Application Of Games In Consolidating English Vocabulary In Junior High Schools

With China’s entering WTO and increasing international communications, our society is demanding students who have higher level of English proficiency. As for students in China, they not only have to master a lot of vocabulary, but also can speak to others in English. As the new National English Curriculum Standards(2011) which is written by Education Department of China in 2011 says, the main goal on vocabulary in English course is: after graduating from junior high schools, students are expected to master about 1600 words, 200-300 idioms or fixed collocation. The rapid increase of vocabulary is a big challenge to both junior high school students and teachers. Generally speaking, teachers usually spend time in teaching the vocabulary list of the whole unit first. Then they explain the meanings or definitions of words to students. They lead the students to read the words. At last, students are required to recite the new words separately. This isolated vocabulary teaching method completely breaks away from the language environment. Since the communicative language teaching approach(CLT) is introduced in China, Chinese teachers have begun to teach vocabulary in contexts. However, the junior high school students are not able to understand and master the content of the text if they don’t know the meaning of all the new words involved in the text. Therefore, a more interesting and effective way is needed among students in junior high schools. Consolidating vocabulary by games maybe a good way to help students.Therefore, the author puts forward three research questions: 1) What is the actual situation of consolidating English vocabulary through games in junior high schools? 2) What problems do teachers confront by using of games in consolidating vocabulary? 3) How do the English teachers use games effectively in consolidating English vocabulary? By using a questionnaire, an interview and three tests, the research achieves the following results: 1) Most students think vocabulary is the most difficult part during learning, they rarely consolidate vocabulary by games; 2) Under the pressure of time and classroom discipline, teachers don’t choose games to consolidate vocabulary; 3) when students are in enjoyable and relaxing atmosphere during the activities of consolidating vocabulary by games, they can learn better.This research includes six chapters:In chapter one, an introduction is given. It includes an overview of research background, research purpose and research questions, the theoretical significance and practical significance. Finally, thesis layout is shown.Chapter two is literature review. It contains three aspects. First, it contains games, game teaching, theoretical basis of game teaching which include theory of motivation, interest theory, multiple intelligence theory. Second, it includes the main researches on vocabulary consolidation strategies abroad and at home. Third, it includes characteristics of students in junior high schools which are suitable for consolidating vocabulary by games.Chapter three gives a detailed research plan. It contains research questions, research setting and subjects, instruments, procedure and methodology.Chapter four gives a general and rough description of the status quo of junior high school students’ vocabulary consolidating via a questionnaire and an interview. It also describes the experimental study, which is designed to examine the effect of games on vocabulary consolidation through comparison between game consolidating strategy and self-learning.Chapter five concludes the findings of the qualitative and quantitative studies carried out in the experiment. It also discusses the limitations of the thesis and gives recommendations for future research.