Abstract:
This research is based on the idea that students must use in daily
interactions in school language programs. Therefore, learning
vocabulary is very important for improving students' language skills.
Students should learn as much vocabulary as possible to communicate
well with others. This study investigates students’ vocabulary learning
strategies outside of classroom activities. This research uses
descriptive qualitative methods, where the researcher implements
interviews and observation as data collection techniques. Researchers
used observations to understand the school environment where
students learn in school language programs. Researchers used semistructured interviews with three students as participants to find out
strategies for learning vocabulary. The interview technique used was
focus group discussion to reduce students' nervousness in expressing
ideas. The data obtained was then divided into several classifications
of vocabulary learning strategies by Schmitt (1990): determination,
social, memory, cognitive and meta-cognitive strategies. The research
results show that students often use meta-cognitive strategies to
improve their vocabulary.
