Investigating Problems Encountered By Students in Learning English Homonymy

Abstract

This study aimed at investigating the problems that face Sudanese university students in learning homonymy. The descriptive analytic and experimental method was adopted in conducting the study. A questionnaire and test were chosen as tools for data collection. A teacher’s questionnaire was chosen as first tool for data collection. The questionnaire was distributed to teachers of ELT in different Sudanese Universities. The students’ test was distributed to students of college of Education at Sudan University of Science and Technology. The SPSS program (Statistical Package for social Sciences) was used for data analysis. The statistical analysis for the results of the questionnaire and test showed that homonymy affects the learning of university students’ vocabulary, it helps students to learn vocabulary effectively, . The findings also revealed that students are unable to use homonymy effectively, they confuse students, students are unable to guess the meaning of multiple words, they confuse the use of homophones and homographs, the teachers do not cover it sufficiently. The syllabus suffers weakness in all aspects of homonymy. Based on the findings, the study recommended that EFL Syllabuses at Sudanese universities should give attention to homonymy. Teachers should be trained in teaching vocabulary in general and homonymy in particular. There is need for a continuous evaluation system that gives scope for improvement in teaching and learning vocabulary.