İngilizceyi Türkiye'de "yabancı dil" ve İngiltere'de "ikinci dil" olarak öğrenen Türk öğrencilerin kullandıkları sözcük öğrenme stratejilerinin karşılaştırılması

The goal of this research is to investigate the role of language learning context (EFL or ESL) in the use of vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) of Turkish students. In other words, this research aims to find an answer to the question whether the vocabulary learning strategies deployed by Turkish ESL learners in the UK and EFL learners in Turkey differ significantly from each other. Students' frequency of VLS use and their views on the usefulness of VLSs have been taken into account in the study. A descriptive research design was employed in the study. The participants in the study were recruited from two contexts; namely, ESL and EFL. The ESL participants were 49 Turkish students pursuing their graduate education in a variety of departments at 21 universities in the UK while the EFL participants were 79 graduate students attending all-English departments at 27 Turkish universities. Study data were collected via 'Vocabulary Learning Strategies Questionnaire' and the 'Vocabulary Levels Test'. Descriptive statistics (such as mean and standard deviation), t test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) were utilized in the data analyses. Research results revealed a significant difference between ESL (the UK) and EFL (Turkey) learners' frequency of VLS use in favour of EFL learners. However, gender and academic major were not found to have any significant effect on learners' VLS use. Moreover, discovery-determination strategies were the most frequently used VLS category while consolidation-social strategies were the least frequently used category. Additionally, further analyses on VLS use by high-level learners in both language learning contexts have been provided as part of the study. Keywords: Vocabulary learning strategy, achievement, language learning context, ESL, EFL