PRACTICES OF USING VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES IN EFL CLASSES: GRADE 11 IN FOCUS

The abstract-the main objective of this study was to assess the students’ practice of using vocabulary-learning strategies in EFL classes. To achieve the objective of the study, the researcher used a mixed research design involving both qualitative and quantitative methods. Grade 11 students and respective English language teachers were participants in the study. 112 students for the questionnaire, 6 teachers for the interview, and 9 students for FGDs were selected as a sample using random, comprehensive and purposive sampling techniques respectively. Along this side, questionnaire, interview, and focus group discussions were the main data-gathering instruments. The closed-ended questionnaires were analyzed using percentage, mean, and standard deviation using a statistical package for social science students (SPSS) version 25 software, while the data obtained through openended questions, FGDs, and interviews were analyzed qualitatively using thematic analysis. Findings disclosed that social vocabulary learning strategies were frequently practiced; cognitive, memory and compensation strategies were medium practiced and utilized by the students whereas, meta-cognitive and affective strategies were least practiced by the students. Besides, the find of this study also depicted that students faced challenges like lack of practicing appropriate vocabulary learning strategies, shortage of vocabulary, lack of experience and lack of interest. Similarly, teachers’ method of teaching, unclear instruction, little curriculum emphasis to train vocabulary learning strategies efficiently, too easy or the difficult nature of vocabulary, and the size and the complexity of the tasks were the external factors.