A Study On Mental Lexicon And Foreign Language Vocabulary Learning Strategies

There are two purposes the present study means to achieve. First is to undercover the relations between mental lexicon and vocabulary learning strategies (or the employment of vocabulary learning strategies in particular). The second is, based on the above analysis, to dig out some theoretical and pedagogical implications to guide the FL/ L2 vocabulary learning and teaching. However, these two tasks are not easy to accomplish, but require two theoretical frameworks to be set before detailed analysis. Considering this, a literature review is made on the study of mental lexicon and vocabulary learning strategies (VLSs) in order to set the theoretical framework before a detailed analysis is conducted. Issues are included like the storage and access to mental lexicon, stages of L2 lexical development and different types of classification for VLSs.Holding preference for Schmitt's classification of VLSs and part of Gu and Johnson's, discussion is carried on among discovery strategies and mental lexicon, consolidation strategies and mental lexicon, and semantic network strategies as well as association network strategies and mental lexicon. Based on the above analysis, some theoretical and pedagogical implications are to be drawn. Two main theoretical implications are as follows: 1). Learners'use of VLSs can be a predictor of their mental lexicon composition; 2). and in turn, the state of mental lexicon, as a revelation of learners'language proficiency, influences learners'choice of VLSs employment.Meanwhile, some pedagogical implications are also drawn from the perspective of the major elements involved in vocabulary learning and teaching: 1). Teachers, themselves, are expected to have a clear-picture of VLSs framework and cognitive processes in L2 lexical development. Learners are supposed to be independent and autonomous. 2). Teaching materials should be carefully selected, conforming to learners'cognitive abilities. Meanwhile, it is suggested that VLSs should be integrated into teaching materials as well as classroom teaching. 3). As for the assessment of vocabulary learning and teaching, the author, based on the previous theoretical discussion about mental lexicon and L2 lexical development, agrees more on the combination of breadth and depth of lexical knowledge instead of emphasizing breadth only.