A Comparative Study on Gender Based “EFL Students Vocabulary Learning Strategy Use and Challenges they face” At Grade 11 Danema Secondary School in Hadiya Zone

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to discover the vocabulary learning strategies used by grade eleven male and female students with reference to Danema Secondary School. The study focused on examining the most and the least used vocabulary-learning strategies between male and female students, checking whether there is a significant difference between them and identifying the challenges they faced in using vocabulary-learning strategies. The researcher used mixed research method that involved questionnaire and semi-structured interview. To this end, the standardized questionnaire that was developed by Schmitt (1997), with 39 items, was used. Thus, 100 students (57 male and 43 female) were used as a sample that were selected by using stratified sampling technique and the two English teachers. The data gathered through questionnaire were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics and independent sample t test when semi-structured interview questions were analyzed thematically. The findings revealed that male students used determination strategy mostly and metacognitive strategy to the least. In contrast, female students used social strategy mostly and metacognitive strategy to the least. A significant difference was seen between male and female students in using vocabulary-learning strategies. Thus, the result revealed that except cognitive and metacognitive strategy, both subjects used all the rest strategies i.e., determination, social and memory strategies significantly different. Moreover, both male and female students’ lack of motivation towards new vocabulary learning strategies, not using different strategies or lack of language learning experience and lack of attitude to use vocabulary were seen as the challenges they faced. Finally, it is recommended that teachers and other stakeholders should support the both male and female learners to get sufficient materials and it was also suggested both students to use multifaceted vocabulary learning strategies to enhance their vocabulary knowledge.