Learner Perceptions of a “Guess and Check” Approach to Vocabulary Learning

Research has shown that students taking L2 university courses must have a large vocabulary. Research has also suggested that “guess and check” may be an effective way for students to increase their vocabularies. This paper seeks to share the findings regarding students’ perceptions of the “guess and check” vocabulary building strategy that was introduced to students in Reading and Writing (R&W) classes in the academic years 2016 and 2017. The feedback which the students provided about the course clearly shows that the strategy was viewed very positively. The paper concludes that as the “guess and check” strategy appears to have a number of benefits in terms of vocabulary learning and is positively perceived by students, it is a strategy that should be taught in a wide range of L2 instruction classes.