Self-assessment strategies to enhance vocabulary retention in adult students

Abstract

This research is about the study of self-assessment strategies, as tools that are used to improve the vocabulary retention in adult students of a foreign language. Students from the Instituto Tecnológico Superior Guayaquil in the city of Ambato were considered in the research, who receive English at a basic level and have an important problem which is a low vocabulary retention. The main research objective is to investigate how self-assessment strategies enhance English vocabulary retention in adult students. It was found that the methodology used by teachers does not contribute to the students having a good vocabulary retention, the data were got from the application of a survey and it was established that the students do not usually use resources to self-assess their language learning process. Similarly, the results obtained from the statistical Chi-Squared hypothesis test showed that self-assessment strategies influence vocabulary knowledge in adult students. In order to contribute to the solution of the problem, a brochure of seven strategies that can be used by students in class or at home was formulated, among which are: a diary, rubrics, a virtual platform, mobile free Apps, progress self-assessment sheet, teach a friend, and portfolio. In each of the strategies, the mode of use, the objective, the function, the resources required and a rating scale are indicated so that the students have knowledge of their progress in learning.