AN INVESTIGATION INTO DIFFICULTIES IN LEARNING ACADEMIC VOCABULARY

AN INVESTIGATION INTO DIFFICULTIES IN
LEARNING ACADEMIC VOCABULARY OF 2nd YEAR
STUDENTS IN THE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

I.

Introduction:

Nowadays, the English language has been widely used many
areas such as politics, economic, tourism, technology, culture,
and science. Since Vietnam carried out the open-door policy
towards the regional and global integration, the English
language has become more and more important for people of all
ages and careers nationwide. Therefore, an amount of people
learns and uses English for different purposes are increasing
every day.
In teaching and learning English as a foreign language in
Vietnam, academic English has recently received a great deal of
attention. A teacher or institution wish to provide educational
materials that will fit specific subject areas for learners. Such
materials may not be available commercially. In addition, with
many similar characteristics and a number of features in
comparison with general English, academic English is viewed as
something hard to teach for a language teacher. Furthermore,
the teacher-researcher has seen students have trouble during
their English learning process. Most of the students said that
they had to deal with a wider range of unfamiliar words and
cope with their growing specialized vocabulary. They often
passively learn vocabulary through their teacher’s explanation.
There are too many new words and too little time to spend on
memorizing.

For all reasons mentioned above, this research to find out the
difficulties of the students when learning academic vocabulary
and the cause of their problems is necessary.
II.
1.

Literature review:
Definition

According to Academic Vocabulary for Fifth- to Seventh-Grade
English Language Learners in Texas (2010), Academic vocabulary
refers to the words that are used in academic discourse, both


written and spoken, and that traditionally have been identified
from a corpus of academic texts. Some lists of academic
vocabularies include an indication of each word or word family’s
rate of occurrence in academic texts. (p.5)
Academic vocabulary divides into three branches: English for
Science and Technology (EST), English for Business and
Economics (EBE) and English for Social Studies (ESS).

2.

The role of academic vocabulary

Academic Language is the language typically found in
textbooks, used daily in classrooms, and presented on tests
regularly. It is the language that students must master in order to
succeed in any content areas. Students use it to require new

knowledge. Moreover, Academic language is used across all
academic disciplines as Britain, phonetic and phonology, research
method. Academic word helps students to convey argument and
facilities presentation of the ideas a sophisticated manner. It helps
the learners cope with problems comprehension in subjects in
school. Academic language is necessary for the international
exams like IELTS, TOEIC, SAT, etc. Academic language is also
important in many fields of life such as economic, tourism and
education.
3.

Previous studies

Dung & Huong (2016), based on 140 students of Hue University
of Foreign Languages include filling in questionnaires, being
interviewed, writing the diary, concentrate on exploring
awareness of students and use of strategies in learning academic
vocabulary outside the classroom. Apart from this problem, the
study also investigates difficulties faced by the students when
they learn academic vocabulary outside the classroom.
Maricel G. Santos (1998) studied 10 language-minority
community college students enrolled at an urban New England
community college about the relationship between breadth and
depth of academic word knowledge. This study was primarily
focusing on exploring students’ knowledge of polysemous
academic words, not on developing a new measure of the depth
of vocabulary knowledge, also not on showing some difficulties of
students in the way learn academic vocabulary.

My & Huong (2016) studied strategies used by students to
solve unknown vocabulary in the classroom. This study uses two
main methods of research: qualitative and quantitative methods.
The research subjects were 116 EFL students at Hue University of
Foreign Languages and they obtained 101 questionnaires, 10
interviews and 33 evaluate rubrics. Besides, difficulties which this
vocabulary cause to the students was also mentioned in the
study. It helps for teachers and students can find out the best and
the most reasonable strategies in teaching and learning academic
vocabulary.
Based on some researches which are taken in above, we found
what is material challenging and it is not relevant to the
sophomore in English Department of Hue University of Foreign
Language. In order to achieve the aims of the study, the following
questions will be answered in this minor research:
1. What is the attitude of 2nd year students at Hue University of
Foreign Languages towards learning academic vocabulary?
2. What are the difficulties in learning academic vocabulary
among 2nd year students at Hue University of Foreign Languages?
3. What causes difficulties for 2 nd year students at Hue
University of Foreign Languages to learn academic vocabulary?

III.
1.

Research methodology:
Aim of the study:

On doing this minor research, we aim at finding out the
difficulties which the second-year students have in learning

academic vocabulary and some possible causes of these
difficulties.
2.

Research methods:

When carrying out this assignment, we prepare a
questionnaire to investigate into difficulties in learning
academic vocabulary among 2nd-year students in the English
department at Hue University of Foreign Languages.
The questionnaires consist of 10 questions, basing on the
information in the literature review part and the aims of the
study. This questionnaire is prepared in English for the learners


to read, think and answer suitably and adequately. After that, it
is delivered to second-year students, and the answers are
collected and analyzed. The real difficulties in learning
academic vocabulary and some possible causes to these
difficulties will be found out.
Besides, an interview with other students is also conducted.
Each student is given three questions, and their answers will
contribute to consolidating our findings of students ‟ difficulties
in learning academic vocabulary”.
3.

Research subjects:

Research subjects are 2nd year students in the English
department of Hue University of Foreign Languages. Students

begin to face many difficulties throughout their studies at
university because most teaching and learning materials have
academic vocabulary. Students' ages who participated in the
survey range from 19 to 20. They are all female, at
intermediate level. Students are selected randomly and on a
voluntary basis, without coercion.

The instruments used in this research consist of
questionnaire and interview. The questionnaire contained 10
questions and was delivered to 30 students by both paper and
online. Apart from the questionnaire, there were 3 interview
questions for 2 students by face to face.

IV. Findings and discussions:
Based on the survey and interview, we have collected and
analyzed data by two methods: table and chart.
4.1

Attitude of 2nd year students at Hue University of Foreign
Language towards learning academic vocabulary

Chart 1 shows the student's answer about whether academic
vocabulary is important to them. It can be seen from the above
pie graph that most second-year students agree that academic
vocabulary is important in learning English (about 93%). A small
number of students (7%) do not think academic vocabulary is
necessary for them as they learn English. From the information


given, it can be inferred that most of the students participated in

this survey has recognized the importance of academic
vocabulary during the progress of their English studying.

Table 1: Reasons why academic vocabulary are important

Content
Necessary for international examinations
(TOEFL, SAT, IELTS, …).
Read
and
understand
specialized
text
(economic, medical, science, environment…).
Read and understand specialized subjects
(English phonetics and phonology, British
Culture, Research methods…).
Necessary for daily life (reading newspapers,
magazines, watching TV…).
Other

Percent
age (%)
80
63.33
66.67
43.33
0

Table 1 demonstrates reasons make students think that

academic vocabulary is essential in learning English. As shown in
this table, 80% think academic vocabulary is necessary for
international examinations, while 63.33% choose to read and
understand specialized text. About 66.67% of the opinions for
reading and understanding specialized subjects and 43.33% of
further opinions stated that academic vocabulary necessary for
daily life. From the statistics given, it can infer that academic
vocabulary is essential for second-year students in a variety of
areas related to their studies at university. When interviewed one
student, she answered that she learned academic vocabulary to
take the IELTS examination. Another student say that she just
learned academic vocabulary to understand content of textbooks
such as Britain culture and Phonetics.


Chart 2 shows the frequency of using academic vocabulary of
student. From the statistics in chart 2, we can see that most
students (47%) sometime use academic vocabulary. The second
ranks fall into often (17%) and usually (17%). The smallest rate
(3%) belongs to rarely and never. About 13% of the opinions
present they always use academic vocabulary. The information in
chart 2 manifests that academic vocabulary is very familiar to
students. Just only a few students are not or rarely contact to
them.

Chart 3 presents purpose of using academic vocabulary of
student. According to this chart, to create a lab of report
contributes to 17%, literature analysis makes up 13%. A higher
number (50%) learn academic vocabulary to take part in
international examinations. Most opinions focus on writing college

essays is main purpose (83%). The smallest rate belongs to other
purpose. About 7% of students think academic vocabulary is
necessary for understand vocabulary of specialized subjects text.
Chart 3 implies that academic vocabulary can use in many
different purpose. So, students should pay more attention to
them.

Chart 4 illustrates the usual ways of students when coming
across a new academic vocabulary. It can be seen from the above
chart that most students choose (73.33%) using dictionaries or
translation applications, based on the context to guess accounts
for 33.33%, asking teachers or friends 26.67%, only 3.33% for
ignoring and no answer goes to the other opinions. The
information in Chart 4 hints that some students still use
ineffective ways to learn new academic words, which makes it
difficult in learning academic vocabulary effectively. As being
shared by one interviewed student that she used app “TFLAT” on
her mobile phone to know the meaning of a new word. Besides,


the other one said that whenever she met a new word, she
ignored it.
4.2

The difficulties in learning academic vocabulary among 2 nd
year students at Hue University of Foreign Languages

Table 2: Student’s way to learn a new academic
vocabulary
Content

Make sentences with the words.
Do vocabulary exercises.
Play word games.
Practice them through the language
skills: listening, speaking, reading,
writing.
Other

Percent
age (%)
40
63.33
10
66.67
6.67

Table 2 shows the students’ ways to learn a new academic
vocabulary. From the statistics in Table 2, we can see that about
66.67% practice vocabulary through the language skills: listening,
speaking, reading and writing. The second and third ranks fall into
doing vocabulary exercises (63.33%) and making sentences with
the words (40%). The smallest rate (10%) belongs to playing word
games. About 6.67% of the opinions present the ways the
learners have used for word practice. They watch videos to know
the word usage situations, make sentences with the words, ask
the partners or the teachers to find out some more examples, and
write the words for many times. The information in Table 2
suggests that the students use few effective ways to learn a new
academic vocabulary.
Table 3: Students' difficulties in progress learning

academic vocabulary
Which difficulties do you have when
you learning academic word?
Many new words you do not know.
Lack of vocabulary exercises.

Percent
age (%)
73.33
33.33


Difficult vocabulary exercises
Exercises with no combination of the
language skills
Completely not found the right meaning
in dictionary
Other

33.33
20
23.33
3.33

Table 3 presents the obstacles with learning academic
word. As shown in this table, about 33.33% choose lack of
vocabulary exercises and difficult vocabulary exercises. 23.33%
select completely not found the right meaning in dictionaries.
With 73.33% think there are many new words they do not know,
while 20% choose exercises with no combination of the language

skills. Only 3.33% of other opinions for this question, most of the
students think that there are too many new words, complicated
phrases, tough word usage, and pronunciation. From the statistics
given, we can infer that there are too many factors affect to
learning academic vocabulary for students. One student also
shared that she had many things to study, methodology,
examinations, presentations, so she did not have time to learn
academic vocabulary. One student said that she could learn those
words, but it was hard for her to understand and remember those
words for a long time. Especially each academic word contains a
lot of meanings.
4.3

Causes difficulties for 2nd year students at Hue University of
Foreign Languages to learn academic vocabulary

Chart 5 present do teachers instruct the use of academic
vocabulary for students. A high rate of 83% means that 25 in total
30 answers, said that teacher instructed them to use the
academic word. Besides a small number of 5 answers (17%) said
that teachers didn't teach them. The information in Chart 5
implies that almost the teachers have instructed the uses of
academic vocabulary to students.


Chart 6 show the way teacher instruct the use of
academic vocabulary: instruct to make a sentence, asking to
do exercise, ask to study on your own and use visual aids.
Make sentence and to do exercise are same with 43,33%
and 40%. Using visual aids make up 23,33%, with a small

number ask you to do exercise get only 13,33%. From this
number, we can have said that teachers have plenty of ways
to instruct the students in cope with academic vocabulary.

Chart 7 shows the percentage of students agree that
the methods they are using to learn academic vocabulary
are efficient and to the contrary. At first glance, it is clear
that both ideas are approximate. We can see Chart 7 that
42% select “no” the methods are using is effective, and 58%
opt for “yes” with this. There is a difference of 6% both
them. From the information given, it can be inferred that the
methods students are using to learn academic vocabulary is
seemed capable.

V.

Implications and Conclusion

The main contents of the previous sections will be summarized
briefly in this concluding part. The limitations of the study and
some implications for further investigation into this issue are
also represented for consideration.
1. Summary of the study
Academic vocabulary together with four language skills has
been fairly necessary to the second-year navigation students
when they study special subjects such as Britain and Phonetic.
This minor research has been carried out to discover those
obstacles and their possible causes, and draw out some
solutions to help overcome them.
The initial step includes the theoretical review mainly on the

academic and some factors affecting the vocabulary
acquisition. In the next step, we have employed two kinds of
data collection instruments. A questionnaire helped us find out
the second-year students difficulties in studying English
academic vocabulary and some possible causes of these
difficulties. The two other students were also interviewed with


three questions so that we could consult their ways of solving
the obstacles.
In the next stage, the analysis has been done on the results
of two data collection instruments and useful information has
been detected. Based on this disclosed information, a number
of solutions have been suggested to assist the navigation
students in overcoming their difficulties in learning academic
vocabulary.
The students' major difficulties are the academic vocabulary
pronunciation and meanings, inappropriate materials and lack
of effective strategies for learning academic vocabulary. The
causes of these difficulties are the lack of general English
knowledge, difficulties in teaching English academic words and
lack of learner autonomy. Of these challenges and causes,
English special vocabulary pronunciation and meanings, the
lack of learner autonomy and the difficulties in teaching English
words are the most convoluted and influential ones. They have
to be solved in prevailingly possible ways so as to establish an
encouraging ad advantageous teaching and learning
environment for the students.
A number of the applicable solutions to the academic
vocabulary learning problems have been suggested to the

teachers and the navigation students. These solutions include
enhancing the necessary General English knowledge,
developing resources for academic vocabulary teaching and
learning, encouraging the development of effective vocabulary
learning strategies, developing the effective academic
vocabulary. Although a combination of all these suggestive
solutions in practical accomplishment is necessary, we should
concentrate on the fourth and the last suggested solutions in
advance when considering the English teaching and learning
condition in Hue University Of Foreign Languages.
The most crucial solution to the academic vocabulary
learning problems is the students' desire to learn their
academic words. They should decide why to study, where they
are, what to study, how to study, who to trust and when to
start.
2. Limitations of the study
As said in the preceding part, this small research has been
carried out among 32 students in the second student of the
English Department in Hue University Of Foreign Languages.


The particular findings and suggested solutions were based on
the results of the data analysis. Therefore, it may not cover
most of the real difficulties in learning academic vocabulary at
Hue University Of Foreign Languages at present. The outcome
of the solution application depends on the students' desires
and decisions.
3. Suggestions for further study
This minor study has found out some major difficulties in
learning academic vocabulary and suggested some solutions to

overcome them. Further investigation should be done to find
out the students' other possible difficulties in academic
vocabulary acquisition.
More suitable solutions to the problems are needed in order
to overcome the mentioned difficulties in a comprehensible and
absolute way.

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