Gender Differences in Vocabulary Learning Strategy Use: Students of the English Studies Department as a Case Study

Vocabulary is essential for language use, and effective vocabulary learning strategies are crucial for language acquisition (Ellis, 1994). Accordingly, attentions have been given to the investigation of gender differences in vocabulary learning strategies in order to explore the specific actions or mental operations undertaken by both genders to develop their vocabulary learning. This study aims to identify the vocabulary learning strategies used by students, the frequency of their strategy use, and whether gender differences predict vocabulary use in both self-guided and formal tertiary learning settings. The research participants of the present investigation were Master’s students studying English within the English Department of Meknes. A convenience sampling strategy was employed to select participants based on their accessibility and availability. Data was collected using Schmitt's (1997) Vocabulary Learning Strategy Questionnaire. The results revealed that Master's students utilize similar vocabulary learning strategies as reported in existing literature on second language acquisition. Specifically, they tend to use deeper strategies more frequently and shallow strategies less frequently. Gender was found to influence some students' vocabulary learning strategies. It is important to note the limitations of this study, such as a small sample size with an unbalanced gender distribution. Despite these limitations, the findings contribute to enhancing students' vocabulary learning and, consequently, their proficiency in learning English as a foreign language.