非英语专业学生词汇学习策略探究联想法(4)
In addition to the research achievements abroad, Chinese scholars also commit themselves on probing into the English vocabulary strategies, to some extent. Wen Qiufang (1995:46-48) summed up the methods like distinguishing receptive vocabulary from productive vocabulary, relating to context and referring to the dictionaries，etc. From Chen Xiaotang and Zhen Min’s report (2002:68-75), vocabulary strategies, like context immersive memory method, association method between synonyms are established. Besides, Qiao Jihong (1995:3-5) concluded some methods, such as recite the words by Categorization, through comparing and contrasting the words. On top of that, Wu Xia and Wang Qiang (1998:53-57) pided the vocabulary strategies into meta-cognitive strategies and cognitive strategies.
2.3 Overview of Associative Strategy in Vocabulary Learning
In this thesis, a vocabulary strategy, associative strategy in vocabulary learning would be mainly applied. For the aim of memory, learners use the same or similar words as activating factors. This kind of learning strategy is called association memory strategy (Yuan Lingli,2005). Association is a kind of process of mental activity. Learning words alone may be boring and easy to forget later, and taking advantage of association helps to achieve a better effect.
The kind of research was first brought about by Cohen&Aphek (1980). He carried out a short-term vocabulary learning strategy training for Hebrew adults. The purpose of the training was to train them to memorize words through association strategies. His finding showed that students who have learnt the strategies well could memorize words more accurately. Later, Cohen (1990:26-28) listed nine types of association: linking of the key words of L1,L2 or even L3; piding the meaningful part of the word by meaning; analyzing the word structure; grouping words topically; reflecting on word location; visualizing the word; creating a mental image; using physical associations and associating with other words. Richards(1976) once put forward a similar hypothesis: Words are stored or recollected according to the associative bonds. Afterwards, the experiments conducted by Fan Lin and Wang Qinghua have justified the hypothesis. What’s more, O’Malley(2001) made use of the questionnaire and two vocabulary tests to assess the association strategy, and found that association playing a significantly advantageous role in the L2 vocabulary learning process.
Compared with the research on associative strategy in vocabulary learning, many attempts also have been made on this research in China. He En(2003) conducted the study directed to testify the effects of association on memorizing English words, and to explain the internal structure of mental lexicon as well. According to Niu Yaohui and Li Ji(2008), words association memory can be pided into three kinds: sound association, form association and affixation and meaning association. Hong Xianli(2001) indicated in the research that the effective vocabulary memorizing strategies come from the establishment of various image relationships between the pronunciation, word form and meanings through all kinds of associative strategies. Associative strategies in vocabulary learning could be pided as follows: synonymous association, antonymic association, the association of words from the same class, contextual association, and so on.
3 Methodology
This is a paper which is written based on the research. In this research, some methodologies have been used. This part would explain the methodologies in detail.
3.1 Research subjects
60 Non-English majors of Shanghai Institute of Technology School are chosen as the subjects. These students are sophomore from 2 classes in the same department. Class 1 is Experimental Class, Class 2 is Control Class. Neither of the two classes has been trained about any kind of vocabulary learning strategies before the experiment. The students involving in the investigation are picked up randomly. So, to some extent, they can represent the Non-English majors on the whole.