Using mind – maps to develop grammatical memorization competence for grade 9 students at tam da lower secondary school, bac ninh province

DECLARATION I certify that the minor thesis entitled Using mind – maps to develop grammatical memorization competence for grade 9 students at Tam Da Lower Secondary school, Bac Ninh pro

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

NGO THI PHUONG

USING MIND-MAP TO DEVELOP GRAMMATICAL MEMORIZATION COMPETENCE FOR GRADE 9 STUDENTS AT TAM DA LOWER

SECONDARY SCHOOL, BAC NINH PROVINCE

(Sử dụng sơ đồ tư duy để cải thiện khả năng ghi nhớ ngữ pháp cho học sinh lớp 9 trường THCS Tam Đa, Tỉnh Bắc Ninh)

M.A THESIS

Field: English Linguistics Code: 8220201

THAI NGUYEN – 2022

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

NGO THI PHUONG

USING MIND-MAP TO DEVELOP GRAMMATICAL MEMORIZATION COMPETENCE FOR GRADE 9 STUDENTS AT TAM DA LOWER

SECONDARY SCHOOL, BAC NINH PROVINCE

(Sử dụng sơ đồ tư duy để cải thiện khả năng ghi nhớ ngữ pháp cho học sinh lớp 9 trường THCS Tam Đa, Tỉnh Bắc Ninh)

M.A THESIS (APPLICATION ORIENTATION)

Field: English Linguistics

Supervisor: Dang Thi Thu Huong, PhD

THAI NGUYEN – 2022

DECLARATION

I certify that the minor thesis entitled Using mind – maps to develop

grammatical memorization competence for grade 9 students at Tam Da Lower Secondary school, Bac Ninh province is my own study in the fulfillment of the

requirement for the Degree of Master of Arts at Foreign Language Faculty, Thai Nguyen University

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to express my gratefulness to my supervisor, Dr Dang Thi Thu Huong for the enthusiastic guidance she gave me while I was doing this thesis I am thankful for her ideas, suggestions, instructions, deep comments, and constant support Without these, I could not have been completed my research

Many special thanks are sent to all the lecturers and organizers of the Master‟s course at Thai Nguyen University

I would like to thank all my friends, my colleagues for their help, my colleagues, and my students in my school who were taking part in my research for their great cooperation

Finally, I would like to thank all the members of my family, who continuously encouraged and supported me to complete this thesis

ABSTRACT

With the hope to investigate the difficulties when teachers teach English grammar and the effectiveness of using mind-maps in teaching and learning English grammar at Tam Da Lower Secondary School, the research aimed at finding our the challenges that the teacher faced when teaching grammar, and whether mind-maps could help students memorize English grammar better To find the answer to the above questions, experimental research was carried out The methods of the research were carefully considered to combine qualitative and quantitative methods

to carry out a theoretical and practical study The subjects of the research were 70 grade 9 students at Tam Da Lower Secondary School A combination of research instruments (grammar pre-test and post-test, questionnaire, lessons using mind-maps to teach grammar) was employed to elicit the data The analysis of the pre-data showed that most of the students had low levels of English grammar A questionnaire was delivered to students for further understanding about their difficulties as well as their opinions toward learning English grammar and learning English grammar using mind-maps Lessons using mind-maps in teaching English grammar were conducted to the experiment class afterward, followed by a post-test

to both classes The data was collected and analyzed and discussed so that implications for teachers and students were given Recommendations for students, teachers, school managers, academic leaders, and educational institutions were mentioned for further achievements in English learning

TABLE OF CONTENT

DECLARATION i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ii

ABSTRACT iii

TABLE OF CONTENT iv

LIST OF TABLES vi

LIST OF FIGURES vii

CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Rationale 1

1.2 Aims of the study 3

1.3 Scope of the study 4

1.4 Significance of the study 4

1.5 Structure of the study 5

CHAPTER II : LITERATURE REVIEW 6

2.1 Grammar and grammar learning 6

2.1.1 Definitions of grammar 6

2.1.2 Challenges of learning and using grammar by EFL students 6

2.1.3 Method of English grammar teaching for lower secondary graders 8

2.2 Mind-map 9

2.2.1 Definitions of mind-map 9

2.2.2 The functions of mind-map 10

2.2.3 Development and usage of mind-map 11

2.2.4 Advantages of mind-map 14

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY 16

3.1 Research question 16

3.2 Method of research 16

3.3 Participants 17

3.4 Data collection 17

3.4.1 Data collection instruments 17

3.4.2 Data collection procedure 20

3.5 Data analysis 23

3.5.1 Test result analysis 23

3.5.2 Questionnaire analysis 24

CHAPTER IV: FINDING AND DISCUSSION 25

4.1 Experiment - question 1 25

4.2 The students‟ scores in post-test 26

4.3 Experiment - question 2 28

4.4 Discussion 34

CHAPTER V: IMPLICATIONS AND CONCLUSION 37

5.1 Implications 37

5.1.1 Implications for teachers 37

5.1.2 Implications for students 38

5.2 Recommendations 39

5.2.1 For students: 39

5.2.2 For teachers: 40

5.3 Limitations of the study & suggestion for future studies 40

5.4 Conclusion 41

REFERENCE 42 APPENDIXES I

LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.1: Test description 18

Table 3.2: Experiment site‟s classes information 21

Table 3.3: Experiment procedure 22

Table 4.1: Students‟ scores in the pre-test 25

Table 4.2: Students‟ scores in the post-test 26

Table 4.3: Students‟ survey result (1) 29

Table 4.4: Students‟ survey result (2) 30

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1: Basic English grammar 6 Figure 2.2: Basic English grammar examples 6 Figure 4.1: Students‟ scores in the pre-test vs post-test 27

CHAPTER I : INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale

Foreign languages, especially English, are very important today English not only helps us acquire advanced science and technology in the world but also helps

us to acquire the cultural quintessence of humankind In addition, it is a bridge of peace and friendship between countries around the world, helping people understand each other better and friendlier Today, people all over the world are trying to find ways to improve their English (British Council, 2013) However, not everyone who learns English tries so hard to become successful, a lot of learners have left it halfway, even though their English level is not so low

Learning a foreign language that is not one‟s native language can always be difficult, so learning English or any other language requires good motivation To help students understand the importance and benefits of learning English, and to give them some additional motivation, it is necessary to give some reasons for convincing themselves The current educational goals are to educate students to develop comprehensively, full of the knowledge of natural sciences and social sciences in which foreign language is an indispensable subject and the goal of learning Foreign language is for communication, so students need to meet the skills

to make good communication, in which grammar skills cannot be taken lightly in communication (Governmental Portal, 2007) At the elementary level (grades 3-5), teaching English helps students to initially formulate and develop their communication skills through four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing, focusing more on two oral skills At the secondary school level, the teaching of English continues to help students form and develop their communication skills, and at the same time developing students' thinking and understanding skills about cultures and societies of different countries (Bao Moi, 2017) Thus, foreign languages generally and English particularly is an essential tool to assist students in accessing the world English comes to support them to have comprehensive views around the world as well as a deeper understanding of the culture and society of their people

The content of teaching English in general education curriculum is designed with a multi-component structure, including a system of general topics, and specific topics, communication competencies related to content; and a catalog of language knowledge (phonetics, meaning, etc.) (Nam, 2005) Cultural content is taught integrated and combined in the system of topics and meaning About the point system: the content of the English language education curriculum is built on the topics suitable to each level of education (Dalton-Puffer, 2011) The topics are closely related and designed to be repeated throughout the school year in each grade, in a spiral concentric direction to strengthen and develop students' communication skills, especially grammar skills The names of the topics can be changed according to the grade level to meet the needs, demands, interests of students as well as the requirements of forming and developing the qualities and competencies necessary for learners Over the years of applying the innovative method of teaching English at secondary school with the book replacement program, there have been many teachers who have experienced creative initiatives

to actively serve the teaching of English subject and for each with their skills (Lie, 2007) In the process of applying teaching with a new method to meet the requirements of the new general education curriculum, the researcher has always been thinking about a suitable method that enables to evoke more active and creative learning for grade 9 students A teaching method appropriately applied may improve the quality of English teaching as well as students‟ learning results

It is undeniable that English grammar is an essential part of learning English because it is an effective complementary foundation to develop oral and written skills To master English skills, learners need to prepare themselves with a basic foundation of English grammar When answering the survey question of whether English grammar is really necessary, some learners think that English grammar is only important for teachers, for language experts, and not so much in conversation and communication This is incorrect (Al-Tamimi, 2014) Grammar for any language is important Grammar is the foundation for speakers to express thoughts, which is a piece to help people express an accurate, clear, and understandable

message Grammar is the rules of a language, so it is highly normative (Jackendoff, Foundations of language: Brain, meaning, grammar, evolution, 2002) If grammar is the material for communication, grammar can be considered as the backbone to help sentences work smoothly According to linguistics, grammar is a collection of linguistic elements such as structures of sentences, phrases, clauses, etc arranged in rules and order to form a complete and meaningful sentence (Longacre, 1996) If one violates this, simply need a sentence without a semicolon or semicolon is misplaced, the meaning of the sentence immediately vague, unclear thus, readers will read it again and again and then have to predict to understand the meaning of the sentence In communication, a grammatical expression will make the conversation more interesting and exciting No one likes to talk to a person who has

to interrupt the conversation to ask what he or she wants to talk about Therefore, in communication, poor grammar will cause discomfort, bringing bad emotions to the opposite person (Guide to Grammar, 2020)

At the secondary level in Bac Ninh province, English is no longer just an extracurricular subject but has become an extremely important compulsory subject Looking back on their 12 years of study, many students who had poor English regretted that if they had paid more attention to this subject, surely their knowledge would have been more successful in their careers Almost all the English exams including semester exams, transfer, and university entrance exams mainly focus on grammar Hence, English teaching and learning activities tend to be concentrated on systematizing grammar knowledge instead of practicing listening, speaking, reading, and writing For the reasons, the researcher decided to take a study on using mind-map to develop grammatical memorization competence for grade 9 students at Tam Da Lower Secondary School, Bac Ninh province

1.2 Aims of the study

This study aims to achieve the use of the mind-map technique to retain English grammar in English lessons for Tam Da Lower Secondary School in Bac Ninh Province The study is aimed to introduce and provide the knowledge as well

as the practical approach of mind-map technique in teaching and learning English grammar for the 9th graders at Tam Da Lower Secondary School in Bac Ninh

Two main research questions are based on the aims of the study as follow:

(1) What difficulties do students face before using mind-map in learning English grammar?

(2) Does the mind-map help students memorize English grammar better?

1.3 Scope of the study

The scope of the study is limited to the exploration of the impacts and influences of mind-map technique on the student‟s memory of grammar within the context of English subject of 9th graders at Tam Da Lower Secondary School in Bac Ninh Province

70 9th graders at Tam Da Lower Secondary School were selected as respondents of the study They were divided into two groups: controlled and experimental groups Due to its aim and scope, the study was conducted during the school year of 2019-2020

1.4 Significance of the study

Nowadays, as English learning resources become more and more diverse, how to learn it effectively becomes more and more focused There are many methods for learners to adapt in which mind-map is largely taken into consideration The mind-map is already a well-known tool around the world, so you may have used it to take notes in class, create ideas, plan, solve problems, etc., and achieve many very interesting results (Al-Jarf, 2009) Mind-map English grammar is known to be a method of teaching English grammar that guides students to learn with a new and unique mind-map Now learners will no longer have to struggle with long, difficult grammar knowledge, but instead learn how to learn with a mind-map with short, and concise key structures of sentences In this regard, this minor thesis is extremely useful and helpful in practice for the 9th graders at Tam Da Lower Secondary School in memorizing grammar better As an English teacher of Tam Da Lower Secondary School, the researcher is preparing for the students to improve English grammar, so mind-map is chosen to apply in a grammar teaching experiment The finding of the research will also help both students and teachers to revise their old English grammar knowledge and

technique in a very easy way to learn and memorize English grammar by using mind-map Additionally, this paper will provide new learning and teaching method, easily accessible from both teachers and students

1.5 Structure of the study

This study contains five main chapters:

Chapter 1: is the introduction of the five sections of (1) rationale, (2) aims of the study, (3) scope of the study, (4) significance of the study, and (5) structure of the study

Chapter 2: is the literature review which provides the theoretical background

of the study, including the knowledge of mind-map techniques, along with necessary skills and knowledge over the learning and teaching of English grammar for secondary graders

Chapter 3: is the methodology to be used for this study, including the approach and instruments for data collection, procedures, as well as data analysis

Chapter 4: is the findings and observations from the results of data analysis responding to the topic of this research Especially, this chapter will provide and respond to two research questions

Chapter 5: is the main findings and contributions of this paper, providing limitations, pedagogical implications as well as further research of this study (if any)

CHAPTER II : LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Grammar and grammar learning

SUBJECT-VERB – COMPLEMENT – MODIFIER

( OBJECT)

DIRECT INDIRECT

Figure 2.1: Basic English grammar

English grammar is an essential part of learning English because it is a powerful foundation for the four skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing

To practice good skills, students need to prepare themselves for basic English grammar (Sawir, 2005) For example:

Figure 2.2: Basic English grammar examples

2.1.2 Challenges of learning and using grammar by EFL students

Currently, English is a popular language in international transactions This has also been the most taught foreign language in schools in Vietnam up to now Many students are aware that the requirement to learn English to meet the needs of modern society is necessary However, mastering English is not an easy task Of the

four basic, students often have difficulty in writing when their grammar remains limited Therefore, it is often difficult for students to avoid grammatical mistakes For instance, for Vietnamese learners, grammar structure is more challenging due to the tenses of the sentence for expression during different periods In English, each has its formula and usage, but due to a lack of knowledge of basic grammar, students often make grammatically wrong sentences Before another action in the past, they often use the simple past tense while the past is supposed to be fulfilled

(Vân Đông, 2015) For example, the sentence „Before he went out, he locked the

door' had to be rewritten 'Before he went out, he had locked the door.' Another

example is “When he came, we were having dinner” In this sentence, the verb

„have' must be changed to „having' because the formula for the continuous past

tense is: was/were + V-ing

There are many grammatical structures in English and the most possible way for students to use them correctly is by memorizing and generalizing the patterns

Example 1: I am very interested in reading books

The preposition 'of' in the above sentence must be changed to „in' because the correct structure is „to be interested in

Example 2: My face is similar to my mother's

The above sentence shows that the researcher may not know how to use the correct structure to express the meaning that makes the sentence more natural It can

be ten as follows: I take after my mother

When conducting a survey of nearly 100 amateurs' writings, the researchers found that they were aware of using structure in writing English, but they used it incorrectly (Tuyến, 2019) In addition, the majority of ESL students often do not have enough grammar and language structures to express ideas and opinions while writing or speaking (Raimes, 1985) Therefore, they often have to replace structures

of sentences and sentence structures that they do not know with what they have learned This has led to 'circular writing' to express ideas For example, the period (.) is used to end a sentence, but students often forget to use it Sometimes they use

a comma (,) instead of a period (.) between two sentences This may be because

they do not think that those single sentences have complete information content with independent grammatical structure so they must be distinguished In addition, students do not often capitalize the first letter of the sentence to clarify this distinction (Wong, 2020) Overall, the most challenging aspect is to memorize and use grammar in the most structured and logical approach in writing and speaking The main goal of this aspect is to ensure that the English speakers and researchers are clearly and truly expressing their ideas

2.1.3 Method of English grammar teaching for lower secondary graders

a) Translation method

Normally, teachers use Vietnamese to teach grammar through examples and grammar rules Then, learners apply the rules they learned to write and speak exercises This teaching method can ensure that learners understand grammar lessons, especially complicated grammar phenomena, but this teaching method does not help learners have the ability to speak English fluently by teachers (Tuan, 2010), only focus on analyzing grammar, the forms of grammatical structures and modifiers of structures of sentences Therefore, translating sentences from English into Vietnamese is the main form of class assignments, students have little chance

to use English, so they cannot use language to communicate

b) Inductive method

Learners actively practice, repeat sample sentences, and draw grammar rules themselves without listening to the theory After that, learners follow the pattern and create similar sentences After actively practicing listening - speaking through sentence samples, the theoretical summation will be provided through the tables at the end of the lesson (Ur, 2009)

c) Flexible method

Grammar is not taught in lessons; learners will learn by themselves during the coursework process (White, 1995) Teachers are responsible for directing the learners' attention to certain grammar points in the learning process but do not focus

on practicing these grammar phenomena In this way, teaching grammar will be flexible and easy to suit learners and their learning styles (Larsen-Freeman, 2001)

d) Mind-map

Mind-map is a form of note-taking that uses colors and images to expand and deepen ideas, a combination of structures of sentences, images, lines, colors, and textures (Buzan, 2006) Brain structure, function, and features help explore the brain's infinite potential

In the middle of the map is a central idea or image to develop the memorization of the grammar requirements and characteristics of English This central idea or image will be developed with branches representing the main ideas and all connected with the central idea (Buzan, 2018) The main branches are further subdivided into sub-branches to study the topic at a deeper level These sub-branches continue to be divided into many sub-branches, to study the topic at a deeper level (Merchie, 2016) Thanks to the connection between branches, ideas also have associations based on their relationships, which makes the Mind-map able

to cover ideas on a deep and wide range of a list of common ideas which can't be done separately With this consideration, the method of mind-map is gradually moving from the center to the surrounding and organizing thoughts also in similar approaches From there, ideas will develop, and soon creative ideas, imagination will expand and problems will be grasped as quickly as possible

2.2 Mind-map

2.2.1 Definitions of mind-map

Mind-map was invented by Tony Buzan, the leading researcher on brains and learning methods A mind map is a simple approach to brainstorm ideas without having to worry about order or structure It lets you organize your thoughts graphically to aid analysis and memory A mind map is a diagram that uses a non-linear graphical structure to depict actions, words, concepts, or items that are related

to and grouped around a central concept or subject It helps the user to create an intuitive framework around a key notion A mind map may transform a long list of boring facts into a colorful, memorable, and well-organized diagram that follows your brain's natural flow of thought (Buzan, 2006)

2.2.2 The functions of mind-map

These are the two fundamental foundations of mind-map, which involve the combination of the use of colors, images, single structures of sentences, and linked branches (Stokhof, 2020) The traditional method of taking notes has led us to set aside these two extremely effective principles However, with the realization that imagination and connections are the driving force behind success in any job, the role of these skills is constantly being emphasized (Beare, 2018)

2.2.2.1 General functions

- Thinking-oriented and generating creative ideas

According to Antony (2018), thinking is the process of reflecting objective reality in the mind, when faced with a "problematic" situation, human thinking activities will begin, but that activity will spread if not directed and clear Mind-map with the form is a diagram developed from a central idea or image that needs to be thought about, it will be extended and studied further by the main branches and smaller branches from the main branch (Nghi, 2019) Thus, our thinking activities are always clearly oriented In addition, in the mind-map from ideas or images given in the branches, we can find more creative ideas that we may not discover when thinking (Malycha, 2017) Therefore, when using mind-map, we can orient our thoughts and generate many creative ideas

- Improving memory performance

Human memory is based on two basic principles: likeness and connection mind-map with the strength of color and image effect, users will easily remember facts through association and association of images created by themselves (Buzan, 2018) With the same theme, each individual will design a different mind-map in both content and form depending on the designer's thinking habits and qualifications mind-map will become lively and easier to remember because it has

a bold personal touch Therefore, the memory performance will be enhanced when using the mind-map (Tucker, 2010)

2.2.2.2 Educational functions

- Developing problem-solving skills

When using mind-map, the teacher still ensures teaching and leading students

to solve problems and acquire new knowledge (Wilson, 2009) For example, when teaching in the direction of problem discovery and problem-solving, the teacher puts students in problematic situations and helps them not only understand the results of the problem detection and solving process but also make students have the ability to conduct self-learning processes First, the teacher draws the topic in the middle of the board, and together with the students come up with relevant main points Second, corresponding to each main idea, the teacher draws the main branch and then spreads the sub-branches by adding the ideas of the whole class Finally, the mind map has an open structure, so each comment can be incorporated into the map for a certain reason

- Developing thinking skills

Mind-map is a means of thinking direction from general to specific or vice versa; from purpose, goal to action, etc to achieve results (Stroh, 2015) Using mind-maps in teaching will train students the skills to use (draw and use) mind-maps in learning activities and later in all other activities - any activity is required to think, arrange implementation plans scientifically, avoid arbitrary work, trial and error, and ineffective groping (Freeman, 2002) Mind-maps have the advantage that ideas and events are always closely linked, which enables students to creatively apply their insights when receiving, evaluating, or solving a problem encountered (Eppler, 2009) Gradually, students will have good thinking habits and always develop in the cognitive process

- Improving information technology competence

By using mind-map, students will enable to learn and practice information technology It can train students practical skills, based on what they have learned to create new products, specifically different mind-maps for different problems here (Novak, 2006)

2.2.3 Development and usage of mind-map

The goal of the rules in building mind maps is freedom of thought, not inhibition of thinking As such, it is important not to confuse order and rigidity, freedom and chaos In mind-map, it is necessary to comply with the following rules:

2.2.3.1 Emphasizing

Emphasis is important as it has the effect of boosting memory and promoting creativity Any technique of emphasis can be used to link, and vice versa to ensure this principle, we should use the following tips (Davies, 2011):

- Always use a central image: Images work to attract the attention of the eyes and brain, activate countless connections at the same time help to remember effectively Furthermore, the image is always attractive, engaging, and interesting

If students are to use a word instead of a picture as the centerpiece of their map, find ways to turn it into an image, such as using size, color, and attractive appearance

mind Use pictures everywhere in mindmind map: This will create a balance between visual and language skills of the cortex, thereby enhancing visualization The habit

of using images in the mind-map will make us observe the world around us more closely Practicing drawing skills is also an opportunity to rediscover the surrounding world

- Each photo center uses many colors: Color stimulates memory and creativity, avoids monotony, always tries to make pictures more vivid and attractive

- Use size in pictures and around structures of sentences: Size works to "stand out", easy to remember, and effective communication Drawings in 3-dimensional space or braille have the effect of emphasizing important elements in the mind-map

- Resize images, print, and text: Resizing is the best way to indicate relative importance between elements in the same hierarchy The large size has a strong and positive effect on memory

- Organized line spacing: Organized line spacing makes clear the image, helping to organize hierarchical and effective classification; As a result, mind-map

is always "easy" to develop and looks beautiful

2.2.3.2 Connection

Linking plays a role in memory enhancement and creativity is also very important In the brain, the connection is an integrated tool that helps us capture experiences in the physical world For memory and understanding, the connection is key (Zhang, 2010) Once we determine the central image and the main idea, the

brain's ability to connect will help us go deep into the world of ideas and problems

to be solved (Buzan, 2018)

- Use arrows: Arrows are used to indicate relationships that are in the same branch or other branches Thanks to arrows, we will quickly see the relationships between the regions in the mind-map These arrows can be run in one direction only, or divided into multiple arrows, and by size and shape which have also changed Thanks to that, thinking is spatially oriented

- Use color: Color is one of the most effective tools to enhance memory and creativity Using color to symbolize or differentiate regions in mind-maps will speed up access to information and the ability to remember it, resulting in creative ideas expanding both numerically and scale Color symbols and symbols can be assigned individually or as a group

- Using symbols: When using symbols, we can immediately find links between parts on the same page in the mind-map, regardless of whether they are far

or close, which can be denoted by a cross, circles, triangles, underlines, or more complex signs… Symbols also save time

2.2.3.3 Coherence

The poor expression will be difficult to absorb A doodle note is more hindering than a memory because it goes against the coherent nature of thinking and limits coherent thinking (Gernsbacher, 2007)

- Each line has only one keyword: Each word can have thousands of connections which is easier to link if each line has only one word Furthermore, key phrases ‟will get lost in the jungle, and there will always be a variety of options

- Write key structures of sentences on the linking line: The link line is the framework that supports the word ideas, is organized and highly effective Bonding not only increases coherence, helps memory, but also facilitates connection expansion and expansion

- The line and structures of sentences are always the same lengths: This way, structures of sentences are easier to put together, more convenient to join, and will allow more space to add information to the mind-map

- The connecting lines and main branches are always connected to the center image: Connecting the link lines in the mind-map is a way to help connect ideas The connecting line can be an arrow, an arc, a spiral, a circle, an oval, a triangle, a polygon, or any other shape that students can think of

- The drawing is clear: Coherent form helps to think more clearly The map looks better and more appealing as well

mind Mindmind map is always horizontal

2.2.4 Advantages of mind-map

One of the easiest ways to memorize it is through visualization and illustration (Hoppe, 1996) This stimulates the right hemisphere of the brain, thereby helping the brain to remember Colorful pictures are easier to remember than structures of sentences, and anything can be remembered by relating it to a vivid image (Hogue, 2009) If our brain makes connections of its own, it will be easier to remember because it has gone through the creative process of connecting with something else (Buzan, 2006) If we use our creative minds to make these connections ridiculous, funny, outlandish, or shocking, our brain remembers these connections even more (Smiciklas, 2012)

Mind-map is a basic and simple thinking organization tool, is a creative and very effective means of taking notes Mind-map is a graphic tool that connects related images, the basic structure is the contents spread from the center, it is like the structure of trees in nature (Abi‐ El‐ Mona, 2008) Mind-map is a method devised as a powerful means of harnessing the brain's ability to note This is a way

to memorize details, to synthesize or analyze a problem into a form of branching schema (D'Antoni, 2010)

Therefore, a mind-map is a method of recording a picture or a keyword in the center, and from that central keyword develops many ideas, each idea will be a new keyword, with many small and detailed ideas (Mento, 1999) Mind-map is a manifestation of extended thinking In this regard, it is a natural function of thought (Faste, 2012) It's a visualization technique that serves as a universal key to the full potential of the brain Mind-map can be applied in all aspects, thereby improving

learning efficiency and coherent thinking ability, to increase operational efficiency (Demetriou, 2002)

Using mind-map as a lecture note is one of the most effective applications Compared to the way to write, composing lessons in mind-map format is much faster and has the great advantage of allowing both teachers and students to have an overview of the topic at all times (Davies, 2011) A mind-map lecture that is easy to update over time and details in the lecture is never disturbed Thanks to its memory-supporting features, the mind-map allows teachers to quickly grasp the focus with just a glance before going to class (Brinkmann, 2003) As teachers' knowledge grows richer each day, the same mind-map will form many different lectures if it is used year after year That helps teachers avoid the tediousness of outdated notes - with no extra effort required As a result, the teaching becomes livelier and more attractive for both teachers and students (Willis, 2013)

Used as an outline for lectures, mind-map helps teachers to maintain a great balance between the spontaneity and dynamism of a lecture with a clear, and logical layout of a presentation (Buzan, 2006) Furthermore, mind-map also allows teachers

to deliver lectures on time, or, if the specified time changes for some reason, teachers can also edit lessons for longer or shorter on request This editing function

is very useful in case the teacher receives some new information right before the lecture (Jusoh, 2009)

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research question

The study results would answer the following research questions:

(1) What difficulties do the teachers at Tam Da Lower Secondary School face before using mind-maps in teaching English grammar?

(2) Do the mind-maps help students memorize English grammar better?

The pre-test aimed at collecting factual evidence about difficulties that teachers had faced before using mind-maps in teaching English grammar (research question 1: What difficulties do teachers face before using mind-maps in teaching English grammar?) Next, a post-test was conducted after applying the mind maps in this context Data gathered were analyzed to decide the level of appropriateness of using mind-maps in teaching English grammar (Research question 2: Do the mind-maps help students memorize English grammar better?)

The finding pointed out the shortcomings of the traditional method and the advantages of the mind-map in English grammar teaching in particular; thereby, contributing to the improvement of the quality of English teaching in general

3.2 Method of research

This research was both theoretically and practically studied Therefore, to implement it, the researcher used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods which were specified as below:

Collecting and processing documents: Based on collecting information and documents from relevant fields and different sources related to the research topic, the researcher processed and obtained a general vision of the research problem This

is the literature review section which is used for the purpose of building up the relevant and correlative framework and theories for the experiment of this research Sociological investigation method: This method helped the researcher understand students' learning needs Through direct interviews or questionnaires, the researcher was aware of the students‟ psychology, their desires forward teachers and subjects, thereby, proposing some recommendations to improve teaching methods accordingly

Pre-test and post-test of the experiment: This method was implemented to compare the participant groups of students and to measure the degree of change in the performance of participants before and after the use of the new teaching method The aim of all sampling methods was to obtain a sample that is representative

of the study population When choosing a sampling method, it is necessary to understand the characteristics of the research population in order to determine a representative observation sample size and to assess the population relatively accurately (Kotrlik, 2001)

For the experiment, the researcher randomly selected two grade 9 classes: one for control classes and the other for the experiment

- Experimental class: Using mind-map in combination with traditional teaching methods

- Control class: Using traditional teaching methods

3.3 Participants

The participant of this study was the 70 grade 9 students at Tam Da Lower Secondary School, and the study was conducted in the second semester of the school year 2019-2020

The 70 selected students took responded to the survey questionnaires and took part in a pre-test After that, they were divided randomly into two groups: an experimental group and a control group Then, the students of the two groups would

be taught grammar lessons (following curriculum, lesson plan, and textbook) with different methods The experimental group was taught by applying the mind-map method, otherwise, the control group was taught without the mind-map method In the end, both groups were given the posttest

3.4 Data collection

3.4.1 Data collection instruments

In this method, data were received by observing, monitoring, measuring through experiments As the purpose of this study was to explore the influence of the mind-map approach on the improvement of English grammatical memory for grade 9 students, an experimental treatment design was adopted

Test description

Objectives The students can use the grammar in the themes: simple present

tense, present progressive, present perfect, and past simple tense

Materials The grammar involved in themes: simple present tense, present

progressive, present perfect, and past tense

Indicators 1 Students can distinguish different grammatical phenomena

relating to the theme

2 Students can remember grammar in categories

Test items 20

Time 15 minutes

Test types Multiple choices

Matching Gap filling

Table 3.1: Test description 3.4.1.2 Questionnaire

According to Salkind (2003), “individuals can complete them without any direct assistance or intervention from the researchers”, so a questionnaire is a useful tool for data collection which saves time and effort for both the researcher and participants

 Open-ended question: is the type of question with unstructured data or difficult to encode data Questions allow open answers and have different expressions and thoughts rather than forcing or directing the respondent

 Closed question: this is the type of question with collected data that can

be relatively easy to analyze and encode, but it limits the answer For example, students of courses are given questions about textbooks, lectures, books, etc and are assigned to answer on a 5-level rating scale (very agree: 5; agree: 4; mutual: 3; disagree: 2; very disagree: 1) to know whether the student is satisfied or dissatisfied These are closed questions that demonstrate data encryption

This is the critical base for the development of questionnaires for both the survey as well as the in-depth interview with the research objects

The questions must be completely unambiguous and confusing for the respondent Therefore, it is recommended to use simple sentences, words that are commonly used and easy to understand (Malhotra, 2006) Sometimes it is possible

to make more sense by emphasizing important words or by giving pictures or using writing to draw illustrations The unknown questions can confuse the respondent feel compelled or forced to answer, so that correct and correct answers will not be obtained (data will not be reliable) After designing the questionnaire, it is advisable

to do the test before the actual investigation It is best to have someone else fill out the questionnaire and observe how the respondent writes or how the respondent responds quickly or slowly, actions and gestures during the answer (showing difficulty, how to think, etc.) (Sheatsley, 1983)

- Ask questions about opinions and opinions

When asking about a point of view, the question should be laid out in the following principles:

 The question and presentation must be attractive, interesting, and pleasant

questions positively rather than negatively (answering good, good, smooth, etc rather than bad, or negative) Especially if they know or read their minds and how to express themselves, the researcher wants to support the presentation of their responses Therefore, the interviewer should choose the way of expressing and presenting the question in a way that both reflects the negative and positive views of the person answering the question (equal opinion at first, or unbiased)

- Purpose: Measure the change in cognitive manifestations; Attitude, emotions, and positivity are related to grammar learning and teaching before and after the experimental process of impact

- Content: Expressions of perception; Teachers' attitudes, feelings, and positivity are related to mind-map grammar teaching

- Conducting place: Tam Da Lower Secondary School

3.4.2 Data collection procedure

3.4.2.1 Pretest

Pre-tests would be given to 70 students to check their ability in English grammar before applying the mind-map method

The tests were in the forms of multiple-choice questions, matching, and gap

filling with 20 test items relating to topics: simple present tense, present

progressive, present perfect, and past tense The time allotted was 15 minutes The

test was valid as the content could measure the students„ ability in grammar and followed the test description in table 4.1.1

3.4.2.2 Lessons

Based on the theoretical basis and research on the current teaching method of mind-map, the researcher has experimented with the impact measures: (1) Active teaching methods in secondary schools; (2) The role of the teacher as a coordinator; (3) Presentation skills in teaching; (4) Teachers' teaching styles; (5) Students‟ learning styles; (6) Lesson plan and presentation design; (7) Learning assessment The school has 21 classes with a total of 1,488 students of four grades:

Grade Classes Student number

Table 3.2: Experiment site’s classes information

The two 9th grade classes were selected for the experiment

- For the pre-mind-map classes, although the teaching method was innovative, there was no significant change in teaching hours, teachers‟ presentation, students‟ listening, and note-taking Although students also responded to the questions posed

by the teachers, they did not show interest and self-awareness Students were still passive in learning and have not yet shown the role of cognitive activities and subjects Most of the teachers in the controlled class "quickly surfed" the knowledge, often focusing their time to answer questions in the form of applied exercises The diagrams and tables were often prepared by teachers themselves, and students observed and listened to the lessons

- For the mind-map classes, the lesson was carried out with various activities and many different learning tasks but not overloaded with students In contrast, the students were very active, proactive, and enthusiastic They were very excited about expressing their opinions when working with mind-map More qualified questions were raised than that of the control class

- The process of discussion for students to set up a mind-map to solve questions in textbooks made students more active and creative in learning; the ability to synthesize knowledge faster and more systematically Their ability to reason and present problems are more logical and strict They scientifically perceived a creative way from which they understand deeply and remember grammatical patterns with ease

The procedure of training was shown in detail in the table below:

Week Time Materials Procedure

1 45 mins

Textbook, PowerPoint, handouts, posters, tapes, handouts

- Do pre-test

- Introduce mind-map

2 45 mins

Textbook, PowerPoint, handouts, posters

- Carry out the lesson with the first

topic: simple present tense based on

lesson plans

3 45 mins

Textbook, PowerPoint, handouts, posters

- Carry out the lesson with the

topic: present progressive basing on

lesson plans using mind-map

4 45 mins

Textbook, PowerPoint, handouts, posters

- Carry out the lesson with the

topic: present perfectly based on

lesson plans using mind-map

5 45 mins

Textbook, PowerPoint, handouts, posters

- Carry out the lesson with the

topic: past tense based on lesson

plans using mind-map

6 45 mins

Textbook, PowerPoint, handouts, posters

- Cover all topics learned in previous lessons

- Do post-test

Table 3.3: Experiment procedure 3.4.2.3 Post-test

Right after the lessons, students of both groups were given the first posttest

to evaluate their memory of the language items taught in the first four weeks to measure the students‟ grammar after they have been taught by the mind-map technique Three weeks later, students of the two groups took another posttest in order to check their memory after more time using mind-map

In collecting data, the researcher used written tests to know the students‟ ability in learning and remember grammar Totally, there were four grammar tests: two pretests to check their ability in English grammar before applying mind-map; and two post-tests to measure the students‟ grammar when teaching grammar using

mind-map The tests were in the form of multiple-choice questions, matching, and gap filling with 20 test items for students to do in 15 minutes All of the tests had the same level of difficulty for the two groups

3.4.2.4 Questionnaire

This phase of the study aimed at answering the second research question There would be 7 survey questionnaires delivered to students in order to evaluate students‟ attitudes towards the effectiveness of applying mind-map in learning English grammar The survey questionnaires were in English and one-page long, followed by the questionnaire description in 3.4.1.2 which helped the students to understand and complete them effectively

3.5 Data analysis

To analyze the quantitative data in the survey, SPSS software version 26 was employed to analyze the Mean according to Descriptive statistics and the percentage (%) according to Frequency statistics The results are shown in the section below The students' information in part 1 of the survey is only analyzed by frequency statistics to provide some information about the survey sample The questionnaires

in the survey from sections 2, 3, and 4 are analyzed by percent and the mean to answer the two research questions of this article

Data were processed using the Microsoft Excel application The outputs were presented using descriptive statistic techniques

Microsoft Excel is popular and low-cost, so it is quite practical for a school teacher doing research

The steps of data analysis are as follows

3.5.1 Test result analysis

For the students’ test (pre-and post-experiential, being administered after the experimental lessons:

 Step 1: Data from completed questionnaires will be input onto a Microsoft Excel sheet, question by question

 Step 2: Numbers of options chosen by respondents will be automatically counted and converted to percentages and charts or graphs using formula functions from the application

 Step 3: Interpretation from those numbers and percentages will be made and illustrated with charts or graphs Results on the mind-maps enhancement on grammar learning from students‟ point of view will be discussed accordingly The initial conclusion will then be made about level of suitability of mind-map techniques in enhancing grammar learning which in turn leads to the improvement

of students‟ creativity and collaboration skills

3.5.2 Questionnaire analysis

For the teachers’ questionnaire:

 Step 1: Data from completed questionnaires were put onto a Microsoft Excel sheet, question by question

 Step 2: Numbers of options chosen by respondents were automatically counted and converted to percentages and charts or graphs using formula functions from the application

 Step 3: Interpretation from those numbers and percentages was made and illustrated with charts or graphs A list and corresponding opinions students may have to face when applying a mind map was made so the researcher is informed for the experiment of grammar lessons