The Effect Of Use Of Vocabulary Notebook On Vocabulary Long-term Retention:an Action Research On Vocabulary Deep Processing

The context of this study is a special secondary vocational school,with students quite different from those in other schools.This author found that vocabulary long-term retention is one big problem in their English learning,based on students' learning performance.In light of some information on vocabulary learning,such as “dimensions of vocabulary knowledge”,“different vocabulary learning strategies”,“various vocabulary deep processing models”,and “the vocabulary notebook”,this author made a hypothesis that vocabulary deep processing through notebook may be a strategy deserved trying to solve his students' problem of long-term retention of English vocabulary.Research questions are raised as below:(1)To what extent is English vocabulary deep processing through notebook feasible to students with physical disabilities?(2)Which strategy is more effective in terms of vocabulary deep processing,teacher's explicit teaching or students' use of vocabulary notebook?(3)Among different aspects in vocabulary deep processing through the use of vocabulary notebook,which one/ones significantly affect the retention of new words?This action research adopted “students' vocabulary notebook”,“word quiz”,“interview”,and “questionnaires” as research instruments.And this action research involves three phases that include different kinds of processing.Phase 1 focus on receptive processing;Phase 2 puts emphasis on productive processing;and Phase 3 aims to explore the effect of combining the processing of both receptive and productive.Based on the data gained from the action research,both the author and his students agree that vocabulary deep processing through notebook is a situation-specific vocabulary learning strategy for those low-proficiency students.It has good effect on vocabulary long-term retention.The effect of vocabulary deep processing through “vocabulary notebook” is better than that through “teacher's explicit teaching”.The effect is more significant when combining receptive and productive vocabulary deep processing through notebook.In addition,the students considered two third of processing aspects fit their actual requirements.Due to the research limitation and due to the special research context the conclusion still need more verification.However,this research still inspire this author to search more along this research direction,such as to find more about students' autonomous vocabulary learning after class.