A Study Of English Lexical Chunk Teaching In A Junior High School

It is well known that vocabulary is a very important component of a language and plays a critical role in language learning and teaching. Recently, lexical approach has drawn more and more linguists'attention and received great interest as an alternative to grammar-based approaches. Michael Lewis, a well-known linguist, once said, "Language consists of grammarticalised lexis, not lexicalised grammar" (Michael Lewis,1993). He also insisted that chunks are the focus of language teaching and language use as well, for they help accelerate the speed of language processing, facilitate second language acquisition and develop learners' language output. The lexical approach concentrates on developing learners' proficiency with lexis, or words and word combinations. It is based on the idea that an important part of language acquisition is the ability to comprehend and produce lexical phrases as unanalyzed wholes, or "chunks", and that these chunks become the raw data by which learners perceive patterns of language traditionally thought as grammar.Based on the theory of lexical chunks, this paper aims at investigating the current teaching and learning (TL) situation in a junior high school about lexical chunks by analyzing textbooks, testing paper and survey on students and teachers. Textbook is the most important media for teachers and students during the whole TL process. The exercise on the textbook is an indication of what is focused on during the TL process. The textbook and testing paper reflects the writers'and examiners' opinion on TL objectives and understanding about methodology, which will surely have an influential impact on teachers and learners. Teachers' and students' awareness about lexical chunks will be the greatest factor in putting lexical chunks theory into TL practice.This thesis consists of five chapters.Chapter One is an introduction part about the background of this study from both theoretical and practical perspective, the purpose and significance of this study, current situation of lexical chunk teaching in China and the significance of textbook and textbook exercises in English teaching.Chapter Two is literature review part. This thesis makes a summary of current situation about lexical chunk related study based on results of searching, reading and analyzing related materials. It also summarizes the lexical chunks in terms of theory including lexical approach, the concept of lexis, the nature of lexical chunks, the advantages of teaching lexical chunks and applications of lexical chunks teaching.Chapter Three is research design part, the main body of this study. The purpose of study and three research questions are presented in this part. Participants for this research are introduced in details and the materials for study are presented with specific examples. Textbook and testing paper are analyzed and the questions for both teachers and students are listed in this chapter.Chapter Four is the major finding part. Major findings are presented in this part based on the analysis for textbook exercises, testing paper, questionnaires for students and e-mail survey for teachers.Chapter Five is conclusion part which gives a summary of this investigation and put up some limitations and also some suggestions about what can be done in a further research.