The present study analyses the vocabulary learning strategies used by a group of undergraduates studying EFL as part of their university Primary and Pre-Primary teacher training degree, and those strategies contained in the two EFL coursebooks used by those students. Coursebooks were analyzed according to seven types of vocabulary learning strategies: metacognition, inference, dictionary use, note taking, practicing, codifying and activation. Likewise, participants were asked to rank these seven strategies from the most used to the least used in their L2 vocabulary learning process. The results reveal that only four of the seven strategies, namely, codifying, practicing, activation, and inference are promoted by the coursebooks. They show a very similar line opting particularly for the development of practice and codifying. This contrasts with the EFL learners, who tend to adopt inference in the first place, followed by dictionary use and note taking, the last two being absent in the coursebooks. Therefore, in the light of these results, we can suggest that the way students monitor their vocabulary learning significantly differs from the strategies promoted by the teaching materials they use.The present study analyses the vocabulary learning strategies used by a group of undergraduates studying EFL as part of their university Primary and Pre-Primary teacher training degree, and those strategies contained in the two EFL coursebooks used by those students. Coursebooks were analyzed according to seven types of vocabulary learning strategies: metacognition, inference, dictionary use, note taking, practicing, codifying and activation. Likewise, participants were asked to rank these seven strategies from the most used to the least used in their L2 vocabulary learning process. The results reveal that only four of the seven strategies, namely, codifying, practicing, activation, and inference are promoted by the coursebooks. They show a very similar line opting particularly for the development of practice and codifying. This contrasts with the EFL learners, who tend to adopt inference in the first place, followed by dictionary use and note taking, the last two being absent in the coursebooks. Therefore, in the light of these results, we can suggest that the way students monitor their vocabulary learning significantly differs from the strategies promoted by the teaching materials they use.