Research On Vocabulary Acquisition Through Reading In The Perspective Of Incidental Vocabulary Learning

The English Curriculum Standards for Senior High Schools has set high requirements for English vocabulary learning. The students are required to learn about 4500 words and expressions after graduation. Both teachers and students feel great pressure in this situation. So the traditional way of teaching and learning vocabulary must be modulated and new methods should be applied to meet the challenge. The author conducted a research which aimed at developing students' ability of incidental vocabulary learning, that is, learn vocabulary while fulfilling other tasks, eg. reading, without intentional study of words.In the past two decades, researches at home and abroad have discussed factors which may affect incidental vocabulary acquisition during L2 reading. However, the author found a potential factor----the reading tasks----has been seldom discussed in the previous studies.Purpose of the present study resides in checking the effect of reading tasks with different involvement load on the incidental vocabulary acquisition, which is based on the Involvement Load Hypothesis for L2 vocabulary learning proposed by Laufer & Hulstijn (2001). In the study, three reading tasks with different involvement loads (reading and answering comprehension questions; reading and filling in exercises; reading and writing original sentences) will be compared to explore the effectiveness on the vocabulary acquisition. Three key research questions are raised as follows:1 Is it possible for Chinese senior high school students to acquire vocabulary accidentally in their reading?2. Do different reading tasks affect the effectiveness of students' incidental vocabulary acquisition?3. What kinds of changes will happen to the students' learning attitudes and behaviors? Are there any positive changes on their affections?The author investigated two classes of students of senior two in a high middle school, and the students were randomly assigned to three different reading tasks during class time. Having completed the task, their answer sheets were collected, and unexpectedly the students were given an immediate posttest in which they were required to give Chinese translation or English explanations for a list of twelve target words. They got the same test again two weeks later. On the other hand, they were given a questionnaire survey before and after the empirical test. One questionnaire was given one week before the test while the other questionnaire was given after the completion of the whole empirical test, in order to check what changes have taken place to their attitudes and behaviors towards the incidental vocabulary acquisition.Results of the empirical test indicate that learners were able to acquire a certain number of words incidentally through reading, and the number varied with different reading tasks. Meanwhile, results of the questionnaires show that students have begun to realize the incidental vocabulary acquisition is a very important and useful skill for their vocabulary learning.Implications of these results are presented as follows:Firstly, English teachers should design multiple tasks with different involvement loads to gain optimal vocabulary acquisition in learners. Secondly, teachers should design reading tasks that are various in involvement load for words according to the type of reinforcement they want to give, because tasks with different involvement load will have different influences on word acquisition. Lastly, teachers should continue to give students guidance on strategies for vocabulary learning to make them master effective strategies for vocabulary learning. We should make them know how to learn English step by step in the course of learning and using English and lay the foundation for their lifelong learning.