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1、 Strategies for English Vocabulary Learning1. Introduction1.1 Research background and purpose With the openness to the world after decades of isolation and an explosion in commercial, technological, and cultural exchanges with Western countries, China is experiencing transition. Moreover, with China
2、s joining the market-based global economy, its fast-moving world financial markets appeal to many foreign companies. This financial growth has given rise to a pressing demand for large numbers of competent users of English in a wide range of professions and businesses. Such recent political, economi
3、c, and social factors will have a great impact on English language teaching and learning in China. Hence, how to improve learners ability of learning English in order to meet new demands seems imperative.In the past 25 years, the field of second language acquisition has seen the reemergence of inter
4、est in one area of language study, i.e. vocabulary, and the appearance of a newly recognized aspect learning strategies. Vocabulary is a fundamentally important aspect of language learning. Learning a language is just like constructing a building, in which vocabulary, the building materials, is esse
5、ntial. Vocabulary knowledge enables language use, language use enables the increase of vocabulary knowledge, and knowledge of the world enables the increase of vocabulary knowledge and language use and so on. Rubin& Thompson once said, “One cant speak, understand, read or write a foreign language wi
6、thout knowing a lot of words.” Therefore, vocabulary is at the heart of mastering a foreign language. In China, the importance of vocabulary in second language acquisition has been greatly recognized. However, teachers put great emphasis on explaining grammar and developing students reading skill, l
7、eaving vocabulary to students themselves. To students, they believe, learning a word means knowing its pronunciation, spelling, and meanings, which can be memorize absolutely by themselves if they want to.However, students cannot achieve a high level after several years of endeavor, and vocabulary i
8、s the most challenge and the biggest headache for them. Hence, vocabulary is becoming the neck of a bottle in learning English. According to New Criteria for English Courses for General High School, students English ability after high school should pass Grade 8 with the demand of vocabulary is 3,500
9、4,000 words, which is similar to that of a college student. Facing to the contradiction between low-efficiency of vocabulary learning and higher requirement on vocabulary size, teachers should realize the necessity of vocabulary learning strategies and help students employ more effective strategies,
10、 which will empower students to continue to acquire vocabulary on their own. Students understand the advantages and disadvantages of various vocabulary learning strategies and master the effective vocabulary learning strategies to improve their study efficiency.Previous research has typically associ
11、ated higher proficiency in the second language with more frequent, appropriate and successful use of language learning strategies, choosing adults or college learners as main participants. Nowadays, however, few studies have been concerned specifically with middle school students handling of new sec
12、ond language vocabulary and how this relates to vocabulary knowledge. Students in senior middle schools are different from those adults in cognitive processes and English proficiency, which implies they may have their own characteristics in vocabulary learning strategies use. The present paper exten
13、ds existing research by focusing on the strategies used by high school students who study English as their foreign language. It is expected to draw a clear picture of vocabulary learning strategy use in order to improve their learning efficiency and English proficiency. 1.2 The structure of the thes
14、isThe investigation of vocabulary learning strategies have implications for improving vocabulary learning in junior middle school and creating instructional designs that are student-centered and foster self-directed learning. The paper will help students have awareness of their own vocabulary learni
15、ng strategies which they use. In addition, students will learn more about their strength and weakness in vocabulary learning. This article exposes to more strategies and develops more effective appropriate strategies. The whole paper consists of five parts. First part is a brief introduction which s
16、tates the background and the purpose of the present paper. Part two reviews the key terms on vocabulary learning strategies, and also reviews studies on fields at home. It also gives some representative classification of vocabulary learning strategies. The third part tells us five vocabulary learnin
17、g strategies which are mainly suggested in the article. And the next part shows some other vocabulary learning strategies. The last part discusses the results of the study, concludes the major findings and suggesting English vocabulary learning strategies.2. Research on vocabulary learning strategie
18、s2.1 Definition of vocabulary learning strategiesThe definition of vocabulary learning strategies derives from language learning strategies. Schmit adopts Rubins definition of learning as “the process by which information is obtained, stored, retrieved, and used and extended to vocabulary learning s
19、trategies in the following way”. Vocabulary learning strategies could be any which affect this rather broadly-defined process. Rosa Maria and Jimenez Catalan describe an elaborate working definition for vocabulary learning strategy: knowledge about the mechanisms (processes, strategies) used in orde
20、r to learn vocabulary as well as steps or actions taken by students (a) to retain them in long-term memory, (b) to find out the meaning of unknown words, (c) to recall them at will, and (d) to use them in oral or written mode. It can be inferred that vocabulary learning strategies concerns technique
21、s, approaches of discovery, consolidation and production of words.2.2 Classification of vocabulary learning strategiesA number of attempts have been made to classify learning strategies. Rubin (1981) classified the strategies into two primary groups: direct and indirect learning strategies. The form
22、er refers to those directly affecting learning and the latter consisting of those contributing indirectly to learn. Meanwhile, Naiman (1978) proposed five broad categories of learning strategies with numerous secondary categories. Influenced strongly by the findings of cognitive psychology, OMalley
23、and Chamot (2001) considered learning strategies as cognitive skills. Learning strategies have been differentiated into three categories depending on the level or type of processing involved. They are meta-cognitive strategies, cognitive strategies, and social/affective strategies. Meta-cognitive st
24、rategies are higher order executive skills that may entail planning for, monitoring, or evaluating the success of a learning activity. Cognitive strategies operate directly on incoming information, manipulating it in ways that enhance learning. Social/affective strategies represent a broad grouping
25、that involves either interaction with another person or ideational control over affect. Gu and Johnson (1996) established two main dimensions of vocabulary learning strategies for their study, met-cognitive regulation and cognitive strategies, which covered six subcategories: guessing, using a dicti
26、onary, note-taking, rehearsal, encoding, and activating, all of which were further subcategorized. The total number of strategies in their study was 74. Cohen used second language learner strategies to encompass both second language learning strategies and use strategies. He defined learning strateg
27、ies as “learning processes which are consciously selected by the learners”. Language use strategies are those used in producing the language. It includes four subsets: retrieval strategies, rehearsal strategies, cover strategies, and communication strategies. 2.3 Studies on vocabulary learning strat
28、egies in ChinaWestern-based research does not in principle tell us anything about the learning of English vocabulary by Chinese learners. This paper needs research in a Chinese cultural context. And some researchers engage in generalizing vocabulary learning strategies such as Zhang ye, Xing min and
29、 Zhou Dajun. Some researchers specialize in some particular strategies like Fan Lin, Wang qinghua and Wu Lilin. Most studies on vocabulary learning strategies investigated the vocabulary learning strategies used by English or non-English major university students such as those researchers: Fan&Wang,
30、 2002; Gu, 1994; Gu &Hu, 2003; Gu&Johnson, 1996; Wang, 1998; Wu& Wang, 1998; Zhang, 2001. There are few studies investigating vocabulary learning strategies used by children or high school students.A study by Yao, Wu and Pang investigated the English vocabulary memorizing strategies of junior middle
31、 school students. 134 junior middle school students in Grade Three were given Questionnaire of English Vocabulary Memorizing strategies and vocabulary tests with different degrees of difficulty. The results showed that rote and general memorizing strategies were used primarily and the good students
32、were better than the poor in choosing specific strategies for vocabulary memorizing properly. The frequency and the number of students were increasing in using more kinds of strategies when facing difficult vocabulary.The previous studies profiles vocabulary learning strategies used by non-English m
33、ajor university learners throws a comprehensive insight in vocabulary teaching and learns especially in universities. However, few people concern with vocabulary learning strategies used by high school students, so more empirical studies in high schools are needed.3. The main vocabulary learning str
34、ategies 3.1 Meta-cognitive strategiesMeta-cognitive strategies are used by students to control and evaluate their own learning by having an overview of the learning process in general. It is a kind of strategies that facilitate learning by actively involving the learner in conscious efforts to remem
35、ber new words. The pervasiveness of English-medium books, magazines, newspapers and movies offer an almost endless resource. Besides, the strategy of interacting with native speakers and self-testing also increase input. In practice, one can maximize the effectiveness of ones practice time if it is
36、scheduled and organized rather than random. However, learners need to realize that they will never learn all the words and so they should concentrate their limited resources on learning the most useful ones and pass over some unknown words particularly when the main goal is to improve reading speed
37、rather than vocabulary growth. Usually, meta-cognitive strategies divide into plan strategies, control strategies and adjust strategies.Planning strategies include setting learning objectives, browsing the reading materials, producing the questions to answer, and analyzing how to fulfill the tasks.
38、According to the actual process of evaluation and feedback in cognitive goal of cognitive deficiencies, control strategy is the cognitive activities which correct estimation results and the degree of goals. And adjust strategy is based on cognitive activities, such as finding problems, adopting corr
39、esponding remedial measures. According to the inspection of the cognitive strategies, adjust strategy modify and adjust timely.Due to the English vocabulary learning is a system of engineering; therefore, it needs to actively adopt meta-cognitive strategies, especially for high school students. Mean
40、while its important to arrange the reasonable vocabulary learning plans, control the vocabulary learning process constantly, and adjust methods of vocabulary learning. Students are suggested to use the suitable vocabulary learning strategies for themselves.3.2 Semantic field strategiesVocabulary is
41、not isolated in peoples memory, but store in humans memory according to the different kinds. Some words can associate with other words once remember one of the words. On this ground, semantic strategy can be used in vocabulary learning. Semantic paradigmatic relations have known as polymerization (a
42、ccept-receive; sad-depressed), antonym (long-short; clever-stupid); hyponymy (animal-lion; elephant), etc. For instance, clock, washbasin, stove, mirror, TV, sofa, video, slipper, toothpaste, cupboard shower, towel; overcoat, gloves, raincoat, trousers, suit, T-shirt, sweater can be used in the stud
43、y.Zhang wen peng used to research and confirm that vocabulary learning strategies (Word list strategy, Context strategy, Semantic field strategy) have an influence on remembering vocabularies. According to the results: From the memory capacitance, context strategy is more than semantic field strateg
44、y in short-term memory. As a result, if you want to remember more vocabularies in a short period of time (1-2 weeks) and its appropriate to memory though semantic strategy.3.3 Context strategiesContext strategy is a strategy that learners guess the new word through the information which is provided
45、in the context language environment. Context strategy is a popular strategy of vocabulary learning strategies right now. It not only can expand your vocabulary, and can let students understand the cultural knowledge about language. In order to understand and learn new vocabulary better, the methods
46、make learners internalize and absorb new words accurately: namely, to learn the phonetic pronunciation, understand a single syllable count and master stress position.3.4 Determination strategies If students do not know a word, they have to decide which strategy to choose for the problem. There are f
47、our possible opinions for them to solve their problems.1) Guessing the meaning from word part formation such as, derivation, compounding, conversion, abbreviation, backformation, etc; 2) Guessing the meaning from a L1 or L2 word similar in sound or meaning (e.g. loaned words from Chinese like kungfu
48、, Confucius, Taoist, etc.);3) Guessing the meaning from context (It is necessary to note that context here should be taken to mean more than just textual context, context clues can also come from a variety of other sources such as pictures, cards, gestures, intonations and so on ); 4) Guessing the m
49、eaning from reference materials (primarily dictionaries). For our high school students, this vocabulary learning strategy is also important. 3.5 Social strategiesA second way to discover a new word meaning employs the social strategies of asking someone who knows. Teachers are often in this position, and they can be asked to give help in a variety of ways: giving the L1 translation, giving a synonym, giving an antonym, giving a definition by paraphrase, using the word in senten