an investigation into english high school teachers beliefs and practices about teaching vocabulary learning strategies in can duoc district

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY NGUYEN PHUONG THAO AN INVESTIGATION INTO ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS' BELIEFS AND PRACTICES ABOUT TEACHING VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES IN CAN DUOC DISTRICT MASTER OF ARTS IN TESOL Ho Chi Minh City, 2019 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY NGUYEN PHUONG THAO AN INVESTIGATION INTO ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS' BELIEFS AND PRACTICES ABOUT TEACHING VOCABULARY LEARNING STRATEGIES IN CAN DUOC DISTRICT Major: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Code: 60 14 01 11 MASTER OF ARTS IN TESOL Supervisor: Nguyen Thuy Nga (PhD.) Ho Chi Minh City, 2019 i STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I certify that this thesis which entitled “An Investigation into English High School Teachers' Beliefs and Practices about Teaching Vocabulary Learning Strategies in Can Duoc District” is my work Except where reference is made in the text of the thesis, this paper does not contain material published elsewhere or extracted on whole or in part from a thesis by which I have qualified for or been awarded another degree or diploma No other person’s work has been used without acknowledgement in the main text of the thesis The thesis has not been submitted for any degree in any other tertiary institution Ho Chi Minh, September 2019 NGUYEN PHUONG THAO ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would never have been able to finish this thesis if I had not been helped and supported by so many people I would love to express my greatest gratitude to them here Firstly, my greatest appreciation goes to my beloved family for their greatest encouragement, as well as for their financial and spiritual support They have always been willing to listen to my concerns about all the hardships that I came across during my studying They always raise me up whenever I fall I would never have achieved such a worthy reward without them Secondly, I am so proud to express my gratitude to my supervisor Dr Nguyen Thuy Nga who has guided me through the procedures of conducting my research Not only did she give helpful guidance towards my accomplishments, but she also paved me the way for the solutions to all the problems that I have encountered My sincere gratitude is also extended to the proposal committee members They kindly shed light on how to make improvements on my research by giving me valuable comments and feedback on my thesis proposal I am thankful to all lecturers at English Department, Open University for fulfilling and broadening my knowledge during the time I studied there I’m also grateful to all my classmates in class TESOL 10 at Open University who spent years with me helping and supporting me to get through the Master course Last but not least, I would like to thank all of my colleagues, principal, viceprincipals at Can Duoc high school for adjusting the timetable, which provided so much convenience for me to pursuit my studying iii ABSTRACT This research discovered favorite vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) among EFL high school teachers in Can Duoc district in terms of their beliefs and teaching practices and investigated the relationship between teachers’ beliefs and their instructional practices The participants included 35 in-service teachers teaching at high schools in Can Duoc district By using a questionnaire including closed-ended and open-ended questions, the researcher applied both quantitative and qualitative methods to carry out the research In terms of teachers’ beliefs in the usefulness of VLS, the results showed that the teachers were highly aware of numerous strategies as illustrated in their high favorite level In their teaching practices, the respondents frequently applied most of strategies that they considered useful in teaching process Nonetheless, some small gaps between awareness and practices of the respondents were till displayed In summary, although there still existed some slight negative correlations due to some contextual influence, the findings revealed that there was a remarkable positive correlation between teachers’ practices and beliefs The findings also implied that: (1) universities should have more courses on teaching VLS for preservice and in-service teachers; (2) teachers should take part in more courses to improve their teaching; (3) learners should be more aware of the importance of vocabulary and vocabulary learning strategies; (4) school administrators should engage more in educational activities to figure out the problems of teaching and learning vocabulary as well as vocabulary learning strategies to find out the effective solutions for these problems In addition, further researches on the same issue should include more instruments of collecting data such as interview and observation to ensure what the respondents reported in the questionnaire and interview corresponded with what they practised in classroom iv Table of Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii LIST OF FIGURES viii LIST OF TABLES ix ABBREVIATIONS x CHAPTER INTRODUCTION .1 1.1 Background and Rationale of the study 1.2 Statement of the problem 1.3 Objectives of the study 1.4 Research questions 1.5 Significance of the study 1.6 Scope of the study 1.7 Thesis organization CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Definitions of Language Learning Strategies (LLS) 2.2 Vocabulary in second language acquisition .10 2.2.1 The significance of Vocabulary Learning 10 2.2.2 Knowing a Vocabulary Item 11 2.2.3 Existing vocabulary teaching strategies .13 2.3 Vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) 14 2.3.1 Some definitions of vocabulary learning strategies .14 2.3.2 Classification of VLS 15 2.3.3 VLS training 23 2.4 Teachers’ beliefs and classroom practices 25 2.4.1 Definition of teachers’ beliefs 25 2.4.2 Definition of classroom practices 26 v 2.4.3 The interrelationship between Teachers’ Beliefs and Classroom Practices 26 2.5 Previous studies on teachers’ beliefs and pedagogical practices on VLS 29 2.5.1 The consistency between teachers’ beliefs and classroom practices 29 2.5.2 The inconsistency between teachers’ beliefs and practices 32 2.5.3 The summary for the studies included in the literature review 33 2.6 Research gap 35 2.7 Conceptual framework of the study 35 2.8 Summary of the chapter .36 CHAPTER 37 METHODOLOGY 37 3.1 Research setting .37 3.2 Participants 37 3.3 Research instrument .37 3.3.1 Questionnaire as a Tool for Collecting Data 37 3.3.2 The rationale for designing the Questionnaire 39 3.4 Research procedures .42 3.4.1 Translating the questionnaire into Vietnamese 43 3.4.2 Piloting the questionnaire 43 3.4.3 Administering the questionnaire 44 3.5 Data analysis 45 3.6 Validity and Reliability 46 3.6.1 Validity .46 3.6.2 Reliability 46 3.7 Chapter summary 47 CHAPTER 48 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION .48 4.1 Participants’ background 48 vi 4.2 The answer to research question .49 4.2.1 Self-Reported VLS based on teachers’ beliefs .49 4.2.2 Descriptive statistics on vocabulary learning strategies based on Teachers’ Beliefs 51 4.2.3 Conclusion .57 4.3 The answer to research question .57 4.4 The answer to research question .63 4.4.1 Correlation interpretation from quantitative survey on Teachers’ Beliefs and Instructional Practices 63 4.4.2 Self-Reported VLS based on teachers’ practices 67 4.4.3 Conclusion .67 4.5 Discussion .68 4.5.1 Teachers’ beliefs in VLS based on personal experience .68 4.5.2 Teachers’ practices on VLS in their pedagogical practices 70 4.5.3 The relationship between Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices of VLS 71 4.6 Summary of Chapter 72 CHAPTER 73 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS 73 5.1 Conclusion of the study 73 5.2 Implications of the study .74 5.2.1 For universities and colleges 74 5.2.2 For language teachers 75 5.2.3 For school administrators and educationalists 75 5.3 Recommendations for future research 76 5.4 Summary of chapter 76 REFERENCES 77 APPENDIX 88 APPENDIX .88 APPENDIX .91 vii APPENDIX .100 APPENDIX 109 APPENDIX 120 APPENDIX 126 viii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 Elements and processes in language teacher cognition (Borg, 2006)………………………………………………………………….…28 Figure 2.2 Conceptual Framework ……………………………………… … 36 131 CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= SOC_A3 SOC_B3 /PRINT=TWOTAIL NO SIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations SOC_A3 SOC_A3 Pearson Correlation SOC_B3 Sig (2-tailed) N SOC_B3 Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) N 825** 000 35 35 825** 000 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= SOC_A4 SOC_B4 /PRINT=TWOTAIL NO SIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] 132 Correlations SOC_A4 SOC_A4 Pearson Correlation SOC_B4 Sig (2-tailed) 000 N SOC_B4 935** Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) 35 35 935** 000 N 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MEM_A1 MEM_B1 /PRINT=TWOTAIL N OSIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations MEM_A1 MEM_A1 Pearson Correlation MEM_B1 Sig (2-tailed) N MEM_B1 Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) N 802** 000 35 35 802** 000 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MEM_A2 MEM_B2 /PRINT=TWOTAIL N OSIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations 133 [DataSet1] Correlations MEM_A2 MEM_A2 Pearson Correlation MEM_B2 Sig (2-tailed) 000 N MEM_B2 901** Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) 35 35 901** 000 N 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MEM_A3 MEM_B3 /PRINT=TWOTAIL N OSIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations MEM_A3 MEM_A3 Pearson Correlation MEM_B3 Sig (2-tailed) N MEM_B3 Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) N 912** 000 35 35 912** 000 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MEM_A4 MEM_B4 /PRINT=TWOTAIL N OSIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE 134 Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations MEM_A4 MEM_A4 Pearson Correlation MEM_B4 Sig (2-tailed) 000 N MEM_B4 685** Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) 35 35 685** 000 N 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MEM_A5 MEM_B5 /PRINT=TWOTAIL N OSIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations MEM_A5 MEM_A5 Pearson Correlation MEM_B5 Sig (2-tailed) N MEM_B5 Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) N ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) .878** 000 35 35 878** 000 35 35 135 CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MEM_A6 MEM_B6 /PRINT=TWOTAIL N OSIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations MEM_A6 MEM_A6 Pearson Correlation MEM_B6 Sig (2-tailed) N MEM_B6 Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) N 918** 000 35 35 918** 000 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MEM_A7 MEM_B7 /PRINT=TWOTAIL N OSIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] 136 Correlations MEM_A7 MEM_A7 Pearson Correlation MEM_B7 Sig (2-tailed) 000 N MEM_B7 907** Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) 35 35 907** 000 N 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MEM_A8 MEM_B8 /PRINT=TWOTAIL N OSIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations MEM_A8 MEM_A8 Pearson Correlation MEM_B8 Sig (2-tailed) N MEM_B8 Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) N 829** 000 35 35 829** 000 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MEM_A9 MEM_B9 /PRINT=TWOTAIL N OSIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations 137 [DataSet1] Correlations MEM_A9 MEM_A9 Pearson Correlation MEM_B9 868** Sig (2-tailed) 000 N MEM_B9 Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) 35 35 868** 000 N 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MEM_A10 MEM_B10 /PRINT=TWOTAIL NOSIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations MEM_A10 MEM_A10 Pearson Correlation MEM_B10 Sig (2-tailed) N MEM_B10 Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) N 887** 000 35 35 887** 000 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MEM_A11 MEM_B11 /PRINT=TWOTAIL NOSIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE 138 Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations MEM_A11 MEM_A11 Pearson Correlation MEM_B11 Sig (2-tailed) 000 N MEM_B11 914** Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) 35 35 914** 000 N 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MEM_A12 MEM_B12 /PRINT=TWOTAIL NOSIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations MEM_A12 MEM_A12 Pearson Correlation MEM_B12 Sig (2-tailed) N MEM_B12 Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) N ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) .938** 000 35 35 938** 000 35 35 139 CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MEM_A13 MEM_B13 /PRINT=TWOTAIL NOSIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations MEM_A13 MEM_A13 Pearson Correlation MEM_B13 Sig (2-tailed) N MEM_B13 Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) N 712** 000 35 35 712** 000 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MEM_A14 MEM_B14 /PRINT=TWOTAIL NOSIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] 140 Correlations MEM_A14 MEM_A14 Pearson Correlation MEM_B14 948** Sig (2-tailed) 000 N MEM_B14 Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) 35 35 948** 000 N 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= COG_A1 COG_B1 /PRINT=TWOTAIL NO SIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations COG_A1 COG_A1 Pearson Correlation COG_B1 Sig (2-tailed) N COG_B1 Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) N 945** 000 35 35 945** 000 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= COG_A2 COG_B2 /PRINT=TWOTAIL NO SIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations 141 [DataSet1] Correlations COG_A2 COG_A2 Pearson Correlation COG_B2 Sig (2-tailed) 000 N COG_B2 939** Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) 35 35 939** 000 N 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= COG_A3 COG_B3 /PRINT=TWOTAIL NO SIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations COG_A3 COG_A3 Pearson Correlation COG_B3 Sig (2-tailed) 000 N COG_B3 Pearson Correlation 1.000** 35 35 1.000** Sig (2-tailed) N 000 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= COG_A4 COG_B4 /PRINT=TWOTAIL NO SIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE 142 Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations COG_A4 COG_A4 Pearson Correlation COG_B4 Sig (2-tailed) 000 N COG_B4 799** Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) 35 35 799** 000 N 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= COG_A5 COG_B5 /PRINT=TWOTAIL NO SIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations COG_A5 COG_A5 Pearson Correlation COG_B5 Sig (2-tailed) N COG_B5 Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) N ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) .863** 000 35 35 863** 000 35 35 143 CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= COG_A6 COG_B6 /PRINT=TWOTAIL NO SIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations COG_A6 COG_A6 Pearson Correlation COG_B6 Sig (2-tailed) N COG_B6 Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) N 888** 000 35 35 888** 000 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MET_A1 MET_B1 /PRINT=TWOTAIL NO SIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] 144 Correlations MET_A1 MET_A1 Pearson Correlation MET_B1 Sig (2-tailed) 000 N MET_B1 749** Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) 35 35 749** 000 N 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MET_A2 MET_B2 /PRINT=TWOTAIL NO SIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations [DataSet1] Correlations MET_A2 MET_A2 Pearson Correlation MET_B2 Sig (2-tailed) N MET_B2 Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) N 973** 000 35 35 973** 000 35 35 ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) CORRELATIONS /VARIABLES= MET_A3 MET_B3 /PRINT=TWOTAIL NO SIG /MISSING=PAIRWISE Correlations 145 [DataSet1] Correlations MET_A3 MET_A3 Pearson Correlation MET_B3 Sig (2-tailed) N MET_B3 Pearson Correlation Sig (2-tailed) N ** Correlation is significant at the 0.01 level (2-tailed) .969** 000 35 35 969** 000 35 35 ... entitled ? ?An Investigation into English High School Teachers' Beliefs and Practices about Teaching Vocabulary Learning Strategies in Can Duoc District? ?? is my work Except where reference is made in the...MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY NGUYEN PHUONG THAO AN INVESTIGATION INTO ENGLISH HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS' BELIEFS AND PRACTICES ABOUT TEACHING VOCABULARY LEARNING. .. vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) among EFL high school teachers in Can Duoc district in terms of their beliefs and teaching practices and investigated the relationship between teachers? ?? beliefs