A Study of Strategy usages in Memorizing Vocabularies by Burmese EFL Students

Abstract

This study examined how Burmese learners tackle learning new vocabularies and which strategies they use to improve their vocabulary acquisition. This study aimed to promote the concrete understanding of the ways new vocabularies are memorized and to investigate Burmese students learning styles when employing their vocabulary learning strategies. This compares with Oxford (1990) who asked participants their preferred strategies for improving vocabulary acquisition. The data for this study were collected from 100 Burmese EFL learners through two research instruments: a questionnaire and an interview. The results of this study indicate that two main memory strategies for vocabulary learning, rote learning strategies (RL) and creating mental linkage strategies (CML), are used in preference to other memory strategies by Burmese students. Pedagogical implications and recommendations arising from this study are discussed and provided for language learners in EFL contexts.