With the trend of globalization, teaching English to young learners has been attracting a lot of attention all around the world, including Vietnam. In teaching English, teaching vocabulary is an indispensable activity. It is not only about helping students remember the meaning of words but also about helping them to hear words, pronounce words correctly and apply words in communication. So finding the effective teaching methods is an urgent demand of all teachers, especially Primary English teachers. Total Physical Response (TPR), developed by James Asher in 1960s, is a language teaching method which encourages people to combine language learning with physical actions. This study explores the application of TPR method to vocabulary teaching in a primary school by carrying out the quasiexperimental method with two groups of students from Quang Son primary school in Tam Diep city, Ninh Binh Province. In the process of the experiment, one group of students was taught by the TPR teaching method, another group of students was taught by the common traditional teaching method. The data from this experiment shows that TPR group had a better command of the vocabulary retention and physical actions could encourage students to enjoy learning English. Through the above results, this study is hoped to be a useful resource for teachers to understand as well as to apply the TPR method in the class and help students to learn effectively.
THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES BUI THI DIEU HUONG USING TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE TO ENHANCE VOCABULARY RETENTION FOR THE THIRD GRADE STUDENTS (Sử dụng phương pháp phản xạ toàn thân (TPR) để tăng cường khả ghi nhớ từ vựng cho học sinh lớp 3) M.A THESIS Field: English Linguistics Code: 8220201 THAI NGUYEN - 2020 THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES BUI THI DIEU HUONG USING TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE TO ENHANCE VOCABULARY RETENTION FOR THE THIRD GRADE STUDENTS (Sử dụng phương pháp phản xạ toàn thân (TPR) để tăng cường khả ghi nhớ từ vựng cho học sinh lớp 3) M.A THESIS (APPLICATION ORIENTATION) Field: English Linguistics Code: 8220201 Supervisor: Nguyen Thi Quyet, Ph.D THAI NGUYEN - 2020 DECLARATION I certify that I myself write this thesis entitled “Using Total Physical Response (TPR) to enhance vocabulary retention for the third grade students" to fulfil the requirement for Degree Master of Art at School of Foreign Languages, Thai Nguyen University All the literature I used is properly quoted and listed in the Bibliography Thai Nguyen, 2020 Approved by Supervisor Student Nguyen Thi Quyet, Ph.D Bui Thi Dieu Huong i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS At the completion of this thesis, I would like to express my sincere thanks to my supervisor, Nguyen Thi Quyet, Ph.D for her valuable suggestions, instructions and encouragements I would like to express my great gratitude to my colleagues as well as my third grade students at Quang Son Primary School for their support in the lessons, the tests and the questionnaire Finally, I would like to express my deep appreciation to my family for all the wholehearted support I received to finish this thesis ii ABSTRACT With the trend of globalization, teaching English to young learners has been attracting a lot of attention all around the world, including Vietnam In teaching English, teaching vocabulary is an indispensable activity It is not only about helping students remember the meaning of words but also about helping them to hear words, pronounce words correctly and apply words in communication So finding the effective teaching methods is an urgent demand of all teachers, especially Primary English teachers Total Physical Response (TPR), developed by James Asher in 1960s, is a language teaching method which encourages people to combine language learning with physical actions This study explores the application of TPR method to vocabulary teaching in a primary school by carrying out the quasi-experimental method with two groups of students from Quang Son primary school in Tam Diep city, Ninh Binh Province In the process of the experiment, one group of students was taught by the TPR teaching method, another group of students was taught by the common traditional teaching method The data from this experiment shows that "TPR" group had a better command of the vocabulary retention and physical actions could encourage students to enjoy learning English Through the above results, this study is hoped to be a useful resource for teachers to understand as well as to apply the TPR method in the class and help students to learn effectively iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LISTS OF TABLES AND FIGURES vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS viii CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale 1.2 Aims of the study 1.3 Research questions 1.4 Scope of the study 1.5 Structure of the study CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL BACKGROUND 2.1 Vocabulary 2.1.1 Definition of vocabulary 2.1.2 The role of vocabulary in language learning 2.1.3 Types of vocabulary 2.1.4 Vocabulary retention 2.2 Teaching vocabulary for primary students 2.2.1 Characteristics of primary students 2.2.2 Principles of teaching vocabulary to primary students 10 2.2.3 Techniques of teaching vocabulary to primary students 11 2.3 Total Physical Response 12 2.3.1 Definition of TPR 12 2.3.2 Objectives of TPR 13 2.3.3 Principles of applying TPR in language teaching 15 2.3.4 The Role of the Teacher and Learners in TPR 16 2.3.5 Application of TPR in language classroom 17 iv 2.3.6 Advantages of using TPR in teaching vocabulary 21 2.3.7 Previous studies on using TPR in teaching vocabulary 22 CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY 25 3.1 Methods of research 25 3.2 Participants 26 3.3 Data collection 26 3.3.1 Data collection instruments 27 3.3.2 Data collection procedure 30 3.3.3 Data analysis 33 3.4 Feasibility of the research method 34 CHAPTER IV: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 35 4.1 Tests analysis 35 4.1.1 The Results of Data Analysis of the Pretest 35 4.1.2 The Results of Data Analysis of the Post-test 37 4.1.3 The Results of Data Analysis of the Post-test 40 4.2 Questionnaire result analysis 43 4.3 Discussion 45 CHAPTER V: CONCLUSIONS 48 Summary 48 5.2 Implications 49 5.3 Limitations of the study 49 5.4 Suggestions 49 5.4.1 For the english teachers 49 5.4.2 For the students 50 5.4.3 For the other researchers 50 REFERENCES 52 APPENDIX A: VOCABULARY TEST (PRETEST) I APPENDIX B: VOCABULARY TEST (POSTTEST 1) III APPENDIX C: VOCABULARY TEST (POSTTEST 2) V APPENDIX D: LESSON PLAN FOR THEME 1: VII v APPENDIX E: LESSON PLAN FOR THEME 2: IX APPENDIX F: LESSON PLAN FOR THEME 3: XI APPENDIX G: LESSON PLAN FOR THEME XIII APPENDIX H: THE STUDENTS' SCORES AND THE REALIBILITY COEFFICIENT OF THE TEST ITEMS IN PRE-TEST XV APPENDIX I: THE STUDENTS' SCORES AND THE REALIBILITY COEFFICIENT OF THE TEST ITEMS IN POST-TEST XVIII APPENDIX J: THE STUDENTS' SCORES AND THE REALIBILITY COEFFICIENT OF THE TEST ITEMS IN POST-TEST XXI APPENDIX K: QUESTIONNAIRE FOR STUDENTS (Vietnamese) XXIV APPENDIX L: QUESTIONNAIRE FOR STUDENTS (English) XXV vi LISTS OF TABLES AND FIGURES Tables Table 3.1: Test description 28 Table 3.2: Questionnaire description 30 Table 3.3: The procedure of training 32 Table 3.4: Conversion of percentage range 34 Table 4.1: Students‘ scores of the control group in the pre-test 35 Table 4.2: Students‘ scores of the experimental group in the pre-test 36 Table 4.3: Students‘ scores of the control group in post-test 37 Table 4.4: Students‘ scores of the experimental group in post-test 38 Table 4.5: Students‘ scores of the control group in post-test 40 Table 4.6: Students‘ scores of the experimental group in post-test 41 Table 4.7: Mean scores of two groups in vocabulary tests 42 Table 4.8: Question - Students‘ opinions about TPR English lessons 44 Table 4.9: Question - Students‘ opinions about TPR activities 44 Table 4.10: Question - Interest in learning English vocabulary through TPR activities 45 Figures Figure 2.1: Vocabulary forms Figure 2.2: Atkinson and Shiffrin memory model (1968) Figure 3.1 Non Randomized Control Group Design 25 Figure 3.2 Data collection procedure 30 Figure 4.1: The comparison between scores in post-test of control and experimental group 39 Figure 4.2: Comparison between pre-test score and post-test score of experimental group 43 vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS % : Percent TPR : Total Physical Response FL : Foreign language L2 : Second language EFL : English as a Foreign Language CG : Control Group EG : Experimental Group viii APPENDIX F: LESSON PLAN FOR THEME 3: DAILY ROUTINES Aims: At the end of the lesson the children will be able to: • Describe their daily routine including the time that they each activity • Understand the differences between the daily routines of their partners Description: Students will learn the common routines They will learn about their classmates‘ daily routines and they will describe their own routines Vocabulary: Get up, have breakfast, brush teeth, wash face, get dressed, go to school, go home, read book, take a shower, homework, go to bed Material: Flashcards, coat, soap, clothes, play food, backpack, etc Procedure: At the beginning of the lesson the teacher shows some flashcard about daily routines to clarify meaning Then teacher acts out daily routines using TPR storytelling style For example, I wake up at am and the teacher makes the action as she/he were waking up of her/his bed, then I brushed my teeth and she/he acts as she were brushing her/his teeth …etc After that, the teacher makes some yes/no questions using the flashcards, for example did you have breakfast? Yes/No, Did you brush your teeth? Yes/No… In the second stage of the lesson the teacher shows the flashcards and the students identify the action and say the word of the action, then the teacher pastes on the board the flash cards scrambled for the students to order the sequence, the students receive small daily routines pictures to order on sequence After that, the teacher propose other activity in which students should act the action that the teacher suggest; for example, Linda gets up and she should act as she were waking up Finally, some students should represent their daily routine acting out XI Practise: ―Daily Routines Theater‖ Let students a fun activity - they will make a short theater play! Pair up students For each pair, one student will act out their day whilst the other is the narrator Give each pair minutes to practice before coming up to the front of the class and acting out their daily routines, for example: Lan (narrating): Hello, my name is Lan! Hoa: (waves to audience) Lan: I wake up at o'clock in the morning Hoa: (Pretends to sleep, wake up, stretch and yawn, etc.) Lan: I eat breakfast at 7:30 in the morning Hoa: (Pretends to eat noodles, drink soda, etc.)…… Encourage students to make their plays funny and also allow them to add extra parts (e.x watch TV, read a book, ride a bike, etc.) At the end, get everyone to vote for their favorite play Consolidation ( Home-link): Teacher create a context for students to image that they have a penfriend from England and She/he is curious about their daily life In order to inform his/her penfriends, they will make a picture letter about their daily routines What is being learned? Students learn about the other students and the physical representation of the actions They will learn about daily routines and they will describe their own daily routines XII APPENDIX G: LESSON PLAN FOR THEME PREPOSITIONS OF PLACE Aims: At the end of the lesson the children will be able to express location of the things around them Description: Students will learn about the prepositions of place They will learn prepositions of place using physical movement Vocabulary: In, Next to, in front of, behind, between, under, on, near Verbs: put, move, stand, keep Material: Flashcards, a doll, a basket a chair and things in the classroom Procedure: Firstly, the teacher introduces prepositions of place, she/he brings to class a doll, a basket and a chair, the teacher will put the doll in different positions; for example: Teacher puts the ball in the middle of the basket and the chair she/he says ―the doll is between basket and the chair‖; then, the teacher puts the doll under the chair and she/he says ―the doll is under the chair‖ After that the teacher uses his/her hands to show different prepositions of place for students to follow and read aloud Increase the speed of the actions to make rhythm for a funny song ( like the rhythm of a Vietnamese song named "kìa bướm vàng") In On Under In On Under In front of and Behind Between Near and Next to Between Near and Next to I can I can XIII The next stage after the chanting above is to tell them where they should place their hands, changing the object each time you speak, e.g following ―(Put your hand) in your mouth‖ with ―(Put your hand) in your desk‖ Students respond as quickly as they can, maybe with the quickest getting points Practise: Practice the prepositions with Simon Says Before starting the game, the teacher prescribes that each location preposition will correspond to a funny action Model sometimes for students to remember the commands, then pass off the ―Simon torch‖ to a student and have them lead Consolidation ( Home-link): My room For this activity, students will use the target language of the lesson to write a description of their bedroom Teacher shows a picture of his/her room first and describe: In my bedroom, there's a bed next to the wall There are books on the shelf Have students draw a picture of their room to describe in front of the class What is being learned? Students learn about the preposition of place They can way describe the correlation about the position of the things around them XIV APPENDIX H THE STUDENTS' SCORES AND THE REALIBILITY COEFFICIENT OF THE TEST ITEMS IN PRE-TEST Student Number of Items Number of Students' Correct Mean ( X ) (X- X ) (X- X )2 Answers (X) A1 A2 20 9.2 -5.2 27.04 20 13 9.2 3.8 14.44 A3 20 9.2 -3.2 10.24 A4 20 14 9.2 4.8 23.04 A5 20 9.2 -2.2 4.84 A6 20 10 9.2 0.8 0.64 A7 20 9.2 -4.2 17.64 A8 20 13 9.2 3.8 14.44 A9 20 9.2 -3.2 10.24 A10 20 9.2 -4.2 17.64 A11 20 9.2 -3.2 10.24 A12 20 15 9.2 5.8 33.64 A13 20 9.2 -1.2 1.44 A14 20 9.2 -2.2 4.84 A15 20 9.2 -3.2 10.24 A16 20 9.2 -4.2 17.64 A17 20 9.2 -0.2 0.04 A18 20 13 9.2 3.8 14.44 A19 20 9.2 -5.2 27.04 A20 20 14 9.2 4.8 23.04 A21 20 13 9.2 3.8 14.44 A22 20 9.2 -1.2 1.44 XV Student Number of Items Number of Students' Correct Mean ( X ) (X- X ) (X- X )2 Answers (X) A23 20 15 9.2 5.8 33.64 A24 20 9.2 -3.2 10.24 A25 20 11 9.2 1.8 3.24 A26 20 9.2 -0.2 0.04 A27 20 9.2 -3.2 10.24 A28 20 12 9.2 2.8 7.84 A29 20 9.2 -2.2 4.84 A30 20 9.2 -4.2 17.64 B1 B2 20 9.2 -3.2 10.24 20 13 9.2 3.8 14.44 B3 20 9.2 -5.2 27.04 B4 20 9.2 -5.2 27.04 B5 20 11 9.2 1.8 3.24 B6 20 14 9.2 4.8 23.04 B7 20 9.2 -2.2 4.84 B8 20 13 9.2 3.8 14.44 B9 20 9.2 -4.2 17.64 B10 20 14 9.2 4.8 23.04 B11 20 9.2 -5.2 27.04 B12 20 9.2 -3.2 10.24 B13 20 10 9.2 0.8 0.64 B14 20 9.2 -4.2 17.64 B15 20 13 9.2 3.8 14.44 B16 20 9.2 -2.2 4.84 B17 20 15 9.2 5.8 33.64 B18 20 12 9.2 2.8 7.84 XVI Student Number of Number Students' Correct of Items Mean ( X ) (X- X ) (X- X )2 Answers (X) B19 20 9.2 -4.2 17.64 B20 20 14 9.2 4.8 23.04 B21 20 11 9.2 1.8 3.24 B22 B23 20 9.2 -1.2 1.44 20 9.2 -3.2 10.24 B24 20 15 9.2 5.8 33.64 B25 20 13 9.2 3.8 14.44 B26 20 9.2 -5.2 27.04 B27 20 12 9.2 2.8 7.84 B28 20 9.2 -4.2 17.64 B29 20 9.2 -3.2 10.24 B30 20 9.2 -4.2 17.64 551 X M = N = 551 60 = 9,2 890 X X SD = = KR-21 = N 890 60 = = 3,9 K M K M 1 K 1 K (SD)2 20 19 12,4 (20 12,4) 1 20 (3,94 ) = 0.70 KR-21 (pretest) = 0,70 XVII APPENDIX I THE STUDENTS' SCORES AND THE REALIBILITY COEFFICIENT OF THE TEST ITEMS IN POST-TEST Student Number of Items Number of Students' Correct Mean ( X ) (X- X ) (X- X )2 Answers (X) A1 A2 20 16 12.4 3.6 12.96 20 12.4 -3.4 11.56 A3 20 15 12.4 2.6 6.76 A4 20 12.4 -6.4 40.96 A5 20 12.4 -6.4 40.96 A6 20 12.4 -5.4 29.16 A7 20 13 12.4 0.6 0.36 A8 20 12.4 -4.4 19.36 A9 20 12.4 -6.4 40.96 A10 20 13 12.4 0.6 0.36 A11 20 14 12.4 1.6 2.56 A12 20 12.4 -4.4 19.36 A13 20 17 12.4 4.6 21.16 A14 20 17 12.4 4.6 21.16 A15 20 12.4 -5.4 29.16 A16 20 15 12.4 2.6 6.76 A17 20 12.4 -4.4 19.36 A18 20 10 12.4 -2.4 5.76 A19 20 12.4 -3.4 11.56 A20 20 14 12.4 1.6 2.56 A21 20 17 12.4 4.6 21.16 A22 20 12 12.4 -0.4 0.16 A23 20 12.4 -4.4 19.36 XVIII Student Number of Items Number of Students' Correct Mean ( X ) (X- X ) (X- X )2 Answers (X) A24 20 11 12.4 -1.4 1.96 A25 20 12.4 -4.4 19.36 A26 20 12.4 -3.4 11.56 A27 20 10 12.4 -2.4 5.76 A28 20 12.4 -5.4 29.16 A29 20 11 12.4 -1.4 1.96 A30 20 12.4 -4.4 19.36 B1 20 14 12.4 1.6 2.56 B2 20 12.4 -3.4 11.56 B3 20 17 12.4 4.6 21.16 B4 20 11 12.4 -1.4 1.96 B5 20 16 12.4 3.6 12.96 B6 20 15 12.4 2.6 6.76 B7 20 12.4 -4.4 19.36 B8 20 16 12.4 3.6 12.96 B9 20 13 12.4 0.6 0.36 B10 20 18 12.4 5.6 31.36 B11 20 20 12.4 7.6 57.76 B12 20 12 12.4 -0.4 0.16 B13 20 19 12.4 6.6 43.56 B14 20 17 12.4 4.6 21.16 B15 20 12.4 -4.4 19.36 B16 20 15 12.4 2.6 6.76 B17 20 18 12.4 5.6 31.36 B18 20 12.4 -3.4 11.56 B19 20 16 12.4 3.6 12.96 XIX Student Number of Items Number of Students' Correct Mean ( X ) (X- X ) (X- X )2 Answers (X) B20 20 19 12.4 6.6 43.56 B21 20 10 12.4 -2.4 5.76 B22 20 18 12.4 5.6 31.36 B23 20 14 12.4 1.6 2.56 B24 20 17 12.4 4.6 21.16 B25 20 12 12.4 -0.4 0.16 B26 20 16 12.4 3.6 12.96 B27 20 13 12.4 0.6 0.36 B28 20 10 12.4 -2.4 5.76 B29 20 15 12.4 2.6 6.76 B30 20 11 12.4 -1.4 1.96 745 X M = N = 745 60 = 12,4 931 X X SD = = KR-21 = N 931 60 = = 3,95 K M K M 1 K 1 K (SD)2 20 13,5 (20 13,5) 1 19 20 (4,12 ) = 0,73 KR-21 (posttest 1) = 0,73 XX APPENDIX J THE STUDENTS' SCORES AND THE REALIBILITY COEFFICIENT OF THE TEST ITEMS IN POST-TEST Student Number of Items Number of Students' Correct Mean ( X ) (X- X ) (X- X )2 Answers (X) A1 A2 20 12 -6 36 20 12 -4 16 A3 20 11 12 -1 A4 20 12 -5 25 A5 20 14 12 A6 20 12 12 0 A7 20 12 -5 25 A8 20 10 12 -2 A9 20 15 12 A10 20 12 -6 36 A11 20 11 12 -1 A12 20 12 -6 36 A13 20 12 -4 16 A14 20 12 -3 A15 20 12 -3 A16 20 11 12 -1 A17 20 12 -6 36 A18 20 14 12 A19 20 12 -5 25 A20 20 17 12 25 A21 20 12 12 0 A22 20 12 -6 36 A23 20 18 12 36 XXI Student Number of Items Number of Students' Correct Mean ( X ) (X- X ) (X- X )2 Answers (X) A24 20 12 -5 25 A25 20 16 12 16 A26 20 12 -6 36 A27 20 13 12 1 A28 20 12 -3 A29 20 10 12 -2 A30 20 12 -3 B1 20 12 -3 B2 20 13 12 1 B3 20 11 12 -1 B4 20 14 12 B5 20 10 12 -2 B6 20 17 12 25 B7 20 15 12 B8 20 12 12 0 B9 20 18 12 36 B10 20 16 12 16 B11 20 12 -3 B12 20 14 12 B13 20 20 12 64 B14 20 13 12 1 B15 20 15 12 B16 20 11 12 -1 B17 20 19 12 49 B18 20 17 12 25 B19 20 15 12 XXII Student Number of Items Number of Students' Correct Mean ( X ) (X- X ) (X- X )2 Answers (X) B20 20 12 -3 B21 20 20 12 64 B22 20 17 12 25 B23 20 18 12 36 B24 20 15 12 B25 20 10 12 -2 B26 20 16 12 16 B27 20 11 12 -1 B28 20 14 12 B29 20 12 12 0 B30 20 12 -3 719 X M = N = 719 60 = 12 943 X X SD = = KR-21 = N 943 60 = = 4,0 K M K M 1 K 1 K (SD)2 20 12 (20 12) 1 19 20 (4 ) = 0,74 KR-21 (posttest 2) = 0,74 XXIII APPENDIX K QUESTIONNAIRE FOR STUDENTS (Vietnamese) Câu hỏi 1: Theo em các tiết học có sử dụng phương pháp TPR có thú vị không? A Rất thú vị B Thú vị C Không thú vị D Không thú vị Câu hỏi 2: Bạn thích hoạt động TPR mức độ nào? Rất thích Thích Bình thường Khơng thích Simon Says Charades Storytelling Mime Câu hỏi 3: Em có thích học từ vựng thông qua hoạt động TPR tiết học lần tới không ? A Rất không thích B Khơng thích C Thích D Rất thích XXIV APPENDIX L QUESTIONNAIRE FOR STUDENTS (English) Question 1: Do you think TPR English lessons are interesting? A Very interesting B Intereting C Not so interesting D Not at all Question 2: How much you like these TPR activities? Extremely like Like So so Dislike Simon Says Charades Storytelling Mime Question 3: Do you like to learn vocabulary with TPR activities in next lessons as in these lessons? A extremely dislike B dislike C like D strongly like XXV ... SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES BUI THI DIEU HUONG USING TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE TO ENHANCE VOCABULARY RETENTION FOR THE THIRD GRADE STUDENTS (Sử dụng phương pháp phản xạ toàn thân (TPR) để tăng cường. .. THIRD GRADE STUDENTS (Sử dụng phương pháp phản xạ toàn thân (TPR) để tăng cường khả ghi nhớ từ vựng cho học sinh lớp 3) M.A THESIS (APPLICATION ORIENTATION) Field: English Linguistics Code: 8220201... subject at Quang Son Primary School Due to the time limit, this research is conducted on only two classes with 60 third grade students at Quang Son Primary School in school year 2019 - 2020 1.5