A Study On The Application Of Mind Mapping In Vocabulary Teaching In Primary School

Speaking of English learning,vocabulary is of vital importance,especially for primary school students.However,the traditional teaching method is too mechanical to meet primary school students’ need.As a result,quite a number of primary school students are stuck on vocabulary in their English learning process.As for teachers,they are also upset about the unsatisfying situation,feeling hard to make a breakthrough.For this reason,we need a new method to improve this situation.In the past,many researchers have confirmed the effectiveness of mind mapping in the subject teaching field.However,for different times and learners,the application mode and learning effect of mind mapping are not the same.Therefore,the author decided to carry out a teaching experiment in her school on the basis of literature studying.Combined with her teaching practice,the author explored the application mode and learning effect of mind mapping in the vocabulary class in primary school through comparative study,which may further prove the effectiveness of mind mapping.This study aimed at figuring out two questions: 1.How to apply mind mapping in the vocabulary class in primary school? 2.What effect does mind mapping have on primary school students’ English vocabulary learning?This study is theoretically based on constructivism theory,knowledge visualization theory,cognitive hierarchical processing theory and meaningful learning theory.In the research process,a contrastive research was conducted through teaching experiment.Vocabulary test and questionnaire investigation were adopted in the experiment.By analyzing the result of the vocabulary test before the experiment,the author chose two parallel classes in Grade 5 as research participants.The experimental class and the control class were randomly located between the two classes.In addition,a questionnaire investigation was conducted in the experimental class to figure out students’ vocabulary learning attitude,leaning strategies and leaning effect before the experiment.During the four-month research,mind mapping was applied flexibly in vocabulary teaching in the experimental class in the review,presentation and consolation steps,while the traditional method was adopted in the control class,in which the teacher ruled the whole learning process and students’ role was more passive.Students’ homework in the control class was more about copying the new words they had just learned.In the end of the experiment,a vocabulary test was conducted for the second time in the two classes to figure out the effect of mind mapping on students’ vocabulary learning through data analysis.Additionally,a questionnaire investigation was applied for the second time in the experimental class to find out if there were some changes in students’ vocabulary learning attitude,leaning strategies and leaning effect after the experiment.In the end,conclusions could be drawn from analyzing the results of the vocabulary tests and questionnaire investigations.It could be seen from the result of the questionnaire investigation that before the teaching experiment,most of the students’ attitude towards English vocabulary learning was not so positive in the experimental class,lacking learning interest and confidence.After the experiment,students’ learning attitude became more positive than before.As for learning strategies,students lacked scientific and effective vocabulary learning strategies before the experiment.After the four-month study,students had acquired certain vocabulary learning strategies,such as observing,associating,and summarizing.Before the experiment,students’ vocabulary learning effect was not that satisfying.However,data from the questionnaire investigations and vocabulary tests showed that after the experiment students’ vocabulary had been significantly increased in the experimental class,which was much more satisfying than that of the control class.In the end,this study drew the conclusion as follows: mind mapping can be applied efficiently in the review,presentation and consolidation steps in English vocabulary teaching in primary school.It makes students’ vocabulary learning attitude become more positive.In addition,it helps students develop scientific vocabulary learning strategies,such as observing,associating,and summarizing and improves their vocabulary significantly as a result.In primary school,mind mapping does possess a positive effect on students’ English vocabulary learning.