The graduation thesis named “Using games to improve young learners in teaching English vocabulary at Five Stars English School”. The aim of this thesis was going to find the importance of using games in teaching English vocabulary class for young learners. Consequently, the findings of this research find the fact of using games in teaching at Five Stars English School and support for teachers to realize the importance of teaching vocabulary through games to attract young learners. From now on, the better ways can be found to improve teaching English vocabulary with games at Five Stars English School.
Hochiminh City – 2018 GRADUATION THESIS Major ENGLISH LANGUAGE Topic Using games to improve young learners in teaching English vocabulary at Five Stars English School Instructor Nguyen Thi Kim Chung –M.A Student Dang Thi Thien Kim ID: 97011400915 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to express my gratefulness to the following people for their invaluable contribution to this study project First and most important, I would like to show my heartfelt gratefulness and appreciation to my conscientious instructor – Ms Nguyen Thi Kim Chung for her zealous instruction, invaluable advices as well as supporting throughout these months Second, I honestly give a special thank for my lecturers, who instructed me from 2014 to 2019 I learnt a lot from them Even though there were several difficulties, variance, inconsistent ideas…, all lecturers encouraged me and my classmates very much Those years might be the most memorial distance of time when I wanted to review Third, I also give my distinctive thank for my internship unit – Five Stars English School, Thu Duc Campus and their students as well as my University – The Saigon International University for supporting me Last but not least, I would like to give my infinite gratitude to my family and friends My project would not be perfectly done without your help Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis COMMENT Advisor’s Signature Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT COMMENT ABSTRACT CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION Rationale Research goals Research questions The scope and limitation of the study CHAPTER II : LITERATURE REVIEW .Error! Bookmark not defined Definition 10 1.1 Definition of games 10 1.2 Definition of vocabulary 11 1.3 Definition of young learners 12 Teaching methods 13 2.1 How vocabulary is learned? 13 2.2.1 Teaching English to young learners 14 2.1.2 Teaching English vocabulary to young learners 15 2.2 Teaching vocabulary by using game 15 2.2.1 Games as the teaching activity 16 2.2.2 Why using games? 16 2.3 How to use games? 16 Positive effects of using games in teaching vocabulary 17 Negative effects of using games in teaching vocabulary 18 The importance of games in teaching vocabulary to young learners 18 Games that can be used in teaching vocabulary to young learners 19 CHAPTER III : METHODOLOGY 21 Research method 21 Research tools and data collection 22 2.1 The English school 22 2.2 Participants and time 22 2.3 Data collection instruments 22 Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis 2.4 Data collection procedures 23 2.4.1 Data collection 23 2.4.2 Collect the result of the pretest and post-test 23 CHAPTER IV : FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 25 Findings 25 1.1 Findings from interviewing teachers who are teaching English in Five Stars English School 25 Chart 1: How often you use games in your teaching? 25 Chart 2: Do you think games are useful in your teaching ? 26 Chart 3: Do you think that games may cause some difficulties in your teaching ? 27 1.2 Findings from classroom observation at Five Stars English School 28 1.2.1 Games are used at 90% in class when teaching English vocabulary 28 Chart 4: Young learners’ attitude when they play games 28 Chart 5: Young learners’ reaction while teacher is conducting his or her teaching 29 Chart 6: Young learners’ attitude when playing games with teacher’s evaluation 30 Chart 7: Effects of games with teacher’s evaluation 31 1.2.2 Games were used few in English vocabulary class 32 Chart 8: Young learners attitude when they present the class 32 Chart 9: Young learners’ reaction with teacher’s requests 33 Chart 10: Young learners’ attitude when answering teacher’s requests with teacher’s evaluation 34 1.2.3 Games were used 50% in English vocabulary class 35 Chart 11: Young learners’ attitude when they attend class used 50% of games 35 Chart 12: Young learners’ behavior in class used 50% of games 36 37 Chart 13: Young learners’ attitude according to teacher’ evaluation in class used 50% of games 37 1.3 Findings from young learners’ pretest and post-test scores of three classes 38 1.3.1 90% of games are used in English vocabulary class 38 Chart 14: Young learners’ pretest and post-test points in class 38 1.3.2 Games are used few in English vocabulary class 39 Chart 15: Young learners’ pretest and post-test points in class 39 1.3.3 Games are used 50% in English vocabulary class 40 Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis Chart 16: Young learners’ pretest and post-test points in class 40 Discussion 40 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 42 Conclusion 42 Recommendation 43 REFERENCES 45 APPENDIX 47 Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis ABSTRACT The graduation thesis named “Using games to improve young learners in teaching English vocabulary at Five Stars English School” The aim of this thesis was going to find the importance of using games in teaching English vocabulary class for young learners Consequently, the findings of this research find the fact of using games in teaching at Five Stars English School and support for teachers to realize the importance of teaching vocabulary through games to attract young learners From now on, the better ways can be found to improve teaching English vocabulary with games at Five Stars English School Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION Rationale In global trend today, English is widely used all around the world, this is the reason why we cannot deny its importance They are achievable to reach for the civilized world as well as exchange cultures between countries English is also measure for considering many other things for example application into companies or studying abroad, etc Besides, English is a background for you to have a better life English has evident been the world’s most popularly used and widely spoken language nowadays and the demand to learn English for kids has raised arithmetic progression with this growth It is this popular use that has determined it like one of the most effective languages in the world and for this reason many parents want their children learning English like a second language As a result, English is very important for their children Nowadays, teaching methods change to respond with the change of society Furthermore, the need for suitable teaching methods and teaching quality are stronger than ever now Therefore, the present method of teaching foreign language has changed the direction of teaching into the indirection of learning The learners are learned English in an actual environment, they can work in pairs or small groups to carry out concrete tasks in there Learners have chance to show their opinions or emotions and ask questions with teacher if they not understand any problems This study is performed the use of games like a useful tool in teaching English vocabulary for young learners It is very helpful to improve learning English vocabulary For this reason, the study named “A study on using games to improve English vocabulary to young learners at Five Stars English School” Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis Research goals Nowadays, using games in education is no strange If teachers and young learners use too much mother tongue and not use teaching aids, young learners have less chances to practice skills and the class can be boring with young learners In teaching, it is difficult for teachers to perform their intentions, teachers and young learners are puzzled, lack of self-confident when taking part in teaching and learning activities In addition, the period becomes uninteresting, young learners are not feel highly enthusiastic to participate This means the aims of learning and teaching English will be restricted This research was executed to concentrate on the reality of using games in teaching English to improve young learners at Five Stars English School Research questions This study addresses two research questions: 1) What is the reality of using games in teaching English vocabulary to young learners at Five Stars English School? 2) What can be done to maximize the effect of teaching English vocabulary through games at Five Stars English School? The scope and limitation of the study Young learners who are learning at Five Stars English School are like students at the primary school When they start to learn English, they have few English vocabulary However, this research only investigates young learners at Five Stars English School Because of the deficiency of experience and the time is limited, it is not easy to cover all of respects of the problem concretely Hence, this research just focuses on the fact of using games in teaching English vocabulary at Five Stars English School and some offers to improve teaching vocabulary Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis CHAPTER II : LITERATURE REVIEW Definition 1.1 Definition of games Xun Ge & Dirk Ifenthaler stated: Games are those intentionally designed for the purpose of education, or those entertainment games that have incidental or educational values Games are designed to help people understand concepts, learn domain knowledge, and develop problem solving skills as they play games [Xun Ge & Dirk Ifenthaler, 2017] According to Jones (1980) by rival or cooperate following to a set of rules, one player or more could play in a game Rogers (1981) stated that gaming is target-determined, rule-governed and rival that has attract the learners Gibbs (1981) said that games as an activity performed by cooperating or rivaling with the people who provide the decision and want to obtain their goals according a set of rules Games are self-contain activities that have starting and an ending with a winner who determines the end of the game (Rixon, 1981) Games ask co-operation with members in his team and rival in another players or team While playing game, young learners ought to use the language and repeat forms that help in improving and expanding their skills Player could use words, body language, mime and manners between participants which get funny and unanticipated (Rixon,1981) Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 10 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis 1.2 Definition of vocabulary Vocabulary is about a collection of words, word meanings or phrases alphabetically defined or arranged Besides, that is even about a sum of words employed by language, group, individual or in a field of knowledge Vocabulary can be defined, roughly, as the words we teach in the foreign language However, a new item of vocabulary may be more than just a single word: for example, post office, and mother-in-law, which are made up of two or three words but express a single idea A useful convention is to cover all such cases by talking about vocabulary, items “rather than words” (Ur, 2003, p 60) The vocabulary words are commonly involved by nouns, verbs, adjectives or adverbs The vocabulary is considered as a complex of meaning and form Vocabulary is not concerned, but it is latent which vocabulary is necessary to communicate Vocabulary is more momentous than grammar due to we have a speech within the vocabulary, not have a speech within right grammar Words are source of communication and a wide vocabulary ameliorates all fields such as reading, listening, writing and writing Vocabulary is the integral part to study any language All languages relate to words Relied on some scholars’ point of view about vocabulary Rubin and Thompson (1994, p 79) assumed that no one can read, speak, write or understand any foreign language but for any words For this reason, vocabulary learning is an important factor to expert a foreign language “Vocabulary permeates everything language learners or language teachers in an English language class, whichever skill or language point is being practiced”, Taylor (1992, p.30) said * Meaning of teaching vocabulary: Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 11 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis Instruction in vocabulary involves further than looking up words and using the words in sentences or speech 1.3 Definition of young learners Young learners are known as the children studying in primary school, are from five or six years old to the end of primary level In contrast, the age of young learners is a dispensable index of how grown-up they are Philips (1993) claimed that these factors consist of sex, surroundings, culture, and family can effect on the maturity of children Besides, their growth ought to be totally considered Some of them develop fast, and others in another side Teachers should be conscious of all young learners’ changing because teachers can decide activities used during their teaching process Decision of teachers must be depended by their knowledge about interests, behaviors and circumstances of children instead of children’s physical age This thesis is focus on young learners who are agreed to belong with the beginner level Halliwell (1992) said that young learners determine within interpretation, without understanding the real meaning of words They take pleasant and interested making fun of what they say and According to Yetenberg (1990), he described young learners to have some matters with discriminating the real world from an imaginary world It’s difficult for young learners’ teachers to understand their fact of awareness and deal with it Young learners prefer working accompany with others to working alone, especially they are playing and working In addition, they learn by using behaviors, body movements and apes Moreover, children often not have long attention span, thus teachers need to concern with this when selecting and designing activities for their young learners to be participated in It is necessary to praise them because they will add motivated when teachers help their enthusiasm Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 12 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis Phillips (1993) believed that children are comprehensive learners if they are learned in a very small age They answer to the significance that base the language without anxious about several words or sentences Philips emphasized that teachers need concretize the activities for children so as to clean what their teachers await from them The tasks teachers give for young learners must be funny which young learners might easily achieve the targets set for them In addition, the tasks would rather be fostering and exciting in order to young learners might feel pleased with what young learners have done Moreover, Slattery (2001) mentioned about some traits of young learners They are moony, curious and dynamic They grow as personals very fast and enjoy daily and reiteration Young learners study by imitating, listening, watching and doing something Because they often not concentrate on a long time, they need many kind of activities Besides, they told about what they did and set meanings in their mother tongue which helps them to learn Teaching methods 2.1 How vocabulary is learned? David Wilkins claimed that no grammar, no communication; no vocabulary, no communication Young learners always have some movement as they begin learning to speak instead of categorizing skills, Thornbury said in 2002 Consequently, they construct more complex ideas They know that some kind of words are similar to the mother tongue as antonyms and synonyms and others while this period To teach English vocabulary to young learners, instructors can use many methods and instructions Teachers can use visual things as a good method to instruct learning vocabularies They ought to listen to their teachers’ words and repeat it in a correct way The other way is called Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 13 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis ‘direct method’ that is no translation and no using mother tongue The accomplish sentences in the aim language are the only helpful way in the classroom The Total Physical Response (TPR) is the method which is usually used because young learners are stimulated, over active and unnoticeable for a long time Nevertheless, using this method which involve a diversity of activities and games will help children to learn vocabulary quickly Furthermore, teachers use Communicate Language Approach (CLT) to encourage their young learners to communicate where they emphasize language meaning in context 2.2.1 Teaching English to young learners So as for young learners to improve English, they have to spend and hear English when they are kids As a whole, it is believed that young learners study better than adults because they spend more time for studying and they learn language with a comfortable way, not need any anxieties or responsibilities Thus, young learners are better at studying language when they contact to it for a long time by a natural way At primary level, English is taught to children for reasons Following to Moon, Brumfit and Tongue (1991) young learners need to show the language and culture so as to develop with lenience and understanding for around According to Cameron (2001) beside skills and knowledge, teachers should to keep four things in mind when teaching English to young learners First, teachers should be aware of how young learners think and learn Second, teachers had better get what young learners care about and use it for teaching Third, teacher need be planned to teach their young learners literacy in English and supply the all lessons orally Finally, teachers should define problems and impediments while teaching Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 14 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis Brown (2001) stated that teachers have to examine the traits and intellectuality of their students so as to get satisfactory results in learning English 2.1.2 Teaching English vocabulary to young learners Young learners need to keep some factors of English in mind such as vocabulary, structure, spelling, and syllable To conversant English skills, young learners have to know the vocabulary which means the meaning of words as a list because it helps young learners’ skills better (Linse, 2005) So as to write and speak English, young learners need to learn from one to two hundred words 2.2 Teaching vocabulary by using game Halliwell (1991) made sure that because young learners bring the creative language skill into the classroom, teachers need to supply young learners the healthy communicative atmosphere where young learners could show themselves Moreover, because the language is unpredictably used in any activities, teachers should support of them zealously For this reason, using game in teaching vocabulary is very important and helpful Using game is not only funny, it but also make learners desirable to communicate Trained teachers who use teaching games for young learners are requested to manage the affair I learning class Rixon (1981) believed that when teachers understand games, they can find and make games help their young learners learn while they are playing Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 15 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis 2.2.1 Games as the teaching activity For many years, teaching has changed a lot In the past, almost learners were being passive in the class, but now learners are more active That is one of the most flexible ways instead of playing games (Steve Sugar 1998) Teachers can instruct to diverse in a variety of ways, for instance using activities requires learners to be creative in their thought, emphasizes individual learning and cooperates learning equally A better way is to not be afraid of using games as a teaching method along with other methods that teachers can use to keep diversity within the classroom That can be a good teaching method and games, such as play-role games, imitation games, theatrical expression and quiz activities are specially suitable for all stages of language learning (Aðalnamskra grunnskola Erlendmal 2007) 2.2.2 Why using games? Games as a tool are used in class to support young learners during their learning English process They create classroom relaxing and maintain attempt and interest Games make a communicative atmosphere that young learners can communicate during the process of the game Games increase the emotions instead of some bored and sleepy periods Games help to lessen their strain and shyness specially as played in small groups In sum up, games supply young learners an active role when playing fostering student – centered activities 2.3 How to use games? Despite the games with the goal of entertaining at the beginning, they might sometimes have bad ending For instance if one young learner gets carried away with all the joy and does or tells Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 16 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis something, it will be able to hurt another’s feelings or himself Teachers should remember this to direct the game in classroom by a right way when using games Besides, it is an important thing to admit all suitable games with the environment of classroom and it gets difficult to find the right game Positive effects of using games in teaching vocabulary It is useful for young learners to participate in learning English by playing games because games can attract young learners on motivating and self-confidence According to Pound (2005), playing game can be known as a prize after the dry periods that permits teachers to impulse young learners to step forward If young learners are conscious that they are going to game after they learn vocabulary, they will want to join in activities and apply what they have lately learned with stronger motivation It can say that young learners prefer to study in a teaching environment with games that brings a high effect on decreasing their interest and motivation in learning English Besides, games not only can make the class become funny, they but also can build young leaners’ self-confidence and motivation Playing is very important to develop brain of human in a flexible and adjustable way because young learners’ creativity and imagination are strengthened by games Moreover to create favorable conditions to young learners’ self-confident and motive power, young learners can achieve vocabulary faster and easier by doing activities during playing game Using games in learning English will help young learners to memorize since they are embedded by playing or competing with their classmates According to Angelova and Lekova (1995), playing games and activities helps young learners remember vocabulary and encourage young learners to Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 17 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis use them naturally It is said that the influence of playing in facilitating young learners reaching a larger vocabulary is obvious Negative effects of using games in teaching vocabulary Otherwise, according to Chuang (2007), using games in learning English is not effective because of the result of worrying that makes young learners anxious even wearied, attitudes may proceed the failure or being complained by other members in group for their efficiency Competitiveness in playing is one of the ‘major sources of language anxiety’ During the playing time, young learners not only need to compare, they are but also scored for their team, resulting in higher steps They are worried about being reprimanded by their team, thus answering exactly becomes ‘party to a stressful environment’ Young learners worry as being blamed by members of their team The importance of games in teaching vocabulary to young learners Following to Lewis (1999), games are common among children because they like playing games Young learners could find out, interact, and experiment with their environment through games When using games in learning, not only helps young learners’ motivation, but also supplies encouragement and stimulate to use language Harmer (2008) argued that so as to have a faculty to speak English flowingly, students need to have the aptitude to process information right away to know the language specific For this reason, young learners had better practice through multiform and suitable techniques that help their information process and concomitant activities of the language Allen (1983) said that teaching vocabulary by using games is important because games stand out the indispensable and important words to obtain the goal of the game Huyen and Nga, (2003) and Uberman, (1998) believed that games make a fun and comfortable atmosphere Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 18 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis which learners could remember and learn words better Vernon (2009) confirmed that games are the influence tool to teach new words to young learners Children join and constantly attend because they themselves and feel better while and after playing game Moreover, by concerning movable-physics in game, young learners will get excited and noticeable They often take discouraged and bored easily if they join lessons for a long time, so every attractive body language will ensure their attention Vernon (2009) argued that games which attract young learners to participate in a fair contest might help them in learning more unnecessarily Hence, selecting the right game can assist healthy participation in the classroom Games that can be used in teaching vocabulary to young learners As mentioned before, games are effective methods to teach vocabulary for young learners They make young learners acquire vocabulary easily without boredom and young learners will get the lessons effectively The first game is called ‘Sticky ball’ Divide the class into teams Rule as follow : invite members of each team to join Teacher writes some words on the board with a big circle and read out those words Then they listen well and throw a sticky ball to the circle of the word said by teacher They need to read that correct word The team doing it well will have point ‘Whisper’ is the second game to use Divide the class into lines Each line set up a leader for hearing and transmitting the information on the top, another for collecting at the bottom Teacher whisper an alphabet of a word to the leader and then he or she whisper it to others in his or her line turn by turn The learner at the bottom who shows teacher and reads the complete word first will be the winner Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 19 Advisor: Nguyen Thi Kim Chung – MA Graduation Thesis The third game is ‘Guess the word’ Invite any young learners to come up the board Teacher writes the word on the board, other learners describe that word to them by body language The winner is the young learner can guess and read aloud that word correctly first The last game is called ‘Who is faster? Teacher stick some flashcard on the board and put some appropriate chairs with the flashcards, participants stand at the back of the class When teacher reads any flashcards, participants run fast to the correct chair and sit down The winner is the one sitting down that chair first and then read the word aloud Dang Thi Thien Kim – 97011400915 20 ... of using games in teaching English vocabulary to young learners at Five Stars English School? 2) What can be done to maximize the effect of teaching English vocabulary through games at Five Stars. .. graduation thesis named ? ?Using games to improve young learners in teaching English vocabulary at Five Stars English School” The aim of this thesis was going to find the importance of using games in. .. Negative effects of using games in teaching vocabulary 18 The importance of games in teaching vocabulary to young learners 18 Games that can be used in teaching vocabulary to young