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Trang 1 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES NGUYEN THI NGOC ANH USING MIND MAPS TO LEARN VOCABULARY FOR FOURTH GRADERS AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL IN THAI NGUYEN PROVINCEM.A THES

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

NGUYEN THI NGOC ANH

USING MIND MAPS TO LEARN VOCABULARY FOR FOURTH GRADERS AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL

IN THAI NGUYEN PROVINCE

M.A THESIS Field: English Linguistics

Code: 8220201

THAI NGUYEN – 2023

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

NGUYEN THI NGOC ANH

USING MIND MAPS TO LEARN VOCABULARY FOR FOURTH GRADERS AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL

IN THAI NGUYEN PROVINCE

M.A THESIS (APPLICATION ORIENTATION)

Field: English Linguistics Code: 8220201

Supervisor: NGUYEN VIET HUNG, Ph.D

THAI NGUYEN – 2023

ĐẠI HỌC THÁI NGUYÊN

TRƯỜNG NGOẠI NGỮ

NGUYỄN THỊ NGỌC ÁNH

SỬ DỤNG SƠ ĐỒ TƯ DUY ĐỂ HỌC TỪ VỰNG CHO HỌC

SINH LỚP BỐN Ở TRƯỜNG TIỂU HỌC,

TỈNH THÁI NGUYÊN

LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ (Định hướng ứng dụng) Ngành: Ngôn ngữ Anh

Mã số: 8220201 Cán bộ hướng dẫn: TS Nguyễn Việt Hùng

THÁI NGUYÊN – 2023

and efforts and that it has not been submitted for any other purposes

Thai Nguyen, April , 2023

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost, I would also like to express my sincere gratitude and deep appreciation to my supervisor, Dr Nguyen Viet Hung for her precious guidance, critical comments and constructive supervision through my research Without these, the thesis could not have been completed

Secondly, my gratitude goes to 30 students from class 4th at a primary school, Thai Nguyen province, who enthusiastically participated in the research procedure

I am very grateful to all of them for providing detailed information for the analysis

of the study

Thirdly, I must express my appreciation to two enthusiastic and supportive colleagues at English Department, a primary school who accompany me during 10 weeks procedure of the research Their detailed and sufficient information gives much support to my study

Fourthly, I would like to show my deep gratitude to all the lecturers at School

of Foreign Languages, Thai Nguyen University for the valuable lectures, which laid the foundation for my thesis

Last but not least, I must express my gratitude to my beloved family who support and encouragement have always been a great deal of strength that has helped

me to complete this thesis

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii

TABLE OF CONTENTS iii

LIST OF TABLES, FIGURES vi

LIST OF ABBREVIATION vii

ABSTRACT viii

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Rationale 1

1.2 Aims of the study 2

1.3 Research questions 2

1.4 Scope of the study 3

1.5 Significance of the study 3

1.6 Structure of the study 3

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW 5

2.1 Overview of vocabulary 5

2.1.1 Definition 5

2.1.2 Aspects of vocabulary 5

2.1.3 Types of vocabulary 7

2.1.3 Techniques of teaching vocabulary 10

2.2 Mind map technique 12

2.2.1 Definition 12

2.2.2 Steps to create a mind map 13

2.2.3 The benefits of mind map technique 14

2.2.4 The guidelines of Mind Map technique 16

2.2.5 Mind map in teaching vocabulary 17

2.3 The applications of mind map to teaching a foreign language 19

2.4 Related studies 21

Summary 24

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY 25

3.1 Research design 25

3.2 Participants 26

3.3 Data collection instruments 26

3.3.1 Tests 27

3.3.2 Questionnaires 28

3.4 Data collection procedures 28

3.5 Data analysis 29

Summary 30

CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 31

4.1 Findings 31

4.1.1 Quantitative description of results from the pre-test and post-test 31

4.1.2 Quantitative description of results from the questionnaire 33

4.2 Discussion 38

4.2.1 Research question 1: How effective is the use of mind maps in learning vocabulary to fourth-grade students in a primary school in Thai Nguyen province? 38

4.2.2 Research question 2: What are the attitudes of fourth-grade students towards the use of mind maps in learning vocabulary in a primary school in Thai

Nguyen Province? 39

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 41

5.1 Conclusion 41

5.2 Implications for the teachers and students in using MM to teach vocabulary 42

5.2.1 Implications for the teachers 42

5.2.2 Implications for the students 43

5.3 Limitations of the study 43

5.4 Suggestions for further study 44

REFERENCES I APPENDICES IV

Appendix 1: IV Appendix 2: VII Appendix 3: X Appendix 4: XI Appendix 5: XII Appendix 6: XIV

LIST OF TABLES, FIGURES

Figure 2.1: Example of MM 13

Figure 2.2: Why to use mind map 15

18

Figure 2.3: Mind map on “Transport” 18

Figure 2.4: Mind map on “Family week ahead” 18

Figure 3.1: Action research cycle 25

Table 3.1: Procedure of the research 28

Table 4.1: Score interval of the tests 31

Figure 4.1: Comparison between pre – test and post – test score 32

Table 4.2: Student’s attitudes towards MM technique 33

Table 4.3: The students' self-evaluation 36

LIST OF ABBREVIATION

ABSTRACT

The study was conducted with the hope that the result gained could clarify the effects of MM technique in a primary school, Thai Nguyen province Based on the aims, an action research design was employed In order to achieve the goals, the researcher conducted the study in 10 weeks with the participation of 30 students from class 4th at a primary school, Thai Nguyen province in the second semester of the school year 2021/2022 During the procedure of the study, the students participated

in lessons using MM method by the teacher The pre – test; post - test and the questionnaire for students were chosen to be the data collection instruments to find out the effectiveness of the Mind Maps used for teaching vocabulary of fourth graders

of a primary school in Thai Nguyen province after the intervention The research results showed that there was a remarkable improvement in the students’ learning vocabulary after the intervention and most of the students had positive attitudes and good behavior towards the use of MM in learning vocabulary Therefore, it was concluded that using MM technique was one of the good ways to enhance teaching vocabulary lessons and it exerted the students' positive attitudes in learning vocabulary Based on the results, the researcher made some suggestions for teachers

to apply MM technique as well as for the students willing to expose to the method Finally, some further implications, limitations, and suggestions for further studies were included in this study

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION

This initial chapter was to clarify the research problem and rationale for the study Aims of the study were also highlighted with the two research questions, and then the study’s scope and significance were introduced Lastly, it provided an overview of the following chapters in order to guide readers into the right track of the paper

1.1 Rationale

Language cannot be separated from human’s life; it almost becomes air to breathe By using language, people can do many things such as sharing their feelings and setting information, knowledge and anything they want It can happen because language is a means of communication that “bridges” one’s mind to others’ Each country in the world has its own language, even in one country there are many different languages spoken and written English as an international language is used

in countries all over the world English helps people to communicate with any citizens

of any country in the world, and to approach the civilized world In Viet Nam, English has become the foreign language that has an important role to the development of the country and in reforming its teaching and learning process It has been introduced from primary school to university that gives an opportunity to carry out the English instruction Therefore, English has become one of the main subjects at schools Teaching for students of primary school is not the same as teaching adults because they have different characteristics and motivation They are different from adults, so the way of teaching must be different too If the teachers cannot teach the children properly, the children may not enjoy their learning Consequently, the teaching learning process may fail

As the basic components of the four language skills (listening, reading, writing and speaking) vocabulary has to be mastered by learners Vocabulary is a basic component in learning a foreign language Without having adequate vocabulary, we would have difficulty learning English This is because vocabulary is integral to every language skill, including reading, writing, listening and speaking skill Individuals cannot easily make conversations or convey their thoughts in both oral and written

forms without having a certain level of vocabulary knowledge David Wilkins (1972) emphasized the importance of vocabulary as, “Without grammar, little can be conveyed; without vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed”

As a result, a lack of vocabulary causes numerous major problems in the teaching and learning of foreign languages, especially in primary school They feel difficult to memorize and recall English vocabulary items including their pronunciation, their spelling and especially their meaning The students usually cannot remember the words for long and recall them when needed, hence, could not use vocabulary to do the reading and writing tasks

Having understood that young learners pay short attention and concentration

in a learning process, it is better to provide something playful to them In fact, there are many vocabulary learning techniques such as matching, role play, semantic-map, dictionary use, learning vocabulary through the context, and many others The researcher had a desire to help the students to be more successful in using English vocabulary and to motivate them to learn new words For this purpose, the researcher

conducted this study entitled: “Using mind maps to learn vocabulary for fourth

graders at a primary school in Thai Nguyen Province.”

1.2 Aims of the study

This study aims at evaluating the effectiveness of using mind maps in learning vocabulary to fourth-grade students in a primary school in Thai Nguyen Province

It also investigated the attitudes of fourth-grade students towards the use of mind maps in learning vocabulary in a primary school in Thai Nguyen Province

2 What are the attitudes of fourth-grade students towards the use of mind maps

in learning vocabulary in a primary school in Thai Nguyen Province?

1.4 Scope of the study

This study was conducted in a primary school located in Thai Nguyen province during the second term of the academic year 2021-2022 The participants of the study were 30 fourth grade students, consisting of 20 males and 10 females Because of the limitation of time and resources, the study could not cover all aspects

in vocabulary teaching and learning It only focused on the use of mind maps s one technique to teach vocabulary

1.5 Significance of the study

This study has potential to benefit students, teachers, and researchers in the field of English language education For students, the use of mind maps as a teaching tool can lead to quicker and more effective vocabulary acquisition Teachers would gain knowledge about the use of mind maps in teaching vocabulary, and can incorporate this tool into their lessons for better results The study would also serve

as a valuable resource for researchers in the field, as it provides a reliable source of information for future research on the topic

1.6 Structure of the study

The findings received from the investigation of the resources have been presented in five chapters

Chapter I provided the research problem, the purpose of the study, the scope

of the study, the significance of the study and the structure

Chapter II reviewed the literature that focuses on MM techniques It gives some information about how to overcome of using drama activities in classroom

Chapter III involved the research design, the participants, the materials used and data collection procedure of the study

Chapter IV described the data analysis procedure and analyses of the pre-test, post-test results

Chapter V concluded with the findings of the study and final review of the study, and this follows with suggestions for further studies

Summary

The first chapter had provided basic information of the study through the statement of the research problem and rationale for the study, aims and scope of the study Besides, its significance was also noted Lastly, the overview of the paper had been introduced

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW

In this chapter, an overview of the literature related to this study was provided, laying the solid foundation for the paper in the next parts In addition, the review revealt the literature gap from which the need to carry out this study was rationalized

2.1 Overview of vocabulary

2.1.1 Definition

Vocabulary is knowledge of word meanings However, vocabulary is more complex than this definition suggests Vocabulary knowledge is not something that can ever be fully mastered, it is something that expands and deepens over course of

a lifetime Instruction in vocabulary involves for more than looking up words in a dictionary and using the words in a sentence In English dictionary, Jhon M Echols and Hassan Shadily (1997) stated that vocabulary means that all of the words in the world which registered

According to Martin H Manser (1998) in his dictionary Oxford Learner’s Pocket that: “vocabulary is total number of words in a language, words known to a person, the of three years old, list of words with their meanings, especially at the back

of book for teaching a foreign language”

According to definition above can be concluded that vocabulary is a stock of word in language, written or spoken, with meaning that considered as cultural meanings used by group or individually community

2.1.2 Aspects of vocabulary

Basically, before digging deeper in techniques to teach vocabulary, it is required to define clearly the matter of what to teach Thus, what it means to “know

a word” becomes another complicated issue

Knowing a word involves knowing 1) a great deal about its general frequency

of use, syntactic and situational limitation on its use, 2) its underlying form and forms that can be derived from it, 3) the network of its semantic features and 4) the various meanings associated with the item (Richards, 1976 cited in Ghazal, 2007)

MAJOR ASPECTS OF VOCABULARY Picture 2.1: Major aspects of vocabulary (Adapted from Ur, 1996)

Table 1 in ELT Methodology II Course Book and Recommended Readings is used to describe the different aspects of vocabulary that can be taught to students, as identified by Ur (1996) These divisions cover all aspects presented by other scholars, and include aspects such as a word's meaning, form, collocations, frequency of use, and more Schmitt (1995) also provided a list of the types of word knowledge that

native speakers typically possess, which learners of English should aim to achieve These include understanding a word's spoken and written form, its part of speech, derivative forms and grammatical patterns, as well as its semantic network of associations

It is important to note that knowing a word is not just about understanding its translation in one's mother tongue, but rather understanding and remembering all of the different aspects of the word This can be difficult for both teachers and learners, but ultimately, the key to successful vocabulary learning is being able to remember and use new words effectively

2.1.3 Types of vocabulary

Collier writes that there are two words lists, one of function words and one containing a basic 2.000 word English vocabulary, in addition, there is a list of suffixes and prefixes to be used with 2.000-word list

a Function words and content words

Function words refer to a group of words that do not hold significant meaning

on their own, but play a crucial role in establishing relationships between other words

in a language Examples of function words include 'is', 'at', 'to', 'which', 'for', 'by', and 'he', among others The collection of words in a language, including these function words, is diverse and extensive, with even a small-scale dictionary containing thousands of words that can represent a variety of meanings People who are native speakers of a language possess knowledge of its vocabulary or lexis, which may vary depending on factors such as their level of education and profession This includes knowing the meaning of words and being able to identify synonyms for those meanings Function words are diverse and can include articles, auxiliary verbs, conjunctions, prepositions, pronouns, determiners, intensifiers, and specialized expressions Additionally, words like days of the week and months of the year can also be considered function words, as many of them have multiple uses in a language

b Verb

Verb is word which shows the activities and the chief word a sentence And according to Hariyanto and Haryono in English grammar, verb can be divided into four kinds, they are:

1) Infinitive verb

Infinitive verb divided into two kinds, they are:

Infinitive with to infinitive without to

2) Regular and Irregular Verb

Regular verb is the change of verb which follows the normal form, by adding

it d or ed to be past tense and past participle

Examples:

Irregular verb is the change of verb which does not follow the formal form, but it must be memorized

3) Transitive and Intransitive Verb

Transitive verb is the word which needs object to complete the meaning or it cannot stand alone without noun and pronoun as object

Examples:

He will come to my house

They give me a ruler

Intransitive verb is the verb which does not need object because it has complete meaning and its verb always active verb

4) Full verb, auxiliary verb and linking verb

Full verb is the verb which is used to state an activity or action It can stand by itself and has complete meaning without to be memorized

c Adjective

Adjective is the word which is used to give characteristic of thing and it is put before noun There are eight kinds of adjectives, they are:

1) Descriptive adjective

Descriptive adjective is the word which is used to show someone’s condition

or someone’s characteristic, animal.etc

3) Demonstrative Adjective

Demonstrative adjective is adjective which use to show something animals or people that we mean There are two kinds of demonstrative adjective, they are: definite demonstrative adjective and indefinite demonstrative adjective

4) Proper Adjective

Proper adjective is adjective which is used to indicate proper noun Generally

it is begun by capital letter, for example the name of day, the name of country, etc 5) Interrogative Adjective

Interrogative adjective is adjective which is used as question word It is used

to ask noun

6) Possessive Adjective

Possessive adjective is adjective which is used to indicate possession to something For examples: my, our, your, their, etc

7) Distributive Adjective

Distributive adjective is adjective which shows that the noun which we mean

is many kinds Examples: each, every, either, etc

d Adverb

Kinds of adverbs:

1) Manner: bravely, fast, happily, quickly, well

2) Place: by, down, here, far, there, up

3) Time: now, soon, still, then, today, yet

4) Frequency: always, rather, occasionally, often, twice, never

5) Sentence: certainly, luckily, surely, definitely

6) Degree: fairly, hardly, rather, quite

7) Interrogative: when? Where?

8) Relative: when, where, why

e Suffixes and Prefixes

Suffixes are the particles added after the base such as: ly, ish, ful, and so on There are two kinds of suffixes in English They are inflectional and derivational

Inflectional suffixes in one that is added to a base for a grammatical reason s or es

ending n verbs with subject she, he, it while derivational suffixes change the meaning

of the base or change it into a different word class Prefixes are the particles added before the base such as: un, dis, en, etc

2.1.3 Techniques of teaching vocabulary

When youngsters learn English, the first thing they are taught is vocabulary They would have trouble pronouncing and remembering the meaning of the words as they learn English vocabulary It would be an issue if they lack ambition to study English because they believe it is difficult and useless It could be because they are accustomed to communicating and interacting with the environment in their mother tongue (Bahasa Indonesia or their vernacular) To avoid these notions, educational strategies must be used to pique children's interest and motivate them to learn English

According to Bardakç (2010), youngsters try to make learning as easy as possible Language teachers should be aware of this and strive to teach language in the most straight forward manner possible Early on in the learning process, pictures can be utilized to teach vocabulary

There are a few ways that may be utilized to teach vocabulary to pupils in primary school The first involves the use of images For generations, students have relied on pictures to help them comprehend many parts of foreign languages Nonverbal sources of information can be represented through pictures (Wright, 2007) It is fair to say that visuals play a vital part in the acquisition of words Students can not only conceive but also see the object when using photos, making it easier for them to retain and remember the term and its meaning

As noted in (Cameron, 2001), Nation (1990) wrote five basic strategies through which teachers can explain the meaning of new words, all of which can be employed in the classroom with young learners Using an object, a cut-gut figure, a gesture, performing an action, photographs, sketches or diagrams on the board, and illustrations from books are some of the techniques These strategies are basic and appropriate for young learners, who learn through seeing real items and situations

Singing songs is the second technique Teachers can perform certain songs connected to the theme, such as songs about family, fruits, or animals Children would acquire vocabulary by singing songs and listening to the lyrics According to Abbot (2002), as stated in Gordon (2007), employing music during the learning process helps to generate a comfortable atmosphere Furthermore, the use of music made the learning process more memorable

Telling stories is another technique in teaching vocabulary for young learners Teachers can use the story that children are familiar with, such as the story of legend

in Indonesia or fairy tale like Cinderella story or sleeping beauty The children have already known the story in Bahasa Indonesia, so when the teacher tells the story in English they are still able to guess the main idea of the story As stated by Cameron (2001), young children learn many of their first language words through social interaction with adults, and the use of stories in young learner classrooms would offer

similar rich opportunities for learning vocabulary indirectly, or incidentally, while attending to something else Thus, telling stories can be an advantageous technique

in teaching vocabulary because children learn vocabulary through interaction Besides, this technique is a way to grab students' attention to avoid boredom in the classroom

Repetition is another technique that can be used to teach vocabulary According to Coxhead (2006), repetition is a useful fluency approach because it allows learners to utilize the words again in a short period of time As a result, teachers aim to assist students speak English fluently and correctly through repetition

Students can enhance their vocabulary by using the approaches suggested because they are not just memorizing the word but also comprehending the meaning

2.2 Mind map technique

2.2.1 Definition

Buzan (2005) states that “a mind map is a powerful graphic technique which provides a universal key to unlock the potential of the brain It is visual map of ideas, laid out in a radial format around a central thought and it involves a unique combination of imagery, colour and visual-spatial arrangement which is proven to significantly improve recall when compared to conventional methods of note-taking and learning by rote.” It needs imagination and association to activate our brain in remembering something

The use of pictures, lines, and links to connect significant concepts is known

as mind map

A primary thought is connected to additional concepts by lines, which are connected to other related ideas It's a technique similar to concept map and spider diagrams, with the exception that proper mind map entails creating a hierarchy of concepts rather than random association

A mind map is a visual representation of information A mind map is frequently built around a single word or text in the center, with linked thoughts, words, and concepts added around it Lesser categories are sub-branches of bigger branches, whereas major categories radiate from a central node

Figure 2.1: Example of MM

Source: https://www.zenflowchart.com/guides/mind-map-ideas-for-students

2.2.2 Steps to create a mind map

MM may be presented in a variety of ways Tony Buzan stated that the steps for presenting MM are as follows:

1 Start in the CENTRE of a blank page turned sideways Why? Because starting in the centre gives your brain freedom to spread out in all directions and to express itself more freely and naturally

2 Use an IMAGE or PICTURE for your central idea Why? Because an image

is worth a thousand words and helps you use your Imagination A central image is more interesting, keeps you focused, helps you concentrate, and gives your brain more of a buzz!

3 Use COLOURS throughout Why? Because colours are as exciting to your brain as are images Colour adds extra vibrancy and life to your Mind Map, adds tremendous energy to your Creative Thinking, and is fun!

4 CONNECT your MAIN BRANCHES to the central image and connect your second- and third-level branches to the first and second levels, etc Why? Because your brain works by association It likes to link two (or three, or four) things together

If you connect the branches, you would understand and remember a lot more easily

5 Make your branches CURVED rather than straight-lined Why? Because having nothing but straight lines are boring to your brain

6 Use ONE KEY WORD PER LINE Why? Because single key words give your Mind Map more power and flexibility

7 Use IMAGES throughout Why? Because each image, like the central image, is also worth a thousand words

2.2.3 The benefits of mind map technique

As presented before, MM was first used to help students take note effectively

by Tony Buzan In fact, information has been recorded with letters, lines and numbers for a long time However, many disadvantages can be found while noting down information First of all, it takes a lot of energy and time to write down redundant words Another disadvantage is that information may be missed while noting down one idea Moreover, it takes longer to read and review

When comparing the traditional method of linear note-taking to the use of mind map, several benefits become apparent Russell (1995) has identified numerous applications of mind maps Firstly, they aid in the organization of information in a format that is easy for the brain to absorb and remember As a result, they can be applied to various note-taking activities such as lectures, meetings, interviews, telephone conversations, and books Secondly, mind maps enable the rapid and organized documentation of ideas as they arise, without the need to write full sentences This feature makes mind maps an efficient and effective tool for reviewing information, thereby enhancing memory recall Russell also highlights that mind maps are particularly useful for planning and organizing tasks, such as reports, lectures, meetings, study, daily activities, or future events

De Porter and Hernacki (2008: 172, cited in Dang, 2011) put out that using

MM technique has some advantages They are as follows

1) Flexible

Explaining something can be easy without confusing in adding the material based on MM We can put the label and category of something based on our own opinions anywhere in MM

2) Concentrate on the Topic

Getting the subtopics what we talk about with focus on the main ideas easily Keep focus on the keyword can help us to make it simple and it does not waste the time

From the all explanations, it can be seen that MM can bring a lot of benefits

to the learners for the ability of memorizing and brain development That’s why it is chosen to apply for teaching language more and more popularly nowadays

Figure 2.2: Why to use mind map

In 2000, McGriff stated that MMs (mind maps) are a useful tool for learners

to arrange and understand knowledge, allowing them to comprehend key concepts and principles presented in lectures, readings, or other teaching materials Buzan, in

1993, referred to mind maps as a means of representing a learner's cognition and understanding, enabling them to express themselves both verbally and visually Mind maps can be used as a graphic representation in the brainstorming process McGriff (2000) discovered that linking images to concepts is a creative task that necessitates thinking rather than rote memorization

Based on the benefits that MM provides to students as discussed earlier, I would like to reiterate that MM is an incredible resource for enhancing students' vocabulary as it allows them to take notes in an effective manner While in class, students can utilize MM to record key concepts, employ colors and images to comprehend the subject matter and learn new vocabulary more comprehensively Additionally, MM has the potential to activate prior knowledge, enabling students to brainstorm a topic from a central idea and expand upon it with various related ideas Through this process, students can acquire not only one term, but numerous words that are associated with the topic at hand

With the benefits of MM to learning and teaching vocabulary, the researcher would like to apply this model to teaching vocabulary in my lessons to my students

to see how it was used to bring more positive effects to my students’ vocabulary improvement

2.2.4 The guidelines of Mind Map technique

Buzan (2005) suggests the following guidelines for creating mind maps:

a Start in the center with an image of the topic, using at least three colors

b Use image, symbols, codes, and dimensions throughout your mind map

c Select key words and print using upper or lower case letters

d Each word/image is best alone and sitting on its own line

e The lines should be connected, starting from the central image The central lines are thicker, organic and thinner as they radiate out from the center

f Make the lines the same length as the word/image they support

g Use multiple colors throughout the mind map, for visual stimulation and also to encode or group

h Develop your own personal style of mind map

i Use emphasis and show associations in your mind map

j Keep the mind map clear by using radial hierarchy, numerical order or outlines to

embrace your branches

2.2.5 Mind map in teaching vocabulary

According to Casco (2009), MM (MMs) were originally used in foreign language education in the 1990s as a tool to activate past knowledge on a specific topic and aid learners in organizing and recalling vocabulary items When used to activate previous knowledge, the instructor asks students what they know about a topic, and the students brainstorm associations that the teacher then puts on the board, forming a communal map Instead of the more typical way of generating glossaries with new terminology, teachers first encourage students to brainstorm pieces of vocabulary related with a certain topic, and then students are invited to make their own maps

A mind map consists of picture, symbol and color that would not only help the students to understand the vocabulary knowledge but also makes the students feel good, enjoyable and attract their brain which at last leads them to have interest in mastery vocabulary knowledge

The examples below would describe clearly how MM can help students learn vocabulary easily (See Figure 2.3)

It can be seen clearly in the example in Figure 2.3 that students not only learn

the meaning of the word “transport” but also know different types of transport

through this MM By using MM, teachers can enhance students’ imagination; moreover, students can learn and remember the words more easily and effectively

Figure 2.3: Mind map on “Transport”

By using colors and images that can be illustrated in Figure 2.3, MM can help students a lot in learning the word and organizing the ideas systematically In fact, it usually takes a lot of effort to remember words and sentences; whereas when we visualize them, they automatically pop up in our mind when we try to remember them Of course, it is possible to learn by hearing or remembering but it is much easier

to learn when we visualize and associate because these techniques suit the way our mind works

Figure 2.4: Mind map on “Family week ahead”

2.3 The applications of mind map to teaching a foreign language

Having a good memory plays a crucial part in the process of learning and acquiring a foreign language, particularly in the communicative approach In order to use words and sentences effectively, learners must become well-acquainted with them and internalize them One effective way to facilitate this process is through the use of mind map, which utilizes personal associations to aid in the retention of new information and the visualization of the thought process Despite the time investment required to use this technique, it has been shown to be very beneficial in mastering a foreign language, provided that learners know how to utilize it properly

According to Casco (2009), MMs have some applications in teaching a foreign language They are as follows:

Engage the learners:

The map helps the learners knows what comes next and draws the learners’ attention to the topic Furthermore, the map provides a structure to reduce the learners’ anxiety when receiving input through listening and reading and when speaking

Activate prior knowledge:

The use of images and keywords foster memory of what the learners know about the topic

Encourage the learners to ask questions:

The map displays clearly what the learners know and what they do not know about the topic Images and interrogation marks broaden the information gap and stimulate the need in the learners to find out what they do not know

Scaffold reading and listening comprehension:

The map is a powerful tool to facilitate comprehension because it offers the learners a global view of what they are going to listen or read Furthermore, the embedded cues contained in the map prompt the learners to form inferences that in turn act as an aid to understanding

Scaffold speaking:

The map serves as a tool for the learners to organize their thoughts and speech The different elements of the map can be easily linked and cross-referenced allowing the learners to create a different discourse each time the learners use the map

Assess oral production:

The same map implemented at other stages of the language course can be used

to get a new sample of the learners’ production By explaining the connections on the map, the learners will show if they have acquired new structures and lexical items The production obtained with the aid of the map will reveal errors providing an information source for the teacher to reflect upon in her future practice

Scaffold written production:

The map originally designed by the teacher and expanded upon by the learners may become the starting point to write a paragraph or an essay on the topic explored

From all his above explanations, Casco (2009) proved that MMs can bring a lot of benefits in teaching a foreign language in many aspects consisting of reading, writing, reading skills as well as in motivating the learners and activating the prior knowledge

Having the same opinions with Casco (2009), Hofland (2007) agreed that MMs are great tools for foreign language teaching and learning Therefore, they can

be used for all skills including reading, speaking, writing and vocabulary

Mind maps and reading skills

Hofland (2007) confirms that “reading is a very linear process, a typical left

brain skill” Furthermore, the human brain is not good at linear process but extremely

good at parallel processing tasks That is why MM might be a good tool to improve the learners’ reading skill It is obvious that when a learner thinks of a word, all the images, associations, ideas and pictures will come into his mind In his research, Hofland also considered that MMs can help the learners understand a text like an article or a story better

Mind maps and writing skills

Writing can be considered as the most difficult skill for the language learners They often have many difficulties in expressing their ideas into words A mind map can activate the learners’ thinking ability and creativity By using a mind map as a brainstorming activity, the learners can express what they are going to write into images, graphs, ideas, etc That would be easier for them to follow when they start to write

Mind maps and speaking skills

MMs can be served as reminders Learners can draw a mind map to prepare a topic that they are going to speak In those MMs, they should only use key words and symbols to help them easier to remember their ideas

Mind maps and vocabulary

Lastly, Hofland asserted that mind map is a technique that is very suitable to elicit vocabulary Learners can create a mind map based on their own thinking with their own images, pictures, ideas or key words That is why a mind map is an excellent way for them to remember new vocabulary

To put it simply, utilizing mind map is an effective approach for learning or teaching a foreign language Mind map involves creating visual representations that link words to mental images This technique can facilitate quick and long-term retention of information Additionally, learners can incorporate colors, numbers, and other elements to optimize their language learning experience

2.4 Related studies

This part was the review of some typical researches which have some common ideas about using mind map in teaching vocabulary It consists of both foreign and Vietnamese studies

In “Teaching vocabulary through MM technique to the tenth grade students of SMA Negeri 15 Palembang”, Yusuf Effendi (2004) aimed to find out whether or not

it was significantly effective to teach vocabulary through MM technique to the tenth grade students of SMA Negeri 15 Palembang 360 students of SMA Negeri 15 Palembang took part in the study Based on the analysis of the data in this study, it

could be concluded that there was a significant difference between the students' progress in the experimental group (using MM technique) and the control group (using traditional method) From the data analysis, the writer indicated that the use of

MM technique was effective in teaching vocabulary to the tenth grade students of SMA Negeri 15 Palembang

Indah (2010) wrote about “Teaching Vocabulary using Mind Map Technique

to the Tenth Grade Students of SMA Negeri 15 Palembang” in her research The

writer chose tenth grade students from SMA Negeri 15 Palembang in the academic year 2009-2010 as the study's population There are nine classes in this scenario The total number of pupils in the class was 360 Two classes would be chosen by cluster random sampling in this investigation One would be the experimental group, while the other would be the control group Following the acquisition of the two courses, the writer conducted individual random sampling by administering a pretest to students from both classes, who were then matched based on their similar scores On the basis of these data, it can be concluded that the Ho has been rejected and the Ha has been accepted It suggests that using the mind map technique to teach vocabulary was effective

Sadariyahwati (2012) in her research under the topic “Teaching Vocabulary through Audio Lingual Method to the Seventh Year Students of MTs SA Datok Sulaiman Palopo” The population took from the students of the Seventh Year, and she only takes 13 students in 2011/2012 Academic Year Sadariyahwati finding in her thesis found that the vocabulary at the second grade students of MTs SA Datok Sulaiman Palopo improve after being given some treatments to mastery vocabulary through Audio Lingual Method

In “The Use of Mind Mapping Technique in Teaching Vocabulary”, Samhudi (2015) aimed to describe the procedure of MM technique on teaching vocabulary and

to know the improvement of students' vocabulary mastery after learning vocabulary through MM technique In this study, the research focused on 35 students, 15 boys and 20 girls The participants were randomly assigned to experimental group and control group In collecting the required data, the writer did test and questionnaire

The writer as teacher tried to apply MM technique in teaching vocabulary mastery of students The results of test showed that MM technique improved students' vocabulary mastery Also, based on the data from the questionnaire, most of the students agreed that MMs could advance them, improve their vocabulary, expand their ideas, and increase their self-confidence in learning

Dang Thanh Diem (2011) aimed to introduce the use of MMs and diagrams as

a teaching technique for first-year English mainstream majors in the study titled

"Using MMs and diagrams to teach vocabulary for first year mainstream students, Faculty of English Language Teacher Education" The research concluded that the implementation of MMs and diagrams in vocabulary instruction could enhance students' ability to retain and recall the learned words Participants in the study expressed eagerness to continue learning through these techniques due to their perceived benefits of improving their word retention

In “Using mind-map to teach vocabulary to the first-year non- English major students at Bac Giang University of Agriculture and Forestry”, Nguyen Thi Thuy Lan (2012) was to explore the effectiveness of MM in teaching vocabulary to the first-year non-English major students at Bac Giang University of Agriculture and Forestry, using the course book New Cutting Edge Enter (Elementary) The results from her study showed that MM could help students to brainstorm a new topic and activate the prior knowledge Besides, it could be a tool to facilitate students to summarize the lessons effectively Also, students could apply MM to take note during the lesson

In short, many researchers have been studying, practicing, and recognizing the benefits of mind map in teaching vocabulary Based on the research and experience above, the telling about improving students’ vocabulary, it’s mean that how to make the students memorize the vocabulary although with the different way or technique

So, the researcher interested to research about the mind map technique to improve their vocabulary

From the look back on previous studies related to the research problems, the writer found that there are not many references on the topic of using mind maps and diagrams to teach vocabulary Also, vocabulary is one of the most important aims for

students to obtain as stated in the program However, there has been little research related to vocabulary teaching techniques To address this gap, the writer carried out this study on the 4th grader's students as the target population

Summary

This chapter has dealt with the theoretical background for the whole study with firstly the basic knowledge of English vocabulary, and secondly mind maps in teaching vocabulary Last but not least, the related studies worldwide and in Vietnam are reviewed