An investigation into the effects of using the digital homework activities (dha) app on childrens learning of english vocabulary

Trang 1 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING QUY NHON UNIVERSITY NGUYỄN THỊ NHƯ TRIỂM AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE EFFECTS OF USING THE DIGITAL HOMEWORK ACTIVITIES DHA APP ON CHIDREN’S LEARNI

INTRODUCTION

Rationale

English is very important for children because it is an international language and is used in various fields.The ideal age to start learning English is specifically between ages four and five When listening, imitating, and communication abilities are at their highest level so kids are more likely to pick up new languages rapidly Therefore, Circular 50/2022 of the Ministry of Education and Training has always actively implemented a program to get preschool children acquainted with English; however, teaching English to children is not the same as teaching it to adults Teaching and studying English vocabulary for children in Quy Nhon still faces many challenges One of the biggest challenges is that teachers do not have enough time to teach vocabulary in class because of time constraints and other reasons In addition, kids have very little attention, so it is crucial to provide them with diverse learning tools and help them learn vocabulary at home

Learning on mobile devices is a recent trend to promote children's learning vocabulary at home Besides, learning in this era has been related to the rapid development of technology, the emerging and developing of technology and its application to teaching comes into full play in education Therefore, it is not too difficult for children to learn through smartphones at home Wang (2017) asserted that using applications on smartphones in teaching and learning generates positive ideas and benefits that motivate children to learn and understand better In recent years, almost every household has had one or more smartphones so children can study English at home through many English learning apps Many other studies have shown the positive effects of English learning apps on mobile phones They encouraged students to be active and self-study at home (Alan & Dilla; 2020; Li, 2021; Redd & Schmidt- Crawford, 2011).As a useful tool to support the process of learning English, Digital Homework Activities (DHA) is a new and cost-effective application that helps students review and practice English at home According to what I have researched, there have been no studies about this application so far This has generated my motivation to conduct a study on “An investigation into the effects of using the Digital Homework Activities (DHA) app on children's learning of English vocabulary” to investigate the effects of utilizing digital homework activities (DHA) on my students at two kindergartens where I am teaching.

Research aim and objectives

The study aims to investigate the impacts of using the Digital Homework Activities (DHA) on EFL children’s learning of English vocabulary

The objectives of the study are formulated as follows:

- to examine the effects of using the Digital Homework Activities (DHA) on EFL children’s learning of English vocabulary

- to gain insights into parents’ and children’s perspectives of using Digital Homework Activities (DHA) learning English vocabulary of EFL children.

Research questions

In an attempt to achieve the above-presented aims, the study seeks to answer the following research questions:

(1) What are the effects of using the Digital Homework Activities (DHA) app on EFL children’s learning of English vocabulary?

(2) What are parents’ and children’s perspectives of the using the Digital Homework Activities (DHA) app in learning English vocabulary?

Scope of the study

The study concentrates on investigating the effects of the DHA on improving children's vocabulary learning and exploring parents’ and chidren’s perception of using DHA app for children vocabulary retention Because of time constraints and the length of the study, the focus of the study is on children in kindergatens in Quy Nhon City especially in the age of 5 Additionally, 60 parents whose children are in the experimental were contacted for data to provide additional perspectives through questionnaire and interviews The study is carried out over 8 weeks during the second semester of the academic year 2022-2023.

Significance of the study

This study provides insight in both theoretical and practical significances In term of the practical significance, the findings will provide useful information, which may dramatically contribute to raising awareness among students’ parents, and students about using the DHA app to learn vocabulary at home The research also hopes to gain insights into the use of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL), particularly the DHA app, to assist students in acquiring the vocabulary at home successfully and increase students' interest in learning English vocabulary In addition, the findings will so clarify the positive effects of DHA app in vocabulary acquisition

The current research findings are also hoped to bring valuable information about teaching and learning English as a foreign language especially children They might contribute to the theoretical knowledge on learing English vocabulary at home.

Organization of the study

This research paper is divided into five chapters: Introduction, Literature Review, Research Method, Results and Discussion, and Conclusion

Chapter One: Introduction: It provides the rationale for the research Then it presents the research aims and objectives, the research questions, the scope, and the significance of the study Finally, it describes the organization of the study

Chapter Two: Literature Review: This chapter provides a brief overview of vocabulary and the use of mobile assisted language learning, as well as previous studies related to the present study

Chapter Three: Research Methodology: Firstly, it shows the research questions of the present study Secondly, it describes the research method, research setting and the participants in the study Thirdly, it introduces the research instruments used to collect data for the study and the materials used for the intervention in detail Lastly, this chapter will come to an end with the procedure to conduct the study and the methods of data analysis

Chapter Four: Results and Discussion: In this chapter, the writer reports the results and discusses the research

Chapter Five: Conclusion: The last chapter contains the conclusion of the research, which summarizes the conceptual and main findings of the study Then, it will interpret these findings and discuss interference with the previous studies and suggest the research implications Finally, the limitations of the study and the suggestions for future research will be the last part of this chapter.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Vocabulary

2.1.1 Definition of vocabulary and the importance of vocabulary

There have been a wide range of definitions of vocabulary In general, the language ability of learners will improve through improvement in vocabulary (Linse, 2006) Many scholars have also acknowledged that vocabulary is one of the most essential elements of second language learning For learning a second language (L2), vocabulary is seen as a crucial building component and is frequently used as a general indication of L2 progress (Chen, Liu & Huang, 2019; Hu & Nassaji, 2016; Nation, 2001) Vocabulary plays a more important role than grammar as very little can be conveyed without grammar while nothing can be conveyed without vocabulary (Wilkins in Ha,

2021) Vocabulary is, therefore, the most crucial aspect of learning a language can make it easier for the learner to implement the language

According to Cameron (2015), vocabulary was one of the areas of knowledge in a language that plays an important role in learners' acquisition of the language Learners need to learn new words and master basic knowledge, such as learning about single words, before learning complex knowledge, such as clauses or sentences Without a sufficient initial vocabulary, one is not able to achieve the language

To master a language, beside becoming proficient in these four skills, learners must achieve the knowledge of three components such as grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation Vocabulary knowledge is viewed as one of the main factors essential for mastering another language (Schmitt, 2008) Krashen

(1989) claimed that vocabulary plays an essential part in mastering a language According to Harmer (2001), vocabulary is considered as the core of the language He suggests that if language structures build up the skeleton of the language, then vocabulary contribute the vital organs and the flesh Besides, lexical knowledge is also considered as central to communicative ability and to the acquisition of a second language (Schmitt, 2000) The learners also need to master skills such as speaking, listening, reading and writing and vocabulary knowledge is the fundamental to these skills In addition, Alquatani (2015) also states that the importance of vocabulary learning is seen as a indispensable process in language learning Therefore, many researchers believe that mastering vocabulary knowledge thoroughly is a reliable level of success in learning the target language Thornburry (2002) believes that when learners spend a great deal of time studying grammar, they are unable to make much progress in their learning, but having more vocabulary and phrases will help them improve as they can almost communicate everything with words despite saying very little grammar

Based on the above statements, we can conclude that vocabulary is the core factor in learning a language and is the key, a prerequisite for success in acquiring a language

The importance of vocabulary cannot be neglected in learning a foreign language, so improving vocabulary for students is a challenge that the teacher must answer Vocabulary learning is no doubt central to learning any language; therefore, many studies have been done to discover the most effective way of learning vocabulary for students According to Muniz (2017), there were many methods of learning English vocabulary, such as through flashcards, memorizing words, making study lists, copying words, taking quizzes, using words selected from dialogue, and writing Irsyadi et al, whose study's output was an educational game about English vocabulary for children The level of acceptance from the application's users is 69.19%, which is a fairly high category (Irsyadi et al., 2019) Using the technological acceptance framework, Ceỗen (2020) recently explored what learners thought of using Edmodo, Quizlet, and Canva and found that lower-level students in Turkey preferred these applications According to reports, EFL students in Thailand are also pleased using Quizlet to study vocabulary since it speeds up the process of memorization compared to other approaches (Sangtupim & Mongkolhutthi,

2019) The vocabulary of English is also rising quickly (WallStreetEnglish.co.id, 2017) In the past, teachers might make their pupils memorize a few words each day and check their progress over time by giving them a memory exam Such approaches would undoubtedly reduce pupils' motivation As a result, in the near future, students could hate English lessons due to their load (Sumiyati in Winastiti, 2016) Additionally, words that are made to be learned typically just make it into memory and are never utilized in context However, Utku and Dolgunsoz (2017) claimed that a language learner can mainly build language knowledge through two main processes: intentional learning and incidental learning Intentional learning refers to when a person consciously learns vocabulary, e.g., through learning methods as mentioned earlier Incidental learning is when vocabulary is subconsciously acquired through repetition in communicative activities (Sulistianingsih et al., 2019; Utku & Dolgunsửz, 2017) There has been a particular interest in using digital games to enhance teaching and learning at all levels of education, especially from a young age, in both formal and informal settings Thus, digital gaming is one of the useful ways for learners to improve their subconscious vocabulary (Ashraf et al., 2014)

It is challenging to teach English to young students Teaching English as a foreign language (EFL) to young learners involves providing language instruction and support to children who are non-native English speakers in an environment where English is not the primary language (Pinter, 2006) It is important to design activities and materials that engage and suit their developmental stage A teacher must be creative and be able to create joyful, interesting, and playful activities Their world of learning a second language would be more of a game, a song, and everything that interested them, and the sole purpose of early childhood education was meant to develop any aspect in young learners (Wiraatmaja et al., 2021; Nurussa’adah, 2014) In addition, focusing on age-appropriate vocabulary and basic phrases helps children grasp essential language skills, starting with concrete concepts and gradually introducing more abstract ones Repetition and reinforcement play a crucial role in solidifying language acquisition, and activities like games, chants, and role-playing provide regular practice opportunities (Webb, 2007) It is the responsibility of teachers to assist students in developing their communicative competence, and effective teaching of English needs that teachers possess professional competence The quality of the teaching-learning process is based on three main factors, including: (1) students’ participation and how they take part in the process of teaching and learning activities; (2) the teachers’ role in the teaching and learning activities as an instructor or motivation motive the students to transform the knowledge to the students; and (3) the situation of the teaching and learning

For learning vocabulary, motivating young learners and catching their interest are important because they tend to learn less if they do not enjoy the new lessons (Hasram et al., 2020) Using technologies as auditory and visual aids is found to influence effective development of language knowledge for young learners (Verhallen & Bus, 2010) Research on young learners’ incidental vocabulary learning via digital games has been more and more increasing For example, Utku and Dolgunsửz (2018) found that online vocabulary games can foster students’ motivation

There are several features of young learners Harmer cited in Mustika

(2015) proposed some general characteristics of children learners as below:

- They frequently get more knowledge indirectly than directly

- The way they understand is influenced not just by the explanation but also by what they observe, hear, and, particularly, they have the opportunity to touch and engage with their senses

- They generally display enthusiasm for learning and curiosity about the world around them

- They demand the teacher's specific consideration and approval

- They feel at ease discussing themselves, and they learn best when the focus of the content involves themselves and their personal life

- Because of their short attention spans and tendency for lack of interest, those can easily get bored with tasks after around 10 minutes unless they are highly engaging.

Use of mobile-assisted language learning (MALL)

An increasing volume of research has been undertaken on Mobile-Assisted Language Learning (MALL), emphasizing conceptual framework of MALL and evaluate the learning outcomes of leaners of MALL applications in foreign language classes Mobile devices have become an essential part of our everyday lives as technology develops, giving new opportunities for language acquisition (Ningsih & Sari, 2021; Sari, 2023) Applications called Mobile- Assisted Language Learning (MALL) have become exciting tools in language teaching since they have been designed to enable language learning on mobile devices There are many websites or software programs teachers can use as media to help make learning fun Some of them are commonly used, such as Kahoot, Quiziz, and Wordwall.net There are various benefits to integrating mobile devices into language learning (Ghorbani & Ebadi, 2020; Cakmak,

2019) First of all, students may study languages at any time they choose because mobile devices are portable MALL apps are available for learners to access on their own devices, allowing for mobility and learning at their own pace Secondly, interactive elements that encourage engagement and participation from users are frequently included in MALL apps Vocabulary practice, tests, and games are available to learners, promoting a more engaging and fun learning environment Quizlet has recently been considered as an effective tool for autonomous learning and can provide students with an interesting method of acquiring vocabulary (Nguyen et al., 2021)

Despite potential benefits, challenges exist in effective implementation of MALL applications for English vocabulary development Technological constraints, such as limited internet access, can hinder the integration of MALL applications into language learning environments Over thirty percent of the students in Lu’s (2008) research stated that studying L2 vocabulary via MALL brought some drawbacks For example, some of the participants complained that they had to open messages one at a time Additionally, the preferences and learning styles of individual learners may vary, so they must select carefully to cater to diverse needs Pedagogical considerations, such as the alignment of MALL applications with curriculum objectives and instructional strategies, must also be taken into account Therefore, the use of MALL must be carefully studied to enhance language learning and teaching

2.2.1 MALL in vocabulary teaching and learning

Besides, using MALL in English classroom may pose challenges and limitations According to Azadbaftari and Mozaheb’s (2012), accessing to small screen sizes was a problem for some of the students because it could be harmful to them when using them for long periods of time In this same point of view, Stockwell (2010) mentioned that most students did not understand how to use smartphones to acquire English vocabulary In the study, Stockwell also cited reasons for this, including the estimated costs associated with owning a mobile phone as well as the inconvenience of the mobile interface

On the other hand, MALL has been seen as an effective method for acquiring L2 vocabulary Mobile Assisted Language Learning has been revealed to be a efficient method to acquire L2 vocabulary Azabdaftari and Mozaheb (2012) found that mobile devices could be used to enhance students’ English vocabulary proficiency The researchers made a comparison between the effectiveness of mobile devices versus traditional paper flashcards to improve L2 vocabulary development The group which studied vocabulary via mobile devices had the mean score which was much higher than that of the group which used paper flashcard, thereby indicating the efficacy of mobile learning Zaki and Yukus (2015) showed the mobility and popularity of MALL and allowed learners to use devices anytime, anywhere With the ability to connect wirelessly to the internet, MALL facilitates students learning outside the classroom (Sharples, Taylor & Vavoula, 2005) In the Vietnamese context,

To (2020) studied the effects of using the Quizlet app on vocabulary memorization on 64 EFL ten-grade students in a high school in the Mekong Delta The results showed that the majority of the participants in the experimental group had positive attitudes toward learning and improving their vocabulary retention via the Quizlet app Moreover, the study by Jannah et al

(2017) indicated positive feelings about using the Wordwall.net app to practise their English vocabulary, thus helping improving their vocabulary learning

2.2.2 Application of Digital Homework Activities in vocabulary teaching and learning

The Digital Homework Activities application is described as "a mobile and web-based study application that allows students to acquire knowledge via some game-like learning activities Students may review and practice their English at home with the aid of the Digital Homework Activities (DHA) app, a mobile application The DHA app has more than 50,000 downloads on phones and other devices, so DHA can be one of the most effective and great ways for students to learn vocabulary and practice English at home (DHA,2022) The activities are designed in a variety of ways with vivid and fun images to help students improve their language skills by practicing and consolidating the knowledge they have learned The main features of the application include being designed by experienced experts in the field of English teaching and a team of specialized technicians, vivid visual images, and fun activities to attract students with diversely designed practice content and various activities to help solidify knowledge In addition, DHA is an application for preschool and primary school age groups from 4 to 11 years old However, this study focuses only on preschoolers ages 5 to 6 years old

With this language learning app, children can consolidate their knowledge in the form of games, stories, or songs, stimulate the joy of learning English, and encourage self-study with attractive content and vivid images In addition, the combination of audiovisual and selective listening helps students familiarize themselves with the use of technology in learning and creates a foundation for students to access modern technology in learning English

The application interfaces are designed for the website, which includes eight units following the classroom curriculum, particularly the “Amanda and Friends” book series With this language learning app, they can download the routine songs, unit songs, animated stories, and tasks easily, and then the students can learn and practice a set of vocabulary conveniently with their devices, such as smart phones or tablets The units of the DHA app are Welcome, Home, Toys, Body, Clothes, Animals, Food, and Festivals This home screen is where students can select which instructional feature they would like to work on

Figure 2.1: Features in each unit

Students can also choose any feature to learn first, as long as many times as they want

- "Routine Songs" option includes a lot of interesting songs like "Hello,

Good morning, Good afternoon, The Days of the Week, The Months of the Year, The Seasons, The Weather, It’s Time to Work, Story Chart, Tidy Up, and Bye Bye" Students can listen to these songs and build up their basic vocabulary and structure in their daily lives

- "Unit songs" are songs according to each unit Therefore, children can review their vocabulary through these songs

- "Practice 1 and 2" is where students practice with the vocabulary knowledge they have learned at school and reviewed in the unit songs

In order to create interest for students, there are a number of ways to assess themselves through matching, multiple choice, etc with lively imaginations

- "Animated story": there is a story containing familiar characters and vocabulary from each topic Students listen to the story and then answer questions about it

In particular, when children use DHA app, it will evaluate and get statistics on the number of completed exercises Parents can view their child's progress.

Related studies on using MALL in teaching and learning

Over the years, many academics have focused on language learning through applications From previous studies on learning English with the applications, the researcher found that these studies were designed to investigate the positive effects of using mobile phone applications in teaching and learning English For example, in research by Irwan et al (2019), which focused on the effectiveness of using Kahoot to improve learning outcomes through a quasi-experimental quantitative approach, namely by comparing the experimental class (using Kahoot) and the controlled class (not using Kahoot), it was found that the experimental class using Kahoot as a learning medium was significantly more effective in improving student learning outcomes By using the Substitution, Augmentation Modification, Redefinition (SAMR) Model for technology impact assessment to analyze Quizlet flashcards feature, Ashcroft & Imrie (2016) concluded that the application can alter students’ vocabulary learning practice by the extra capability offered by the digitalization of flashcards Similarity, in a recent study on ninety-two Turkish university students’ perception of Quizlet use as a vocabulary-learning tool, Aksel (2021) employed pre- and post-tests to evaluate the effectiveness of Quizlet It was found that Quizlet was a cost-effective way of teaching vocabulary and that students approved of its use as a tool for learning Both had the same research methods: a pre-test and a post-test to check whether the application was successful or not The findings of both showed that students' outcomes improved significantly after using the Quizlet or Kahoot applications The results of the experimental class were higher than those of the control class Furthermore, learners also have positive perceptions and see them as effective applications in learning English

Regarding applicability and creating learner’s motivation, Wang (2017) presented a pilot research and attempted to create a mobile app to enhance college students' learning of English vocabulary The target of her study was low-level students in college Collecting students' attitudes toward the app through the questionnaires The pilot study and the use of mobile apps aimed to motivate students’ learning and study habits Nushi and Eqbali (2017) used the Duolingo program for mobile language learning and investigated the opportunities it presents for learning a second language This mobile app has unique features because of their applicability The user can be of any age, from children to parents With the four main exercises in this app, namely, translation, matching, pairing, listening, and speaking, the user can learn English in a fun way The study conducted by Hariyono (2020) aimed to examine how young learners could follow vocabulary learning through YouTube and other media Aprilani (2021) researched how high school pupils felt about using Quizlet to acquire vocabulary in English Five students from an Indonesian senior high school were interviewed in order to get qualitative data It was found that participants who learned vocabulary through the applications were very excited, happy, and highly motivated In addition, they loved to use technology, which made learning more interesting and could help them learn vocabulary easily

In the context of Vietnam, Ho (2019) conducted research to compare the effectiveness of Quizlet and paper flashcards for teaching vocabulary This study was divided into three phases: a pre-test, a four-week training session, and a post-test The study involved thirty-nine high school students, which were divided into two groups Word lists were taught to the groups using paper flashcards and Quizlet Flashcards were used to teach one group after Quizlet was used to introduce the material to the first group The findings of the pre- and post-tests showed that Quizlet was more successful at enhancing vocabulary learning than the other two techniques In the study by Ho et al

(2020), the researchers were interested in finding the freshman non-English majors' views regarding the Quizlet application as well as the usefulness of Quizlet for increasing vocabulary learning The study included sixty participants, and the researchers used a quasi-experimental approach with pre- and post-tests for each of the two groups While the other group received vocabulary instruction through Quizlet, the initial group did not The researchers discovered that Quizlet was successful in helping individuals increase their vocabulary In Pham's study (2022) that aims to explore how students view Quizlet as a tool for vocabulary acquisition, one hundred and forty-eight students participated in the study Data was gathered via a questionnaire and a semi-structured interview It is shown that diverse student groups utilized Quizlet to acquire vocabulary although there was no study on the vocabulary learning of bilingual students using Quizlet This study tried to figure out that gap by examining how bilingual kids learned English vocabulary using Quizlet in the setting of an international school in Vietnam

Regarding previous related studies and available literature on vocabulary learning, the process of learning vocabulary through the use of mobile apps has many similar and different aspects Among related studies, the method of combining quantitative and qualitative surveys of apps for preschoolers at home with parents is still lacking This gap needs to be filled because it can enrich the use of a phone tool to support language learning.

Summary

This chapter provides as a comprehensive overview of teaching and learning English vocabulary including vocabulary like the definition, teaching and learning vocabulary and teaching young learner vocabulary, the use of mobile -assisted language learning and previous studies Based on these foundations, the researcher offers insights into vocabulary teaching and learning methods for young learners The focus is primarily on the DHA app in learning vocabulary at home for children Finally, the chapter acknowledges the importance of previous studies related to using MALL in teaching and learning vocabulary There are some similarities and differences between the findings of those studies This incorporation of previous studies enriches the understanding of the theoretical concepts and methodologies employed in the thesis.

METHODOLOGY

Research methods

In this study, the research questions were tackled using both quantitative and qualitative methods The quantitative data was collected to measure the effects of using the DHA app on learning English, while the qualitative approach with the questionnaire and the interview was used to investigate students’ attitudes toward using the DHA app on EFL English vocabulary The intervention in the study lasted 8 weeks During the intervention, both students received traditional face-to-face instruction in English from Units 4 to 8 of the coursebook labelled “Amanda and Friends (2022) To collect quantitative data for the study, the pre-test and post-test designed in the form of vocabulary achievement tests were administered The aim of the quantitative study was to compare the test results of children before and after using the DHA app in the learning process In order to collect the qualitative data for the study, the questionnaire and the semi-structured interview were conducted to document in-depth information about the participation in DHA apps and the perceptions of participants towards the use of the DHA app for vocabulary learning.

Participants

The participants were 120 five-year-olds in two kindergartens in Quy Nhon City One intervention and one non-intervention group of sixty participants were recruited from four classes All students are taught the same English curriculum The participants of the study were taught English using the new course book for kindergarten students “Amanda and Friends” (2022) They were asked to complete the pre-test, the results of which were the basis for the division of the class into two groups: the intervention and non-intervention groups The division process ensured a balanced number of participants in both groups in terms of the pre-test score to ensure similarity and gender to minimize the influence of gender on their choice of evaluative resources.

Research setting

The study was conducted at Kindergarten Schools in Quy Nhon in the academic year 2022- 2023 Most of them located in suburbs of the city These school were all private preschools with good educational quality in the areas

In this study, these instruments were employed: vocabulary tests, questionnaires, and interviews The first instrument was a vocabulary test, which was used as the pre-test and post-test to collect data Besides, the questionnaire was the next instrument The questionnaire was conducted after the intervention was finished to examine parents’ and students’ opinions toward the use of the DHA app in learning vocabulary The interview was the final instrument Interviews involved six parents of participant in experimental group It was conducted to deepen the understanding of the participants’ experience in using DHA app in their vocabulary learning at home

A pre-test as well as a post-test were performed to collect information, as “it can provide information about the general ability level of the students, about specific problems that the students may be having with the language, and about their achievement in previous programs” (Brown, 1995:48) The items tested in the pre-test are vocabulary items that students learned in the previous weeks The pre-test and post-test have the same form and length of time but different topics The test had two parts: listen and match, and listen and choose the correct answer (see Appendix 1) The purpose of the pre-test was to determine the vocabulary knowledge of the students The post-test aimed to examine the effects of using the DHA app on learning vocabulary Firstly, the previous test was performed The following test was applied to students in week eight, the final week of the study, and examined how much vocabulary students could remember during the eight-week process The score for each correct answer is 1.00 The total score for the test was 10.00 Before the administration of the pre-test to the participants of the study, the pre-test was piloted by sixty students in two English classes to test the reliability and validity of the instrument The post-test of the study had the same format but different content as the pre-test The post-test was given in order to obtain the final result so it could be compared to the pre-test result As a result, the reliability of the intervention was strengthened

A closed-ended questionnaire adapted from the Dizon’s (2016) study was employed for data collection It is composed of two main sections: Section

A collecting participants’ background information, and Section B containing

12 items The five-point Likert scale (from Strongly disagree to Strongly agreed) was designed for all 12 items To get the results of the study, the questionnaire was administered to the participants

The first part of the questionnaire was about general information about the participants, such as their name, their class, their parents’ names and phone numbers, and the average time they spent on the DHA app The second part of the questionnaire was based on a five-point Likert scale, which was adapted from the questionnaire construction models designed by Bauer-Razamani

(2015) The items in this questionnaire were also created according to those four categories

The first cluster was about usefulness This cluster includes two items from 1 to 3 The second cluster, consisting of three items (4,5,6), was about the enjoyment of students’ learning vocabulary through the DHA app The third cluster, including three items, showed the easy-to-use DHA app Finally, the fourth cluster encompassed items 10, 11, and 12 to measure the convenience of using the DHA app in learning vocabulary, such as “It is convenient for children to use the DHA app to learn vocabulary at any time”, “Children can use the DHA app conveniently on different devices to learn vocabulary” and

“Children can learn vocabulary on the DHA app at any place.” These 12 items were divided into 4 small clusters to investigate the children’s and parents’ attitudes toward using the DHA app to learn vocabulary

The interview was carried out and involved six parents of six children out of 60 participants in the experimental group The six parents were two parents whose children got the highest scores, two out of them who had children had average scores, and two parents whose children who got the least in the vocabulary post-test They were expected to comment on what they found useful or least useful with the DHA app when children learned vocabulary through this app at home, what their children liked or disliked about the app, and what challenges they encountered while using the DHA app The interview is conducted face-to-face and recorded with an audio recorder to deepen the understanding of the participants’ experience using the DHA app in their vocabulary learning at home

The set of seven questions related to language learning strategies used in the interview are as follows

1 Did you find DHA app useful for children’s vocabulary learning?

2 Which aspects did children find most useful? Which aspects did children find least useful?

3 What did your kid enjoy the most about using DHA app for your vocabulary learning?

4 What did he/she enjoy the least?

5 Do you think he/she improved his/her vocabulary with DHA app? If yes, how? If no, what are the reasons? Give specific reasons

6 Has he/she got any difficulty in using DHA app for studying vocabulary?

7 Would you prefer to continue for him/her using DHA app for your future vocabulary learning?

Data analysis

The researcher analyzed the test results by counting each student’s score from the pre-test and post-test The scores were categorized into four categories proposed by Afni (2014) Then, the mean score of the pre- and post-tests was calculated in order to know the significant difference in students’ vocabulary improvement Independent Sample T-test was applied to determine whether the research result was significantly different The one-sample T-test calculation was done

The data were gathered using a 5-point Likert scale Following data collection, participants’ answers were inputted for each Likert scale questionnaire item After the questionnaire was administered, all answers on the returned questionnaire were tabularized in numerical code for the following analyses Data from the questionnaire were coded and entered into a computer data-base using SPSS to analyze and achieve quantitative data for this study A descriptive analysis of all variables was carried out to offer implications to the data The descriptive analysis provides simple summaries and general information about the study’s data set where the researcher could obtain descriptive procedures (Robson, 1997)

With the participant’s consent, the researcher interviewed them and their answers were recorded The data obtained from the semi-structured interviews was analyzed through qualitative data analysis The following steps were used to analyze the data using content analysis The researcher began by reading the transcripts several times to become familiar with the content and categorize them into different groups Next, the research questions was then analyzed and addressed on the basis of what had been discussed in the literature review section.

Research procedures

The study consisted of three phases Phase 1 lasted for two weeks before the intervention began Phase 2 was where the actual intervention took place, lasting for 8 weeks Phase 3 was conducted after the intervention

Phase 1 was designed to prepare for participant enrollment and gather data about the vocabulary competences of students from four classes One hundred and twenty children were involved in this phase A pre-test was administered without any notification so that we could ensure appropriate measurement of their vocabulary repertoire The data was then run to analyze its validity and reliability using an independent sample T-test The purpose of doing the first phase is to verify whether the pre-test ensured validity The experimental group and the control group all come from the four intact kindergartens where the researcher was working They were pleased to accept the invitation to join in the study Then, the researcher randomly assigned the four classes into the experimental group and the control group, both of which consist of 60 students After assigning students to either one or another group, the pre-test was done by the two groups without notification to check the participants’ vocabulary The data was then run to analyze its validity and reliability by using an independent sample T-test

In Phase 2, the intervention was administered over eight weeks The duration of the intervention corresponded to the teaching time of the three units of the textbook Children learned vocabulary in the current unit of the textbook in combination with the use of the DHA app at home after each lesson

In Phase 3, after eight weeks of intervention, a post-test was conducted immediately on both the control group and the experimental one to measure the students’ vocabulary and English ability Participants were not notified of the time of the post-test The procedure for administering the post-test and scoring participants’ tests was the same as for the pre-test

Afterwards, the questionnaire was carried out by the parents of the participant in the experimental group It was conducted to investigate children’s and parents’ perspectives on the use of the DHA app in improving their vocabulary Finally, six parents of the experimental group had an interview with the researcher to gain further information The researcher analyzed the data and reported the results.

Summary

This research is dedicated to determining the impacts of using DHA app on chidren’s learning of English vocabulary In order to achieve this, the methodology chapter uses the mixed method approach for the whole research The authenticity of research is also encapsulated in this mixed method

Furthermore, the methodology chapter has provided an overview of the instruments used in the research, including data collection and analysis tools Having established the methodological framework, the next chapter will discuss the data analysis process and major findings and results of this research.

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

The effective of using DHA app in learning vocabulary

This section presents findings on impacts of using DHA app on children's learning of English vocabulary to response Research Question 1: What are the effects of using the Digital Homework Activities (DHA) on EFL children’s learning of English vocabulary?

The vocabulary test included a pre-test and post-test designed to measure the ability to memorize the students’ vocabulary before and after intervention T-test was used

In order to identify students’ changes in vocabulary retention, the T-test was carried out Firstly, the result of the vocabulary tests was collected and analyzed With p= 0.00, it is confident enough to conclude that the pre-test’s mean score and the post-test’s mean score are different Then, the Descriptive Statistic Test was performed to identify mean score of each test These scores are illustrated in Table 4.1

Table 4 1: Student’s vocabulary retention within control group

The results showed the difference of means in the pre-test and post-test (M pre=4.93; SD=1.55, M post=6.97; SD=0.89).The mean score of the post- test was higher than that of the pre-test It can be concluded that after eight weeks of intervention, students’ vocabulary retention of control group was improved

Afterward, two paired sample T-tests were utilized to compare the pre- and post-test results of the experimental group Later, the mean scores of the pre- test and post-test were clarified by Descriptive Statistic Test

Table 4 2: Students’ vocabulary retention within experimental group

Group Tests N Minimum Maximum Mean Std Deviation

The results showed the difference of means in the pre-test and post-test (M pre=4.94; SD=1.42, M post=8.50; SD=1.06) The students’ improvement on vocabulary mastery could be seen from the result of the post-test, in which the mean score was higher compared to the students’ mean score of the pre-test The mean score of pre-test was 4.94 The highest score was 8 and the lowest score was 3 However, mean score of the post-test was 8.50 The highest was

10 and the lowest was 4 After the study, the vocabulary retention of the students after using DHA app was remarkably increased

Group Tests N Minimum Maximum Mean Std Deviation

Figure 4 1 Students's scorre classsification in experimental group

Based on the data analysis, it was found that there is a significant difference of students’ scores from pre-test and post-testIn comparison to the pre-test and the post-test results, students got 9–10 scores, which significantly increased from 20 students to 38 students In contrast, the number of students getting 5–6 scores and below 5 decreased to 5 and 2 from the pre-test to post- test results It can be seen from the figure that fewer students categorized in those two lower categories in the post-test

To evaluate students’ vocabulary retention between the two groups before and after the intervention, the Descriptive Statistic Test, the Independent Sample T Test were carried out First, the results of the Descriptive Statistic Test are presented in Table 4.3 below

Table 4 3: Students’ vocabulary retention before and after intervention

4.1.2.1 Students’ vocabulary retention between the two groups before the intervention

In the pre-test, the mean score of the experimental group (M= 4.94) was a little bit higher than the mean score of the control group (M=4.93) To check whether there was a significant difference in the students’ vocabulary retention in the pre-test between the control group and the experimental group, an Independent Sample T-test was run The result showed that the difference in the students’ vocabulary retention in the pre-test between the two groups was not significant This means that students’ vocabulary retention in the pre-test of two groups was the same The two groups were distributed homogenously before the intervention

4.1.2.2 Students’ vocabulary retention between the two groups after the intervention

Table 4.3 also revealed that the students’ vocabulary retention between the two groups was different after the intervention After eight weeks of the intervention, the means of the post-test of both groups were improved (M post=6.97 for the control group, experimental M post=8.50 for the experimental group) Figure 4.2 below presents the progress of both control group and experimental group

Figure 4 2 Participant’s vocabulary retention before and after the study

It can be clearly seen from Figure 4.2 that there was a significant difference in vocabulary retention mean score of the pre-test and post-test given to both groups Two groups’ vocabulary retention performed a noticeably small gap (control group M= 4.93; experimental group M= 4.94) at pretest This result was quite reasonable since participants from both groups experienced nearly similar language competence While the post- test showed a surged trend in both groups’ vocabulary mean score, it could not be denied that posttest result of control group (M= 6.97) was lower than experimental one’s (M8.50).

Students’ time of using DHA app at home

A Frequency Statistic Test was run to measure students’ time of using DHA app in learning vocabulary outside of the class

Table 4.4 Time students spend studying English vocabulary through DHA app at home

Cumulative Percent Valid Under 20 minutes per week 21 35.0 35.0 35.0

Between 20 and 40 minutes per week

Between 40 and 60 minutes per week

It is obvious from Table 4.4 that 21 students used DHA app under 20 minutes per week (35%), another 7 participants learned English vocabulary through DHA app over 60 minutes per week Ten pupils used DHA app to learn English from 40 to 60 minutes per week Many of the participants learned English vocabulary through DHA app between 20 and 40 minutes per week ( 22 students, 36.7 %)

Figure 4 3 Time students spend studying English vocabulary through the DHA app at home

Students’ and parents’ attitude towards using DHA app on

This section shows findings on the attitude of using the DHA app on children's learning of English vocabulary Research Question 2: What are parents’ and children’s perspectives of using the Digital Homework Activities (DHA) on EFL children’s learning of English vocabulary?

Data collected from the questionnaires and the semi-structured interviews are analyzed to find out the findings Four component categories were statistically analyzed in terms of mean and standard deviation

Between 20 and 40 minutes per week

Between 40 and 60 minutes per week

Table 4 5 Students’ and parents’ Perceptions of DHA app Based English

The mean scores of the four components (usefulness, enjoyment, ease of use and convenience were 4.40 (SD=.616), 4.37 (SD=.637), 4.13 (SD=.596), and 4.17 (SD=.827) respectively This means that parents and children thought that DHA app-based English vocabulary learning was useful, enjoyable, easy and convenient for them To gain an insight into the language learning strategies use among the surveyed students, the descriptive statistics for each category, together with the qualitative data gained from the semi-structured interview These data are analyzed and discussed as followings:

Table 4.6 Children’s attitude of using DHA app in term of usefulness

Using DHA app makes learning vocabulary more exciting

DHA app provides efficient ways to learn vocabulary

DHA app helps children to words better

There are three items in term of usefulness used to ask about learning English vocabulary of children Table 4.5 indicates that the usefulness of DHA app toward learning English vocabulary within the mean score of 4.40-4.45 Particularly, the statement “DHA app provides efficient ways to learn vocabulary” (item 2) was the most highly qualified by them (M=4.45; SD=.502).Besides that, they also said that “Using DHA app makes learning vocabulary more exciting.” (item 1) and “DHA app helps children to words better.” (item 3), where its mean score and standard deviation carried only respectively 4.40 and 616

The data from the interviews generally aligned with quantitative findings Concerning its usefulness, Participants A and C both acknowledged that their children likes learning English more and remembers the new words longer whereas Participant B admitted that "Story Animated helps her review their English vocabulary and practice their listening skills.”

The answers of students to the statements “Children like to use DHA app to learn English vocabulary” (item 4), “Children prefer using DHA app rather than using other learning methods for learning vocabulary” (item 5), and

“Children think that the different learning modes on DHA app are enjoyable" (item 6), show students’ preferences for using the DHA app in learning vocabulary As can be seen in Table 4.6, the mean score of the strategy

“Children prefer using DHA app rather than using other learning methods for learning vocabulary” (item 5), was observed to be the highest (M = 4.38) That meant they would like to use the DHA app as one of the various learning modes, and they preferred this app more than other learning vocabulary methods

Table 4.7 Children’s attitude of using DHA app in term of enjoyment

Children like to use DHA app to learn English vocabulary

Children prefer using DHA app rather than using other learning methods for learning vocabulary

Children think that the different learning modes on

With the result in students’ interest indicated in Table 4,6 we could see that students were strongly motivated with using DHA app in learning vocabulary They were pleased to do these exercises at home as well as listen the routine songs or unit songs They thought that learning vocabulary through

DHA was more enjoyable The result proved it to us with the high mean (M 4.38, SD = 613) When they had a preference, they could learn and remember the vocabulary better Based on the descriptive statistics, the mean of both items

“Children like to use DHA app to learn English vocabulary.” and “Children think that the different learning modes on DHA app are enjoyable.” is equal to the mean of 4,12 We could see that the learners had a great interest in using the app They felt excited and enthusiastic about joining in activities on the DHA app

As a result of the questionnaires, most of the participants stated that they enjoyed using the DHA app For example, Participants B, C, and E respectively said that:

"She really likes to learn English vocabulary through the DHA app She always practices English vocabulary through DHA every night."

"He is very happy when he learns English vocabulary with lively pictures.”

"She is more interested in learning vocabulary as well as learning English.”

We could see that the learners had a great interest in using the app They felt excited and enthusiastic about joining in activities on the DHA app

Table 4.8 Children’s attitude of using DHA app in term of easy to use

Children easily use DHA app to learn vocabulary

Parents and children don’t have any problems when using DHA app

Parents can easily set up

DHA app on my mobile phone

As regards Table 4.7 parents reported that they “[could] easily use study sets up on DHA app on their mobile phone” (item A9: M=4.47; SD=.503),

“[could] easily use DHA app to learn vocabulary” (item A6: M=4.00;

SD=.521) and “[did not] have any problems when using DHA app” (item A7: M=4.18; SD=.911)

The qualitative data from the interviews was examined in order to a better understanding of the ease of use for parents and children Fortunately, the interview results were relatively in harmony with the questionnaire findings

Most of the interviewed participants responded that they and their children didn't meet any difficulties when using the DHA app For example,

Participant A and E stated that the app's interface was easy to use because the DHA app had a guidance mode for parents whereas Participant C acknowledged that:

“the operations on the application are quite simple and easy to understand, so she can use it very fluently”

On the contrary, some participants still had negative feedbacks, for example, Participant C claimed that “this application takes up a lot of space on her smartphone, so sometimes her child is logged out when she is studying” A similar idea was found in participant A's response as she stated "it consumes a lot of device space, so the application is sometimes slow ”

Table 4.9 Children’s attitude of using DHA app in term of convenience

It is convenient for children to use DHA to learn vocabulary at any time

Children can use DHA app on different devices to learn vocabulary

Children can learn vocabulary on DHA app at any place

The convenience of DHA app is related to the content of three following items It is observed in Table 4.8 that particiants reported that “it was convenient for children to use DHA app to learn vocabulary at any time’ (item

A10: M=4.13, SD=0.596), and chidren could “learn vocabulary on DHA app at any place” (item A12: M=4.47, SD=0.503) and “use DHA app effectively on different devices to learn vocabulary” (item A11: M=4.13, SD=0.596) It means that nearly all participants believed the DHA app is very convenient

Parents’ perception on the improvement of children when they use

After collecting the data from the questionnaire, the researcher interviewed six parents of participants among 60 children in order to further identify their understanding of using DHA app in learning vocabulary, the benefits and difficulties while learning vocabulary through DHA app at home The face-to-face semi-structure interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed

The majority of interviewees reported that DHA app is an efficient app that helps children learn English vocabulary at home For example, Participants

“…… I think this app so useful and DHA app helps children learn better because of the lively pictures” (Participant C)

“I feel that he is more interested in learning vocabulary as well as learning English” (Participant E)

“… I see that my child knows more vocabulary than before.” (Participant F)

The words that were mostly repeated in parents’ responses were connected to the entertaining features of DHA app, for example, (like, love enjoy, keen on, be interested in)

In the meanwhile, Participant B, emphasized that her daughter was interested in learning English vocabulary through DHA app: “My children learn vocabulary English via DHA app every night.”

In addition, the mobility of DHA app is frequently mentioned by the interviewees They all agreed that it is so convenient when they can access DHA app anywhere and anytime All interviewees talked positively about their kids using DHA app learn vocabulary For instance, Participants A and E respectively said:

“…I feel my child remembers the words more quickly than he was Moreover, his pronunciation is also better.” (Participant A)

“I think the Matching game helps my son not only review the words but also improve his listening skill” (Participant E)

Based on the interview results, most children like the Match game in Practice 1 and 2 Animated Story is the least chosen by children When being asked reasons for dislike using of the Animated story, most of the interviewees admitted that it was quite difficult for their child

In addition, the participants also mentioned several problems they encountered when their children used DHA app For instance, Participants A,

“….Sometimes he accidentally logs out of the app so I have to spend time signing in Unfortunately, I forget the password so I have to contact with the teacher….”

“….The application takes up a lot of space, so my child logs out while studying.”

“He was addicted to playing games on his phone, so I have to pay more attention and accompany him Otherwise, he often logs out to play games."

When asked, the participants all agreed that their children will continue to learn English with DHA app In summary, the participants understood the benefits and challenges that DHA app brings about.

Discussion

It is evident from the findings that the DHA app proved to be effective in enhancing students’ vocabulary retention Particularly, the students in the experimental group have demonstrated improvement in the mastery of English vocabulary This finding matched what Aksel (2021) claimed that Quizlet is a cost-effective way to teach vocabulary, and students approved of its use as a tool for learning The significant differences between the pre-test and post-test have highlighted the positive effects of the application as a vocabulary learning tool on reviewing vocabulary at home

Between the pre-test and post-test of the control group and the experimental group after eight weeks, an improvement in vocabulary retention was observed Ho (2019) showed that there was a significant enhancement from pre-test to post-test with the control group as well as the experimental group, but the experimental group's overall score was higher than the control group The findings of two tests demonstrated that Quizlet was more successful at enhancing vocabulary learning than paper flashcards The findings of the present study were in agreement with the conclusion of Ho’s study This result is also in line with Pham’s investigation into the effectiveness of Quizlet (2022) that although there was no significant difference in the students’ vocabulary retention between the experimental group and the control group, the experimental group had 4% loss of the target vocabulary studies while the control group had 7% loss of vocabulary The study showed that participants in the experimental group were much more interested in Quizlet activities as a recycling of the practice This type of practice helped students memorize vocabulary better and longer.

Summary

This chapter has attempted to present the quantitative and qualitative results and findings of this research As mentioned earlier in the thesis, the first two main aims of this research were to investigate the effects of using the DHA app on EFL children's learning of English vocabulary Analysis of these data revealed that the DHA app has had a positive impact on children's vocabulary learning Specifically, through the data collected from the vocabulary test, the results of the expremential group were remarkablely higher than those of the control group after eight weeks Moreover, findings from the questionnaire and interviews concluded that the majority of children and parents had quite positive attitudes about using the DHA app to learn English vocabulary at home They thought that DHA was an effective app, so they will continue to encourage their children to learn through this app in the future.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Summary of major findings

This thesis aimed to investigate the impacts of using the Digital Homework Activities (DHA) on EFL children’s learning of English vocabulary To obtain the aims, the study was conducted over eight weeks at kindergartens in Quy Nhon City One hundred and twenty students from four intact classes were invited to participate in the research As revealed from the data analysis, the data for the current study was collected through vocabulary achievement tests, including the pre-test, post-test, the questionnaire, and the semi-structured interview The writer employed a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to reach final conclusions

The first finding was that students’ vocabulary retention in the control group and the experimental group improved after eight weeks Most results of post test in the experimental group showed that using the DHA app helped their children upgrade their English vocabulary Many parents said that their children were more interested in learning English at home This application also provided a variety of learning modes, so children preferred using the DHA app over other learning methods Therefore, it can be concluded that the DHA app had positive impacts on children's English vocabulary learning

The second finding centered on the perceptions of parents and children toward using the DHA app for learning vocabulary The results showed that the majority of the experimental group spends about 20 to 40 minutes per week studying with the DHA app, and they access each activity in the app frequently The results from the data analysis of the questionnaire revealed that both students and parents have a positive attitude toward using the DHA app for learning vocabulary Most of participants appreciated the usefulness, convenience, easiness to use and effectiveness that the DHA app brought to their children The semi-structured interview further illustrated the parents’ perceptions about the improvement of children's learning of English vocabulary through the DHA app

As a result, the DHA app proved to be effective in enhancing students’ vocabulary retention It cannot be denied that there has been a variety of research worldwide on the effectiveness of MALL on vocabulary retention In fact, the studies on this prospect are considerably limited in the setting of Vietnam, especially in Quy Nhon City, with an age range of 5–10 Therefore, it is anticipated to make some contributions to the use of mobile-assisted language learning to some extent.

Implications

The results of this study have a number of implications for different aspects of the current teaching of English in Vietnam, including the shift in policymaking, and changes in perceptions among educators, children, and parents

Firstly, it is important to consider its potential impact on shifting policies about teaching and learning English for children As mentioned in the introduction, learning English through educational apps is becoming more and more popular because of the rapid development of technology The research recommends that there have to be a combination between curriculum and technology Thanks to this, students will have more opportunities to practice English vocabulary outside the classroom context

Secondly, teachers play an important role because they take on the main responsibility of providing the children’s input in class The success of this study confirms the effects and perceptions of children and their parents about the DHA app on English vocabulary learning Therefore, teachers should increase their awareness about this application It is suggested that teachers implement the DHA app as a technology application for teaching and learning so as to meet the MOET’s requirements as stated above Teachers are expected to introduce and encourage students to have the opportunity to learn vocabulary at home through the DHA application According to the result of the semi- interview, the animated story was the least used, so teachers should design the extra activities in class in order to support them in this function

Last but not least, regarding children and their parents, parents should raise awareness about the application of technology in children's learning From the results, we can see that the DHA app helps a lot with learning vocabulary at home.

Limitations of the study

It is worth noting that there are some limitations to this investigation that should be taken into account in future studies Although the research has reached its aims, there are some remaining unavoidable limitations that need to be acknowledged and addressed in future research As with any other study, there are some limitations, but none of them is a threat to the validity of the research

To begin with, the sample size was relatively small, meaning that the results may not be applicable to a larger population of students.Therefore, the research may not provide a comprehensive view how DHA app effects on learning vocabulary Additionally, the researcher may have faced constraints like time limitations because the intervention only lasted 8 weeks, which could have affected the accuracy and completeness of the study Therefore, further studies with longer interventions should be conducted Finally, the participants were limited to kindergarten students, so the findings may not be applicable to learners at other proficiency levels Despite these limitations, the author has made every effort to ensure the validity and reliability of the research by addressing potential drawbacks and minimizing their impact Further research can build on these findings to provide a more comprehensive understanding of DHA app and learning English vocabulary.

Recommendations for Future Research

Upon completion of this research, it became apparent that using the DHA app had a positive effect on students’ vocabulary retention To increase the generalizability of the results, further research should be conducted in other areas Moreover, further research can be conducted to investigate the effect of the DHA app on students’ vocabulary retention with a larger sample size In addition, the present study addresses the effect of using the DHA app on children and neglects other ages, like primary students, due to the limited time allotted to a master thesis Therefore, it is vital to conduct further research to examine the effect of the DHA app on vocabulary retention at different educational levels Besides, each function of the DHA app could also be explored and researched for its effectiveness in future research.Overall, future research in this field can build on the present study's findings and contribute to a better understanding of DHA application

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VOCABULARY-TEST ( Pre-test)

Name (Họ và tên): ………Class (Lớp) :………

II Listen and respond to the command with an X

Name (Họ và tên): ………Class (Lớp) :………

I Listen and match fly water boots under juice

II Listen and respond to the command with an X

PHIẾU KHẢO SÁT

Phiếu khảo sát này nhằm mục đích tìm hiểu về suy nghĩ của học sinh trong việc sử dụng ứng dụng DHA cho việc học từ vựng Tiếng Anh Phiếu khảo sát chỉ sử dụng cho mục đích nghiên cứu, do đó thông tin các em cung cấp sẽ được giữ bí mật tuyệt đối Rất mong các em và quý phụ huynh sẽ trả lời theo suy nghĩ thực sự của mình cho phiếu khảo sát này Cám ơn các em!

Họ và tên phụ huynh: ………

Số điện thoại phụ huynh:………

Em dành bao nhiêu thời gian cho việc sử dụng ứng dụng DHA để học từ vựng Tiếng Anh? o Dưới 20 phút mỗi tuần o Từ 20 phút đến 40 phút mỗi tuần o Từ 40 phút đến 60 phút mỗi tuần o Hơn 60 phút mỗi tuần

Thái độ đối với việc sử dụng ứng dụng DHA trong việc học từ vựng Tiếng Anh

Dưới đây là một bảng các câu phát biểu Các em vui lòng cho biết mức độ đồng ý của các em đối với các nhận định bằng cách đánh dấu ( √) vào các ô tương ứng

Sử dụng app DHA khiến việc học từ vựng thú vị hơn

App DHA cung cấp nhiều cách học từ vựng hiệu quả

App DHA giúp trẻ học từ vựng tốt hơn

Trẻ thích sử dụng app DHA để học từ vựng tiếng Anh

Trẻ thích học từ vựng thông qua app DHA hơn là những phương pháp học khác

Tôi nghĩ rằng các chế độ học tập khác nhau trên ứng dụng DHA rất thú vị

Phụ huynh dễ dàng sử dụng ứng dụng DHA để học từ vựng

Phụ huynh và các cháu không gặp vấn đề gì khi sử dụng ứng dụng

Phụ huynh có thể dễ dàng cài đặt ứng dụng DHA trên điện thoại di động của mình

Thật thuận tiện cho trẻ khi sử dụng ứng dụng DHA để học từ vựng bất cứ lúc nào

Các cháu có thể sử dụng ứng dụng DHA một cách thuận tiện trên nhiều thiết bị khác nhau để học từ vựng

Trẻ có thể học từ vựng qua ứng dụng DHA ở bất cứ đâu

This questionnaire aims to gain better understanding of students’ perception about the use of DHA app for learning English vocabulary It is used for the research purpose only Please answer all of the questions as well as you can Any information will be kept confidential Thank you for your cooperation! Name:……….Class:……… Parents’ name:……… Parents’ phone:………

How much time did your children spend studying English vocabulary with DHA app outside of the class? o Less than 20 minutes each week o Between 20-40 minutes each week o Between 40-60 minutes each week o More than 60 minutes each week

Attitudes toward using the DHA app in learning vocabulary

Below is a list of statements Please indicate how you feel about each statement by indicating your degree of agreement or disagreement with each statement

Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree

Using DHA app makes learning vocabulary more exciting

DHA app provides efficient ways to learn vocabulary

DHA app helps children to words better

DHA app rather than using other learning methods for learning vocabulary

Children think that the different learning modes on DHA app are enjoyable

DHA app to learn vocabulary

Parents and children don’t have any problems when using

Parents can easily set up DHA app on your mobile phone

It is convenient for children to use DHA app to learn vocabulary at any time

Children can use DHA app conveniently on different devices to learn vocabulary

Children can learn vocabulary on DHA app at any place

APPENDIX 3 THE VIETNAMESE VERSION OF THE INTERVIEW

1 Bạn có thấy ứng dụng DHA hữu ích cho việc học từ vựng của trẻ không?

2 Theo cha mẹ, trẻ thấy khía cạnh nào hữu ích nhất? Trẻ em thấy những khía cạnh nào ít hữu ích nhất?

3 Con bạn thích điều gì nhất khi sử dụng ứng dụng DHA để học từ vựng?

4 Trẻ ít thích điều gì nhất?

5 Bạn có nghĩ con đã cải thiện được vốn từ vựng của mình nhờ ứng dụng DHA không? Nếu có thì làm thế nào? Nếu không, lý do là gì? Đưa ra lý do cụ thể

6 Con có gặp khó khăn gì khi sử dụng ứng dụng DHA để học từ vựng không?

7 Bạn có muốn tiếp tục cho anh ấy/cô ấy sử dụng ứng dụng DHA cho việc học từ vựng trong tương lai của mình không?

THE ENGLISH VERSION OF THE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

The following questions will be asked during the interview:

1 Did you find DHA app useful for children’s vocabulary learning?

2 Which aspects did children find most useful? Which aspects did children find least useful?

3 What did your kid enjoy the most about using DHA app for your vocabulary learning?

4 What did he/she enjoy the least?

5 Do you think he/she improved his/her vocabulary with DHA app? If yes, how? If no, what are the reasons? Give specific reasons

6 Has he/she got any difficulty in using DHA app for studying vocabulary?

7 Would you prefer to continue for him/her using DHA app for your future vocabulary learning?

APPENDIX 4: TRANSCRIPTION OF THE SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEW

T: Chào chị, cám ơn chị vì đã chấp nhận tham gia buổi phỏng vấn này Cô muốn biết cảm nhận của phụ huynh khi cho con mình học từ vựng qua ứng dụng DHA Chị thấy sao về việc sử dụng ứng dụng DHA? Theo chị, ứng dụng này có khó xài so với các cháu không ạ?

P: Không cô, giao diện của app dễ xài lắm cô DHA có chế độ hướng dẫn bố mẹ nên chị có thể dễ dàng hướng dẫn cháu học

T: Dạ vậy chị thường cho cháu học từ vựng trên DHA lúc nào vậy?

P: Chủ yếu cháu học vào ban đêm ở nhà đó cô

T: Vậy hả, mà sau mấy tháng học từ vựng qua ứng dụng DHA, ngoài việc dễ sử dụng, thì chị thấy cháu thích chức năng nào của DHA?

P: Thích nhất chắc là cái trò Match đó cô

T: Mà chị thấy qua các trò chơi có trên ứng dụng cháu nhà chị có cải thiện việc học từ vựng không ạ?

P: Chị thấy cháu thích học tiếng anh hơn và nhớ từ lâu hơn

T: Ngoài trò Match, các chức năng khác của DHA có giúp gì cho cháu trong việc học từ vựng không?

P: Có cô Phần câu chuyện cháu cũng thích do có những nhân vật mà cháu biết cũng như các từ vựng đã học

T: Khi sử dụng DHA, thì chị sẽ cho cháu sử dụng chức năng nào đầu tiên?

P: Thường cháu sẽ được nghe phần Unit Song

T: Chị có gặp khó khăn gì với việc hướng dẫn cháu học thông qua ứng dụng không ạ?

P: Khó khăn thì không có, nhưng do dữ liệu nhiều nên nhiều lúc ứng dụng chạy hơi chậm

T: Ngoài điều này ra thì còn vấn đề chị thấy chưa ổn không ạ?

T: Vậy chị có dự định tiếp tục sử dụng DHA cho việc học từ vựng không em?

P: Có, thật ra tôi cảm thấy ứng dụng hỗ trợ chúng tôi rất nhiều trong việc học cùng các con của mình

T: Em thấy vui vì các cháu cũng như quý phụ huynh thích và áp dụng DHA cho việc học của các con em Ngoài ra chị có đề xuất gì để việc học từ vựng với DHA hiệu quả hơn không?

T: Cám ơn em đã đóng góp ý kiến của mình trong buổi phỏng vấn này

T: Cám ơn em đã dành thời gian tham gia phỏng vấn nha Cô muốn tìm hiểu thêm về cảm nhận của em về việc dùng ứng dụng DHA cho việc học từ vựng của các cháu ở nhà ạ Giờ chúng ta bắt đầu nha Bữa trước cô cho các cháu làm một bài kiểm tra từ vựng (post-test) đó, kết quả của cháu nhà chị khá cao ạ? Trong 4 tuần vừa rồi cô không nhắc các cháu sử dụng DHA nữa, vậy các bạn có còn tiếp tục học từ vựng trên ứng dụng không ạ?

P: Dạ có cô, cháu rất thích học từ qua ứng dụng đã thành thói quen hầu như tối nào cháu cũng học

T: Cháu dành bao nhiêu thời gian sử dụng DHA cho việc học từ vựng vậy chị?

P: Khoảng hơn 60 phút mỗi tuần

T: Cháu có làm hết các hoạt động trên DHA không? Hay cháu chỉ sử dụng một vài chức năng của ứng dụng?

P: Thường sau mỗi buổi học tôi sẽ cho các bạn làm các bài tập có trong buổi học đó

T: Cháu có thường sử dụng chức năng Story Animated của DHA không? P: Có

T: Theo chị, chức năng có Story Animated giúp ích cho em trong việc học từ vựng không?

P: Theo tôi, chức năng này sẽ những từ vựng mà các cháu đã học để các cháu ôn tập lại và cũng luyện khả năng nghe của cháu?

T: Ngoài những ích lợi mà DHA mang lại, chị và cháu có gặp khó khăn hay trở ngại gì khi sử dụng DHA không?

P: Chị thấy không có khó khăn gì trong việc dung ứng dụng hết, chỉ có điều do chị cũng hạn chế cho cháu sử dụng điện thoại nhiều nên chị luôn cho cháu học trong một khoảng thời gian nhất định

T: Còn điều gì khiến chị và cháu không thích không?

P: Nhiều lúc cháu vô tình thoát ra khỏi ứng dụng thì tôi phải đăng nhập lại nhưng tôi lại hay quên mật khẩu nên những lúc như vậy tôi lại phải liên hệ với giáo viên

T: Vậy chị có định sẽ tiếp tục cho cháu sử dụng DHA cho việc học từ vựng không?

T: Thế chị có đề xuất gì để việc học từ vựng hiệu quả hơn không?

P: Tôi thấy như hiện giờ là tốt rồi ạ

T: Cám ơn chị đã tham gia phỏng vấn

T: Chào chị Cám ơn chị đã tham gia cuộc nói chuyện ngày hôm nay Hôm nay mình sẽ nói về chuyện học từ vừng của cháu thông qua ứng dụng DHA ạ P: Dạ

T: Cháu dành bao lâu để học từ vựng trên DHA ạ?

P: Dạ chắc cỡ 50 phút một tuần

T: Chị thấy ứng dụng DHA có giúp em học từ vựng tốt hơn cách nhớ từ vựng như truyền thống không?

P: Có, tôi thấy khi cháu học trên DHA cháu vui vì hình ảnh sinh động và hấp dẫn hơn

T: DHA có giúp cháu học từ vựng nhanh hơn không?

P: Theo tôi thấy là có Cháu có thể ôn bài mọi lúc mọi nơi

T: Chị thường cho cháu học trên điện thoại, ipad hay trên máy tính ạ?

P: Trên điện thoại đó cô

T: Vậy trong các chức năng của ứng dụng, cháu thích chức năng nào nhất vậy chị?

P: Tôi thấy cháu thích phần Practice 2

T: Cháu có làm hết tất cả các bài tập trong từng unit không ạ?

P: Cháu có làm nhưng tôi thấy phần câu chuyện hơi khó với bạn

T: Chị thấy như thế nào về các thao tác sử dụng DHA?

P: Tôi thấy các thao tác rất đơn giản, cháu sử dụng ứng dụng khá thành thạo T: Chị và cháu có gặp khó khăn gì trong việc sử dụng DHA không?

P: Ứng dụng khá nhiều dung lượng nên nhiều lúc cháu đang học bị thoát ra T: Em có thấy khó chịu không khi phải làm như vậy?

P: Lúc đầu cũng khá khó chịu nhưng khi tôi cài vào máy tính thì vấn đề không còn nữa?

T: Vậy chị có định tiếp tục cho cháu học từ vựng với DHA nữa không?

T: Chào chị Hôm nay cám ơn chị rất nhiều vì đã đồng ý tham gia cuộc phỏng vấn của em nha

T: Em chỉ muốn trao đổi về việc mà cháu sử dụng DHA để học từ vựng thế nào thôi, chị cứ thoải mái chia sẻ điều mình nghĩ nha

T: Ở nhà chị cho cháu sử dụng DHA qua máy tính hay qua điện thoại ạ?

T: Chàu dành bao lâu để học từ vựng trên DHA?

P: Dạ thường 40 phút mỗi tuần

T: Vậy đó cháu từng học từ vựng qua bất kì ứng dụng nào trên điện thoại chưa ạ?

T: Chị cảm thấy thế nào về việc sử dụng DHA cho việc học từ vựng của cháu ạ?

P: Tôi thấy DHA rất tiện lợi giúp việc học Tiếng Anh tại nhà của các cháu cùng với phụ huynh dễ dàng hơn rất nhiều

T: Em có thể giải thích thêm về tính tiện lợi được không?

P: Bạn nhà chị thích học từ vựng trên điện thoại, tôi thấy chỉ cần mở điện thoại là cháu có thể học từ vựng được ngay

T: Theo chị, trong các chức năng của DHA cháu thấy thích chức năng nào nhất?

T: Ngoài ra cháu còn thích chức năng gì nữa không?

P: Tôi thấy cháu cũng thích chơi trò Match nữa, tôi thấy ghép hình ảnh với từ nghe được vừa ôn được từ vựng mà cháu còn nghe được từ vựng

T: Vậy theo chị, có chức năng nào mà chị thấy ít có tác dụng lắm với cháu không?

P: Tôi thấy phần câu chuyện thì hơi khó với cháu nhà tôi

T: Vậy chị có thường cho cháu làm phần Animated Story không ạ?

P: Có nhưng tôi cho cháu làm thì cháu ít hứng thú hơn làm những bài tập khác

T: Trong lúc cháu học từ vựng trên DHA, cháu có gặp khó khăn gì không? P: Không cô

T: Theo chị thì trong tương lai chị có tiếp tục cho cháu sử dụng DHA để học từ vựng không?

P: Tôi nghĩ là có, tại tôi thấy ứng dụng này khá hiệu quả trong việc giúp cháu cải thiện vốn từ vựng tiếng Anh của minh

T: Chị có đề xuất gì để việc học từ vựng với DHA có thể mang lại hiệu quả tốt hơn không?

T: Dạ, em cám ơn chị nhiều ạ

T: Chào chị Em cám ơn chị nhiều vì đã đồng ý tham gia phỏng vấn ngày hôm nay Em chỉ muốn trao đổi về việc mà cháu sử dụng DHA để học từ vựng thế nào thôi, chị cứ thoải mái chia sẻ điều mình nghĩ nha

T: Cháu dành bao lâu để học từ vựng trên DHA ạ?

P: Tôi cũng không nhớ chính xác lắm, chắc khoảng dưới 20 phút mỗi tuần T: Cháu làm đủ các ứng dụng trên DHA chứ?

P: Dạ hầu như là chức năng nào cháu cũng có học đủ

T: Thế em thấy việc sử dụng các chức năng của DHA có phức tạp với cháu cũng như chị khi hướng dẫn bạn không?

P: Không ạ Tôi thấy giao diện của DHA đơn giản, dễ sử dụng

T: Theo chị, việc học từ vựng trên DHA có giúp ích được gì cho cháu hay không?

P: Tôi thấy cháu có hứng thú hơn với việc học từ vựng cũng như học tiếng Anh

T: Thế cháu có thường đạt mức độ tối đa cho các hoạt động của ứng dụng này không?

P: Dạ, thực ra thì không, cháu thường chỉ đạt cỡ hơn 70-80% cho các hoạt động thôi

T: Thế chị có cho cháu ôn luyện từ vựng thông qua các ứng dụng này nhiều lần không

P: Dạ không, công việc của tôi khá bận thường cháu chỉ học qua ứng dụng DHA trước những giờ học tiếng Anh trên trường

T: Vậy theo chị giải pháp sẽ là gì để cháu cải thiện kết quả của mình ạ?

P: Tôi sẽ dành nhiều thời gian hơn cho cháu cùng cháu học nhiều lần hơn trên DHA

T: Vậy chị có định tiếp tục cho cháu sử dụng DHA cho việc học từ vựng nữa không?

T: Cám ơn những chia sẻ của chị ạ