The Application Of Mind Mapping In English Word Teaching In Senior High Schools: An Empirical Study

Mind mapping is a visual tool for cognitive mode and also a thinking tool thathelps learners study and think. This tool enhances learners’ memory ability by meansof pictures, colors, multidimension, and code, etc, which makes the central picturebecome the focus of attention. English words are the basis of English learning. Thisthesis explores whether the mind mapping serves to promote English word memoryof senior high school students. By means of the applied research on English wordsmapping in class, this thesis attempts to study the applicability and effectiveness ofthe integration of mind mapping and English words memory.This research, firstly, reviews the mind mapping literature to find thedeficiencies of the current researches and research the related theory to lay thetheoretical foundation for the integration between the mind mapping and theEnglish words. Based on the research, the thesis has summed up five kinds of Englishwords mapping in structure in the process of drawing words mapping by analyzingthe basic features of the mind mapping, designing method, the feature and linkbetween English words. The research is based on the empirical research. The subjectsof the research are senior-one students. By using the comparative experimentmethod, the experiment chose two classes. One is the experimental class while theother is the control class. The experiment lasted for one semester. The questionnairewas attached before and after the experiment to know whether mind mapping canimprove the English words memory and the correct rate of words spelling or not.Based on the research, the thesis has drawn the following conclusions: Firstly,the thesis studies the applicability and effectiveness of the integration on mindmapping and English words memory. Mind mapping is not only a photographical wayto express knowledge, but also a study method. It can inspire students’ imagination,integrate words and help students master the English words they have learnedaccording to constructing the word memory net in a certain logical order. Secondly,the research shows that mind mapping serves to improve students’ word memory,which is clearly showed in the improvement of correct word spelling rate, words extraction and the number of words representation. Thirdly, mind mapping can helpstudents cultivate good study habits and improve students learning autonomy.