| A people-oriented individualized foreign language teaching is now one of hot spots in the foreign language teaching and reform. Cognitive styles and learning strategies are two main factors leading to individual differences of foreign language learners. However, the domestic and foreign studies mainly focus on the relation between FI/FD and various performances in foreign language learning. The studying on the other dimension—verbal-imagery cognitive style has been relatively small. Based on the theory of verbal-imagery cognitive style and memory—dual coding theory, the present study discusses the preferences of verbal-imagery cognitive style and the use of memory strategies in vocabulary learning as well as quantitatively analyzes the correlation between these two aspects. The aim of this study is to explore a new direction to teaching English vocabulary by the manifestation of relation between verbal-imagery cognitive style and memory strategies in vocabulary learning.The data were collected by two questionnaires which surveyed the freshman and sophomore students majoring English in Jilin University. SPSS14.0 was used for data analysis. The results are as follows: (1) Chinese students prefer to imagery style. (2) The use of Chinese students'memory strategies in vocabulary learning is: the highest rate of usage is visual-associative method; the lowest one is verbal-associative method, and rote learning in between. (3) The correlation between verbal-imagery cognitive style and memory strategies is: verbal style is positive predictor of verbal-associative method, and imagery style is positive predictor of visual-associative method. However, the value of them is not high. This manifests that there is an effect of the verbal-imagery cognitive style preferences on the choice of memory strategies in vocabulary learning, but style is not the only influencing factor.In the light of the major findings, the suggestions are made: according to students'verbal-imagery cognitive style, teachers should blend memory strategies with vocabulary teaching, and Styles- and Strategies-Based Instruction can be conducted in the class.; rote learning is still a major approach to learning vocabulary for Chinese students, so recycling has to be consciously built into study programs, and explicit teaching and incidental learning complement each other; vocabulary acquisition involves verbal and imagery processes, and multimedia learning environment could present information in verbal and visual representation simultaneously, which enhances memory and recognition of information, therefore, the application of multimedia-aided English teaching should be pushed forward in every possible condition.The current study conducts a meaningful exploration for enriching the research in individual differences in second language acquisition, as well as provides a new way of thinking to improve teaching vocabulary.
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