Research on English Vocabulary Continuity between High School and University from the Perspective of Language Attrition

Abstract

The transition from high-school to university vocabulary learning is a decisive phase in English proficiency development, yet the two systems are rarely aligned. Differences in goals, content and learning culture create a sharp discontinuity, freshmen often regress, losing words faster than they acquire new ones. Viewing this attrition as reversible, the paper draws on language-erosion research to design bridging instruction. Empirical studies at home and abroad point to five practical measures: concise explicit teaching, multimodal input, contextualized practice, deep processing of high-frequency words, and sustained motivation to enhance students’ autonomy. This study provides teachers with transitional teaching suggestions from the perspective of students, and sets clear requirements for themselves to promote a smooth transition in college English learning and assist in the sustainable development of language abilities in the future.