Improving young learners’ retention of english vocabulary through multiple intelligences approach

ABSTRACT This study is conducted with the purpose to find out the effects of using activities based on Multiple Intelligence Theory in helping young learners to improve their retention o

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST – GRADUATE STUDIES

- -

HOÀNG THỊ THU HỒNG

IMPROVING YOUNG LEARNERS’ RETENTION

OF ENGLISH VOCABULARY THROUGH MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES APPROACH (Cải thiện việc ghi nhớ từ vựng của trẻ em thông qua thuyết đa trí tuệ)

M.A MINOR THESIS (Type I)

Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST – GRADUATE STUDIES

- -

HOÀNG THỊ THU HỒNG

IMPROVING YOUNG LEARNERS’ RETENTION

OF ENGLISH VOCABULARY THROUGH MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES APPROACH (Cải thiện việc ghi nhớ từ vựng của trẻ em thông qua thuyết đa trí tuệ)

M.A MINOR THESIS (Type I)

Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01

Supervisor: Prof Hoàng Văn Vân

retention and use of M.A Graduation Thesis deposited in the library

Hanoi, July 2019

Signature

Hoang Thi Thu Hong

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This thesis would not be fulfilled without the help of some people, and in some ways, I would like to thank everyone who has taught me, inspired me, and supported me throughout the realization of this thesis

I would like to express my deepest gratitude towards my supervisor, Prof Dr Hoàng Văn Vân, for his whole-hearted assistance, encouragement as well as his profound guidance he gave me while I was implementing my research He consistently allowed this paper to be my own work, but steered me in the right direction whenever he thought I needed it

I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to all lecturers in Faculty of Post-graduate Studies, University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi for their interesting lectures which have inspired me to conduct this thesis

I would also like to express my thanks to the teachers of English in my working place for their willingness to participate in the research Without their passionate participation and input, the validation survey could not have been successfully conducted

Last but not least, I must express my very profound gratitude to my parents and to my boyfriend for providing me with unfailing support and continuous encouragement throughout my years of study and through the process of researching and writing this thesis This accomplishment would not have been possible without them

Thank you

Hanoi, July 2019 Signature

Hoang Thi Thu Hong

ABSTRACT

This study is conducted with the purpose to find out the effects of using activities based on Multiple Intelligence Theory in helping young learners to improve their retention of English vocabulary It is both a quantitative study and a qualitative study In the study, the class was divided into three main groups of students according to their levels All of the groups were pre-tested at the beginning

of the study by using a vocabulary test and doing the survey to classify dominant bits of intelligence Throughout the learning process in class for two months, the teacher observed and prepared the learning and teaching activities accordingly All students in the class were post-tested at the end of the intervention For the detailed outcome, the data was collected and analyzed carefully The results of the study suggest that Multiple Intelligence Theory based activities have a significant effect

on the retention of young learners‟ English vocabulary

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES

Figure 2.3 - Learners‟ characteristics according to aged group 15

Figure 3.2 - Action Research Model (Source: Susman, 1983) 24

Figure 4.1 - Intelligences of students 35

Figure 4.1a - Descriptive statistics of pre-test scores of average students 38

Figure 4.1b - Descriptive statistics of post-test scores of average students 38

Figure 4.1c - Frequency of pre-test scores of average students 38

Figure 4.2a - Descriptive statistics of pre-test scores of pretty good students 40

Figure 4.2b - Descriptive statistics of pre-test scores of pretty good students 40

Figure 4.2c - Frequency of pre-test scores of pretty Good students 41

Figure 4.2d - Frequency of pre-test scores of pretty good students 41

Figure 4.3a - Descriptive statistics of pre-test scores of good students 42

Figure 4.3b - Descriptive statistics of post-test scores of good students 42

Figure 4.3c - Frequency of pre-test scores of good students 42

Figure 4.4a - Descriptive statistics of pre-test and post-test scores 43

Figure 4.4b - Frequency of pre-test scores 44

Figure 4.4c - Frequency of post-test scores 45

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii

ABSTRACT iii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS iv

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES v

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Statement of the Problem and Rationale for the Study 1

1.2 Aims of the Study 3

1.3 Scope of the Study 3

1.4 Methodology of the study 4

1.5 Significance of the Study 4

1.6 Design of the Thesis 5

1.7 Summary 5

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 6

2.1 Vocabulary retention and techniques to improve students‟ vocabulary retention 6

2.2 Multiple Intelligence Theory and the role of Multiple Intelligence Theory in supporting students‟ achievement 9

2.3 The appropriateness of Multiple Intelligence Theory to young learners‟ characteristics 15

2.4 The review of previous studies on the effectiveness of MI theory for enhancement of learners‟ vocabulary retention 19

2.5 Summary 21

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY 22

3.1 Setting 22

3.2 Research Design 23

3.3 Participants 28

3.4 Data Collection 29

3.5 Data Collection Instruments 31

3.6 Data Analysis Method 33

3.7 Summary 34

CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 35

4.1 Findings 35

4.1.1 Activities based on Multiple Intelligence Approach contribute positively to young learners‟ scores 36

4.1.2 Activities based on Multiple Intelligence Theory help young learners improve their retention of English vocabulary 46

4.2 Discussion 50

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 52

5.1 Summary of the Findings and Discussion 52

5.2 Limitations and Suggestions for Further Studies 53

5.3 Conclusion 54

REFERENCES 55 APPENDICES I

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

In this chapter, the researcher will set the introduction of the study, including: the statement of the problem and the rationale for the study, the aims, the scope, the significance, the methodology of the study, and the design of the thesis

1.1 Statement of the Problem and Rationale for the Study

Globalization is a catch-all term that refers to any activity that involves more than one country, for example, travel from one country to another, even need a

common language Thanks to this situation, English has become a lingua franca, a

global language generally used for communication between the speakers whose native languages are different from each other As a result, learning English is essentially crucial At the same time, vocabulary learning plays an important part in learning English Although learners may acquire English grammar, they seem to lack fluency due to the absence of vocabulary knowledge

It is noted that mastering a language is a matter of grasping its vocabulary or words For this reason, promoting vocabulary growth has been a major concern of educators in the area of second language acquisition My learning experience has told me that to make a word permanent, this word can be met several times (from five to seven times) My learning experience has shown me that if I do not put my learned words into practice, these words can fade away This shows us that learning vocabulary is not an easy task, it is much more sophisticated than it seems to be Clearly, learning a new language and its outcome can depend on different factors from objective to subjective ones

The matter is, nowadays, the age of learning new languages is cut down; it means that young learners have chances to access to English very early Young learners seem to be unfamiliar with dictionaries or blackboards With most of the kids (especially preschool and primary school learners), they cannot sit on a chair to practice writing new words various times, or read books to find new words They, different individuals, are gifted with strengths and weaknesses in different areas

Any individuals can develop any intelligences to a reasonably high level with their particular environments, stimulation, and encouragement They can learn new things through multifarious ways Thus, conventional techniques used for learning vocabulary as the traditional way is not useful as it was

Vocabulary learning is flexible and vocabulary teaching can be diverse too In traditional teaching methods, words are written on blackboards with their mother tongue meanings, and students are encouraged to pronounce words lots of time This method has been used widely in some educational areas Foreign language instruction in some public schools in Vietnam has still involved in memorization of vocabulary, and written grammar patterns exercises Teachers, partly, still play the centered roles, whereas students are in passive roles They are asked to read the course books or textbooks and look up the new words beforehand For the time being, communicative strategies are very limited, and students tend to forget the words in a short period of time

To escape from that traditional concept, and figure out how each individual

intelligence works in various fields and contexts, in “Frames of Mind” (1983),

Howard Gardner, a professor of education at Harvard University, stated: “Surely in focusing on the educational process, we are considering a domain of utmost importance in all cultures, as well as an optimal area in which to observe the intelligences at work.” In that sense, Multiple Intelligence Theory may provide a good framework to use in ensuring good teaching practices and improved outcomes for young learners

Multiple Intelligence Theory by Howard Gardner has brought many implications for teaching and learning a foreign language It is a learner-centered theory that emphasized on the abilities-intelligence in each individual In terms of teaching English in general, it provides a lot of teaching strategies that can be implemented in the classroom For that reason, in vocabulary teaching for young learners, teachers can apply activities for different intelligences of the students,

especially for young learners These activities can help the students to learn and remember the vocabulary easily in spite of their young age

In a nutshell, the theory of Howard Gardner can provide a framework to support students‟ English vocabulary retention It is believed that the retention of vocabulary learning can be easier when suitable activities are adapted based on students‟ intelligences

1.2 Aims of the Study

Traditional teaching methods in general and, in particular, teaching vocabulary tend to treat students as a homogeneous group Teachers have tendencies to present the same in-class exercises and activities to all learners and expect the same outcome Sometimes, students do not show their interest in studying such new things in such mentioned stable old ways Using Howard Gardner (1983)‟s Multiple Intelligence Theory can be a good model for vocabulary teaching when it has various implications for educators in terms of classroom instructions

This action research is conducted with the aim of discovering whether students can improve their retention of English vocabulary through Multiple Intelligences Approach Specifically, the study will try to answer the following question whose result will be used for later discussion:

- To what extent do activities based on Multiple Intelligence Approach contribute to young learners‟ retention of English Vocabulary?

1.3 Scope of the Study

The study includes the teacher‟s speech and performance because the teacher plays an important role in giving instructions and guiding students to join in activities in the class Moreover, the teacher‟s interaction with young learners is also an essential key for students to improve learning and retention of vocabulary

In addition, there would be much inadequate if young learners‟ products and performance are not included The researcher has to measure students‟ development

in learning vocabularies through their individual intelligence in order to figure out the most suitable activity to maximize learners‟ performance

As a study on groups of students at an English center in Hanoi city, the conclusion of the study may not be valid to be generalized for application to any other contexts It may be useful to serve as an intensive source of information to refer to or to provide a hypothesis for further studies

1.4 Methodology of the study

Both quantitative and qualitative methods were used to achieve the aims stated The data collected for the study is analyzed from the results of pre-test and post-test as well as teacher‟s observation sheets

Pre-test and post-test which have been examined to have an equivalent difficulty level, are used to test students‟ vocabulary before and after the project The pre-test is delivered to students before the intervention and the post-test is used

to collect the scores and then compare to the scores of the pre-test

The qualitative research method through teacher‟s observation sheet is used to measure how activities based on Multiple Intelligence Theory contribute to young students‟ vocabulary retention

1.5 Significance of the Study

In fact, Multiple Intelligence Theory was generally applied in English teaching and learning, and there has been a wide range of studies about the implications of this theory However, there were a few studies about its effects on achievement and retention of English vocabulary

The findings of the thesis may serve as useful information not only for the researcher, involved students but also for all language teachers In particular, the study is conducted to enable young learners in search of their passion for learning vocabulary and then enhance their retention of English vocabulary Therefore, the results of this study may be generalized to apply for students at the same levels It is also hoped that the thesis will make contributions to the achievement in English learning of young learners in the private center Besides, this study may also bring new insights into language teaching when recommendations for other research are

stated with the hope of taking the most advantages of the using Multiple Intelligence Theory as a model for vocabulary teaching

1.6 Design of the Thesis

The study consists of five chapters as follows:

Chapter 1: Introduction – includes the rationale, aims, scope, significance and

methodology of the study

Chapter 2: Literature review – presents literature related to the study including

Multiple Intelligence Theory, the definition of vocabulary, teaching English vocabulary to young learners, and research on Multiple Intelligence Theory and adaptation in teaching vocabulary for young learners

Chapter 3: Methodology – presents the setting, the background of participants as

well as data collection instruments and procedures for carrying on the research including pre-post-test and students‟ self-assessment paper at the end of the intervention

Chapter 4: Findings and Discussion – reports the main findings obtained from the

data collection and discusses the prominent aspects

Chapter 5: Conclusion – summarizes the main research points, points out the

limitation of the study and makes suggestions for further studies

1.7 Summary

The focus of this chapter has been on introduction of the research It has clearly provided an overview of the study in terms of the statement of the problem and the rationale, the aims, the scope, the significance, the methodology of the study, and the design of the thesis

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter is intended to present the background theory underlying the issue, including the definition and the relevant knowledge around core concepts, followed

by a review of related studies in the same field

2.1 Vocabulary retention and techniques to improve students’ vocabulary retention

2.1.1 Definition of Vocabulary

It is believed that human being‟s language is based on vocabulary Vocabulary

is the most important element in learning well a foreign language since it helps us express our feelings, ideas, and emotions to others Vocabulary can be the creator‟s vehicle for bringing the world into existence

Different linguists hold different concepts about vocabulary, and it is defined

in discrepant ways by different researchers In Advanced Learners‟ Dictionary of Current English (1990), the vocabulary is: (1) all the words that a person knows or

uses, (2) all the words in a particular language, (3) the words that people use when they are talking, and (4) a list of words with their meanings, especially in a book for learning a foreign language

Nation (1990) stated that: “Learners‟ vocabulary is divides into two groups, active and passive.” Active vocabulary is the one that learners could use in speaking and writing skill; whereas, passive vocabulary is the words that learners can recognize in listening and reading skills

In addition, Penny Ur (1996) defined vocabulary as the words that we teach in

a foreign language She also made a statement that “a new item of vocabulary may

be more than a single word: for example, post office, and mother-in-law, which are made up of two or three words but express a single idea.”

According to Hiebert and Kamil (2005), vocabulary consists of two types: oral vocabulary and print vocabulary “Oral vocabulary is the set of words for which we

know the meanings when we speak or read orally Print vocabulary consists of those words for which the meaning is known when we write or read silently”

In short, vocabulary is the focus of language It is all the words that exist in a language It allows us to communicate with each other in all skills (reading, listening, speaking and writing) Vocabulary has a vital role in the process of language learning, but it is, generally, ignored so language learning becomes too difficult because of the lack of vocabulary knowledge

2.1.2 Vocabulary retention and strategies to improve students’ vocabulary retention

According to Nation (2005), vocabulary learning is a vital process for the successful acquisition of language It involves not only students‟ knowledge of word definitions, but their attention to different aspects of a word as collocation, synonym, and pronunciation as well The truth is vocabulary learning is important, but both vocabulary learning and vocabulary retention are the two matters of difficulty They even get more challenging for foreign language learners In language teaching, retention of which has been taught could possibly depend on the quality of teaching, the use of diverse strategies, or, more importantly, the interest

of the learners

In Advanced Learners‟ Dictionary of Current English (1990), the word

„retention‟ refers to the ability to continue having something from a considerable

time elapse, for example, weeks or months, or even longer Thus, vocabulary retention could be interpreted as a situation when learners can retain newly learned words and use them appropriately Furthermore, Schemitt (1997) stated that vocabulary retention refers to the techniques that learners utilize in order to obtain, store, retrieve and use the information

In fact, the general concept of using strategies or techniques to boost vocabulary learning is not new The concern for discovering effective ways to foster vocabulary retention is, prominently, the role of both vocabulary teaching and

learning There is a wide range of strategies focused on enhancing vocabulary retention

O‟Malley (1985) reported that repetition was the most commonly used strategy among learners He added that repetition could activate cognition and it helped to facilitate target language learning

On the other hand, Schemitt (1997) emphasized some other strategies such as 'highlighting' important ideas or new vocabularies which are often so simple for students to take them for granted

Moreover, Oxford's (2003) comprehensive classification for improving vocabulary retention focused on direct and indirect strategies She figured out that the direct strategies necessitated the mental processing of the language They comprised memory, cognitive and compensation strategies The indirect strategies supported and managed language learning without directly involving the target language They fostered the business of language learning and included metacognitive, affective and social strategies

Later, Nation (2004) regarded memory strategies as the most effective to improve students‟ vocabulary retention The aims of memory strategies were to engage learners in storing and retrieving new pieces of information easier In line with Nation, Nemati (2009) also focused on memory strategies and their effects on long-term retention Additionally, in another article, Nemati (2013) investigated the impact of vocabulary learning strategies on both short-term and long-term retention

of vocabulary items The outcome revealed that memory strategies could enhance long-term retention of vocabulary items significantly Using synonyms and short contexts is able to significantly enhance the retention of learners‟ vocabulary in terms of short and long period

In short, in order to help language learners to enhance vocabulary retention, there are various vocabulary learning strategies, and their effectiveness resides in the fact that all of them require learners to be active in their learning process

Generally, among a variety of vocabulary retention strategies, most language teachers have experienced the ones adapted for some students in one class with a little use for the rest ofthe students in the same learning environment The aroused issue is that a variation in leaning should focus on individual differences The multiple intelligences approach will be discussed more in detail later

2.2 Multiple Intelligence Theory and the role of Multiple Intelligence Theory

in supporting students’ achievement

In modern life, in order to assess the intelligence of children, I.Q ('intelligence quotient') testing is known as the most prominent form of intelligent testing However, IQ tests seem to be one of those post-modern phenomena that continually develop and change They may assess the logical thinking skills and memory, but they cannot assess individuals‟ interpersonal skills or creativity Therefore, someone who scores below average on an IQ test may still have exceptional creative abilities that IQ tests overlook

Basing on some limitations of IQ testing, with the reason to develop and fulfill the concept of general intelligence factor, a theory developed and published by Howard Gardner commonly referred to as Multiple Intelligences Theory came into being Howard Gardner, essentially, embarked on a pursuit to see through and describe the construct of intelligence Spending decades to study developmental and cognitive psychology, Howard Gardner, in some research, claimed that all human beings possess not just a single intelligence According to Gardner (1999a),

“intelligence is much more than I.Q because a high I.Q in the absence of productivity does not equate to intelligence.”

2.2.1 Multiple Intelligence Theory

2.2.1.1 Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences

In his Multiple Intelligence Theory, Howard Gardner proposes eight types of intelligences: (1) linguistic intelligence, (2) logical-mathematical intelligence, (3) bodily-kinesthetic intelligence, (4) musical intelligence, (5) interpersonal

intelligence, (6) intrapersonal intelligence, (7) spatial/visual intelligence, and (8) naturalist intelligence

1 Linguistic Intelligence

Linguistic intelligence is the type of intelligence that deals with words, spoken

or written Practically, linguistic intelligence is the extent to which people can use languages both verbal and nonverbal languages Those with linguistic intelligence can learn foreign languages easily because they have high verbal memory and they can understand or manipulate both syntax and structures at the same time

2 Logical-mathematical Intelligence

Logical-mathematical is one of several Multiple Intelligences People with logical-mathematical intelligence process information through logic, abstraction, reasoning, and numbers It is often assumed that those who with this intelligence

do well with quantitative methods Their mind is sophisticated and functions like

a computer

3 Bodily Kinesthetic Intelligence

One of the six basic Multiple Intelligences, bodily-kinesthetic intelligence is a special concept that many children possess and display It also refers to a keen awareness of prominent changes in the body balance In theory, people who have bodily kinesthetic intelligence should learn better by involving muscular movement

At times, they might not be studious and academically intelligent; nevertheless, they can excel in many other areas They seem to be very active, keep acting and cannot sit in one position

In addition, people with musical intelligence will assist in learning They, sometimes, use songs or rhythms to learn and memorize information

5 Interpersonal Intelligence

This intelligence has to do with interaction with others, and people with this kind of intelligence thrive with social interaction They tend to be extrovert and make friends easily They work well with others and have a lot of friends They are masters at collaboration and have the ability to cooperate in order to work as part of a group They communicate effectively and show their empathy with others, and may be either leaders or followers

6 Intrapersonal Intelligence

Intrapersonal intelligence has to do with introspective and self-reflective capacities Those who with this kind of intelligence are typically intuitive and introverted They are skillful at deciphering, coding, and looking inward and figuring out their own feelings, motivations, and goals They have a deep understanding of others from their strengths or weaknesses, even what makes others unique They can predict their own reactions or emotions

7 Spatial/Visual Intelligence

This intelligence has to do with visualizing things A person who has spatial intelligence has sensitivity with form, color, shape, space, and line The ability to solve the problems related to the notion of space such as using a map to locate a place in a city or drawing a floor plan are examples of spatial intelligence With spatial intelligence, individuals can become future architects, navigators, painters, sculptors, and graphic artists

8 Naturalist Intelligence

This kind of intelligence has to do with the natural world by classifying, recognizing and categorizing species found in nature like plants, animals, and minerals Individuals with naturalist intelligence can be able to distinguish the

species that are harmful or beneficial for humans They show tendencies to go out and discover new things in nature rather than be indoors

2.2.1.2 Defining an intelligence

In order to classify eight bits of intelligence above, in his book, “Frames of Mind” (1983), Gardner set up certain tests of criteria to help us decide which intelligence each learner has He identified basic signs that each intelligence could exhibit to be considered an intelligence

- An intelligence has been isolated through brain damage:

When people suffer accidents of illnesses and specific areas of the brain are affected, one intelligence is often damaged too For example, if a person has a lesion in Broca‟s area (left frontal lobe), linguistic intelligence may be greatly damaged However, the person might still be able to do math, dance, or sing For that reason, Gardner is actually proposing the existence of seven autonomous brain systems

- Exceptional individuals

Gardner suggested that single intelligence in certain individuals could operate

at high levels Savants are people who demonstrate amazing abilities in one intelligence while other intelligences at the expense of the full functioning of the others Some intelligences can exist in each individual, for example, they can calculate multi numbers in their head or play a musical instrument after hearing once

- Developmental History

It is suggested by Gardner that each intelligence has its own developmental trajectory – the time of arising in childhood, peaking to be adults, or gradually declining as ones get older For instance, musical intelligence peaks quite early, but linguistic intelligence can peak very late We can best see the intelligences working

at our zenith with our full intelligences in the lives of truly exceptional individuals

- Evolutionary History

Multiple Intelligence Theory has a historical context Each intelligence has roots in the evolutionary history of human beings For example, Naturalist and Body kinesthetic intelligence were probably valued when the American lived in rural areas They lived close to the nature, hunted, harvested grain, and built barns

- Psychometric History

Most theory of intelligence has its standardized measures of human ability to ascertain the validity of a model Wechsler Intelligence Scale for children includes sub-tests that focus on several of the different intelligences For example, arithmetic ability is used to figure Mathematical intelligence

- Psychological Tasks

We can look at psychological studies to see intelligences working in isolation from one another For example, individuals can master a specific skill such as an arithmetic problem, but they may still not be able to read fluently

- Core operations

Each person maintains a set of core operations that can drive its various activities For example, in musical intelligence, individuals need to be able to discriminate rhythmic structures and be sensitive to pitch

- Symbol System

Gardner states that each of the seven intelligences has its own unique symbol

or notational systems The ability to symbolize is one of the most important factors that help to separate humans from other species There are spoken and written languages, graphic language, computer language, musical notation systems, and ideographic language

In general, Garner's Multiple Intelligence Theory says that each of us has some certain intelligences among the eight types mentioned above However, equivalent to each individual there will be some special types of intelligence that

dominate the rest ones People can define the intelligence that we have according to the certain tests of criteria

2.2.2 The role of Multiple Intelligence Theory in supporting students’ achievement

Through decades, Multiple Intelligence Theory and its effect have been widely studied Many scholars have shown their concerns about this theory since its birth Even, the theory‟s father stated that “I was amazed at how many individuals claimed that they wanted to revise their educational practices in the light of MI theory.” “Frames of Mind” (1983) Schools‟ widespread use of Multiple Intelligence Theory as a learning and teaching model, across many different disciplines, produces quite a variety of successful results Many schools have sought to structure curricula according to the intelligences and to design classrooms

to reflect the understandings that Howard Gardner develops

The effect of the Multiple Intelligence Theory on the academic achievement examined in the context of a multi-complementary approach Erdir (2005) presented Multiple Intelligence Theory was stated to have positive effects on academic achievement in comparison with traditional methods in terms of teaching grade, subject area, teaching period, intelligence area and general characteristics

Furthermore, the impact of learning activities based on the Multiple Intelligence Theory on the success of first stage primary school students in English lessons was explored by Temel (2008) The learning activities based on the Multiple Intelligence Theory were used in the treatment groups while traditional learning methods were used in the control groups and proved to be helpful in the English achievement of the students

Moreover, Geimer et al (2000) conducted a study using Multiple based activities to improve student‟s achievement in Language Arts in three phases: from the grammar phase, reading comprehension phase, and spelling results Students had chances to access to Multiple Intelligence-based activities and traditional language teaching methods They were given a Multiple Intelligences

Intelligence-assessment and exposed to a variety of lessons following a Multiple Intelligences format The lessons were taught using a variety of subjects and intelligences The showed results recorded that the results were more successful when compared to traditional teaching ones

In addition, the effects of using Multiple Intelligence Theory were depicted in Karadeniz (2006) The ninth-grade students in Anatolian high school were taught with Multiple Intelligence Theory-based instruction There were two groups: the experimental group and the control group The former, which was taught through Multiple Intelligence-based instructions, was more successful in achievement and retention of learned knowledge in English lesson

As all mentioned above, the approach of using multiple intelligences has played the important role in the improvement of students‟ achievement

2.3 The appropriateness of Multiple Intelligence Theory to young learners’ characteristics

2.3.1 Young learners’ characteristics

We all know that learners are one of the key determinants in the teaching and learning process They affect directly the success of a lesson Therefore, teachers need to know clearly who learners are, what the learners‟ language learning needs, language competences, as well as the cognitive skills, are

Understanding learners‟ characteristics according to their age or grade level helps teachers apply appropriate methods in teaching The following table shows the characteristics of different aged groups

Figure 2.3 Learners‟ characteristics according to aged group

* No reading & writing

(may recognize letters

or short words)

Skills Used :

* Listening & SpeakingVocabulary Items(concrete & familiarand new objects)

* New in Reading andWriting (word tosentence level)

* No GrammarTeaching ormetalanguage(chunks throughsongs and classroom

language)

Used :

* Listening/ Speaking/ Reading/ Writing

* Vocabulary Items(concrete & abstract)

* Short memory: Learn

slowly Forget easily

* Repetition and

revision is necessary

* Limited motor skills

(using a pen and

scissors) but

kinesthetic and

Characteristics:

* Low concentration span: Wide variety of activities needed

* Short memory:

frequent revision is needed

Characteristics:

* Longer attention span but still children

* Taking learning seriously

* World knowledge

* More cooperation in groups and in pairs

* Developed social, motor

and intellectual skills

* Learning strategies are used and developing

* Limited motor skills (left-right)

* Reasonable amount

of input

(Adapted from Ersöz, 2007)

These days, as English becomes more and more accepted as an international language, interest in teaching English to Young Learners has become a trend nowadays As be shown above, young learners are different from teenagers or adults (older learners) Thus, teaching young learners is probably not like teaching adults because children have their own way of learning They are keen on playing and having fun so that the learning and teaching process should be suited to the nature of the children themselves The teacher must create the process of English learning for young learners as interesting, exciting and challenging as possible Young learners have a good memory and respond to something fast They are active, charm and easy to imitate because childhood is considered as the playing period With the term "learning style", we may realize that it is used to describe how

a child learns Some young learners like learning by playing and doing some activities actively and naturally, some prefer to learn best visually while another learns best through movement Therefore, as a teacher or parent has a rule on how

to teach English to young learners by using various techniques interestingly such as songs, games, stories, pictures or real objects

English learning for young learners aims to their future, in order that they can speak English communicatively The main purpose to teach English for young learners is to make them master some vocabularies as many as possible and they have no difficulty in learning English for the future

2.3.2 The appropriateness of Multiple Intelligence Theory to young learners’

characteristics

Teaching vocabulary is preferred at the first step to teach for young learners The teachers need to use some interesting techniques to achieve the objectives of the study and to attract the students in the teaching-learning process

Traditionally, in teaching vocabulary, educators have adapted various teaching methods for young learners such as The Grammar Translation Method, The Direct method, The Audio-lingual Method, Communicative Language Teaching (CLT), or Post-methods In many schools or English centers, young students gain their knowledge through interesting activities such as games, stories Nevertheless, those teaching methods are applied in general for the whole group of students, and do not focus on any individuals

The fact is each student learns in different ways Some students learn best through words, other students do well through visual support such as pictures and photos, and some learn well through music, while others learn best by moving In this sense, the new thinking system based on theory such as Multiple Intelligence Theory has brought new dimensions to teaching young learners It could be a much better way to understand the individuality of how kids learn

Howard Garner (1993) stated that each person has unique and distinct intelligence profiles that are shaped by different biological and environmental factors They are a blend of intelligences namely linguistic, mathematical/logical, spatial, bodily kinesthetic, musical, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalist intelligence Moreover, Armstrong (2004) said that Multiple Intelligence Theory

“opens

the door to a wide range of teaching strategies” It is one of the teaching approaches which is more enjoyable and easier to be received by the students, especially young learners This approach tries to accommodate the need of the students in learning English based on their intelligences

As mentioned above, each individual has his or her own intelligence profiles, teachers should present information and allow kids to show what they have learned

in various ways, or through diverse activities It is expected that this new approach

is appropriate with young learners‟ characteristics In this case, the teacher is not only as a mere language teacher but they have to be facilitators, observers, and lesson designers as well.

2.4 The review of previous studies on the effectiveness of MI theory for enhancement of learners’ vocabulary retention

In terms of retention of foreign vocabulary, a myriad of research has been conducted based on Multiple Intelligences Approach founded by Howard Gardner Researchers have attempted to explore the relationship between MI theory and learners‟ vocabulary retention

Firstly, the thesis carried out by Anderson (1998) was outstanding He studied the improvement of retention in foreign language vocabulary In this study, there was an experiment for increasing retention of foreign language vocabulary by using Multiple Intelligence Theory and Memory Enhancement Tools Multiple Intelligence Theory was preferred to focus all the intelligences of the students It indicated that using Multiple Intelligence skills in the learning and retention of vocabulary can be a helpful tool Students from each intelligence can learn when the activities are applied to him/her

Furthermore, the study on the effects of Multiple Intelligence Theory in teaching English vocabulary was carried out by Sefanur, A (2009) Traditional vocabulary teaching techniques and vocabulary teaching techniques based on Multiple Intelligence Theory are compared in the study It is a quantitative study which utilizes quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design Here, there was an Experimental Group and a Control Group, and both of them were pre-tested

at the beginning of the study by using a vocabulary test Multiple Intelligence Inventory was also applied to Experimental Group to identify their dominant intelligences and prepare classroom activities accordingly In the Experimental Group, the lesson was taught through activities based on Multiple Intelligence Theory and in the Control Group the lesson was taught by using traditional teaching methods Both two groups were post-tested at the end of the study Furthermore, in

order to determine the long-term retention, the vocabulary test was applied again two weeks after the study The results of the study suggest that Multiple Intelligence Theory based activities have a significant effect on achievement and retention of students‟ English vocabulary

Moreover, Orensteinné (2013) conducted a program with the aim of to use Multiple Intelligence Theory to facilitate vocabulary acquisition and retention in EFL primary classes in Hungary In three weeks, 60 students participated in the study Students were randomly assigned to an experimental group taught through the ideas based on Gardner‟s Multiple Intelligences theory in order to acquire vocabulary, and a control group received traditional teaching methods on vocabulary The data were collected through a Multiple Intelligences Profile questionnaire on both the teacher‟s and the students‟ multiple intelligence strengths and weaknesses, a vocabulary pre-test, an immediate vocabulary post-test and a delayed vocabulary test The result of the study showed that students taught through Multiple Intelligences-based methods demonstrated more success in vocabulary acquisition and retention, than those who were exposed to traditional methods Additionally, Farahani and Kalkhoran (2014) investigated the relationship between Iranian EFL learners‟ MI and incidental vocabulary learning The results indicated the significant relationship between Iranian EFL learners‟ MI and their incidental vocabulary, especially with naturalist intelligence

More recently, in TESOL Conference, 2015, Dr Yen Tran and Ms Hanh Le presented a study on Multiple Intelligence Theory and EFL Learners‟ Word Retention The study aims at examining the effect of MI based lessons on EFL learner‟s word retention Before intervening program, a general English test, a vocabulary level test and an MI test were delivered in order to determine the participants‟ English proficiency, vocabulary level and intelligences It was found that there is a positive correlation between English proficiency and word retention The results of the vocabulary test at the end of the experiment showed that MI based

lessons can help the participants improve their ability to retain word spelling and

meaning

In general, there is quite a mixed variety of the recent application of Multiple

Intelligence Theory Although each was conducted at different levels of learners

and educational background, it is time to note that using Multiple Intelligence

Theory-based activities can be helpful in improving the learners‟ retention of

vocabulary

2.5 Summary

The literature review of the present study was clearly presented The

theoretical framework underlying the issue includes the relevant knowledge around

core concepts of vocabulary retention and the strategies to improve vocabulary

retention, Multiple Intelligence approach and its appropriateness to young learners‟

characteristics, followed by a review of a variety of related studies

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY

To address the research question and achieve the aims, this study was conducted with the participation of 29 students in an English Center in Hanoi Details of the setting, the participants, the instruments, the procedures of data collection and method of data analysis will be stated in this chapter

3.1 Setting

The center is the place for all primary students in all primary schools in Hanoi city to come and join in Students follow different curricula of learning English in class They can learn from different types of English materials or course books

However, in this center, young learners are supposed to follow Family and Friends textbooks Family and Friends series are divided into 6 main levels from Family

and Friends 1 to Family and Friends 6

In the 2018-2019 academic year, the researcher has taken charge of one class

with 4th graders (in equivalent with Family and Friends 4) Family and Friends 4

contains 15 units with 15 different topics With the content of the provided curriculum, students have one academic year (9 months) to fulfill this book There are two semesters in one academic year In each semester, the teacher will cover 7 units, and the last unit will be released for self-studying At the end of the academic year, students are supposed to take the achievement test to evaluate whether they are qualified enough to move on the next level or not There are two big tests (Final

1st term test and final 2nd term test) designed for this book and followed by many progress tests (summative tests, vocabulary tests, and grammar tests) After each unit, students have to take the vocabulary test

After observing in the first semester, the researcher realizes that young learners are getting some troubles with vocabulary Right after the unit, they can remember most of the words; however, after moving on two or three next units, students can recall some of the previous words only

With the above setting, the researcher expects to intervene with a new approach to see whether young learners‟ English vocabulary retention can be improved as expected

3.2 Research Design

Action research design was selected in this study According to Mettetal (2001), Classroom Action Research is a research designed to assist teachers in figuring out what is happening in his or her classroom, and then make use of that information to make changes for the future The selection of action research may have a significant contribution to improving students‟ performance and even suggest open-ended outcomes Moreover, action research can promote “teachers' growth as an empowered professional”, “teachers' confidence in their teaching ability”, and their “problem-solving skills as well” (Briscoe and Wells, 2002: 429)

In particular, when being engaged in action research, teachers can be more aware of the gaps between their beliefs and practices and of what their pupils are thinking, feeling, and learning

An action research was applied to this current study with the teacher as the researcher Action research is a suitable chosen research method for the study for some reasons First, learning and teaching English vocabulary and improving students‟ English vocabulary retention have noticeably concerned both educational people and students Moreover, besides many other teaching methods, the new sight

of Multiple Intelligence Theory can be a useful approach for meeting the expectation to what extent Second, action research is often carried out both outside the classroom and inside the classroom Hence, that is very suitable for the current setting of the study Third, action research is aimed at changing things as well as suggest a reference source for other research From the findings of the effects of using activities based on Multiple Intelligence Theory on young learners‟ retention

of English vocabulary, some constructive suggestions will be given so that teachers can facilitate students‟ English vocabulary learning

The below diagram illustrates the action research model

Figure 3.2 Action Research Model (Source: Susman, 1983)

3.2.1 Diagnosing

In light of the model, the study started when the researcher realizes that there

is a need to improve young students‟ retention of English vocabulary The new approach – using activities based on Multiple Intelligence Theory should be used

In other words, step 1 was implemented to figure out the problem The demand for

a new approach in order to help students recall English vocabulary better was identified and then investigated

3.2.2 Action planning

In this step, the researcher did a literature search before beginning the action research The literature review allowed the researcher to strengthen the validity of the research by giving the theoretical framework, and comparing the findings in others research with future findings

After having a quite clear literature review, the researcher refined the question for the research Participants of the study were the 4th graders in a center where the researcher works and the material is Family and Friends 4

3.2.3 Taking action

Firstly, in order to measure students‟ vocabulary level prior to the treatment, young learners took the pre-test within 15 minutes (APPENDIX 3) The teacher marked the pre-test, classified the scores into three different levels of students and kept the result for later usage

After that, the researcher delivered the survey (APPENDIX 2) to record the usual scores that students usually got and what the strategies that students usually used to improve their results The noted usual scores given by students play an important role for teacher to evaluate level of students in class

With the purpose to focus on developing individuals with a new approach, the scores survey was followed by the Multiple Intelligence survey (APPENDIX 1) Students did the survey to find out their intelligences The teacher took four dominant intelligences into consideration to direct the teaching activities With the basic data, the researcher conducted the intervention after that

The intervening program lasted 8 weeks (2 months) The teacher based on the classified dominant intelligences to make a suitable lesson plan (APPENDIX 5) for

teaching vocabulary in targeted units (Unit 8, 9, 10 in Family and Friends 4 – class

book) The researcher followed the basic content of each lesson (words and reading), and tried to fulfill all the tasks in the class book However, in this program, in order to improve the young learners‟ retention of English vocabulary, the lesson plans put the premium on students‟ intelligences with preferable activities to help students remember as much as possible right in the class The detailed plan and activities under Multiple Intelligence Theory, as well as steps of the in-class lessons are mentioned below

a The lesson plans with activities under the approach using multiple intelligences

The lesson plan is regarded as an essential vitamin for the teacher According

to Rinvolucri (1996), it is a mental structure or the map teachers need initially to help them through the landscape Students can know what their teacher has in store for them

In fact, in his work, Harmer (2002) mentioned that planning a lesson can be visualized in different ways to achieve the goals In this action research, with the purposes to deliver the lesson by a new approach – Multiple Intelligences Approach, the lesson plans were prepared carefully and focused on learning activities based on individuals‟ intelligences Through the learners‟ characteristics according to their aged group presented in Figure 2.3, the researcher figures out the characteristics of the young learners in the targeted class Moreover, in Figure 2.4, some vocabulary teaching activities for multiple intelligences were mentioned to be the suggestion for the teacher to design the appropriate activities to achieve the objectives of the research For example, for those who obsess musical intelligence, they are able to sing, and play musical instruments Besides, they can compose music Thus, the teacher allowed students to listen to narrative that uses the new word, repeated afterwards and even sang the songs containing new words

It is importantly noted here is that, in the lesson plan, all the sections were inserted with learning activities related to intelligences, especially four dominant bits of intelligence Specifically, a wide range of activities was adapted, for instance:

- listening and repeating (Musical intelligence) (Unit 8, lesson 1)

- role-playing (Bodily intelligence) (Unit 8, lesson 1)

- composing (Linguistic intelligence) (Unit 8, lesson 1)

- using pictures (Visual intelligence) (Unit 9, lesson 1)

- chain game (Linguistic intelligence) (Unit 9, lesson 1)

- guessing words (Linguistic Intelligence) (Unit 9, lesson 1)

- singing (Musical intelligence) (Unit 9, lesson 5)

- whispering game (Unit 10, lesson 1)

- presenting (Linguistic intelligence) (Unit 10, lesson 5)

Moreover, some other activities that did not belong to dominant intelligences

were also used such as: group working (Interpersonal intelligence) (Unit 10, lesson 5), and silently reading (Intrapersonal intelligence) (Unit 8, lesson 5)

b Procedures of the in-class lessons

In order to help young learners to recall English vocabulary, all the in-class lessons contained the great effort of the researcher

At the first step, the teacher tried to activate young learners‟ intelligences via various types of the warm up activities at the beginning of all the lessons For example, in Unit 9, lesson 1 (APPENDIX 5), visual intelligence and linguistic intelligence were awakened Teacher raised colorful flashcards or pictures (to awaken visual intelligence) to attract students Students were supposed to speak out the words when they saw the flashcards Furthermore, with those words, the teacher let young learners play the guessing word game (to awaken linguistic intelligence) After that, the new lesson was leaded in, with the maintained basic content as in the class book

In the consolidation section, the teacher always inserted composing activities (composing a story, writing the sentences) Because of the notion that single word reflects nothing, these activities allowed students to use the vocabulary in meaningful context

During the researching period of time, the lessons plans were made and updated accordingly with the daily observation Right after young learners finished all three units, the researcher delivered post-test (APPENDIX 3) to evaluate students‟ achievement They were supposed to do the test well after they got access

to a new approach – learning through activities based on their dominant intelligences

3.2.4 Evaluating

The results were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively in step 4

About the quantitative data, the analysis was carried out right after 29 young learners did the post-test at the end of the project Students‟ scores of the two tests – pre-test and post-test were categorized and then analyzed with the support of certain tools The results of both pre-test and post-test were analyzed to figure out to what extent the activities based on Multiple Intelligence Theory contribute to learners‟ results The researcher took a close look at the descriptive statistics among three different levels of young learners to see which group made better progress

With qualitative data, the researcher based on the observational data to make comment on students‟ progress during and after the intervening program The researcher focused on the students‟ improvement in terms of three main aspects: spelling retention, pronunciation retention, and meaning retention

3.2.5 Specifying learning

Finally, in step 5, the study was summed up, how using activities based on

Multiple Intelligences Theory helps to improve young learners‟ intention of English vocabulary was stated Moreover, the findings were compared with the previous studies to make the further implementation

3.3 Participants

3.3.1 Students

The study is carried out through 2 months in the second semester of the school year 2018-2019 with the young learners in an English Center in Hanoi City, Vietnam

29 students, aged 9-10, are selected as the targeted population of the research These students come from different schools in Hanoi Among these students, some are quick on the uptake, and they make rapid progress However, there are some others who are not After a teaching period of time, the researcher can classify young learners into three main groups based on their studying levels: Average students, Pretty Good students, and Good students

The reasons for the mentioned population selection are their characteristics which are best suitable for the research‟s purposes These characteristics are presented as follows Firstly, vocabulary scores in the previous semester were relatively slow The research realizes that there is a need to help students to improve the situation Moreover, they all follow the same syllabus and teaching materials in the course For those reasons, the demand for supporting intervene is undeniably necessary

3.3.2 Teachers

Two teachers were interviewed to compare the two tests (pre-and post-tests) in general in terms of content, the number of items and the level of difficulty Both of them are teachers at the chosen English center and are well-acquainted with the tests

as test takers before being interviewed

In addition to the piloting of pre-and post-tests to a group of students before the project to ensure both tests are parallel, the tests were piloted to two teachers with the aim of intensifying the validity and reliability of both tests Although they participate in the study indirectly, their role is relatively crucial to achieve the final results

3.4 Data Collection

In this research, both qualitative and quantitative approaches are employed There are two research instruments: pre- and post - tests and teacher‟s observation The former instrument measure learners‟ vocabulary The latter is used to see how learners‟ reaction to the new approach

3.4.1 Pre- and post-tests

The researcher used pre-test and post-test to measure the retention of young learners Pre-test was the scale to help teacher to figure out the level of students‟ vocabulary before the intervention The researcher could directly base on the result

of the test to observe the progress of students After the intervention, post-test might play a crucial role to measure young learners‟ retention of vocabulary Obviously, if

students gained higher mark, it would prove the better progress because the test was

focused on different aspects of vocabulary

Theoretically, a pre- and post-test design requires that the researcher collects data about participants‟ level of performance before the intervention takes place, and that the researcher collects the same data after the intervention takes place The pre- and post-test design allows researchers to make inferences on the effect of the intervention by looking at the differences between the pre- and post-test results For this reason, the study‟s design of pre- and post-tests will be based on the following steps:

The students are delivered the two tests (one at the beginning of the project and one at the end of the project) The two tests are pre-tested and checked carefully

by two teachers before being delivered to all learners

Complete the words

Write the words

Match the words with their definitions

Number of the

items of each

section

Complete the words Write the words

Match the words with their definitions

3.4.2 Teacher’s observation

pre-test intervention post-test