CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I, the undersigned, hereby certify my authority of the study project report entitled Using mind-mapping techniques to enhance the 7th graders’ writing skills
Rationale of the study
There is no denying the importance of writing in the language learning process, together with other language abilities Without writing, the students are unable to compose even casual letters to friends and family, birthday greetings, or Curriculum Vitae that are necessary for job applications More importantly, records and transmissions from generation to generation are not possible for textbooks, scientific reports, well-known learning skill books, or literary masterpieces Writing is regarded, along with other abilities, as one of the most important linking devices that enable us to interact, share information, and stay up to speed on news or events that are happening globally on a daily basis.We can quickly, in less than a second, obtain thousands of written results related to our search query by simply double clicking Because writing is so important, people tend to be more concerned about this and try to learn as many new ways and strategies as they can to fulfill the needs of the student As a result, linguistic experts as well as students worldwide are becoming increasingly interested in the issues of which is appropriate for the majority of students and how to teach writing efficiently.
In actuality, a significant issue with Vietnamese learners' writing abilities is that, in addition to being riddled with grammatical errors and devoid of vocabulary and structural elements, many of them lack the ability to plan or organize their thoughts They frequently use their own to jot down any thought that comes to mind expertise in the specified areas without providing an outline Occasionally, they also write in Vietnamese, using a lot of popular Vietnamese terms, on what they understand about the subjects After translating into English, they consider it to be the best version.In this approach, individuals perceive the subjects in a foreign language using the Vietnamese style of thinking without having any knowledge of the local speakers' perspective However, selecting the most exquisite words and intricate structures may take some time, which may unintentionally cause people to forget the deadlines associated with the writing process Furthermore, it is inevitable for them to select incorrect terminology during the translation process, and they also struggle to locate corresponding terms in English Since they are actually studying English, they should adopt an American or
Vietnamese English education often relies on traditional methods, emphasizing grammar error correction rather than content organization This has led students to prioritize grammatical correctness over strong substance, resulting in a disconnect between writing test results and actual writing abilities Consequently, students struggle to develop their thoughts and write meaningful content, opting to focus on mechanical form instead.
Numerous innovative methods and approaches have been used to address it, and they have quickly become a phenomenon in the teaching and learning of writing Mind mapping is one of those techniques.Tony Buzan claims that mind mapping is the best tool for encouraging frequent thought Buzan (2006) According to him, mind maps not only display facts but also a subject's overall structure and the relative significance of its constituent pieces According to Tony Buzan (2010), it facilitates pupils' ability to link ideas, think creatively, and draw connections that they might not have otherwise Using colored pencils, photos, and images connected by flexible lines could help students focus more during writing courses and become more creative Additionally, mind mapping might assist them in refining the themes they are provided as well as in generating and developing thoughts more logically as opposed to simply writing everything they have in mind in any order To be more precise, it is one type of instructional strategy that has been shown to be successful in writing assignments and may increase students' drive to improve their abilities and obtain better results through visual aids Because of the aforementioned situation, the author decides to carry out a
10 study titled “Using mind-mapping techniques to enhance the 7 th graders writing skills at a junior high school in Ha Noi” in an effort to determine how to make this procedure better Since writing is just as important as any other talent, the author decided to focus on developing her writing abilities while conducting her research Furthermore, numerous studies have been conducted to assess the efficacy of mind mapping in teaching reading, vocabulary, and listening skills For these reasons, the author decided to focus more on writing skills in order to assist her own students in advancing in these areas Last but not least, Da Ton Junior High school students tend to concentrate mostly on grammar rules and occasionally overlook the development of other abilities, which results in their inefficiency in language proficiency These are the explanations for the author's choice of writing skills as the study's central focus
2 Aim and objectives of the study
The main objective of this study is to explore the effect of using the strategy of mind mapping on the writing achievement of 7 th graders at a junior school in Da Ton Junior high school In particular, the following objectives derive from the main one as follows
• To find out the problems faced by 7 th graders in Da Ton Junior high school in the thesis
• To find out the factors affecting 7 th graders’ writing skill in Da Ton Junior high school
• To give some suggestions in using mind-mapping to improve writing skills for students in the 7 th graders in Da Ton Junior high school
By this study, the researcher’s objective is to determine responses to the following research questions:
1 What are the difficulties that the 7 th -grade students in Da Ton Junior high school face in writing in English?
2 What are the factors causing the mentioned problems to the 7 th -grade students in Da Ton Junior high school in the study?
3 How do the students overcome these problems?
First of all, the study was unable to examine every facet of writing instruction and learning because of time and resource constraints It solely addressed mind maps as
To evaluate a novel writing instruction technique, a study involving 50 students from Da Ton Junior High School was conducted Participants completed surveys and six were chosen randomly for informal interviews This comprehensive approach aimed to gather diverse perspectives on the effectiveness of the new method.
5 The Significance of the Research
The author anticipates that the study will demonstrate the value of mind mapping as a teaching and learning tool for the writing process Additionally, the researcher anticipates that both teachers and students will benefit from the study on the application of mind mapping techniques in the instruction and acquisition of writing abilities
- For the Researcher: The researcher will gain a better understanding of how well students' writing skills may be improved by employing the mind mapping approach
- For the Teacher: By employing visual aids, teachers can inspire their students to write and assist them in making connections between the subjects they are teaching and their prior knowledge
- For the Students: This outcome can inspire students to be engaged in their education and to develop their logical thinking skills
The writer must set up the thesis writing structure as follows in order to have guidance when writing the thesis:
The introduction provides readers with a concise synopsis of the justification for the study, its objectives, its research questions, its scope, significance, methodology, and an organizational overview
Chapter I of the study is Literature Review The author outlines the theoretical framework for the study, which includes some fundamental writing knowledge, writing skills, mind mapping in general, and mind mapping in specifically for writing instruction
Chapter II Methodology describes the participants, data gathering tools, action research implementation, research design, data collection methods, and data analysis methods to the readers
Chapter III, Results and discussion provides the data analysis and interpretation that is used to discuss the study's findings
The study ends with an appendix and references
Some of the study's main findings are included in the conclusion, along with some suggestions for more research
In order to clarify its goals, this section of the study gives a summary of its key theories and concepts along with a breakdown of its variables To improve comprehension of the subject, prior research in the same field is compiled
The primary study issues are addressed in sections of this chapter, along with the theoretical framework that was developed from theories of cognitive learning, particularly Mayer's (1997) Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML), along with its implications, implications for the classroom, and hypotheses A comprehensive overview of writing and writing models is also provided in this section Furthermore, an explanation of the mind mapping technique is provided Previous research on the connections between writing techniques and writing attitudes, as well as between writing techniques and writing achievement, is reviewed We analyzed a number of research that looked at mind maps as a writing technique
1.1 Review of related studies worldwide
This study draws upon previous research to highlight the importance of student motivation in the effectiveness of mind mapping as a learning strategy Susiani's study, which explored the use of mind mapping to enhance English reading comprehension, identified motivation and curiosity as key factors influencing student learning Both this study and Susiani's emphasize the role of motivation in driving student engagement and interest in the learning process, suggesting that a student's desire to learn is crucial for the success of any teaching method.
The second research that the author would like to draw attention to is an action research project called "Improving Students' Vocabulary Mastery Through Mind Mapping Strategy" that was conducted in a classroom at SMP Negeri 2 Polanharjo, Klaten during
14 the academic year 2010/2011 by Ita Kurniawati Her research project's objective is to use mind mapping to evaluate students' classroom vocabulary achievement in English Despite the fact that the goal of this thesis is to improve students' vocabulary, the author notes several similarities with her own research First and foremost, action research is used as an investigative strategy in both of these investigations Additionally, this thesis outlines the mind-mapping technique for vocabulary instruction, which the author might use as a guide to address the second research question in the section
Research questions
By this study, the researcher’s objective is to determine responses to the following research questions:
1 What are the difficulties that the 7 th -grade students in Da Ton Junior high school face in writing in English?
2 What are the factors causing the mentioned problems to the 7 th -grade students in Da Ton Junior high school in the study?
3 How do the students overcome these problems?
Scope of the study
First of all, the study was unable to examine every facet of writing instruction and learning because of time and resource constraints It solely addressed mind maps as
A study was conducted involving students from Da Ton Junior High School to assess a specific writing instruction method The participants completed survey questionnaires (50 students) and participated in informal interviews (6 students selected randomly) These methods were employed to gather data on the effectiveness of the writing instruction method.
The Significance of the Research
The author anticipates that the study will demonstrate the value of mind mapping as a teaching and learning tool for the writing process Additionally, the researcher anticipates that both teachers and students will benefit from the study on the application of mind mapping techniques in the instruction and acquisition of writing abilities
- For the Researcher: The researcher will gain a better understanding of how well students' writing skills may be improved by employing the mind mapping approach
- For the Teacher: By employing visual aids, teachers can inspire their students to write and assist them in making connections between the subjects they are teaching and their prior knowledge
- For the Students: This outcome can inspire students to be engaged in their education and to develop their logical thinking skills
The writer must set up the thesis writing structure as follows in order to have guidance when writing the thesis:
The introduction provides readers with a concise synopsis of the justification for the study, its objectives, its research questions, its scope, significance, methodology, and an organizational overview
Chapter I of the study is Literature Review The author outlines the theoretical framework for the study, which includes some fundamental writing knowledge, writing skills, mind mapping in general, and mind mapping in specifically for writing instruction
Chapter II Methodology describes the participants, data gathering tools, action research implementation, research design, data collection methods, and data analysis methods to the readers
Chapter III, Results and discussion provides the data analysis and interpretation that is used to discuss the study's findings
The study ends with an appendix and references
Some of the study's main findings are included in the conclusion, along with some suggestions for more research
In order to clarify its goals, this section of the study gives a summary of its key theories and concepts along with a breakdown of its variables To improve comprehension of the subject, prior research in the same field is compiled
This chapter examines key research issues and develops a theoretical framework drawing on cognitive learning theories, particularly Mayer's (1997) Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning (CTML) It also provides an overview of writing models and explores the mind mapping technique The chapter reviews research on the relationship between writing techniques and writing attitudes and achievement, with a focus on mind mapping as a writing technique.
1.1 Review of related studies worldwide
In this study, the author refers to a number of previous investigations The first study I would cite is a research article by Susiani titled "The Use of Mind Mapping To Improve English Achievement on Reading of The Second Year Students of MTS Al- Ittihad Pabelan in The Academic Year Of 2008/2009" In her research, she found psychological components like motivation and curiosity that affect students' learning processes In order to address the issue and raise students' enthusiasm and interest, she employs mind mapping to enhance performance While both the author's thesis and this one examine the usefulness of using mind mapping on two different language domains, they place equal emphasis on raising students' motivation It is evident that one of the key factors determining the technique's effectiveness when used in the teaching and learning process is the students' motivation to learn A method cannot succeed without the interest and attention of the pupils, no matter how good it is
The second research that the author would like to draw attention to is an action research project called "Improving Students' Vocabulary Mastery Through Mind Mapping Strategy" that was conducted in a classroom at SMP Negeri 2 Polanharjo, Klaten during
Ita Kurniawati's research in 2010/2011 sought to evaluate students' English vocabulary using mind mapping Both this research and the author's study share similarities, employing action research as the investigative approach Notably, Kurniawati's thesis details the mind-mapping technique for vocabulary instruction, providing valuable insights for addressing the secondary research question on its potential effectiveness.
Adi Purnomo did another classroom action research study titled "Improving descriptive writing skill through Mind mapping technique" in the third place Through thought mapping, it aims to improve the descriptive writing abilities of eighth-grade pupils at MTs Muhammadiyah 1 Cekelan in the academic year 2013–2014 In addition, the study described how MTs Muh 1 Cekelan's eighth-graders are taught to write through the use of mind maps The most striking similarities between this thesis and the writer's are that they both ask the same research questions, have the same goals, and employ action research as study techniques; yet, they use distinct data collection instruments The writer uses survey questionnaires and informal interviews while this thesis the results of pre- posttests
1.2 Review of related studies in Vietnam
The writer was fortunate to discover three earlier researches in Vietnam at the B3 library of the University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University The first is a study titled "Using mind mapping to help students at Thanh Hoa College of Agriculture and Forestry recycle vocabulary" by Luu Van Hau, which aims to review the concept of mind mapping and its applications to teaching a foreign language in teaching English vocabulary and determine how effective Mind mapping is in recycling vocabulary
The second study, "Mind Mapping and Visualization Applications in Learning Consecutive Interpreting," by B P P Linh, aims to discuss the advantages of mind
15 mapping and visualization s kills over conventional methods used by a large number of students in consecutive interpreting Dang Thanh Diem's study, "Using Mind Maps and
The study aimed to ascertain the current teaching methods used for vocabulary instruction within first-year mainstream English majors Additionally, it explored the effectiveness of these methods in facilitating vocabulary acquisition at the Division of English Language Teacher Education These methods were evaluated to determine their efficacy in fostering vocabulary development within the target audience.
Although these above theses focus on different aspects of language teaching, they can also serve as references for the writer to carry out the study
There are numerous definitions of writing that have been put forth Although writing is sometimes thought of as being a simple way to convey speech, it is much more than that Writing demonstrates a writer's or language user's knowledge, viewpoint, and communication skills (Bachman, 1990) As a verb, "writing" denotes the process of creating a text, but "writing" as a noun refers to the written content Writing is primarily a communicative action that adheres to the broad rules that define language use in communication, according to Widdowson (1983) This means that writing is more than just the process of producing texts
As noted by Grabe & Kaplan (1996, p 6), writing is a skill that "must be practiced and learned through experience" For learners, writing is a challenge because it is not a skill that comes easily and requires deliberate work and practice Writing can be extremely difficult for non-native speakers, as Kroll (1990) claims, because writing is a difficult activity even for native speakers
There are numerous definitions of writing that have been put forth Writing is a crucial tool for communication when the other person is not directly in front of us, listening to what we say and observing our gestures and facial expressions, according to Raimes (1983: 3) Al-Mutawa and Taisser (1989) go on to define writing as a
16 sophisticated cognitive process involving the following components: acquisition of Alphabet in its entirety; Recognizing the relationship between a word's meaning and the way letters mix to make words; understanding of writing mechanics, including speaking, capitalization, punctuation, and other rules; grasp of the most common principles influencing sentence form; the capacity to put sentences together to form a coherent paragraph and to put sentences together to create essays; For coherence, formalization with transitions is used Writing is described as an exceptionally complex cognitive process in which the writer must demonstrate control over content, format, sentence structure, vocabulary, punctuation, spelling, and letter formation (Bell and Burnaby, 1984, cited in Nunan, 1989, p 36) The writer needs to be able to organize material and combine it into cohesive paragraphs and sentences that go beyond the sentence An additional definition given by Byrne (1997: 1) is that writing is the process of creating words and sentences through the arrangement of visual symbols according to a predefined pattern He goes on to add that writing is more than just arranging visual symbols; it's also about creating a sequence of sentences that are related in a particular way and placed in a particular order The statement above makes it quite clear that writing assignments advance step by step from the simple usage of graphic symbols to a complex sentence structure that follows preset standards and conventions Scrivener (1994: 157), who asserts that writing tasks in the classroom travel on a continuum from copying— which promotes accuracy—to free writing—which favors fluidity—provides additional support for this As can be seen from the previous explanation, writing is the process of communicating ideas or thoughts through the use of graphic symbols that are organized in accordance with particular guidelines and standards
LITERATURE REVIEW
Review of related studies worldwide
In this study, the author refers to a number of previous investigations The first study I would cite is a research article by Susiani titled "The Use of Mind Mapping To Improve English Achievement on Reading of The Second Year Students of MTS Al- Ittihad Pabelan in The Academic Year Of 2008/2009" In her research, she found psychological components like motivation and curiosity that affect students' learning processes In order to address the issue and raise students' enthusiasm and interest, she employs mind mapping to enhance performance While both the author's thesis and this one examine the usefulness of using mind mapping on two different language domains, they place equal emphasis on raising students' motivation It is evident that one of the key factors determining the technique's effectiveness when used in the teaching and learning process is the students' motivation to learn A method cannot succeed without the interest and attention of the pupils, no matter how good it is
The second research that the author would like to draw attention to is an action research project called "Improving Students' Vocabulary Mastery Through Mind Mapping Strategy" that was conducted in a classroom at SMP Negeri 2 Polanharjo, Klaten during
14 the academic year 2010/2011 by Ita Kurniawati Her research project's objective is to use mind mapping to evaluate students' classroom vocabulary achievement in English Despite the fact that the goal of this thesis is to improve students' vocabulary, the author notes several similarities with her own research First and foremost, action research is used as an investigative strategy in both of these investigations Additionally, this thesis outlines the mind-mapping technique for vocabulary instruction, which the author might use as a guide to address the second research question in the section
Adi Purnomo did another classroom action research study titled "Improving descriptive writing skill through Mind mapping technique" in the third place Through thought mapping, it aims to improve the descriptive writing abilities of eighth-grade pupils at MTs Muhammadiyah 1 Cekelan in the academic year 2013–2014 In addition, the study described how MTs Muh 1 Cekelan's eighth-graders are taught to write through the use of mind maps The most striking similarities between this thesis and the writer's are that they both ask the same research questions, have the same goals, and employ action research as study techniques; yet, they use distinct data collection instruments The writer uses survey questionnaires and informal interviews while this thesis the results of pre- posttests.
Review of related studies in Vietnam
The writer was fortunate to discover three earlier researches in Vietnam at the B3 library of the University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University The first is a study titled "Using mind mapping to help students at Thanh Hoa College of Agriculture and Forestry recycle vocabulary" by Luu Van Hau, which aims to review the concept of mind mapping and its applications to teaching a foreign language in teaching English vocabulary and determine how effective Mind mapping is in recycling vocabulary
The second study, "Mind Mapping and Visualization Applications in Learning Consecutive Interpreting," by B P P Linh, aims to discuss the advantages of mind
15 mapping and visualization s kills over conventional methods used by a large number of students in consecutive interpreting Dang Thanh Diem's study, "Using Mind Maps and
The study, titled "Diagrams to Teach Vocabulary for First Year Mainstream Students, Faculty of English Language Teacher Education," aims to evaluate the current use of vocabulary teaching methods for first-year mainstream English majors Furthermore, it investigates the efficacy of these methods in enhancing vocabulary acquisition at the aforementioned level.
Although these above theses focus on different aspects of language teaching, they can also serve as references for the writer to carry out the study
There are numerous definitions of writing that have been put forth Although writing is sometimes thought of as being a simple way to convey speech, it is much more than that Writing demonstrates a writer's or language user's knowledge, viewpoint, and communication skills (Bachman, 1990) As a verb, "writing" denotes the process of creating a text, but "writing" as a noun refers to the written content Writing is primarily a communicative action that adheres to the broad rules that define language use in communication, according to Widdowson (1983) This means that writing is more than just the process of producing texts
As noted by Grabe & Kaplan (1996, p 6), writing is a skill that "must be practiced and learned through experience" For learners, writing is a challenge because it is not a skill that comes easily and requires deliberate work and practice Writing can be extremely difficult for non-native speakers, as Kroll (1990) claims, because writing is a difficult activity even for native speakers.
Definitions of Writing
There are numerous definitions of writing that have been put forth Writing is a crucial tool for communication when the other person is not directly in front of us, listening to what we say and observing our gestures and facial expressions, according to Raimes (1983: 3) Al-Mutawa and Taisser (1989) go on to define writing as a
Writing is an intricate cognitive process entailing various components It involves mastering the alphabet, comprehending the relationship between words and their formation from letters, and understanding writing mechanics (e.g., grammar, punctuation, capitalization) Additionally, it requires proficiency in sentence structure, paragraph construction, and essay organization Writing necessitates the ability to organize and combine material into cohesive sentences and paragraphs that transcend individual sentences.
Writing is a disciplined way to create meaning and a fruitful way for conveying one's own ideas (Clearly and Linn, 1993) Utilizing linguistic strategies and methods is necessary for writing well as it's a skill that's becoming more and more important in both academic and professional settings In order to write at a level that allows one's thoughts and ideas to flow logically, one must put in constant effort and practice Writing is a complex and challenging talent to teach It necessitates the mastery of conceptual and judging aspects in addition to grammatical and linguistic strategies
(Heaton, 1998) These elements are highly significant and serve as the center of attention and dependence (Fageeh, 2011) According to Harmer (2002), writing is the fundamental language skill It should never be disregarded in the process of learning a language since it is just as vital as speaking, listening, and reading However, in order to reach a specific level of proficiency, writing calls for constant practice and effort
However, most English writing instruction is based on antiquated approaches and strategies that primarily concentrate on helping students master language usage (lexis and grammatical structure), ignoring the importance of teaching the writing process, which is essential to producing high-quality writing It has been acknowledged that the main challenges faced by EFL learners are not with organizing grammar, mechanics, or lexis, but rather with organizing ideas related to the topic at hand These challenges must be addressed in a way that maintains the topic's focus and the ideas' associations throughout the written text Byrd (2011) claims that the majority of L2 learners disregard the writing process and believe that a single draft suffices as their final work of writing Teachers use a variety of tactics while instructing students in writing Writing is the act of conveying ideas or concepts in communication using graphic symbols that are structured according to specific rules and standards, as may be inferred from the previous explication
Teaching writing skills to pupils can be difficult for inexperienced teachers, according to Heaton (1975), because these abilities are complicated and need mastery of not only grammatical and rhetorical devices but also conceptual and evaluating factors The diverse skill set is broken down into the following five major components:
Language use: The ability to construct correct and appropriate sentences;
Mechanical skills: the capacity to correctly apply odd written language rules like spelling and punctuation;
Treatment of content: the capacity for original thought and the development of ideas with the inclusion of all pertinent data;
Stylistic skills: the capacity to effectively employ language and manipulate phrases and paragraphs;
Judgment skills: the capacity to choose, arrange, and prioritize pertinent information in addition to the ability to write appropriately for a certain purpose and audience
Furthermore, according to Matthews et al (1985), writing skills consist of a number of specialized abilities that are categorized under the following five headings: Visual or Graphical Skills: including the subsequent subheadings: Using the alphabet's letters in upper or lower case as necessary and joining them in the conventional manner is referred to as "writing graphemes." Spelling: Due to first language interference, pupils may spell English words using the phonetic rules of their home language; Punctuation and capitalization: Here, students should focus more on how different language standards apply For instance, in English, a comma is put after every three digits, counting from the right, whereas in Vietnamese, a dot is used instead; The term "format" describes how a letter or memo is laid out, which varies depending on the language used
"Grammatical skills" refers to the pupils' capacity to employ a variety of sentence structures and patterns The ability of students to convey accurate meanings in a range of registers or styles is referred to as expressive or stylistic skills They will need to be able to choose suitable terminology as well as proper sentence structures and patterns for the written word in order to accomplish this
The capacity of students to link textual elements into logically connected sequences using linguistic cohesion devices like connectives, reference words, ellipses, and so forth is known as rhetorical abilities
While organizational skills and rhetorical skills above are related, organizational skills deal with structuring information into texts and paragraphs This entails the pupils' capacity to synthesize important points and reject extraneous material in addition to the sequencing of ideas Thus, writing may be described as the process of communicating ideas or thoughts through the use of graphic symbols ordered in accordance with
Writing standards encompass specific guidelines covering content, structure, and language elements They emphasize originality and eliminating redundancies Well-organized writing ensures coherence and unity, while vocabulary encompasses the use of appropriate terms and idioms Language use involves the application of sentence structure and grammar, and mechanics pertains to the correct application of punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
According to Budd (2004), a mind map is a visual organizer where smaller categories are shown as branches of bigger branches and major categories radiate from a core image
Mind mapping, also known as concept mapping, is described as "forming a central idea and looking for new and related ideas that radiate out from the center" by Alamsyah (2009) By beginning with a fundamental idea and then identifying links between concepts, you are mapping your knowledge in a way that makes it easier for you to understand and remember new information One method that can help you learn more effectively, better your ability to retain information, and support and foster creative problem solving is mind mapping When utilizing Mind Maps, print your content, use various colors to enhance visual impact, and incorporate symbols and images to further encourage creative thinking
In addition, Hedge (1998) states that making a mind map is a method for taking notes prior to writing; that is, jotting down concepts related to a subject and expanding on those concepts as associations arise in the mind Consequently, it follows that mind
20 mapping can assist students with writing assignments from the very beginning phases of idea generation and organization
According to Hayes (1992), mind mapping allows pupils to convert random thoughts into patterns that may be written down and developed When students' thoughts emerge in organized forms, they become more driven to complete a writing assignment The following example demonstrates how ideas are displayed in a radial, visual, non-linear manner when using mind maps, which makes it possible to approach planning and organizational tasks with a free-form brainstorming approach The radial direction of a mindmap's branches, which represent hierarchical tree structures, obstructs the priority of concepts that are often linked with hierarchies given more linear visual cues This approach to brainstorming allows users to enumerate and connect notions without being confined to a specific conceptual framework From the foregoing explanation, it is clear that a mind map is a diagram that is meant to show words, concepts, assignments, or other elements that are connected to and placed radially around a primary word or idea Mind maps are a useful tool for brainstorming, organizing, problem solving, writing, and classification They can also be used to produce, visualize, structure, and classify ideas
Tony Buzan, an author and consultant, popularized mind maps He employed a two- dimensional structure rather than the traditional list style for taking notes Tony Buzan
Mind mapping, a technique outlined in "The Mind Map Book" (2000), is a natural expression of human cognition ("Radiant Thinking") that unlocks the brain's potential As a powerful graphic tool, mind mapping serves as a universal key to accessing the vast capabilities of the human mind.
According to Tony Buzan (2002), mind mapping is defined as a pictorial depiction of thoughts, typically developed during a brainstorming session It demonstrates how ideas created around a common issue are interconnected It is seen as primarily a tool for sparking thought He noticed that the school system predominantly promoted the use of
"language, logic, numbers, sequence, looks at detail, linier, symbolic representation,
21 and judgmental characteristics." The mind map can be used in a variety of situations where better learning and clearer thinking can increase human performance
Tony Buzan (2005) describes Mind Maps in "The Ultimate Book of Mind Maps" as
How to create mind mapping
Steps to create mind mapping
Mind mapping can be created in a variety of methods, both by hand and by computer The following steps are based on Tony Buzan’s structure
Step 1: The Central Idea – the subject of attention
The mind map's center thought, which stands for the assigned topic, is where it all begins The main thought ought to be at the top of the page, accompanied with a picture that illustrates the subject of the mind map Because of the way that visual inputs are processed by our brains, this attracts attention and establishes associations https://images.app.goo.gl/f5yVtstWE3QZGXBi8
Step 2: Basic ordering ideas (main branches)
The primary branches of the basic ordering ideas surround the topic of attention
These are the main ideas or phrases that serve as the framework for organizing a wide range of additional ideas To avoid confusing information and overcrowding the page, your basic arranging concepts should extend far enough from your core image Using a single word per branch, as opposed to several words or phrases, might initiate a higher number of associations, which is a key Mind Mapping principle One word per branch also helps you retain more knowledge by triggering connections in your brain and breaking information down into essential topics and themes Images or graphics can also be utilized to improve memory for information The branches should, above all, be conspicuous for their boldness, color, and clarity of labeling
Step 3: The branches (sub-branches)
The branches, which comprise subordinate subcategories, are categories inside the fundamental ordering concepts To help make sense of your mind map and to depict the thoughts, utilize keywords, illustrations, and various colors When your mind map is finished, it should be visually striking, colorful, well-organized, meaningful to you, and include all relevant connections between the various topics https://mind-map.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Brand-Overhaul-
Organic.png a The Mind Map laws
The goal of the mind map laws is to expand your mental freedom rather than limit
24 it It is imperative in this situation to distinguish between rigidity and order and chaos and freedom Actually, the capacity to bring order out of chaos is what defines true mental freedom You can accomplish this with the aid of the Mind map laws They are separated into two categories: the laws of layout and method
The laws of the technique
The principles of technique include having an own style, being explicit, emphasizing things, and using associations
One of the key components in improving creativity and memory is emphasis Any method employed for highlighting can also be applied to association, and vice versa You can use the following laws to ensure that your mind maps have the right amount of attention
Images are powerful memory aids because they trigger multiple associations in the brain They also engage multiple senses, capturing attention, evoking emotions, and highlighting key concepts Turning a central idea into an image by adding dimension, color, and shape transforms it into a visually striking and memorable representation.
- Include images in your mind map whenever you can This will help you improve your visual perception and strike a balance between your verbal and visual cortex talents
- Use three or more colors for each main image: Colors help you stay creative and prevent the monotony of monochrome design They also enhance recall They enhance the vibrancy and attractiveness of your photos
- Incorporate dimension into your images: those that have dimension "stand out," and those that stand out are easier to recall and convey
-Make use of synaesthesia, or the mixing of the physical senses: Your Mind Map should, if at all possible, contain words or images that allude to the senses of sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch, and kinaesthesia, or bodily sensation
- Use different printing, line, and image sizes: One of the best methods to convey the relative importance of things in a hierarchy is to use different size variants Increased
25 focus from expanded size raises the likelihood of recall
- Use ordered spacing: This makes the image more readable, facilitates the application of hierarchy and categorization, keeps the Mind Map "open" to future additions, and is visually appealing
- Use proper spacing: Your mind map gains structure and order when you leave the proper amount of space surrounding each item
- The second key component in improving creativity and memory is association It is the integrating mechanism by which our brains interpret the physical world and is essential to human memory and comprehension Once you have defined your core concept and your fundamental organizing principles, the ability to form associations can help you go deeply into any topic
- To create connections both within and across the branch pattern, use arrows: Your eye is naturally led by arrows to connect the various sections of a mind map They come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and dimensions and can be unidirectional or multiheaded They give your ideas a sense of spatial orientation
- Use codes: By instantly creating links between various Mind Map sections, color codes and symbols can help the brain acquire information more directly and concisely Ticks and crosses, circles, dots, triangles, and underlining are examples of codes
Phrase or writing obscurity can obscure perception Your notes will not improve your memory if you scribble on them
- Keep your key words to one per line: There are thousands of different connotations for any one word You have associational freedom when you place one per line, much like when you add more joints to a limb Not lost are key phrases
- Print every word: Because the shape of printed characters is more distinct, your mind can form stronger associations with them more easily Printing
26 also promotes concision; you can indicate the relative importance of words on your mind map using both capital and lowercase characters
- Print essential words on lines: The line not only promotes additional connections and additions but also offers organization and neatness, boosting clarity and aiding in remembering
- Line length should match word length: This law makes it simpler to arrange words next to one another, which can aid in associative learning and allow you to integrate more information in your mind map
- Join lines together: By joining the lines on your mind map, you can join the ideas that are running through your head
Thick lines convey the importance of key points through emphasis, while organic, curving lines enhance visual appeal This combination not only highlights the significance of the central ideas but also adds a touch of aesthetic charm, making the content more engaging and memorable.
- Make your branch outline "embrace" your boundaries: A boundary line determines a full Mind Map branch's distinct shape when it "hugs" the branch's outline The memory of the data included in that branch can thus be aided by this special shape These forms also have clear mnemonic benefits and can be turned into visuals
- Ensure maximum clarity in your images: Clarity on the outside promotes mental clarity on the inside Also, a well-organized mind map will be more refined, beautiful, and appealing
The Use of Mind mapping in classroom
It has been suggested that mind maps can assist pupils in starting written tasks Actually, a lot of students find writing difficult, and most of them believe that the hardest part of writing is getting started Thought mapping, according to Hayes (1992: 203), gives students an organizing method to get them started on writing assignments, which reduces the difficulty of getting started He also minimizes the tension and struggle that are sometimes associated with writing by highlighting the freedom with which ideas are connected and expressed Prewriting exercises help students organize their ideas so they can write coherently and on task
The following is the full process by which Buzan uses mindmapping in the classroom:
- Explain or show the pupils how the process works;
- Assign pupils to groups of four people each;
- Outline the main idea or source material that the pupils need to graph;
- Request that the groups come up with a list of words and phrases that summarize the main ideas and any supporting information;
- Request that the pupils begin drawing the diagram;
- While the groups are working, provide any essential advice;
- As they build the map, ask them to expand on the main idea by introducing some new concepts and connections
The way that Hedge (1998) uses mind mapping in the classroom is as follows
- Pupils are assigned a primary subject that sits in the middle of the board They share with each other what they have accomplished and jot down everything that crosses their minds related to the main issue
To enhance understanding, teachers offer clarifications and recommendations Students' suggestions are integrated into a group mind map on the board, highlighting various aspects of the subject and creating subgroups This aligns with the concept of mind maps, which promote exploration of topics through nonlinear thinking, allowing students to delve into multiple facets simultaneously.
- After thereafter, branches are created and expanded upon by the students when they make new suggestions or expand upon previously mentioned elements The final product is a map with additional dots added to the center issue (primary topic) and numerous subtopics or aspects spreading forth from it
- The teacher facilitates a class discussion about the ideal sequence for presenting points in a composition once the map is fairly full Then, several writing assignments may be suggested, including having students use the mind map displayed on the board to draft a composition and then expand on it in their own unique ways, or assigning them to select different subjects and create their own mind maps for those subjects.
The difference between mind mapping and modeling for teaching writing
Composing is a challenging language task It has elements like organization, spelling, grammar, and punctuation To produce outstanding writing, students need to be given the chance to develop their writing skills More chances for them to exhibit their creativity in structuring their thoughts and creating works should also be given to them Mind maps facilitate a brainstorming technique to planning and organizing tasks by expressing ideas in a radial, graphical, non-linear form While mind map branches show hierarchical tree structures, concepts that are often linked with hierarchies are not given the same priority when presented with more linear visual signals due to the
29 branches' radial orientation With this method of brainstorming, participants can list and connect ideas without reluctance
With this method of brainstorming, participants are not limited to a particular conceptual framework and can list and connect ideas It consequently gives students lots of chances to generate and refine their ideas Moreover, mind mapping uses symbols and visuals in addition to word elements, mirroring how the human brain processes and remembers information The human brain processes information not just audibly but also visually and symbolically It sees and retrieves information in a nonlinear manner Therefore, it makes sense to assume that mind mapping can significantly improve pupils' writing proficiency
To sum up, a summary of the study's key concepts and ideas, together with the variables that affect it in order to clarify its goals To improve comprehension of the subject, prior research in the same field is compiled
The primary study issues are addressed in sections of this chapter, along with the theoretical framework that was developed from theories of cognitive learning, along with its implications, implications for the classroom, and hypotheses A comprehensive overview of writing and writing models is also provided in this section Furthermore, an explanation of the mind mapping technique is provided Previous research on the connections between writing techniques and writing attitudes, as well as between writing techniques and writing achievement, is reviewed
This chapter addresses the challenges and contributing reasons to the problems faced by Da Ton Junior High School's seventh-grade students A brief introduction to Da Ton Junior High School, English teaching and learning, English teachers, English students, current teaching and learning resources, and time management will be given at the outset
2.1 Previous studies a Review of related studies worldwide
The author of this research draws on a number of earlier studies Susiani's research article, "The Use of Mind Mapping To Improve English Achievement on Reading of The Second Year Students of MTS Al-Ittihad Pabelan in The Academic Year Of 2008/2009," is the first study I will use as a reference She discovered in her research that psychological elements like motivation and curiosity have an impact on students' learning processes She uses mind mapping to solve the issue and raise student achievement by increasing motivation and interest in the material While this thesis and the writer's study examine the usefulness of mind mapping on two distinct language domains, they prioritize raising students' motivation levels It is evident that one of the key factors determining the technique's effectiveness when used in the teaching and learning process is the students' motivation to learn A method cannot succeed without the interest and attention of the pupils, no matter how good it is The second study that the author would like to discuss is an action research project named "Improving Students’ Vocabulary Mastery through Mind Mapping Strategy" that was carried out in a classroom setting during the 2010–2011 academic year at SMP Negeri 2 Polanharjo, Klaten It was conducted by Ita Kurniawati Her research project's goal is to use mind mapping in the classroom to determine how well children do on vocabulary in English The writer finds some similarities between this thesis and the writer's study, despite the fact that it concentrates on helping students' vocabulary To begin with, the research methodology for both of these is action research Additionally, this thesis outlines the mind-mapping technique for vocabulary instruction, which the author might
31 use as a guide to address the second research question in the section
The third one, "Improving descriptive writing skill through mind mapping technique," is another action research study that Adi Purnomo undertook in the classroom Through mind mapping, it seeks to determine how much the eighth- grade students at MTs Muhammadiyah 1 Cekelan's descriptive writing skills have improved during the 2013–2014 school year In addition, the research aims to explain the writing instruction method that MTs Muh 1 Cekelan's eighth-grade pupils receive using mind mapping The main similarities between this thesis and the author's are that they both use different data collection technologies but share the same research objectives and goals, as well as using action research as a research tool The author used survey questionnaires and informal interviews to analyze the pre- and post-test outcomes for this thesis b Review of related studies in Vietnam
The author was fortunate enough to discover three earlier studies in Vietnam in the University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, located in the B3 library The first is a study by Luu Van Hau titled
"Using mind mapping to help students at Thanh Hoa college of Agriculture and Forestry recycle vocabulary." Its goals are to examine the idea of mind mapping, examine how it can be used to teach English vocabulary to foreign language learners, and determine how successful it is at recycling vocabulary The second is the study conducted by "Mind Mapping and Visualization Applications in Learning Consecutive Interpreting" by B P P Linh discusses the benefits of mind mapping and visualization techniques over traditional approaches, which are employed by many students in consecutive interpreting The final one is a study by Dang Thanh Diem from the Faculty of English Language Teacher Education titled "Using Mind Maps and Diagrams to teach vocabulary for first year mainstream students." The purpose of the study was to determine whether the methods are effective in teaching vocabulary at Division I and to ascertain how the methods are currently applied to teach vocabulary to first-year mainstream English majors While the aforementioned theses concentrate on various facets of language instruction, they can also function as resources for the author to undertake the study.
METHODOLOGY 2.1 Previous studies…
Theoretical background
2.2.1 General description of Da Ton Junior high school and the teaching and learning of English
The capital of Hanoi's Da Ton commune is home to Da Ton Junior High School, a large public institution with more than a thousand pupils It is situated in the Gia Lam district Various courses, including mathematics, physics, chemistry, literature, and so forth, are taught at Da Ton Junior High School Students take English lessons with the intention of gaining knowledge, developing their skills, and preparing them for their upcoming high school admission exams Writing proficiency is one of the four key skills and grammatical rules that are emphasized in English studies at Da Ton Junior High School in particular to meet the needs of the students
2.2.2 Teachers of English and students at Da Ton Junior high school
Teachers of English at Da Ton Junior high school are those who have at least over three years’ teaching experience and graduated from several renowned universities in Vietnam such as Ha noi National University, Ha noi University and Ha noi National University of Education
The learning levels of students in various classes differ from those of students in other private schools To connect with foreigners, some of them desire fluency in the language; others wish to raise their academic standing in the language; yet others wish to get ready for entrance exams into universities Pupils are split up into numerous classes with varying objectives and skill levels
Global Success is the type of curriculum that Vietnam Education Publishing House has edited and is used to teach English at Da Ton Junior High School It is also the curriculum that is chosen for writing instruction Typically, teachers select writing assignments that address the subjects covered in the textbook's "skills 2" lesson's writing section These textbooks' primary goal in teaching English is to give students a foundational understanding of the language for everyday conversation and social text
Each textbook comprises twelve topic-based lessons encompassing grammar, pronunciation, and the cultivation of four essential skills Regular "Review" sections after every three units assess student retention A comprehensive glossary at the end aids in vocabulary acquisition Key writing concepts serve as guiding principles Mind mapping is employed in five specific writing exercises: introducing hobbies, offering antiviral advice, detailing school activities, recounting memorable excursions, and extolling the benefits of chosen modes of transportation.
The study was conducted at Da Ton Junior High School during the 2022–2023 school year The period of this research was September 2022–September 2023 The researcher, who is also a teacher, watched the students as they learned At Da Ton Junior High School, 50 students from two classrooms participated in the classroom action research.
Summary
The author intends to use classroom action research (CAR) in this study Suwandi (2009:9) cites Kemmis and MC Tegart (1991) as saying that action research is study that is employed in work experience and self-improvement, but it is carried out in a methodical and organized manner
50 students in the academic year 2022–2023 from a variety of courses at Da Ton Junior High School, representing a range of academic levels, are the focus of this study Some pupils struggle to generate complex or compound words because they have little to no knowledge of the English language They have a limited vocabulary, can only put together simple words, and frequently make grammatical mistakes Standard language structures and basic terminology can be utilized by other pupils With the use of connectors, they can build complex phrases and understand the content of related problems The problem they have
34 is that they are unable to come up with thoughts, arrange them logically, and develop them into a paragraph The others speak English fluently and with a broad vocabulary They are able to incorporate main ideas and auxiliary ideas into compositions or paragraphs, no matter how long or short However, they are unable to put their thoughts in any particular sequence Occasionally, after brainstorming, they don't know how to organize their ideas, thus their works end up being a disorganized mess
When problems come up in the class, it is essential for the teachers to identify the solutions to the problems In these circumstances, action research should be selected because the researcher is simultaneously the teacher who directly encounters the problems As a teacher, the writer chose action research as a tool of research to find out solutions to her own problems because of two below reasons:
It is crucial for the teachers to determine the solutions to the issues that arise in the classroom Since the researcher is also the teacher who deals with the issues firsthand in these situations, action research should be used For the two reasons listed below, the author, a teacher, used action research as a research tool to solve her personal problems:First of all, one of the most important aspects of action research is that it is highly "situational," meaning that different problems can have different answers depending on the circumstances With the assistance of her coworkers and pupils, the teacher conducted this study in the setting of her workplace Action research is therefore thought to be the best option
Second, based on her own teaching experience, the instructor saw that her students struggled with idea generation, organization, and development during the writing process For this reason, she was driven to find the best possible solutions Furthermore, action research might be a wise decision
There are several methods for characterizing action research According to Kemmis & McTaggart (1982), action research is "deliberate, solution-oriented investigation that is grouped or personally owned and conducted." Its distinguishing features include spiral cycles of problem identification, systematic
35 data collection, analysis, reflection, data-driven action, and, ultimately, problem redefinition The words "action" and "research" are used to highlight the essential elements of this methodology, which involve conducting experiments in real- world contexts to improve curriculum, teaching, and learning
Another definition of action research provided by Cohen and Manion (1985) was that it is primarily situational, focusing on problem identification and solution within a particular setting Improving the current situation within the educational context in which the research is being conducted is the goal of action research
In addition, many models exist that outline the stages involved in doing action research The researcher in this study adhered to the Kemmis and McTaggart
(1988) paradigm, which consists of the following four action research cycle steps:
During the first semester of the school year 2022–2023, action research was carried out In accordance with the previously mentioned Kemmis and McTaggart
(1988) action research paradigm, this action research was carried out in the following four steps:
Based on the researcher's personal teaching experiences, it was found that seventh-grade students faced challenges in developing their writing skills In particular, students at Da Ton Junior High School demonstrated a reliance on mechanical thinking, utilizing conventional methods for organizing ideas and drafting their writing.
After listing as many ideas as they could, the primary issue was that they had no idea how to arrange them for their works, which resulted in a disorganized tangle of concepts that lacked consistency The second was that a lot of them had poor grammar and
36 vocabulary, which prevented them from developing their compositions Not to mention, a lack of motivation can make it difficult for pupils to improve their writing abilities Unappealing teaching methods and the intricacy of writing abilities were the main sources of distractions from writing studies As a result, the study was carried out to make amends and provide some recommendations through the use of written mind mapping
Before proceeding to the step of corrective action in the current classroom, the researcher finished all necessary preparations at this point She modified the survey questionnaire and informal interview questions, and developed lesson plans based on Tony Buzan's paradigm To help individuals get started with the new technique, she also created a few mind mapping activities, such as filling in the blanks on incomplete maps or explaining the relationship between items Furthermore, certain color pens and mind map samples are ready to give pupils precise instructions on how to make their own mind maps A thorough timetable for carrying out the actions is provided below:
Lesson 1 Introduction of the technique (some definitions, games to get started, mind map samples, instructions to help students construct their mind maps, small tasks to raise their interest in the technique)
Lesson 2 Topic: introducing about your hobby
Lesson 3 Topic: giving advice to avoid viruses
Topic: writing about your school community activities last summer
Lesson 5 Topic: writing a diary entry about your memorable tour
Lesson 6 Topic: writing the advantages of a mean of transport you’ve chosen
Topic: Giving your opinion about the advantages and disadvantage of mind mapping technique in writing
Table 1: The schedule of the action implementation
Seeking to enhance teaching methods at Da Ton Junior High School, a teacher proposed an action research project involving 50 students The principal, committed to improving English instruction, granted permission for the study The teacher's aim was to identify a novel approach to writing instruction at Da Ton Junior High School, subject to the validity of the research findings.
Data collection instruments
A survey questionnaire was one of the study's instruments This approach was selected due to its high degree of time, cost, and energy efficiency The model developed by Luchembe, Chinyama, and Jumbe for their 2014 study, "The Effect of Using Concept Mapping on Student's Attitude and Achievement When Learning the Physics Topic of Circular and Rotational Motion," served as the specific foundation for this survey This survey's questionnaire was chosen by the author for two reasons To start, the main focus of these two studies has been contrasting the effectiveness of mind mapping with conventional teaching methods Second, to find out how students felt about mind mapping, surveys and interviews were conducted To achieve the study's goals, the researcher, however, made a number of modifications and adjustments to the version that was utilized in this investigation Eight survey questions were designed to collect data on students' attitudes toward using mind mapping to organize ideas for their writings, how often they use it to do so, whether they feel anxious before an exam when
39 using it to organize ideas, how many topics they use mind mapping for, and how they relate new information to previously learned material
Vietnamese was the language used in the questionnaire's design to ensure that students could easily understand the content and provide answers to every question Students who had taken various writing classes and had the chance to experiment with mind mapping were asked to respond to a survey In this survey, closed questions were selected over open-ended ones in order to facilitate data quantification The survey questionnaire is divided into the following four sections:
PART A: Interest towards mind mapping
(1) (1) I now enjoy using mind maps to generate ideas for writing (using pencils, color pens, eraser, etc.)
(2) I am motivated to learn more about mind mapping as a result of my experience using it in writing
(1) I know how to put together a mind map
PART B: Anxiety in preparing the test
(1) I had no trouble getting ready for the test
(2) I felt comfortable writing the test
PART C: Using mind mapping to write a lot of topics
(1) I can use mind mapping when writing on a variety of subjects
(2) I wish to use mind mapping to teach many more things
PART D: Relating new information to the old
(1) In order to comprehend this issue, I connected fresh information to what I already understood
Six students were chosen at random to participate in interviews that were altered from the questionnaire version in order to get more unbiased viewpoints regarding
40 the use of mind mapping as a method for organizing ideas for their works, after five trial subjects had used the mind mapping approach Research information regarding the difficulties encountered by the students, their interest in using mind mapping as a tool to arrange ideas for their writing, the methods they use to make their mind maps, the benefits mind mapping has offered, and any recommendations they may have was acquired through the use of interviews The interviews were also done in Vietnamese in order to allow students to express themselves freely about the new method This instrument was chosen because it
"can engender a relaxing atmosphere where personal data can be revealed which might otherwise be withheld in a more formal setting" (Wallace, 1998, p.147)
To demonstrate students' eagerness to use mind maps for organizing ideas and writing, the author collected writing samples from them After using mind mapping for a period of time, students showed significant progress in their writing skills, further highlighting the effectiveness of mind mapping as a tool for brainstorming and composition.
On October 24th, 2022, respondents completed a nine-question questionnaire after completing six trial lessons using the mind mapping technique The questionnaires were completed in approximately 15 minutes and the results were processed on the same day.
Then, the informal interviews including four questions were carried out among the chosen students on October 24 th , 2022 It took the researcher all day to record needed information The result of the interview was then translated into English and recorded into a table (Appendix B) on December 25 th , 2022
For the student’s writing samples, the researcher and the teacher collected soon after they finished the writing lesson using mind mapping technique
The questionnaires were gathered and calculated manually after they were presented to the students The researcher exported five charts from Microsoft Word that described the pupils' attitudes toward the new technique All data were converted
41 to percentages, and additional information about the questions was recorded in a word file to make it easier for the researcher to examine
For the informal interviews, each of the six students was given four questions written in Vietnamese so that they could comprehend the subject of all the questions
For comprehensive evaluation, interviews were recorded utilizing both a high-quality camera and a smartphone to guarantee their fidelity Post-recording, the raw footage underwent English translation and meticulous documentation in Appendix B, enabling the researcher to thoroughly analyze the data.
This chapter addresses the challenges and contributing reasons to the problems faced by Da Ton Junior High School's seventh-grade students A brief introduction to Da Ton Junior High School, English teaching and learning, English teachers, English students, current teaching and learning resources, and time management will be given at the outset.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 Results of Survey questionnaire
Figure 1 - Interest towards mind mapping
Figure 1 - Interest towards mind mapping
The aforementioned image illustrates the same outcome in the first and second columns: students tended to be more interested in studying writing once this method was used to teach and learn it, and they enjoyed using mind mapping to generate ideas for writing In particular, while 7 out of 50 students disagreed with mind mapping because it takes time to create one, 64 percent of them (32 out of
Relating new information to the old
Interest towards mind mapping strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree
50) and 10 percent (5 strongly agree) said they felt more motivated to write during classes when they used color pens and their imagination to create writing skeletons Some reported that their writing classes got less stressful when given additional material, and they learned how to organize ideas into paragraphs by grouping them into a colorful framework It's obvious that motivated kids do better in class One of the most crucial factors that directly impacts a lesson's effectiveness is motivation Even when professors do their best to engage students, the lecture will soon become boring and tense, resulting to disruptions in the classroom Therefore, the first thing we should concentrate on is raising their learning drive if we want to improve their writing skills By bringing attention to the subject, color pens and color board makers can help children focus Lastly, using mind mapping to help pupils come up with writing ideas may increase their motivation.
Figure 2- Usage of mind mapping
Figure 2- Usage of mind mapping
Figure 2 shows that 90% of the students, or 45 out of 50, knew how to create a mind map for writing instruction Although five out of fifty students (10%) acknowledged that they struggled with sketching and dealing with creation-
M A P strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree
44 related topics, twenty-six out of thirty students said they were able to create a mind map during writing courses It could be assumed that they picked up the technique quite quickly because they were still at the age where they enjoyed learning new things When students had the opportunity to visualize their own visions, photos, or tree-shaped maps, which may aid in the expression of their own uniqueness, they demonstrated their interest in the assigned themes, according to the teachers' observations made during the mind mapping writing process In addition, students may organize their ideas after brainstorming with ease Actually, the purpose of the brainstorming stage is to allow students to jot down as many ideas related to the themes as they can; hence, after this stage, they might just have a disorganized list of ideas On the other hand, mind mapping can help people place their ideas in a more logical order, develop them from main ideas to auxiliary concepts, and move toward coherence In summary, creating a mind map is a useful tool that helps students connect what they have learned with the assigned themes It is also relatively simple to learn.
Figure 3- Anxiety in preparing the test
Figure 3 - Anxiety in preparing the test
Relating new information to the old
Anxiety in preparing the test strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree
Students were given a topic acting as a brief test on "Giving your opinion about the advantages and disadvantage of mind mapping technique in writing" after completing six lessons According to Figure 3, 68% of students (60 percent agree and 8% strongly agree) reported feeling more at ease when studying for the writing test, and 72% of students (64 percent agree and 8% strongly agree) reported feeling at ease during the actual writing test It may be a good indication because the majority of pupils who responded to the question, "Which skill will be your minor learning subject at your junior high school?" acknowledged that they were anxious about writing They had to overcome several obstacles, including a deficiency in vocabulary and grammar rules, difficulty organizing ideas logically following brainstorming, and insufficient time to do a writing task within the given time frame But using mind maps could assist people in resolving the most common problem with thought organizing Even though several of their writing samples were extremely short, simple, and rife with grammatical errors, the teacher nevertheless saw consistency in them They knew how to arrange their texts in a certain sequence, such chronological order or importance order, and how to start each section with a central notion that was encircled by major ideas and followed by supporting ones Taking an exam around bright, colorful materials could help students feel less stressed and more confident while creating their own images, pictures, or figures In addition, engaging in activities they enjoy boosts their confidence more than engaging in activities that frighten them
In conclusion, using mind mapping to write exams considerably lowers students' anxiety.
Figure 4 - Using mind mapping to write a lot of topics
Figure 4 - Using mind mapping to write a lot of topics
Students generally agree (Figure 4) that mind mapping may be used for a variety of writing tasks, and they would like to see a greater number of topics taught using mind mapping The fact that 76% of respondents (70 of whom strongly agree) support the idea of using technology to teach writing is also encouraging news for those educators According to numerous study publications, mind mapping is an impromptu pre-writing exercise that may be used to explore almost any subject, including character descriptions, phenomena debates, issue comparisons and contrasts, and more Thus, mind mapping can be used by students to address a range of issues.
Figure 5 - Relating new information to the old
Relating new information to the old
Using mind mapping to write a lot of topics. strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree
Relating new information to the old strongly disagree disagree neutral agree strongly agree
Figure 5 - Relating new information to the old
Mind mapping enhances students' ability to link new information to prior knowledge, as 64% of students agree By brainstorming and reorganizing ideas through mind mapping, students establish a logical framework for their writing This approach enables them to connect the assigned topic to their existing knowledge, making writing more convincing Particularly for writing in a foreign language, mind mapping serves as a valuable tool for students to establish connections between new and familiar concepts.
Results of informal interviews
According to data from six randomly selected students who participated in informal interviews, 83.3 percent of them (5 out of 6) felt that studying writing could benefit from using the mind mapping technique When asked if they were having trouble mastering the writing process, most of them said that the main problem was that they didn't know how to arrange their thoughts in an organized way for their works They often jotted down, without preparation, any possible idea they could think of using their personal experience with those specific themes Two of the kids said, "I can write very long paragraphs and I have many original ideas” I write everything that comes to me, pausing only to read what I've written and continue until I run out of things to write But I've seen that my compositions seem to be a mishmash, or even a mishmash of different word and structure combinations with no apparent connection."
Sometimes, utilizing a lot of commonly used Vietnamese terminology, the students would write in Vietnamese about what they understand about the subjects, which
48 they then translate into English and consider to be the perfect version "I think that good writing is full of long sentences with difficult structures," said another kid My writing improves as I use more atypical words and structures But I need a lot of time to finish a piece of writing." In addition, children's lack of confidence in their ability to write is caused by grammatical faults as well as a lack of vocabulary and writing frameworks "I am concerned about my writing ability because my writings are always riddled with grammar errors," said one of the students who was interviewed
If I am unable to steer clear of errors such as these, my writing abilities will not develop My teacher had covered my work in red ink crosses, so I was not happy when I got it One of the most important components of excellent writing, in my opinion, is grammar, so learning proper grammar usage should be my first step toward mastering this ability."
Five of the six students who responded to the question "Are you interested in using mind mapping strategy in learning writing skill?" said they were intrigued about the approach As several of the students said, "I find it very interesting when
I build up a writing topic using colors, papers, and my imagination," "I can draw anything I want as long as I have ideas and know how to connect them." One student offered an alternative perspective, saying, "Since I learned about this technique, I have felt less stressed in writing lessons." It has become more lively instead of being a boring talent with a lot of grammar rules and structures Additionally, I can generate and refine ideas into a whole draft, which is a more soothing process for me The creativity of my students' mind maps is so impressive; this method gives me the impression that we are real painters." "I think it takes time to create a mind map, from ideas for my mind map to ideas for writing topics," said the other In addition, I see that my classmates seem to focus too much on drawing and that the subject matter is not likely to be focused." Creating an engaging mind map may take some effort, but the most important thing a teacher needs to focus on is motivating their students Kids will feel confident in themselves and not be afraid to write when they create something on
49 their own Additionally, if students are concerned about the length of their writing assignments, they can select a simpler one
Students generally found mind mapping with pencil and colored pens easy and creative, but some expressed difficulty with drawing While a visually appealing map is not a necessity, it does require time and effort to create However, mind mapping offers benefits in idea generation and development compared to simply writing down thoughts A tree-shaped map is considered a practical format due to its simplicity and time-saving nature.
To help the researcher determine whether or not mind mapping is successful in teaching and learning writing, the most crucial question is "Has the use of mind mapping been a useful strategy to link between your background knowledge and the given topic?" Five of the six students who participated in the survey thought that this was an excellent approach to improve as writers The other students admitted that this practice helped them become better writers, but one student disagreed, stating that it was tough for someone who wasn't skilled at drawing and took a long time to complete "My biggest problem has been solved when I use mind mapping in my writing," said a student I have now arranged my ideas and provided specific examples to back up each of my main claims My writings are coherent and arranged in a particular order
A further instance comes from a pupil who said, "I understand that the most
50 important thing I have to do for writing skills is generating and developing ideas into a passage rather than combining sentences together using grammar rules, so
I do not pay too much attention to grammar anymore." "Since I discovered mind mapping, I haven't had to give up when I run out of ideas," stated one of them I make a list of every idea I have before I start writing, and I don't just write what
Mind mapping is an effective technique for writing as it allows for efficient organization of ideas This technique helps structure supporting thoughts after the main concept, preventing excessive writing and irrelevant content Additionally, mind mapping strengthens memory by associating new information with prior knowledge Furthermore, it facilitates the transition from skeletal structure to a draft, reducing the risk of forgetting crucial elements Despite differing opinions, mind mapping is generally regarded as a valuable tool for students in developing and refining their writing concepts.
Findings and discussion
The results of the study demonstrated that using the mind mapping technique had a positive impact on students' writing abilities, particularly in terms of the substance and structure of their compositions The study's findings were in good agreement with the early hypotheses regarding the value of mind mapping in aiding students in organizing their ideas for written assignments The researcher arrived at the conclusion that the application of mind mapping approach in the writing instruction and learning process may greatly enhance students' writing abilities since it could address a number of issues that students faced, including the following
First and foremost, the students' lack of enthusiasm is the biggest issue with writing lessons During the teacher's writing lesson, several pupils occasionally
51 showed signs of fatigue and disinterest by not paying attention to the instruction It's often acknowledged that teaching writing skills can be challenging at times due to their complexity, which could lead children to believe that learning to write is uninteresting Furthermore, unless students' writing is exceptionally competent, assigning them a topic and asking them to write using a list of vocabulary and grammar rules will not help them generate quality work But by adding color to their work, mind mapping can increase their motivation With the use of color pens, they may express their creativity as well as their unique ability to combine and arrange elements like lines, arrows, flowers, and pictures to create the most amazing work conceivable Additionally, it could be simpler to get their attention with colorful items than with linear notes
Mind mapping offers a solution for addressing vocabulary and grammar challenges Studies have shown its effectiveness in vocabulary recycling, allowing students to delve deeper into word families or terms with similar meanings By creating a mind map outline, students can expand their vocabulary by listing interconnected words or phrases related to specific themes, enhancing their writing skills and reducing the likelihood of writing errors.
Not to mention, mind mapping is a useful tool for resolving writing incoherence From her experience instructing, the teacher discovered that her pupils tended to write down every thought they had on the themes they were given without planning and without knowing how to structure their ideas to make their writings more coherent Put differently, a lot of students stopped at the brainstorming stage with a jumble of ideas and skipped the planning process Without considering the coherence of their writings, they might write as much as they could and stop whenever their ideas ran out They simply put unrelated ideas together to make as long writing as possible with the thought that writings’ length was directly proportional to their marks This is a mistaken way of thinking about what makes a good piece of writing, as there are many components that must come together, including clear language, focus, strong substance, and proper grammar As a result, coherence is seen to be mostly dependent on the connections between ideas Furthermore, mind mapping "enables the brain to use all pictures and its
52 association in radial design," which is its primary purpose
While mind mapping fosters organization, it can be time-consuming To mitigate this, use simple shapes like lines, arrows, or tree-like structures Prioritizing simplicity over aesthetics saves time Additionally, mind mapping does not address grammatical proficiency To enhance writing skills, students need a solid understanding of grammar rules and the ability to logically organize and develop ideas.
Additionally, the researcher and the teacher discovered that everything went smoothly when they used mind mapping to teach writing using Tony Buzan's technique Pupils focused solely on their group and individual assignments rather than going outside or chatting with friends When working in groups, they can help one another get past obstacles like a lack of vocabulary, ideas, or English language skills
In short, this chapter shows the results of surveys, questionnaire which were answered by the students The results of the study demonstrated that using the mind mapping technique had a positive impact on students' writing abilities, particularly in terms of the substance and structure of their compositions Besides, the researcher gives some opinion related to using mind mapping in teaching.
CONCLUSION…
Recapitulation
This study's primary goal was to determine whether or not mind mapping helps students generate better ideas and organize their work The purpose of the questionnaires and interviews in this action research project was to confirm the idea According to the study's findings, pupils who underwent mind mapping produced ideas of a higher caliber This result is consistent with Tony Buzan's previous research, which showed that using mind mapping as a planning tool can help students write better It is evident that pupils only have a lot of disorganized ideas without linkages or connections following the brainstorming period, and that linear notes are unable to depict the relationships between ideas Through the use of mind mapping's spatial layout, students can build an endless amount of ideas, links, and associations on any topic by improving their overview and making new connections more apparent.
Concluding remarks
Based on the findings from the research questionnaires, pupils appear to have a favorable opinion of the method The research's data presentation indicates that after students used mind mapping to write, their writing skills significantly improved Most of them concur that creating mind maps helps them come up with ideas for their writing, and that once they understand how to utilize mind mapping in writing, it inspires them to learn more about this technique Furthermore, they acknowledge that mind mapping is a relatively simple tool to use and that it helps them feel less anxious before writing tests Finally, students report that they can write about a wide range of topics using the method, and they would like to see mind mapping used to teach a lot more topics Additionally, by comprehending the subject, individuals are able to connect newly learned material to prior knowledge
Based on the findings of the researcher's informal interviews with the students, mind mapping is a humorous and engaging teaching approach that the students found enjoyable Most of them express interest in adopting this technique, despite the fact
Mind mapping, a brainstorming technique, enhances students' writing enthusiasm Studies have shown that it fosters a positive attitude towards writing and increases engagement This technique reduces the time spent on drawing, allowing students to focus on the writing process.
The majority of students are excited to use color pens to create handwritten writing utilizing mind mapping, and the process of teaching and learning writing using this method is progressing smoothly The majority of students appear to find the teaching and learning process delightful and joyful, based on the results of surveys and interviews Additionally, it can be demonstrated that the kids actively participate in answering some questions and using mind mapping to design their own handwriting Students at the Da Ton Junior High school can effectively use the mind mapping method when writing With their imagination, the pupils can create their own writing assignment
There is no same study in Da Ton Junior High School, so this study demonstrates the effects of using mind- mapping to enhance the 7 graders in writing.
Limitations during the study process
The researcher encountered student non-engagement during writing classes, including inattention and apathy To address this, the instructor implemented a strategy using mind maps and engaging games These activities aimed to illustrate relationships between concepts and facilitate student participation, thus enhancing their receptiveness to new methodologies.
Second, since not all of the students had experience with mind mapping before it was taught, the instructor had to provide some examples of mind maps so that the students could get a general understanding of how to make one In addition, a few pupils claimed that they were terrible at producing colorful objects or sketching pictures The instructor advises them to utilize mind maps in their most basic
55 forms, including lines, arrows, or tree-shaped maps, to address this
The teacher faced a significant challenge when it came to the kids' poor vocabulary and grammar Furthermore, a few of them could not translate their numerous Vietnamese-language thoughts about the assigned subjects into English For those who lacked both language proficiency and general knowledge of the subject, creating a mind map proved to be too challenging In order to address this, the teacher assigned group work rather than solo assignments, allowing the pupils to assist one another in developing their ideas The teacher also provided them with certain vocabulary and grammar rules that would enable them to expand the concepts into coherent paragraphs.
Suggestions
In light of the study's findings and the preceding analysis, the author would like to recommend the following:
Mind mapping offers a valuable teaching tool to foster student growth, particularly for those facing writing challenges Its engaging and inspiring nature encourages creativity, especially in visual expression By utilizing mind mapping, students experience increased enjoyment in learning and enhanced retention Educators should guide students towards dedicated software (e.g., Idraw Mind Map, Imindmap 8) to mitigate time constraints and maximize the benefits of this cognitive aid.
Always involve students in the teaching and learning process Both at home and in the school, they should be studying all the time Studying English doesn't have to make them nervous Students can demonstrate their creativity and recall of a subject by using mind maps It is appropriate to jog their recollections of the objects—people and animals in this case—that will be described in the descriptive text Always involve students in the teaching and learning process Both at home
By incorporating mind mapping into their learning, students can enhance their creativity and demonstrate their understanding of a subject Particularly in English classes, where memorization is often emphasized, mind mapping can be an effective tool It assists students in recalling and organizing information, such as the details of people or animals, to create compelling descriptive essays.
The study's findings should be supplemented by additional research for the benefit of future scholars Taking into consideration the limitations of this study, several recommendations are made for next studies
First off, as was previously said, just 50 pupils from Da Ton Junior High School served as the study's subjects In light of this, the study ought to be conducted more thoroughly in order to confirm the usefulness of mind mapping in communication Second, this study just verified that using mind mapping instead of the traditional method improved students' writing skills This means that different prewriting strategies, including clustering and concept mapping, might be used to repeat the study When it comes to creating plans, there might be more to consider The situation may be made further clearer with a comparative analysis of the effectiveness of different writing planning strategies
Subsequently, this study is restricted to asking students to compose paragraphs on a few simple subjects in order to assist them in acclimating to the new approach Therefore, in order to determine which kind(s) of writing would benefit most from the application of this planning technique, replications with various writing genres and subjects are required
To sum up, this study employed an action research methodology, applying the strategy in just five interactions Given the short treatment duration, it is likely that the data show no appreciable change between the two groups It is suggested that the study be replicated over an extended period of time It is also suggested that case studies of students' composition processes be carried out because learning to write takes time This will allow for more in-depth observation and study of how students convert the Mind Mapping into an organized and ordered piece of writing
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(1) Which ability will you study as a minor in high school?
Listening Speaking Reading Writing None
These are some statements that might express your feelings regarding mind mapping as a method of teaching writing You are required to provide a number between 1 and 5 to each statement that is provided The management of these figures is provided here
1 Strongly disagree; 2 Disagree; 3 Neutral; 4 Agree; 5 Strongly agree
(1) I now enjoy generating ideas in writing by drawing mind maps (using color pens, pencils, eraser,…)
(2) After learning how to use mind mapping in writing, I feel encouraged to study this skill
(1) I understand how to construct a mind map
PART B: Anxiety in preparing the test
(1) I felt comfortable preparing for the test
(2) I felt comfortable writing the test
PART C: Using mind mapping to write lots of topics
(1) I can use mind mapping when writing on a variety of subjects
(2) I wish to use mind mapping to teach many more things
PART D: Relating new information to the old
(1) In order to comprehend this issue, I connected fresh information to what I already understood
Appendix B: Questions for Informal Interview
Questions for Interview Interviewee Responses
Do you find the writing process tough to learn?
(Khi học tiếng Anh em có gặp khó khăn nào trong quá trình học môn viết luận tiếng Anh không?
Would you be interested in learning how to write by employing the mind mapping strategy?
(Em có cảm thấy thích thú khi sử dụng phương pháp bản đồ tư duy đối với kỹ năng viết luận không?
Do you get to know how to construct a mind map to deal with a writing topic?
(Em có hiểu được làm thế nào để tạo ra một sơ đồ tư duy khi giải quyết một chủ đề viết luận không?)
Has mind mapping helped you make connections between the topic at hand and your prior knowledge?
(Việc sử dụng sơ đồ tư duy có giúp em tạo ra sự kết nối kiến thức nền của em với chủ đề được giao?)
Subject: English Writing Lesson date: 12/9/2022
- To use mind mapping to determine how much the writing proficiency of Da Ton Junior High School pupils has improved during the 2022–2023 academic year
- To outline the mind mapping approach to writing instruction for pupils at Da Ton Junior High School during the 2022–2023 school year
2 Objects: 50 students learning at Da Ton Junior high school in the academic year
3 Teaching materials: A0 papers, color chalk, writing sample,…
Teacher’s activities Student’s activities Warm-up:
Activity 1: introducing about your hobby (10’)
- Divide the students into 6 groups
- Ask students to arrange the following words into suitable places to make a full map to introduce about your hobby
- Arrange the words into suitable places to make a full map to introduce their hobby
- Ask students to name some leisure activities and ask them “What is your hobby?” (1’)
- Activity 2: Rearrange the following clues to make a complete paragraph
- Name their leisure activities and ask them “What is you hobby?”
- Rearrange the following clues to make a complete paragraph
(a) (a) I always spend my free time for my leisure activities Playing video games is one of my hobbies I'm not at all addicted to the game, though I only engage in gaming after finishing my tasks League of
Legends stands out as my preferred gaming choice, demanding both strategic thinking and agile finger movements It's a shared experience with friends, where we form teams and engage in intense battles Through countless hours of gameplay, our bonds have grown stronger, fostering camaraderie and a sense of community.
(b) (b) I can forget about the demands of school when I play games I simply play for one hour a day in order to play a healthy game I agree; my parents are aware of my gaming objectives Dad got me a computer set for studying and playing games when I turned fifteen
(c) I like to play games but I also know the balance between playing time and studying If you can do that, the game is not bad
(d) In the future, I will share my hobbies to my new friends
- To assist the teacher in creating a mind map to introduce your pastime, carefully read the text and identify the primary theme of each paragraph
Activity 3: Students should be instructed to carefully read the passage above, identify each paragraph's major point, and write their response on the board (Drawing a mind map with colored chalk to explain your hobbies) (15’)
- Ask students to write a paragraph about the topic “introduce about your hobby.”
- Write a paragraph about the topic
- Gather the students' papers and assign homework as a kind of post-testing
-Homework: "Create a mental map and write a paragraph describing the school where you are enrolled in classes."
Do homework: “Create a mental map and write a paragraph describing the school where you are enrolled in classes."
ACTIVITY 1 PAPER: Arrange the following words into suitable places to make a full map to introduce about your hobby
Activity 2: Rearrange the following clues to make a complete paragraph (4’)
(a) I always spend my free time for my leisure activities Playing video games is one of my hobbies I'm not at all addicted to the game, though I only engage in gaming after finishing my tasks League of Legends is the game I play most frequently Playing this game takes a high level of thinking and dexterous finger movement With my friends, I play games all the time We divide ourselves into teams and engage in combat We get closer as we play the game
(b) I can forget about the demands of school when I play games I simply play for one hour a day in order to play a healthy game I agree; my parents are aware of my gaming objectives Dad got me a computer set for studying and playing games when I turned fifteen
(c) I like to play games but I also know the balance between playing time and studying If you can do that, the game is not bad
(d) In the future, I will share my hobbies to my new friends