A Study Of Present Situation Of Vocabulary Learning For Chinese Non-English Majors--Based On An Empirical Investigation

Vocabulary is one of the three core elements of English and foundation of English learning. The more vocabulary hat is mastered, the higher level of English will have. Yet in the literature of English language teaching and learning, a recurring theme has been the neglect of vocabulary (Hedge, 2002). The teaching and learning of vocabulary have been undervalued in the field of SLA throughout its varying stages and up to the present day (Zimmerman, 1997). Guiding college students to acquire an adequate vocabulary is an important task that is often neglected in China. Students thought that the most difficult task for them is vocabulary.Since 1980's, more and more researchers and teachers have been doing research on this field. They wanted to find better ways to help students to memorize vocabulary but the progress seems insignificant.This paper is aimed to find out the key problems existed in vocabulary learning for non-English majors, and directed to these problems, find effective ways to teach and learn vocabulary.Through an empirical study, it was found out that there existed many problems in vocabulary learning for non-English majors, including vocabulary size, vocabulary knowledge and vocabulary-learning strategies, as follows:1)Vocabulary size is insufficient, both receptive and productive vocabulary.2)VKS is out of balance, and distinction of vocabulary is not like what is usually make, passive and active.3)Students are incapable of distinguishing words similar in forms.4)There existed many problems in vocabulary knowledge, especially in meanings, synonymys, polysemys, lexical phrases and collocations.5)Though most of the vocabulary-learning strategies are used, the most commonly used one is still rote.6)Through four-year English study, their vocabulary-learning strategies are not changed significantly.Based on the results of the tests and questionnaires, the reasons for the problems mentioned above were analyzed respectively. And suggestions were given to the English teachers. It is hoped to highlight their Vocabulary Teaching.