陳冰嫻

1 The definition and the theoretical background

The generic term of multimedia refers to processing various media like picture，text，sound and image in a digital way by computers and supplying for users in a friendly way.Furthermore，it deals with various media information，which is composed of text，figure，image，sound and animation synthetically by computers.All the information is logically connected in a certain way and combined into a system with the ability to interact，of which，the essence is to let people exchange information in an almost natural way with the help of computers.Today examples of multimedia in education and training include slides with synchronized audiotapes，videotapes，CD-ROMs，DVD，the World Wide Web，and virtual reality.So，the term multimedia encompasses the non-linear organization of text in hypertext and the non-linear and multiple information formats referred to in hypermedia.

Multimedia-assisted Instruction （MAI） refers to the application of multimedia techniques on educational software .MAI integrates the use of different media such as video，animation，graphics，sound and text.It is also characterized by the construction of vivid and authentic contexts and the use of high-level integration between learners and systems.

2 The implementation of multimedia-assisted vocabulary teaching

2.1 MAI in the synonym teaching

Graphical representation teaching.

Graphical representation method reorganizes the scattered knowledge systematically，which enable students to understand the complete skeleton of knowledge with the overall vision.It can simplify the abstract knowledge through knowledge network structure，thus obtain the complete knowledge.The structure graphical representation method may help instructors to turn the difficult content into easy one.Therefore，this approach has been used in many subjects.As we all know，there are massive synonyms in English，which increase the difficulties of accurate and appropriate using of these terms.It is no doubt that using flexible graphical representation method will achieve the best teaching effect.The example is listed below：

Teaching aims： Analysis the difference among below，under，above and over.

Teaching steps：

第一，Type the four words on the screen，and ask students to discuss the question：” Whats the difference among these four words？”

第二，Group students in four to discuss the question.

第三，Show the graph on the screen，and analysis the difference of these words according to the graph.（picture-1）

第四，Present some practice to consolidate.

2.2 MAI in the antonym teaching

2.2.1 Use film clips to learn antonym

Audio-visual teaching has always been a very important and effective teaching method in second language teaching classrooms.Using film clips to learn antonym which belongs to this method.There is an example of this teaching method.

Teaching aim： Make students understand the meaning of rise and sink.

Teaching steps.

第一，Play a clip about a soldier is raising a flag.There is a sentence at the bottom of the screen— “Look，the flag is rising.”

第二，Play a clip from the film of 《新龍門(mén)客棧》.Against the backdrop of the sunset in the desert，the heroine Moyan is sinking in the quicksand.There has English dubbing —“Oh，what a beautiful sunset.Wow，she is sinking.That means she is dying.Now she is over.”

第三，Explain the meaning of these two words to students.

2.2.2 Use game competition method

In English classroom instructions，some suitable games and competitions can create a relaxing and harmonious classroom atmosphere，exercise students thinking ability and raise students team spirit.There is an example of this teaching method.

Teaching aims： Make students to master the following words antonym： legal，purity，fortune，ability，profit.

Teaching steps.

第一，Make some baskets which have the label of the affix，such as： il-，im-，dis-，non-，mis-） on the top of the screen.List the following words at the bottom of the screen： legal，purity，fortune，ability，profit.

第二，Allow the baskets fall from the top of the screen to the bottom with a certain degree of speed.

第三，Group the whole class in four，each group have one delegate to attend the contest.The contests must match the affix and the word.The winner will have a present.

第四，Explain the words one by one to students.

3 Conclusion

Multimedia-assisted English vocabulary instruction should be served effectively for realizing the teaching aims.It should be useful for training students imagination and creative thought.If the whole period of class teaching were all designed into a courseware display，it is apt to form a pipe-lining programmed mode in which teachers are becoming operators to restrict students thought into a passive and rigescent state.The teaching aims cannot get realized consequently.So，no matter what kind of MAI it is，it must be subjected to teaching aims and put training students competence of “innovation” and “development” in the first place so as to inspire students activeness.

MAI will not abandon the effective methods in traditional English language teaching.The traditional mode of English language teaching has its own advantage，whose effectiveness cannot be replaced by any modern education technique.If the two teaching means can be integrated into the teaching activities，well definitely get the perfect effects.