A Survey Of Chinese High School Students' Vocabulary Learning Strategies

Researches on vocabulary learning strategies are widely undertaken in western countries and some significant achievements have already been obtained. Yet, the focus of these researches is now experiencing a shift from the teachers' mere knowledge delivery to helping the learners to learn how to learn. This shift also finds its expression in teaching English as a foreign language. English teachers have started to concern about helping the learners to develop not only English skills but also English learning strategies.English vocabulary is a great obstacle in English teaching and learning. There were, however, few researches on English vocabulary learning strategies at home and abroad. In China, fewer studies focus on the English vocabulary learning strategies used by Chinese learners. For most of the Chinese learners, especially those high school students, learning vocabulary is the main problem in the process of learning English. So it is worthwhile exploring vocabulary learning strategies used by Chinese high school students.The study is developed from O'Malley and Chamot' framework of learning strategies, in which metacognitive strategies, cognitive strategies, social/affective strategies are included. Metacognitive strategies are higher order executive skills and used for learners to oversee, regulate, or self-direct their language learning. Cognitive strategies refer to the mental processes they use to acquire, sort, remember, and use information. Social/Affective strategies refer to participating in the language learning and affective adjustment.The present study attempts to explore the overall pattern of English vocabulary learning strategies used by some Chinese high school students. In addition, both similarities and differences in English vocabulary strategies used between boy students and girl students. 365 students from ShaShi Middle School and Middle School Affiliated to WuHan University were asked to do the questionnaire. The questionnaire is used to investigate students who use English vocabulary learning...