Task-based Vocabulary Instruction In Intermediate Chinese Learners

Task-based learning(TBL) was promoted as a methodological innovation not long ago as a replacement for teacher-centered and grammar-focused approach in language teaching. It draws upon theories such as second language acquisition theory,constructivist view of learning.It integrates Vygtotsky's theory on language development,social development and language learning.It also outlines John Dewey's experiential learning theory.It pays much emphasis on the realistic and communicative use of language.As a teaching innovation,TBLT is marked by a number of distinctive features which differentiate it from other teaching approaches.It emphasizes the learning process more than the learning outcome,viewing specific teaching tasks as learning motivation and the task completion as the learning process. In its frame,task presentation and fulfillment is the manifestation of teaching result.In another word,TBI is the fully practice of"leaming by doing".In recent years,a lot of researches related to TBLT have been done to improve the learners' skills such as listening,speaking,writing and reading.Some empirical studies can also be found by applying TBLT to grammar teaching.Vocabulary is the basic component in language communication;certainly vocabulary is one of the biggest obstacles most learners meet in various tests.Though there is not a lack of study on vocabulary acquisition,most of them are concerned with vocabulary learning strategies.Few studies are concentrated on how TBLT affects vocabulary acquisition in college students.This thesis attempts to investigate how Task-based approach facilitates vocabulary acquisition in college in China.It also touches upon how learners view task-based approach to vocabulary acquisition.The thesis reports an empirical study,done in a college in spring 2007 to 99 first-year students.They were randomly divided into two groups,one is the experimental group,and the other is the control group.The data are fixed upon those observational subjects. All the data from the tests and the questionnaires are analyzed with the help of SPSS 11.0.The findings from the study indicate that task-based approach facilitates vocabulary acquisition and the learners who learnt the vocabulary through TBLT can maintain the targeted words better and longer than other learners who learn the targeted vocabulary in normal approach.The questionnaire data shows that more learners prefer learning vocabulary through group work or pair work;however there are certain disadvantages to involve weaker learners into the activities.Most adult learners are accustomed to traditional approach when learning new words. It is not easy to change the direction within a short time.Lastly the thesis lists several pedagogical implications and suggestions on adoptation of Task-based vocabulary teaching in classroom as well as the limitations of the study and some problems in applying TBI into foreign language classroom in China.