The Application of Constructivist Theory in

Lou+Lin

【Abstract】Nowadays most vocational colleges set up specialized English course People usually think that vocabulary of ESP is too obscure and difficult to remember. Learning theory is a refined branch of the application of Constructivism Theory. This paper mainly indicates that constructivist vocabulary learning strategies did make a difference for vocabulary learning of ESP and played a positive role in improving second language acquisition.

【Key words】constructivism theory； ESP vocabulary； learning strategies

【中圖分類號】H319 【文獻標識碼】A 【文章編號】2095-3089（2016）09-0022-02

1.Theory of Constructivism

These years constructivism has larger and larger influence on education. The flourish of vocational education also put the theory guidance in great demand. So is vocabulary learning of professional English in vocational colleges. Constructivism is a social and scientific theory that thrived in western countries during 1990， which appeared with the profound research to human beings learning process and cognitive rules done by numerous psychologists. Constructivism is the further development from behaviorism to cognitivism in learning theory， and is regarded as a revolution in modern educational psychology.

Constructivism is also translated as structuralism. It is a branch of cognitive psychology and is based on experiential learning through real life experience to construct knowledge. The process integrates new knowledge with existing knowledge， and allows for creation of original work or innovative procedures. The purpose in education is to let learners create new knowledge creatively and innovatively.

2.Constructivist View of Learning

Learning is not a simple transfer of knowledge from the outside to the inside， but the process of constructing the knowledge and experience made by the learners actively. The construction process of learners has three important characteristics ： Active Construction， Social Interaction and Situated Learning.

In the face of new information， new concept and new problems， the learner must fully activate prior knowledge in the mind， analyze， synthesize， reflect and evaluate the knowledge through higher levels of thinking activity. As the master of learning activities， learners must bear the responsibility of learning， manage and regulate their own learning activities voluntarily. Learning is the internalization of the skills and the knowledge， grasping the operation of certain tools by the way of cultural participation. Constructivists hold the view that knowledge exists in specific， context and perceived activities in the reality. Learning should be combined with social practical activities in various situations.

3.Constructivist Vocabulary Learning Strategies

A learning strategy is a person？蒺s approach to learning and using information. It refers to the broadly conceived intentional directions and learning techniques. Vocabulary learning strategies are the strategies that learners use during the act of remembering and understanding the new words. All language learners use language learning strategies either consciously or unconsciously when processing new information and performing tasks in the language classroom. It is inescapable.

3.1 Culture Association

Social constructivisms central concerns are that leaning is a course associated with culture. Vocabulary learning always link with the situation of certain social and cultural background. Under certain cultural background， new knowledge may make learners use relevant experience in their original cognitive structure to assimilate and index new knowledge at present， thus they can define original experience again.

For example， when students are learning Special English for Automobile， teachers can guide the students to observe the car emblem of every type， while learning the auto logos， students can also learn the culture， the development of the auto history and the efforts that those pioneers have devoted. Students will feel very eager to learn it and memorize concerning words without knowing it.

3.2 Word Building Association

Most vocabulary of ESP can find its origin from basic vocabulary. A large part of the vocabulary is composed of roots and affixes. A root is a symbol that cannot be used independently. Roots are very powerful in generating words and the meanings of the generated words are multifold. According to positions which affixes occupy in words，affixation falls into two subclasses：prefixation and suffixation. Thus， memorizing a word by grasping the roots and affixes is an effective way to improve your vocabulary.

Most English words are compounds composed of a root plus Prefix or suffix. The prefix and suffix of ESP vocabulary is highly professional， such as： medic？鄄（cure， medicine）， ax？鄄（shaft）， ferri？鄄（iron， ferric iron）， ferro？鄄（iron， two iron）， hydro？鄄（water）， ？鄄ethyl（Yi Ji）， kine？鄄（movement）. The analysis of the compounds structure， especially the meaning of the roots plays a key role in memorizing the ESP vocabulary. A comprehensive understanding of its basic meaning， can leave us a deep impression about the words.

3.3 Situational Learning Strategy

In constructivist learning environment， students are subject of cognitive process， and they construct their knowledge as the ultimate aim of learning process actively. Students learn Special English for the purpose of improving their application of this language to the practice. The application cannot be successful without practice. Teachers may deliberately create a leaning situation that is similar to the real working environment students may face in the future and let them experience the use English in practice as well as consolidate it during the process.

For pharmaceutical technology major， students are to be the salesman or pharmacist in the drugstore where they may have to communicate with foreigners in English. If the English class is carried out in the pharmacy and students are to present a role play simulating the conversation may happened between the salesman and the customer， the effect of the class may be excellent because students are full of interest and they learn the vocabulary in the real practice of acting.

3.4 Dictionary Look？鄄up

Consulting a dictionary is a very important skill for students in learning vocabulary of ESP because dictionary is a very useful tool for the students to learn a word more efficiently and effectively. When students are reading professional articles， they will meet with a lot of new words. If we are very familiar with the meaning， pronunciation， collocation of it， we will meet with no difficulties in reading and understanding. For those words which we can not infer its meaning from the context， the dictionary may be an ideal consulter to refer to. By means of professional dictionary， learners will feel well assisted while reading professional articles.

Understanding a word fully and deeply means that you can make sentences about it， you know all the collocation of it and you can translate it in various contexts. All the aspects above place the full use of dictionary in great demand. A good dictionary with high utility and usefulness is necessary in the acquisition of English vocabulary， especially the learning of ESP vocabulary.

3.5 Restructuring Reading Material

Many of the professional materials may make students feel there is no way to understand them because there are too many unfamiliar words in it. There is an effective way to help the students memorize them， that is restructuring the sentences or to paraphrase the passages in your own words. This strategy is particularly effective for helping the students improve their vocabularies.

Constructivists hold the point of view that the process of knowledge construction is dynamic and relative， education is to stimulate students？蒺 original knowledge experience， to promote the growth of knowledge， to help the construction activities of students and to re？鄄organize， convert and promote students knowledge. To restructure the passage， students may scan in their brain for appropriate words to describe what the passage states and restructuring the materials in several different ways can help readers comprehend the article more easily. During this process， they are actually interpret the words in English， which is a very good method to learn a new word.

4.Summary

Vocabulary or say lexicology underlines other branches of linguistics， and get through the whole process of language learning affecting learners comprehensive command of reading， writing， speaking and listening considerably. ESP vocabulary needs the guidance of theory especially for its specific characteristics. For the students of vocational colleges， their barrier to have a better comprehension of the special English is nothing but vocabulary. Teachers have responsibilities in introducing effective and efficient vocabulary strategies to students and helping students establish the consciousness of learning vocabulary by adopting a variety of strategies.In summary， the constructivist made new explanations to the vocabulary learning of ESP. If all the strategies can be applied and conducted fully， we can extrapolate a more successful vocabulary leaning of ESP in vocational colleges.

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