On the Methodology of Middle School ’s English Vocabulary Teaching 论《中学英语词汇教学法》 .doc

论中学英语词汇教学法On the Methodology of Middle School s English Vocabulary Teaching AcknowledgementsAt the completion of my thesis, I would like to express thanks to all those who have helped and supported me. My deepest gratitude goes first and foremost to my supervisor, for her enlightening guidance to and constant concerns with my thesis. If there had not been her constant guidance, there would have been no completion of this thesis.My sincere thanks also go to other teachers and my classmates in school of Foreign Languages of Handan College. Without their advice and encouragement, my postgraduate study would not have been so meaningful and worthwhile.Finally my special gratitude goes to my family members for their patience, understanding and support.AbstractVocabulary is the underlying material of language and lays an important foundation for speaking, listening, reading and writing, which are essential function of English. It is unreachable to express ones thinking without vocabulary. Moreover, it is uneasy to listen, speak, read and write effectively without accumulation of vocabulary, let alone communication with other people. As is know to all, the phase of middle school is vital for English learning. Thus English vocabulary teaching is indispensable to students in middle schools. It plays a core role in the course of English teaching and learning. Instructing students how to master a certain amount of words emerges as one of the valuable tasks in middle schools. Whats more, students need certain guidance on their road to successful English learning. Quality of vocabulary teaching is bound to influence the subsequent phases of English learning. A set of methodology of vocabulary teaching is a must in middle school English classes to benefit English teaching and learning and to lay a solid foundation for the further English learning. This paper gives birth to a discussion of methodology of vocabulary teaching in middle schools according to the characteristics of students and current situation of English vocabulary teaching in middle school. The methodology consists of new words teaching, consolidating and enlarging vocabulary. The three parts are combined to be a whole via pronunciation, the formation and sense of words.Key words: English vocabulary teaching; consolidation; enlargement 摘 要英语词汇是组成英语语言学习的基本材料，是语言听、说、读、写的基础。离开词汇就很难表达自己的思想，没有足够的词汇积累就不能有效地进行听、说、读、写等语言活动，更无法将英语有效地利用。毫无疑问，中学是英语学习的重要阶段。因此，词汇在中学英语教学中的地位就显得尤为重要。怎样教学生掌握一定的词汇量，就成为中学英语教学的重要任务之一。对于学生来讲，词汇的学习、掌握及应用离不开教师的讲解、指导和帮助。词汇讲授的质量直接影响着今后的英语学习。因此，在中学英语的实际教学中运用一套词汇教学法是有价值且必要的。如此一来，才能教有成效，学有成绩，使学生的学习效果和学习能力不断地提高。本论文依据中学生群体的特点，结合中学英语词汇教学现状，分别从新词的讲授，词的巩固以及词汇的适度扩展等三部分来论述中学英语词汇教学法。另外本文把单词的发音、拼写和词意三部分联系在一起，使之成为不可分割的统一整体。关键词：英语词汇教学；巩固；扩展ContentsAcknowledgements.Abstract.Abstract (Chinese).Introduction.1Chapter One The Methodology of English Vocabulary Teaching .51.1 Definition and classification of Words 51.2 Principles in vocabulary teaching.5Chapter Two Instruction of Teaching New Words. .72.1 Explain the meaning of new words in simple words72.2 Use nets of words.72.3 Divide vocabulary into categories82.4 Use activities.82.5 Tell stories.8Chapter Three Consolidation of Vocabulary. . 93.1 Use social context . . 93.2 Use vocabulary testing.10Chapter Four Enlargement of Vocabulary. . .74.1 Connect to-learn words with words already known. . . 114.2 Utilize words formation.114.3 Utilize words pronunciation.11Conclusion.12Notes .14Bibliography.15IntroductionAs to contemporary English language teaching, it is prevailing for teachers to spend much time and efforts in vocabulary teaching to foster students capabilities in English application. This phenomenon mirrors that vocabulary teaching and learning have been considered a considerably vital aspect in middle school. It is acceptable to take the vocabulary seriously in foreign language teaching and learning. As one of the most important element of language, vocabulary is a useful device in communication with other people. It would be hard to imagine the content of a certain language without combination of necessary vocabulary. Furthermore, the inveterate examination system in middle school emphasizes knowledge of vocabulary prior to the development of language skills such as listening, speaking, reading, and writing. So teaching vocabulary in middle school is an irreplaceable phase in those places where English is viewed as one of the fundamental subjects. Approximately 95 per cent of the students learn English as a foreign language. We have known that students of middle schools have their special characters and features. For instance, they are young, inquisitive, imaginative, impatient, and flimsy. One of the typical characters is their immaturity. They are in shortage of self-controlling and self-knowledge. A feeling of disorientation always predominates this group without guidance. Further efforts have to be done to improve their skills by organizing and managing their own English study. They need certain guidance on their way to successful English learning. Compared with English learners in colleges or universities, students in middle schools rely on texts and teachers more. In this respect, English vocabulary teaching is indispensable for students in middle school. As an indispensable phase, qualities of vocabulary teaching will affect their subsequent English learning. Therefore, it is urgent and invaluable to apply a set of methodology of English vocabulary teaching in middle school to benefit English teaching and learning and lay a solid foundation for the following learning. Vocabulary teaching and learning has been studied by many people from various points of views. English Lexicology was written by Liu Xiaochong and published in 2002, which tells that although much of vocabulary learning is the must-do of the students, teachers guidance and help are invaluable. If teachers present new vocabulary items effectively, it will be time-and- energy-saving for vocabulary learning. Also, it is an important component of teachers work to help students develop vocabulary learning strategies in middle school.Allen Virginia Frenchs Techniques in Teaching Vocabulary was published in 2002. It says that Words of learning a foreign language learning is the most basic, is also the most important part. Students' vocabulary is, the more they use of English is more strong. The student to grasp the vocabulary size, can reflect their English level. I.S.P.Nations Teaching and Learning Vocabulary was published in 2004, says that for students, perhaps, it is more difficult to consolidate and remember them than to learn vocabulary for the first time. Many people submit that consolidating of vocabulary only is the business of students. This is perhaps partly true. Actually, teachers should take responsibility for helping students to consolidate their vocabulary. It is a part of vocabulary teaching. Below are some strategies about vocabulary consolidation.How to Teach Vocabulary by Jeremy Harmer was published in 2002. It tells that how to help students build vocabulary in new and effective ways and how to test students' word knowledge .Major developments, such as language corpora and lexical approaches, are clearly explained and related to your needs as a teacher how they are learned and memorized, and the best ways to teach them. Complex issues are presented in the context of the real-life challenges of todays classrooms.In Randy Howes The Smarter Way to Learn Vocabulary published in 2006, the author tells that it is unnecessary for teachers to complain the distinctions of materials of English teaching. Teachers can make a general judgment about vocabulary that should be mastered by students according to standards of middle school English.“Selected Reading in American Literature” by Wang Songnian was published in April, 2003. It points out that a great number of new words are listed in the present materials. Most of these words are too hard, such as broccoli, Los Angeles and California. Apparently it is unreasonable to demand students to spell them because these words are seldom used in real life. In comparison, there many new words that reappear in real life, such as junk food, youtube, coke, and so on. Fennel, Barbara As A History of English was published in June, 2005. It indicates that Word story has many advantages. Firstly, each student will obtain more opportunities to use the new vocabulary. Secondly, students will benefit from creating stories through thinking over those words. Thirdly, the method can light the students interest in English and keep their minds alert.In “Keys to Building Vocabulary” by Rick M. Newton, published in April, 2008, points out that Studying affix, root, and suffix, paraphrasing, using multi-word “chunks” and using physical actions spontaneously while learning is potentially useful as a way of consolidating vocabulary. Teachers had better take great effort to help students consolidate vocabulary through adapting their methods. After all, consolidating vocabulary is the bridge linking the presenting new vocabulary and the developing vocabulary. If teachers tell students to consolidate vocabulary items effectively, they will benefit their students in the developing vocabulary building.To sum up, different researches have different viewpoints. Though, many methodologies are employed in English vocabulary teaching, some problems are inevitable. For example, some teachers often completely quote the explanations in dictionaries while giving meaning of words. Teachers popularity will disappear among students in the end. Teachers had better explain new words with their own comprehension or introduce them by beginning with something fascinating. The other problem is that students may be given a heavy load in vocabulary learning. They have to master a certain quantity of vocabulary in limited time without any strategies at hand. To solve this problem, it is very important to make students aware how to learn vocabulary effectively and efficiently and take some vocabulary learning strategies.Chapter One The Methodology of English Vocabulary TeachingBefore discussing vocabulary teaching, it is necessary to introduce some information about word and principles in vocabulary teaching, because our discussion of vocabulary teaching is related to these aspects. It is impossible to explain the method of vocabulary teaching without an analysis of vocabulary knowledge.1.1 Definition and classification of Words “A word is a unit of expression that has universal in intuitive recognition by native-speakers, whether it is expressed in spoken or written form.”2 “Word may be seen as a combination of a cluster of sound segments or letters between two blanks or pauses by some logical rules.”3 They are the common factor underlying a set of forms, such as bird and birds, big, bigger and biggest, check, checks, checked and checking. Word is also a grammatical unit ranked between morpheme and words group. Words are composed of morphemes. Some words are formed by one morpheme, such as wind, pen, after and great, and others are formed by two or more morphemes, such as windflower, pencil, afternoon, and greatly. Words can be classified according to various standards. In terms of variability of words, they can be sorted into Variable Words and Invariable Words. For example,Walk dog big Walks dogs biggerWalked biggestWalkingAccording to the meanings taken by the words, they can be classified into Content Words which refer to substance, motion, quality, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs, and Function Words which show grammatical meanings, such as pronouns, articles, pronouns, conjunctions and prepositions. The classifications between Closed-class Words and Open-class Words are due to the distinction between Grammatical Words and Lexical Words. A word whose membership is fixed or limited can be ascribed to the Closed-class Words, such as pronouns, articles, prepositions, conjunctions, etc. While new expressions are continually and constantly added to the Open-class Words, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives and many adverbs. 1.2 Principles in vocabulary teachingAs is known, learning words is not only the problem of the quantity of words. “Learning a word, to a large extent, means to know its pronunciation, spelling, variation and different meanings.”1 In order to achieve this, we should note the principles in vocabulary teaching with the teaching syllabus and materials of middle school English.Vocabulary teaching should be divided into different procedures, such as the presenting of new vocabulary, the consolidation of vocabulary, the development of vocabulary building. However, the boundary lines are not easy-to-see.Teachers should select practical and direct methods to teach vocabulary. Besides, teachers should pay more attention to the selection of to-teach words, for example, choosing the words in high frequency.The terminal aim of vocabulary teaching is to help students to employ the vocabulary in need. Therefore teachers should establish the connection between vocabulary teaching and the real life.To make the vocabulary teaching more effective, teachers should examine and evaluate the achievement of vocabulary learning. The testing of vocabulary is a practicable way to get some information about vocabulary teaching and learning.These principles are very available in English vocabulary teaching and will be embodied in the subsequent contents. Chapter 2 Instruction of Teaching New WordsAs is known to all, vocabulary teaching requires more than hard work. It needs strategies. Fortunately, English teachers are armed with knowledge of vocabulary and practical techniques in the vocabulary teaching today. This part will offer some practical ways of English vocabulary teaching in middle schools. 2.1 Explain the meaning of new words in simple wordsStudents of middle schools have a great advantage compared with the elementary students. A great number o