| This study aimed to examine the frequency of use and perceived usefulness of Vocabulary learning strategies (henceforth, VLS), the relationship between the frequency of VLS and its perceived usefulness of VLS of lower secondary level students towards their language background (henceforth, LB): age of language immersion, language use, language learning, and motivation. Through a mixed method sequential explanatory method, the researcher utilized two instruments of the data collection, vocabulary learning strategies questionnaire (henceforth, VLSQ), and interview. The fist data collection is aimed to collect the data, a vocabulary learning strategies survey by Schmitt (1997). There are fifty items of questions which were used mirroring for frequency of use and for perceived usefulness of VLS and seven items of language background survey. The second data collection aimed not only to clarify the constant of participants' responses to questionnaires, but also for the methodological triangulation. The data analysed used SPSS and Pearson coefficient products. The results of language background survey (henceforth, LBS) and correlation which integrated and compared to interview data analysis. The frequently VLS which lower secondary level students frequently use are: Memory strategies, Determination, metacognitive, and cognitive strategies. Meanwhile, investigation towards students’ perceived usefulness of VLS, almost matched with the results of frequency of use. The results also indicated that LB or factor influence the strategies choice, only affected to the frequency of use, and did not influence students’ perceived usefulness. Based on the findings, some pedagogical implications are put forward in order to improve the teaching and learning of vocabulary for lower secondary level students at school X, South Jakarta. |