A Study On Application Of Vocabulary Learning Strategies Based On Memory Theory In Junior High School

It is universally acknowledged that vocabulary is an elementary component of a language, which is essential to communication and plays an important role in language learning.In English vocabulary learning, higher requirements have been raised in the English Curriculum Standards for Junior High School, and Junior High school students have to learn more words and be able to use them. However, a number of students find it rather difficult to learn English words and feel mentally stressed. Some count on the textbooks alone to learn word. Some have no effective ways to memorize them, and others get fairly confused about how to deal with them. Channels of English vocabulary learning in countryside junior high school is not much and memory strategies are not scientific. As a result, long-term memory can not be formed. Researching on English vocabulary learning strategy that conform to memory rules is one of the important ways to improve English vocabulary learning. As we know that if we can memorize something according to the memory characteristics, the results will be effective than we we memorize it mechanically. Therefore, it is of great significance for us teachers to do research on vocabulary learning strategies based on memory theory and help enhance students’ lexical competence. This thesis is aimed to study and explore how to improve students’ English vocabulary learning ability through introducing some effective strategies at the stage of junior high school. The author raises the methods under the Memory Theory guidance. The aim of the study is to explore the following three aspects:(1)What kinds of vocabulary learning strategies do the junior high school students tend to adopt when they are learning English vocabulary?(2)What are the results after vocabulary strategies based on memory theory are used?(3)How do the students think of these strategies?The researcher spent about 8weeks doing the experiment in classroom teaching. The author used memory-based instruction to help students to learn the new words, to consolidate the previously-learned vocabulary, and to understand the words meaning in reading comprehension. The author chooses junior grade two students from Xi Bo Nationality junior high school as the subjects. During the 8 weeks, the experimental class finished learning the same English course in different ways. The researcher also did pre-test and post-test of the students vocabulary level. The interview was also included. The experiment results showed that there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test for the experiment class; while there was not for the control class. It also proved that the selection of vocabulary learning strategies has a great effect on vocabulary learning.