The Role of Dictionary Strategy in Passive Vocabulary Knowledge Acquisition of Net Generation Students

Abstract

The paper reports and discusses the findings of a study conducted to assess the role of dictionary strategy in passive vocabulary knowledge acquisition of the Net Generation students. The Net Generation students are students who consider computers a natural part of their environment. Passive vocabulary knowledge is usually defined as what one needs to know about a word in order to use it in reading and listening. The dictionary strategy is made up of three sub-strategies namely using the strategy for comprehension, the extended dictionary strategy, and the looking-up strategy. Vocabulary Learning Questionnaire is used to measure the preference level of the dictionary strategy as one of the vocabulary learning strategies. Simultaneously, the Net Generation students’ passive vocabulary knowledge is assessed using the Vocabulary Levels Test. 360 university students aged between 18 to 21 years old are involved. Though generally the dictionary strategy is preferred by the students as one of their vocabulary learning strategies, it has a negative correlation with the passive vocabulary knowledge. Out of the three sub-strategies, using dictionary strategy for comprehension and extended dictionary strategy establish negative correlations with the passive vocabulary knowledge. Nevertheless, the looking-up strategy has a positive correlation. Further discussion focuses on the possible reasons why guessing strategy does not work for them.