an-investigation-of-the-application-of-cognitive-strategies-in-junior-high-school-students’-english.doc

本科学士学位论文

An Investigation of the Application of Cognitive Strategies in Junior high School Students’ English Vocabulary Learning
——Taking Yizhen NO.4 Middle school in Xiangyun County as an example
认知策略在初中英语词汇学习中的运用调查
——以云南驿镇第四中学为例

An Investigation of the Application of Cognitive Strategies in Junior high School Students’ English Vocabulary Learning————Taking Yizhen NO.4 Middle school in Xiangyun County as an example

A Dissertation
Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts

Written
By
XXX
Supervised
XXX
Department of Foreign Languages
School of Arts and Science
Yunnan Normal University
Kunming, Yunnan
P.R. China
November, 2010

云南师范大学文理学院
本科生毕业设计（论文）原创性声明

本人郑重声明：所呈交的毕业设计（论文），是本人在指导教师的指导下独立研究、撰写的成果。设计（论文）中引用他人的文献、数据、图件、资料，均已在设计（论文）中加以说明，除此之外，本设计（论文）不含任何其他个人或集体已经发表或撰写的成果作品。对本文研究做出重要贡献的个人和集体，均已在文中作了明确说明并表示了谢意。本声明的法律结果由本人承担。

毕业设计（论文）作者签名：
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Acknowledgements
My study at the college of English Teaching Studies will soon come to an end and at the completion of my graduation thesis; I wish to express my sincere appreciation to all those who have offered me invaluable help during the four years.
Firstly, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my supervisor Miss. Song Zijuan, for his help and constant encouragement I know how to write my thesis. Without her consistent and illuminating instruction, this thesis could not have reached its present form.
Secondly, I also want to thanks to all the other faculty members of the Department of English for their patient instructions in various courses and their precious suggestions for my study here.
Lastly, my thanks would go to my beloved family for their loving considerations and great confidence in me all through these years. I also owe my sincere gratitude to my friends and my fellow classmates who gave me their help and time in listening to me and helping me woke out my problems during the difficult course of the thesis.

Abstract
Contents
Abstract(English Version) i
Abstract(Chinese Version) ii
Part One Introduction -1-
1.1The Background of the Research - 1 -
1.2 Significance of the Research - 2 -
1.3 The Research Problems - 3 -
1.4 The Research Methodology - 3 -
Part Two Literature Review -4-
2.1 Definitions of Language Learning Strategies - 4 -
2.2 The Classification of Language Learning Strategies - 5 -
2.3 Vocabulary Learning Strategies - 6 -
2.3.1 Definition of Cognitive Strategies -6 -
2.3.2 Classification of Cognitive Strategies - 7 -
2.4 A Review of Previous Studies - 7 -
2.5 The features of junior high middle school students - 8 -
Part Three The Current Research -10-
3.1 Research Design -10-
3.1.1 Research Questions - 10-
3.1.2 Subjects - 10-
3.1.3 Instruments - 11-
3.2 Data Collection and Analysis -12-
3.2.1 Analysis and Discussion - 13-
3.2.2 Major Findings of the Study - 14-
Part Four Conclusion -17-
References -19-

Appendix -20-
Abstract
In this paper, vocabulary learning theory, questionnaire survey and statistical analysis using the method of the present town of the third Yunnanyi 50 junior high school students English Vocabulary Strategies conducted a survey of the use. Second language acquisition from the perspective of middle school students in learning word that the lack of strategy: the significance of words, part of speech, usage understanding of single, not know how to use context, pragmatic sense of understanding of the meaning of words and usage issues. For the above problems, this paper, the theory of cognitive strategies vocabulary proposed countermeasures. In the light of the principles of vocabulary teaching, based on the content and thus improve students explore word memory efficient way to enable students to master the proper and efficient English learning strategies, English language students good study habits and ability. English teachers also provide a better basis and methods to improve student interest in vocabulary learning and efficiency.

Key words: vocabulary learning；Cognitive Strategies；suggestions
i

摘要
摘要
本文以词汇学习理论为基础，采用问卷调查和统计分析的方法对目前云南驿镇第四中学50名初中生的英语词汇认知策略的运用情况进行了调查。并从第二语言词汇习得的角度出发，发现初中生在学习单词时缺少策略：对词汇的意义、词性、用法理解单一，不懂得利用语境、语感理解词汇的意思及用法等问题。针对上述所存在的问题，本文运用词汇认知策略的相关理论提出应对策略。在结合词汇教学的内容和原则的基础上，从而探索出提高学生单词记忆效率的方法，使学生掌握正确高效英语学习的策略，培养学生良好的英语学习习惯和能力。同时也为英语老师提供了更好的依据和方法来提高学生词汇学习的兴趣和效率。

关键词：词汇学习 认知策略 建议
ii
Part One Introduction
Part One Introduction
Since the 1980s, along with in-depth research on intellectual, cognitive strategies and meta-cognitive strategies in the field of education and psychology, language vocabulary learning has shown a flourishing situation. Vocabulary learning strategies have aroused widespread concern of linguists at home and abroad on the issue in the 1990s.
1.1 The Background of the Research
Since the 1980s, along with in-depth research on intellectual, cognitive strategies and meta-cognitive strategies in the field of education and psychology, language vocabulary learning has shown a flourishing situation. Vocabulary learning strategies have aroused widespread concern of linguists at home and abroad on the issue in the 1990s.
Vocabulary is very fundamental to the development of the second language proficiency as one of the three major elements of a language. Just as Wilkins (1972:111) declared, "While without grammar, very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed." In 2003, higher requirements for the students' vocabulary have been put forward by the New Standard of National Curriculum (2003) in our country. Students in China are expected to have a vocabulary of 3,500 words upon graduation from high school, while the requirement in the previous course syllabus was only 2,000 words. The increase in vocabulary has certainly put vocabulary learning in a crucial position. However, the situation of China's vocabulary teaching is not satisfying at present. "Time-consuming and bad effect"(李岚清1996) are very common. Vocabulary learning has been a headache of both teachers and learners. It is because the traditional teacher-centered teaching mode did not give appropriate learning strategies to the students so that the students lack learning-initiative.
At the same time, limited time for classroom teaching makes teachers only act as guides and assessors. As a famous Chinese saying goes, "To give a people fish is inferior to teaching him how to fish." To mobilize students' initiative to learn English vocabulary is the fundamental way to the English vocabulary teaching. Gagne pointed out that the well-known scholar of the 20th century the meaning of cognitive strategies to point out that the strategy is an important part of learning strategies. Cognitive strategy is also an effective means of learning vocabulary, mainly in form of the word strategy, Lenovo strategy, memory strategies are classified on the application.
Therefore, we think this is a good way to see which learning strategies used by high school students what kind of knowledge is a good learner strategy use and how to train students to use the correct cognitive strategies to improve their vocabulary learning. Moreover, we need to find a good way, so that teachers become aware of the importance of cognitive strategies, and strengthen their language learning strategies, particularly their cognitive strategies.
1.2 Significance of the Research
Since the 1970s, research put emphasis on the field of second-language acquisition and learning has also shifted from teachers' teaching to students' learning. So language learning strategies are emphasized by more and more people. However, most of the research in the field of learning strategies has focused on reading strategies as one of the important language skills (Carrel 1998) and on cognitive strategies as one of the main categories of learning strategies. Little attention has been given to the cognitive learning strategies in the Junior high school students' vocabulary learning. So it is meaningful and necessary to try to make meta-cognitive learning strategies clear to them and enable them to become better learners in vocabulary learning.
1.3 The Research Problems
The author has been an English teacher for a year. During the teaching life, the author has been noticing that vocabulary learning has always been obstacles to the students' English learning. So the author wants to investigate the status of vocabulary learning, by especially the using of meta-cognitive strategies
1.4 The Research Methodology
In this study，this questionnaire is based on the famous American professor of Applied Linguistics, Language Learning Strategies Oxford questionnaire adapted from the eight categories of entry constitute 30 to investigate the 50 students of grade three in Yunnanyi Middle School of Xiangyun County. The questionnaire was translated into Chinese so that students can understand it easily. 50 questionnaires were given out and handed in during the class time. Among them 50 questionnaires were effective.   Then the marks of their questionnaire were collected. At last the author used analyze the date, on which the result were based.

- 3 -
Part Three The Current Research
Part Two Literature Review
This chapter consists of three sections and dwells on the review of the related theories and the empirical studies that have been carried out in this field. The first section makes clear the definitions of the key terms that are frequently made reference to in the present study. The second section covers a detailed review of the related researches that have been carried out in this field at home and abroad. The last section discusses the problems in the current studies on meta-cognitive strategies in vocabulary learning and presents the significance of the present study.
2.1 Definitions of Language Learning Strategies
Researchers have studied various aspects of Learning Strategies and put forward a variety of definitions of learning strategies. Following is a brief discussion of definitions of Language Learning Strategies.
Stern (1983:305) states, "In our view strategy is best reserved for general tendencies or overall characteristics of the approach employed by the language learner, leaving techniques as the term to refer to particular forms of observable learning behavior."
Rubin (1987) (cited from Ellis, 1994:531) points out that learning strategies are strategies which contribute to the development of the language system which the learner constructs and affect learning directly.
Chamot and Kupper(1989:13一14) point out that, "learning strategies are techniques, preaches or deliberate actions that students take in order to facilitate the learning, recall of both linguistics and content area information".
Oxford (1990) says "Language learning strategies are behaviors or actions which learners use to make language learning more successful, self-directed According and enjoyable".
According to O' Malley &Chamot (1990:44) "The special thoughts or behaviors that individuals use to help them comprehend, learn or retain new information."
In our country, some researchers have also studied language strategies. For example, in Wen Qiufang's opinion (1996:56),"Learning strategies are measures which the students take order to study more efficiently".
The definition emphasizes two points: the goal of using learning strategies is the learner's action, not his or her thought; the action can be exterior actions and also can be interior action. According to the New Standard of National Curriculum (2003) in our country learning strategies are defined as various actions and procedures that students take to learn and develop their English effectively.
On the basis of the above discussions, he author of the present research defines learning strategies as a sequence of techniques and tactics; they are consciously and automatically used by learners for effective learning. This concept emphasized two points: the purpose of using strategies is to improve learning efficiency, and the essence of strategies is behaviors, not thoughts of learners. The behaviors can be mental or observable.
2.2 The Classification of Language Learning Strategies
With the further study of the language learning strategies, classification of language learning strategies has attracted the researchers' attention. In what follows, O'Malley &Chamot(1987), Oxford(1990), Cohen(1998) and Wen Qiufang(1993)'s taxonomies of language learning strategies will be presented as they are the most widely used.
Based on information-processing theory, O'Malley&Chamot distinguished three major types: meta-cognitive strategy, cognitive strategy and social/affective strategy.
2.3 Vocabulary Learning Strategies
In the past twenty years researchers have pointed to the importance of vocabulary acquisition for second language learners. (Nation 1990) Now researchers pay more attention to the vocabulary learning strategies. So it is necessary to know about vocabulary learning strategies.
Vocabulary learning strategies are based on the theoretical framework of language learning strategies, and are important components of the language learning strategies. In this paper, vocabulary means the total number of words that make up a language and accordingly vocabulary learning strategies refer to the methods and techniques used by learners with the purpose of learning vocabulary well.
Because of different standards of classification, until now we have not found a classified system which can be accepted generally in the world. O'Malley and Chamot(1990) divides the vocabulary learning strategies into the cognition strategy, meta-cognitive strategy and social /emotion strategy. Cognitive strategies are divided into repeating memory, context, guessing, dictionary, classification, doing exercises, association. The author thinks that this taxonomic approach is quite reasonable.
2.3.1 Definition of Cognitive Strategies
The term cognitive strategies first used by Bruner in 1956 in his famous study of the artificial concept first proposed. It was not until the 20th century, the age of 70 learning outcomes in the study classified Gagne, it will be a special ability as a cognitive strategy skills in the division from the general cognitive strategy out and give a definition: "the learner to select and adjust their own attention, learning, memory and thinking skills and other internal processes.”
2.3.2 Classification of Cognitive Strategies
In terms of cognitive learning strategies embodied in the application of the use of several strategies: Repeat memory; context; speculation; dictionary; classification; do the exercises; associate.
2.4 A Review of Previous Studies
Since the 1970s, with the emergence of communicative language teaching, vocabulary has attracted the general attention of scholars. Thus, Eng