Effects Of Input And Output On English Vocabulary Learning For Chinese College Students

Language learning includes two indispensable aspects: input and output. And foreign language learning is no exception. Input refers to the language materials that L2 learners receive through their exposure to target language environment, especially through listening and reading; while Output is defined as the actual production and use of the target language, including speaking and writing. It is often found that Chinese college students have serious problems in both input and output. On the one hand, students can not remember the vocabulary they have learned and their vocabulary is quite limited; on the other hand, they do not know how to use the vocabulary they have learned or recall the vocabulary they have learned when they are asked to output, especially in writing. In order to research and discuss this problem, the author conducted an experiment so as to find a solution to it and provide teachers and students with an effective way to improve their efficiency of vocabulary teaching and learning.In the 1980s, Krashen and Swain proposed their Input Hypothesis and Output Hypothesis respectively, exerting great impact on the research and practice of L2 acquisition. The earlier proposed Input Hypothesis attracted many applied linguists' attention and a lot of researches and experiments are conducted. But the role and importance of output is neglected until the late 1980s. Since then, more and more researchers have paid increasing attention to the importance and significance of output in L2 language teaching and learning and did lots of researches and studies. Merrill Swain's Comprehensible Output Hypothesis is regarded as the most important and influential one. In her research based on Canadian learners learning L2 in immersion classes, Swain concluded that comprehensible input is not the sole factor for successful L2 learning, arguing that output serves an indispensable learning purpose.However, there are very few experimental studies to apply these two theories to vocabulary teaching and learning. Based upon previous studies on Input and Output hypotheses, this thesis attempts to apply the two theories directly to college English vocabulary teaching and learning and discusses its implication for our college English teaching and learning. It aims to, by means of experimental research designs, probe into the effectiveness of traditional input and pushed output approach in enhancing English vocabulary acquisition, especially the role of output in helping learners to acquire new lexical items compared with other traditional approaches to teaching and learning new words. The outcome of the experiment proves that Swain's Output hypothesis is applicable to college English vocabulary teaching and learning. Output approach is more effective than traditional input approach in enhancing college English learner's vocabulary acquisition.82 college students from non-English majors participated the experiment. They were graded to the same English level after taking part in the school's English grading tests at the first week they came to the college. Before the experiment, their vocabulary levels on the fourth book of New Horizon College English were also tested, showing no difference. There are altogether four vocabulary tests: the pretest, posttest one, posttest two and final posttest, with a questionnaire at the end. The data were analyzed by using SPSS, with independent t-tests conducted to compare the effectiveness of the two different teaching and learning methods.It was proved that the output method of acquiring vocabulary is more effective, indicating that the hypothesis of this thesis is right. Hence, the prominent effect of Output-based vocabulary acquisition was proved.