Tăng cường vốn từ vựng tiếng anh chuyên ngành điện cho sinh viên khoa điện

HA NOI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, VIETNAM UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES o0o - MAI ANH ENHANCING ENGLISH ELECTRICAL VOCABULARY FOR STUDENTS OF ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT AT HANOI COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMICS: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT (TĂNG CƯỜNG VỐN TỪ VỰNG TIẾNG ANH CHUYÊN NGÀNH ĐIỆN CHO SINH VIÊN KHOA ĐIỆN CỦA TRƯỜNG CAO ĐẲNG CÔNG NGHỆ VÀ KINH TẾ HÀ NỘI: MỘT NGHIÊN CỨU HÀNH ĐỘNG) M.A MINOR PROGRAM THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 Hanoi, 2016 HA NOI NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, VIETNAM UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES o0o - MAI ANH ENHANCING ENGLISH ELECTRICAL VOCABULARY FOR STUDENTS OF ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT AT HANOI COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMICS: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT (TĂNG CƯỜNG VỐN TỪ VỰNG TIẾNG ANH CHUYÊN NGÀNH ĐIỆN CHO SINH VIÊN KHOA ĐIỆN CỦA TRƯỜNG CAO ĐẲNG CÔNG NGHỆ VÀ KINH TẾ HÀ NỘI: MỘT NGHIÊN CỨU HÀNH ĐỘNG) M.A MINOR PROGRAM THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 Supervisor: Dr Dương Thi Nu ̣ ̣ Hanoi, 2016 CANDIDATE’S STATEMENT I hereby certify that the thesis entitled “ENHANCING ENGLISH ELECTRICAL VOCABULARY FOR STUDENTS OF ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT AT HANOI COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMICS: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT” is the result of my own research for the Degree of Master of Arts at University of Language and International Studies, Vietnam Nation University, Hanoi I have fully documented references to the work of others The thesis has not been submitted for any degree at any other university or tertiary institution Hanoi 2016 Mai Anh i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to a number of people who have given me significant help, encouragement, and support in the completion of my thesis First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor, Dr Duong Thi Nu for her enthusiastic guidance, valuable support, and helpful comments during completing my research Without her guidance and support, this study would not have been completed Second, I am thankful to lecturers and staff s of the faculty of Post-Graduate Studies for their valuable lessons as well as the good training environment and condition in order to help me and others finish the course well My special thanks also to all my students for their willingness to joint my study This thesis could not have been fulfilled without their help Last but not least, I would like to send my special thanks to my family, especially my father, my husband and my children, who encourage and share the hardship with me ii ABSTRACT This study was carried out at Hanoi College of Technology and Economics as an action research project with aim at enhancing students‟ vocabulary of Electrical English The techniques applied include creativity, which means using pictures, context clues and guessing meaning of words in context The study aims at, first, finding the vocabulary learning problems that learners are encountering; second, assessing the changes in positive direction of students‟ vocabulary acquisition with the enhancing English Electrical vocabulary plan; and finally, gathering students‟ attitudes towards the enhancing English Electrical vocabulary plan In order to accomplish the study, the instruments of data collection varied from small talk, pre-test, post-test to a questionnaire The results of small talk and pretest discovered two problems students were facing with learning vocabulary namely dictionary application and lack of techniques The results from the pre-test and post-test helped to demonstrate that the techniques were effective and students vocabulary was improved as indicated in the post-test score Finally, the data received from questionnaire show the students‟ positive attitude towards the enhancing English Electrical vocabulary plan Based on the result of the study, some suggestions for a further study are recommended iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Table of contents Page Candidates‟ statement i Acknowledgement ii Abstract iii List of tables and abbreviations vi PART A: INTRODUCTION 1 Rationale of the study Aims of the study Significance of the study Research questions Method of the study Scope of the study Design of the study PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 1.1 Vocabulary in ESL teaching and learning 1.1.1 Definiton 1.1.2 The importantce of vocabulary in teaching and learning 1.2 Vocabulary in ESP teaching and learning 1.2.1 The concept of the ESP 1.2.2 Vocabulary teaching in ESP 1.3 Enhancing ESP vocabulary teaching 1.3.1 Learning vocabulary through creativity 10 1.3.2 Learning vocabulary through context clues 12 1.3.3 Learning vocabulary through guessing 14 CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHOOLOGY 16 2.1 Situation analysis 16 2.1.1 Setting 16 iv 2.1.1 Participants 16 2.1.3 Materials 17 2.1.4 Implementation of action research 18 2.2 Data collection instruments 20 2.2.1 A small talk 20 2.2.2 Tests 21 2.2.3 Questionnaire 22 2.3 Data collection procedure 22 2.4 Interpretation of data 24 CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 26 3.1 Research question 26 3.1.1 Ressult from small talk 26 3.1.2 Ressult from pre-test 27 3.2 Research question 28 3.3 Reearch question 30 3.3.1 Students‟ attitudes toward enhancing EEV 30 3.3.2 Students‟ preference toward vocabulary practicing activities 33 3.3.3 Students‟ expectations in term of methodology 34 PART C: CONCLUSION 37 Recapitulation of the study 37 Limitations of the study 38 Suggestion for further study 39 REFERENCES 40 APPENDICES I v LIST OF TABLES Tables Page Table 1: Techniques of encouranging the students in learning vocabulaty 10 Table 2: Learning English vocabulary by using pictures 11 Table 3: Types of context clues 13 Table 4: Plan of enhancing English Electrical Vocabulary 17 Table 5: Students‟ obstacles in English vocabulary learning 28 Table 6: Test result and meaning difference of pre-test and post test 29 Table 7: Students‟ preference toward vocabulary practicing activities 33 Table 8: Students expectation in term of methodology 35 Figures Page Figure 1: Action research circle 17 Figure 2: Data collection procedure 23 Figure 3: Result from pre-test 28 Figure 4: The index of pre-test and post test 30 Figure 5: The result of students‟ improvement in their learning 30 Figure 6: Importance of the enhancing EEV 31 Figures 7: Effectiveness of the enhancing EEV 32 Figure 8: Motivation during the enhancing EEV 32 Figure 9: Studnets‟ preference toward vocabulary practicing activites 34 vi ABBREVIATIONS ESP: English for Specific Purposes EGP: English for General Purposes EEV plan: English Electrical Vocabulary VKRS: Vocabulary Knowledge Rating Sheet vii PART A: INTRODUCTION Rationale of the study Nowadays, more and more people speak English as their foreign language all over the world With its important role in the daily life, English is widely learnt and used in a variety of areas for many purposes such as: education, economics, technology, marine, telecommunication etc Therefore, English for Specific Purposes (ESP) has received a great of attention In Vietnam, ESP courses have been taught and have become one of the required subjects at most colleges and universities around the country in the last few years As a matter of fact, ESP materials connect students‟ learning and English language teaching Such a connection is highly encouraging to learn and study because students are capable of applying their knowledge gained from English classes to their main field of study in their future In addition, a noticeable distinction between ESP and English for General Purposes (EGP), is vocabulary that is particularly preferred As Zimmerman (1997 as cited in Eyraud, el al, 200, p2) states “Vocabulary is central to language and of critical importance to the typical language learner” and Jahangard (2007, p8) gave more clearly description that vocabulary, particularly specialist vocabulary (or terminology), is a key element of ESP At Hanoi College of Technology and Economics, in ESP materials, not only vocabulary is mainly focused but also reading, grammatical structures are goaled on each lesson However, ESP vocabulary teaching and learning is not an easy work which has always been a big matter for both teachers and students In fact, the limited time is spent to teach an ESP material is 45 periods at the beginning of the first semester of the second school year Most students commented that they found a number of new words given in one lesson Time is too short but words are too APPENDIX 1: ENANCING ENGHLISH ELECTRICAL VOCABULARY PLAN Week Period Vocabulary topic Activity Objective Orientation Week Small talk 3-4 Pre-test Conductors, Insulators and semiconductors -Describing the - Name of all the shapes or function materials in the of objects text -Guessing Week 5-6-7-8 Week 10-1112 Conductors, Insulators and semiconductors -Synonyms, antonyms Review -Following clues - Remind the words Circuit elements - Building word into a picture - Produce single sentences & speak at some length to describe components -Building word into a picture -Guessing Circuit elements -Synonym -Describing the shapes or function of objects Week 13-1415-16 I -Learn how to use words in describing components -Practice speaking new words in the text Week 17 18-1920 Revision -Following clues - Revise words to exercises The DC Motor - Building word into a picture - Raises students‟ interested in the topic & the in understand more about the text 21-2223-24 The DC Motor 25-2627-28 General revision -Guessing - Describing the shapes or function of objects -Following clues - Describing the shapes or function of objects Week Week - Synonyms, antonyms -Give connected information about the words - Make sure that students master the usage of words 29-3031-32 The Cathode Ray Tube -Guessing 33-3435 The Cathode Ray Tube - Describing the - Learn how to use shapes or function words in of objects describing components - Synonyms, antonyms Review -Following clues - Building word into a picture Week Week - Synonyms, antonyms 36 II - Give connected information about the words - Revise words to exercises Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 37-3839-40 The moving – coil - Synonyms, antonyms mete -Guessing 41-4243 The moving – coil -Provide students with more words and some information about components mete - Describing the - Help students shapes or function know how to talk of objects about components 44 Revision -Following clues 45 Post-test III - Give students more practice APPENDIX 2: PRE-TEST/ POST TEST (Vocabulary knowledge rating sheet) Circle each word on a scale of 1-4 as following the indication: Word I have never I have heard I can I can use seen or heard or seen this define the this word this word word before word before Metal (n) Application (n) Current (n) Connection (n) Plug (n) lower (v) Magnet (n) Permit (v) Vary (n) Substance (n) Insulator (n) Brush (v) Copper (n) Fuse (n) Ionize (v) Mount (n) Pole (n) Switch (n) Winding (n) Capacitor (n) IV Uniform (adj) High- frequency (n) Rapid (adj) Unevenly (adv) Charge (v) Dial (v) Instrument (n) Light (n) Moving coil (n) Conductor (n) V APPENDIX 3: SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES FOR ENHANCING ENGHLISH ELECTRICAL VOCABULARY PLAN I Activities through creativity Activity 1: Time: Building words into a picture 15-25 minutes Preparation: In class: Select some words from the next lesson These words are going to be taught in the course book They should be new vocabulary In form the class that they are going to draw a picture connecting with some new words from the next unit They are suggested to work independently The first new word is explained about its meaning in English by using known words Students make a drawing following their representing Then ask them to check original picture on the screen from the projector The next words are also done in the same way Read aloud the words again and encourage students to write each word down some times Example: The following list of words was shown to the class: Capacitor Bulb Antenna Rectifier Resistor Battery VI Activity 2: Time: Using words to describe shapes or function of component in each picture Preparation: Inclass: 15-25 minutes Choose some pictures from course Ask students to name the components book involved in this activity in each or equipment in the pictures Students unit should be motivated to work in pairs and invited to the blackboard to explain the function of them in English based on the suggested words in the activity Example: Describe the shapes of the following objects: VII II Activities through context clues and guessing Time: In class: Preparation: 15-25 minutes Using the text of the each unit in the Ask students to read through the text course book Show some sentences including the words in italics Ask students to replace the word in italics with similar meanings using in the text Variation: Ask students to base on the text to make sentences with synonyms or antonyms of the new words… Example 1: Make a list of Conductors and Insulators: Salt water Rubber Nylon Iron Example 2: Synonym Porcelain Air Copper Aluminum “There is a movement of free electrons towards the positive end This movement of electrons is an electric current.”  “Electric current” means “a movement of free electrons” Example 3: Guessing Rewrite following sentences, replacing the words in italics with expressions from the text which have similar meaning: The flow of free electrons is an electric current Materials in the first group are called conductors All insulators permit some flow of electrons Materials which provide a path for an electric current are conductors VIII III Activities through following clues: Time: 15-25 minutes Teacher provides the learners with a list of words and a list of meaning or list of function One word in the list is connected to its meaning by a wiggly line Here is a short example: Example: Combine A, B, and C to make correct sentences as example:  A solar cell is an electric cell which converts sunlight into electrical energy A A generator B a material An insulator An alternating an instrument a current A direct current A resistor A conductor A light meter An ammeter A solar cell C Measures light Readily releases electrons Flows first in in one direction, then in the other an electrical Does not readily release cell electrons a device Impedes the flow of current in a circuit Convert sunlight into electrical Flows in one direction only Measures current Convert mechanical energy into electrical energy IX APPENDIX SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE In an attempt to conduct the enhancing English Electrical Vocabulary plan for the second year students at Hanoi College of Technology and Economics, we would highly appreciate if you could spend your little to respond to the questions below Your information in completing the survey would be useful for the study purpose and you can be confident that you will not be identified in any discussion of the data ………………………….***………………………… I Students’ attitudes toward the enhancing EEV plan: Please tick (√ ) in the appropriate box How would you assess the enhancing EEV plan for its importance? Not important at all Not very important Neutral Quite important Very important How would you evaluate the enhancing EEV plan for its effectiveness? Not effective at all Not very effective Neutral Quite effective Very effective X How would you assess the enhancing EEV plan for its interest/ motivation? Strongly disagree Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly agree II Students’ preference to vocabulary practicing activities: What activity of practicing new words you like most using in the enhancing EEV plan? Please rank according to your interest (1=least interested and 3= most interested): Learning vocabulary through pictures Learning vocabulary through context clues Learning vocabulary through guessing III Students’ expectations for the future enhancing EEV plan: Please tick (√) in the column “disagree” or “agree” following your opinion: Techniques/ activities Agree a Students should be given more examples for each new word b Students should be encouraged to use techniques frequently c Students should be given more techniques to learn XI Disagree vocabulary d Students should be checked with the previous lesson regularly e Students should be given more activities to practice new words (both in class and at home) f Applying the enhancing plan for other language skills g Others(please specify)………… Congratulate to complete the survey questionnaire! XII APPENDIX BẢNG CÂU HỎI ĐIỀU TRA Nhằm nỗ lực thực hiệu kế hoạch “tăng cường vốn từ vựng tiếng anh chuyên nghành điện” cho sinh viên khoa Điện năm thứ hai trường cao đẳng Công Nghệ Kinh Tế Hà Nội, em vui lòng trả lời câu hỏi bảng điều tra theo quan điểm Những ý kiến đóng góp em hữu ích cho việc nghiên cứu Tất nhiên nghiên cứu đảm bảo khơng tiết lộ danh tính em q trình thảo luận phân tích liệu Chân thành cảm ơn cộng tác em! ………………………….***………………………… I Thái độ sinh viên hướng tới kế hoạch tăng cường vốn từ vựng tiếng anh chuyên nghành điện: Tích (√ ) vào thích hợp theo quan điểm em : Em đánh gía tầm quan trọng kế hoạch? Tất không quan trọng Không quan trọng Trung lập Tương đối quan trọng Rất quan trọng Ý kiến em hiệu kế hoạch? Tất không hiệu Không hiệu XIII Trung lập Tương đối hiệu Rất hiệu Đối với em kế hoạch có động lực học hay thú vị không? Tuyệt đối không đồng ý Không đồng ý Trung lập Đồng ý Tuyệt đối đồng ý II Các hoạt động hoạc em yêu thích: Hãy đánh giá theo thứ tự (1,2,3,) hoạt động học mà em thích thú vị , tới 3= thú vị nhất): Học từ vựng thông qua tranh, ảnh Học từ vựng thông qua bối cảnh Học từ vựng thơng qua đốn từ III Những mong muốn em cho kết hoạch tăng cường vốn từ vựng chuên nghành tương lai: Hãy tích (√) vào cột đồng ý hay không đồng ý theo ý kiến em: Các hoạt động học từ vựng Đồng ý Khơng đồng ý a Đưa ví dụ cho từ b Học từ vựng theo tranh XIV c Học từ vựng theo ngữ cảnh d Học từ vựng thông qua đoán từ e Kiểm tra cũ thường xuyên f Giao nhiều tập để nhớ từ vựng hiệu g Ý kiện khác (ghi cụ thể)………… Chúc mừng em hoàn thành bảng câu hỏi điều tra! XV ... MAI ANH ENHANCING ENGLISH ELECTRICAL VOCABULARY FOR STUDENTS OF ELECTRICAL DEPARTMENT AT HANOI COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY AND ECONOMICS: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT (TĂNG CƯỜNG VỐN TỪ VỰNG TIẾNG ANH CHUYÊN... AND ECONOMICS: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT (TĂNG CƯỜNG VỐN TỪ VỰNG TIẾNG ANH CHUYÊN NGÀNH ĐIỆN CHO SINH VIÊN KHOA ĐIỆN CỦA TRƯỜNG CAO ĐẲNG CÔNG NGHỆ VÀ KINH TẾ HÀ NỘI: MỘT NGHIÊN CỨU HÀNH ĐỘNG) M.A... the vocabulary in this course was taken from the book with name “Giáo trình Tiếng Anh chuyên ngành điện? ?? which was chosen and used at Hanoi College of Technology and Economics It should be mentioned