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B. Strategy in Learning Vocabulary
In learning vocabulary, students are responsible for the success of their own learning. The students
’ vocabulary coverage also becomes one of the factors that can determine their success. The more vocabulary they gain the better Pikulski Templeton, 2004; Lauferr
Kalovski, 2010. While some learners may learn the target language easily, some may face difficulty in the learning process. Schmitt 1997, cited in Asgari and Mustapha 2011,
suggests five kinds of vocabulary learning strategies, which are determination, social, memory, cognitive, and metacognitive strategies.
The first strategy proposed is determination strategies in which the learners are learning vocabulary individually. According to Schmitt 1997, cited in Asgari Mustapha, 2011,
determination strategies are usually happened when students find a difficult vocabulary in reading passage. These strategies are usually done by guessing, using other reference works,
or identifying words forms. In guessing, students can apply it by using their structural language knowledge, Greek language or original language, and context of the word in a
sentence. The second way in finding a new meaning is by using social strategy. Schmitt 1993,
cited in Sener, 2015 defined social strategies as learning new words from other people by asking its meaning. Commonly teacher is the one who the students rely on. Then, the teacher
will automatically answer his or her students by using grammar translation method, synonym, defining the word in phrase, applying the word in a sentence, etc. Besides, the learners also
can ask their classmates or even family members to find out the word meaning. Another strategy in discovering new meaning of words is memory strategies. Schmitt
1997, cited in Asgari Mustapha, 2011 stated that in this strategy, learners were expected
6 to link an unknown word via mental processing which was by connecting their background
knowledge to the new word. According to Schmitt 1993, cited in Sener, 2015, this strategy is usually done in three sub-strategies, which are the use of visual aids, the use of applied
words into context related words, unrelated words, paraphrase, etc, and the use of structural analysis.
The thirds strategy is cognitive strategies. Schmitt 1997, cited in Asgari Mustapha, 2011 stated that cognitive strategies was the same strategies applied in memory strategies,
but it was more in a mechanical meanings and not related to mental processing. The most commonly used strategy in this sub-category is repetition in both written and spoken form.
Other strategy used is word lists, flash cards, note taking, etc. The last one is metacognitive strategies. According to Schmitt 1993, cited in Sener,
2015, the definition of metacognitive strategies is “a conscious overview of the learning
process and making decisions about planning, monitoring, or evaluating the best ways to st
udy”. It means that learner will be given opportunities to receive an input, produce a product, and review whether the output is good or not. The learners should study the most
useful words that can advantage them in the learning process. An earlier research about the common strategies used by learners has been published. For
instance, Sener 2015 did a research about vocabulary learning strategy preferences and vocabulary size of pre-service English teachers. The aim of the research is to find a
preference strategy used by English Department students and to investigate the relationship between the use of strategy and the students’ vocabulary coverage at a state university in
Turkey . The finding indicates that there is two majors’ strategy used by learners. The first
one is guessing from textual context and the second one is doing interaction with Native Speakers. Besides, there is a relationship between the use of strategy and students’
7 vocabulary coverage. It depends on the students’ words knowledge, which means that a
different student will use a different strategy in learning vocabulary.
C. Strategy in Teaching Vocabulary
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