An Exploratory Study On Selective Memorization To English Vocabulary Learning In High Schools

Vocabulary has always been assumed to be such a central role to language and of critical importance to typical language learners. Learners' reading, listening, speaking and writing are greatly influenced by their size of vocabulary. Thus, teachers are faced with the challenge of how best to help learners store words quickly and use words correctly in the target language. Researchers across the world have been exploring methods to make the job more effective. However, whatever method is adopted no teachers can totally ignore the method of memorization. Memorization, a traditional but by no means obsolete activity, is necessary in any language program such as vocabulary, grammatical rules, phrases, paradigms.In current middle school English teaching, on the one hand teaching professionals regard memorization as rote, mechanical and lack of validity, on the other hand, however, students depend heavily on various vocabulary memorization skills to study English such as reciting word lists, using synonyms or antonyms. Those learning methods enable them to gain passive vocabulary (recognition vocabulary) rather than active vocabulary (productive vocabulary).In view of this, the author suggests doing a flexible memorization practice referred to as "selective memorization", which is supposed to be effective in vocabulary mastery and expression improvement. Theoretically, a brief review of how memorization activities have been used in traditional education field of China and different language teaching methods. Meanwhile comments on various vocabulary learning strategies are also presented in order to analyze their advantages and disadvantages and seek relationship between memorization and vocabulary learning, which lay the foundation for the proposed memorization activity. Then a relevant comparative experiment about selective memorization is also conducted on two parallel classes of senior two students. Discussion is presented based on data collected from a questionnaire, two English proficiency tests, students' written assignments and an interview. The effectiveness of this method is identified through qualitative and...