Research On Gender Factors In The Vocabulary Learning Strategies In English Language Learning

This dissertation reports on a study of vocabulary learning strategies used by 153 EFL students from Nanjing Normal University. The purposes of the study are to determine how learners' choices of vocabulary learning strategies are influenced by the factor of the learners' gender in vocabulary acquisition and to offer guidance to EFL teachers / researchers in the instruction of vocabulary learning strategies. The SILL questionnaire (Strategies Inventory of Language Learning) is administered. It consists of 3 categories: the metacognitive, the cognitive, and the affective/social. The study is supported by both quantitative and qualitative results. The data, obtained through questionnaires, interviews and English vocabulary tests in the study, are dealt with descriptive analysis. Statistical analysis shows that the factor of gender plays a role in influencing the learners of vocabulary learning strategies used; girl students are found to use metacognitive strategies and some categories of cognitive strategies significantly more often than male counterparts when coping with the task of learning vocabulary. Results from the study also indicate that cognitive strategies are most frequently used when students learn vocabulary, while affective strategies are least frequently used. Findings from this study could help teachers identify appropriate strategies to facilitate the learning vocabulary of English studying.