| Summary: | Vocabulary is vital to be mastered by second language learners of English, as it would
enable them to converse in English proficiently. However, the process of learning a
new language is difficult as they often lack knowledge of the correct learning
strategies to master vocabulary. Many researchers indicated that the use of effective
vocabulary learning strategies in learning English may assist students greatly in
improving their vocabulary knowledge. Cognitive vocabulary learning strategies are
commonly used by many students. However, cooperative vocabulary learning strategy
is rarely used by the students although its efficiency in improving learners' vocabulary
mastery in the long run is proven through many past researches. Thus, this study aims
to investigate the use of cooperative vocabulary learning strategies among
undergraduate students in higher learning institutions in Malaysia. This mixed method
study employed both quantitative and qualitative method to collect data. The
respondents comprised 75 undergraduate students who were undergoing an English
course at three different universities, which are Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin
(UniSZA), Universiti Teknologi Mara Shah Alam (UiTM), and Institute of Teacher
Education Campus Dato' Razali Ismail. They were recruited using purposeful
sampling method. The Likert Scale survey questionnaire was used to collect the
quantitative data, while interviews were conducted with the respondents to obtain
qualitative responses. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version
22.0 was employed to analyse the statistical data, while the interview responses were
analysed manually. Results showed that all respondents relied on certain vocabulary
learning strategies in mastering vocabulary. Memory strategy, social strategy,
cognitive strategy, meta-cognitive strategy and determiner strategy were found to play
a very significant role in enhancing the vocabulary learning of the respondents.
However, it was found that memory strategy was the most used strategy and social
strategy was the least strategy used by the learners. Based on the interview responses;
however, the respondents agreed that cooperative learning strategy played the most
significant role in learning vocabulary. The study concludes that vocabulary learning
strategies are beneficial in improving students' vocabulary efficiency for they are vital
in expediting students' vocabulary learning process. Students are expected to be more
active and productive during their learning process if the vocabulary learning
strategies are taught explicitly in classroom. The findings of the study may contribute
significantly to the body of knowledge in terms of theory, pedagogy and methodology
conclusively.
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