An Investigation Into The Current English Vocabulary Teaching At Senior High School

Language is composed of pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary, and as the core of language abilities in communication, vocabulary is considered as the most important element. Thus, vocabulary teaching is also very significant as the main means to manage English vocabulary. The new English Curriculum Standards of Senior High School requires larger vocabulary and students'knowing of how to use vocabulary. Therefore, teachers are not only responsible for vocabulary knowledge teaching but also for studying English vocabulary teaching methods, which will contribute to the vocabulary teaching, foreign language teaching and second language acquisition. This thesis carries out a research on the current situation of vocabulary teaching in senior high school, to discover the characteristics of vocabulary teaching and problems as well as difficulties that may exist in vocabulary teaching, so as to make suggestions on improving vocablary teaching and English teaching.This thesis first reviews the literature about vocabulary and through the theories and researches of different linguists and researchers, explains the definition of word, vocabulary, vocabulary teaching contents, vocabulary teaching principles and ten English vocabulary teaching methods that are often used in middle schools.In the second part of the thesis, a research is made on the current situation of English vocabulary teaching and the using of the ten English vocabulary teaching methods in senior high schools. In the research, it is found that the ten vocabulary teaching methods have different features in using and there exist some problems or difficulties in the using of some methods.The third part of the thesis makes a discussion on the features, problems and difficulties that are found in the research, and proposes relative suggestions.A conclusion is made at the end of the thesis. Vocabulary teaching is significant in the English teaching of senior high schools, but there are still some problems and difficulties in vocabulary teaching and the using of English vocabulary teaching methods. English teachers should continue exploring and improving English vocabulary teaching, so as to improve the English teaching quality of senior high school.