AN INVESTIGATION OF VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES OF ESP STUDENTS AT HANOI UNIVERSITY OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

English for Specific Purposes (ESP) is essential in higher education, where vocabulary plays a
central role in academic and professional success. This study investigates vocabulary learning strategies
(VLS) used by ESP students at the Hanoi University of Natural Resources and Environment (HUNRE).
Participants included 60 students from five majors. Data were collected through a questionnaire adapted
from Schmitt’s (1997) taxonomy and semi-structured interviews with 10 students. Results showed that
memory, determination, and cognitive strategies - such as dictionary use, repetition, and contextual
guessing - were most frequently applied, while metacognitive and social strategies were less common.
Students perceived practical, context-based strategies as most effective. Findings suggest that explicit
strategy training and discipline-oriented pedagogy can significantly improve ESP vocabulary learning.