The Common European Framework of Reference for language teaching, learning, and assessment (CEFR) provides a guideline for English teaching aids and curriculum development in language courses. It identifies and describes the specific skills that language learners must acquire to improve their English language proficiency for communication (CoE, 2001). In the Thai context, the Ministry of Education (MoE, 2014) has adopted the framework as a practical handbook for reforming English teaching at all levels. However, only a few studies have examined Thai stakeholders' perceptions towards CEFR. As such, the current study investigated preservice English teachers' perceptions of the CEFR in a Thai context. A total of 200 fourth and fifth-year preservice English teachers participated in this study. A mixed-method design was used to collect data via seven-point Likert scale questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. The quantitative findings revealed that the participants had a high level of understanding of the CEFR, specifically in the assessment domain and development of reference level descriptions. By contrast, the qualitative data revealed that Thai preservice teachers have little knowledge of the CEFR, and their understanding of the CEFR was quite limited. Nevertheless, Thai preservice teachers expressed positive views regarding the implementation of the CEFR into classroom practice. Overall, these findings indicate that the preservice English teachers had a poor understanding of the CEFR conception, which suggests that Thai stakeholders must raise awareness regarding the proper implementation of the CEFR and its alignment with the national curriculum.

The present study investigated the use of vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) by undergraduate Thai EFL students studying Vietnamese as their third language (L3) and examined if there is any relationship between the learners’ strategy use and their success. A five-point Likert-scale questionnaire containing 39 items adapted from Schmitt’s (1997) taxonomy of VLSs that are classified into five main categories (determination, social, memory, cognitive and metacognitive strategies) was administered to a group of 55 Thai undergraduate students who were taking a basic Vietnamese course for 45 hours. A vocabulary test was also used as another research instrument in order to reveal any correlation between strategy use and vocabulary test results. The descriptive statistics like mean and standard deviation and correlation were used in the study. It was found that Thai EFL learners were moderate strategy users when learning Vietnamese as their L3. Cognitive strategies emerged as the most fr...

This study explored the “Beliefs about Vocabulary Learning and Vocabulary Learning Strategies” among Afghan EFL Learners at Shaikh Zayed University, Afghanistan. The aim of the research was to find out the most and least strategies adopted by the learners. A questionnaire developed by Gu (2018), see Appendix, which contains four components: beliefs about vocabulary learning, metacognitive regulation of vocabulary learning, cognitive strategies of vocabulary learning, and affective strategies of vocabulary learning—was administered to 177 undergraduate students (155 males and 22 females). The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS 20). The results of the study revealed that learners: (1) preferred learning words through use (contextual learning) rather than memorization; (2) had the ability to identify, select, and understand essential words; (3) preferred more readings in addition to feedback they received; (4) mostly relied on a dictionary, guessi...

Teaching and learning vocabulary is one the most significant components in textbooks. It is helpful for textbook users if textbooks can be investigated to evaluate how lexical components are represented, and how they comply with the conditions necessary for vocabulary uptake. The current study aims to analyze the dimensions involved in the vocabulary activities represented in the coursebook. The findings show that although the vocabulary items presented in the book mostly equip learners with incidental vocabulary learning, they still need further improvements to create optimal learning opportunities for vocabulary retention. The study also suggests that the role of language teachers in EFL contexts, where students have little access to English beyond the classroom doors, has become more crucial to encourage learners to become autonomous vocabulary learners, who take responsibility for their vocabulary learning both in a teacher-led classroom and during their language learning journey.

This review paper aims to provide an overview of vocabulary in English language learning, teaching, and testing in Vietnam. First, we review studies on the vocabulary knowledge of Vietnamese EFL learners. Recent research evaluating different aspects of vocabulary knowledge shows that Vietnamese EFL learners generally have limited knowledge of both single words and formulaic language. Next, we discuss contemporary approaches to teaching vocabulary in Vietnam to reveal current issues and provide relevant recommendations. Empirical studies on Vietnamese EFL learners’ vocabulary acquisition are also discussed with an aim to shed light on how vocabulary can be acquired by Vietnamese EFL learners and subsequently draw important pedagogical implications. In addition, we look into the lexical component of high-stakes English tests in Vietnam, calling for more attention to the lexical profiles and lexical coverage of those tests. Finally, we provide concluding remarks and research-informed recommendations for EFL vocabulary learning and teaching in Vietnam to elaborate on how vocabulary can be effectively learned and taught.