Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition Strategies二语词汇习得策略.doc

Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition Strategies二语词汇习得策略摘 要 词汇是构成语言的基本单位，词汇习得在语言学习中占有重要地位。英国著名语言学家D.A. Wilkins (1972) 说过：“没有语法，人们不能表达很多东西；而没有词汇，人们则无法表达任何东西。”这就说明了词汇在学习中的重要性。本文旨在分析二语词汇习得策略并应用于不同水平的学习者。学习者根据自己的水平选择正确的习得方法和策略学习词汇，从而提高学习效率和习得效果。关键字： 二语词汇习得 词汇习得策略 元认知策略 认知策略Abstract Vocabulary is the basic unit of a language. Language acquisition plays an important role in language learning. Famous linguistics D. A. Wilkins said, “Without grammar, very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed (Lewis, 1993:16).” It speaks volumes for the importance of vocabulary in language learning. This paper aims to analysis the second language acquisition strategies and applies to different levels of learners. According to the different levels, the learners should choose the proper methods and strategies to promote learning efficiency and acquisition effect.Key words: Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition； Vocabulary Acquisition Strategies； Metacognitive strategy； Cognitive strategyIntroduction With economic globalization and multi-polarization of the world, especially the population of the internet, English becomes more and more important, because it is considered as the tool for absorbing and communicating information. As we all known, vocabulary acquisition is one of the most noticed-question of the second language learners. “Vocabulary” appears in the area of linguists study. Nowadays, researchers still can not give a complete and reasonable definition of vocabulary. Since 1970s, the second language vocabulary acquisition research has gradually become the hot point and important subject in the second language vocabulary acquisition research area. These researches aim to discuss the efficiency vocabulary memory strategies to promote the memory skills and vocabulary levels. Then how to acquire vocabulary become popular among the researchers. Wenden &Rubin (1987), OMalley& Chamot (1990) refer to the content of vocabulary acquisition strategies; Rubin (1987) and Oxford (1990) classify the memory strategy to the direct cognitive strategies. Especially, CohenAphek (1981), Porte (1988), OMalley (1990), Vann (90), Cohen (1990), etc made a basic searching of vocabulary acquisition. In a word, there are various opinions in how to acquire vocabulary. Firstly, it talks about the importance of vocabulary. Secondly, what does it mean to “acquire” a word? This paper mainly aims to the detail analysis of the vocabulary acquisition from three aspects：Meta-cognitive Strategy; Cognitive Strategy and Social or Affective Strategy. Especially, it highlights the effect of the context and rending to vocabulary acquisition. This paper talks about the applications of the vocabulary acquisition strategies. And it puts forward some problems and difficulties of vocabulary acquisition. This paper also discusses the influencing factors to the acquisition. It includes the mother tongue, age, language contact, logical thinking ability, identity degree, and academic motivationThe purpose of this paper is to rise the awareness of English learners that the importance of vocabulary in language learning and the vocabulary acquisition strategies can not be neglected, and each strategies is deeply rooted in its language. Through the analysis of the theory of study, the paper tries to draw the learners attention to the strategies of the second language vocabulary acquisition and using the vocabulary in communication. In order to improve the acquisition efficiency, some strategies put into practice are introduced.The first presents the importance of vocabulary, some basic concepts of vocabulary and vocabulary learning, the second part tells what does it mean to know a word, the third part deals with the theory of vocabulary acquisition and presents the factors and differences influencing the vocabulary acquisition. The fourth part is detailed discussion of vocabulary acquisition strategies in different levels of learners. The last part is conclusion.Literature review 1. The importance of vocabularyAs the first time, when we go to school and our English teacher will tell us that vocabulary is of great importance in learning English. After several years, we understand words gradually, especially when we study in high school. If we know a little about vocabulary, we may have poor English. That is because the listening, speaking, reading and writing show the necessary of learning vocabulary.Many researchers agree that lexis is at least as important as structure, because it is using wrong words and not wrong grammar that usually breaks down communication. Mistakes in lexis much more often lead to misunderstanding and may be less generously tolerated outside classroom than mistakes in syntax. (Carter, 1987). As Stephen Krashen remarked, “When students travel, they dont carry grammar books, they carry dictionaries.A significant role of vocabulary in both teaching and learning processes was first stated by Stephen Krashen in The Natural Approach (1985):“Vocabulary is basic for communication. If acquirers do not recognize the meaning of the key words used by those who address them they will be unable to participate in the conversation.”Words are basic tools in human communication; therefore they determine the main part of peoples life-relationships between people and associations with the surrounding world that people live in. The larger ones vocabulary, the easier it is to express ones thoughts and feelings.In real communication, correctly and idiomatically used vocabulary can even decrease some structural inaccuracy and grammar errors. (Zhang Jiying, 2002). So learners should enrich and expand their knowledge of words as much as possible in order to communicate effectively in a foreign language.2. What does it mean to “know” a word?Knowing a word is not a simple phenomenon. In fact, it is quite complex and goes far beyond the words meaning and pronunciation. (Zhang Jiying, 2002). Richards (1976) think knowing a word means also knowing the frequency of words and their likely collocates; being aware of the functional and situation limitations that apply; knowledge of the “syntactic behavior”; derivational forms and word class; associative and connotative knowledge; semantic value-breaking down words into minimal units as with componential analysis (see Katz&Fodor1963or Leech1974); knowing the other (possible) meaning associated. Nagy and Scott (2000) identify several dimensions that describe the complexity of what it means to know a word. First, word knowledge is incremental, which means that readers need to have many exposures to a word in different contexts before they “know” it. Second, word knowledge is multidimensional. This is because many words have multiple meanings and serve different functions in different function in different sentences, texts, and even conversations. Third, word knowledge is interrelated in that knowledge of one word connects knowledge of other words.What all of this means is that “knowing” a word is a matter of degree rather than an all-or-nothing proposition (Beck&Mckeown, 1991; Nagy&Scott, 2000). The degree of knowing a word are reflected in the precision with which we use a word, how quickly we understand a word, and how well we understand and use words in different modes and different purpose.Knowing a word also implies knowing how that word relates to other knowledge. Finally, knowing a word means being able to appreciate its connotations and subtleties. When we know a word at this level, we can use and recognize it in idioms, jokes, slang, and puns (Johnson, &Schlicting, 2004).3. Second Language Vocabulary Acquisition StrategiesVocabulary acquisition is the part of English learning. Since 1960s, more and more attentions and researches had been toward to vocabulary acquisition strategies. When it comes to 1980s or 1990s, the vocabulary acquisition strategies gain fruitful results. Cohen Aphek (1981), Porte (1988), OMalley (1990), Vann (1990), Cohen (1990) made a basic discussion in vocabulary acquisition strategies.OMalley&Chamot (1990) classify language learning strategy into three methods: Meta cognitive strategy, Cognitive strategy, and Social or Affective strategy. Meta cognitive strategy refers to strategies of advance preparation, directed attention, selective attention, self-management, self monitoring and self-evaluation. And the results indicate that the metacognitive strategy teaching is significant in developing learner autonomy, which shows prominent pros-pectin foreign language teaching. A cognitive strategy serves to support the learner as he or she develops internal procedures that enable him/her to perform tasks that are complex (Rosen shine, 1997). The use of cognitive strategies can increase the efficiency with which the learner approaches a learning task. These academic tasks can include, but are not limited to, remembering and applying information from course content, constructing sentences and paragraphs, editing written work, paraphrasing, and classifying information to be learned. The memory strategy, cognitive strategy, social strategy and metacognitve strategy are used more frequently than the affective strategy and compensative strategy.Oxford (1990) put forward a more comprehensive classification system of strategy, which includes six categories: memory strategy, cognitive strategy, compensatory strategy, metacognitive strategy, affective strategy, and social strategy. Nation (1990) put forward semantic manufacturing strategy of “what is it”. From different aspect, researchers have different classification of strategies. Stoffer (1995) made a factor analysis of 53vocabulary acquisition strategies and extract 9 factors: the strategy of practice and apply words in authentic situation; the strategy of creative learning vocabulary; the self-motivation strategy; the strategy of psychological connection; memory strategy; the strategy of audio/visual assisted learning; with the movement to the body of learning vocabulary strategy; the strategy of overcoming anxiety; the strategy of using to organize units.Schmitt (1997) composite the related language acquisition strategies upon classification, and put forward two categories of vocabulary acquisition strategy, namely discovery strategy and consolidation strategy. In china, acquisition strategies researcher, Wen Qiufang(1996) thought：English learning strategy includes concept and method. What is concept? It means the acquaint learners to how to learn English well. And the method refers to the actions that learners take to learn English well. The method can be classifying two categories: manage method and learning method. Wuxia, Wangqiang(1998) draw lessons of classification of learning strategies from OMalley&Chamots and thing that the majority of students can not depend on the mechanical memorizing to learn English vocabulary. Wenpeng (2000) utilize “the level of processing approach of memory” to do an empirical research on different words meaning.Willians and Burden (2000) stress metacognition is central to effective learning. Wenden(1987) says that metacognitive is “the process that underlines the efficient use of strategies and the essence of intelligent activity” (p573). Quicke (1994) similarly views that metacognitive awareness is crucial in learning strategies. In addition, most of the studies (OMalley and Chamot1990, Wenden and Rudin 1987; Oxford andCrookall1989) founder the learners who were particularly taught metacognitive knowledge to help them assess the needs, evaluate process and give directions to their learning.After summarizing the theories of the vocabulary acquisition strategies, I express my opinions about vocabulary acquisition strategies. These theories or opinions have their merits and demerits. I am in favor of OMalley& Chamots theory of the classification of vocabulary acquisition strategies: metacognitive strategies, cognitive strategies, affective strategies. The metacognition represents strategies of acquiring knowledge, namely the ability to understand pour method for learning and assimilating information. It concerns “the knowledge of your thoughts”. In addition to how various factors influence psychological thought processing. As far as I am concerned, vocabulary really plays an essential role in language learning. For example, when we communicate with others, vocabulary is the basic component between your talking. Without words, without communication. In the school, every student should learn vocabulary, the more vocabulary you acquire, the more knowledge you will get. In the process of our study, every skill needs vocabulary. (Listening, speaking, reading, and writing). Especially, in the extensive reading, the vast majority vocabulary can be learned gradually through repeated exposures in various discourse contexts. However, not all methods are appropriate for all levels of learners. Thus, I deem that different levels of learners should choose different strategies of vocabulary acquisition strategies.When talking about second language vocabulary acquisition strategies, we may talk it from pro-school children. Chenhua, zhangyifang (2001) analysis the narrative approach of memory process of vocabulary. The study discovers the majority of Chinese children acquire vocabulary with repeat memory strategy. That is to say children memory Chinese meaning through the Chinese- English bilingual. When memorizing vocabulary, Chinese children seldom utilize the Keyword strategy and Semantic coding strategies. They do not use metacognitive strategy. In my opinion, children can be helped to acquire vocabulary in the form of games. Meanwhile, vocabulary acquisition of pro-children should be carried out in a real context. It has a long progress. According to different age, children acquire vocabulary in different strategies. For the lower class, children acquire the single word. For the middle class, the children begin to acquire the double or three words. When the children are nearly 6 six years old, they form a semantic system. The teacher can help children acquire vocabulary in the context or games.4. Cognitive strategy 4.1 Using dictionary strategiesCheck the dictionary is the most common strategy of acquires vocabulary. And it also an important manner to learn English. It has been shown that students who use a bilingual dictionary learn more vocabulary than students who read without a dictionary (1993:263-287). However, when students turn to a dictionary for every word they do not understand, they lose sight of the meaning within the text as a whole. Teachers and textbook designers have realized this, and they argued that learning strategies such as guessing from context should be employed in order to read the text fluently and smoothly for an overview of the whole text. Researchers have commented that this move