Using the synonym and antonym dictionary to broaden students vocabulary at high school

Trang 1 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES PHUNG THI HANG USING THE SYNONYM AND ANTONYM DICTIONARY TO BROADEN STUDENTS’ Trang 2 ĐẠI HỌC THÁI NGUYÊN TRƯỜNG NGOẠI NGỮ PHÙ

INTRODUCTION

Rationale of the study

English, the official language of more than 53 countries and regions, is considered as the official language of the European Union, the third language spoken by many people only after Chinese and Spanish International events and global organizations also by default consider English as the language of communication In addition, according to Wikipedia (2016), English is spoken by more than 400 million people worldwide as their mother tongue and by more than 1 billion people as a second language

Thompson & Wyatt (1952) (cited in Manjula, 2018, p.384) states that the teacher should remember the four specific aims, namely, listening, speaking, reading and writing while teaching English to students He also adds that Indian people should not only understand English spoken or written but they should also themselves be able to speak and write it

Hynes & Bhatia (1996) (cited in Durga, 2018) states that English language skills or proficiency is a key factor for employment success and advancement Moreover, communication skills in English have been identified as indispensable workplace tools for success in business In fact, to achieve a command over English, which is regarded as English as a Second Language (ESL), English for Specific Purposes (ESP) or English as a Foreign Language (EFL), students should learn and acquire a good knowledge of rich vocabulary that helps them in the development of their language skills- listening, speaking, reading and writing Accordingly, students should be mindful of various techniques or strategies for learning vocabulary

In Vietnam, English, a foreign language, is considered one of the compulsory subjects in the curriculum In high schools, English is chiefly taught to support students in the exams for General Certificate of Secondary Education and University

Entrance However, by observation, the researcher found out that the English ability of most students was restricted After the 10-year teaching time, the researcher realized that students had an enormous difficulty in learning English especially in vocabulary knowledge In fact, most of them were lack of vocabulary and could only use several words or phrases mentioned in textbooks As a result, when doing extra- exercises or taking exams, they seemed to be unable to tackle with them, which became a big problem for many high school students Apparently, according to Decarrico (2001, p 285), vocabulary acquisition is central to language acquisition, whether the language is first, second, or foreign If learners lack vocabulary knowledge, they will soon discover that their ability to comprehend or express themselves clearly is limited Therefore, in order to help students to broaden vocabulary and get a basic and deep vocabulary foundation from grade 10, the researcher desired to study the thesis of “Using the synonym and antonym dictionary to broaden students‟ vocabulary at high school”.

Aims of the study

The aim of the study is to attain the effectiveness of using the synonym and antonym dictionary in teaching and learning vocabulary In particular, the researcher desired to know whether students‟ vocabulary would be broadened and whether students would feel excited about using this type of dictionary for learning synonyms and antonyms or not.

Research questions

To achieve the aims of the study, the researcher proposed the two following research questions:

1/ To what extent is the use of a synonym and antonym dictionary effective in broadening vocabulary?

2/ What are students‟ attitudes towards using a synonym and antonym dictionary?

Scope of the study

In this research, the researcher restricted mastering vocabulary on meaning The researcher focused on using the synonym and antonym dictionary to broaden students‟ vocabulary beside vocabulary mentioned in English 10 piloting textbook

The researcher applied the study to students at Hiep Hoa number 2 high school in Bac Giang province There were 14 10 th grade classes among 42 classes Among

14 10 th grade classes, 7 classes were in the Science Group (A and B) and 7 remaining ones were in the Social Group (C and D) Classes 10A1,10A7,10A8 and 10A9 learned the curriculum of English 10 piloting textbook (10-year English) and the remaining classes followed the 7-year English curriculum The researcher was in charge of teaching class 10A1, whose English ability was mixed and ranged from level A1 to B1 because students were chosen for being good at Math Therefore, the researcher did the research on students in class 10A1, which was conducted from January to May, 2021, in the academic year 2020-2021.

Significance of the study

It was hoped that the findings of this study would be profitable to students, teachers and researchers in the field of English learning and teaching In particular, students could use the synonym and antonym dictionary more often to broaden their vocabulary Also, some teachers might become interested in applying this technique to teach vocabulary to their students in each lesson It was also hoped that the results of this study would give other researchers some better insights in conducting bigger studies with this theme.

Outline of the thesis

The thesis was planned to include five chapters:

Chapter 1: Introduction - providing the rationale of the study, the aims and the research questions, the scope of the study, the significance of the study and the outline of the thesis

Chapter 2: Literature review - centering on the definition, the aspect and the role of vocabulary, teaching vocabulary to high school students, the definition of antonym and antonym dictionaries, the function of synonym and antonym dictionaries, students‟ attitudes in language learning and previous studies relating to using synonym and antonym dictionaries

Chapter 3: Methodology – expressing research design and research procedure The detailed content was described in data collection instruments and data analysis

Chapter 4: Results and discussions – showing the results of research and essential discussions

Chapter 5: Conclusions – providing the summary of the study and some limitations as well as some suggestions for further studies

The thesis also contains a list of references and some appendices

LITERATURE REVIEW

The review 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)'' (Neuman & Dwyer, 2009, p 385) A.S Hornby and A.P Cowie (1995) also define vocabulary as all the words that a person knows or uses, all the words in a particular language, the words that people use when they are talking about a particular subject; and a list of words with their meaning, especially in a book for learning foreign language

Similarly, McWhorter (2005) says that vocabulary means the ability to recognize individual words and to associate meaning with the particular combination of letter that forms a word On the other hands, vocabulary is the skill in recognizing words and its meaning

From the definitions above, it can be drawn that vocabulary is the total number of words that are needed to communicate as well as exchange ideas and express the speakers' meaning

2.1.2 The meaning aspect of vocabulary

According to Ur (1996), there are many aspects of vocabulary that is needed to be taught to the students, for example, denotation, connotation and meaning

However, to follow the scope of the study, I would like to explore the meaning aspect of vocabulary only According to Ur (1996, p.60), the meaning aspect of vocabulary includes:

A word may have two meanings when it is used in a context or in a daily communication: denotation and connotation meaning Denotation is often given in dictionary while connotation meaning conveys association, or positive or negative feeling Besides, when a word is examined, it must be put in an appropriate and practical context

This aspect helps students to widen their vocabulary because learning a word leads to learning one or other words

These meaning relationships are namely:

+) Synonyms: items that have the same or nearly same meaning

+) Antonyms: items that have the opposite meaning

+) Hyponyms: items that express specific a meaning of general concept

+) Co-hyponyms: other items that are “same kind of thing”

+) Super-ordinates: general concepts that “cover” specific items

+) Translation: equivalent words or expression in the learner‟s mother tongue

In fact, there are also denotational synonyms and antonyms and connotational ones However, in this study I only explore synonyms and antonyms, not hyponyms, co-hyponyms, super-ordinates

Vocabulary attracted a large number of researchers, such as Carter and McCarthy (1988), Nation (1990), Huckin, Haynes and Coady (1993), Schmitt

(1997) and Alqahtani (2015) When discussing the importance of vocabulary,

7 some researchers, such as Schmitt (2000), Cameron (2001) and Tovar (2017) emphasized that vocabulary knowledge was an essential tool for any language skills and played a central role for learners to attain a communicative competence and acquire a language

Wilkins (1972, pp 111-112) also writes that without grammar very little could be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing could be conveyed Moreover, researchers, such as Laufer (1997), Nation (2001, 2005), Maximo (2000), Read (2000), Gu

(2003), Marion (2008), Susanto (2016), Alqahtani (2015) and others have realized that the acquisition of vocabulary is essential for successful foreign language use and plays an important role in the formation of completely spoken and written texts because without an extensive vocabulary, a language learner will be unable to use the structures and functions he or she may have learned for comprehensible communication In addition, many learners see second language acquisition (SLA) as an essentiall matter of learning vocabulary and therefore, they spend a great deal of time on memorizing lists of words and rely on their bilingual dictionary as a basic communicative resource

According to Nation (2001), learning vocabulary items plays a vital role in all language skills (eg listening, speaking, reading, and writing) Therefore, when second language readers rely heavily on vocabulary knowledge, the lack of that knowledge becomes the main and the largest obstacle for them to overcome Meara

(1980) also gives a similar viewpoint that vocabulary has been acknowledged as language learners‟ greatest single source of problems

When mentioning vocabulary, Oxford (1990) also claims that vocabulary is considered the most sizeable and unmanageable component in the learning of any languages, whether a foreign or one‟s mother tongue, because of tens of thousands of different meanings Accordingly, 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 tests‟‟ (Schmitt, 1999, p.189)

To sum up, it is undeniable that vocabulary is one of the decisive factors for learning language and highly appreciated by most language researchers

According to Richards & Renandya (2002), vocabulary is the core component of language proficiency and provides much of the basis for how well learners speak, listen, read, and write To help students to acquire reading, listening, speaking and writing skills, it is essential to widen their vocabulary knowledge With them, the primary aim in learning vocabulary is to be able to know a word and then to use it in its spoken and written forms Hence, teaching English vocabulary, a vital field in language teaching, is worthy of effort

It is true when Alqahtani (2015) claims that vocabulary teaching is a crucial aspect in learning a language as languages are based on words Correspondingly, until now, teaching vocabulary remains one of the most debated parts of teaching English as a foreign language Moreover, with any foreign teachers, vocabulary teaching is considered the solid foundation to help students learn foreign languages efficiently In fact, once students have rich vocabulary, they can learn and practice other language skills easily

Knowing a word involves knowing its form and its meaning at the basic level

In deeper aspects, it means the abilities to know its :1) Meaning, i.e relate the word to an appropriate object or context; 2) Usage, i.e knowledge of its collocations, metaphors and idioms, as well as style and register (the appropriate level of formality), to be aware of any connotations and associations the word might have, synonyms and antonyms; 3) Word formation, i.e ability to spell and pronounce the word correctly, to know any derivations (acceptable prefixes and suffixes);

4) Grammar, i.e to use it in the appropriate grammatical form

Teaching vocabulary does not mean introducing a list of words and getting students to search for meanings Instead, it is far preferable to introduce words to them in context and look up synonyms and antonyms by using the synonym and antonym dictionary Accordingly, students are always active in learning vocabulary

9 when being asked to look up synonyms and antonyms lesson by lesson on their own Gradually, students can expand their vocabulary actively Therefore, when teaching vocabulary, a teacher should try out various activities and types of tasks to help students to develop their vocabulary

Vocabulary development is a process by which learners acquire words Harmon, Wood & Keser (2009) as well as Linse (2005) state that learners‟ vocabulary development is an important aspect of their language development In fact, it is easy for learners to express their ideas precisely when learners‟ vocabulary is expanded

The textbook is published for all students having different levels Each lesson only contains some new words relating to the topic of the lesson In fact, vocabulary in textbooks is limited in certain themes while vocabulary in examinations is abundant and mixed among the topics Therefore, teachers should have suitable methods to expand students‟ vocabulary properly In every lesson, teachers should ask students to prepare new words (synonyms, antonyms, collocations, idioms) at home by using synonym and antonym dictionaries such as Collin thesaurus dictionary or Cambridge thesaurus dictionary, then check and guide new words and ask students to practice them When students find and look up vocabulary by themselves daily, they will have a chance to read and contact with vocabulary more times As a result, their vocabulary is broadened and they are confident to learn English

The review of synonym and antonym dictionary

2.2.1 The definition of antonym and antonym dictionary

According to Merriam-Webster, “a dictionary is a reference source in print or electronic form containing words usually alphabetically arranged along with information about their forms, pronunciations, functions, etymologies, meanings, and syntactic and idiomatic uses.”

Additionally, according to Wikipedia, a synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in the same language Whereas, an antonym is defined as a word that means the opposite of another word

A thesaurus or synonym dictionary is a reference work for finding synonyms and sometimes antonyms of words They are often used by writers to help to find the best word to express an idea, to find the word, or words, by which an idea may be most fitly and aptly expressed ( Roget, 1852)

2.2.2 The function of synonym and antonym dictionary

As stated by Nation (2001), when language learners travel, they do not carry grammar books, but dictionaries According to Shen (2013), dictionary is a tool to

12 help the EFL students that have difficulties in understanding the meaning and the function of the words

It is not surprising that learning synonyms is a way to expand learners‟ vocabulary Learning synonyms is also important because this is how dictionaries are organized Putting bilingual dictionaries aside, mono-lingual dictionary essentially uses words to explain words, and in this process, synonyms are often used (Hauge, 1999)

Synonyms can perform the following functions:

 “Replacement: With the help of synonyms and antonyms, a person can avoid repetitions

 Clarification and concretization: The possibility of a person more accurately conveys his thought

 Expression: Synonyms and antonyms allow giving speech emotional and style tint

 Evaluation: With the help of synonyms and antonyms, you can demonstrate your attitude to subjects or events

 Explanation: With the help of synonyms and antonyms, you can explain special terms

 Comparison and opposition: With the help of synonyms and antonyms, the author can demonstrate differences between objects and phenomena

Different types of synonyms allow you to clarify, specify, to evaluate and give speech emotionality.”

Therefore, synonym and antonym dictionary plays an enormous role in encouraging students to broaden their vocabulary.

Effectiveness of using a synonym and antonym dictionary

Effectiveness is the capability of producing a desired result or the ability to create a desired output When something is deemed effectively, it means it has an intended or expected outcome, or produces a deep, vivid impression The word “effective" is sometimes used in a quantitative way, "being very effective or not

13 very effective" However, neither effectiveness, nor effectively, informs about the direction (positive or negative) and the comparison to a standard of the given effect

Simply, effectiveness means achieving an effect Effectiveness of using a dictionary, especially a synonym and antonym dictionary, should be demonstrated quantitatively and qualitatively Accordingly, students‟ vocabulary must be broadened basing on the scores of the tests and different communicative skills using vocabulary

In this study, the researcher used tests and questionnaire to prove the effectiveness of using a synonym and antonym dictionary for learning vocabulary.

Attitude in learning language

According to Cambridge Dictionary, “attitude is a feeling or opinion about something or someone, or a way of behaving that is caused by this” Moreover, Maio and Haddock (2009, p.4) also affirm that an attitude as an overall evaluation of an object that is based on cognitive, affective and behavioral information In fact, an attitude is known as an evaluation of an object, ranging from negative to positive Positive attitudes reveal advantages as well as benefits of the subject to gain its value Negative attitudes express disadvantages of the subject to expel and to deplete its strong attitudes

The researcher expected that applying the new technique effectively into the teaching and learning process would motivate the learners‟ positive attitudes in order to achieve higher and more satisfactory outcomes

2.4.2 Attitude towards using a synonym and antonym dictionary

An attitude is a psychological construct, a mental and emotional entity that inheres in or characterizes a person It is complex and is an acquired state through experiences It is also an individual's predisposed state of mind regarding a value and it is precipitated through a responsive expression towards oneself, [2] a person, place, thing, or event which in turn influences the individual's thought and action Most

14 simply understood attitudes in psychology are the feelings individuals have about themselves and the world Attitude can be formed from a person's past and present

The challenge for the researcher was measuring emotion and subsequent impacts on attitude Various models and measurement tools have been constructed to obtain emotion and attitude information Measures may include the use of physiological cues like facial expressions, vocal changes, and other body rate measures

Attitudes towards using a synonym and antonym dictionary are expressed in the way the students give feedbacks toward using a synonym and antonym dictionary Before the study, the researcher hoped that the students would have positive changes of attitudes towards using a synonym and antonym dictionary for learning vocabulary described through questionnaires and interviews

In conclusion, learners‟ attitude plays a vital role in maximizing learning and teaching outputs and it is one of the core factors affecting the success of second language learning.

Previous studies on using dictionaries in teaching and learning vocabulary

One of the good methods of teaching vocabulary that has been found in literature is the application of dictionaries There have been a number of studies on the use of dictionaries in teaching vocabulary and all of them have shown the effectiveness of this method For example, Mokhtar drew a conclusion that a dictionary was so helpful for learners when it was used as a tool to facilitate their unknown vocabulary Another researcher, Shen, showed that the dictionary, especially an electronic one, improved the students‟ score on vocabulary size, specific vocabulary and reading comprehension

In the same vein, Murnani and Salehi implemented a study on the "Impact of using an electronic dictionary on vocabulary learning and retention of Iranian EFL learners" The researchers found out that using an electronic dictionary could help Iranian lower-intermediate EFL learners both have long-term retention of the

15 vocabulary and find unfamiliar words In a similar study on the use of electronic dictionary, Sri Yanti concluded that the use of electronic dictionary could improve students‟ vocabulary mastery

However, their above studies were only conducted with one or two instruments

As a result, the findings collected were partly guaranteed Thus, to make sure that their studies brought out the utter effectiveness of using dictionary for learning vocabulary, they should apply one more instrument to collect and analyze the data Furthermore, they did not mention broadening learners‟ vocabulary through using synonym and antonym dictionary, which has been an obstacle in learning language.

Summary

Chapter 2 has summarized the literature relating to the study The content presented in this chapter will be the groundwork for the researcher to choose suitable research methods to conduct the study in the next chapter

METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The study was conducted at Hiep Hoa number 2 high school, located in Pho Hoa Town in Hiep Hoa district, Bac Giang province This school was established in

1973 It is the second largest school with 105 teachers and officers, over 1800 students and 42 classes (school year 2020-2021) The school has gained high achievements in teaching and learning at provincial and national level

The English Group in school consists of 12 teachers, who are cooperative and enthusiastic in teaching At Hiep Hoa number 2 high school, English is a compulsory subject for all students However, most students learn it because of the duty or obligation As a result, the researcher had to cope with obstacles in teaching skills, especially teaching vocabulary to students Students said that learning vocabulary was difficult and mastering vocabulary in textbook was a big obstacle for them Therefore, with the questions in the exam, they could hardly give the correct answer

As a result, this study was carried out to tackle the problem of improving as well as broadening vocabulary by using the synonym and antonym dictionary Accordingly, the researcher wanted to evaluate the effectiveness of using the synonym and antonym dictionary to broaden students‟ vocabulary and acknowledge students‟ attitudes towards this technique in vocabulary learning

Action research was used as the methodology of this study Action research is defined by Kemmis and McTaggart (p 5) as follows:

“Action research is a form of collective, self- reflective inquiry that participants in social situations undertake to improve: (1) the rationality and justice of their own social or educational practices; (2) the participants' understanding of these practices and the situations in which they carry out these practices Groups of participants can be teachers, students, parents, workplace colleagues, social activists or any other community members - that is, any group with a shared concern and the motivation and will to address their shared concern The approach is action research only when it is collaborative and achieved through the critically examined action of individual group members.”

Moreover, Burns (1999, p.30) also gives some characteristics of action research as follows:

“1 Action research is contextual, small scale and localized It identifies and investigates problems within a specific situation

2 It is evaluative and reflective as it aims to bring about change and improvement in practice

3 It is participatory as it provides for collaborative investigation by terms of colleagues, practitioners in research

4 Changes in practice are based on the collection of information or data which provides the impetus for changes.”

In fact, action research can be implemented in education to enhance the quality of education such as improving students‟ learning, improving students‟ motivation, improving students‟ mastery of certain subjects, etc Hopkins (1993) also states that action research is a systematic study of attempt to improve educational practice by groups of participants by means of their own practical actions and by means of their own reflection upon the effect of those actions Wiersma (2000) also adds that action

18 research is a type of research usually conducted by teachers, administrators, or other education professionals for solving specific problems or for providing information for making decisions at local level

From the above explanation, it can be summarized that action research is a systematic study of effort to overcome educational problems to change things relating to educational problems or for improvement It is conducted collaboratively the teacher, the researcher, and those with an interest in the problem were affected by it by means of their own practical actions and by means of their own reflection upon the effect of the actions In this study, the action research was implemented to tackle the predicament in broadening vocabulary for the grade 10 students of Hiep Hoa number 2 high school using a synonym and antonym dictionary The action in this research was using a synonym and antonym dictionary in teaching and learning vocabulary The researcher played as a teacher

The researcher used the model developed by Kemmis and McTaggart (2000) The spiral system in this model included many cycles In every cycle there were four steps in order: planning, action, observation and reflection.

Research Procedure

The participants of the study included the researcher and her students The researcher of the study was also a teacher She has taught English to high school students for nearly eleven years She was an enthusiastic teacher and always wanted to find the most suitable techniques to teach students, especially the techniques for learning vocabulary As a result, she conducted this study She applied the techniques in teaching vocabulary and guided her students during their learning process The researcher desired her students could overcome difficulties in learning vocabulary, particularly synonyms and antonyms

Forty-six 10 th grade students from class 10A1 at Hiep Hoa number 2 high school in the academic year 2020-2021 participated in the study Students‟ ability as well as exposure to English was limited and mixed

The research process was implemented in 4 units: unit 7 - Cultural Diversity, unit 8 - New ways to learn, unit 9 - Preserving the Environment and unit 10 - Ecotourism The cycle in the research consists of four steps, namely, planning, implementing, observing and reflecting the action

Before implementing the application of a synonym and antonym dictionary, the researcher conducted a survey with questions in Vietnamese about the state of teaching and learning vocabulary Through this survey, the researcher was aware of the state of students‟ learning vocabulary which helped the researcher get a proper direction to do the research In addition, the researcher gave a pre-test to students The result of the survey and pre-test showed some vocabulary problems facing students Firstly, the students only remembered words mentioned in textbooks Secondly, students‟ vocabulary was not good, especially synonyms and antonyms In fact, students could hardly do exercises about synonyms and antonyms To overcome the problems, the researcher suggested using a synonym and antonym dictionary to broaden students‟ vocabulary

Next, the researcher made lesson plans The researcher asked students to prepare for the new lessons by using a synonym and antonym dictionary to look up synonyms and antonyms of new lesson‟s vocabulary

Step 2: Implementing the action (from week 2 to week 12)

In this step, the researcher implemented the techniques in the class The researcher involved herself directly in the class as a teacher The researcher conducted the teaching and learning activities using a synonym and antonym dictionary to look up new vocabulary basing on the topic and the current lesson When implementing the action, the researcher did some activities: asking students to prepare vocabulary (focusing on synonyms and antonyms) before each lesson, presenting the content, giving tasks and giving evaluations

Asking students to prepare vocabulary before each lesson

The material for the analysis was English 10 piloting textbook used for grade 10 students and published by Vietnam Education Publishing House This book was designed with much more enormous vocabulary than the seven-year textbook In the study, students were given three English periods per week Each period lasted 45 minutes The students were taught the words relating to the content of unit 7, unit 8, unit 9 and unit 10 in the textbook (see Table 1) In each unit, there were 8 lessons for communicative skills: getting started, language, reading, speaking, listening, writing, communication & culture and looking back & project Vocabulary was taught in parallel with the skills in each lesson The researcher asked students to prepare the vocabulary of the new lesson at home: looking for as many synonyms and antonyms as possible by using Collin thesaurus Dictionary

Table 1 A schedule of applying vocabulary tasks in language skill lesson

Name of Unit Vocabulary focused

Words and phrases related to traditions, cultural characteristics and superstitions

Words and phrases related to:

-electronic devices that can help us learn -using the Internet to learn English

Words and phrases related to environmental impacts and ways to protect the environment Unit 10 Ecotourism Words and phrases related to the importance, benefits and principles of ecotourism

Presenting the content in each lesson

The researcher asked students to write vocabulary on the board Then the researcher checked with the whole class and provided the extra synonyms and antonyms if necessary

The researcher gave the students some tasks The researcher asked the students to do some exercises to check their vocabulary memorialization, namely, matching, speaking the word aloud in English or Vietnamese, writing all pairs of synonyms and antonyms on the board, each of student speaking one pair of synonyms and antonyms, finding synonyms and antonyms in word search exercises

The researcher gave two kinds of tests: pre-test and post-test The pre-test was carried out before the action and the post-test was implemented after the action In addition, the researcher usually examined students‟ memory of vocabulary by marking students writing or speaking all pairs of synonyms and antonyms learned in the previous lesson

Step 3: Observation (during the study)

The observation was implemented during the teaching and learning process After each lesson, the researcher took significant and brief notes in order to synthesize and analyze later

Step 4: Reflection (week 6 and week 12)

The data collected (including test results) were used to make reflection The researcher gave feedbacks on the whole process and shown strength and weakness, analyzed the result of the action and drew a conclusion The result of the analysis was a basic consideration for the later study

To sum up, the collection data procedure was implemented during 12 weeks expressed briefly in Table 2

Table 2 A schedule of the data collection procedure

Time Phases of the action research

To get the initial data to find out the main problems, and to decide on the action plan

To get the data about the changes achieved by the action plan

4 Evaluation To compare the data before and after the treatment to evaluate the changes and discuss the main findings.

Data Collection Instruments

The data were accumulated using test and non - test techniques The pre - test and post - test were conducted in the cycle The pre-test before implementing the action was to understand the students‟ acknowledge and the post-test in the end of conducting the action was to know the outcome of the action The items of pre-test and post-test were in the same form - multiple choice tests (Table 3) The result of the tests was examined to see the students‟ vocabulary development Tests were administered seriously with no materials or references Then the researcher compared

23 the change and progress of the students before and after using the synonym and antonym dictionary

Table 3 Test description of the pre-test and post-test:

Test description Pre-test Post-test

Question type Multiple choice Multiple choice

Mark allocation 0,2 point for each question x 50 questions = 10 points

0,2 point for each question x 50 questions = 10 points

According to Brown (1995), questionnaires seemed to be one of the most important popular instruments for educational researchers in general Besides, it was probably used with a large number of participants and the collected data are not too difficult to be analyzed Moreover, Gillham (2000) also stated that the advantages of questionnaires were low cost in time and money, and the analysis of answers to closed questions was straightforward and less pressure for an immediate response and respondents‟ anonymity In addition, questionnaires gave the learners an opportunity to express their opinions without fearing to be embarrassed In this research, questionnaires were used as a basic instrument as well as a data collection instrument which helped the researcher explore the effectiveness of using the synonym and antonym dictionary in teaching and learning vocabulary and the students‟ attitudes towards this technique

During the procedure of delivering the questionnaires to forty-six students in 10A1, the researcher focused on the two research questions The first question was what the effectiveness of using a synonym and antonym dictionary in broadening vocabulary was And the second question was what students‟ attitudes towards using

24 a synonym and antonym dictionary were The questionnaire consisted of 16 items Nine questions were to measure the effectiveness of using the synonym and antonym dictionary in learning vocabulary The learners‟ attitudes towards applying this technique were expressed in the remaining seven questions

The five-point Likert- Scale was chosen so that the responses could clearly be quantified and analyzed In responding to the questionnaires, the participants were asked to show their extent of attitudes to which they agreed or disagreed with the statements by ticking one of the four responses: “1” = “strongly agree”, “2” “agree”, “3” = “no idea”, “4” = “disagree”, “5” = “strongly disagree” The options

“agree” and “strongly agree” represent the positive responses while “disagree” and

“strongly disagree” express the negative responses In order to ensure the reliability of the questionnaires, all items in the questionnaires were both in English and Vietnamese so that students had fully intensive understanding in both languages and completed them easily In addition, learners were given as much time as they needed to complete the questionnaires

Apart from the quantitative data collected from tests and questionnaires, interviews were conducted to collect qualitative data The interview‟s purpose was to get information directly from the students about themselves, teaching situations, attitudes or opinions on some issues and to suggest what should be done by the researcher when conducting the research In this research, the researcher interviewed the students about using a synonym and antonym dictionary with a 5- question paper (Appendix 6) Individual semi-structure interviews were applied in this study to encourage learners to express their ideas freely within a given framework The learners could express what they thought while the researcher could collect immediate clarification and follow-up

Nine out of forty-six learners were chosen for the interview Three learners from each subgroup: high–achievers (with 9.6 and 9.4 points), middle-achievers

(with 8 points), low-achievers (with 6, 6.4 and 7.4 points) were selected basing on their results of the posttests

The interview was conducted in Vietnamese in order to ease students‟ anxiety and make them comfortable when talking to the researcher The interview was carried out in their familiar classroom and lasted fifteen minutes The students were told about the time and date before being interviewed The interview was conducted on May 15 th 2021.

Data Analysis

The study collected both qualitative and quantitative data All the data were analyzed to meet the requirements of the study

For the tests, the scores of the pretest and posttest were computed, calculated and converted into the mean scores and the standard deviations The mean scores were determined to check whether there were any significant differences between the pretest and posttest Paired sample t-test was used to verify the statistical differences of the findings and measure the learners‟ broadening of vocabulary taught during the treatment period The results of the tests used to draw the conclusions of the present study were based on the following rules: Rule 1: if p-value is less than or equal to the significantly different level 0.05 (0.05), it is confirmed that there are no effects of using synonym and antonym dictionary on students‟ broadening vocabulary and the research findings are statistically non- significant

The questionnaires were delivered to determine the students‟ attitudes towards using the synonym and antonym dictionary to learn vocabulary and the effectiveness of the synonym and antonym dictionary Data from the questionnaires were sorted out The students‟ same opinions were counted and converted to the percentage and then demonstrated in the tables and charts Comparing the percentage of the

26 agreement opinions and the disagreement ones, the researcher found out the treatment

To get more feedback from the students when applying using the synonym and antonym dictionary in teaching and learning vocabulary, the researcher interviewed the students who had different opinions about this technique The responses were transcribed, translated into English and presented by citing relevant ideas Then they were described, analyzed and synthesized

In summary, the data in this study were collected from the pretest and posttest scores, feedbacks from the questionnaires and interviews They were demonstrated and analyzed to gain the research findings.

Summary

Chapter 3 presented the information about the research methodology In fact, the research procedure as well as the way the data were collected had been illustrated in detail From this base, the data collected will be analyzed and interpreted in the next chapter

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

Results

4.1.1 The effectiveness of using the synonym and antonym dictionary

4.1.1.1 The results from pre-test and post-test

As mentioned above, a pretest and a posttest were used before and after the intervention in order to examine the effectiveness of using the synonym and antonym dictionary in students‟ vocabulary learning The data from the tests were computed, analyzed and reported as follows

The results of the pretest and posttest were analyzed and compared using paired sample t-test to exemplify whether there was any students‟ vocabulary broadening after the intervention The results of the tests were described in details

Before giving comments on the results of the tests, the researcher would like to present a general view on the input data from the test As seen from the table presenting the distribution of the points in the pretest (see Table 4), the percentage of the students having lower than 7 points account for 91.3% in total The number of students getting 7 and over 7 points is only 4 students accounting for 8.7% in total and there are not any students getting over 8 points Whereas it can be seen from the table demonstrating the distribution of the points in the posttest (see Table 5), the number of the students getting the point which is below 7.4 points accounts for 6.6% with 3 students, the rest are the number of students with the points which are 8 and

28 over 8 points Outstandingly, 43 out of 46 students accounting for 93.4% gain the points of 8 and over

Table 4 Distribution of scores in the Pretest

Score Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

Table 5 Distribution of scores in the Posttest

Score Frequency Percent Valid Percent Cumulative Percent

As can be seen from Table 6 and Figure 1, the mean score of the posttest is about 8.66 while that of the pretest is approximately 5.33 The mean score of the posttest is nearly double than that of the pretest by 3.33 points Furthermore, the variance of the posttest is 0.5 points It is much better than the variance of the pretest of 1.0 points It can be clearly presented that there is a significant progress between the pretest and posttest

Table 6 Descriptive statistics Descriptive Statistics

Figure 1 Distribution of scores in the pretest and posttest

According to normal distribution (Gaussian distribution), the probability distribution of scores in the tests is computed with the mean and standard deviation of the pretest of 5.330 and 1.035 respectively and with the mean and standard deviation of the posttest of 8.661 and 0.549 (see Table 6)

Figure 2 Plot of the probability distribution of scores in the pretest

Figure 3 Plot of the probability distribution of scores in the posttest

In this section, the results of the pretest and posttest were analyzed and compared using paired sample t-test to determine whether there was any broadening in students‟ vocabulary learning after the treatment

The results of the pretest and posttest are described in Figure 2 and 3 The mean score of the pretest is 5.33 with a standard deviation of 1.035 and the mean score of the posttest is 8.66 with a standard deviation of 0.549 These numbers indicate that the mean score of the posttest is much higher than that of the pretest (Pretest: M=5.33 versus Posttest: M=8.66) The results of paired sample t-test between pretest and posttest are illustrated in Table 7 There is strong evidence (t 25.000, sig = 0.000) that the technique of using the synonym and antonym dictionary improves the students‟ scores In this study, it improves marks, on average, by approximately 3.33 points It reveals a positive improvement in learners‟ vocabulary learning after they use the synonym and antonym dictionary In the other words, the use of the synonym and antonym dictionary seems to be effective in the sense that it helps students broaden vocabulary

Table 7 Paired Samples Test for pretest and posttest

Confidence Interval of the Difference Lower Upper

The nine questions of the questionnaires were to investigate the effectiveness of using the synonym and antonym dictionary achieved by learners after the intervention The learners were asked to respond to nine statements The learners‟ responses and the results of the statistical analysis are demonstrated in Table 8

As can be seen from the Table, 93,5 % of the students find that using the synonym and antonym dictionary helps them learn a great amount of vocabulary combining the previous lessons with the current one closely and remember vocabulary in a closely logical chain About 89,2 % of the students report that using the synonym and antonym dictionary helps them to learn a large number of words in textbooks as well as reference books The majority of students may broaden and memorize much vocabulary through activities using the synonym and antonym dictionary in each lesson while only 6,5 % of the students disagree with this statement 44 out of 46 students can self-study and look up vocabulary, synonyms and antonyms before the new lesson by using the synonym and antonym dictionary When being asked whether using the synonym and antonym dictionary can help students remember vocabulary in a longer period, 84,7 % of the students (30,4 % strongly agree and 54,3 % agree) agree with this idea 89,2 of the students approve that after each lesson, they can rewrite pairs of synonyms and antonyms relating to the topic down my small English notebook like a personal synonym and antonym dictionary whereas only 6,5 % deny this idea Most students assume that after each unit, they can master most synonyms and antonyms of vocabulary mentioned and are confident enough to speak or write pairs of synonyms and antonyms of words mentioned in textbook in front of the class

These are 9 statements about the effective of using synonym and antonym dictionary

Statement 3: Using the synonym and antonym dictionary helps me learn a great amount of vocabulary combining the previous lessons with the current one closely

Statement 4: Using the synonym and antonym dictionary helps me remember vocabulary in a closely logical chain

Statement 5: Using the synonym and antonym dictionary helps me to learn a large number of words in textbooks as well as reference books

Statement 6: I may broaden and memorize much vocabulary through activities using the synonym and antonym dictionary in each lesson

Statement 7: When using the synonym and antonym dictionary, I can self-study and look up vocabulary, synonyms and antonyms before the new lesson

Statement 8: When using the synonym and antonym dictionary, I can remember vocabulary in a longer period

Statement 12: After each lesson, I can rewrite pairs of synonyms and antonyms relating to the topic down my small English notebook like a personal synonym and antonym dictionary

Statement 13: After each unit, I can master most synonyms and antonyms of vocabulary mentioned

Statement 14: I am confident enough to speak or write pairs of synonyms and antonyms of words mentioned in textbook in front of the class

Table 8 The effectiveness of using the synonym and antonym dictionary on the students’ vocabulary learning

Frequency Valid percent Frequency Valid percent Frequency Valid percent Frequency Valid percent Frequency Valid percent

In summary, the responses to the statements regarding the effects of using the synonym and antonym dictionary on the students‟ vocabulary learning are relatively positive This may mean that using the synonym and antonym dictionary for learning vocabulary brings out remarkable effects

4.1.2 Students’ attitudes towards the technique of using the synonym and antonym dictionary in learning vocabulary

The seven statements of the questionnaire aimed to explore the learners‟ attitudes towards the technique of using the synonym and antonym dictionary in learning vocabulary after the intervention The responses and the results of the statistical analysis were described in detail in this part To make the comparison easier, the researcher grouped “strongly agree and agree” as one category and

“disagree and strongly disagree” as one category

Seven statements about the students‟ attitudes towards using synonym and antonym dictionary consists of:

Statement 1: I think broadening vocabulary is very important

Statement 2: I think the synonym and antonym dictionary is very convenient for learning vocabulary

Statement 9: I think the synonym and antonym dictionary provides vocabulary‟s meanings exactly

Statement 10: I find vocabulary in the synonym and antonym reliable

Statement 11: I find vocabulary in the synonym and antonym useful

Statement 15: I will continue using the synonym and antonym dictionary to learn vocabulary

Statement 16: I will introduce the technique of using synonym and antonym dictionary to learn vocabulary to my friends

Table 9 The learners’ attitudes towards the technique of using the synonym and antonym dictionary in learning vocabulary

Frequency Valid percent Frequency Valid percent Frequency Valid percent Frequency Valid percent Frequency Valid percent

As can be seen from the table, all students think that broadening vocabulary is very important and the synonym and antonym dictionary is very convenient for learning vocabulary Most students approve that the synonym and antonym dictionary provides vocabulary‟s meanings exactly and find vocabulary in the synonym and antonym dictionary reliable and useful Moreover, 100 % of the students want to continue using the synonym and antonym dictionary to learn vocabulary After all, most students (96.5%) desire to introduce the technique of using synonym and antonym dictionary to learn vocabulary to their friends

In conclusion, most of the students expressed positive attitudes, high appreciation and good behavior towards using the synonym and antonym dictionary in vocabulary learning This technique created a good impression on the participants They found it exciting and effective in their vocabulary learning They were confident to make a personal synonym and antonym dictionary They were willing to use the synonym and antonym dictionary regularly and would introduce this technique to others in their school and in other schools

As mentioned above, ten learners chosen basing on the results of the posttests and divided into three groups: high-achievers (from 8.8 to 9.8 points), middle- achievers (from 7 to 8 points) and lower-achievers (below 7 points) were interviewed to collect more information about students‟ attitudes towards this technique

Firstly, when being asked about whether using the synonym and antonym dictionary technique was useful and good for learning vocabulary and broadening your vocabulary or not and giving the reason (question 1), all ten students (100%) stated that using the synonym and antonym dictionary technique is useful and good for learning vocabulary and broadening your vocabulary One student shared that the dictionary helped her enrich her vocabulary Four other students had the common opinion that when using the synonym and antonym dictionary, from one original word they could know other words relating to it and could use them in different situations As a result, their vocabulary became more abundant Another girl student reported that it helped her learn and remember words more easily One boy student added that the synonym and antonym dictionary complemented his vocabulary and consolidated his grammar

Discussion

Based on the results of the statistical analysis demonstrated in the previous section, this section focused on the discussion of the major findings related to the technique of using the synonym and antonym dictionary in learning vocabulary

As mentioned above, the researcher has been concerned about the effectiveness of using the synonym and antonym dictionary to help students broaden their

41 vocabulary She applied this technique to teach vocabulary to the students of grade

10 at Hiep Hoa high school number 2 where she works During the time of research, the researcher made her effort to search for the answers for the two research questions by analyzing collected data from pretests, posttests, questionnaires and interviews

In term with the first question, through analyzing the data collected from the tests and questionnaires, it can be seen that using the synonym and antonym has positive effects on learners‟ vocabulary learning It was obviously presented in the collected data from the pretests and posttests that there was a significant difference in the distribution of points between the pretest and the posttest 63% of the students got the points which was below 6 points in the pretest while there were no students having a lower 6 points in the posttest Moreover, while the highest point the students attaining in the pretest was 7.6 points, the highest one in the posttest was 9.6 points and especially the percentage of the students gaining over 8 points accounted for 93.4 The mean score of the pretest was 5.3 points while the mean score of the posttest increased approximately 8.7 points This proved that there was a great improvement of learners‟ vocabulary learning after they had used the synonym and antonym dictionary The above statistics implied that using the synonym and antonym dictionary technique was effective in broadening learners‟ vocabulary

As can be seen in the data collected from the questionnaires, 100% of the students thought that broadening vocabulary is very important 89.2 % of the students reported that using the synonym and antonym dictionary helped them to learn a large number of words in textbooks as well as reference books Moreover, 91,3 % of the students stated that they might broaden and memorize much vocabulary through activities using the synonym and antonym dictionary in each lesson More effectively, 89.2 % of the students reported that after each lesson, they could rewrite pairs of synonyms and antonyms relating to the topic down their small English notebook like a personal synonym and antonym dictionary

With regard to the second research question, it can be concluded that the participants had positive attitudes, high perception and good behavior towards the synonym and antonym dictionary technique in vocabulary learning through the analyzed data from the questionnaires and the interviews In terms of questionnaires, 100% of the students thought that the synonym and antonym dictionary was very convenient for learning vocabulary 95.6% of the students found vocabulary in the synonym and antonym reliable 89.1% of the students reported that after each unit, they could master most synonyms and antonyms of vocabulary mentioned Moreover, 76.1 % of the students felt confident enough to speak or write pairs of synonyms and antonyms of words mentioned in textbook in front of the class 100% of the students found vocabulary in the synonym and antonym useful and wanted to continue using the synonym and antonym dictionary to learn vocabulary In general, most of the participants demonstrated positive attitudes toward using synonym and antonym dictionary technique in vocabulary learning

One more thing to consider is the information collected from the interview The feedback from the interview helped the researcher have a better view about the students‟ attitudes, perception and behavior towards using synonym and antonym dictionary technique in vocabulary learning Only 10 out of 46 students were chosen to be interviewed They shared their opinions sincerely and enthusiastically The majority of the students had positive attitudes towards the technique All 10 students claimed that using the synonym and antonym dictionary for learning vocabulary brought many benefits for them Firstly, when using the synonym and antonym dictionary, they could self-study and look up vocabulary, synonyms and antonyms before the new lesson Secondly, by combining synonyms and antonyms in the previous lessons with ones in the following lessons, they found it easier and more convenient to remember words Thirdly, it helped them broaden vocabulary by learning and remembering a large number of words in a closely logical chain Moreover, they found the synonym and antonym dictionary technique useful and good for their vocabulary learning and words broadening In generally, using the

43 synonym and antonym dictionary in class was believed to a new method for them and made them more active in learning vocabulary

To sum up, the result of the significant findings in the data collected from the two tests, the questionnaires and interviews presented the advantages of using synonym and antonym dictionary technique over those of the existing methods of teaching and learning vocabulary at Hiep Hoa high school number two It was believed and hoped that this technique might be suitable for most students at this school.

Summary

In conclusion, to a certain extent, the chapter has analyzed the data collected from the instruments and provided the answers of the two research questions Firstly, the learners received positive effects from the using synonym and antonym dictionary in learning vocabulary Secondly, the learners had positive attitudes, high perception and good behavior towards the using synonym and antonym dictionary in learning vocabulary The study revealed that using the synonym and antonym dictionary technique was superior to other existing vocabulary learning techniques in broadening learners‟ vocabulary It was said that the results of the study led to several significant findings and brought some different results from the previous studies in the same theme Nevertheless, the limitations of the research were unavoidable To make those limitations clear, some recommendations and suggestions for further studies will be reported in the next chapter

CONCLUSIONS

Summary of findings

Through experiences and a survey, the researcher realized that the learners had a limited amount of vocabulary With the hope of helping students broaden their vocabulary, the researcher conducted this study The study was carried out with forty-six students in class 10A1 at Hiep Hoa high school number 2 during twelve weeks in the second term of the school year 2020-2021 The researcher found out the evidences for the two research questions during the intervention by using the synonym and antonym dictionary technique in students‟ vocabulary learning The data analysis in Chapter 4 provided the strong evidences for the key points as follows

Question 1: What is the effectiveness of using a synonym and antonym dictionary?

To evaluate the effects of using synonym and antonym dictionary technique in students‟ vocabulary learning, the researcher asked her students to do the vocabulary tests The pretest was handed out before the intervention From the results of the pretest, it can be seen that the points were distributed mainly from 4 to 7 39.2 % of the students had less than 5 points 52% of the students got the points from 5 to 7 There were only 4 students having the point which was 7 and above 7, accounting for 8.7% There were no students having more than 8 points After the intervention, the

45 students were asked to do the posttest It can be seen from the distribution of points in the posttest, there were no students having the point which was below 6 Moreover, up to 93,4 % of the students had more than 8 points The results of the pretest and posttest were analyzed and compared using paired - sample t-test The mean score and the variance of the posttest were respectively approximately 8.7 and 0.5 whereas the mean score and the variance of the pretest were about 5.3 and 1.0 in turns It can be presented that there was a significant progress between the pretest and posttest There was strong evidence (t = 25.000, p = 0.0) that using synonym and antonym dictionary technique improved the students‟ scores (Table 5) To sum up, it expressed a positive improvement in learners‟ vocabulary learning after they were trained to use the synonym and antonym dictionary

The collected data from the questionnaires presented that using the synonym and antonym dictionary brought learners many benefits in vocabulary learning Firstly, it helped the students remember vocabulary longer and more easily Secondly, the students could broaden their vocabulary beside the one in the textbook One more thing was that the students could revise vocabulary in the previous lessons and combine it with new items

In conclusion, the students gained positive effects from applying using synonym and antonym dictionary in vocabulary learning

Question 2: What are students’ attitudes towards using a synonym and antonym dictionary?

To assess the students‟ attitudes towards using synonym and antonym dictionary technique in their vocabulary learning, the researcher delivered the questionnaires and interviewed some students

Through the data collected from the questionnaires, the researcher discovered that by applying using synonym and antonym dictionary technique, the learners had great excitement and motivation with new atmosphere in class to be engaged to vocabulary learning They felt not only active in looking up and learning synonyms

46 and antonyms but also confident to make their own synonym and antonym hand- dictionary They also found learning vocabulary through synonym and antonym dictionary so effective They were interested in vocabulary activities the teacher introduced which helped them get a larger amount of vocabulary than ever before They wanted to look for and collect more and more vocabulary related to the chain of words in the textbook They reported that they felt happy when they could self-study and look up and remember more and more vocabulary after each lesson As a result, they had positive attitudes towards vocabulary learning

Through the data collected from the interviews, the learners revealed positive attitudes, punctual perception and good behavior towards using synonym and antonym dictionary technique by giving its advantages Using synonym and antonym dictionary technique was very useful in helping the students learn, remember and broaden their vocabulary It also helped the learners have a good awareness of learning vocabulary Therefore, the students got an effective method of vocabulary learning

In summary, there were strong evidences supporting the benefits of using synonym and antonym dictionary technique in broadening the students‟ vocabulary at Hiep Hoa high school number 2 The results were also consistent with the literature review and previous studies related to vocabulary learning It can be stated that the present study, to some extent, helped the researcher tackle the learners‟ problems in vocabulary learning Therefore, further studies on the use of synonym and antonym dictionary should be carried out with other participants on a larger scale and if possible in different contexts However, it is essential to consider some following implications when doing the research.

Implications

Based on the data analysis results of the learners‟ vocabulary learning and their attitudes towards using synonym and antonym dictionary technique, this study brings

47 out practical implications for the teachers and students at Hiep Hoa high school number 2 as follows:

For the teachers, the findings of the current study could be applied for language teachers in classroom to facilitate vocabulary teaching and learning Thanks to positive effects of synonym and antonym dictionary technique, it should be encouraged to be employed not only in class but also during the students‟ self-study time in order to improve their vocabulary Moreover, teachers need to create more activities to encourage learners to use synonym and antonym dictionary to revise the vocabulary they learned and broaden their vocabulary

For the learners, synonym and antonym dictionary technique should be used more frequently in vocabulary learning to broaden as well as reinforce their vocabulary It should be employed in the classroom in order to create abundant learning styles for the students Applying this technique to other students, the teachers will make the learners more active in their vocabulary learning.

Limitations

Although this study was conducted with the researcher‟s much effort, some certain limitations were unavoidable These limitations may be worth considering for further study Firstly, the study was carried out within a limited number of students during a limited period of time of only 12 weeks Therefore, the results seemed not to be representative for all students Further study should be conducted in a larger size and a variety of participants during a longer period of time so as to gain an absolutely exact and reliable result

Another limitation was the choice of the participants All the students were in one class at Hiep Hoa high school number 2 If the participants had been chosen randomly, the result would have reflected the reality more clearly and the findings would have generalized more perfectly

Finally, the students used synonym and antonym dictionary for the first time and their vocabulary still limited Therefore, sometimes they had difficulty in confuse the meaning of words basing on the context If the students keep using synonym and antonym dictionary until grade 12, they will no longer have trouble in guess the meaning basing on the context.

Suggestions

According to the limitations mentioned above, the recommendations were raised for further research as follows:

Firstly, further study should be concentrated on raising learners‟ awareness and interest of vocabulary learning Moreover, more studies on combining using synonym and antonym dictionary with other interesting and motivating activities need be carried out in order to engage and attract students to learning vocabulary

Secondly, further study should be conducted in a longer duration with more than 2 cycles of action research in order that students can use synonym and antonym dictionary as a vital and habitual tool in each lesson As a result, the researcher will achieve a more reliable and punctual result

Finally, future study can consider different aspects of synonym and antonym dictionary technique to create more convincible evidence having direct impacts on students‟ vocabulary learning

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The purpose of this survey is to get information about the state of your learning vocabulary Please answer the questions as accurately and honestly as possible All the information provided by you is solely for the study’s purpose

1 What do you think of the role of vocabulary with learning English?

2 How satisfied are you with the amount of synonyms and antonyms in each unit in

3 What is your English level at present?

4 How often do you have difficulty solving vocabulary exercises?

5 How do you often learn to widen your vocabulary?

A Reading English books or newspapers

B Watching English films with subtitles

6 How often do you learn vocabulary through dictionaries?

7 Teaching and learning vocabulary through dictionaries is effective

8 Have you ever been taught vocabulary through synonym and antonym dictionaries?

A If yes, how do you feel about learning vocabulary through synonym and antonym dictionaries?

B If no, do you like learning vocabulary through synonym and antonym dictionaries?

Mục đích của cuộc khảo sát này là để có thông tin về thực trạng học từ vựng của các em Các em vui long trả lời các câu hỏi thật chính xác và trung thực Tất cả các thông tin được cung cấp bởi các em chỉ để cho mục đích nghiên cứu

KHẢO SÁT THỰC TRẠNG HỌC TỪ VỰNG CỦA HỌC SINH

1 Em nghĩ gì về vai trò của từ vựng đối với việc học Tiếng Anh?

A Rất không quan trọng B Không quan trọng

2 Em hài lòng như thế nào với lượng từ đồng nghĩa trong mỗi bài học trong sách TA10 thí điểm?

A Rất không hài lòng B Không hài lòng

3 Trình độ Tiếng Anh hiện tại của em thế nào?

4 Em thường gặp khó khăn khi làm bài tập từ vựng như thế nào?

A Không bao giờ B Ít khi

5 Bạn thường học như thế nào để mở rộng vốn từ?

A Đọc nhiều sách báo bằng Tiếng Anh

B Xem phim có phụ đề Tiếng Anh

D Nói chuyện với người nước ngoài

6 Em thường học từ vựng qua từ điển như thế nào?

A Không bao giờ B Ít khi

7 Dạy và học từ vựng qua từ điển rất hiệu quả

A Hoàn toàn không đồng ý B Không đồng ý

8 Em đã từng được dạy từ vựng qua từ điển đồng nghĩa và trái nghĩa chưa?

A Nếu có thì em cảm thấy thế nào về việc học từ vựng qua từ điển đồng nghĩa và trái nghĩa? ………

B Nếu không thì em có thích học từ vựng qua từ điển đồng nghĩa và trái nghĩa không? ………

Both the pretest and posttest consist of 25 multiple choice questions for the CLOSEST meaning and 25 multiple choice questions for the OPPOSITE meaning and have the time allowance of 45 minutes The pre-test examines the vocabulary mentioned from Unit 2 to Unit 5 All the words appear in the first term English 10 textbook On the contrary, the posttest checks the vocabulary mentioned from Unit

7 to Unit 10 All the words appear in the second term English 10 textbook

I/ Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions

1 We always split the housework equally - my mom cooks, my dad cleans the house and I do the washing-up

A join B break C share D pick up

2 Parents are recommended to collaborate with teachers in educating children

3 Newborn infants are more vulnerable to illness than others

A easily hurt B strong C safe D hard to affect

4 We‟re surprised to hear that his musical talent was nurtured by their loving parents when he was a child

5 In spite of poverty, we manage to raise our children properly

A give up B go up C make up D bring up

6 She decided to find a job to earn money instead of just living at home and being a housekeeper

7 It is advisable that everyone in family shares the household duties

8 In the 20th century, most of the traditional attitudes to remarriage are changing

9 After consideration, teaching is still a career worth pursuing as I prefer to become a teacher like my mother and my father

10 The government needs to seek a solution to prevent domestic violence as soon as possible

11 Acupuncture originated in China and has been used as a traditional medicine for thousands of years

12 There is no evidence at this time that acupuncture can treat cancer itself

13 Acupuncture can treat from simple to complicated ailments

14 Some people believe that acupuncture can be a cure of cancer

15 Acupuncture can ease nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy

16 Are there any alternatives that might provide better options for gay people?

17 The old blood cells are broken down by the spleen and eliminated from the body

A cut out B exhaled C removed D held

18 Humans will enjoy longer life expectancy when they are more conscious of what they eat and do

A aware of B capable of C responsible for D suitable for

19 Together, all of these treatments are supposed to cleanse your body and stimulate your immune system

20 The most common side effects with acupuncture are soreness, slight bleeding and discomfort

21 Consuming nuts can boost your heart health and lifespan

22 Doing exercise regularly helps prevent diseases like heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes

23 Tomato juice contains a rich amount of fiber which helps in breaking down LDL or bad cholesterol in the body

24 The human body possesses an enormous, astonishing, and persistent capacity to heal itself

25 This game show has attracted many participants since it was aired in 2015

II/ Mark the letter A, B, C or D to indicate the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions

1 It‟s incredible that his new song leads the Billboard hot 100 chart only in 3 days

A beyond belief B believable C implausible D unbelievable

2 She was given a prize for her achievement in classical and traditional music

3 To have chance to enter the final round, you have to eliminate lots of competitors

4 It is undeniable that instrument innovations hit the right note in 2013 with the 3D-printed guitar, the AT-200 guitar, the seaboard grand and the wheel harp

5 Hector Berlioz was one of the most prominent composers of the Romantic period

6 After a very short time, this kind of music becomes wildly popular among the youth

7 Luu Huu Phuoc is extremely well-known for his patriotic wartime songs

A fight time B peacetime C battle time D tranquil time

8 The new star always appears with a lovely affected smile on her lips, but no one realizes it

9 We absolutely adore his music because of sweet melodies and meaningful lyrics

10 She finds herself more confident after standing on stage many times

11 Many people who do volunteer work think they are more fortunate than others

12 Public service announcement is a special advertisement for the community, normally about health or safety matters

13 Economically disadvantaged students often drop out of school, choosing a low- paying job to earn money

14 We are looking for camp helpers who are hard-working, energetic, and able to organize activities for young children

15 Volunteering also means getting to meet people with a similar passion

16 The human respiratory system is a series of organs responsible for taking in oxygen and expelling carbon dioxide

A breathing out B dismissing C exhaling D inhaling

17 Turmeric can help in boosting immune system and fight off free radical attacks in the system

18 Although there are unanswered questions, acupuncture appears to work

A be incorrect B be ineffective C be uncertain D be unhelpful

19 Apart from being used as an ingredient in cooking, turmeric also promotes many health benefits

A contributes to B discourages C stimulates D weakens

20 Originally, there were 365 acupoints, but now this has increased to more than

A reduced B stabled C transferred D turned into

21 Acupuncture is considered to be very safe when enough precautions are taken

22 Compound exercises can increase strength and size far effectively than isolation exercises

23 Care is also needed so that inner body parts (lungs, heart liver, etc.) are not touched by the needles

24 When having days off, he always helps his wife tidy up the house

A clear up B sort out C.arrange D mess up

25 Setting and clearing the table, making bed and taking out the trash are suitable chores for 8- to 10-years-old children

I/ Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the word(s) CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions

1 Mary is planning to tie the knot with her German boyfriend next June

A get married B say goodbye C get together D fall in love

2 In some Asian countries like Viet Nam or China, money is given to the newly- married couple as a wedding present

3 In Viet Nam, it is customary to choose a favourable day for occasions such as wedding, funerals, or house-moving days

4 Americans value freedom and do not like to be dependent on other people

5 In most American families, parents have less influence on their children than those in other parts of the world

6 You can download free lessons and put them in your media player or other similar mobile devices Then you can listen and study anywhere because these devices are portable

7 Personal electronic devices which distract students from their classwork are banned in most schools

8 Permanent damage to children's body may be caused by frequent contact with electronic devices

A Immediate B Long-lasting C Short-term D Serious

9 If your smartphone rings in class, it will be very annoying and disruptive

10 For very young children, electronic devices may help promote listening and speaking skills

11 We are facing severe environmental pollution despite the fact that many world organizations are working hard to reduce it

12 Water pollution is a result of dumping pollutants such as detergents, pesticides, oil, and other chemicals in rivers, which makes the water unclean

13 Stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature

A coexist peacefully with B fall in love with C agree with D cooperate with

14 WWF was set up in 1961 and had its operations in areas such as the preservation of biological diversity

15 Air pollution is a consequence of fossil fuel burning by motor vehicles, factories, aircraft and rockets

16 Mass tourism may cause numerous problems

A bring in B bring up C bring about D bring away

17 I am very much interested in learning more about ecotourism and its benefits

18 Ecotourism means travel to areas of natural or ecological interest to observe wildlife and learn about the environment

A look at B look up C look into D look down

19 Mass tourism has contributed to the destruction of the environment

20 A lot of waste from hotels and vehicles is also discharged into the water and air

21 Tourists enjoy the beauty of wildlife without harming it

22 To entertain tourists, we have to change our usual foods to suit their tastes or adapt dances and traditions to suit their needs

23 Ecotourism can be beneficial to local people

24 Ecotourism is booming and tour operators say this helps nature

25 Ecotourism is making animals bolder and become less cautious about other animals

II/ Mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the word(s) OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined word(s) in each of the following questions

1 Being practical, Americans avoid taking jobs which are beyond their ability

A out of B far from C within D inside

2 In many countries, it is customary for the bride to throw her bouquet of flowers into a crowd of well-wishers

3 To an American, success is the result of hard work and self-reliance

4 Success has always meant providing their families with a decent standard of living

5 Stores everywhere compete to sell their distinctive versions of Christmas cake before the holiday

6 In my country, it is compulsory to go to school between the ages of five and sixteen

7 Do you think that you pay enough attention in class? What have I been talking about?

8 Electronic dictionaries are now common in English classes They can be very easily downloaded into your personal electronic devices

9 Being able to use computers and the Internet can lead to an improved quality of life

10 It seems unthinkable today not to provide children with a decent education

11 Fresh water is very important to life because no one can live without it Yet it is one of the limited and most endangered natural resources on our planet

12 One way to protect our environment from pollution is to reduce wasteful consumption

13 If you follow at least one of the tips, you can be proud of taking part in the preservation of water, one of the very important and limited natural resources on earth

A self-confident B self-satisfied C discontent D unpleasant

14 Soil pollution leads to lack of fertile land to grow enough food for an increasing population

15 Global warming may lead to many negative changes, including harsher weather conditions

A more unbearable B milder C more extreme D more serious

16 The United Nations has declared the celebration of the International Day of Ecotourism, to promote sustainable practices in this growing industry

17 In order for ecotourism to be categorized as successful, it must involve local populations in the program

18 Venice has suggested imposing a tax on all visitors to help pay for restoration of the ancient buildings

19 There are 1.6 billion tourists roaming the world, and the impact of tourism can be devastating

20 "Green" tourists or "eco-tourists" are upset by the effects of mass tourism

21 How many people can visit the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador without affecting the ecological balance?

A keeping intact B influencing C troubling D causing disturbance

22 Researchers believe tourists disrupt animals in their natural habitat

A disturb B confuse C organize D mix up

23 The United Kingdom has made a remarkable progress in gender equality

24 Men and women equally gain first class degrees

25 The United Kingdom still faces challenges in gender equality

Bảng câu hỏi khảo sát gồm 16 câu hỏi liên quan đến ý kiến của các em về việc học từ vựng thông qua việc sử dụng từ điển đồng trái nghĩa và hiệu quả của nó Rất mong các em đọc kỹ, bày tỏ ý kiến của mình qua việc trả lời đầy đủ các câu hỏi Dữ liệu thu thập sẽ được bảo mật và chỉ được dung cho mục đích nghiên cứu

Cảm ơn sự hợp tác của các em rất nhiều!

Hướng dẫn: Các em đánh dấu ( ) vào cột có câu trả lời thích hợp

1 Em thấy việc mở rộng từ vựng rất quan trọng

2 Em thấy từ điển đồng trái nghĩa rất thuận tiện cho việc học từ vựng

3 Sử dụng từ điển đồng và trái nghĩa giúp em học được số lượng từ lớn theo chuỗi liên kết các từ ở các bài đã học với các bài đang học một cách chặt chẽ

4 Sử dụng từ điển đồng và trái nghĩa giúp em nhớ được các từ theo 1 chuỗi liên quan chặt chẽ với nhau

5 Sử dụng từ điển đồng và trái nghĩa giúp em học được số lượng từ lớn có trong các sách tham khảo, sách mở rộng

6 Em có thể mở rộng và ghi nhớ được nhiều từ vựng thông qua các hoạt động dùng từ điển đồng trái nghĩa trong mỗi bài học

7 Khi sử dụng từ điển đồng và trái nghĩa, em có thể tự học và tra từ vựng, từ đồng trái nghĩa trước mỗi bài mới

8 Khi sử dụng từ điển đồng và trái nghĩa, em có thể nhớ được từ vựng lâu hơn

9 Em thấy từ điển đồng trái nghĩa cung

XIX cấp nghĩa của các cặp từ vựng một cách chuẩn xác

10 Em thấy từ vựng trong từ điển đồng trái nghĩa rất tin cậy

11 Em thấy từ vựng trong từ điển đồng trái nghĩa rất hữu dụng

12 Sau mỗi tiết học em có thể tự viết lại những cặp từ đồng trái nghĩa theo chủ đề của bài vào sổ tay học Tiếng Anh của em như một cuốn từ điển đồng trái nghĩa cá nhân

13 Sau mỗi đơn vị bài học, em có thể nắm vững được hầu hết các từ đồng trái nghĩa của các từ xuất hiện trong bài học

14 Em có thể tự tin nói hoặc viết các cặp từ đồng trái nghĩa của các từ trong

Sách Giáo Khoa trước lớp

15 Em sẽ tiếp tục sử dụng từ điển đồng và trái nghĩa cho việc học từ vựng

16 Em sẽ giới thiệu phương pháp sử dụng từ điển đồng và trái nghĩa để học từ vựng cho bạn bè

Cảm ơn sự hợp tác của các em!

The objective of the questionnaire is to investigate your attitudes towards using the synonym and antonym dictionary in learning vocabulary and the effectiveness I am grateful to your willingness and cooperation in faithfully completing the questionnaire All your responses will be kept confidentially and only for the study

Thank you so much for your help!

Instruction: Put ()for your choice in the right column

1 I think broadening vocabulary is very important

2 I think the synonym and antonym dictionary is very convenient for learning vocabulary

3 Using the synonym and antonym dictionary helps me learn a great amount of vocabulary combining the previous lessons with the current one closely

4 Using the synonym and antonym dictionary helps me remember vocabulary in a closely logical chain

5 Using the synonym and antonym dictionary helps me to learn a large number of words in textbooks as well as reference books

6 I may broaden and memorize much vocabulary through activities using the synonym and antonym dictionary in each lesson

7 When using the synonym and antonym dictionary, I can self- study and look up vocabulary, synonyms and antonyms before the new lesson

8 When using the synonym and antonym dictionary, I can remember vocabulary in a longer period

9 I think the synonym and antonym dictionary provides vocabulary‟s meanings exactly

10 I find vocabulary in the synonym and antonym reliable

11 I find vocabulary in the synonym and antonym useful

12 After each lesson, I can rewrite pairs of synonyms and antonyms relating to the topic down my small

English notebook like a personal synonym and antonym dictionary

13 After each unit, I can master most synonyms and antonyms of

14 I am confident enough to speak or write pairs of synonyms and antonyms of words mentioned in textbook in front of the class

15 I will continue using the synonym and antonym dictionary to learn vocabulary

16 I will introduce the technique of using synonym and antonym dictionary to learn vocabulary to my friends

APPENDIX 4 INTERVIEW QUESTIONS FOR INTERVIEWS

The interviews will be conducted in Vietnamese so that the students can express their full feelings and opinions without any difficulties

1/ Do you think using the synonym and antonym dictionary technique is useful and good for learning vocabulary and broadening your vocabulary? Why? / why not?

(Em có nghĩ rằng sử dụng từ điển đồng và trái nghĩa hữu ích và tốt cho việc học từ vựng và mở rộng vốn từ vựng không? Tại sao hữu ích và tốt? Tại sao không?)

2/ What do you like best when using the synonym and antonym dictionary technique for learning vocabulary?

(Điều mà em thích nhất khi sử dụng từ điển đồng và trái nghĩa cho việc học từ vựng là gì?)

3/ What don‟t you like best when using the synonym and antonym dictionary technique for learning vocabulary?

(Điều mà em không thích nhất khi sử dụng từ điển đồng và trái nghĩa cho việc học từ vựng là gì?)

4/ How is using the synonym and antonym dictionary technique different from other vocabulary learning techniques? Which one do you prefer? Which one is more useful to you? Why?

(Việc sử dụng từ điển đồng và trái nghĩa khác với các phương pháp học từ vựng khác mà em đã sử dụng như thế nào? Em thích phương pháp nào hơn? Loại nào hữu ích hơn? Vì sao?)

5/ Do you think you will continue to use the synonym and antonym dictionary technique? Why? / Why not?