AStudyontheUseofEnglishVocabularyLearningStrategiesbyStudentsinaSeniorMiddleS.doc

毕业设计（论文） A Study on the Use of English Vocabulary Learning Strategies by Students in a Senior Middle SchoolAbstract: Researches in the field of second language have shifted its attention from teaching to learning since the 1970s. Owing to this shift, many researchers both at home and abroad began to focus on the study of language learning strategies（LLS）. Vocabulary, as the essential part of a language, has widely drawn numerous scholars attention.The present study, by referring to the relevant studies on language learning strategies and vocabulary learning strategies(VLS)in the last three decades, investigates the students in the use of VLS in a Chinese senior middle school. The study intends to explore (1) the overall pattern of English vocabulary learning strategies used by some Chinese high school students; (2) VLS used by male and female students. The participants of the study are 150 second year senior middle school students form NO 1 Middle School in Lin County of Shanxi Province. From the questionnaire, we can know the overall pattern of students VLS and differences between male and female students in using VLS. Several findings are revealed from the present study. Firstly, most high school students hold that word should be learnt by using and studying. Secondly, students employ various strategies to learn English vocabulary, but most of them are traditional, simple and easy. The more frequently used strategies are self-initiation, guessing, dictionary use and rehearsal strategies, and the least used strategies are encoding strategies and activation strategies. Thirdly, there are great differences between male and female students in the use of meta-cognitive strategies, guessing, dictionary use, note taking, visual repetition, word-structure and encoding strategies. According to the above findings, the author presents some suitable implications for vocabulary learning and teaching. First, teachers should help their students realize the importance of vocabulary learning strategies. Second, help students make use of meta-cognitive strategies such as making up their plans on vocabulary learning. Then, teachers must be aware of the differences in VLS use by different gender and provide a variety of instructional techniques to cater for the needs of different groups of students. Finally, students should make full use of various encoding strategies such as imagery, association, word-structure strategy and activation strategies such as put words into practice.Key words: senior middle school students; vocabulary learning strategies; gender1 Introduction31.1 Importance of vocabulary in second language learning31.2 Necessity of the study32 Literature Review42.1 Background of Learning Strategies42.2 Definitions of Learning Strategies52.3 Classifications of Learning Strategies52.3.2 Oxfords classification62.4 Vocabulary learning strategies62.4.1 Definitions of Learning Strategies62.5 Classifications of Learning Strategies62.5.1 Classifications of Learning Strategies in West62.5.2 Classifications of Learning Strategies in China83 Research Methodology103.1 Research questions103.2 Research participants103.3 Instruments113.3.1 Questionnaire113.4 Data collection and data analysis124 Results and Discussion134.1 Overall Pattern of Students Use of Vocabulary Learning beliefs and Strategies134.1.1 Beliefs about vocabulary learning134.1.2 Use of vocabulary learning strategies144.2 Vocabulary learning strategies used by male and female students175 Conclusion and Implications205.1 Major findings205.2 Implications for EFL teaching and learning in high schools215.3 limitations22References221 Introduction1.1 Background of Learning Strategies The word “strategy” comes from the ancient Greek term “strategia”, a root that originally meant “trick” or “deception”. “Strategy” were first used by Bruner，Goodnow and Austin in a cognitive psychology paper in 1956. In 1966, due to the publication of “The Method of Inference in Foreign Language Study” by Aaron Carton, the strategy research began in applied linguistics. In 1971, Rubin started doing research focusing on the strategies of successful learners. In 1975, Rubin classified strategies in terms of processes contributing directly or indirectly to language learning. 1.2 Importance of vocabulary in second language learning Vocabulary learning is an important part of second language learning. Just as Wilkiing (1972, cited in Carter and McCarthy, 1988) points out, “without grammar, little can be conveyed, without vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed.” The importance of vocabulary can be found in all aspects of language. Kelly (1991) thought that the biggest difficulty in the field of listening is vocabulary. Laufer (1986) also told us, “No text comprehension is impossible, either in one native language or in a foreign language, without understanding the texts vocabulary.” So vocabulary plays a significant role in comprehending the text. Vocabulary is also important in translating proper passage. If you dont grasp the real meaning of vocabulary, you will depart from the original thoughts and fail to get a good translation. Language learners with a restricted number of vocabulary lack of the ability in writing. In addition, face to face communication couldnt develop smoothly because of the learners insufficient stock of vocabulary and abuse of words. So, to a high degree, low vocabulary competence leads to the outcome that learners are incapable of reading, listening, speaking, translating and writing. To sum up, vocabulary is of immense importance to all language techniques,. Learners must enlarge vocabulary in order to have a good command of second language or foreign language.1.3 Purpose of the studyThere are many factors influencing students vocabulary learning, learning strategies is an important one among them. Many teachers can deeply realize that vocabulary learning is a difficult and key point for Chinese students English Course from the daily teaching process. Quite a few students regard vocabulary learning as a dangerous road. They brace themselves and leaning vocabulary by rote, but the result is not satisfactory, sometimes the situation can make students lose their confidence in English course. Through consulting lots of literature, it can be learned that many scholars emphasized the importance of learning strategies in English vocabulary. For example, Ahmed (1989) found in his study that compared with bad language learners, good language learners can not only use more vocabulary learning strategies, but also more frequently rely on different learning strategies. Ellis, r. (1996) believed when other conditions are the same, the difference of English learning strategies has a decisive impact in achievements. If we can really master the influence condition of learning strategies on English vocabulary learning and teach students vocabulary learning strategies based on the specific circumstances, so that this will probably change the present situation of vocabulary teaching, improve the students English scores and establish the confidence of study in English course. So the aim of the study is to find out the vocabulary learning strategies used by high school students and offer suggestions to improve their vocabulary learning strategies in vocabulary acquisition.1.3 Necessity of the study Because vocabulary play a vital part in successful second language learning, so it is taken for granted that we must attach great importance to vocabulary. Nevertheless, it is a top concern and big headache for most Chinese students to memorize English vocabulary. In many cases, they spend a lot of time in memorizing English vocabulary, but the harvest is little. Especially after the students goes to high school, they face more complicated English words. Compared with the junior school English words, it is a huge contrast. Therefore, in order to help them become proficient in English vocabulary learning, it is indispensible to survey what learning strategies they really employ in their English vocabulary learning course.Nowadays, compared with the studies on LLS, the studies of VLS are much fewer, and most of the research is often centered on certain facts, while few focus on a clear overall picture of what students do with vocabulary learning. Then, most research is carried out for westerners. Learning methods are often influenced by different social environment and different learning conditions. But in a Chinese environment, adequate exposure to English may not be possible. Chinese, as the native language of learners in China, is a kind of pictograph ideograph and belongs to a fully different phylum. As for westerners, the language they speak is letter symbols and more or less shares some similarities. Therefore, the vocabulary learning strategies used by Chinese students who take English as a foreign language may be different from those used by students in the west. Thirdly, in China, more articles and works just write about experiences and introduce theories, few articles about empirical studies. And due to different subjects, classifications of vocabulary learning strategies, objects, methods, many results of these studies are not in accordance with each other. In addition, most of their studies concentrate on the college students, as for the senior school students, especially in areas of terrible poverty, the studies are rather few. The students in that area lack of high rank of teaching faculty, adequate facilities and good education environment. If their learning performances can be greatly improved through this study, it is great significance.Furthermore, the present study is worth conducting with several reasons. First, it has not only theoretical value but also practical significance. Theoretically, this thesis has introduced the background of language learning strategy researches and different definitions and classifications of learning strategies put forwarded by different scholars. Practically, learners can more easily make use of the VLS and learn English vocabulary more effectively and efficiently. On the part of teachers, owing to a thorough understanding of VLS Chinese senior students employed, they can obtain valuable information about how to improve vocabulary teaching in class. 2 Literature Review2.1 Definitions of Learning Strategies In the last 25 years, researchers on second language learning strategies explored the learning strategies from different angles, proposed different definitions, summarized and synthesized the achievements of learning strategies in order to deepen the understanding of denotative and connotative meaning of learning strategies. Here are some representative definitions of learning strategy since 1970s.In our view strategy is best reserved for general tendencies or overall characteristics of the approach employed by the language learner, leaving techniques as the term to refer to particular forms of observable learning behavior. (Stern, 1983) Learning strategies are the behaviors and thoughts that a learner engages in during learning that are intended to influence the learner encoding process. (Weistein and Mayer, 1986)Learning strategies are strategies which contribute to the development of the language system which the learner constructs and affects learning directly. (Rubin, 1987) Learning strategies are the special thoughts or behaviors that individuals use to help them comprehend, learn, or retain new information. (OMalley and Chamot, 1990) Learning strategies are the mental and communicative procedures learners use in order to learn and use language. (Nunan, 1999) In all, every definition of learning strategy has its own advantages and shortcomings. Therefore, we should combine these advantages and apply them in our studies.2.2 Vocabulary learning strategies2.2.1 Definitions of Vocabulary learning strategies Although vocabulary learning strategies is an important component of foreign language learning strategies, researchers dont especially give it a concrete definition. They investigate vocabulary learning according to the proportion in the language learning strategies. Based on the definitions of learning strategies, we can infer that vocabulary learning strategies refer to both general approaches and specific actions or techniques (either mental or behavioral) used by a learner to make the vocabulary learning become easier, faster and better. 2.3 Classifications of Vocabulary Learning Strategies 2.3.1 Classifications of Vocabulary Learning Strategies in West In the last 25 years, there appeared researches into fields of language learning, especially research into vocabulary learning strategies in the study of second language acquisition. Huckin, Hnynes & Coady (1993) made profound research into guessing the meaning of vocabulary from its context. Pressley, Levin & Miller (1982) conducted experimental study into key words. Cohen & Aphek (1980) studied imaginary strategy. Nation (1982) did his research in glossary and made a conclusion that glossary is a effective way of accumulating a large vocabulary in a short time. OMalley & Chamot（1985）believed that rote memorization also is a good way of learning vocabulary. Adhamed (1989) described different types of learners and found that most students made explanations beside the vocabulary or at the edge of the book. (2004, cited from Tian Wenyan) Different scholars made different classifications into vocabulary learning strategies. OMalley & Chamot (1990), Gu & Johnson (1996) and others divided VLS into two parts: cognitive strategies and meta-cognitive strategies. The two parts was further divided into seven subcategories. (see chart below)Cognitive StrategiesMeta-cognitive Strategies1. rote memorization1. planning2. contextualization2. self-evaluation3. guessing3. self-examination4. imaginary4. selective attention5. grouping6.dictionary use7.exercising According to the frequency of vocabulary use, Nation (1990) pointed out that vocabulary includes two kinds: low frequency words and high frequency words and distinguished three types of learning strategies which deal with low frequency words: (1) guessing the meaning of a word from its text. Context provides the clue for guessing, including information readers already know and the commonsense, contrast analysis, grammar structure and so on. (2) use memory, such as imagining by key words. (3) making use of prefix, root and suffix. Nation suggested the following steps to guess new words. First, recognize the type of new words; Second, notice clause and sentence where the word appeared; Third, observe relations between the clause or sentence and other sentences or passages. Punctuations mark is also worth noticing. Forth, guess the meaning by means of the front three steps; Fifth, examine whether the guessing is right. Lawson & Hogben (1996) divided vocabulary learning strategies into: repeated recognition (including repeatedly reading and writing vocabulary, self-test), vocabulary features analysis (including spelling words, grouping, making use of affixes etc), simple analysis (sentences translation, making a preliminary use of context, associating with words with similar shape and pronunciation), complex analysis (including making use of context in various aspects, expressing in different ways, using mnemonics). Based on synthesizing related classifications of language learning strategies and concrete vocabulary learning strategies, Schmitt (1997) proposed that strategy system composed of two kinds of vocabulary learning strategies: Discovery Strategies and Consolation strategies. The former involves determination strategy and social strategy; the latter involves social strategy, memory strategy, cognitive strategy, meta-cognitive strategy.2.3.2 Classifications of Vocabulary Learning Strategies in China Wen Qiufang (1995) thinks that learning vocabulary method involves making a clear distinction between negative and positive vocabulary, context, guessing, looking up dictionary, combining guessing with looking up dictionary, word-formation, classification memorizing. Cheng Xiaotang, Zheng Min (2002) divide vocabulary learning strategy into six parts: learning vocabulary in context, enhancing the learning effect of words of the same kind, by association, deepening the understanding and memorizing of vocabulary by pictures or imagination, making a contrast by means of synonyms and antonyms, learning by word-formation, review, memorizing English vocabulary. Pan Yaling (2004) divides vocabulary learning strategies into 12 types: memorizing vocabulary through the scene, confirming key words, judging the meaning of new words, looking up dictionary, knowing word-formation, memorizing vocabulary by connection, improving the overall recognition ability of words, master fixed collocation, memorizing vocabulary through the application, collecting idioms and fixed phrases, doing exercise, grouping. Wang Wenyu (1998) divides VLS into: planning (the method of planning and managing the whole process of the memory), word list, repetition, association, part of speech analysis, context, pragmatics. Wu Xia & Wang Qiang (1998), Zhang Ping (2001), Feng Yufang (2003), GaoYue(2004) classified VLS into meta-cognitive strategies and cognitive strategies. There are four types of meta-cognitive strategies which are related with VLS, namely planning, self-monitoring, self-evaluation, selective attention. In addition, Zhang Ping GaoYue also used social/affective strategies which are cooperation, self-talk/self-motivation, reducing anxiety, building up c