Abstract
In a long time, in China’s English teaching, words are mainly taught through the word list. Teachers let students read each word in the word list after the teacher or the tape, and then explain these words’ meaning according to Chinese translation, which make students just remember the spelling and the meaning mechanically and lack of a clear understanding of the usage of words.
There are three research questions in this thesis. First, why does context help teach English vocabulary? Second, what’s the present situation of vocabulary learning and teaching in junior high school? Third, how to teach vocabulary by using context? And the thesis answers these questions from theory and practice. The thesis surveys students’ attitude and methods towards vocabulary learning and the problems of vocabulary teaching by questionnaire, interviews and class observation. And the writer find out that context helps students learn vocabulary better. In the end of this thesis, the writer provides some suggestions of applying context to English vocabulary teaching for the junior high school English teacher and hopes that can help students learn vocabulary better.
Keywords: context; vocabulary teaching; junior high school
Contents
Abstract
摘 要
1. Introduction-1
1.1 Background of the study-1
1.2 Significance of the study-1
1.3 Layout of the thesis-1
2. Literature Review-2
2.1 Context in Language use-2
2.1.1 The Study of Context Theory-2
2.1.2 The Classification of Context-3
2.2 English Vocabulary Teaching-3
2.2.1 The Principle of Vocabulary Teaching-3
2.2.2 Present situation of vocabulary teaching in junior high school-4
2.3 Related Studies of Context in English Vocabulary Teaching-5
3. Methodology-7
3.1 Research questions-7
3.2 Subjects-7
3.3 Instrument-7
3.3.1 Questionnaire-7
3.3.2 Interview-7
3.3.3 Class observation-7
4. Data analysis and discussion-9
4.1 Analysis of the questionnaire-9
4.2 Analysis of the interview-10
4.3 Discussion of the classroom observation-11
5. Efficient Application of Context to English Vocabulary Teaching-12
5.1 Application of Linguistic Context to English Vocabulary Teaching-12
5.1.1 Application of Phonetic Context-12
5.1.2 Application of Lexical Context-12
5.1.3 Application of Grammatical Context-13
5.2 Application of Non-Linguistic Context to English Vocabulary Teaching-13
5.2.1 Application of Situational Context-13
5.2.2 Application of Cultural Context-14
6. Conclusion-15
References-16
Appendix-18
