Using cooperative games to improve young efl learners vocanulary retention at seameo retrac m a

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY-HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES FACULTY OF ENGLISH LINGUISTICS & LITERATURE USING COOPERATIVE GAMES TO IMPROVE YOUNG EFL LEARNERS’ VOCABULARY RETENTION AT SEAMEO RETRAC A minor thesis submitted to the Faculty of English Linguistics & Literature in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in TESOL By PHAN THUY LINH Supervised by LE THI THANH, Ph.D HO CHI MINH CITY, AUGUST 2022 ACKNOWLEDMENT This thesis would have not been completed without the encouragement, suggestion and assistance from many members First and foremost, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr Le Thi Thanh for her guidance and support Her encouragement and care helped me overcome the obstacles during the process of completing my thesis Next, I would like to extent my appreciation to SEAMEO RETRAC Kiddy Programs for authorizing me to conduct my experiment at the center In addition, I am also thankful to my beloved colleagues at SEAMEO RETRAC for their valuable suggestions and feedback for the questionnaire I would like to send my thanks to all of my students for their enthusiastic participation during the thesis Last but not least, I would like to send my thanks to my family who always supported and motivated me to finish this research i STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY I hereby certify my authorship of the thesis entitled “USING COOPERATIVE GAMES TO IMPROVE YOUNG EFL LEARNERS’ VOCABULARY RETENTION AT SEAMEO RETRAC” I declare that this thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in any other institutions Ho Chi Minh City, August 2022 PHAN THUY LINH ii RETENTION AND USE OF MY THESIS I hereby state that I, Phan Thuy Linh, being the candidate of the degree of Master in TESOL, accept the requirements of the University of Social Sciences and Humanities regarding the retention and use of my thesis deposited in the library In terms of these conditions, I agree that the original of my thesis should be made accessible to individuals for the purpose of research and study in accordance with the conditions established by the University’s library for the care, loan or reproduction of the thesis Ho Chi Minh City, August 2022 iii TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDMENT i STATEMENT OF ORIGINALITY ii RETENTION AND USE OF MY THESIS iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ix LIST OF FIGURES x LIST OF TABLES xi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background to the study 1.2 Aims of the study 1.3 Research questions 1.4 Significance of the study 1.5 Scope of the study 1.6 Organization of the study CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Vocabulary learning 2.1.1 Definition of vocabulary 2.1.2 Types of vocabulary 2.1.3 Aspects of knowing a word 2.1.4 The importance of vocabulary in learning a foreign language 2.2 Vocabulary teaching 10 2.2.1 Principles of teaching vocabulary 10 iv 2.2.2 Techniques in teaching vocabulary 11 2.3 The use of games in teaching English 12 2.3.1 Definition of games 12 2.3.2 Types of games in teaching language 14 2.3.3 Benefits of language teaching games 15 2.4 Cooperative games in language teaching 17 2.4.1 The nature Cooperative learning classroom 17 2.4.2 Definition of cooperative games 18 2.4.3 Types of cooperative games 19 2.5 Vocabulary retention 21 2.5.1 Definition of vocabulary retention 21 2.5.2 Vocabulary retention span 21 2.6 Young learners 23 2.6.1 Definition of young learners 23 2.6.2 Characteristics of young learners 23 2.7 Previous studies 24 2.7.1 International studies 24 2.7.2 Vietnamese studies 25 2.7.3 Studies gap 27 2.8 Conceptual framework 27 2.9 Chapter summary 29 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 30 3.1 Research questions 30 v 3.2 Research design 30 3.3 Research site 32 3.4 Participants 32 3.5 Research instruments 33 3.5.1 Vocabulary tests 33 3.5.1.1 Pre-test 34 3.5.1.2 Post-test 34 3.5.1.3 Delayed-test 34 3.5.2 Questionnaire 35 3.6 Data collection procedure 37 3.7 Data analysis procedure 38 3.8 Validity and Reliability of the data 38 3.8.1 Validity and Reliability in Questionnaire 38 3.8.2 Validity and Reliability in Tests 40 3.9 The experimental teaching 41 3.10 Chapter summary 43 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 44 4.1 Results of Vocabulary Tests 44 4.1.1 Comparison of the pretest scores of between two groups 44 4.1.2 Comparison between the pretest and posttest scores of each group and posttest scores of the two groups 45 4.1.2.1 The result of the pre-test and post-test within EG 45 4.1.2.2 The result of the pre-test and post-test within CG 45 vi 4.1.2.3 Comparison between the post-test scores of the two groups 46 4.1.3 Comparison between the post-test and delayed test scores of each group and delayed test scores of the two groups 47 4.1.3.1 The result of the post-test and delayed test within EG 47 4.1.3.2 The result of the post-test and delayed test within CG 47 4.1.3.3 Comparison between the delayed test scores of the two groups 48 4.1.4 Comparison of component scores between two groups 49 4.1.4.1 Comparison of pre-test component scores between two groups 49 4.1.4.2 Comparison of post-test component scores between two groups 50 4.1.4.3 Comparison of delayed-test component scores between two groups 51 4.1.5 Comparison of component scores within groups 52 4.1.5.1 Comparison of test component scores of EG 52 4.1.5.2 Comparison of test component scores of CG 53 4.1.6 Summary of the test results 55 4.2 Results of the questionnaire 56 4.2.1 Students’ attitudes towards using cooperative games in vocabulary lessons 56 4.2.2 Students’ attitudes towards students’ preference for cooperative games and the frequency of applying cooperative games in vocabulary lessons 64 4.2.3 Summary of the questionnaires 65 4.3 Chapter summary 65 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS 67 vii 5.1 Conclusions 67 5.2 Implications 68 5.2.1 Implications for young EFL learners 68 5.2.2 Implications for teachers 69 5.3 Limitations 70 5.4 Recommendations 70 5.5 Summary 71 REFERENCES 72 APPENDIX A 80 APPENDIX B 86 APPENDIX C 91 APPENDIX D 96 APPENDIX D 100 APPENDIX E 103 viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS EFL English as a Foreign Language EG Experimental group CG Control group ix APPENDIX C DELAYED-TEST Student’s name: Class: Date: Result: Duration: 45 minutes PART I Look and circle I Look and write (14) II Tick and cross tro lley 91 III Match the opposites IV Match the pictures with the words V Underline the correct words PART 92 PART I Write the words II Complete the sentences 93 III Write the missing letters IV Complete the crossword V Order the letters 94 Key PART I chase laugh shout catch II true False False true True false III 1.c 2a 3g 4b 5d 5e 6f IV Pasta, rice, bread, cookies, apple Orange, ice-cream, fries V Cheerful, worried, generous, mean PART I meat cereal bread lemon cucumber onion pasta Melon II wide lake high mountain deep river III litter Playground Fountain bench Grass Flowers IV bin Flowers Fountain Litter playground Trees Path grass V Old, bridge, country 95 APPENDIX D LESSON PLAN UNIT 8: I’d like a melon! WEEK GOING SHOPPING Duration: 10 minutes Type of games: Grouping game Objectives: Students are able to divide the words into two groups “countable” &” uncountable” Description: The teacher has the students hunt for seven different picture-related items Following that, students are instructed to write the words that correspond with the imagery on the back of the cards Later, the teacher will show them two baskets labeled "countable" and "uncountable," and they will be asked to place the items in the proper basket After the allowed time has elapsed, the teacher will have the students go over the answers and verify their correctness When students cooperate with their peers, they not only have a better probability of learning the language, but they also report higher levels of satisfaction and comfort WEEK SPELLING BEE Duration: 10 minutes Type of games: Matching game Objectives: Students are able to match the pictures and the words Description: The teacher will divide the class into smaller groups They will work together to achieve the main goal After providing pupils with instructions for the game, the instructor promises to award them with prizes if they complete it within the time limit of five minutes The instructor will give each group a set of pictures, and when they hear a certain word, they will need to demonstrate which picture corresponds to that term Additionally, the teacher provides them with a list of words and instructs them to say the word and display the card if they come across a particular 96 image Students will be able to recognize the correct spelling of the words as well as the pictures that correspond to those words if they play this game Unit 9: The fastest animal in the world! WEEK GET PAIRS Duration: 10 minutes Type of games: Matching game Objectives: Students are able to match the pictures and the words Description: The students have been assigned to one of four groups While the other two groups are each given a set of words, the first two groups are given a collection of photos After a few moments, the teacher puts on some background music and instructs the students to circulate the classroom while searching for the appropriate picture or word to match The word might be spoken by the students to let the teacher know that they have been successful in finding partners The teacher then instructs the students to switch the words and pictures and to continue playing the game WEEK PICTURES-LINE-UP Duration: 10 minutes Type of games: Grouping game Objectives: Students are able to recognize the pictures and pronounce the words Description: The teacher hands out a unique picture to each and every student All of the students who have the same picture are gathered into a single line and encouraged to pronounce the word aloud The game continues with the instructor directing the students to identify their partners and form a single line They are asked to switch pictures with their other classmates This is a game that can be played by the students using any and all of the words that they learn 97 Unit 10: In the Park! WEEK WORDS-LINE-UP Duration: 10 minutes Type of games: Grouping game Objectives: Students are able to recognize the written form of words and pronounce the words Description: Students are provided with a list of words, and their objective is to discover other people who have the same word as them The teacher has the students swap the words with their friends and continue the game After the students find their group members, all of the groups have to pronounce the words Students are better able to retain the words' spellings to memory after playing this game WEEK MISSING LETTERS Duration: 10 minutes Type of games: Guessing game Objectives: Students are able to write the words Description: The teacher starts by breaking the class up into smaller groups and giving each of those groups a word that is missing letters Then, each group will take turns to describe the word by acting out what it means The members of the other groups are allowed to think up questions for the group to answer in order to determine what the secret word is Following that, students will be instructed to write the missing letters Unit 11: In the museum! WEEK MISSING LETTERS Duration: 10 minutes Type of games: Searching game 98 Objectives: Students are able to pronounce the words and practice speaking skills Description: Students are given a table of questions The teacher has the students search for information about their friends’ means of transportation They are asked to go around the room and ask ten of their classmates, "How you travel to Ha Noi/school/the museum?" They can improve their vocabulary, pronunciation, and speaking skills by participating in this activity WEEK WORD SEARCH PUZZLE Duration: 10 minutes Type of games: Searching game Objectives: Students are able to write the words and practice speaking skills Description: The teacher assigns students to smaller groups and provides them with a few sheets of paper Then they cooperate with their peers to solve the puzzle in five minutes After that, each student goes around the class and asks other group member the question "Where is the boy?" to obtain the information needed to complete the table If all groups finish within the time limit, they will be rewarded 99 APPENDIX D Questionnaire for students (English) The main purpose of this questionnaire is to understand your perceptions towards the use of cooperative games in learning vocabulary Your cooperation is important for the success of this study Your genuine and careful answers will be highly appreciated The data from this questionnaire will be kept as private information and used only for the research Yours sincerely, Phan Thuy Linh (TESOL 2017B, USSH, Ho Chi Minh City) Part Personal information 1.1 Your gender:  Male  Female 1.2 Your age: …………… Part Students’ attitudes towards Cooperative games Please put a tick in the appropriate box with (1) Strongly disagree (4) Agree (2) Disagree (3) Neutral (5) Strongly agree Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree disagree agree How you feel about using cooperative games in vocabulary lessons? 2.1 I feel excited 2.2 I feel self- motivated 2.3 I feel relaxed What are the benefits of cooperative games? 2.4 Cooperative games Strongly bring cheerful 100 atmosphere 2.5 Cooperative games encourage me to cooperate with my classmates 2.6 Cooperative games help become me more active 2.7 Cooperative games give me more opportunities to practice vocabulary 2.8 Cooperative games help me remember how to write the words 2.9 Cooperative games help me remember how to say the words 2.10 Cooperative games help me identify the words and the equivalent pictures 101 Part 3: Students’ overall attitudes Please put a tick in the appropriate box with 3.1 How you prefer vocabulary lessons with the application of cooperative games?  No preference  Prefer  Very strongly prefer 3.2 How often you want to play cooperative games in vocabulary lessons?  Never  Every month Every week THE END OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE Thank you very much for your time and cooperation! 102 APPENDIX E Bảng khảo sát dành cho học sinh Thân chào em học sinh, Bảng câu hỏi sử dụngnhằm thu thập liệu phục vụ cho đề tài nghiên cứu khoa học “Sử dụng trò chơi hợp tác để cải thiện ghi nhớ từ vựng học viên thiếu nhi SEAMEO RETRAC” Rất mong em dành thời gian để trả lời câu hỏi Tất câu trả lời em quan trọng góp phần tạo nên thành cơng đề tài Vì vậy, cảm ơn trân trọng hợp tác thời gian em Thông tin từ bảng khảo sát bảo mật khơng dùng cho mục đích khác Cảm ơn tham gia nhiệt tình em Phần Thơng tin cá nhân 1.1 Giới tính:  Nam  Nữ 1.2 Độ tuổi: …………… Phần Thái độ học sinh trò chơi hợp tác Đánh dấu vào ô sau: (1) Hồn tồn khơng đồng ý (2) Khơng đồng ý (3) Bình thường (4) Đồng ý (5) Hồn tồn đồng ý 103 Hồn Khơng Bình tồn đồng ý thường Đồng ý Hồn đồng ý khơng đồng ý Em cảm thấy trò chơi hợp tác tiết học từ vựng? 2.1 Em cảm thấy hào hứng 2.2 Em cảm thấy 2.3 Em cảm thấy thư giãn Những lợi ích mà trị chơi hợp tác đem lại: 2.4 Trị chơi tạo khơng khí học tập vui vẻ 2.5 Trị chơi khuyến khích em hợp tác với bạn lớp 2.6 Trò chơi giúp em trở nên động 2.7 Trò chơi giúp em có nhiều hội thực hành từ vựng học 2.8 Trò chơi giúp em nhớ cách viết từ vựng 2.9 tồn Trị chơi giúp em nhớ cách nói từ vựng 2.10 Trị chơi giúp em nhận diện từ vựng hình ảnh tương ứng 104 Phần 3: Ý kiến chung học sinh Đánh dấu vào thích hợp 3.1 Mức độ u thích em việc áp dụng trò chơi hợp tác tiết học từ vựng  Khơng thích  Thích  Rất thích 3.2 Tần suất em muốn chơi trò chơi hợp tác tiết học từ vựng  Không  Mỗi tháng KẾT THÚC BÀI KHẢO SÁT Cảm ơn hợp tác em! 105  Mỗi tuần