A Research On The English Vocabulary Acquisition Model Of Vocational Technical College Students

Among the three basic factors of language: phonology, vocabulary and grammar, vocabulary is one of the most essential one. However, the lack of vocabulary has become a bottleneck in the English study of vocational technical college students. The limited English vocabulary of them has seriously influenced their whole English level and the improvement of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Some of the students even lose their interest in English study for this reason.On the other hand, although many researches have been done in vocabulary learning by researchers and scholars in recent years, yet the amount of the English vocabulary acquisition models of vocational technical college students is limited. These models are more suitable for the students whose English lever is high, but not for vocational technical college students whose English lever is relatively low. The lack of vocabulary is still a big problem to them. Framed on Schmitt's (1997) taxonomy of vocabulary learning and based on Oxford's(1990) framework of learning strategy and some other language learning theories, the author makes an investigation including two self-designed questionnaires in two vocational technical college , which is guided by the view of cognitive linguistics in the whole process.According to the result of the survey, the author expounds her ideas of vocabulary acquisition and puts forward her English vocabulary acquisition model of vocational technical college students, which mainly includes four steps: Lexical Knowledge→Strategies Instruction→Strategies Training→Strategies Application. That means: students learn some lexical knowledge first, and then teachers instruct vocabulary learning strategies; after that, students have strategies training; finally, both teachers and students apply strategies in the process of vocabulary teaching and learning.In this acquisition model, the first step requires that students should learn some basic lexical knowledge and some cognitive linguistics theories about lexical knowledge, which can help them improve their cognitive competence. In order to complete the second step: Strategies Instruction, the author first argues the importance of strategy instruction and advocates the theories on this field: Oxford (1990) taxonomy of learning strategies, O'Malley and Chamot's (1994) two approaches in teaching learning strategy: direct and embedded, Coady's (2001) Strategy Instruction in the second position of the continuum, and the theories of Husltijin (1994) , Nation and Newton(2001) are also mentioned; finally an outline of a useful sequence for the introduction of strategies argued by Oxford (1990) is introduced.From the perspective of cognitive linguistics, strategy training can enhance both the process of language learning and the product of language learning, as well as the autonomy of students. Therefore, in the third step of the model the principles of strategies training summarized by Oxford (1994) is emphasized to make training more effective; one suggested framework proposed by Pearson and Dole (1987) with reference to first language learning but applicable to the study of a second language as well is also presented in the strategy training. By strategies training, students' awareness of employing strategies and their methods are improved.To apply vocabulary learning strategies in the process of vocabulary acquisition requires the efforts of both teachers and students. That is what the last step of the model expounds. In accordance with cognitive linguistics, the underlying premise of the strategies-based approach is that students should be not only given opportunities to understand what these strategies are, but also how they can apply these strategies in their vocabulary learning process and then form experience. Teachers should pay attention to strategies application in their teaching process; on the other hand, students employ strategies while they are learning and memorizing vocabulary. Some suggestions on the application of the vocabulary strategies are given to both teachers and students. Several advise on mnemonic methods and techniques are put forwards in the this step.With the purpose to assess the efficiency of the model, another investigation is made. The result shows that the model has its priority in vocabulary learning process of vocational technical college students.At the end of the thesis, the author gives her considerations about the limitation and defect of the current study. Also she puts forward her suggestions on further research.