论文总字数：38698字

摘 要

1. Introduction 1

1.1 Background of the research 1

1.2 Significance of the research 1

1.3 Purpose of the research 2

2.Literature review 3

2.1 Learning strategies 3

2.2 Definition and classification of vocabulary learning strategies 3

2.2.1 Cognitive strategies 4

2.2.2 Meta-cognitive strategies 5

2.3 Previous researches of vocabulary learning strategies 5

3.Methodology 8

3.1 Research question 8

3.2 Data collection 8

3.2.1 Participants and procedures 8

3.2.2 Instruments 8

3.3 Data analysis 9

4.Results and discussion 10

4.1 Results 10

4.1.1 EFL learners’ use of vocabulary learning strategies 10

4.1.2 Difference in the use of individual vocabulary learning stategies

between EFL learners at different proficiency levels 10

4.2 Discussion 14

5.Conclusion 15

5.1 Major findings 15

5.2 Implications 15

5.3 Limitations and suggestions for further research 16

References 17

Appendix 19

Acknowledgments

The writing of this paper is one of the real challenges I have ever encountered in my life and it is an outcome of support, encouragement and love I received from so many people. Here I would like to take the opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to those who have contributed, directly and indirectly, to the completion of this paper.

To begin with, I want to appreciate my supervisor Professor Gui Bao, who is a wonderful and knowledgeable teacher enjoying wide respect and having a high sense of responsibility. It is his in-time and generous help and patient guidance that I am able to finish my thesis studying on second language lexical inference.

I would like to thank all the other teachers for their enlightenment, knowledge, encouragement and help throughout my undergraduate study at Nanjing Tech University.

Special thanks go to my dear friends and fellow students, who have accompanied me throughout the four years at the university.

Last but not least, I eagerly want to thank my great parents and considerate friends, who are always on my side and provide me with selfless assistance. They give me warmth and courage on my way to success.

Abstract

Vocabulary acquisition is of great importance for EFL learners. Although researchers at home and abroad have made an achievement in the classification and use of vocabulary learning strategies, few studies are directed at EFL learners who do not major in English. This paper makes a research on non-English major students about the current condition that they apply vocabulary learning strategies. This study is aimed to analyze the differences between EFL learners at different proficiency levels in vocabulary learning strategies and answer the following question:

Are there any differences in the use of individual vocabulary learning strategies between EFL learners across proficiency levels?

30 freshmen who do not major in English and are from two classes in Nanjing Tech University participated in the study. According to the English final exam grades, the tested students are divided into the high-proficiency group and the low-proficiency group, then fill in the questionnaire. This questionnaire includes different kinds of cognitive vocabulary learning strategies and meta-cognitive vocabulary learning strategies and a three-point scale was used to measure how often do EFL learners use each vocabulary learning strategy.

Descriptive statistics and independent samples t-tests are employed to analyze the data. It is found that:

1. EFL learners prefer to use repetition, exercise, and guessing strategies, rather than other vocabulary learning strategies. Comparatively speaking, the high-proficiency group uses vocabulary learning strategies more frequently than the low-proficiency group, especially meta-cognitive vocabulary learning strategies.
2. There is significant mean difference between EFL learners at different proficiency levels in planning(plt;0.05), selective attention(plt;0.05), exercise(p=0.001lt;0.05), morphology(p=0.001lt;0.05), and association(p=0.003lt;0.05). There is no significant mean difference between EFL learners at different proficiency levels in repetition(p=0.429gt;0.05), and dictionary use(p=0.556gt;0.05), guessing (p=0.566gt;0.05), and context information(p=0.085gt;0.05)

This study may provide some insights for EFL teaching. Teachers ought to guide EFL students to apply different kinds of vocabulary learning strategies in vocabulary acquisition reasonably in class to help them find the most suitable strategies and make vocabulary learning become easier and grades become better.

Key words: vocabulary learning strategies, vocabulary acquisition, non-English major students

中文摘要

词汇习得对于而与学习者至关重要。尽管国内外研究者在词汇学习策略的分类以及使用状况描述方面取得了很大成果，但少有针对非英语专业学生词汇学习策略的研究。本文从词汇学习策略的角度，对非英语专业大学生使用词汇学习策略的现状进行了调查。本研究旨在分析比较不同水平的外语学习者的词汇学习策略差异，主要回答以下问题：

不同水平英语学习者使用词汇学习策略是否存在差异？

30名来自南京工业大学两个班级的大一非英语专业学生参加了本研究。所有受试者接受了词汇学习策略使用的调查。根据英语科目期末考试的成绩，将受试者分为高水平组与低水平组，并填写调查问卷。此问卷包括不同类型的词汇学习策略方式，主要包括认知策略和元认知策略。并采用三级量表，以此得出各个策略方式的使用频率。

对数据进行描述性统计和独立样本T检验，得出以下结果：

1. 相对于其他词汇学习策略，英语学习者更热衷于使用重复策略，练习策略，猜测策略。相较于低水平者，高水平者使用词汇学习策略更加频繁，尤其是元认知策略，较少使用重复这类的机械式记忆法。
2. 不同水平的外语学习者在使用计划策略（plt;0.05），选择性注意策略（plt;0.05），练习策略（p=0.001lt;0.05)，词义策略（p=0.001lt;0.05），联系策略（p=0.003lt;0.05）有显著差异；在使用重复策略（p=0.429gt;0.05），查字典策略（p=0.556gt;0.05），猜测策略（p=0.566gt;0.05)，上下文策略（p=0.085gt;0.05）没有显著差异。

根据以上结论，此研究对英语教学有以下启示：词汇习得过程中应指导学生合理地运用词汇学习策略，将不同词汇学习策略运用到课堂中，让学生找到最适合的词汇学习策略，使得词汇学习变得简单，学习成绩得以提高。

关键词：词汇学习策略，词汇习得，非英语专业学生

1. Introduction

1.1 Background of the research

As one of three basis language elements, vocabulary plays an important role in second language learning, so as phonetics and grammar do. The importance of vocabulary could be noted by all of us. However, it is difficult for EFL learners to remember so many different words. So far, many learning strategy researches have focused on reading comprehension and writing skills, but few has focused on vocabulary acquisition.

Since the 1970s, researchers have shifted their attention from teachers’ teaching to students learning in the field of second-language acquisition and learning, so people paid more and more attention to language learning strategies. A number of researches on language learning strategies have done about the influence on reading skills, and few are about vocabulary acquisition. This research is aimed to discover college students’ awareness of vocabulary learning strategies and find that which strategy is helpful for EFL learners’ vocabulary acquisition.

1.2 Significance of the research

The situation that a large number of students are not good at reciting words, leading to their weakness in reading and oral speaking has become a serious problem. EFL learners feel awkward at this problem, especially non-English Major students, who contribute to their professional courses, and have little or no exposure to English constantly.

During the past decades, many investigators discovered that vocabulary learning strategies affect the ability of English learning and proper vocabulary learning strategies could strengthen students’ learning initiative to achieve better grade. The direct purpose of vocabulary learning strategies is to help EFL learners memorize words in an easy way. According to O’Malley and Chamot’s classification, Vocabulary learning strategies could be divided into three main kinds: meta-cognitive

strategies, cognitive strategies and affective strategies. Nevertheless, the only strategy may not be suitable for everyone, and all EFL learners need to choose the most appropriate one. Therefore, this study is conducted to further explore whether there are differences between EFL learners at different proficiency levels in vocabulary learning strategies, in order to help EFL learners and teachers improve the efficiency of vocabulary acquisition.

1.3 Purpose of the research

The research is directed on the EFL learners’ vocabulary learning strategies. According to English final exam grades, students are divided into two different proficiency groups. Then a questionnaire on how often they use different vocabulary learning strategies is given to them, and a three-point scale is used to measure it. Different numbers represent different degrees that EFL learners apply vocabulary learning strategies, and the bigger the number is, the more frequently the EFL learners apply. Hence some facts about whether the use of vocabulary learning strategies affect the ability of vocabulary acquisition.

2. Literature review

2.1 Learning strategies

With the development of foreign language learning, people began to realize the importance of mastering the related learning strategies on learning since the 1970s. Many foreign scholars found that learning strategy is an important factor influencing English learning. Wen Qiufang(1996)said,”a series of research results about foreign language teaching shows that, when the other conditions are the same, the differences in English learning strategies has a decisive influence on the performance.”

Chinese researchers began to study learning strategies since the 1980s. Wen Qiufang(1996) put forward English learning strategy first, and then, massive researchers are devoted to studying learning strategies. She emphasized two main points: first, the purpose of using learning strategies is to improve the learning efficiency; second, the substance of strategies is action, rather than thoughts. Shu Zhifang and Zhuang Zhixiang(1994)summarized that learning strategies, in fact, are some methods to deal with problems in the process of obtaining and consolidating learning outcomes. What’s more, Zhang Wenpeng(1998) thought that language learning strategies ought to be procedures and methods for EFL learner to advance English learning consciously. Among that, some are dominant action, as well as some are invisible brain work.

2.2 Definition and classification of vocabulary learning strategies

Vocabulary learning strategies involve not only general approaches, but also specific actions or techniques applied by EFL learners to make the vocabulary acquisition become easier, faster and better.

There are many vocabulary learning strategies that EFL learner could use to deal with new words. Other strategies, such as imagery, dictionary use are also beneficial to EFL learners. Strategies are tools can be used as one part of ordinary language activities. Except for those strategies mentioned above, meta-cognitive strategies and

cognitive strategies are also useful strategies for EFL learners in vocabulary acquisition.

2.2.1 Cognitive strategies

Vocabulary is divided into simple words and complicated words. As to simple ones, it is easy to understand and keep in mind for a long time. However, for difficult ones, memorizing and understanding are all tough things. In the process of vocabulary acquisition, some characteristics of the word are shifted to concrete form. That is the form of expression, naming cognitive theory, which is closely bound to cognitive strategies.

Cognitive strategies were put forward by Bruner(1965). Certainly, these strategies are some skills and methods for learners to process information and helpful extract valid information from memory. Bruner pointed out that there are three courses existing at the same time in learning process. First, new information acquisition, which is substitution to something has been in mind. Second, transformation,which is a process to adapt new tasks by dealing with previous knowledge. Knowledge may be changed into another form through extrapolation, interpolation and conversion.

Wenden and Rubin(1987)defined cognitive strategies “the steps or operations used in learning or problem solving that involves in direct analysis, transformation, or synthesis of learning materials. Rubin’s report brought the studies on language strategies to a beginning. “It is the movement from a predominantly teaching oriented perspective to one which included interest in how the actions of learners might affect their acquisition of language.” (Schmitt, 2002) Later, researchers have been done in learning strategies. Although many previous researchers defined the cognitive strategy, O’Malley and Chamot(1990) further classified it into the most specific aspects. O’Malley and Chamot(1990) illustrate that learning strategies are mental and affective processes, underlining that EFL learners interact with the language. The classifications were mainly based on information-processing cognitive theory and also known as its taxonomies of language learning strategies.

2.2.2 Meta-cognitive strategies

Meta-cognitive strategies, Cognitive strategies and Affective strategies are included in learning strategies. Flavell(1976) thought that meta cognitive strategies refer to the knowledge that EFL learner know their cognitive process, cognitive outcomes and related activities. Meta-cognitive strategies conclude self-awareness of cognitive process, positive monitoring and regulation to cognitive process. What’s more, meta-cognitive strategy is made up of two elements, meta-cognitive knowledge and meta-cognitive experience.

Bake and Brown(1984) pointed out that meta-cognitive strategies affect a large number of foreign language learning activities and are higher skills that guarantee the success of vocabulary acquisition. Meta-cognitive strategies are helpful for learning, according to Anderson(2002), developing meta-cognitive awareness may also lead to the development of stronger cognitive skills and much deeper processing.

A large number of people mix that cognitive strategies and meta-cognitive strategies are something familiar. O’Malley and Chamot(2001) thought that meta-cognitive strategies are advanced than cognitive strategies, because meta-cognitive strategies function as estimator, administrator, and supervisor. Otherwise, Oxford(1990) indicated that there is no hierarchy between cognitive strategies and meta-cognitive strategies and they react at the same level. As a matter of fact, cognitive strategies are what learner use to deal with the specific task according to the knowledge they have learned. The main difference between cognitive and meta-cognitive is that cognitive strategy is only suited to one aspect, but meta-cognitive strategy is propitious to various fields.

2.3 Previous researches of vocabulary learning strategies

According to O’Malley and Chamot’s classification framework, vocabulary learning strategies are at three levels: meta-cognitive, cognitive and affective strategies. Some specific strategies are listed as follows:

1. Imagery

Imagery is one of the vocabulary learning strategies that EFL learners apply in their vocabulary acquisition process. Norbert Schmitt(1995) indicates:”Imagery has been shown to be more effective than mere repetition for reading passages and sentences, suggesting it could be well effective for vocabulary too. Keyword method, one of the most mnemonic strategies based on imagery for vocabulary acquisition was devised by Atkinson(1975) and his colleague. And keyword method is an effective strategy for EFL learners in vocabulary acquisition.

1. Guessing

Until now, guessing from the context has been the most important strategy. It is worthwhile to spend a large amount of time mastering this strategy, because it could be the most powerful strategy to cope with new, unknown words. Krashen(1989) claimed:”vocabulary is best acquired incidentally by guessing meanings of the unknown words from context through the act of reading itself.” EFL learners could benefit from this vocabulary learning strategy if they know how to take advantage of it and the degree depends on their capacity to guess and consciousness to memory the new word after deriving the new words’ correct meaning.

1. Dictionary use

Dictionary use is one of the most essential strategies of vocabulary acquisition. Knight’s study indicated that the use of dictionary has an effective influence on vocabulary learning. Dictionaries are mostly used for checking and looking up meanings. EFL learners ought to make good use of dictionaries from the purpose of checking to the more productive purpose of a resource for improving vocabulary acquisition.

Feng Yufang(2003) once did a comparison between English major students from different grades in vocabulary learning strategies. According to that research, Feng pointed out that English major students used to apply management strategy, cognitive strategies and more other learning strategies when they acquire English vocabulary. More importantly, there is great difference between English major students in different grades in the use of vocabulary learning strategies. Compared with underclassmen, upperclassmen are better at applying all kinds of learning

strategies and they are more flexible in learning methods and sills. Most students are not limited to rote memorization, and they combine many kinds of leaning methods, such as figurative memory, associative memory into vocabulary acquisition.

Yang Jinfeng and Gong Yu’er(2004) published an article: the relationship between grades and vocabulary learning strategies. They did a research on a comparison between junior school students at different proficiency levels in vocabulary learning strategies and analyzed the correlation of grades and vocabulary learning strategies. After the data analysis through SPSS, they discovered that some vocabulary learning strategies are relevant to grades while others not. Among the correlative vocabulary learning strategies, the mean that high-proficiency group students apply vocabulary learning strategies is higher than low-proficiency group students do, especially context information. They concluded that there are differences between students at different proficient levels in some vocabulary learning strategies, but not all.

Generally speaking, vocabulary learning strategy is of great importance for EFL learners. Whatever meta-cognitive strategies, cognitive strategies or other learning strategies, they all function as assistant tools. EFL learners should apply two or more negative strategies masterly in the process of vocabulary acquisition and learning strategy courses could be taught and practiced in schools. After long lime exercising, EFL learners may keep there strategies in mind. Moreover, such lessons are beneficial to learners in the process of foreign language study.

3. Methodology

3.1 Research question

The object of the study is the vocabulary learning strategies and English vocabulary acquisition among EFL learners at different proficiency levels. By studying this, the research is aimed to solve the following question:

Are there any differences in the use of individual vocabulary strategies between EFL learners across proficiency level?

3.2 Data collection

3.2.1 Participants and procedures

The survey was administered to 30 freshmen who do not major in English and have passed CET-4 are from Nanjing Tech University. Before filling in the questionnaire, they are asked to write down their English final examination grades. The questionnaire does not require the participants’ names, in order to decrease the possibility that some ones may give false responses. It is also stressed that there’s no standard option to each strategy, they only need to respond truthfully.

3.2.2 Instruments

The questionnaire included different kinds of vocabulary learning strategies, and all the students needed to choose how often they used each kind of vocabulary learning strategy in the process of English vocabulary acquisition.

In the questionnaire, the researcher adopted O’Malley and Chamot’s classification of learning strategies in accordance with function. Their classification is more comprehensive and has been taken as an example for many times because it derived from empirical research.

Adopted from Gu and Johnson’s, this questionnaire divided learning strategies into specific vocabulary learning strategies. Meta-cognitive strategies cover plan making and selective attention. Cognitive strategies include repetition, exercise, dictionary use, guessing, context information, morphology and key word. Because of the little use of affective strategies, this questionnaire does not contain it.

The options in this questionnaire were in accordance with a three-point scale. The freshmen ought to choose from “3=I always use this strategy”, “2=I sometimes use this strategy”, and”1=I never use this strategy”. The questionnaire would be collected and the result would be analyzed by the researcher through SPSS 19.0.

3.3 Data analysis

According to English final examination grades, tested students were divided into 2 equal groups. Group one with its grades being higher than 79, was known as high-proficiency group. Group two with its scores being lower than 79, was known as low-proficiency group.

After attaining the data, the researcher applies SPSS 19.0 to analyze the data. By comparing the data from different groups, the researcher can derive some new findings about EFL learners’ vocabulary learning strategies.

Minimum, maximum, mean and standard deviation are speculated. The different mean score of frequency represents different thing, 2.5-3 shows EFL learners usually use this strategy, 1.5-2.4 indicates sometimes and 1-1.4 expresses seldom. What’s more, the result of T-test shows whether there is significant mean difference between EFL learners at different proficiency levels in vocabulary learning strategies.

4. Results and discussion

4.1 Results

The following results can be divided into two sections. Section 4.1.1 addressed the first general question raised in the methodology part and section 4.1.2 answered the second general question. The questions in this study were answered by speculating mean score and making T-test of samples.

4.1.1 EFL learners’ use of vocabulary learning strategies

Table 4.1 presents a descriptive statistics for English final exam grade. It reports the minimum, maximum, mean, number of samples, standard deviation.

Table4.1 Descriptive statistics for English final exam grades

Table 4.1 shows that the mean of the English final exam grades is 79.73, so that the tested students could be divided into two groups. Group one with its grades being higher than 79, was known as the high-proficiency group. Group two with its grades being lower than 79, was known as the low-proficiency group. The sample size of each group is 15.

4.1.2 Differences in the use of individual vocabulary strategies between EFL learners at different proficiency levels

This study has an independent variable, i.e., EFL learners’ language proficiency, which falls into 2 levels: low proficiency and high proficiency. The following table presents descriptive statistics of vocabulary learning strategies in different groups. Table 4.3 reports the mean, number of samples, standard deviation of the pair.

Table4.2 Descriptive statistics for vocabulary learning strategies

Table 4.2 shows the statistics result of the questionnaire. From the table, we can see that meta-cognitive strategies and cognitive strategies are mainly accepted by students. All kinds of vocabulary learning strategies are applied, but the frequency is not the same. Under the analysis of mean, there is no vocabulary learning strategy is applied usually or never by tested students.

Repetition is a vocabulary learning strategy that tested students used the most frequently, and morphology is the least one. Tested students use cognitive strategies more frequently than meta-cognitive strategies.

Except for repetition strategy, guessing, dictionary use, exercise and context information strategies are also applied frequently.

High-proficiency group students apply more vocabulary learning strategies in vocabulary acquisition than low-proficiency students do, especially meta-cognitive strategies. However, low-proficiency students apply repetition strategy more frequently than high-proficiency students.

Table4.3 reports the result of Levene’s test for equality of variances and t-test for equality of means. The results of Levene’s test for equality of variances could be further divided into F-statistics, significance while the results of t-test for equality of means can be divided into T-statistics, degree of freedom, significance level, mean difference, Std. error difference and 95% confidence interval of the difference.

Table4.3 Independent samples t-tests for different groups

According to Table 4.3, there’s significant mean difference between the

high-proficiency students and the low-proficiency students (p lt; 0.05) in planning strategy, signifying that difference of planning strategy is statistically significant

between students at different proficiency levels.

According to Table 4.3, there’s significant mean difference between the high-proficiency students and the low-proficiency students (p lt; 0.05) in selective attention strategy, signifying that difference of selective attention strategy is statistically significant between students at different proficiency levels.

According to Table 4.3, there’s no significant mean difference between the high-proficiency students and the low-proficiency students (p = 0.429gt;0.05) in the repetition strategy, signifying that there’s not much significant difference between high-proficiency students and low-proficiency students in the repetition strategy.

According to Table 4.3, there’s significant mean difference between the high-proficiency students and the low-proficiency students (p = 0.001lt;0.05) in exercise strategy, signifying that difference of exercise strategy is statistically significant between students at different proficiency levels.

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