论文总字数：31309字

摘 要

词汇在英语学习中起着重要作用，然而中学英语词汇教学仍存在很多问题，解决效率问题及提高学习兴趣迫在眉睫。思维导图可以激发学生词汇学习兴趣，提高词汇学习效率，拉近师生关系，因此，其对初中英语词汇教学有着重要意义。作为一种包含知识可视化，脑科学及建构主义理论的思维工具, 思维导图吸引了国内外学者的注意, 本文旨在研究其如何运用在初中英语词汇教学中来提高词汇学习效率。

关键词：思维导图；词汇教学；初中

Contents

1. Introduction 1

2. Literature Review 2

2.1 Definition of mind map 2

2.2 Process of designing mind map 3

2.3 Theoretical basis of mind map 3

2.4 Previous study on mind map 5

3.Current Situation of Junior Middle School English Vocabulary Teaching 6

4. Advantages of Applying Mind Map in Junior Middle School English Vocabulary Teaching 7

4.1 Stimulating interest in vocabulary learning 7

4.2 Improving efficiency of vocabulary learning 8

4.3 Narrowing gap between students and teachers 8

5.Application of Mind Map in Junior Middle School English Vocabulary Teaching 9

5.1 Mastering new words 9

5.2 Distinguishing synonymous words 10

5.3 Establishing relationships between words 11

6. Conclusion 12

Works Cited 14

1. Introduction

Vocabulary has an important influence on English learning, as Wilkins said that almost nothing can be conveyed if there is no grammar. If there is no vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed at all (Wilkins 54). The fact that vocabulary is the key of a language can be inferred from his words. We cannot listen, speak, read or write properly without the mastery of a great deal of vocabulary.

However, vocabulary teaching methods are always neglected, teachers just ask students to remember the new words in each unit without instructing them in efficient ways. Teachers ask students to recite constantly and students do their best to memorize, but it is difficult for students to keep new words in mind or apply each new word correctly. As a result, students get tired of reciting new words, some of them can still stick for the constant repetition while some students give up doing that, so as to fail to learn English well. Hence, it is pretty necessary to find a new way to teach English vocabulary, which can help students improve their abilities of vocabulary memorization.

Since mind map is a kind of visually logical arrangement of a complex material, it gives a hand to students to organize the vocabulary in their current knowledge system and add information related to the new words into a visual map which benefits their English vocabulary learning. Junior middle school students are told to recite the words they learned by constant repetition in a traditional way, which is of no high efficiency and makes students get tired of studying English. The aim of the study is to convince teachers and students that the mind map is effective for the junior middle school students in memorizing vocabulary and to help them approach a new way to teach and learn vocabulary as well as arouse students’ interest in English learning.

In terms of theoretical significance, to some extent, mind map is a learning tool for building knowledge, it can contribute to the further study of constructivism theory; it can also help junior middle school teachers enrich their teaching methods.

In terms of practical significance, firstly, it can lead students to easier memorization of the vocabulary they learned, easier understanding of related vocabulary as well as easier distinguishing synonymous words; secondly, teachers’ vocabulary teaching methods can have some improvement; thirdly, students’ creativity and confidence in learning English can be developed, so they will be attracted to the vocabulary learning again.

This thesis is composed of six chapters.

Chapter one is the part of the introduction, which includes the background, the purpose and significance and the overall structure of the paper.

Chapter two is the part of literature review. This part is about the description of the mind map. Besides, this part also includes the previous study on mind map.

Chapter three is about various problems remaining in today’s period of junior middle school vocabulary teaching and ways to relieve such problems.

Chapter four is about the advantages of applying the mind map in junior middle school vocabulary teaching, including arousing students’ interest in vocabulary learning, raising the efficiency of students’ vocabulary learning and shortening the distance between students and teachers.

Chapter five is about how the mind map can be applied in junior middle school vocabulary teaching, such as mastering new words, distinguishing synonymous words and establishing relationships between the words students have learned.

Chapter six is the part of conclusion. This part summarizes how the mind map can affect junior middle school students’ vocabulary learning and what teachers should do when applying the mind map in the teaching process.

2. Literature Review

2.1 Definition of mind map

Tony Buzan, a famous British educationist, first put forward “Mind Map” as the expression and description of divergent thinking by marking the relationships among different concepts with a visual image (Buran amp; Filyukov 215). The mind map makes the most of association and imagination to help people deal with knowledge in a better way. In short, the mind map can facilitate the integration of complex information and show the information in a simple, clear and direct way, which can make it easier for students to memorize new words and the relevant phrases, etc. As a kind of tool of thinking, it is helpful in the process of storing information, organizing information, optimizing information and outputting information. It is beyond all doubt that the mind map can have a positive influence on students’ English vocabulary learning.

2.2 Process of designing mind map

How to design the mind map is the basis of the effective use of it. A mind map is composed of key words or a central picture, line, color and graph labeling. Before making a mind map, you must prepare the following instruments: a blank sheet, some colorful pencils and an eraser as well as the designer’s creative imagination. First of all, you should determine the theme and put it on the center of the map. Secondly, extended by the theme, different branches should be decorated by different colors and the key words. Thirdly, related information ought to be marked by special symbols or patterning. In the end, modification and beautification are necessary. Extra space also should be prepared for later additions in the progress of making the map. For students, the process of drawing a mind map is easy to be understood and the design of a mind map is not hard to be put into practice.

2.3 Theoretical basis of mind map

2.3.1 Theory of knowledge visualization

The knowledge visualization is an effective way that applies pictures, signs to provide information to be visualized and presented. The ability of reconstructing and remembering the knowledge that has been learned can also be improved due to the theory. As the saying goes, images speak louder than languages. Complex information can be presented in a simpler way through image than through language. The mind map is a common tool for knowledge visualization, when using the mind map, information is presented in the form of node and the way of connection has high degree of consistency. Based on the theory, mind map is of great function and effect. When using mind map, vocabulary can be vividly shown in a map which can lead to students’ easier remembering of the words.

2.3.2 Theory of brain science

According to the American neuropsychologist, neurobiologist Dr. Roger Sperry, each side in our brain is responsible for different intellectual tasks. The right side of the brain is in charge of spatial awareness, image, color, and integral awareness while the left part is responsible for the word, number and logic sense (Buzan 15). What is more, the right brain is so autonomous that it can develop people’s ability of imagination and creativity. It will be very helpful to develop right brain by training image thinking. The brain can present a kind of radioactive image while humans are thinking. The brain neuron and its special graphical structure are the real embodiment of the brain thinking, which is the original inspiration of mind map. It means that mind map conforms to the physiological mechanism of brain, which can mobilize the logic, order, word and number of the left side as well as the space, image, imagine and color of the right side. Our memory as well as creativity can be improved if the left and right brain can work together and draw a mind map with a radiant structure.

2.3.3 Theory of constructivism

Constructivism highlights the importance of the learning autonomy of learners. It is the process during which students should construct knowledge on their own initiative with the help of the necessary learning material under a certain context. Due to the theory of constructivism, knowledge is the rationalization of personal experience and does not exist objectively. Different students have different experience, so it is reasonable that they have different knowledge structure. Mind map is a tool that integrates the old knowledge they have known and the new knowledge created by their own brain-storming. In the process of integrating, students can assimilate the old knowledge into a new one, which can accelerate their memory. While designing the mind map, students can express their idea freely and students themselves can understand what they have drawn easily, which can lead to their easier memorization of the words.

2.4 Previous study on mind map

2.4.1 Previous study on mind map abroad

Many scholars have researched the application of the mind map and its influence on various aspects in education. Maria Noonan’s relevant experiment testified that under the guidance of mind map, students’ learning strategies can be optimized, including the ability to memorize knowledge and the ability to construct the scattered knowledge in a logical structure (Maria 847). Farrand made a research which aimed to prove that the students’ abilities of writing can be proved based on the teaching model of mind map (Farrand, Hussain and Hennessy 426). Dhindsa and Kasim made an empirical research in adult teaching to study the use of mind map to natural science and found that the students who were guided by the mind map could get better grades than those who were under the guidance of the traditional method (Akinoglu amp; Yasar 34).

2.4.2 Previous study on mind map at home

More and more Chinese experts are being occupied in the study of mind map due to its great impact. The research on mind map in China mainly covers the following areas in the field of education. To begin with, the relevant knowledge about mind map, which is composed of the definition, characteristic, the rules of drawing, classifications and the theoretical basis. For instance, the fundamental contents and related rules about mind map is introduced by Wang Gongling (Wang 66) for the first time. Secondly, the empirical studies are implied in various subjects for different learning sections. What is more, the application of the mind map can improve students’ comprehensive abilities, including the cultivation of creative ability, the autonomy of learning and the capacity of constructing relationships between the old and new knowledge. Fourthly, both the students and the teachers can benefit from it since the mind map is a kind of useful teaching tool.

3. Current Situation of Junior Middle School English Vocabulary Teaching

Junior middle school is the key period for students to learn English vocabulary, so teachers have to master effective teaching methods. However, in fact, various problems which are remaining to be settled still exist in the junior middle school.

In junior middle school, it is of great difficulty for students to memorize a large number of words in a limited time, which is the result of teachers’ ignorance of systematic vocabulary teaching (Wang 117). In practical teaching, teachers always teach through the way of isolating word from word. Many teachers just ask students to read after them and explain the signal word and its useful phrases, then give them time to remember or ask students to memorize the words they learned as their homework. Some teachers even directly tell students that rote memorization is the best way to remember. Besides, teachers do not notice that vocabulary teaching should be combined with the context, instead, they just explain the part of speech, meaning, and usage, which causes students to be confused when the context is changed. What is more, vocabulary with synonymous meaning and usage is also a big barrier in junior middle school English vocabulary teaching. Students always cannot figure out the key difference between synonymous words while teachers explain the difference in the specific context where students make mistakes. Gradually, students are tired of the mechanical remembering and begin to lose interest in English vocabulary learning, which can result in students’ disinterest in English learning, not to mention that if they are willing to learn English actively.

As a second language, English has great influence on the students in the period of compulsory education and occupies a large proportion in junior middle school courses. Vocabulary is one of the key and difficult points remaining to be solved in junior middle school, playing an irreplaceable role at the stage of junior middle school. Thus the objective of vocabulary teaching is to help students master sufficient vocabulary, to improve the capacity of the second language learning including reading and writing and to cultivate the ability of language comprehensive application. Therefore, in order to teach vocabulary effectively, it is urgent to make up for the deficiencies in junior middle school vocabulary teaching.

The methods widely used by teachers to teach English vocabulary are not very efficient. Teachers should do their best to provide practical methods for students to carry out. With the teachers’ help, students will find it not hard to have access to the methods and fully utilize them. Meanwhile, teachers should focus on students’ autonomous learning. Teachers should learn the way to motivate the learning initiatives of students since students in junior middle school hold the independent learning ability such as self-supervision, self-control. Teaching students effective methods and strategies of learning is the fundamental way to promote the quality of vocabulary teaching. The use of mind map is such a method that can greatly improve students’ learning efficiency as well as teachers’ teaching efficiency.

4. Advantages of Applying Mind Map in Junior Middle School English Vocabulary Teaching

Vocabulary teaching in junior middle school cannot be well integrated into oral communication, and it often relies on rigid memorization and repeated reading and writing, which makes the learning process too boring and the learning effect is not good. If the mind map is applied in the teaching of vocabulary, it will show the following advantages.

4.1 Stimulating interest in vocabulary learning

As a new kind of vocabulary learning method, students must be curious about the mind map and curiosity is essential to stimulate interest in learning. When they draw a mind map, students will inevitably put themselves into the production of a mind map, which is more interesting than passive acceptance of the vocabulary knowledge taught by their teachers. There is no doubt that the mind map will attract junior middle school students’ attention greatly since there are both text and graphics in it. At the same time, it can also reduce repetitive reading and memorization as well as the fatigue in vocabulary learning, which is different from the traditional English vocabulary learning method, so the students can accept it easily.

4.2 Improving efficiency of vocabulary learning

The divergence of the mind map actually implies the initial thinking mode of the human brain. Students can build their own thinking structure smoothly, establish and perfect their knowledge system of vocabulary when they are using the mind map in English vocabulary learning. And once the knowledge system is established, the learning of new knowledge only needs to be filled into the framework that is already existed, according to which the efficiency of vocabulary learning will be greatly improved. At the same time, students’ self-learning ability can also be improved after mastering the interconnections between words. It is worth mentioning that when students themselves sense their control over the knowledge system of vocabulary, they are able to gain a great sense of achievement, which can provide additional motivation for vocabulary learning. Once students have additional motivation for vocabulary learning, their learning efficiency must be better than before.

4.3 Narrowing gap between students and teachers

The design and drawing of mind maps can be done by the students themselves, and the communication can be displayed in the classroom. When students exchange their ideas about the mind map they draw, teachers can know more about students such as the way they come up with the idea, the process of their design. And teachers can also provide suggestions to students to perfect the mind map, during the procedure of which students can treat teachers as their friends since the design is not a question that need an accurate answer, different students can have different ways of thinking and they can also exchange their ideas with teachers. Compared with top-down cramming teaching, it is obviously conductive to narrowing the relationship between teachers and students and strengthening the affection between them.

Application of Mind Map in Junior Middle School English Vocabulary Teaching

5.1 Mastering new words

If the mind map is used properly, the effect can be very surprising. Among them, the mind map is very effective in teaching new vocabulary. In English vocabulary teaching, although some words are new words, it does not mean that students are completely unfamiliar with the words. In fact, in English vocabulary, many new words are produced by the change of part of speech, or the same words appear in different context and present different meanings. Therefore, the use of the mind map can allow a full play to the divergence of students’ thinking, when students are told to design a mind map, it is easy for them to go over the similar words they have learned, so that the new and old words can be integrated. Besides, students can also have a systematic knowledge system of the word with different contextual meanings. What is more, since the system has been established, it will be hard for students to forget the different uses of the word.

For example, when teachers teach the word “excited” in Unit six of the second volume of Grade Seven of the English book of YiLin version, they can use the mind map to expand many other parts of speech. All of the students know usage of “excite” as a verb. However, its parts of speech as adjective and noun are unfamiliar to students. At this time, it is very useful to draw two branches with excite through the mind map, one of which is the nominal meaning and the other is the adjective meaning. Then, leaves are added to two different branches and the different meanings are defined in the leaves. This is a simple word, however, with the help of the mind map, its learning content will be greatly extended.

(Figure 1: the mind map to teach the word “excite”)

5.2 Distinguishing synonymous words

Mind map is also very effective in distinguishing synonymous words. There are many other methods to teach synonymous words while there is still a huge barrier in students’ way of distinguishing. Since students are just told to remember the usage unsystematically and they do not really understand the subtle differences. Nevertheless, the application of the mind map can deepen students’ impression of the different uses of the synonymous words and deepen their understanding of them. During their process of designing a mind map, they should know the exact usage of the word as well as the synonymous words and they can better understand the different situations and contexts where they should apply these synonymous words. Compared with the traditional way of being asked to memorize mechanically, distinguishing synonymous words by designing a mind map does no harm to students’ interest in vocabulary learning. Even those who are not good at English but do well in drawing or have a better imagination can get great fun or even get interest in learning English during the process of designing. As a result of students’ own understanding and their practical experience of differentiating, it is easier for them to distinguish synonymous words.

For example, when it comes to distinguishing the words “war”, “battle”, “campaign”, “struggle”, “fight” and “combat”, students can start with their common meaning: an open clash between two opposing groups or individuals, then extend six branches of their different meanings in English on the leaves of each branch to help students have a better understanding. After students have finished the design of a mind map on their own, they will have a clear understanding of these six words according to the mind map, thanks to which students may make fewer mistakes than before.

(Figure 2: the mind map to distinguish the word “war”, “battle”,“campaign”,“struggle”,“fight” and “combat”)

5.3 Establishing relationships between words

In English vocabulary learning, it is also important to understand the relationship between word and word. And root and affix are the most effective way to understand the lexical relationship in English since those are the foundations of English vocabulary. Having a proficient mastery of root and affix helps students improve their efficiency of memorize and enlarges their mastery of vocabulary at the same time. Mind map can greatly reduce the difficulty of vocabulary learning by making good use of roots and affixes. It is different from the way teachers ask students to remember all new words with the same roots or affixes, when designing a mind map, students themselves can find the rule on their own and classify different kinds of roots and affixes before finishing a mind map with different branches, which also contributes to their easier way to understand the words with same root or affix even though they have not learned, since they have established relationships between the words. Establishing relationships by the designing of a mind map not only can help students look back on the knowledge they have learned but also can help them have a better understanding and memorization of the words with the same root or affix they meet for the first time.

For example, “un” is a common negative affix, it means the antonym of the word when it is used before the word. Firstly, applying the mind map to get students understand the meaning of “un”, and then let them recall the words that contain the beginning of “un”, and draw these words on the corresponding position of mind mapping respectively. After looking back on the old knowledge, students can get a better comprehension of the new words with “un” as a affix. At this point, these seemingly unrelated words suddenly become connected, establishing relationships between words is one of the valuable applications of the mind map in vocabulary teaching.

(Figure 3: the mind map to learn words with “un” as an affix)

6. Conclusion

Vocabulary has an important influence on the junior middle school English teaching. However, the memorization of vocabulary is a huge barrier which confuses so many students. The existence and proper use of the mind map can greatly relieve such a problem. It breaks through the students’ mechanical ways of reciting and the teachers’ conventional ways of vocabulary teaching. The designing process can not only help students improve their learning efficiency but also can motivate their interest in vocabulary learning as well as cultivate their creativity. With the help of the mind map, teachers do not have to ask students to repeat reading and reciting in the class. Since students have mastered the method of making their memorization easier, teachers are also under less pressure of teaching vocabulary.

What teachers should do is to have an insight on the mind map. Besides, teachers’ specialized knowledge and their comprehension of mind map should be linked up. We all know that before attempting to putting a new means of teaching into effect, teachers should have an exhaustive and integrated comprehension of related knowledge. Since mind map has a long history, its sort as well as the feature and theoretical foundation are varied, only when the teachers get an adequate and right comprehension of the knowledge related to the mind map can they guarantee the authority and accuracy of the knowledge their students get from them. All of these are the foundations for the application of the mind map to the vocabulary teaching.

Therefore, teachers’ own knowledge system ought to be optimized at first and then the teaching research needs to be further developed. Besides, emphasis should be put on English vocabulary by the application of the mind map in the process of teaching. Since with the help of the mind map, not only the efficiency of the memorization can be improved, the learners’ learning interest can be inspired and their learning strategies can also be enriched. And teachers should pay more attention to the internal relations among words including the association, classification, etc. At the same time, we can attempt to extend the use of mind map to many other fields in English teaching such as English reading and writing teaching. What is more, the teachers ought to instruct students to apply the mind correctly and limit the time of discussion and design during the process of vocabulary teaching. For one thing, the teachers ought to construct a positive atmosphere to hearten the students so as to participate actively in the teaching process. During the process of the mind map drawing, students’ ability of knowledge construction and reconstruction can be greatly cultivated. Namely, they can put knowledge in a logical diagram with the help of the mind map. For the procedure of the correcting and estimating, it is good for developing students’ initiative spirit and sense of cooperation, both of which are necessary for their future. Only when the students take an active part in the process can they have the chance to break through the barrier in the way of vocabulary learning and to get more achievement in vocabulary learning. For another thing, the teachers should supervise students to make good use of time to ensure their learning effectiveness since the process of design should be implemented within a limited time. The mind map will greatly improve the vocabulary teaching situation through the efforts of teachers and students.

Works Cited

Akinoglu, O, and Z, Yasar. “The Effects of Note Taking in Science Education through the Mind Mapping Technique on Students’ Attitudes, Academic Achievement and Concept Learning.” Journal of Baltic Science Education: 6(2007): 34-43.

Buran, Anna, and Andrey, Filyukov. “Mind Mapping Technique in Language Learning.” Procedia-social and Behavioral Science: 206(2005): 215-218.

Buzan, Tony. Use Your Head. London: Guild Publishing, 1974.

Farrand, P, F, Hussain and E, Hennessy. “The Efficacy of the Mind Map Study Technique.” Medical Education : 15(2002): 426-431.

Maria, Noonan. “Mind Maps: Enhancing Midwifery Education.” Nurse Education Today: 33(2013): 847-852.

Wang Qiang. A Course in English Language Teaching. Beijing: Higher Education Press, 2006.

Wilkins,D.A. Linguistics in Language Teaching. London: Edward Arnold, 1972.

崔刚，孔宪遂：《英语教学十六讲》. 北京： 清华大学出版社, 2009.

[Cuigang, Kong Xiansui. Sixteen Lectures on English Teaching. Beijing: Tsinghua University Press, 2009.]

靳艳青：《思维导图与英语词汇学习》.《英语广场》, 9（2015）：77-79.

剩余内容已隐藏，请支付后下载全文，论文总字数：31309字