teach the vocabulary in English language classrooms.

Adapting Tahfidz Technique in Learning English for Pesantren Students

“…They show their interest by competing to the front of the class who will be the fastest. This is based on the process of vocabulary acquisition, students need some time to memorize words but in a quite traditional way like remembering with the help of fixed word lists from textbooks (Afzal, 2019). Even though this method looks very traditional, in some ways, it works well.…”

“…According to Mondria & Mondria-De Vries, four factors could affect students' weak memory in remembering vocabulary, those are; 1) the difficulty level of the words to be learned has too many varies, 2) vocabulary size is very different for each student, 3) students only remember familiar words, and 4) forgetting, over time, the size of the vocabulary is reduced (Afzal, 2019). For that reason, these students have a very minimum enthusiasm for English, so they are having less interest to hold the material intentionally in their memory for a long period.…”

Conceptualising Duolingo and its Affordances and Constraints as a Learning Tool in ESL Reading Classrooms: A Concept Paper

“…If a learner cannot achieve an advanced level in the language they are studying, they may find it challenging to communicate successfully in that language (Aziz & Kashinathan, 2021). As a result, they are unable to fully participate in situations where language abilities are necessary, such as in the workplace or in social settings (Bukhori et al, 2022;Afzal, 2019). Another drawback of Duolingo is it does not offer live feedback from actual educators, only automatic feedback on the activities that are currently accessible.…”

The Hidden Indonesian Language Literacy Curriculum In Arabic Language Textbooks For Islamic Junior High School

“…Conversely, Indonesian does not have such arrangements, suggesting that Arabic tends to be stricter and more organized in sentence structure. Mukhibat (2015) (Afzal, 2019) argues that Arabic language instructors need to use methods that minimize learners' difficulties. One potential method is utilizing cognates, leveraging Indonesian vocabulary similar to Arabic.…”