Vocabulary Learning Strategies VLS Used in Online Crossword Puzzles
associating or elaborating such as relating new words of target language to concepts already in memory, or relating a piece of information to another in order
to create associations in memory. The use of this kind of strategy obtains a high score with 3.16. It describes that this strategy is fairly common to be implemented
by the students to learn vocabulary using the puzzles. Online crossword puzzles may allow the learners to have wide chances to
explore their creativity in learning vocabulary particularly in memorizing and retrieving new words. One of the students considered the words he learnt were
unique and he felt excited to learn them, while another student tried to categorize the words to high frequency and low frequency words to memorize the words
more easily. I learnt carefully because I was not good at vocabulary, but with
crossword puzzles it became fun and very enjoyable. I have memorized
some words that I‟ve never known before and it was exciting because the words were unique. Learnt with crossword puzzles has eased a lot.
Open- Ended Questionnaire
—App.4-Q1.24
I still in progress, the puzzles are help me well to remember some strange words.Open-Ended Questionnaire
– App 4-Q1.57
Thus, it proves that students may classify the words based on their uniqueness and low frequency words in order to memorize those words more
easily. It is similar to Schmitt‘s 1997:207 memory strategies. He claims that learners may associate words with their coordinate or group words together to
study them. Some students applied this strategy while guessing the words in the
puzzles. After completing all of the easier words in the puzzles, a student tried to complete the remaining empty boxes of the puzzles by recalling the words which
she had ever known. Meanwhile, another student applied this strategy by connecting the words with the ones he had ever read in a text.
Firstly, I started completing the puzzle from the easy words and then I tried to deal with the difficult ones. I did it because I could get more letters
as clues to guess the difficult ones. Finally, I would guess the words by linking them with the ones which I have already known.
Student D- interview-D30
At first, I counted to the number of the boxes, and then I recalled the sentences which I have ever heard relating to the words. For example, I
had the word „sad‟. Thus, I would try to recall the words connecting with the word „sad‟. Student B-interview-B12
One student said that she was helped to retrieve the words by connecting them to the ones she had ever found in other sources or to the ones she ever used
in a task.
I think that I ever found some words in the puzzles which I felt I had known before. I often spontaneously remembered that those words had ever
been used in other sources or suddenly I remembered that I had done such task using those words. As a result, it helped me to retrieve the
words and get the meaning of the words
. Student A-interview-A21 It shows students have different ways to apply creating mental linkages
namely associating or collaborating. They may connect the words leant with their memory about the words. For example, they had ever read, heard, or used the
words previously. By associating the words learnt with the concepts already had in memory may strengthen the words in their brain so that it is easier to retrieve
them when they are needed. That conclusion implies what Oxford 1990:40 explains that creating mental linkages may take great importance and may support
learners to memorize the materials. Accordingly, this strategy may provide wider aspects of the materials they learnt since for being able to apply this strategy
learners should know the meaning of words in order to relate them with other
different pieces of information showing the same context they have previously retained in memory. It describes that the puzzles stimulate learners not only to
deal with the words they were learning but also to associate the ones they had ever learnt.
It implies Schmitt‘s 1997:207 memory strategy. He claims that learners may connect words with their personal experience to employ memory strategy. It
is also similar to Gu and Johnson‘s 1996 memory strategy by encoding association. It means that learners relate between the visual association, auditory
association, or any other association of their past experiences and the new words being learnt.
b Employing Action Learning vocabulary using the puzzles by employing action shows a high
score with 3.02. To apply this strategy, learners need to employ such physical movement in order to memorize the words better. In learning vocabulary through
the puzzles, the experience of typing the words to complete the puzzles has helped them to memorize the words particularly dealing with the spelling of the words.
Furthermore, the puzzles require them to have accurate spelling of the words, otherwise they have to revise those words to make them appropriate to the
puzzles. Thus, it provides chances for learners to repeatedly typing the words until they have got the correct words. It is in line with Oxford
‘s explanation 1990:43 that some students need to learn words by employing such mechanical technique
meaning that they involve movement to memorize the words. Some students found it easier to memorize the words through the puzzles
in that they experienced typing the words and had to repeatedly do that until they could type the correct words to complete the puzzles.
Crossword help me to memorize word because I am typing when I do that
” Open-Ended Questionnaire—App.4-Q2.43.
Type the word until it is correct then it makes me memorize the word.
Open-Ended Questionnaire —App.4-Q2.19.
When I type the word and find the word that suitable with the columns.
Open-Ended Questionnaire —App.4-Q2.34.
Indeed, the puzzles may encourage learners to retain the words in their memory longer since it provides opportunities to type words while they are
completing the puzzles. It indicates that certain learners may memorize words well by doing an action such as typing the words being learnt. It is similar to
Schmitt‘s 1997:207 memory strategy that it can be conducted by using physical action when learning a word.
A learner found that she could intentionally learn vocabulary knowledge by typing words considering that she could more pay attention to the letters which
form the words while she was typing those words for completing the puzzles. Meanwhile,
I think so. By typing the words while I was completing the puzzle made me know and memorize how to spell those words better.
Student D- interview-D47.
One of the processes to establish vocabulary knowledge is by retrieving Nation, 2000:357. Students may involve recall of the vocabulary previously met.
It can also occur in writing. Accordingly, by typing the word as the learners were completing the puzzle it provides a chance to learners to know and force them to
write the words correctly by recalling the words, otherwise it would not match with the number of boxes provided in the puzzle. In addition, another student also
found that she could memorize words more easily by searching and thoroughly noticing the words.
It helps me to more easy to memorize the words because we have to search and look carefully in the book.
Open-Ended Questionnaire —
App.4-Q2.33 It means that by conducting movement such as searching the words in the
books or dictionaries before learning the words by noticing the words carefully may also help learners to memorize the words better as they may consider that
experience as a meaningful memory for them Schmitt, 1997:207. Furthermore, after finding the words in a book, dictionaries, or any other sources, they may
intentionally learn the words by noticing the spelling, the meaning of the words, or other aspects of the words Nation, 2000:98.
c Reviewing Well
This study found that few students applied reviewing well to learn vocabulary using the puzzle, so this strategy attains a nearly high score with 2.72.
Looking at new target language information once is not enough, for it has to be reviewed in order to be remembered. Reviewing well deals with a strategy to
intentionally learn the target language such as words over and over in order to make them belong to high-frequency words in that they have been familiar with
those words. This strategy can be applied before or after practicing to use the words such as reading repeatedly to memorize the words and their meaning. Thus,
learners may retrieve the words faster and easier by the time they need to use them. Meanwhile, Oxford 1990:42 defines reviewing well as a strategy to
review the materials in carefully spaced intervals or it is called ‗spiraling‘. It means that learners keeps spiraling back to what has already been learnt at the
same time that he is learning new information in order to achieve ‗overlearning‘ to
make them more familiar with the information. Hence, it becomes natural and automatic.
One of the learners felt that he prepared himself by reading the materials first before doing the task. Meanwhile, another student found that it was necessary
for him to review the materials himself out of the class hours in order to get better understanding of the materials.
First, I read the material first. After that I will try to answer the questions on the internet. If the puzzle getting errors I have to retype it again and
again. Open-Ended Questionnaire
– App.4-Q1.29
I always try to learn them all at home, I feel I get the benefit of doing the online crossword such as my vocabulary get wider.
Open-Ended Questionnaire
—App.4-Q1.53 The puzzles may widely create chances for learners to explore their own
learning strategies which they considered the most suitable ones for them to achieve their best performance in learning vocabulary. Thus, the learners could
review noticing the words whenever they wish. Indeed, they themselves may decide how to review the materials and when the most suitable time to review the
materials is. Reviewing the materials by reading the word list definitely implies the theory stated by Nation 2000 : 40, 98 that the initial process which support
learning is ‗noticing‘. It means that focusing the attention to a word including paying attention to the form of the word as one of the categories of knowing a
word. One of the strategies is visually repeating the word. Some learners considered that reading or rereading the materials before
doing vocabulary tasks such as completing the puzzles could help them as they had felt more familiar with the words. Moreover, they repeatedly read those words
to memorize them more easily.
Actually I didn‟t memorize the words, but I just read them. As a result, it made me more familiar with those words when I practiced using the
words in class. I would not feel strange with the words anymore as I
didn‟t count them as the words. Student A-interview-A08 I preferred to read or reread the vocabulary from the book given by the
lecturer in order to memorize them particularly the ones highlighted which were considered as the difficult words for me so that I would not
forget them when I found them in the tasks.
Student B-interview-B23 Learners have their own way to review the materials such as learning
words. A learner reads the words a day before since she intends to make her more easily in recognizing the words she was going to use to complete the puzzle, while
another student tries to reread particular words, the highlighted words which were difficult for him as an effort to memorize them. It is similar to the purpose of
conducting reviewing well stated by Oxford 1990 : 42 that the aim of reviewing well is ‗overlearning‘ which means that learners may have been able to recognize
the words more easily and make them natural and automatic. Taking a review of words can be done before or after practicing vocabulary tasks. For example, in
this case, Anisa did reviewing words as her preparation in order to make her easier to do such a vocabulary task like online crossword puzzles inasmuch as she had
been more familiar with the words used to complete the puzzle. Therefore, those students decided to apply this strategy as it could make them feel more ready to
practice using the words. This is also sim ilar to Schmitt‘s 2000:207
metacognitive strategy to continue studying word overtime. 3 Cognitive Strategies
Three cognitive strategies were implemented by the learners in this study. Those strategies are a analyzing and reasoning, b practicing, and c creating
structure for input and output. Cognitive strategies in this study refer to the
strategies which enable learners to understand and to memorize as well as to retrieve the words. The employment of cognitive strategies achieves a high score
with 2.91. a Analyzing and Reasoning
The use of analyzing and reasoning strategy in this study shows a very high score with 3.16. To learn the target language deals with the knowledge of
knowing the words and their meanings. It concerns logical analysis and reasoning to understand the words. Learners may analyze the words learnt by comparing
elements of the new words with elements of one‘s own language to determine similarities and differences. Another way to apply this strategy can be employed
by converting the target language information into the native language. It implies what Oxford‘s 1990:46 suggests that learners may conduct analyzing and
reasoning by analyzing contrastively and translating. Most of the students applied the similar ways to apply this strategy. They
used online dictionary, printed dictionary, or vocabulary book from the lecturer. They used different sources, yet they had the same purpose that is to find the
meaning of the words. I learned vocabulary through online crossword puzzles by guess the
meaning of words and
search the meaning on my vocabulary‟s book. I
have achieved the meaning of many words that I didn‟t know before. Open-Ended Questionnaire
—App.4-Q1.10 I think online crossword puzzles are interesting. I tried to finish all the
crossword by doing it at the class or outside the class. I also use online dictionary to support my work.
Open-Ended Questionnaire —App.4-
Q1.17 The crossword puzzle, because it makes us to think about the word and we
can learn from our mistakes. It also encourages us to find the correct word from the book and dictionary.
Open-Ended Questionnaire —App.4-
Q2.22
Meanwhile, in order to learn new words, some other students tried to compare and contrast the words particularly relating to their meanings during
learning vocabulary through the puzzle.
New method of study and learn, new vocabulary, try to think out box, new vocabulary with variation of word but same meaning.
Open-Ended Questionnaire
—App.4-Q1.30 The “check puzzle” because Indonesian has many meanings in English
sometimes I don‟t guess what it is correct and watch it in the puzzles, so I have to find the synonym that also increase my vocabulary
. Open-Ended Questionnaire
—App.4-Q2.1
It proves that each student may have different ways to learn a new language. Learners may use the same dictionaries to learn words, yet they may use
the dictionaries in a different way. Some of them may focus on meaning of words, while some other students may not only find the meaning of words but also try to
relate it with other words to create association which help them to memorize the words well and learn the knowledge of words better. Accordingly, Nation and
Meara 2002:46 claim that learners may learn various sub-skills using dictionaries such as learning pronunciation by checking the phonetic transcription,
interpreting grammatical accuracy, finding the equivalent meaning of words from context. Hence, Nation 2000:228 suggests that considering the importance of
dictionary to expand learners‘ vocabulary knowledge, it is necessary to train learners to use dictionary in order to make them skillful to find words they need to
learn. Similarly, these students also applied analyzing and reasoning to learn the
words by using dictionaries to translate the words.
There were a lot. It supported me because I was required to know and understand the meaning of the words.
Student A-interview – A49
Yes, there was. For example, when I tried to search the meaning of the word in a dictionary, it was sometimes different from the word used in
the puzzle. As a result, I had to search in other sources…I seemed to waste time…yet I got more new words by finding out the meaning of the
word.
Student D-interview-D10 It shows that leaning word may be done by translating the words using
dictionaries. A word may have some meanings, so learners may do comparing and contrasting those meanings of the word. Hence, they may enrich their vocabulary
by learning the words and their meanings, associating the words with their similar or the same meanings, and also differentiate some meanings of a word.
Accordingly, in order to apply this strategy, it can be supported by dictionaries. It is similar to Schmit
t‘s 1997 : 207 determination strategy that it can be employed by using bilingual diction
aries, Gu and Johnson‘s 1996 cognative strategy in which learners use dictionaries, and Catalan‘s 2003:63 claim that the most
frequently used vocabulary strategies employed by both male and female Spanish- speaking learners is using bilingual dictionary.
b Practicing The use of practicing strategy obtains a high score by achieving 2.93.
Practice makes perfect. Hence, it is believed that by repeatedly practicing through the same or different vocabulary tasks, learners are expected to achieve their best
performance in vocabulary, and the puzzles may facilitate learners to practice vocabulary as many times as they wish. By repeatedly doing the same or similar
task, it may provide opportunities for learners to apply intentional vocabulary learning. It is in line with Schmitt 2008 that intentional vocabulary learning may
lead to greater and faster gains, with a better chance of retention and of reaching
productive level of mastery. It means that learners are required to focus their attention to effectively acquire vocabulary.
Many students needed to practice more and more in order to memorize the words well. Yet, each of the students may need different number of repetition to
get the words stick well in their memory, and the puzzles may provide flexible time to let them decide how many times they needed to repeat doing the tasks to
memorize the words.
I always do crossword twice in every crossword, and it help me to memorize many word.
Open-Ended Questionnaire —App.4-Q1.43.
Elt and crossword because if I have did it many times and sometime I have to repeat it so I can remember the words a lil bit of them.
Open- Ended Questionnaire
—App.4-Q2.45. Indeed, it shows that students employ practicing the tasks over and over to
keep the words in their memory long er. It is similar to Schmitt‘s 2000:207
concept to conduct metacognitive strategy by continuing studying words overtime.
Practicing the vocabulary task over and over is needed by certain learners to complete the task and also get better understanding of the materials. Each
student may conduct different technique in doing repetition to practice the task. Besides, they also may need different length of time every time they employed
repetition to practice the task for several times.
I usually did the puzzle twice for each puzzle since it took a long time to finish completing the puzzle for the first time. As a consequence, I
couldn‟t submit it. Then I took a picture of the puzzle which I had completed before I did the puzzle for the second time to submit it.
Student D-interview-D23.
It was often repeated. It was because I needed to find the answer of the questions which sometimes were not provided in the book. I mean
twodifferent words in English possibly had the same meaning. Student A-
interview-A19
The statement describes that both of the students required repetition to
complete the task. One of them needed to repeat doing the task twice in order to submit it. She spent longer time to conduct the first practice, and she also
employed such a unique technique to complete the task, took a picture on her own work. It is in line with the concept of repetition stated by Nation 2000:103 that
doing repetition to learn words may direct learners to apply incidental vocabulary learning. It definitely involves the process of frequently retrieving the words
which strengthen the path to link form and meaning of the words and make them easier to subsequently retrieve the words. It is also similar to Schmitt‘s 1997:207
cognitive strategy that it can be conducted by written repetition, yet since this study deals with learning vocabulary using the puzzles, the learners were involved
more in typing not writing words to complete the puzzles. c Creating Structure for Input and Output
The use of creating structure for input and output shows a low score with 2.64. The students applied this strategy by employing two different ways:
highlighting and writing the words. The implementation of creating structure for input and output by highlighting the words to learn vocabulary attains a low score
with 2.92, while the employment of this strategy by writing the words to learn more achieves the lowest score with 2.36. Hence, it illustrates that the students
tended to conduct highlighting the words than writing the words to employ creating structure for input and output strategy. It implies what Oxford 1990:147
suggests that learners may employ different ways to conduct creating structure for input and output such as taking notes and highlighting. Being in line with Oxford,
Gu and Johnson 1996 also claim that learners may conduct cognative strategy by taking notes.
Considering the fact that none of the students mentioned employing this strategy in the open-ended question, and this strategy obtained the lowest score in
the close-ended question. It can be concluded that this strategy was not the students‘ favourite strategy to learn vocabulary through the puzzles.
From the interview result, it is found that a learner conducted combining both writing and highlighting the words to apply creating structure for input and
output in order to help her keep the words longer in her memory.
First of all I read the vocabulary, and then I highlighted the words I considered difficult or I have not ever known. After rereading the words,
I wrote them several times in order to memorize them more easily. I usually wrote the words twice to help me memorize them well. However, I
didn‟t frequently do it. I just did it if I wished. Student D-interview-D45 Meanwhile, another student claimed that in order to apply this strategy he
just highlighted the words, but he did not think that it was necessary for him to write the words to memorize the words.
I highlighted the words I didn‟t know, so it made me feel easier to memorize them. For instance, I could recall the word in unit 2 because I
highlighted it. Therefore, I highlighted the words, but I didn‟t write the words to help me memorize them. Student B-interview-B20
Those two statements above illustrate that each student may conduct a different way to employ the same strategy. They may do combining two ways or
conducting a single way to employ the strategy. b. Indirect Strategies
In this study, the students employed three types of indirect strategies. They are 1 affective strategies, 2 metacognitive strategies, and 3 social strategy.
Indirect strategies in this research refer to vocabulary learning strategies which
indirectly involve the target language. In other words, those strategies may encourage and manage vocabulary learning without directly involving the target
language. Those direct strategies are discussed in order from the most highly important strategies for the learners to learn vocabulary through the puzzles in
each category. In general, the use of indirect strategies applied by the learners in this study obtained a high score with 2.99.
1 Affective Strategies The implementation of affective strategies in this study gains a high score
with 3.05. The affective strategies applied by the learners in this research are lowering anxiety and self-encouraging. Those strategies may support learners to
regulate emotions, motivations, and attitudes. a Lowering Anxiety
The use of lowering anxiety obtains a very high score by achieving 3.21, and this is the highest score of all indirect strategies applied by the learners.
Successful language learning is influenced by self setting the amount of anxiety. As what is claimed by Oxford 1990:142 that a certain amount of anxiety may
support learners to achieve their top performance levels, but too much anxiety obstructs language learning. Harmful anxiety involves worry, self-doubt,
frustration, helplessness, insecurity, fear, and physical symptoms. Hence, it is necessary to apply anxiety-reducing strategies to control anxiety. Learners may
apply two different ways in employing lowering anxiety strategy: learning in a convenient time which obtains a high score 3.21 and enjoying learning the
materials which gains a high score 3.21.
A large number of students expressed their positive feeling toward learning vocabulary through the puzzle. The following statements illustrate their
love learning vocabulary using the puzzles.
It‟s fun because I can gain more words with a creative way crosswords and it makes me interested with the new words I gained. Crossword is a
creative way in vocabulary class. Open-Ended Questionnaire
—App.4- Q1.26
I learnt carefully because I was not good at vocabulary, but with crossword puzzles it became fun and very enjoyable. I have memorized
some words that I‟ve never known before and it was exciting because the words were unique. Learnt with crossword puzzles has eased a lot.
Open- Ended Questionnaire
—App.4-Q1.24 Those students applied lowering anxiety while doing the puzzles to learn
vocabulary. The words ‗fun‘, ‗enjoyable‘, and ‗exciting‘ describe that those students were successful to minimize their anxiety although they realized that they
had to deal with unfamiliar words or new words and even to memorize them. In other words, learners may reduce their anxiety by trying to focus themselves to
the positive mindset rather than to the negative ones. By doing so, they are likely willing to take moderate risks in doing tasks to succeed their learning. The use of
CALL in the puzzles may also support them to employ reducing anxiety. It is similar to the concept of CALL proposed by Egbert and Hanson-Smith 1999 that
the use of CALL aims to let learners work in an atmosphere with an ideal stressanxiety.
Another student also shared how she learnt vocabulary through the puzzles by lowering anxiety. She claimed that she felt more convenient and relaxed. She
did not feel bored Student A-interview-A56. By doing so, she could study vocabulary better because she had fun while retrieving words through the puzzles,
nor did she feel bored in doing repetition to learn the vocabulary Student A- interview-A30. It proves that by building positive feelings to create supportive
atmosphere to learn such as enjoying to learning the materials and setting themselves to feel convenient during the learning process, it may encourage
learners to more willingly learn the materials and may get better understanding of the materials learnt. As a result, it can help them achieve the goals of learning
more optimally. It is in line with what is stated by Reeves 1997 that World Wide Web-based learning has a link with sense of audience. It means that it deals with
the feeling resulted from learning using WWW-based learning. b Self-Encouraging
The employment of self-encouraging in learning vocabulary through the puzzles shows a very high score with 3.06. Applying self-encouraging in order to
keep improving one‘s performance in mastering a new language takes the greatest role. It may create enthusiasm in learning the materials and make them willingly
to do their best during the learning process. It is in line with Oxford 1990:143 who claims that the highest motivation is derived from inside the learner to
initiate such independent and creative language learning situation. In other words, self-encouraging may initiate learners to willingly find their best learning strategy
to learn vocabulary. This strategy can be applied in various ways such as being more independent to learn the materials and also by challenging himself to take
moderate risks to improve his skill and ability. The use of web-based learning to learn vocabulary may support learners to explore various strategies which suit
them to boost their best performance. It is as what is clarified by Reeves 1997 that World Wide Web-based learning WWW-based learning provides
opportunities to construct learning. It means that web-based learning supports learners to have freedom to decide what strategies applied to learn the materials.
This strategy is possibly applied in several ways: feeling curious if their answers correct or not by feeling motivated to improve their vocabulary performance
3.10, feeling motivated to enhance their vocabulary learning which obtains a high score 3.08, feeling motivated to do the puzzles which attains a high score
3.08, and also employing self-encouraging to do more frequent practices on the subject which also gains a high score 2.97.
Some students felt that doing the puzzles forced them learn vocabulary more independently. They tried to learn the words and the meanings of the words
by using their vocabulary book or dictionaries.
By searching the words that I don‟t know through the word list and dictionary. It made me more independent to do the task. I learned many
new words. Open-Ended Questionnaire
—App.4-Q1.22
Yes, it could. It was because when I did the puzzle, a lecturer needn‟t be
there. I could simply open dictionary to find the answer . Student D-
interview-D24 What is meant by learning more independently here is that the students‘
learning progress does not depend on their lecturer, but it depends on their own effort. They can make an effort such as using their book or dictionaries to
understand the words. In other words, learners who are motivated to enhance their vocabulary learning to be more independent may feel motivated to enhance their
vocabulary learning as well as feeling motivated to improve their vocabulary performance. It is in line with the purpose of conducting web-based learning as
what has been stated by Reeves 1997 that web-based learning may reduce the power of the teacher to learn a language. It means that the teacher could provide
wider space to let learners to conduct their own learning without depending on the presence of the teacher.
Instead of motivating them to be a more independent learner, the students also felt more motivated to learn more vocabulary through the puzzles. They
tended to be able to memorize the words well, and they also felt more enthusiastic to learn more new words.
All crossword because make me enhance my vocabulary and memorize with good.
Open-Ended Questionnaire —App.4-Q1.12
Crossword. Because I have to get the words which I sometimes it‟s a new word for me. It‟s enhance my vocabulary. Open-Ended Questionnaire—
App.4-Q2.16 Yes, there was…it was just like…for instance, when I asked my friend
about the meaning of a word, she could answer it correctly. It motivated me to learn more and more after knowing the fact that I didn‟t know it,
but a friend of mine could get it. Student D-interview
– D13
Thus, those statements above describe that learners conduct self- encouraging strategy to learn vocabulary through the puzzles by motivating
themselves to find and learn more new words through the puzzles, to memorize them well, and to learn vocabulary more. It is similar
to Oxford‘s 1990: 143 concept of self encouraging. She claims that the most potent encouragement and
the only available encouragement in many independent language learning situations may come from inside the learner.
Meanwhile, some other students conducted self-encouraging because they found that doing puzzles was challenging.
The feeling that we will find some new words it makes me want to finishing the crossword.
Open-Ended Questionnaire —App.4-Q2.32
Because when I did my crossword puzzles, I got a challenge to remember the vocabulary. I think it can enhance my vocabulary learning.
Open- Ended Questionnaire
—App.4-Q2.44
Those two statements above illustrate that they intend to do finish the puzzle since they feel encouraged to find and learn some new words and also felt
challenged because of their friend can know the answer, while they cannot get it. It also implies what Oxford‘s 1990:143-144 claims that the greatest
encouragement may come from the learners‘ inside to do more and more in order to improve their performance and one of the ways can be employed by taking the
risks wisely by challenging themselves to do certain tasks to push themselves to learn more.
Besides, another student implemented a strategy of self-encouraging as they found that the assignment to do one puzzle every week made them felt
encouraged building learning vocabulary as their habit. I have learned vocabulary through the routineweekly tasks in ELTGallery.
I wish that I can have more task.
My routines and all that stuff that made me became more discipline when doing my task.
Open-Ended Questionnaire
—App.4-Q1.50 It shows that students employ self-encouraging by doing the puzzles as
their routine. It made them more discipline to do the task as they set in their mind that it is their need to accomplish a puzzle each week. It means that learners apply
this strategy by feeling motivated to practice vocabulary more frequently. It also implies Oxford‘s 1990:144 concept to implement self encouraging by pushing
themselves to be more discipline to reach the optimal objectives of the learning. 2 Metacognitve Strategies
Metacognitive strategies employed by the students in this study are a evaluating learning, b centering learning, and c arranging and planning learning.
Those three strategies allow learners control their own cognitive which means
coordinating the learning process by using functions such as centering, arranging, planning, and evaluating. The employment of metacognitive strategies attained a
high score with 3.04. a Evaluating Learning
The use of evaluating learning obtains a very high score with 3.11. Students conduct this strategy into five different ways. First, whenever they fail
answering the words, they decide to look them up to a dictionary to revise the errors the made, and the use of this effort attains a high score with 3.30. The
second way is by learning from the errors, and it also gains a very high score with 3.18. In addition, it is by using immediate feedback to check their answer after
doing the tasks, and this gets a high score with 3.05. Besides, other students apply it by monitoring their progress during learning vocabulary using the puzzles, and
this strategy attains a high score with 3.02. Finally, they do evaluating their vocabulary learning process, and it obtains a high score with 3.00.
As what has been clarified previously that the learners do five different ways to employ evaluating learning. The first way, they implemented evaluating
learning by using dictionaries to check the words whenever they got failed answer in completing the puzzles.
I usually guess what‟s the meaning of the word. If I failed, I‟ll check the dictionary whether my spelling‟s wrong or maybe that‟s not the right
meaning. I can memorize the words easily. Open-Ended Questionnaire
— App.4-Q1.25
It shows that they usually check the spelling of the words and confirm the meaning of the words using dictionaries after failing to guess the word accurately.
In other words, learners may check the words using dictionary, so they may revise the errors made such as dealing with the meaning or spelling of words. It is as Gu
and Johnson‘s 1996 cognative strategy to use dictionaries. Being in line with Gu and Johnsonn, Catalan 2003:63 claims that the most frequently used vocabulary
strategy is using a bilingual dictionary. Secondly, the learners conducted evaluating learning by learning from the
errors they made while doing the puzzle.
I have learned new words by my mistakes on the crossword puzzles.
Open-Ended Questionnaire —App.4-Q1.49
The crossword puzzle, because it makes us to think about the word and we can learn from our mistakes. It also encourages us to find the correct
word from the book and dictionary. Open-Ended Questionnaire
—App.4- Q2.22
From those statements above, it describes that after doing an error or mistake while doing the puzzle, learners evaluate the errors to improve their
performance. Thus, it becomes a meaningful process for them to learn vocabulary. It implies Oxford‘s 1990:140 concept that learners may apply evaluating
learning by doing self-evaluating such as learning from the errors. Hence, it may help them not only to understand the materials better but also know their
weaknesses in learning the subject. This study found that the learners apply the same strategy to apply self-evaluation that is using dictionaries. Thus, basically it
is similar to the first strategy mentioned previously. The third way to implement evaluating learning is by using the immediate
checking of the puzzle. Check puzzle. Some words have many meaning, so when I use the which
one that familiar to me sometimes incorrect, so I try to check puzzle so get what the problem and when I know the problem, I try to seek the words
so it can make me learn more about new words and I think it was very challenging and fun.
Open-Ended Questionnaire —App.4-Q2.20
Checking puzzle belongs to a very valuable feature for the learners to conduct evaluating learning as they used it for checking their answers after
accomplishing the puzzle. It illustrates that immediate checking can help learners since they can get the feedback immediately which enables them to directly revise
the wrong answers. It implies what Oxford‘s 1990:140 claims that learners may conduct evaluating learning by identifying errors in understanding the target
language. The next way to employ this strategy is by monitoring the learning
progress. A student stated that she was very often doing checking her score displayed on the web, and then she compared it with her peers‘.
I did so frequently monitor my progress by checking my scores and my classmates‟ scores. It was because sometimes we took longer time to do
the tasks than our friends did, it made our score automatically decreased. For example, my friend had written twenty sentences, while I still
produced ten sentences. As a result, my friend‟s score would be higher than mine. Then I would not let it happen. Therefore, I did my tasks more
diligently. That‟s the way I monitored my learning progress. Student D- interview
– D48 The statement above provides description that doing monitoring the
learning progress such as monitoring their scores as well as their classmates‘ scores can make them feel more encouraged to learn vocabulary or self-
encouraging in learning vocabulary. In other words, it shows that one strategy may lead the existence of another strategy. It is similar to Oxford‘s 1990:1440
self-evaluating to employ evaluating learning by checking the progress in learning the new language.
The last way the learners employed to conduct evaluating learning is by doing evaluation of the vocabulary learning process.
I sometimes discussed the problem with my peers. Some of them also faced the same problem like taking a long time to complete the puzzles,
so we shared our experiences and tried to overcome the problem together. We did group study as well. As a result, we could get better
understanding about the words and their meanings.
Student-interview- D50
The statement above illustrates that learner conduct evaluating learning process by discussing the problem with their peers. By sharing the problem with
their peers can help them find some inputs from others to solve the problem such as finding out how to accomplish the puzzle more quickly. It means it is possibly
for learners to conduct two strategies at once. Those are evaluating learning and cooperating with others.
b Centering Learning The use of centering learning in this study attained a high score with 3.05.
This study found that learners apply three different strategies to employ centering learning strategy. Firstly, they pay attention to the spelling of the words while
they were doing the puzzles, and this strategy attains a high score 3.16. Secondly, they focus on the words form to complete the puzzles, and it obtains a
high score 3.03. Finally, they pay attention to derivative while completing the puzzles, and it also achieves a high score 2.97.
Some students paid attention to how the words written or the spelling of the words when they learnt vocabulary through the puzzles.
I felt that typing the words while doing the puzzle direct me to focus to the spelling of the words. It let me know how to write the words.
Student D-interview-D47
I learned vocabulary crossword in my free time. I knew more about any words and the letter spelling.
Open-Ended Questionnaire —App.4-Q1.12
From the statements above, it illustrates that the learners are aware of the need to pay attention to the spelling of words in learning vocabulary. Accordingly,
they intentionally learn the spelling of words carefully in order to be able to type the words correctly to complete the puzzles. It implies Nation‘s 2001:218
planning strategy that learners may conduct it by choosing the aspect of word knowledge.
Some other students implemented centering learning by focusing to the easy words and skip the difficult words in order to get more clues to guess the
difficult words to accomplish the puzzle.
I fill the word that I know first. Open-Ended Questionnaire
—App.4- Q1.4
First I f ill the blank with everything I know when I do not know what is
the answer I opened the book dictionary, but when I am too lazy to search anymore I opened the online dictionary
. Open-Ended Questionnaire —
App.4-Q1.48
I usually … began to complete the puzzles from the easy words, so if I didn‟t know those words I would skip them first. I did all of the easy
words first, and I would consult online dictionary to find out the words
which I didn‟t know the meanings. Student D-interview-D17
Those statements prove that the students try to complete the puzzle by answering the easy words first to get more clues to answer the difficult words. It is
like what Oxford 1990 : 138 said that learners may do centering learning by deciding in advance to pay attention in general to a learning task and to ignore
distracters. It is in line with Schmitt‘s 1997:207 metacognitive strategy that learners may conduct it by skipping or passing new words.
Furthermore, in order to accomplish the puzzle, the students still had to deal with the difficult words. To deal with those words, as the learners had to
focus on certain aspects of words such as word form or derivative using the clues provided.
I felt that I could study fast. I mean that firstly, I could check the answer if it is right or wrong. Secondly, it deals with the accuracy. As we know that
some words may have an equal meaning, so through the puzzle I learnt to find an accurate word whether the puzzle requires a word in a form of a
noun, a verb, or an adjective. It certainly deals with it.
Student B- interview-B40
When I was in senior high school I learnt about derivative focusing to the changes of a word to a verb, noun, and so on. It made me know that
this form of the word was noun, while that form was for the verb. The word „surround‟ and „surrounding‟ could represent the example of
derivative. Another example is just like a noun and an adjective. Thus, I
counted the number of the boxes, and then I thought about the proper letters for the boxes which were still blank. Student B-interview-B13
Those statements provide a description that through the puzzle, the learners are guided to pay more attention to the aspects of words such as word
form and derivative to complete the puzzle. It implies as what Oxford defines related to centering learning. Oxford 1990 : 138 claims that learners may employ
centering learning by overviewing a key concept of a task and associating it with what is already known. This strategy can be accomplished in many different ways,
yet it frequently works by following three steps: learning why the activity is being done, building the needed vocabulary, and making the associations. It is also
similar to Gu and Johnson‘s 1996 metacognitive strategy employed by selecting attention by identifying essential words for comprehension.
c Arranging and Planning Learning The employment of arranging and planning learning attains a high score
2.96. Learners may apply five different ways to conduct this strategy. Firstly, students realize the purpose of doing the puzzles to learn vocabulary. It achieves
almost a very high score 3.30. Secondly, they set the time needed to do the puzzles, and it obtains a high score 3.08. Thirdly, students set a regular learning
on vocabulary through the puzzles considering as their weekly assignments, and it gets a high score 2.95. Besides, they aims to understand reading texts better by
doing the puzzles, and it attains a high score 2.80. Finally, they intends to produce more words easily for writing practice using the puzzles, and it achieves a
low score 2.69. Most of the students were aware of the goal of learning vocabulary
through the puzzle. A student expected to master more words to improve his debating competence. In another case, a student set a more general goal of
learning vocabulary. He expected to be able to apply the vocabulary learnt in his daily life.
I got so many words that can be used in my speech while debating. This helped me a lot to achieve my achievement in debate.
Open-Ended Questionnaire
—App.4-Q1.13 More vocabulary during class when the process through the puzzles and I
could do in my reality life with new vocabulary that I never know before. Open-Ended Questionnaire
—App.4-Q1.21 It shows that learner apply arranging and planning learning by knowing
the objective of learning vocabulary. Thus, he may consciously creates opportunities to practice the vocabulary learnt in a spoken practice, debating. It
implies what Oxford claims related to ways to conduct arranging and planning learning. Oxford 1990:139 states that a strategy of arranging and panning
learning may be intentionally conducted by seeking out and providing chances to practice the language in naturalistic situations such as joining an international
social club. Furthermore, it also shows that students may set different goals of
learning on the same task such as trying to describe more detailed the types of the words he learnt through the puzzles. Certain students may have more specific aim
to do tasks. For example, a student expect to know more new words by doing each puzzle in that it can provide them chances to guess not only the high-frequency
words but also the low-frequency words. I think the aim is to guess the words from the meanings using some letters
as the clues. For e xample, the word „senang‟ does not always mean
happy. Thus, the purpose of doing online crossword puzzles is to introduce new vocabulary which sometimes were considered as
uncommon words. I mean in English a word may have some meanings. There were many new words found in the puzzles. Student B-interview
– B03
From the three statements above it can be concluded that the students apply arranging and planning strategy by realizing why they learn vocabulary
using the puzzles, yet they set different purposes from one and another based on their own needs and understanding of the course. Being in line with the
conclusion stated previously, Oxford 1990 : 139 claims that learners may conduct arranging and planning learning by setting the aim for language learning
including long-term goals or short- term objectives. It is also similar to Nation‘s
2001:218 planning which can be done by selecting the strategies, words, and aspects of word knowledge.
Secondly, many learners claimed that they set time freely when they had to do the puzzle, where they did the puzzle, and how long they did the puzzle. Each
student may set their learning differently inasmuch as he has different characteristics and styles to learn from any other students. Meanwhile, some
moody students described how they arranged and planned their learning on vocabulary using the puzzles.
When I was in a bad mood, I usually did one puzzle in a week as I also had to do other assignments or doing tests. On the other hand, when I
was in a good mood I could do two or three puzzles in a week, so it depended on my mood. Besides, my being curious to find the words made
me do the puzzle. For example, when got the word „berduka‟, and I was curious to know the English of it. Then I would focus my attention on it
and keep trying to guess and to find the word.
Student B-interview-B06
It usually depended on my mood because I am a moody person. Therefore, when I was in a good mood, I would directly check the words I didn‟t
know in a dictionary. On the other hand, when I was in a bad mood, I would prefer to delay checking the words in the dictionary. I would
decide to repeat doing the task in the following day or any other time. Student D-interview-D42
It describes that moody students may try to arrange their learning in such a way so that they learn in their convenient time for having positive feeling while
studying in order to optimize the learning process, and they can accomplish the tasks well. Meanwhile, another student shared that she usually continued doing
the tasks in her boarding house if she had not finished doing them in class.
I usually doing it at my boarding house if I haven‟t finished my tasks.
I‟m very like to do it. I love crosswords so much. During this semester, I learned many words. I try to memorize these words.
Open-Ended Questionnaire
—App.4-Q1.3 It portrays that some students may need longer time to finish the task, so
they try to arrange their learning by allocating time to learn out of the class hour in order to catch up their being left behind. They need to organize their learning to
overcome their own weakness which is quite slow in learning or doing a task. Thirdly, many students stated that they set a regular time to learn
vocabulary through the puzzle as the form of conducting a strategy of arranging and planning learning
The task should be done weekly, so we are forced to study about vocab constantly.
Open-Ended Questionnaire —App.4-Q2.37
The task should be done weekly, so we are accustomed to guessing the unknown words by the words we have learnt.
Open-Ended Questionnaire
—App.4-Q2.41 Those statements illustrate that they build a habit to do a vocabulary
practice through the puzzle to accustom themselves with the skills and the materials they have to learn. By setting the time to do the tasks as their routines, it
can control their vocabulary learning. It implies Nation‘s 2001:218 planning their learning by planning repetition.
In addition, some students said that by learning vocabulary using the puzzle during a semester they felt that they were able to understand the reading
text better. The crossword puzzles helped me to remember the meaning of the word
and because of it, I can understand more easily when I‟m reading a text.
My vocabulary is increasing too. Open-Ended Questionnaire
—App.4- Q1.14
It describes that in order to improve his reading comprehension, students
may use the words he learn through the puzzles to understand reading texts. In other words, students may apply an action to practice their vocabulary learning in
a natural context such as reading texts. Finally, some students also felt that they could write using more words
easily by learning vocabulary through the puzzle. I guessed it was rather helpful. The puzzle helped me to find many new
words which I never known before. As a student of English Letters Department, if I wrote sentences using common words, it sounded
boring. Accordingly, I used the new words which were more sophisticated and rarely heard to share the same meaning.
Student B- interview-B15
In writing class, the students were usually required to write our experiences. At the beginning of the semester, I often got confused how
to write the words. Fortunately, after quite frequently practicing to learn vocabulary, I could get write the words used to compose a writing more
easily. I felt helpful to memorize the spelling of the words by reading the words in the dictionaries.
Student D-interview-D33 Those two statements describe that after being consciously aware of the
objectives to learn vocabulary through the puzzles, and then learners may intentionally create opportunities to practice the vocabulary by using those words
to compose writing works. It implies Oxford‘s 1990:139 arranging and planning learning that learners may conduct it by seeking practice opportunities such as
practicing the words being learnt through reading texts or composing writing using the words.
3 Social Strategies The social strategy implemented by the students in this study is
cooperating with others or peers. It refers to strategies to help learners learn vocabulary by conducting interaction with others.
a Cooperating with Others The use of this strategy, cooperating with others, obtained a high score
with 2.89. Learners possibly apply two kinds of ways to employ this strategy. First, they ask their peers when they face difficulties to find the words to complete
the puzzles, and this effort it achieves a high score 2.93. Secondly, they discussed the materials with their peers when they find difficulties, and it gains a
high score 2.85. Some students sometimes employed cooperating with others whenever
they found difficulties in finding the correct words to complete the puzzles. When I doing my crossword, sometimes I opened the dictionary from
online. It helped me a lot. Sometimes I asked my friend too or I randomly guessed what is the answer. I gained more vocabulary from this
crossword. Open-Ended Questionnaire
—App.4-Q1.28
Absolutely. Asking a word to my friend could build a memory in my mind that when I asked my friend about it he mentioned that word. Thus, I
could memorize the word by recalling that moment. Student B-
interview-B08 Those statements illustrate that students ask their peers to help them get
the right words since it can help them do the tasks more quickly. Furthermore, it can also make them do repetition to retrieve the words by recall the words
whenever their peer asks them about the words. It is similar to social strategy proposed by Schmitt 1997:207 and Catalan 2003:63 that learners may conduct
it by asking classmates for meaning. Meanwhile, another student claimed that she not only asked their peers to
get the answers of the puzzles but also discussed their problems dealing with their vocabulary learning.
I sometimes discussed the problem with my peers. Some of them also faced the same problem like taking a long time to complete the puzzles,
so we shared our experiences and tried to overcome the problem together. We did group study as well. As a result, we could get better
understanding about the words and their meanings.
Student-interview- D50
It proves that students apply cooperating strategy with others by asking and discussing problems with peers. Discussing with peers about the materials can
enrich their vocabulary knowledge and also deepen their understanding about the materials. Furthermore, students may not only discuss about the materials but also
about vocabulary learning strategies from other students. It implies what Oxford 1990 : 135 suggests that when learners conduct a social strategy it may involve
interacting with others like their peers to improve their language skills by cooperating to solve problems during learning process or discussing the materials
to get better understanding of the materials with peers. Furthermore, Schmitt
claims that learners also may study and practice in a group to employ social strategy.