Investigating Students’ Perceptions of Memory Strategies Use in EFL Vocabulary Acquisition among Sabratha University students

Abstract

If memory strategies are to effectively reflect the goals of vocabulary learning, it is essential for learners to actively engage in their application. As noted, memory strategies have long been associated with learner’s contribution to the development of all language skills. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the use of memory strategies among Libyan EFL university students at Sabarth College of Arts and Education in the acquisition and development of vocabulary skills. The Language Strategy Use Survey questionnaire was employed to collect the data.  Thirty-one students responded to the questionnaire during the academic year 2024-2025. Descriptive statistics (percentage of frequency) was used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that Libyan EFL university students favored cognitive and analytical strategies, particularly those involving attention to word structure, semantic relationships, and root analysis, while visual and physical strategies were less consistently applied. Learners also emphasized the importance of regularly reviewing vocabulary, recalling the original context in which words were encountered, and practicing vocabulary repeatedly in varied contexts and enhance communicative use. These results are consistent with recent research on depth-of-processing, contextual retrieval, and spaced repetition (Schmitt, 2020).