谈扩大非英语专业学生英语词汇的学习策略猜词法.doc

论文编号：

华南师范大学增城学院

本科毕业论文（设计）

题 目：谈扩大非英语专业学生英语词汇的学习策略
——猜词法
姓 名： 陈芬
学 号： 060114412
系 别： 外语系
专业班级： 国际商务英语D班
指导教师： 王德海

2010年 04 月 18 日

Study on Word-guessing——The Strategy to Enlarge English Vocabulary of Non- English Majors

A Thesis Submitted
to the Department of Foreign Languages
Zengcheng College of South China Normal University
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts

By Chen Fen
Tutor：Wang DeHai

April 18, 2010

Table of Contents

Abstract i
中文摘要 ii
1. Introduction 1
2. The Importance of Vocabulary Acquisition in English learning 2
3. The Current Situation in Vocabulary Learning of Non-English Majors 3
3.1 The requirements for the non-English majors in vocabulary learning 3
3.1.1 Basic requirement 4
3.1.2 Higher requirement. 4
3.2 The misunderstanding in vocabulary learning of non-English majors 4
3.2.1 Memorizing words is lack of systematicness and associability. 4
3.2.2. Focusing on the amounts of vocabulary blindly, ignoring the quality of vocabulary memorizing. 5
4. The Importance of Student-centered in Vocabulary Learning. 5
5. The Relationship between Word-guessing and English Vocabulary Learning 6
5.1 The essential steps in vocabulary learning 6
5.2 Definition of Word-guessing 7
5.3 Word-guessing improve the availability of English vocabulary acquisition 8
6. Strategies of Word-guessing 9
6.1 Guessing words by cause-and-effect relationship 9
6.2 Guessing words by synonym and antonym 10
6.3 Guessing words by definition and explanation 10
6.4 Guessing words by word – formation 10
6.5 Guessing words by description and illustration 12
7. Conclusion 12
7.1 Conclusion of this paper 12
7.2 Limitations and suggestion to future study 12
Bibliography 14
Acknowledgement 15

Abstract
In second language learning and teaching, vocabulary learning is one of the hottest topics for language learners, as vocabulary ability is essential in developing the language abilities of learners. In language teaching research fields, more and more people are concerned about questions like: how to help students learn vocabulary actively and effectively, how to improve their abilities of using vocabulary, how to help them realize the long-term retention of vocabulary, etc. Form these questions, it is easy to know that vocabulary is the most important part in English learning; also it is a big headache for students to memorize every new word. In recent years, linguists provide a new learning tactic to solve these questions through word-guessing. It is a new learning strategy in vocabulary learning.
In this thesis, the author discusses the importance of vocabulary in second language learning. There is a common phenomenon for the non-professional students of English in second language learning that it is hard to find an easy method to learn second language vocabulary well. We focus on the strategy of enlarging the students’ English vocabulary which named word-guessing. It helps the students to improve their English reading comprehension ability, also from the view of learning English to improve the students’ effectiveness of learning methods and interests.

Key words: vocabulary learning; learning strategy; Word-guessing
中文摘要
在第二外语学习与教学中，词汇学习一直是学习者最为关心的问题之一，因为词汇能力是发展语言学习者语言能力最基本的因素。在语言教学研究领域，越来越多的人正在关注以下问题：怎样帮助学生灵活有效学习词汇，怎样提高他们运用词汇的能力，怎样帮助他们保持长期的词汇记忆能力等等。从这些问题，我们很容易知道词汇是英语学习中最重要部分。同时也是学生记忆新单词最头痛的部分。近年来，语言学家提出一个新的学习策略—猜词法来解决上述的问题。
本论文，作者讨论了词汇在第二外语学习中的重要性。非英语专业学生在英语学习中存在一种普遍现象，他们很难掌握好词汇学习。该文主要关注扩大学生英语词汇学习的策略--猜词法。它帮助学生提高他们的英语阅读能力，也从英语学习的角度来提高学生学习的积极性和学习方法兴趣等。
关键词： 词汇学习；学习策略；猜词法

1. Introduction

In recent years，second language vocabulary acquisition has become an increasingly interesting topic of discussions in researchers, theorists, and others involved in second language acquisition research． A more and more important linguistic phenomenon vocabulary study—comes into our sight, which of course has aroused intensive study and discussion of many famous linguists.
More and more researchers have a broad consensus on the importance of vocabulary learning (Shu Dingfang, 1995). Shu Dingfang points out the features of second language vocabulary acquisition as compared with the first language vocabulary acquisition，she also discusses some important principles of second language vocabulary learning，such as system principle, communication principle，culture principle and efficiency principle. Huang Kunhai has written a paper on the characteristics and methods of English vocabulary studying. He suggests that the methods of vocabulary teaching not only help the students to improve their language and communicative competence but also simulate their enthusiasm and enliven the classroom atmosphere.
In the past 20 years, Chinese scholars have done the research on learning strategies from both macroscopic and microscopic perspectives. The macro perspective can be viewed as the general research on the learners’ beliefs and strategies, while the microscopic perspective can be defined as putting the focus on certain knowledge or language skill strategies, such as listening strategy, reading strategy or vocabulary strategy (Wen Qiufang, 2003). This study is conducted from a microscopic perspective to find out the effectiveness of some vocabulary learning strategies used by non-English majors. These above have shown that among the numerous affective factors, vocabulary learning is probably the most important part in learning process.
Although a lot of studies concerning about the vocabulary acquisition, there are largely about the teaching of vocabulary acquisition which introduce the teaching strategies from teacher’s perspective. However there are a few researches related to methods of student how to learning vocabulary by their own. Even if some researchers have studied strategies to student’s vocabulary learning; the objects are mainly English majors. The numbers of researches about non-English majors are few. As is known to all, English majors must have better mastery of English than non-English majors. They need to study harder and deeper; it is easy to know they have many professional strategies different from non-English majors.
Firstly, the thesis talks about the realistic significance of vocabulary learning. Secondly, it intends to provide an overview about the current situation in vocabulary learning of non-English majors. Thirdly, makes a detailed explanation about the importance of students in vocabulary learning. Fourthly, discusses the relationship between word-guessing and vocabulary learning. Fifthly, the author tries to offer some simple strategies on how to enlarge the English vocabulary. Finally, the author makes a brief conclusion and proposes someone’s directions for further research in this field.

2. The Importance of Vocabulary Acquisition in English learning

The vocabulary, as a bearer of meaning, is very important to the language acquisition process. It is one of the three elements of English which are pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar. Generally speaking, an in-depth article cannot express its sprit without words. We can’t listen, speak, read or write effectively without having enough words, what’s the worse is that we may fail in English communication in daily life. It is difficult to learn a target language by naturally in such a lack of the language environment in our country. The world famous linguist River used to say: Enlarging enough vocabulary is the key to having a good command of a foreign language.
We have seen a greater awareness of the necessity and importance of vocabulary learning by many linguists who give us many different views. The basic function of vocabulary is to maintain grammar and pronunciation. At Allen Valette, he believes that vocabulary is the cornerstone of a successful and fulfilling method to improve English communicative ability. For beginners, the quantity of vocabulary is far more important than accurate structure. It is no exaggeration to say that the quantity of vocabulary is one of the most important factors that determines the efficiency of English learning. The scholars of research listening and teaching all know, vocabulary is the base of listening. The quantity of vocabulary decides veracity of listening comprehension from one side. Meanwhile, the amount of vocabulary for one person shows his English level to a certain extent. Vocabulary level has great influence on the learners’ speaking ability (Xu Fang，2004). There is a high correlation between the English vocabulary and reading level of the students (Yang Hiqing, 1996). Richards (1976) suggests that an active child on entering school at the age of five or six can already have a productive vocabulary of 2000 to 3000 words. Compared with the basic lexicons of similar size used to design the higher levels of graded readers intended for English has a foreign language adults (for example，Heinemann Guided Readers Upper Level at 2,200 words or Collins English Library Level Six at 2，500words)，the substance of the vocabulary learning task become evident. Those learners feel many of their difficulties in both receptive and productive language use result from an inadequate vocabulary.

3. The Current Situation in Vocabulary Learning of Non-English Majors
3.1 The requirements for the non-English majors in vocabulary learning
English vocabulary acquisition in our country has become an interesting topic of discussions in linguist. Some scholars note that vocabulary is central to language and words are of critical importance to the typical language learners. The field of English vocabulary acquisition has seen the reemergence of interest in one area of language study vocabulary, and the appearance of a newly recognized aspect---learner’s strategies. Appreciation of the importance of both of these areas has led to considerable research in each, yet the place where they intersect vocabulary learning strategies has attracted a noticeable lack of attention (Schmitt, 1977). The aim of college English studying is to develop the students to having the better command of reading, listening, speaking, writing and translation skills, in order to exchange the information in English or communication with foreigner. The final goal is that they can use English freely in their future life.
3.1.1 Basic requirement
Non-English majors need to master 4200 words (among which 2500 are complex words), and the common words which made up by the complex words (including the words and phrases have been studied in middle schools). Meanwhile, they should have the ability to distinguish new words according to the basic method which named word-formation.
3.1.2 Higher requirement.
Non-English majors need to master 5500 words (among which 3000 are complex words) and the common words which made up by the complex words (including the words and phrases have been studied in middle schools). Meanwhile, they should have the ability to distinguish new words according to the basic method which named word-formation.
3.2 The misunderstanding in vocabulary learning of non-English majors
Some researchers have conducted an investigation on the students’ beliefs on vocabulary learning. They have a finding: 80％students do not believe in acquiring vocabulary in the natural way. Most of the students are influenced by the Chinese traditional ways of study, therefore they hold the opinions that vocabulary must be memorized in the traditional ways (Li Liwen，Ren Changhui，2001).
3.2.1 Memorizing words is lack of systematicness and associability.
At present, every college has its college English materials. It is hard for non-English students to sum up such a large topics and huge vocabulary systematically. They just memorize every word they don’t know which make the memorizing process become the most painful study experience for them. A great many non-English students are afraid of memorizing words; they find the words always fade from their memory even they have learned before. Repeating forget, make non-English students are easily getting bored in this process and lose interest. Many non-English students can’t catch the simple memorizing process; they are also not so good in learning words with the help of cultural connotation and contrasting the cultural difference. In fact, nowadays non-English students have a drawback in common that they are lack of the imagination of systematic and relevance in memorizing process.
3.2.2. Focusing on the amounts of vocabulary blindly, ignoring the quality of vocabulary memorizing
A number of non-English students focus on the amounts of vocabulary blindly, and ignore the quality of words memorizing. Some vocabulary manuals only conclude the English words and corresponding explanations in Chinese, there are no specific usages about the words, contexts, and cultural connotations. The surface they seem to remember the words though played for laughs when the words are used. Electronic dictionary is popular in students, while students lost the memorizing process during they look up the new words easily with the help of this high-technological product. In a sense, they just remember the spelling of word one-sidedly, even non-standard pronunciation. This does not conform to really master a word.

4. The Importance of Student-centered in Vocabulary Learning.

Different form our mother language, the phonetic word an English one for example is linear unfolding on only one dimension, in the form of meaningless letters stringing together. Memorizing English words is a boring experience for students all the time. As subjects of recognition, students function vitally in vocabulary learning.
In the college common English teaching, the phenomenon exists that English teachers focus on cultivation and accumulation of knowledge in their teaching. The final theme in current trends in teaching vocabulary is to help students learn how to continue to acquire vocabulary on their own (Sokmen，1992). That is to say, as Sokmen suggests, the teacher should show the students a variety of ways to learn and then let them decide for themselves which is best for them，as what Sokmen calls “encourage independent learning strategies”. The students should learn that vocabulary acquisition is a task that involves their active participation，collaborating with classmates and also requiring personal, quiet, self-reflective periods ( Rubinet，1987). If students want to master words more actively and efficiently, they should learn words by themselves to know and use the words.

5. The Relationship between Word-guessing and English Vocabulary Learning

5.1 The essential steps in vocabulary learning

Before we talk about a general idea of the vocabulary learning，a fact should be known first: Wh