An Investigation of Vocabulary Teaching and Learning Strategies in an Teaching English as Foreign Language Classroom: The Case of Grade Ten English Teachers and Students at Seyo Secondary School

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate vocabulary teaching and learning strategies employed by grade ten teachers and students at Seyo Secondary school in Oromia Regional State, Ethiopia. The study particularly aimed to find out vocabulary teaching and learning strategies used by EFL teachers and students in the classroom and to identify major factors influencing implementation of vocabulary teaching strategies in EFL classes. To this end, the study employed descriptive case study method comprising both quantitative and qualitative approaches to inquiry. The study involved Seyo Secondary School which was selected through purposive sampling. From total population 390 students , 30% of the students became a sample which is equal to 117 .From this school, the study included all the four English language teachers (teaching at grade 10 chosen through availability sampling and 117 grade ten students selected from 390 students using systematic random sampling. In the study, questionnaire, classroom observation, and interview were used to gather the necessary data from the target population. For data obtained through questionnaire descriptive statistics (frequencies and percentages) were employed to analyzed quantitative data in the study. Data obtained from the classroom observation and interview of the respondents (teachers and students) were analyzed in qualitative terms. The study revealed that English language teachers and students involved in the study did not use most of the different types of vocabulary teaching and learning strategies in EFL classes. The study found that most of the teachers had lack of awareness about the implementation of different types of vocabulary teaching strategies in an EFL classroom according to their suitability. The majority of students also rarely used vocabulary learning strategies due to lack of interest in and emphasis on vocabulary lessons. Based on the findings, the study provided recommendations Students need to be aware of the advantages of vocabulary learning through different strategies to their daily life so that they become motivated and there by actively play their roles in using and practicing of these strategies in teaching and learning process. Likely teachers had better give equal concern for every aspect of language teaching So in doing this teachers have to play their own advising, organizing, facilitating and monitoring role in arousing students