An Action Study Of Lexical Chunks In English Vocabulary Teaching In Middle School

Vocabulary is the basis of language,and language learning and application are inseparable from vocabulary.However,under the conventional teaching mode,the teachers tend to focus on explaining and practicing grammar and sentence patterns,and cultivating students’ reading ability,thereby ignoring vocabulary teaching,which leads to many problems in students’ vocabulary learning.Therefore,based on Lewis’ s theory of the Lexical Approach,this study studies how lexical chunks is effectively applied in vocabulary teaching,aiming to help students learn and memorize vocabulary effectively,know the meaning and usage of vocabulary in the specific context,correctly use vocabulary in the context and improve the efficiency of students’ vocabulary memory and application,this study put forward two research questions:(1)What problems might exist in vocabulary learning of middle school students?(2)What effects might have on students’ vocabulary learning by applying lexical chunks in vocabulary teaching?This study chose 49 students in Grade 8 as the research participants in No.9 Middle School and adopted action study as the research method,using the questionnaires,interview,and vocabulary tests as research instruments,and combined Zhang(2001)’s research procedures of action study to conduct a three-month action study on English vocabularyteaching in middle school.First,found out students’ problems in vocabulary learning.Second,analyzed the causes of the problems and proposed solutions.Then,worked out the plan for action study.Finally,implemented the study,observed and reflected on the research process,and drew conclusions,so as to help students explore more effective ways of learning English vocabulary.This study was divided into four stages.The first stage aimed to raise students’ awareness of lexical chunks,which made students realize the advantages of learning lexical chunks.The second stage was the identification of lexical chunks.The purpose was to further develop students’ awareness of lexical chunks and improve students’ ability to identify and analyze lexical chunks independently.The third stage was the exploration of lexical chunks.Guided students to explore lexical chunks and expand students’ knowledge of lexical chunks.The fourth stage was the consolidation of lexical chunks.Guided students to learn to understand lexical chunks,further learn to identify and use lexical chunks in the context,and consolidate the usage of lexical chunks.After a three-mouth action study,the study found that,students could learn and memorize vocabulary through lexical chunks as a whole,which not only enabled students to memorize vocabulary effectively,know the meaning and usage of vocabulary in specific context,but also can use vocabulary correctly in specific context.Moreover,it could help students to master the fixed collocation and related phrases of the wordseffectively.At the same time,lexical chunks are multi-word units with fixed or semi-fixed forms and stable meanings.The teaching of lexical chunks teaching could effectively cultivate students’ awareness of lexical chunks.The learning and accumulation of lexical chunks encouraged students to use lexical chunks that they had learned in the process of language expression,so that their language expression was more fluent and appropriate.In addition,students identified lexical chunks independently in class and discussed the meaning and usage of lexical chunks in group,which enhanced students’ sense of classroom participation,and made them feel the fun of vocabulary learning and arose their interest in vocabulary learning.They no longer thought that vocabulary learning was a mechanical activity.In a word,the application of lexical chunks promoted students’ vocabulary learning and improved the efficiency of students’ vocabulary memory and application.