A Study On The Correlation Between English Vocabulary Learning Strategies And Breadth And Depth Of Vocabulary Knowledge

Vocabulary is the basic building block of language,and the acquisition of any language relies heavily on vocabulary knowledge.The use of vocabulary learning strategies is one of the main factors affecting vocabulary learning.The relationship between vocabulary learning strategies and vocabulary knowledge has become the focus of researches.The existing researches mainly focus on the study of vocabulary learning strategies and one aspect of vocabulary knowledge,and most of the research subjects are non-English majors.This study is an attempt to examine the correlation between the use of vocabulary learning strategies and breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge among English majors,and address the following questions:1.What vocabulary learning strategies are frequently used by English majors?2.What is the learning level of breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge of English majors?3.Are there significant differences in the use of vocabulary learning strategies between the high score group and the low score group of English majors in the breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge? If there are significant differences,what are the differences?4.How is the use of vocabulary learning strategies of English majors correlated with the breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge?To this end,98 third-year English majors from a university in Henan participated in the questionnaire survey and vocabulary tests.Vocabulary learning strategies use questionnaire is designed by O’Malley and Chamot’s classification of learning strategies.Breadth and depth are measured by Vocabulary Level Test(Schmitt et al.,2001)and Word Associates Test(Read,1998).Descriptive analysis is given to describe learners’ vocabulary learning strategies use and the learning level of the breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge.Independent T-test is administered to compare the differences in vocabulary learning strategies use between the high score group and the low score group.Pearson correlation coefficient is done to explore the correlation between vocabulary learning strategies and breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge.The study finds that:1.English majors frequently use a variety of vocabulary learning strategies.The frequently used strategies are selective attention,guessing,dictionary,contextualization,and emotional regulation.2.The third-year English majors have mastered the words at 3000-word level and academic word list level.The mastery of depth is not as good as breadth.3.The frequency of vocabulary learning strategies used by English majors in the high score group is higher than that in the low score group.There are significant differences in metacognitive and cognitive strategies between high and low score group in breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge.4.Vocabulary learning strategies are significantly and positively correlated with the breadth and depth of vocabulary knowledge.Compared with breadth,depth is more significantly correlated with vocabulary learning strategies.Breadth is significantly correlated with metacognitive and cognitive strategies,and depth is significantly correlated with metacognitive,cognitive and social/affective strategies.English learners should frequently use a variety of vocabulary learning strategies to increase vocabulary knowledge.In the process of vocabulary learning,learners should pay attention not only to the increasement of breadth,but also to the development of depth.Teachers are supposed to encourage students to adopt different vocabulary learning strategies according to breadth and depth learning,and attach importance to depth teaching.