STUDENTS' VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES IN MASTERING ENGLISH VOCABULARY: A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY AT CLASS B, ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITAS ISLAM RIAU

Authors
  • Sindi Auliya

    Universitas Islam Riau
    Author
Keywords:
vocabulary, vocabulary learning strategies, vocabulary mastery, English Education students
Abstract
English vocabulary mastery is a fundamental requirement for developing listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, yet many students continue to face difficulties in memorizing, pronouncing, and using English words appropriately. This study aims to explore the vocabulary learning strategies used by students in mastering English vocabulary, based on Oxford's (1990) classification of memory, cognitive, social, and metacognitive strategies. A descriptive quantitative design was employed, with data collected through a 28-item questionnaire using a five-point Likert scale distributed to 19 fourth-semester students of the English Education Department, Universitas Islam Riau, Academic Year 2026/2027. The data were analyzed descriptively using frequency and percentage to identify the strategies most frequently used by the respondents. The findings reveal that students applied all four categories of vocabulary learning strategies, with particularly strong reliance on cognitive strategies such as watching English movies and listening to English songs (100% positive response), as well as memory strategies such as keeping vocabulary lists and reviewing previously learned words. Social strategies, including asking teachers and discussing vocabulary with peers, and metacognitive strategies, such as goal-setting and self-monitoring, were also widely reported, although with a slightly lower level of consistency. These results suggest that students tend to combine multiple strategies, particularly engaging and self-directed ones, to support their vocabulary acquisition. The study is expected to provide useful insights for English teachers in designing vocabulary instruction that accommodates students' preferred learning strategies.
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Published
2026-06-23
Section
Articles

How to Cite

STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES IN MASTERING ENGLISH VOCABULARY: A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY AT CLASS B, ENGLISH EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, UNIVERSITAS ISLAM RIAU. (2026). Sindoro: Cendikia Pendidikan, 16(11). https://doi.org/10.2238/g0x51s03

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