英语论文网

Chapter 1 Introduction

Vocabulary is a core element of English language proficiency and lays the foundation for howstudents learn English well. However, maintaining a large store of vocabulary is still a demanding andcomplicated job for junior middle school students. The present research tries to investigate the effect ofsemantic mapping on junior middle school students’ vocabulary learning in order to enhance theirvocabulary learning ability and change their negative vocabulary learning attitude.

1.1 Background of research
Vocabulary is regarded as one of the most fundamental element of language learning. Just as Harmer(1990) held that if language structure is compared to the sketch of language, vocabulary will providevital organs, blood and flesh for it. If one masters large vocabulary, communicating in a foreign languagemay be relatively easy but without appropriate vocabulary, language learning will become ‘a castle in theair’ (Wilkins, 1972). So what vocabulary is to English language what air is to human beings. Furthermore,vocabulary knowledge stands for a fundamental element of English proficiency. As Meara (1996) indicatedthat if all other things are equal, learners with large vocabulary are better at language skills than those withsmall vocabulary. However, theoretical bases and researches of second language vocabulary acquisitionare still weak in the subfield of second language acquisition in China ( Dai Manchun, 2000).Vocabulary is still a demanding and complicated job for Chinese students, especially for junior middleschool students because of various reasons. At first, vocabulary learning itself is a complex process inwhich students not only should know the meaning of a word but also need to know how to use it indifferent contexts. Secondly, learning and memorizing words is an excruciating and boring process formost Chinese students even though they have spent a large amount of time learning those words. Becausemost of them don’t know how to study vocabulary effectively except for passive rote memorizationaccording to word lists. At last, as for most Chinese teachers, they can be aware of the significance ofvocabulary teaching but their teaching methods are still traditional and monotonous. In this case, it is adaydream for teachers to expect students to learn English vocabulary well. The present researcher isteaching junior middle school students of Grade Two. She finds that it is difficult for them to learnvocabulary well. They lack interest and enthusiasm in learning vocabulary and thus it is impossible forthem to learn English skills well without abundant vocabulary.
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1.2 Purpose and significance of research
As was mentioned above, we will not learn English well if we do not have enough vocabulary.Therefore, some effective vocabulary learning strategies should be applied to vocabulary teaching andlearning. Andrew (1998) stated that it is impossible to find out an omnipotent strategy suitable for alllearners so it is necessary for individual learners to use different strategies in various situations on the basisof their personal language learning needs. In the present research, the researcher introduced and appliedsemantic mapping strategy to vocabulary learning for junior middle school students, helping them learnvocabulary effectively and further enhancing their vocabulary learning ability. There are several purposesin this research as follows: 1