International Chinese Students’ Strategic Vocabulary Learning: Agency and Context

1. International Chinese Students’ Strategic Vocabulary Learning: Agency and Context Isobel Kai-Hui Wang Department of English 17 Oct 2015 11.40-12.10 Contact:khw569@yahoo.co.uk

2. Cognitive perspective • Focus on strategies as individual mental processes which facilitate the internalisation and storage of the new vocabulary (Gu and Johnson, 1996; Fan, 2003; Schmitt, 2010). • Quantitative studies: large-scale surveys & questionnaire • Focus on the individual organism ---strategies tend to be treated as de-contextualised phenomena. • Focus on the quantity, rather than the quality of the strategies ---learners’ character traits are often assumed to be relatively fixed

3. Sociocultural perspective • Strategic vocabulary learning in context • The important role that social interaction and cultural institution(s) play in the individual’s strategy development (e.g. Huang and Andrews, 2010; Harish, 2014; Oxford, 2011; Wang, 2015). • Over-emphasise the influence of context on strategy use, and not enough attention has been paid to the dialectic between the individual and the social

4. Combining both perspectives Cognitive approach (cognitive choices of individual learners) Strategic vocabulary learning Sociocultural approach (the sociocultural context of vocabulary learning)

5. Research design – A multiple case study design (9 months) • In what ways and for what reasons do Chinese learners select and combine strategies to enhance the process of strategic vocabulary learning in the UK? (Wang, 2015) International Foundation Programme

6. Data collection method • Classroom observation: To explore how the students managed their strategic vocabulary learning in relation to different contexts of teaching and learning • Interviews: a) Follow-up interviews: provide more in-depth data to complement the classroom observations; b) General interviews: how did they learn words generally, particularly outside the classroom • VOCABlog: An innovative, interactive, web-based technique which combined both online photos and diaries in a multimedia environment --To explore the learners’ strategy use in the UK

7. In what ways and for what reasons do Chinese learners select and combine strategies to enhance the process of strategic vocabulary learning in the UK? • Manage strategic vocabulary learning in relation to their learning goals and particular settings • Combine strategies from different levels (cognitive, social and metacognitive levels) • Orchestrating strategy use for effective vocabulary learning- dynamic organisation of strategy combinations • Apply a more flexible and creative approach to vocabulary learning

8. Xia:Engaging in authentic interaction with local people (Female, 18, Ryder site) Without consulting anyone, I bought this cleansing lotion. I guess cleansing lotion is to moisturise skin […]. Until one day, one sales assistant said '[…] cleansing lotion first, and comes with this facial wash […]' When I heard this, I thought, what does it mean? A make-up remover? Then I stated my doubts to her, sadly, I got a definite 'yes' […], during the past time, every cell in my face was tortured by that lotion, all of these contribute to lack of curiosity for those mysterious words. From that time on [...], when I wanted to purchase products, when I found any unfamiliar words, I always asked, […] (Diary 1, VOCABlog).

9. Xia: Combining strategies for more effective learning In my opinion, guessing the meaning of new words is a good start to explore our vocabulary [...] when I really want the exact meaning, I then need to find for any local people near me, ask and check with them. This may make me learn these words more accurately and deeply (Diary 1, VOCABlog).

10. The Use of Strategy Sequence and Cluster for Vocabulary Learning Start Guess the meaning in relation to context Strategy Sequence • Social strategies • Express her doubts to local people • Check her guesses with local people • Ask local people for clarification/explanation Strategy Cluster temporally and contextually situated

11. Bo: Improving vocabulary for IELTS (Male, 18, Wolfson site) I have discovered a good website which contains lots of short texts. The useful words which may appear in the IELTS test are highlighted. It also includes other information about these words […]. I can learn them by relating them to the text and example sentences. This helps me understand them more easily […]. I can listen to every sentence repeatedly. This helps me remember them and also improves my listening (Diary 5, VOCABlog). (Photo 5, VOCABlog)

12. Bo: Enhancing his vocabulary learning Although the website is helpful, listening to it every day is boring […]. Recently our teacher holds a ‘help class’ once week. We meet in the evening and talk about the topics we like […]. Besides using the website, I always practise some words which I learned from the website with other peers. I really enjoy this and attend the class every week […]. I can also ask my teacher when I’m not sure how to use vocabulary. I can remember and understand the words better when using them (Interview 6).

13. A recycling of strategy combination

14. Learning by using it: combining social strategies The more interaction and collaboration learners engage in, the more satisfactory outcomes of their learning become. Learner Teacher Peers Other social resources Strategic awareness and Strategy development; Explain and Clarify unknown words; Practise and Consolidate words; Correct and Expand word knowledge

15. Further points: Metacognitive efforts-Maximising the effectiveness of VLSs • A cycle of metacognitive strategies Learning context & learning goals

16. Further points: Increasing and maintaining motivation for vocabulary learning • Enjoyment is important! • The learners who are able to sustain their own pleasure, enjoyment, interest and challenge of learning are likely to display much higher levels of involvement in learning and interact with the learning process more effectively (Ushioda, 2008, p. 21-2). • Explore enjoyable ways and involve them in strategy combinations e.g. engaging in creative and playful vocabulary practices

17. References • Gu, P. Y., & Johnson, K. (1996). Vocabulary learning strategies and learning outcomes. Language Learning,46 (4), 643-679. • Fan, M. Y. (2003). Frequency of use, perceived usefulness, and actual usefulness of second language vocabulary strategies: A study of Hong Long learners. Modern Language Journal, 87 (2), 222-41. • Harish, S. (2014). Social strategy use and language learning contexts: A case study of Malayalee undergraduate students in India. System, 43, 64-73. • Huang, J., & Andrews, S. (2010). Situated development and use of language learner strategies: voices from EFL students. Language Learning Journal,38 (1), 19-35.

18. Oxford, R. (2011). Teaching and Researching Language Learning Strategies. Harlow: Longman. • Schmitt, N. (2010). Researching vocabulary: a vocabulary research manual. Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire; New York : Palgrave Macmillan. • Ushioda, E. (2008). Motivation and good language learners. In C. Griffiths (Ed.), Lessons from good language learners (pp. 19-34). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. • Wang, KH. (2015). The Use of Dialogic Strategy Clusters for Vocabulary Learning by Chinese Students in the UK. System, 51, 51-64.

19. Thank you!Any comments or questions?