Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 The Importance of Vocabulary
Both learners and researchers see vocabulary as being very important, if not themost important element in language learning. Learners feel that many of theirdifficulties in both receptive and productive language use result from an inadequatevocabulary困anon, 1990:2). Moreover, no matter how well the student learns grammar,no matter how successfully the sounds of L2 are mastered, without words to express awide range of meanings, communication in L2justis ancannot happen in any meaningfulway (McCarthy, 1990). Therefore, vocabularyessential part in English teachingand learning.
1.2 The Difficulties in Vocabulary Learning
Although students are eager to learn more vocabulary, it is quite hard for moststudents to learn vocabulary well. The reasons are as follow: Firstly, the language inputprocess of native speakers is different from non-native speakers. When children learntheir mother tongue,start at spoken input. For the students of a second or foreignlanguage, it is likelyspoken and written language will play equally important rolesright from start (McCarthy, 1990). Indeed, many millions of language learners aroundthe world have learnt, and are still learning language with very little spoken input at all(McCarthy, 1990). As a monolingual country, there is little chance for those students tocontact with English out of classes in China. Secondly, it can be argued that vocabularyteaching is frequently neglected by many of the English teachers in China. Manyteachers and scholars "seem to conclude that words are going to be learned naturallyfrom reading and do not need to be taught" (Coady, 1997a:274). A common way ofteaching vocabulary is to ask students to learn with word-lists or guess the meanings ofunknown words without the help of teachers. Word list learning is often mentioned inthe literature as decontextualized learning in which the new words are presented in theform of word-list. This approach requires learners to memorize the spelling,pronunciation and meaning of those words on word lists directly. Although words canbe memorized by rote learning from word-list, words learned in context may later berecalled and used more successfully than words attained in a "pair associate" condition(Grace, 1998). Current pedagogical trends emphasize contextualized learningespecially the advantages of guessing unknown words' meaning from context, but someempirical research in this field has failed to demonstrate learning in context is superiorto learning without context (Hunt&Beglar, 2002). Some research even demonstratesthat it is difficult for low-proficiency learners to guess new words' meaning fromcontext. For instance, Bensoussan and Laufer (1984) reported in their study, L2 learnerswith low proficiency made little use of contextual cues to guess the meanings of words,and the inference was made more from the learners' preconceived ideas about the wordsrather than via the support of cues in the text. In cormection with the target studentsthey are the high school students in Zhongguancun Middle School, Haidian DistrictBeijing. They have already learnt English for 3 years at least and most of them havemastered about 1600 English words based on New Curriculum Standard of English forJunior High School. They should be beginning or low-intermediate learners. Henceneither word-list learning nor guessing within context is a suitable way for them to learnvocabulary.
1.3 Software Analysis
Due to these difficulties in vocabulary learning, a new vocabulary learning methodlearning vocabulary with computer assistance is introduced. One notable feature ofcomputer-based learning is that computers can provide interactive, inpidualizedinstruction and feedback to each learner. (Warschauer, 1996). Nation (1990) states thatexplicit instruction is necessary in vocabulary learning and such an instruction is bestdone inpidually. This helps alleviate the problem of large class sizes and limitedin-class time. Students can work at their own pace, select knowledge which is necessary for them and receive feedback whenneed.
The two software programs inresearch are called New Oriental VocabularyLearning and I Like Vocabulary respectively. Currently, they are two of the widely usedvocabulary software programs. In the following analysis, NOVL and ILV will be usedinstead of the names New Oriental Vocabulary Learning and I Like Vocabulary.
References
1.Anderson, J. P.&Jordan, A. M. (1928). Learning and retention of Latin words and phrases. Journal of Educational Psychology 19: 485-496
2.Atkinson, C. (1975). An application of acquisition of a Russian vocabulary. 126-133the mnemonic keyword method to ，Journal of Experimental Psychology the104:
3.Bauman, J (2001).The http://sblunwen.com/gzywjxlw/GSL List. Available:
4.Brown, C. (1993). Factors affecting the acquisition of vocabulary: Frequency and saliency of words, in T, Huckin.,&M, Haynes.,&J, Coady. (Eds). Second language reading and vocabulary learning. Norwood, N.J.: Ablex
5.Brown, J. D. (2001)Using Surveys in Language Programmes, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Brumfit, C.&Mitchell, R (1989). Research in the Language Classroom. London: Modern English Publications in association with the British Council
6.Carter, R.(1991).Lexis, in R. Bowers&C. J. Brumfit (Eds). Applied Linguistics and
7.English Language Teaching, Review of ELT 2/1:85-99
8.Channell, J. (1988). Psycholinguistic considerations in the study of L2 vocabulary acquisition, in R. Carter&M. McCarthy (Eds). Vocabulary and Language Teaching. London:Longman
9.Chapelle, C. (1996). CALL-English as a second language, Annual Review of Applied Linguistics Tool 16:139-157
10Coady, J. (1997a). L2 vocabulary acquisition through extensive reading in J. Coady&T. Huckin (Eds). Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
11Coady, J. (1997b). L2 vocabulary acquisition: A synthesis of the research, in J, Coady. &T, Huckin (Eds). Second language vocabulary acquisition. New York: Cambridge University Press
对高中英语词汇学习中两种词汇学习软件的有效性比较研究
Acknowledgement 5-6
摘要 6-7
ABSTRACT 7-8
Contents 9-13
List of Abbreviations 13-14
List of Tables 14-15
List of Figures 15-16
Chapter 1 Introduction 16-23
1.1 The Importance of Vocabulary 16
1.2 The Difficulties in Vocabulary Learning 16-18
1.3 Software Analysis 18-22
1.4 Purpose and Structure of This Thesis 22-23
Chapter 2 Literature Review 23-52
2.1 Vocabulary and a Word 23-28
2.1.1 The Definition of Vocabulary and a Word 23-24
2.1.2 Knowing a Word 24-25
2.1.3 Target Words 25-27
2.1.4 Vocabulary Teaching Issues 27-28
2.2 CALL 28-36
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2.3 Explicit Instruction 36-52
2.3.1 Word Input 38-41
2.3.1.1 Learning Words with Context 38-39
2.3.1.2 Sentence Level Translation 39-40
2.3.1.3 Translation 40
2.3.1.4 Stimulus 40-41
2.3.2 Word Retention 41-49
2.3.2.1 The Optimum Number of Words to Be Memorized at One Time 42
2.3.2.2 Flash Cards 42-43
2.3.2.3 Structured Reviewing 43-44
2.3.2.4 Keyword 44-45
2.3.2.5 The Use of Prefixes,Roots and Suffixes 45-46
2.3.2.6 Semantic Network 46-47
2.3.2.7 Suggestopaedia 47-48
2.3.2.8 Test 48-49
2.3.3 Word Retrieval 49-52
2.3.3.1 Note-taking 49-50
2.3.3.2 Practice 50-52
Chapter 3 Research Method 52-65
3.1 Signitcance of the Current Study 52-53
3.2 Research Aims 53-54
3.2.1 Research Questions 54
3.2.2 Hypotheses 54
3.3 The Sample 54-55
3.4 Instrument 55-57
3.4.1 Functions for Word Input 55-56
3.4.2 Functions for Word Retention 56-57
3.4.3 Functions for Word Retrieval 57
3.5 Implementation Process 57-63
3.5.1 Tests 58-59
3.5.1.1 Pretest 58-59
3.5.1.2 Middle Test 59
3.5.1.3 Post Test 59
3.5.2 Questionnaire 59-63
3.6 Pilot Study 63-65
Chapter 4 Data Presentation and Analysis 65-96
4.1 Data Presentation and Analysis for Tests 65-75
4.1.1 Data Presentation and Analysis for Pretest 66-68
4.1.2 Data Presentation and Analysis for Middle Test 68-70
4.1.3 Data Presentation and Analysis for Post Test 70-72
4.1.4 Discussion of the Test Results 72-75
4.2 Data Presentation and Analysis for Questionnaire 75-91
4.3 Summary of Research 91-96
Chapter 5 Conclusions 96-101
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