A Study On English Vocabulary Learning Strategies Used By The 5th And 6th Graders In Dalian Maple Leaf Elementary School

English vocabulary is the foundation of all English skills. Vocabulary learning strategies refer to specific action, behaviors, steps, or techniques that students (often intentionally) use to accelerate their progress in vocabulary learning. Using vocabulary learning strategies can help young learners enlarge their English vocabulary and enhance their general proficiency in English. At present more and more elementary schools have begun to make English a compulsory subject in most parts of China. However, research related to vocabulary learning strategies used by young English learners is still in an embryonic state in China.The data are collected by means of classroom observation, questionnaire, vocabulary test and group interview. Through quantitative and qualitative analyses of the data, this study yields three main findings. Firstly, 5th and 6th graders in the sampled school sometimes employ vocabulary learning strategies. Strategies adopted by these young learners are mainly simple and concrete ones. The subjects also prefer strategies involving effort on their own. Secondly, students with high vocabulary achievement have a better command over English vocabulary learning strategies than those with low vocabulary achievement. Thirdly, there is a strong positive correlation between the subjects' vocabulary achievement and their general English achievement in the final English test;all the four vocabulary learning strategies significantly correlate with vocabulary achievement.The conclusive part discusses pedagogical implications and limitations of the present study. This thesis has just reported a superficial research on vocabulary learning strategies used by young learners and it is open to criticism.