(SKKN HAY NHẤT) using mind mapping technique to help students build up their vocabulary

SỞ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO THANH HÓA TRƯỜNG THPT YÊN ĐỊNH SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM USING MIND MAPPING TECHNIQUE TO HELP STUDENTS BUILD UP THEIR VOCABULARY Người thực hiện: Đỗ Thị Thủy Chức vụ: Giáo viên SKKN thuộc lĩnh vực (mơn) : Tiếng Anh THANH HĨA NĂM 2021 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction ……………………………………………………… 1.1 Reasons for choosing the topic ………………………… 1.2 Purposes of the study……………………………………… 1.3 Objects of the study…………………………………… 1.4 Methods of the study……………………………………… Contents ………………………………………………………… 2.1 Theoretical background…………………………………… 2.1.1 Vocabulary 2.1.1.1 Definition of vocabulary 2.1.1.2 The importance of vocabulary in learning English……………………………………… 2.1.1.3 Teaching and learning vocabulary …… …… 2.1.2 Mind mapping technique … ………………………… 2.1.2.1 Definition of mind maps………………………… 2.1.2.2 Using mind maps in teaching and learning English vocabulary……………………………… 2.2 The use of mind mapping technique in teaching and learning English vocabulary at Yen Dinh High School … 2.2.1 Using mind mapping in teaching English vocabulary… 2.2.2 Using mind mapping in building up English vocabulary 2.3 Sample lesson plan and students’ lexical compilation applying mind mapping…………………………………… 2.3.1 Sample lesson plan…………………………………… 2.3.2 Students’ lexical mind maps…………………………… 2.4 Effects of the study on teaching and learning …………… Conclusion ……………………………………………………… 3.1 Conclusion ………………………………………………… 3.2 Recommendation ………………………………………… References …………………………………………………… Appendice Page 1 2 3 3 8 11 11 11 12 12 16 17 18 18 18 20 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com INTRODUCTION 1.1 Reasons for choosing the topic Learning a new language allows you to communicate with the people who use that language Learning a foreign language enables you to communicate with more people from other countries Nowadays, many people choose English to learn beause it is not only an international language but also the most widely spoken in the world with 52 countries use it as their official language As a result, Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training has adopted English as a compulsory subject at schools, colleges and universities since 1990s In the English language, there are some skills which must be mastered by the students; the receptive and productive skills The receptive skills include reading (understanding written language) and listening (understanding spoken language) Productive skills include speaking (producing spoken language) and writing (producing written language) In order to support those skills, it is essential to learn vocabulary Nunan argues that vocabulary plays a vital role in teaching and learning the second language as lexical knowledge is fundamental to communicative effectively [4] The language of the human beings depends on the vocabulary used or gained Thus, without vocabulary, the learners will be demotivated to use the language [12] However, most of the students still encounter a lot of difficulties learning vocabulary Multiple sense English words and synonyms (words with a similar meaning) present special difficulty for foreign learners Other difficulties with learning and using English vocabulary include fixed word collocations, phrasal verbs, idioms, proverbs and regional differences in vocabulary usage There are differences in English usage in English-speaking countries in terms of spelling, pronunciation, vocabulary and grammar Learning these without a good plan is futile Words are better remembered if they go in groups or relate to the same topic Therefore, many try to link certain words with certain situations or context With time, surprisingly they find a connection among those words This magical link is called theme and then born the incredible way of learning vocabulary: studying words in themes and theme- based word lists are best presented with mind mapping technique In addition, while all the units in English textbooks used in teaching and learning at schools are organized on themes or topics, many students in my school still learn new words separately This leads to their poor mastery of English vocabulary A mind map is a visual tool which organises items into categories or themes They work in a similar way to our brains because when we group related things together, we remember them better.Therefore, encouraging students to compile their own vocabulary especially theme based vocabulary effectively is vital in teaching English That is the reason why I chose the topic “Using mind mapping technique to help students build up their vocabulary” I hope that students will be able to enrich their vocabulary LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com continually despite the limited time for English subject at school While teaching, it is necessary that the National Curriculum Framework is followed and the students’skills and knowledge are developed throughout the year.  1.2 Purposes of the study This study is aimed at: - Investigating students’ compilation of vocabulary at Yen dinh High School - Pointing out the benefits of mind mapping in teaching and learning English vocabulary - Suggesting some effective ways of using mind mapping technique to help students build up their own vocabulary 1.3 Objects of study As mentioned above, the study focusses on finding out the best way to help students know how to compile their own vocabulary effectively and continually basing on the themes they are learning in the English textbook using mind mapping Besides, the researcher makes an attempt to apply these methods in her English teaching to prove their effectiveness Because of the limited time, the study is carried out on a small scale, forty two grade – ten students of class 10C2 at Yen Dinh High School in Yen Dinh district and four English teachers there in the school year 2020 - 2021 1.4 Methods of the study To realize the aims of the study, the reseacher has used both quantitative and qualitative methods The theoretical background of the study comes from a lot of published books by famous researchers in the field The data for the charts has been collected through survey questionnaire and analyzed by SPSS software LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com CONTENTS 2.1 Theoretical background 2.1.1 Definition of vocabulary Vocabulary can be defined as '' words we must know to communicate effectively; words in speaking (expressive vocabulary) and words in listening (receptive vocabulary)'' [5] Wilkins defines vocabulary as ''the total number of words in a language; vocabulary is a list of words with their meanings” [6] While Harmer states: “Vocabulary can be defined, roughly, as the words we teach in the foreign language” [14] 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."In addition, Richards defines vocabulary as "the stock of words which is used by a person, class or profession” [12] According to Ur “vocabulary is central to language and of critical importance to the typical language learning” [1] Furthermore, Nunan and David state that vocabulary is “the knowledge of words and word meanings.” [4] From the definitions above, it can be concluded that vocabulary is the total number of words that are needed to communicate ideas and express the speakers' meaning That is the reason why it is important to learn vocabulary 2.1.2 The importance of vocabulary in learning English Vocabulary knowledge is often viewed as a critical tool for second language learners because a limited vocabulary in a second language impedes successful communication Underscoring the importance of vocabulary acquisition, Brown emphasizes that “lexical knowledge is central to communicative competence and to the acquisition of a second language”[11] Nunan further describes the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and language use as complementary: knowledge of vocabulary enables language use and, conversely, language use leads to an increase in vocabulary knowledge [10] The importance of vocabulary is demonstrated daily in and out the school In classroom, the achieving students possess the most sufficient vocabulary Researchers such as Wilkins (1972) and Brown (2007) and others have realised that the acquisition of vocabulary is essential for successful second language use and plays an important role in the formation of complete spoken and written texts In English as a second language (ESL) and English as a foreign language (EFL), learning vocabulary items plays a vital role in all language skills (i.e listening, speaking, reading, and writing [11] Richard and Renady furthermore, argue that the acquisition of an adequate vocabulary is essential for successful second language use because without an extensive vocabulary, we will be unable to use the structures and functions we may have learned for comprehensible communication [7] LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Research has shown that second language readers rely heavily on vocabulary knowledge and the lack of that knowledge is the main and the largest obstacle for L2 readers to overcome [14] In production, when we have a meaning or concept that we wish to express, we need to have a store of words from which we can select to express this meaning or concept ‘‘When students travel, they don’t carry grammar books, they carry dictionaries’’[5] Many researchers argue that vocabulary is one of the most important-if not the most important- components in learning a foreign language, and foreign language curricula must reflect this Nunan states that: ‘‘There is not much value in being able to produce grammatical sentences if one has not got the vocabulary that is needed to convey what one wishes to say … While without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed’’ [4] Scholar Richards stated many reasons for devoting attention to vocabulary “First, a large vocabulary is of course essential for mastery of a language Second language acquirers know this; they carry dictionaries with them, not grammar books, and regularly report that the lack of vocabulary is a major problem’’[12] On the other hand, vocabulary has been acknowledged as L2 learners’ greatest single source of problems [10] This remark may possibly reflect that the openendedness of a vocabulary system is perceived to be a cause of difficulty by learners Another possible reason is that, unlike syntax and phonology, vocabulary does not have rules the learners may follow to acquire and develop their knowledge In other words, it is not clear in L2 vocabulary learning what rules apply or which vocabulary items should be learned first Ur also claims that vocabulary is “by far the most sizeable and unmanageable component in the learning of any language, whether a foreign or one’s mother tongue, because of tens of thousands of different meanings” [1] Despite the difficulties that language learners face in L2 vocabulary, they still have to deal with it in their examinations as vocabulary has traditionally been one of the language components measured in language Furthermore, many learners see second language acquisition as essentially a matter of learning vocabulary and therefore they spend a great deal of time on memorising lists of L2 words and rely on their bilingual dictionary as a basic communicative resource As a result, language teachers and applied linguists now generally recognise the importance of vocabulary learning and are exploring ways of promoting it more effectively Some of this research takes the form of investigation of strategies learners use specifically for vocabulary, which is my focus of attention 2.1.3 Teaching and learning vocabulary In learning new language, learners would apply as many strategies as possible in order to master the target language in the shortest time possible Most of the strategies practiced are usually focusing on the vocabulary acquisition In order to achieve a certain level of vocabulary acquisition, learners have to use various strategies to be successful in their learning process LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Consequently, many scholars have come out with teaching and learning principles for teachers and learners to teach and learn vocabulary respectively Of all the principles introduced, ten principles were found to be essential in ensuring vocabulary acquisition [7]  Principle 1: Select Appropriate Words Selecting appropriate words is the most important principle in teaching and learning vocabulary Words that are considered appropriate are words that are comprehensible by learners and are coherent to their proficiency level Useful words are words that learners need to use often in their language use situations On the one hand, learners should know what their vocabulary goals are and choose what vocabulary to focus on in terms of their selected goals  Principle 2: Focus on Different Aspects of Words Vocabulary acquisition will be more effective when a particular word is learned based on several aspects The reason is that a word carries so much more than just its meaning For example, amongst other things, students can learn a word’s stress (accent), pronunciation (phoneme), its collocations and word family members, its grammatical patterns and word parts of speech Learning different aspects of words may help learners to enrich their knowledge on vocabulary As for teachers, one of the strategies that they should be using to teach vocabulary more effectively is by introducing (if there is no special purpose) a variety of vocabulary type (noun, verb, adjective, adverb) to learners Study of roots and affixes is also known to be helpful to multiple student populations This is because word parts, especially affixes and roots, are vital for English language learners who need the tools to deconstruct unfamiliar words independently  Principle 3: Progress from Less Demanding to More Demanding Vocabulary-related Activities Learners should not be expected to use new words in activities that require them to know every aspect of the words This is inconsistent with how the process of language vocabulary acquisition must take Instead, the process of learning vocabulary needs to be implemented step by step, and learners are encouraged not to immediately use new words in vocabulary-oriented activities For instance, learners need to be given an opportunity to process the new words as input first Then, learners should be getting a chance to use the new words in contexts, based on their parts of speech  Principle 4: Limit Forced Semantic Elaboration during the Initial Stages of Learning New Words LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Following the third principle above, teachers should limit the explanation of meaning of the new words to just the basic meaning, as to avoid confusion and misunderstanding from learners of the new language Rychards states that students should not face with material that is too difficult as they will not be able to guess successfully It will also not be easy for them to add new knowledge to what they already know Material that is a little easy is beneficial for language learners to improve themselves This is because they already know all the words and will soon be able to build their word recognition speed  Principle 5: Encourage Interest among Students during Learning Process Vocabulary teaching and learning should be interesting and enjoyable as to keep motivation high while encouraging students to develop strategies that they can continue to use once they leave the classroom Besides giving learners some opportunities to enjoy their learning process, teachers should also take learners’ perspective into consideration when it comes to preparing the learning materials In other words, learners should be given a chance to say what they like and dislike Most often, pictures as visual aids will attract students' attention, and motivate them to learn In whatever way language is taught and learned, the key element is to ensure the learning process is easier for students When students have no interest in the subject, it would encourage them  Principle 6: Accommodate Use of Contextual Cues Vocabulary can be taught better through the use of contextual cues It helps to ease many teachers in explaining the meaning of new words to learners Teachers can use materials such as realia, pictures, past experiences and examples to depict the connection between the new words and their meaning Thus it is a particularly convenient tool for language learners who frequently pause to consult dictionaries in search for the meaning of unknown words or phrases  Principle 7: Expose Learners to the Use of Dictionary A dictionary is one of the important references in learning new words, especially for new learners There are many types of dictionary in the market including picture dictionaries which are targeted toward the young learners who are still learning to expand their vocabulary in both their mother tongue (L1) and second (L2) languages It is up to teachers and learners which dictionary would benefit them the most  Principle 8: Exercise Repetition by Introducing Words Frequently Inside the Module The more frequently language learners are exposed to a particular vocabulary, the more likely they are to remember it This is one of the basic principles in LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com memorising new words as with repetition, learners would be able to memorise, and produce the word appropriately when they understood the meaning Most words that are taught will be lost to the Forgetting Curve, it is therefore essential that the new words are repeated soon after the initial learning, and repeated at spaced intervals many times and in many contexts thereafter to cement them in memory  Principle 9: Promote Deliberate Vocabulary Acquisition Deliberate vocabulary acquisition is the stage where the teachers introduce new words to the learners and be sure to explain it thoroughly so that the learners are able to understand the meaning of that word and memorize it The more effectively the to-be-learned material is elaborated during acquisition, the more readily it will be recalled by the learners Principle 10: Expose Learners with Exercises and Activities Other Than Memorizing Words Instead of just sticking to the conventional teaching methods like reading textbook, referring to a dictionary for meaning or memorising new words, teachers could use their imagination to encourage learners to learn new words in different types of activities For example, using games as part of the activity would not only help with the memorisation of new words, but at the same time help the learners to retain better attention on the learning process, and release some of the build-up stress in them, especially in a classroom consisted of learners from various background 2.1.2 Mind mapping method 2.1.2.1 Definition of mind maps The concept of the Mind maps was put forth for the first time by Tony Buzan, the father of researching effective methods of memorizing, in 1960s, as a tool of note-taking In the beginning, Tony Buzan used this method to help the students who were failing their studies He discovered that these students got great improvement in their studies, and their way of thinking changed Some of them even became excellent students After that, Tony Buzan compiled his ideas into books So the concept of the Mind map was created Buzan compared a mind map to a city map for convenience of understanding He said, the center of a city is like the center of a Mind map The main road in the city is equal to the main thought in the thinking process, and the secondary road represents the secondary thought, and so on With the Mind map, you will know where you are go A mind map is a diagram used to visually organize information A mind map is often created around a single concept, drawn as an image in the center of a blank landscape page, to which associated representations of ideas such as images, words and parts of words are added Major ideas are connected directly to the central concept, and other ideas branch out from those.(from Wikipedia) LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Picture 1: An example of a mind map Mind maps are considered to be a type of spider diagram A similar concept in the 1970s was "idea sun bursting" 2.1.2.2 Using mind-mapping in teaching and learning vocabulary Mind maps can be an effective tool in learning vocabulary words and expressions by making connections in a non-linear way Language is used whenever and wherever possible Vocabulary is the root of everything that involves the use of languages, such as writing, advertising, publishing, and daily communication We are forced to receive, learn and use vocabulary every day, thus it’s necessary for us to master how to learn and expand vocabulary with mind maps  Mind Map for Synonyms Have you ever been caught in a dilemma where you rack your brain for an appropriate word to express something clearly and precisely? In all languages, you may find many words that mean almost the same thing – they are “Synonyms” Thanks to the mind maps I have made for my word lists, choosing words with greater precision is not as difficult as before Gathering synonyms in a map helps you to delve deeper into their meanings and digest the nuances between them For example, you see a woman and her little baby walking Of course, the way a baby walks is definitely different from an adult What are the best words for that respectively? Put the word WALK as the central topic of your mind map, and then add its synonyms to enlarge branches that need detailed explanation The following is a mind map for synonyms of “walk” made by MindMaster LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Picture 2: An example of build up synonyms  Mind Map for Words in Categories There are chances you may need to use words under a category For instance, if a teacher intends to teach his students word of vehicles, he is sure to need a mind map for words of vehicles On the contrary, students also need such a mind map to enhance their memory and understanding of these vehicles In this case, you can add VEHICLES on the center of the canvas as the central topic, and then supplement branches that can trigger associations Here I made a mind map for words of vehicles with MindMaster The pictures of each vehicle come from built-in clip arts of MindMaster software It’s cool! Picture 3: An example of mind map for words in category  Mind Map for Collocations Collocations are two or more words that are often used together, in a way that happens more frequently than would happen by chance For example, LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com “make a cup of coffee” and “do homework” are examples of common collocations we use universally People don’t say “a glass of coffee” or “make homework” Using collocations correctly shows an excellent command of the language and can impress others your ability to speak the language well In English, people use collocations frequently in business, which requires businessman good command of business collocations To make a mind map for collocations, you need to first figure out the word you want to collocate with or a certain scene you need collocations for For example, the following is a mind map of collocations with DO Picture 4:An example of mind map for collocation  Mind Map for Combinations Picture 5: An example of mind map for combination We all know that in English grammar, words have different combinations, thus resulting in various grammar constructions Verbs appear most often, and I 10 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com made a mind map using the common combination categories with “Verb Combinations” as the central topic To make a mind map lighter, you may choose one of the branches as your central topic Make more mind maps rather than gather them in one map In this case, you can list more detailed examples to each combination It may take you some time to create a mind map However, if you stick to learning words in this way, you are sure to expand your vocabulary and benefit a lot from the mind maps 2.2 The use of mind maps in teaching English vocabulary at Yen Dinh High School In order to find out the use of mind maps in teaching and learning vocabulary at Yen Dinh high school, I conducted a survey asking four English teachers and forty two students of the sample class (see APPENDICE) The results of the survey are analysed and presented in the following charts and tables: 2.2.1 Using mind mapping method in teaching vocabulary Chart 1: Using mind mapping method in teaching vocabulary As can be seen from the above chart, all the English teachers questioned use mind maps in lexical instruction but their frequency is different More teachers sometimes using them than those who often apply this method Therefore, more attention should be paid and further study should be carried out in using mind mapping in teaching English vocabulary at Yen Dinh High School 2.2.2 Using mind mapping in building up vocabulary The following chart shows the frequency of my students’ lexical compilation during their learning process We can see that most of students have compiled their vocabulary but not very often Only 26.19 percent often build up their 11 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com vocabulary and more than half of them sometime this task It is even worse when 11.9 percent never pay attention to vocabulary Therefore, encouraging students to find effective ways to enrich their vocabulary is really important Chart 2: Students’frequency in compilation of vocabulary In addition, only two out of forty two students answered that they use mind mapping to build up their vocabulary The data in table bellow describes my students’ emotion when they master new words Table1 Students’ feelings when learning new words Number Percentage (%) Excited Stressful Bored 28 21.4 66.7 11.9 Through the survey, it is clear that mind mapping method has been used to present vocabulary However, the majority of the students taking part in the survey still not know how to enrich their mastery effectively, which makes them feel either stressful or bored with adopting new words Therefore, the question is that how to enable students to accumulate their own vocabulary in an effective way 2.3 Sample lesson plan using mind mapping method 2.3.1 Sample lesson plan UNIT 9: UNDERSEA WORLD [15] Period 57 C LISTENING I OBJECTIVES 12 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Knowledge: - Monologue: Deciding on True or False statement and comprehension questions Targted competences: - Increasing students’ communication, self-study skills, critical thinking, problem- solving and creativeness Qualifications : - Increasing students’ hard work, science awareness, self-study spirit, enthusiasm, challenge acceptation, self-respecting, self-reliant, self-control and overcoming difficulties II TEACHING AIDS Equipments: computer, projector Learning materials: textbook, pictures, videos III TEACHING PROCESS Class organization: (1’) Class Date of teaching Attendance Checking the previous lesson.(2’) New lesson:(42’) ACTIVITY 1: INTRODUCTION (5’) a) Objectives Introduce the topic of the lesson and to raise students' interest b) Content Checking vocabulary c) Products Suggested answers Students understands the words related to the topic d) Elicit students’answers Implementation Give feed back Lead into new lesson ACTIVITY 2: KNOWLEDGE ACQUISITION (9’) a) Objectives Aims: to focus sts on the topic and review/ introduce the words and phrases used in the listening text b) Content a Focus sts on some features of a whale ask sts to answer the following question:What animal is this? -> Answer: WHALE b Introduces some new words 13 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com - whaling (n): hunting whales - krill(n): tiny shellfish found in the seas (whales feed on krill) - mig'rate(v): to move from one place to another according to season - conser'vation (n): taking care of st, the prevention of loss, damage - feeding / bearing ground (n): the place where a species of animal find food/ give birth - an/a/the increase/ decrease in st(phr): - International whaling Commission: an organization responsible for the number of whales hunted - measure(n): an action taken to achieve a purpose c) Products Suggested answers - Read the words in pairs and correct each other’s mistakes d) Assign tasks; explain Implementation Monitor; help; tutorial Review; Commendation Reported results Conclusion; emphasize knowledge to remember ACTIVITY 3: PRACTICE (20’) a) Objectives Aims: Sts practise listening for specific information by answering given questions b) Content Task 1- Tell sts that they are going to listen to a talk about whales Task 2: - Ask sts to have a look at the questions in the textbook and read them in pairs and make sure they understand them T encourages sts guess the answer to the questions c) Products Suggested answers Task 1: F It's the largest animal on earth T T F They are in danger because some people are still killing them for food T Task 2; It is about 30 metres in length and over 200 tons in weight It is because there is a lot of krill - their favourite food They are the cold waters in the North and the South of the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean Heavy hunting They have asked the International Waling Commission to stop most whaling If we didn't take any measures to protect whales, this kind of animal would disappear forever d) - Step 1- Transfer the tasks Implementation State the requirements for each activity for the students 14 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Make sure the students have a clear understanding of the task for each activity before performing the task - Step 2- Perform tasks : Students work individually, in pairs, or in groups in the process of performing tasks Teachers general observations and help if necessary - Step 3- Report, discussion Ask a few students or group representatives to present their answers Other groups comment Teacher general comments - Step 4: Conclusion, judgment (Kết luận, nhận định): Teacher presents specific learning products that the student must complete as required and clarify the problem to be resolved / explained; Learning tasks must be performed next ACTIVITY 4: APPLICATION (10’) a) Objectives Students apply the knowledge they have just learned into communicative and practical situations b) Content - Ask sts to work in pairs and tell each other about the whales using the following information in the mind map c) Products Suggested answers Whales are very big They’re the largest sea animals They’re about 30 metres long and weigh about 200 tons Their feeding grounds are in cold waters in the North and South Atlantic and the North and South Pacific Oceans because in these water currents there's a lot of krill- their favourite food Now, Conservation Groups are trying to protect whale population from being extinct d) - Step 1- Transfer the tasks Implementation State the requirements for each activity for the students Make sure the students have a clear understanding of the task for each activity before performing the task - Step 2- Perform tasks : Students work individually, in pairs, or in groups in the 15 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com process of performing tasks Teachers general observations and help if necessary - Step 3- Report, discussion Ask a few students or group representatives to present their answers Other groups comment Teacher general comments - Step 4: Conclusion, judgment : Teacher presents specific learning products that the student must complete as required and clarify the problem to be resolved / explained; Learning tasks must be performed next 2.3.2 Students’ lexical mind maps Students are instructed to put the words they learnt after each topic on a suitable mind map to see the relation among them and to make them more memorable They can draw their mind maps with pens, pencils or crayons If they like, they can put interesting colourful images to make their maps lively and memorable The followings are some samples of such mind maps Picture 6:Mind mapping vocabulary of people’s background (Unit Tieng Anh 10) 2.4 Picture 7: Mind mapping vocabulary related to music – Unit 12 Effects of the study on teaching and learning 16 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com After being instructed how to make their own word lists based on the theme of each unit and organize them on suitable mind maps, the students in the sample class have made some positive changes in their learning habit and result They have compiled much more new words and structures More importantly, all of the students have built up their themed word lists which are better organized so they are easier to be remembered In addition, my colleagues have also affirmed that mind mapping method to make theme based word lists are more effective in teaching and learning vocabulary in comparision with other methods AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR AT THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR Chart + 4: The number of students using mind maps to compile their vocabulary It is obvious that there has been great improvement in the students’ lexical learning thanks to their better emotion as we can see in the table bellow They have more excitement and are under less pressure Besides, they are more interested in learning new words Chart + 6: A comparision in the students’ feelings before and after the application of the new solution All of these facts mean that what the teacher applied in the class has brought about a good effect on the students 17 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com CONCLUSION 3.1 Conclusion I have consulted hundreds of reasearches relating to teaching and learning vocabulary of famous researchers and educationers all over the world A lot of lexical teaching and learning methods have been studied and applied in my classes Among them, I have found that mind maps help present new words logically as well as memorably and enable students to expand their vocabulary regularly The appliccation of this method has been proved to be effective in teaching and learning new words as we can see from the above results of the survey Each class has their distinctive features as each student is an individual Therefore, teaching is flexible In order to see better results of this study, more time is needed However, with nearly an academic year has passed; I can affirm that the students in the sample class are more excited in learning new words and structures More importantly, they have been able to compile their own word lists, which helps them to remember new words better and learn the four language skills more effectively 3.2 Recommendation - To teachers: As I once heard from Asso Pro Dr Le Van Canh, a famous and experienced lecturer at ULIS ‘there is no stupid student, there are only teachers who not know how to teach’, teaching is a hard job and it requires a lot of knowledge and skills Learning and teaching vocabulary is not easy Learning and teaching vocabulary need process Thus, students should have a good idea of how to expand their vocabulary so that they can be more confident and interested in learning the language Teachers should teach their students to fish better than give them a fish In teaching vocabulary, the teacher must make sure the students have understood the new words which will be remembered better if they are introduced in a “memorable way” - To students: As an English saying: ‘ You can lead a horse into the water but you can not force it to drink’ , your teachers can only help you to learn if you are willing to Learning any foreign language is really a big challenge to any learner, which requires motivation and hard work Therefore, try your best to learn English because it is very useful in your life Every student should actively participate in learning activities during class hour as well as other activities outsides classroom to acquire knowledge on their own One important thing to help English learners to be successful is that they should take chances of getting their teacher’s help Ask them whenever you encounter difficulty This innitiative is certain to have some limitation It needs further study and more application with different participants to bring about better result 18 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com Headmaster’s confirmation I strongly assure that this is the work of my own and not the copy of any other’s Yen Dinh, May 16th , 2021 Đỗ Thị Thủy 19 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com REFERENCES A Course in Language Teaching Ur, Penny (1996) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press Efficient Tools in Language Teaching Brinkmann, A (2003) Oxford Graphical Knowledge Display: Mind Mapping and Concept Mapping as Education Review, 16, 35-48 Language Teaching Methodology Nunan, David 1995 New York: Prentice Learning Strategies for Vocabulary Development Gu, Y (2010) Reflections on English Language Teaching, vol 9, no 2, pp.105-118 Linguistics in language teaching Wilkins, D (1972) London: Arnold Methodology in language teaching : An Anthology of Current Practice Richards, J.C., & Renandy W.A.(2008) Cambridge University Press: Cambridge Mind-mapping in the EFL classroom Hofland, C (2007).Fontys Hogescholen: Fontys Teacher Training College Sittard Hall International Mind Maps as Classroom Exercises Budd, J W (2003) Minnesota: University of Minnesota 10 Practical English Language Teaching Nunan, D (2003) NY: McGrawHill 11.Teaching by Principle Brown, Douglas 2007 New York: Pearson Longman ltd 12.Theories of Teaching in Language Teaching Richards, J C (2002) In J C.Richards & W A 13.The mind map book (Millenium Ed.) Buzan,T., &Buzan,B (2000) London: BBC Books 14 The Practice of Language Teaching Harmer Jeremy (2001).New York: Pearson Education Limited 15.Tiếng Anh 10 Hoàng Văn Vân (chủ biên) (2006) NXB Giáo dục 20 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com DANH MỤC SÁNG KIẾN KINH NGHIỆM ĐÃ TỪNG ĐẠT GIẢI TT Tên đề tài SKKN Cấp đánh giá xếp loại Kết xếp loại Một số phương pháp giúp học sinh xây dựng trường từ vựng theo chủ đề học Sở GD – ĐT Thanh Hóa C Organizing pair work and group work in speaking lessons Sở GD – ĐT Thanh Hóa C Năm học đánh giá xếp loại 2008 –2009 Ghi Vào sổ số 12/ QĐSGD&ĐT ngày 05 tháng 01 năm 2010 2016 –2017 Quyết định số : 1112/QĐSGD & ĐT ngày 18 tháng 10 năm 2017 21 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com APPENDIX SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE (For teachers) This survey aims at finding out some information about the frequency and the effectiveness of mind maps in teaching vocabulary of the English teachers at Yen Dinh High School Please help me to complete it by putting a tick (√) to your answer(s) How often you use mind maps in teaching vocabulary? A Always B Often C Sometimes D Never What you think of the effect of mind maps in teaching English vocabulary? A Very effective B Not very effective C Ineffective Thank you very much for your cooperation 22 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com APPENDIX SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE – BẢNG CÂU HỎI KHẢO SÁT (For students – Dành cho học sinh) This survey aims at finding out some information about the frequency and the use of mind maps to build up vocabulary of students at Yen dinh High School Please help me to complete it by putting a tick (√) to your answer(s) Mục đích khảo sát tìm hiểu số thơng tin việc sử dụng sơ đồ tư việc học tiếng Anh học sinh trường THPT Yên Định Hãy giúp cô hồn thành cách em đánh dấu tick (√) vào phương án trả lời em lựa chon phía câu hỏi How often you use build up your English vocabylary?- Em tích lũy vốn từ vựng tiếng Anh thường xuyên ? A B C D Always – Luôn Often – Thường xuyên Sometimes – Thỉnh thoảng Never – Không What you feel when you learn new English words and structures? Em cảm thấy học từ cấu trúc tiếng Anh mới? A B C Excited – Hào hứng Stressful – Căng thẳng Bored – Chán nản Do you use mind maps to compile your English vocabulary? Em có dùng sơ đồ từ xây dựng từ vựng tiếng Anh khơng? A B Yes - Có No – Khơng Thank you very much for your cooperation Cám ơn hợp tác em 23 LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG download : add luanvanchat@agmail.com ... is the reason why I chose the topic ? ?Using mind mapping technique to help students build up their vocabulary? ?? I hope that students will be able to enrich their vocabulary LUAN VAN CHAT LUONG... the benefits of mind mapping in teaching and learning English vocabulary - Suggesting some effective ways of using mind mapping technique to help students build up their own vocabulary 1.3 Objects... 2.2.1 Using mind mapping in teaching English vocabulary? ?? 2.2.2 Using mind mapping in building up English vocabulary 2.3 Sample lesson plan and students? ?? lexical compilation applying mind mapping? ??…………………………………