The effects of image-schema-based instruction on the learning of collocations of near-synonyms among Chinese EFL learners

The present study, based upon the image schema theory advanced by Lakoff and Johnson (1980), means to explore the relative effectiveness of image-schema-based instruction(ISBI) and translation-based instruction (TBI) on the learning of medical collocations of synonyms. By lecturing 60 non-English postgraduates coming from one key university in Chongqing over a period of four weeks, two main findings were concluded. Firstly, both ISBI group and TBI group performed significantly better in posttests than in pretests. Secondly, ISBI only showed its significant superiority over TBI on delayed posttest when combined with the productive translation test. Finally, the findings of the present study proved that ISBI could act as an effective complementary channel for traditional instruction of collocations of near-synonyms among Chinese EFL learners.