(Luận văn thạc sĩ) the effectiveness of memory strategies training on students’ vocabulary retention an action research at phuong dong university

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES o0o NGUYỄN THỊ HUYỀN TRANG THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MEMORY STRATEGIES TRAINING ON STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY RETENTION: AN ACTION RESEARCH AT PHUONG DONG UNIVERSITY Hiệu việc đào tạo chiến lược ghi nhớ việc lưu nhớ từ vựng sinh viên: Nghiên cứu hành động trường Đại học Phương Đông M.A COMBINED PROGRAM THESIS FIELD: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY CODE: 60140111 Hanoi, 2015 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POSTGRADUATE STUDIES o0o NGUYỄN THỊ HUYỀN TRANG THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MEMORY STRATEGIES TRAINING ON STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY RETENTION: AN ACTION RESEARCH AT PHUONG DONG UNIVERSITY Hiệu việc đào tạo chiến lược ghi nhớ việc lưu nhớ từ vựng sinh viên: Nghiên cứu hành động trường Đại học Phương Đông M.A COMBINED PROGRAM THESIS FIELD: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY CODE: 60140111 SUPERVISOR: Assoc Prof Le Van Canh, PhD Hanoi, 2015 DECLARATION I, Nguyễn Thị Huyền Trang, K21 being a candidate for the degree of Master of Arts hereby certify that this minor thesis entitled THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MEMORY STRATEGIES TRAINING ON STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY RETENTION: AN ACTION RESEARCH AT PHUONG DONG UNIVERSITY is completely the result of my own work for the Degree of Master at University of Languages and International Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi and that this thesis has not been submitted for any degree at any other university or institution Hanoi, April 2nd, 2015 Supevisor Candidate Assoc.Prof Le Van Canh Nguyễn Thị Huyền Trang i ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This thesis could not have been completed without the help, encouragement and support of a number of people who all deserve my sincerest gratitude and appreciation First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Assoc Prof Le Van Canh, Ph.D for his valuable support, wholehearted guidance, and timely encouragement during the time when I was doing this research This thesis would not have been completed without his help right from the beginning when the study was just in its formative stage Second, I would like to send my thanks to all my colleagues who have helped me a lot in creating good conditions in teaching and helping me with their experiences during my thesis My special thanks also go to the students in class 513A26 for their willingness to join my training strategy scheme, answer my questionnaire and send me their learning vocabulary diaries Without their help, this study could not have been fulfilled I owe a great debt of gratitude to my beloved family - my parents, my husband, my sisters and brothers whose support and encouragement has always been a great deal of strength that has helped me a lot to overcome all problems to complete this thesis Finally, I would like to send my special thanks to my readers for their concern, interest and comments for this study ii ABSTRACT This study was conducted as an action research in which students were taught on how to process vocabulary deeply by applying some vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) The study first aimed at identifying the vocabulary problems that students are facing with; evaluating the improvement of students’ vocabulary retention with some helpful memory strategies, namely structured reviewing, using mechanical techniques, using imagery and placing new words into a context; finding out which strategies are the most popularly used among students; and finally collecting students’ attitudes towards the strategy training scheme, four sub-memory strategies and their suggestions for a better future teaching and learning program For the accomplishments of these purposes, 28 first-year students in one class at Phuong Dong university, Vietnam were involved in the study The data instruments varied from a Vocabulary Knowledge Scale (VKS) test, a group-interview, learners’ diaries, pre-test/post-tests to a questionnaire Through the VKS test and the group interview, the results revealed that among many obstacles students encountered in their independent vocabulary learning, lack of remembering techniques was the biggest problem Learners’ diaries noticeably indicated students’ equal concerns for all four sub-memory strategies, and especially for “using imagery” strategy The results from the pre-test and the two post-tests helped to prove the effectiveness of using memory strategies in both short-term and long-term vocabulary learning Finally, students’ positive attitudes towards both the strategy training scheme and four memory strategies and their suggestions about the future learning and teaching vocabulary were comprised in the last instrument- questionnaire On this basis, the study gave some implications for teachers’ preparation, classroom practices and future research iii LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES TABLES Table 1: Results from VKS test Table 2: Students’ strategic problems in vocabulary learning Table 3: Mean scores gained by the group in the pre-test and post-test Table 4: Mean scores gained by the group in the pre-test and post-test Table 5: Students’ preference of four sub-memory strategies Table 6: Students’ suggestions for future schedule Table 7: Types of strategy training FIGURES Figure 1: Action Research circle Figure 2: Data collection procedure Figure 3: Strategies used as reported students’ diaries Figure 4: Report of strategies used in post-test Figure 5: The whole group’s performance in the pre-test and post test Figure 6: The whole group’ performance in the pre-test and post test Figure 7: The whole group’ performance in the pre-test, post-test and post test iv TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ii ABSTRACT iii LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES iv TABLE OF CONTENTS v PART A: INTRODUCTION PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Language learning strategies 1.1.1 Background of language learning strategies 1.1.2 Definition of language learning strategies 1.1.3 The importance of language learning strategies in language learning and teaching 1.1.4 Classification of learning strategies 1.1.5 Strategies Training 1.2 Vocabulary Learning Strategies 12 1.2.1 Definition of vocabulary 12 1.2.2 The importance of vocabulary in second language learning 13 1.2.3 Factors affecting vocabulary learning and acquisition 14 1.2.4 Retention and factors affecting vocabulary retention 15 1.2.5 Vocabulary learning strategies (VLS) 20 1.2.6 Classification of VLS 20 v 1.2.7 Oxford’s taxonomy 22 1.3 Memory strategies 23 1.3.1 Definition of memory strategies 23 1.3.2 Why memory strategies? 23 1.3.3 Oxford’s classification of Memory Strategies 24 CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 30 2.1 The rationale of using Action Research 30 2.2 The background to the study 30 2.3 The research process 31 2.3.1 Identify the problems 32 2.3.2 Gather data 34 2.3.3 Interprete data 39 2.3.4 Act on evidence 40 2.3.5 Evaluation 45 2.3.6 Plan for the next stages 54 PART C: CONCLUSION 58 Major findings of the study 58 Limitations of the study 59 Suggestions for further study 59 REFERENCES 61 Appendix 1: Direct and Indirect learning strategies (Oxford, 1990, p 18-20) I Appendix 2: Schedule of Teaching GE1 IV Appendix 3: VKS test VII Appendix 7: Strategies used as reported in students’ diaries XIX vi Appendix 8: Individuals’ performance in the Pre-test, Post-test and Post-test XXI Appendix 9: Mean difference between pre-test, post test and post-test XXIII Appendix 10: Suggested activities for introducing and practicing memory strategies XXV vii PART A: INTRODUCTION This chapter presents the statement of the problem, rationale as well as aims and objectives of the study reported in this thesis It also presents the research questions and the scope of the research Finally, the chapter ends with an outline of structure of the thesis Statement of the problem and rationale for the study Vocabulary is considered an essential part of language learning According to Knight (1994, cited in Gu, 2003), learning words is the most important aspect of language acquisition Learning vocabulary is regarded as the basis of obtaining other skills Vocabulary deficiency can result in weaknesses in reading comprehension, listening comprehension, speaking competence, writing performance and grammatical accuracy Therefore, learning vocabulary is an indispensable step of L2 acquisition However, how recently learners have learnt something is not important, but in fact, the depth of processing In other words, students must be taught on how to process information deeply This view confirmed the role of understanding and applying Vocabulary Learning Strategies (VLS) in teaching and learning vocabulary Studying VLS has been an interest for a great deal of psychologists, linguists and language teachers for a long time There are numerous studies conducted about VLS, their effectiveness in learning vocabulary and these researchers almost have attempted to develop a framework of category of VLS (e.g O’Malley & Chamot 1990, Oxford 1990; Gu & Johnson 1996, Schmitt 1997, Nation 2001) Vocabulary retention is one of the prolems of vocabulary learning Students have not known how to use memory strategies Thus the training of memory strategies is esential However, there are many memory strategies so each study focuses on a group of Memory strategies Aim of the study The study aims at finding out the extent to which the training of memory strategies help the students to retain the learned words better The training in this study is Cheese (n) Coast (n) Court (n) East (n) Engineer (n) Factory (n) Female (n) Grass (n) Grey (n) Island (n) Juice (n) Lawyer (n) Leisure (n) Literature (n) Mall (n) Motorbike (n) North (n) Novelist (n) Office (n) Painting (n) Plane (n) Playwright (n) Poem (n) Poet (n) Potato (n) Receptionist (n) Rice (n) Sail (v) Sculptor (n) Sculpture (n) XIV Secretary (n) Snow (n) South (n) Stadium (n) Surfing (n) Teenager (n) Typist (n) Vegetable (n) Village (n) West (n) Wrong (n) XV Appendix 6: Post-test Name: ……………………………… Class: ……………………… Activity for checking Vocabulary: VKS (Vocabulary Knowledge Scale) Look at the following list of words and give each word a number rating from to basing in how well you know the word Use the scale below: I don’t remember having seen this word before I have seen this word before but I don’t know what it means I have seen this word before and I think it means………… I know this word; it means … I can use this word in a sentence, e.g……………………… (Wesche M & Paribakht T.S., 1996) English Synonym/ Vietnamese Word 1-5 equivalence/ Sentence Accountant (n) Adult (n) Architect (n) Architecture (n) Biographer (n) Biography (n) Boat (n) Bottom (n) Butter (n) Cheese (n) Coast (n) Court (n) East (n) XVI Engineer (n) Factory (n) Female (n) Grass (n) Grey (n) Island (n) Juice (n) Lawyer (n) Leisure (n) Literature (n) Mall (n) Motorbike (n) North (n) Novelist (n) Office (n) Painting (n) Plane (n) Playwright (n) Poem (n) Poet (n) Potato (n) Receptionist (n) Rice (n) Sail (v) Sculptor (n) Sculpture (n) Secretary (n) Snow (n) South (n) Stadium (n) XVII Surfing (n) Teenager (n) Typist (n) Vegetable (n) Village (n) West (n) Wrong (n) XVIII Appendix 7: Strategies used as reported in students’ diaries Strategies Using Using Structured Placing a Imagery Mechanical Reviewing word into Students Means a context 20 16 11 23 25 13 10 21 20 10 16 24 24 13 14 19 17 20 25 15 24 19 12 21 25 12 12 16 10 15 29 24 20 11 15 10 23 21 13 13 11 25 21 11 13 12 20 20 12 18 13 15 20 19 16 14 16 20 16 18 15 16 15 15 24 16 20 15 11 20 17 20 18 12 20 18 23 18 12 17 19 17 20 19 14 20 22 18 17 13 21 23 17 17 14 22 20 18 14 18 23 22 16 13 19 24 21 17 12 20 25 22 16 13 19 XIX 26 23 15 12 20 27 18 10 12 30 28 20 11 10 38 Total 568 471 (24%) 372 (19%) 549 (28%) (29%) XX Appendix 8: Individuals’ performance in the Pre-test, Post-test and Post-test Score Sts MeanPre Score MeanPost1 Sts MeanPost 29 14 1.64 22 10 3.04 0 17 23 3.68 30 1.76 12 23 3.28 17 21 3.48 25 13 1.94 3 21 17 3.56 0 16 26 3.84 23 11 2.26 14 23 10 3.76 11 30 3.78 27 7 2.06 31 3.82 0 12 26 12 25 7 2.28 12 14 19 3.9 0 14 21 14 3.92 22 9 2.28 11 26 11 3.92 0 28 17 4.24 18 10 2.56 28 15 4.1 0 38 3.82 17 6 12 2.74 18 25 4.34 0 17 31 4.52 10 20 10 6 2.44 10 27 12 3.92 10 0 18 29 4.46 11 24 14 5 1.94 11 22 10 3.04 11 0 17 29 4.44 12 23 10 2.22 12 12 23 3.28 12 0 12 26 12 13 27 7 2.06 13 12 14 19 3.9 13 0 14 22 14 14 25 7 2.22 14 11 26 11 3.92 14 0 37 3.94 15 18 10 2.58 15 28 15 4.1 15 0 15 31 4.54 16 17 6 12 2.62 16 21 17 3.56 16 11 30 3.66 17 25 13 1.94 17 14 23 10 3.76 17 0 12 26 12 4.0 18 23 11 2.2 18 31 3.82 18 0 14 21 15 4.02 19 27 7 2.18 19 28 15 4.1 19 11 10 26 4.18 20 20 10 6 2.44 20 18 25 4.34 20 0 15 30 4.5 21 24 14 5 1.94 21 27 12 3.92 21 0 14 16 19 4.02 22 23 10 1.62 22 27 12 3.92 22 0 10 15 25 4.3 23 29 14 1.64 23 22 10 3.04 23 0 16 17 17 4.02 24 30 1.76 24 12 15 11 3.44 24 0 25 20 4.3 25 25 7 2.16 25 28 15 4.1 25 0 17 25 4.34 XXI 26 18 10 2.58 26 21 17 3.56 26 0 17 31 4.52 27 17 6 12 2.74 27 14 23 10 3.76 27 0 18 29 4.46 28 25 13 1.94 28 12 14 19 3.9 28 0 17 29 4.44 Individuals’ performance in pre / Individuals’ performance in post 1/Individuals’ performance in post XXII Appendix 9: Mean difference between pre-test, post test and post-test Student Pre-test Post-test Mean Dif Student Post-test Post-test Mean Dif 1.64 3.04 1.4 3.04 3.68 0.64 1.76 3.28 1.52 3.28 3.48 0.2 1.94 3.56 1.62 3.56 3.84 0.28 2.26 3.76 1.5 3.76 378 0.02 2.06 3.82 1.76 3.82 0.18 2.28 3.9 1.62 3.9 3.92 0.02 2.28 3.92 1.64 3.92 4.24 0.32 2.56 4.1 1.54 4.1 3.82 -0.28 2.74 4.34 1.6 4.34 4.52 0.18 10 2.44 3.92 1.48 10 3.92 4.46 0.54 11 1.94 3.04 1.1 11 3.04 4.44 1.4 12 2.22 3.28 1.06 12 3.28 0.72 13 2.06 3.9 1.84 13 3.9 0.1 14 2.22 3.92 1.7 14 3.92 3.94 0.02 15 2.58 4.1 1.52 15 4.1 4.54 0.44 16 2.62 3.56 0.86 16 3.56 3.66 0.1 17 1.94 3.76 1.82 17 3.76 4.0 0.24 18 2.2 3.82 1.62 18 3.82 4.02 0.2 19 2.18 4.1 1.92 19 4.1 4.18 0.08 20 2.44 4.34 1.9 20 4.34 4.5 0.16 21 1.94 3.92 1.98 21 3.92 4.02 0.1 22 1.62 3.92 2.3 22 3.92 4.3 0.38 23 1.64 3.04 1.4 23 3.04 4.02 0.98 24 1.76 3.44 1.68 24 3.44 4.3 0.86 25 2.16 4.1 1.94 25 4.1 4.34 0.24 XXIII 26 2.58 3.56 0.98 26 3.56 4.52 0.96 27 2.74 3.76 1.02 27 3.76 4.46 0.7 28 1.94 3.9 1.96 28 3.9 4.44 0.54 Mean difference between pre-T and post-T1 Mean difference between Post-T1 and Post- XXIV Appendix 10: Suggested activities for introducing and practicing memory strategies These activities can be effectively used for teachers to introduce sub memory strategies, for students to practice using the four memory strategies and learn words or review vocabulary Using imagery strategy: Activity: Build words into a picture Level Beginner to Advanced Time 15 minutes Preparation Choose twelve words from the next unit you are going to teach in the course book They should be new words In class Tell the group that they are going to draw a picture incorporating some of the new words from the next unit The students should work independently of each other Tell them the first word, either explaining its meaning in English, paraphrasing it with a known word, miming it, or translating it They make a drawing representing it Give them the second word and explain/ translate it They continue the picture, incorporating the second word/idea In this way, they build each of the twelve words into one picture Say the words again slowly, and ask them to write each word over its representation Ask the students to compare their pictures (Adopted from John Morgan and Mario Rinvolucri, 1991 XXV Placing words into a context strategy Activity: Words to story Level Elementary to Advanced Time 10-30 minutes Preparation Choose 30-40 words that need revising In class Write the words on the board Ask the students to check any words they don’t remember the meaning of Ask each student to pick 6-7 words from on the board suggested Each student then makes up a story (mentally, not on paper) by the word she/he has chosen how The students pair off and tell each other their stories, then explain they chose those particular words Acknowledgement I learnt the idea from John Morgan and Mario Rinvolucri, 1991 XXVI Appendix 11: Sample of Learners’ Diaries XXVII XXVIII ... vocabulary retention? Scope of the study This action research is an investigation into the effectiveness of the training of Memory Strategies on students’ vocabulary retention However, the training. .. of Master of Arts hereby certify that this minor thesis entitled THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MEMORY STRATEGIES TRAINING ON STUDENTS’ VOCABULARY RETENTION: AN ACTION RESEARCH AT PHUONG DONG UNIVERSITY. .. description of data collection instruments Furthermore, an elaborate report on the procedures of data collection and data analysis is also incorporated 2.1 The rationale of using Action Research Action