Research On The Classification Of English Vocabulary Learning Strategies Of Undergraduates

In the process of globalization,English as a world language makes a high demand for successful English learners.Undoubtedly,vocabulary learning is the basis for proficient English learners.Research suggests that appropriate vocabulary learning strategies have a great potential for the proficiency of English learners.So,it is of great significance to conduct a systematically rigid study of English vocabulary learning strategies.In the related professional literature of second language learning strategies in China and beyond,some researchers ever studied English vocabulary learning strategies,mainly focusing on the uses of certain by English learners.Little research has,however,ever been done regarding the classification of English vocabulary learning strategies adopted by Chinese learners.To fill in this gap,this thesis intends to explore the classification of frequently used English vocabulary learning strategies by Chinese undergraduates,on the basis of the investigation of the most helpful English vocabulary learning strategies from the perspective of Chinese undergraduates.To this end,a mixed research method of qualitative research followed by quantitative research was employed at two stages.At the first stage of qualitative research,the author interviewed 20 undergraduates from five universities in Hebei Province and Tianjin.Findings from the qualitative research at stage one informed the quantitative research at the second stage.At stage two,the author conducted a survey by questionnaires,distributed among 420 undergraduates from these five universities.Data collected from the quantitative research was analyzed in a statistical way with the help of software SPSS 13.0.The result of statistical analysis suggested that the most helpful English vocabulary learning strategies were using English medium,pronunciation,using students' own method,remembering sentences with new words in it,association,word-formation,repetition,doing exercises,and notebook.Besides,there were 19 English vocabulary learning strategies that undergraduates frequently used.Among these 19 frequently used English vocabulary learning strategies,according to interviewees,using simple words instead of difficult words to express oneself,using English medium,pronunciation,using learners' own methods to learn vocabulary,association,using keyword method,using kinds of cues to guess word meaning,keeping a new-word notebook,and doing exercises were the most frequently used English vocabulary learning strategies.In addition,through factor analysis for the 19 frequently used English vocabulary learning strategies,the result of the study suggested 5 categories could be classified:building links,mechanical practices of new words,route to new words,activation\contextualized use of new words,and meta-cognitive strategy.Based on the study results,implications for English teaching and learning are provided.For example,English learners should seek for their own individual English vocabulary learning strategies,suitable for their learning needs,learning style and learning pace.Not only should teachers develop a good understanding of "effective" English vocabulary learning strategies in research,but also teachers in their pedagogical practices need to seek for various kinds of suitable English vocabulary learning strategies,which meet students'different characteristics.More importantly,teachers had better train students to adopt appropriate certain strategies to learn English vocabularies.