The Application Of Whole Language Approach Assisted With Multimedia To College English Vocabulary Teaching

We all know that the right way of mastering vocabulary is to study by using it. Only by learning and using it in many times, and also relating the input and output of the language closely, could learners finally improve the language application ability. This is just in accord with the philosophy of one education idea—Whole Language Approach. If this education idea is penetrated in the vocabulary teaching, it should be a great help to improve the vocabulary learning for majority of students. Furthermore, multimedia has become an important teaching device in schools nowadays. Therefore, this paper combines the unique advantages of the multimedia technology with Whole Language Approach, to make an empirical comparison with traditional vocabulary teaching methods, trying to find a teaching method which plays an effective role in promoting students’ vocabulary acquisition.The subjects chosen for this study are freshmen in two large classes in Jiangcheng College, China University of Geosciences. Experiment process consists of four steps:pre-test, instructional treatment, post-test and questionnaire. Then, SPSS 16.0and percentage are used to quantitatively analyze the experimental data. Eventually, the main findings are obtained and presented as follows:1) In comparison with traditional approach, Whole Language Approach assisted with multimedia has a little better effect on the enlargement of vocabulary size in terms of new words in the textbook used by students;2) In terms of words which are related to the unit topics, Whole Language Approach assisted with multimedia has a much better effect on the enlargement of vocabulary size than traditional approach. Two groups’ difference is bigger than the one in the aspect of text words;3) In comparison with traditional approach, Whole Language Approach assisted with multimedia has a much better effect on mastery of the vocabulary usage;4) On the whole, students in experimental group take affirmative attitudes towards Whole Language Approach assisted with multimedia.In brief, Whole Language Approach assisted with multimedia is superior to traditional approach on vocabulary teaching. Moreover, it can largely increase students’ learning efficiency and stimulate their learning interest, which makes them be willing to participate in the class activities and changes their traditional idea that vocabulary learning is a monotonous process.