Difficulties in learning computer-related vocabulary of students of computer science at Yen Bai teachers' training college and some solutions khó khăn trong vi20150227

iii ABSTRACT In learning a foreign language in general, and English in particular, the knowledge and mastery of vocabulary play an important role Without vocabulary, it is difficult to convey anything In order to use language suitably in real context, students should acquire an adequate number of words and should know how to use them accurately However, teaching and learning vocabulary efficiently is a problem to every teacher and student Vocabulary- learning difficulty is an issue that needs a lot of discussion The aims of this study are to identify the difficulties in learning vocabulary of students of computer at Yenbai Teachers’ training college and to find out possible solutions to the found difficulties in order to help students learn computer- related vocabulary in effective way The study was undertaken among all teachers and 3rd year students of computer at Yenbai teachers’ training college Statistical analysis revealed that most of students are coping with various difficulties in learning vocabulary, i.e the lack of specialized knowledge with numerous terms, complicated structures and countless expressions, the lack of various teaching technique, the lack of teaching aids and reference materials Some solutions are suggested to deal with these problems including encouraging students to develop their self- studying in order to become active learners, improving learning vocabulary interest and motivation, improving specialized knoledge for ESP teachers and students, improving teachers’ activities in teaching vocabulary and equiping teaching facilities The result of the study can be some help to students who learn Information Technology at Yenbai Teachers’ Training College iv TABLE CONTENT Candidate’s statement i Acknowledgements ii Abstract iii Table of contents iv List of abbreviations vii List of tables viii PART A: INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale Aims of the study Research questions Scope of the study Methods of the study Significance of the study Design of the study PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Definition of vocabulary 1.2 Classification of vocabulary 1.3 The importance of vocabulary in language learning 1.4 Factor affecting learners in learning vocabulary 1.5 English for Specific Purposes 1.5.1 Definition of ESP v 1.5.2 Teaching and learning ESP vocabulary 1.5.2.1 Selecting vocabulary 1.5.2.2 Presenting vocabulary 1.5.2.3 Practising and consolidating vocabulary 1.6 Terminology 1.6.1 Definition of terminology 1.6.2 Characteristics of terminology 1.6.2.1 Accurate 1.6.2.2 Systematic 1.6.2.3 International 1.6.3 Computing terminology 1.6.3.1 Single terms 1.6.3.2 Compound terms 10 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 11 2.1 Context of the study 11 2.2 The subjects of the study 12 2.3 Data collection instrument 13 2.3.1 Questionaires 13 2.3.2 Observation 13 2.3.3 Data collection procedures 13 CHAPTER 3: DATA ANALYSIS, MAJOR FINDINGS, SOLUTIONS 14 3.1 Data analysis 14 3.1.1 The teachers’ questionnaires 14 3.1.1.1 The teachers’ attitude towards vocabulary& vocabulary teaching 14 3.1.1.2 The teachers’ techniques to teach computer- related vocabulary 15 vi 3.1.1.3 The teachers’ difficulties in teaching computer- related vocabulary 17 3.1.1.4 The teachers’ attitudes towards vocabulary in present coursebook 17 3.1.1.5 Teaching equipment and materials 18 3.1.2 The students’ questionnaires 18 3.1.2.1.The students’ background 18 3.1.2.2.The students’attitude towards the importance…… 19 3.1.2.3 The students’ ways of learning computer- related vocabulary 20 3.1.2.4 The students’ difficulties in learning computer-related vocabulary 25 3.1.3 The result of the coursebook observation with reference to vocabulary 26 3.2 Major findings 27 3.2.1 Lack of necessary GE knowledge 27 3.2.2 ESP vocabulary pronunciation, meaning, use and memorisation 28 3.2.3 Inappropriate materials 28 3.2.4 Lack of effective strategies for learning ESP vocabulary 28 3.2.5 Difficulties in teaching ESP 29 3.2.6 Lack of learner autonomy 29 3.3 Suggested solutions 30 3.3.1 Enhancing the necessary GE 30 3.3.2 Encouraging the development of effective vocabulary learning 30 3.3.2.1.Guiding students with different vocabulary learning strategies 30 3.3.2.2 Encouraging students to develop their self- study skills 32 3.3.2.3 Improving students’ learning vocabulary interest and motivation 32 3.3.3 Assigning and checking students’ fulfiment of homework 33 3.3.4 Developing effective ESP vocabulary 33 3.3.5 Improving specialized knowledge knowledge for ESP 36 vii 3.3.6 Equiping teaching facilities 36 PART C: CONCLUSIONS 37 Summary of the study 37 Limitations of the study 38 Suggestions for further study 38 REFERENCES APPENDICES APPENDIX APPENDIX viii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ELT: English Language Teaching ESP: English for Specific Purposes YTTC: Yenbai Teachers’ Training College GE : General English ESP: English for specific purpose ix LIST OF TABLES & FIGURES Table The importance of vocabulary teaching 14 Table Purposes of teaching computer- related vocabulary 14 Table Teachers’ techniques in presenting new words 15 Table Teachers’ frequency of practice techniques 16 Table Teachers’ frequency of consolidation activities 16 Table Teachers’ difficulties in teaching computer- related vocabulary 17 Table Teachers’ attitudes towards the vocabulary in the coursebook 17 Table Students’ attitude towards the importance ………… 19 Table Students’ purposes of learning computer-related vocabulary 20 Table 10 What students when meeting new words 20 Table 11 Students’ frequency of learning new words at home 21 Table 12 Students’ favourite way of new lexical item explanation 21 Table 13 Students’ strategies in learning computer-related vocabulary 22 Table 14 Students’ involvement in class activities 23 Table 15 Practice exercises were most prefered by students 24 Table 16 Students’ activities for consolidating new words 25 Table 17 Students’ difficulties in learning computer-related vocabulary 26 Figure 18 PART A: INTRODUCTION Rationale In recent years, many teachers of English at training institutions have been required to teach English to students from various fields such as engineering, information science, medicine, accountancy, etc to enable them to cope with their academic work This type of education is called English for Specific Purposes ( ESP ) Since it was introduced, teaching and learning English for Specific Purposes ( ESP ) has become one of the most prominent features of the English language teaching process In teaching English for Specific Purposes, every one agrees that the scope of specialized vocabulary is a primary goal As Robinson (1991:4) stated the central role of vocabulary as carrier content in ESP: “It may often be thought that a characteristic, or even a critical feature, of ESP is that a course should involve specialist language (especially terminology) and content.” However, teaching and learning ESP, particularly teaching and learning vocabulary has still been far from satisfactory Being a teacher of English at Yenbai teachers’ training college (YTTC), I myself realize a number of problems that the teachers and students encounter in teaching and learning computer- related vocabulary For all these reasons, I would like to conduct a research to find out the difficulties in learning computer- related vocabulary to third-year students of computer science at Yenbai Teachers’ Training College and give some solutions to improve the teaching and learning of computer- related vocabulary there Aims of the study The study is aimed at: Giving better understanding of vocabulary and ESP vocabulary, terminology and computing terminology, ESP vocabulary teaching and learning; finding out difficulties that students at YTTC are facing in learning computer- related vocabulary; giving some solutions to overcome the difficulties Research questions The research is carried out with an attempt to find out the answers to the following questions: 1 What are the major difficulties encountered by students of computer science in the learning computer- related vocabulary at YTTC? What are the solutions for better learning computer- related vocabulary to students of computer science at YTTC? Scope of the study The study limited itself to the area investigation of difficulties in learning computerrelated vocabulary of students of computer science at YTTC The solutions are also provided to help to improve teaching and learning English in general, teaching and learning computer- related vocabulary in particular at YTTC Method of the study The major method used in the study is the quantitative one That is all comments, considerations, suggestions given in the thesis are based on the analysis of the statistics from the survey questionnaires conducted with the teachers and students at YTTC The results from the survey questionnaires are combined with course book assessment at YTTC Significance of the study This study emphasizes the need for finding out the difficulties in learning computerrelated vocabulary and solutions to improve the teaching and learning ESP vocabulary in general and computer- related vocabulary in particular Design of the study The thesis is organized into three parts: Part A: Introduction :This part presents the rationale, aims, research questions, scope as well as methods and significance of the study Part B: Development :This part is divided into three chapters Chapter 1: Literature review This chapter deals with the theoretical background for the study The focus of this chapter is vocabulary and ESP vocabulary, some important aspects of vocabulary learning and teaching; terminology and computing terminology Chapter 2: Methodology It provides some necessary information about the context of the study, research questions, subjects of the study, data collection instruments and data collection procedure Chapter 3: Data analysis, major findings and some suggested solutions In this chapter, the data will be analyzed and the findings will reveal the difficulties in learning computer- realted vocabulary to students at YTTC as well as some solutions to improve the teaching and learning of computer- related vocabulary will be given Part C: Conclusion This part summarizes the findings, refers to some limitations of the study, and offers suggestions for further study ... find out the difficulties in learning computer- related vocabulary to third-year students of computer science at Yenbai Teachers’ Training College and give some solutions to improve the teaching... terminology, ESP vocabulary teaching and learning; finding out difficulties that students at YTTC are facing in learning computer- related vocabulary; giving some solutions to overcome the difficulties. .. in learning computerrelated vocabulary of students of computer science at YTTC The solutions are also provided to help to improve teaching and learning English in general, teaching and learning