Chinese vocabulary learning strategies by English-speaking learners: A think-aloud study
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Jing Yan
Abstract
Learning Chinese vocabulary is challenging for learners whose first language is alphabet-based. Researchers have embarked on investigating Chinese vocabulary learning strategies from both a psycholinguistic and a pedagogical perspective. Learning strategies are defined as observable behaviors and mental actions that are consciously employed by learners for comprehending, processing, and storing language knowledge. This paper reports a study in which the think-aloud research method is employed for exploring Chinese vocabulary learning strategies of English-speaking learners. The participants were eight learners of Chinese from a university in the UK. The results reveal that learners employ orthographic strategies, semantic strategies, memory strategies, phonological strategies, and metacognitive strategies. Furthermore, this study found that overt physical behaviors and mental actions cannot be separated. Various mental actions were underneath similar physical behaviors, which may lead to variations in learning outcomes. Second, there are metacognitive strategies, with which the participants could use in deciding, monitoring, and evaluating the use of specific cognitive strategies. This study suggests that Chinese vocabulary learning strategies need to be described in a holistic manner wherein physical and mental actions involved in cognitive strategies and metacognitive strategies are all taken into consideration so as to inform strategy instruction.
摘要
对于母语是拼音文字的学习者来说, 中文词汇的学习是非常具有挑战的。不少学者从心理语言学和教学的角度探索了中文词汇学习策略。学习策略被定义为是学习者有意识地采用的肢体行为和心理行为, 这些行为能帮助学习者理解、加工、储存语言知识。本研究采用了有声思维的研究方法探索了英语为母语的学习者学习中文词汇的策略。被试为8名英国某大学汉语专业的学生。结果显示这些学习者采用了字形策略、语义策略、记忆策略、语音策略和元认知策略。同时, 本次研究还发现可观察到的肢体行为与心理行为不可分割。同样的肢体行为下有着不同的心理行为, 这可能导致不同的学习结果。另外, 元认知策略被用于决定、监控以及评估认知策略的使用, 两者不可分割。为了更好地为策略培训提供参考, 本次研究建议词汇学习策略应该全面地展示认知策略与元认知策略使用过程中的肢体行为和心理行为。
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© 2020 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Special section: Chinese Language Education Research in the Asia Pacific Contexts; Guest editor: Danping Wang
- Introduction to special issue
- Motivational strategies in Chinese language classrooms: A comparative study of novice and experienced teachers
- Interacting with native speakers of Chinese through online learning communities: A case study with East Asian learners
- Chinese vocabulary learning strategies by English-speaking learners: A think-aloud study
- Localising Chinese language curriculum construction: A case study in an Australian primary school
- Learning Mandarin tones through pitch-time diagrams: A computer-assisted visual approach
- Special section: Developing Chinese Language Skills and Intercultural Competence; Guest editor: Irene Shidong An
- Differentiation of radical processing strategies in character decoding by L2 learners of Chinese according to L1-type
- Teachers’ perceptions of effective strategies for developing intercultural competence
- Introducing Chinese Hanzi at the beginning of teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL)
- 影响少数民族学生阅读理解能力的语言及认知因子研究———以藏族和彝族小学生为例
Articles in the same Issue
- Frontmatter
- Special section: Chinese Language Education Research in the Asia Pacific Contexts; Guest editor: Danping Wang
- Introduction to special issue
- Motivational strategies in Chinese language classrooms: A comparative study of novice and experienced teachers
- Interacting with native speakers of Chinese through online learning communities: A case study with East Asian learners
- Chinese vocabulary learning strategies by English-speaking learners: A think-aloud study
- Localising Chinese language curriculum construction: A case study in an Australian primary school
- Learning Mandarin tones through pitch-time diagrams: A computer-assisted visual approach
- Special section: Developing Chinese Language Skills and Intercultural Competence; Guest editor: Irene Shidong An
- Differentiation of radical processing strategies in character decoding by L2 learners of Chinese according to L1-type
- Teachers’ perceptions of effective strategies for developing intercultural competence
- Introducing Chinese Hanzi at the beginning of teaching Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL)
- 影响少数民族学生阅读理解能力的语言及认知因子研究———以藏族和彝族小学生为例
