Application Of Task-based Instruction To English Vocabulary Teaching In Vocational School

Vocabulary is the basic element of language communication. Mastering the vocabulary is one of the key factors for learning a language. However, learning English vocabulary has been the most difficult aspect and the biggest problems for English language learners, especially for the vocational students in the process of their language learning. With the development of the society, vocational education has attracted people's attention, but most of vocational students are poor in English. They have no interest in learning English and get low marks in tests. Usually, the teacher just uses simple traditional method to teach vocabulary in class. Teacher explains and students just listen, repeat and recite. They have spent much time on memorizing vocabulary, but they have gained little. Exploring effective English vocabulary teaching and learning methods is an important factor to lessen students'burden and improve English learning efficiency.In recent years, the study of Task-Based Instruction has attracted more and more both professionals and researchers. Professionals have made a large number of researches about learning English vocabulary from different aspects, but little has been done to investigate the vocabulary teaching in vocational school. It integrates form-focused instruction with meaning-focused instruction. Learners learn the language through carrying out a series of tasks designed by the teacher, which is helpful for language learners to learn and master English vocabulary. The thesis, on the basis of the prior researches, intends to testify the proficiency and practicality of TBI in vocabulary teaching in vocational school through classroom experimentation. The paper focuses on whether Task-based Instruction in English vocabulary teaching is more effective than traditional teaching in vocational school. The thesis also focuses on whether Task-Based Language Teaching (TBLT) can arouse students'interest in learning English vocabulary. The author selected the subjects from Class 1 and Class 2, Grade one in Wu'an Vocational Education Center School. Forty-four students in Class 1 as the experimental group which implements TBI, Forty-five students in Class 2 as the control group in which traditional English vocabulary teaching is employed. This experiment was completed by the end of 2010. The author collected and analyzed the data from the information of pre-test, post-test, questionnaire by using SPSS16.0.The findings of this research indicate that Task-Based Instruction is helpful for the students to learn the vocabulary, to memorize, and use the English vocabulary. The result of using Task-Based Instruction in vocabulary teaching is much better than that by using conventional approach. At the same time, the author has found from questionnaire and classroom observation that all the students in the experimental group take a more active participation in their learning activities than those in the control group. However, there are indeed some weak points in group-work activities. First, class is so large, there are so many students in one class, so it's very difficult to control; second, it's of great problem to have feedback from all students; third, the Chinese students are comparatively more passive. It seems that how to group that learners effectively and how to manage it in class needs further research for the teachers. Several pedagogical implications and suggestions on how to undertake Task-based Instruction effectively in foreign language classroom are provided in the last part of this thesis.