Students’ Attitudes at Shiraz University toward Vocabulary Learning Strategies and Their Patterns: A Descriptive Survey Study

Extended Abstract
The use of vocabulary learning strategies contributes significantly to facilitating vocabulary acquisition and makes learners more successful in using the language compared with their peers who do not resort to such strategies. In light of the importance of vocabulary learning strategies in developing the four language skills, this study adopts a descriptive-survey methodology to examine the attitudes of Arabic language students at Shiraz University toward vocabulary learning strategies, namely cognitive, metacognitive, social, memory, and decision-making strategies. The study also seeks to answer the following two research questions:
 

Which strategies exhibit the highest frequency of use, and which show the lowest?
What are the underlying reasons for learners’ preference for certain strategies and their avoidance of others?

 
To collect the data, Schmidt’s (1997) Vocabulary Learning Strategies Questionnaire was employed. This questionnaire is used to investigate the types of vocabulary learning strategies adopted by learners, with the aim of identifying their frequency and patterns among the participants. It is regarded by a large number of researchers as the most comprehensive and integrative instrument in the field of vocabulary learning strategies (Gelik & Toptaş, 2010).
 
The questionnaire comprised five categories of learning strategies, each containing eight items, resulting in a total of forty items. These five categories, respectively, are: memory strategies, determination strategies, social strategies, cognitive strategies, and finally, metacognitive strategies. The questionnaire was designed using a five-point Likert scale (very high, high, moderate, low, and very low).
 
The statistical population of the present study consisted of students of the Department of Arabic Language and Literature at Iranian universities, while the statistical sample was limited to 100 undergraduate and Master’s students majoring in Arabic Language and Literature at Shiraz University. Since the participants were drawn from this major at Shiraz University, convenience sampling was adopted to select the respondents. Within the framework of this study, after providing students with information about the questionnaire and its objectives, they were asked to complete it. Accordingly, 65 undergraduate students and 35 Master’s students from Shiraz University responded to the questionnaire’s items.
 
The findings of the study show that determination strategies are the most popular among undergraduate and Master’s students in the Department of Arabic Language and Literature at Shiraz University. These are followed by metacognitive strategies as the second most frequently used, and memory strategies, cognitive strategies, and finally, social strategies, respectively. Students’ preference for determination strategies can be explained by their practicality and ease of implementation, as well as their reduced reliance on specialized knowledge, making them accessible to learners at all proficiency levels.
 
Among social strategies, searching for information online recorded a very high frequency and emerged as the most prominent strategy. This preference may be attributed to the ease of access to electronic resources, their extensive availability, the diversity of content, and the possibility of easily comparing meanings and different perspectives. In contrast, the strategies of group language games and collaborative training to expand vocabulary knowledge showed low frequencies within the social strategy category. The limited preference for group language games may be explained by factors such as the informal nature of the activity, the scarcity of instructional resources designed for this approach, and individual differences among students. Similarly, the low use of collaborative training strategies may be related to a lack of group harmony, time constraints, or fear of peer evaluation.
 
Overall, students in the Department of Arabic Language and Literature at Shiraz University tend to favor individual strategies and show less interest in group activities. With the advancement of technology and the increased use of smartphones and digital encyclopedias, students may have less motivation to engage in collaborative activities and face-to-face interaction in the learning process. Schmidt (1997, p. 33) emphasizes the effectiveness of learning through social interaction, particularly in authentic language environments. Nevertheless, neglecting this strategy—whether due to learners’ insufficient awareness of its impact on language learning or their shyness in communicating with others—deprives them of its potential benefits.
 
With regard to cognitive strategies, it was observed that the oral repetition of words, note-taking, reviewing previous lessons, using a notebook to record vocabulary, and establishing links between words and physical objects were among the most frequently used strategies. In contrast, listening to Arabic-language CDs and using flashcards were among the least frequently strategies employed by students. In general, students’ inclination toward the more frequently used strategies can be attributed to their practicality, accessibility, and flexibility. The limited use of other strategies may be due to their lower appeal and the time-consuming nature of their implementation, which reduces students’ willingness to adopt them. Additional reasons for the limited use of CDs may include difficulties in access, limited active learner engagement, and poor retention resulting from their non-interactive nature. As for the infrequent use of flashcards, in addition to the aforementioned reasons, other factors may include the time required to create them, the tendency toward superficial vocabulary learning, and limited active engagement.
 
Regarding metacognitive strategies, strategies involving direct engagement with linguistic content—such as watching films, studying advertisements, and linking words to one another—were found to be the most frequently used strategies among learners, whereas listening to podcasts was among the least used strategies. The extensive use of these strategies can be explained by their practicality and flexibility, while students’ reluctance to listen to podcasts may be attributed to challenges related to content comprehension. As for memory strategies, strategies involving associating words with images and repeated rehearsal were among the most frequently used, whereas reviewing the preceding and following words of a new vocabulary item was the least used. Finally, with respect to determination strategies, guessing meanings and using dictionaries were among the most frequently employed strategies by students.