A Study On The English Vocabulary Learning Strategies Of Junior Middle School Students

With the development of Shanghai, the society needs more qualified personnel who can master English. The new requirements of English curriculum for junior middle school and primary school also set up higher standards, including English vocabulary. Therefore, how to improve English vocabulary learning becomes a tough problem and researches on learning strategy and strategy training have been carried on accordingly.Documents have been reviewed on the theories of second language acquisition, including theories of Error Analysis, Contrastive Analysis, Interlanguage, Monitor Theory and Universal Grammar. Error Analysis tells the linguistic error in the process of second language acquisition. Contrastive Analysis predicts the linguistic mistakes and difficulties of learners by contrasting the differences between the two languages. Interlanguage is the language the learners use in their own way; neither their native language nor the second language. The Monitor Model states acquisition is important than learning. It also states that'acquisition'takes place as a result of the learner having understood input that is a little beyond the current level of his competence (i.e. the i+1 level). Input that is comprehensible to the learner will automatically be at the right level. The language properties inherent in the human mind make up'Universal Grammar', which consists not of particular rules or of a particular language, but a set of general principles that apply to all languages. Other theories of learning strategy and principles of strategy training also lay solid ground of this study.To learn vocabulary effectively is the most important for the students according to needs analysis. However, the junior middle school students are used to learning by rote, that is, memorizing words mechanically by the vocabulary list with no context. An experiment of learning strategy training was conducted to find the way to solve the problem.In the experiment, a pretest was carried out before the experiment. Then two classes were chosen, an experimental team and a controlled team. These two teams, each of which was divided into three parts: top students, medium level students and lower level students, had the similar conditions and academic achievements. They use the same text book and the class time is the same, too. The experimental team was trained to use seven learning strategies to learn English vocabulary. The controlled team wasn't. All the students were given two more tests, the results of which were analyzed and compared.In the process of experiment, the students of the experimental team were helped and trained to know vocabulary learning strategies to accumulate vocabulary, to spell words by using the basic phonetics and spelling rules, to memorize vocabulary by using word formation, and to use vocabulary to express their own opinions properly in different language situations. The experiment employed various strategies, including:preparing a vocabulary note-book, learning vocabulary by emphasizing the spelling, the grammar, word collocation, word meaning, word formation, and by students'reflection. The students learn vocabulary systematically and purposely by the guidance of the teachers of learning strategies. Meanwhile, four principles, which include system principle, practicing principle, transfer principle and elaboration principle were strictly followed during the experiment of learning strategies training.The experiment shows that it is reliable and valid by using the strategies to learn English vocabulary for junior middle school students. Compared with the controlled team, students of the experimental team have made much progress in vocabulary learning.