An Action Research On L2Learners’ Use Of Lexical Chunks And Language Production

Many linguists and researchers bring forward the concept of “lexical chunks”and believe that language is made up of large amounts of prefabricated chunks insteadof grammar and vocabulary. Various kinds of lexical chunks with fairly fixedmeanings account for90percent of daily communication (Yang Yuchen，1999)。Lexical chunks, as the combination of form and function, reflect the interrelationshipof syntax, semantics and pragmatics. Based on the theory that “language isgrammaticalised lexis, not lexicalized grammar”(Lewis,1993), a lexical approachfocuses on the function and application of lexical chunks rather than lexis in languagecommunication.In this dissertation, a three-month experiment on lexical approach teaching wasconducted in form of action research. The intention was to explore the relationshipbetween second language learners’ chunking ability and their language output, as wellas to investigate the specific application of lexical approach in the teaching of writing.Altogether58non-English major freshmen students from Changchun NormalUniversity participated in the present research. Research questions involved thefollowing items:1. What kind of relationship exists between learners’ chunking ability and theirlanguage production?2. How to teach lexical chunks? What does chunks teaching and learning affecton learners’ proficiency of language production?3. What inclination do learners have in using different types of chunks inlanguage production?Three rounds of teaching activities were conducted according to the proceduresof action research, with each round lasting about one month.Before conducting the teaching experiment, a pre-test consisting of amultiple-choice test and writing test were designed to investigate the situation ofparticipants’ chunks ability and writing competence, which made a preparation for thecoming teaching plan. During the course of experiment, the author observed thestudents’ performance and reflected on the defects and problems in the teachingactivities. An interview and a writing test were carried out at the end of the first roundteaching activities, and then the first adjustment was made to decide the next step ofact plan. Before the second round of teaching activities ended, it was found that there were some problems in the students’ chunks using in writing and the second interviewwas employed. According to the results of interview, the second adjustment inteaching was made and then started the third round of teaching activities. After thethird round of teaching activities, a post-test composed of multiple-choice test andwriting test was conducted. The data such as scores, numbers and types of chunkswere collected and analyzed. Meanwhile, a questionnaire was made to look into thestudents’ attitudes toward a lexical approach teaching. The questionnaire shows thatthe students have a strong awareness of chunks and become more interested andconfident in writing after a whole semester’s teaching experiment.Based on the data analysis, feedbacks from the two interviews and thequestionnaire, several findings were concluded as follows:1. There is a correlation between the learners’ chunks ability and their languageproduction.2. Lexical approach to teaching contributes a lot to the learners’ chunksawareness and helps to improve fluency, accuracy and idiomaticity of languageproduction.3. Among four types of chunks, sentence builders for discourse organization arethe easiest to master.