Correlation Between Vocabulary Learning Strategies And English Scores Of Junior High School Students

Since the 1960s,research focus in the field of second language acquisition has shifted from a predominantly teaching-oriented perspective to the perspective which includes the activities that students take when they learn English.Against this background,research of language learning strategies(LLS)has developed rapidly and greatly.Oxford(1990)defines vocabulary learning strategies(VLS)as "specific behaviors that students use to enhance their vocabulary learning,besides this process can be realized and taught by teachers.And after practice and use,these strategies,like most other skills,can become automatic.English Curriculum Criteria particularly emphasize the teaching of language learning strategies to improve students' ability of learning by themselves.In China,many researchers have investigated vocabulary learning strategies,such as Wen Qiufang(1995),Wu Xia&Wang Qiang(1998)and Yang Jinfeng(2004).However,the subjects of those studies are mostly university students or graduate students,whose vocabulary learning strategies could not change easily.Obviously,research of junior middle school students who need improve their vocabulary size rapidly are not enough,meanwhile the correlation between vocabulary learning strategies and English score is not necessarily promote each other.A questionnaire is used in the thesis to get information about vocabulary learning strategies and the correlation between vocabulary learning strategies and English score of 480 grade nine students of Middle School Attached Northwest University in Xi'an.At the same time,the author analyzes the gender difference in vocabulary learning strategies and the correlation between VLS and English scores of the Senior Entrance Examination.Results show that:(1)"words should be learned by use" is the most frequent belief and the belief that "word should be memorized" is not so popular in participants' mind,while results of cognitive strategies show that students still use the method of memorizing words;(2)there are significant differences between male and female learners in using vocabulary learning strategies.Female learners use more VLS than male learners;(3)the difference in beliefs about vocabulary learning strategies between high and low score students is not significant,while low score students use metacognitive and cognitive strategies less actively.