EXAMINING STUDENTS' VOCABULARY LEARNING PERCEPTIONS AND STRATEGIES WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO GRADE 11 EFL STUDENTS AT DILLA SECONDARY SCHOOL

Abstract The main purpose of this study was to examine students’ vocabulary learning perceptions and strategies, with particular reference to grade 11 EFL. The main purpose of this study was to v examine students’ vocabulary learning perceptions and strategies, with particular reference to grade 11 EFL students at Dilla Secondary School. The study, in particular, tried to find out students’ perceptions towards vocabulary learning and the vocabulary learning strategies most frequently used by students. To this end a descriptive survey method was employed: both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered through a questionnaire and interview. From three secondary schools in Dilla town under city administration, Dilla Secondary School was selected purposefully. Totally, 959 students were in the school in grade 11. 240 were selected by using systematic random sampling. From the entry samples, the 10 students were selected to interview. The data that had been collected from the students’ questionnaire was analyzed by means of the quantitative method of data analysis using simple descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage) in SPSS version 26. The result of this study showed that most of the students had a positive perception of vocabulary learning. The result of the study also showed the following order from the most to the least frequently used vocabulary learning strategies by grade 11 EFL students at Dilla Secondary School: determination strategies, Social Strategies, Memory Strategies, Meta cognitive Strategies, and Cognitive strategies. This indicates that Determination Strategies and Cognitive strategies, respectively, were the most and least frequently used vocabulary learning strategies by grade 11 EFL students at Dilla Secondary School. This shows that the majority of the grade 11 EFL students were not familiar with most of the vocabulary learning strategies. And the students have negative attitudes towards their English teacher's teaching methodology, which shows they are bored with the vocabulary learning situation. Finally, it is recommended that all students be aware of the benefits of vocabulary learning. Thus, instead of depending on a single strategy, students should use diversified vocabulary learning strategies in order to develop their vocabulary knowledge. Also, English language teachers should use diversified vocabulary teaching strategies to enable their students to use multiple vocabulary learning strategies too.