Language games as means to motivate students in vocabulary learning at a vocational college in hung yen province an action research project

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ***************** NGUYỄN THỊ HẢI YẾN LANGUAGE GAMES AS A MEANS TO MOTIVATE STUDENTS IN VOCABULARY LEARNING AT A VOCATIONAL COLLEGE IN HUNG YEN PROVINCE: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT (Trị chơi ngơn ngữ phương tiện để thúc sinh viên học từ vựng trường Cao đẳng Nghề Tỉnh Hưng Yên: Một nghiên cứu hành động ) M.A MINOR THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01 Hanoi-2020 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES ***************** NGUYỄN THỊ HẢI YẾN LANGUAGE GAMES AS A MEANS TO MOTIVATE STUDENTS IN VOCABULARY LEARNING AT A VOCATIONAL COLLEGE IN HUNG YEN PROVINCE: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT (Trị chơi ngơn ngữ phương tiện để thúc sinh viên học từ vựng trường Cao đẳng Nghề Tỉnh Hưng Yên: Một nghiên cứu hành động ) M.A MINOR THESIS Field : English Teaching Methodology Code : 8140231.01 Supervisor : Assoc Prof Dr Vo Dai Quang Hanoi-2020 DECLARATION I hereby state that I – Nguyen Thi Hai Yen , being an M.A candidate of the Faculty of Post-graduate Studies, ULIS, VNU, certify my authority of the study entitled “Language games as a means to motivate students in vocabulary learning at a vocational college in Hung Yen province : An action research” This thesis is the study of my own research and the substance of the thesis has not, wholly or in part, been submitted for a degree to any other universities or institutions Hanoi, 2020 Nguyen Thi Hai Yen Approved by SUPERVISOR (signature and full name) Assoc Prof Dr Vo Dai Quang Date: i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my supervisor, Associate Professor Vo Dai Quang, Ph.D for his precious instructions and valuable advice throughout the research Without his careful guidance, feedback, and patience, my thesis could not have been completed I am thankful to staff members of The Post – Graduate Studies Faculty as well as my lecturers at VNU University of languages and foreign Studies National University during my M.A course for their help and useful lectures Also, great thanks are given to the students at Mecha Electric and Water Resources Vocational College, who have actively participated in my study Last but not least, I would like to thank my family members for their love, assistance, and encouragement spared for me throughout the research ii ABSTRACT Vocabulary is one of the linguistic features which influence communicative competence However, when teaching and learning vocabulary, most teachers and students are confronted with a wide range of obstacles This study aims at investigating the problems encountered by students in vocabulary learning and the effective methods to help them improve their vocabulary in the learning process at a Vocational College in Hung Yen Questionnaires, tests, and interviews were employed as the data collection instruments The collected information revealed that the use of language games can help to improve the students‟ motivation and positive attitudes On the other hand, motivation by language games in students comes from the feeling of pleasure, relaxation, tension-releasing, anxiety-reducing, and curiosity Students‟ perspectives towards language games in vocabulary lessons are positively proved by raising the level of activeness, concentration when taking part in language games They can also get higher scores after taking part in a vocabulary lesson easily Based on the major findings, a couple of suggestions and recommendations are proposed to improve the quality of learning vocabulary at the vocational college iii TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii LIST OF TABLES vii LIST OF FIGURES AND CHARTS viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1.1 Rationale of the thesis 1.2 Aims and objectives of the thesis 1.2.1 Aims of the thesis 1.2.2 Objectives of the thesis 1.3 Research questions 1.4 The scope of the thesis 1.5 Significance of the research 1.6 Organization of the thesis CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Vocabulary learning 2.1.1 Definition of Vocabulary 2.1.2 Classification of vocabulary 2.1.3 The importance of learning vocabulary 2.1.4 Difficulties in Vocabulary learning 2.1.5 Learning vocabulary in Vocational college context 2.2 Language Games 2.2.1 Definition of language games 2.2.2 Classification of language games 10 2.2.3 The importance of language games in learning vocabulary 11 iv 2.3 Previous studies 16 2.3.1 Studies in an international context 16 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 22 3.1 Research context 22 3.1.1 Participants 22 3.1.2 Textbook 23 3.2 Research design 23 3.3 Data collection instruments 24 3.3.1 Questionnaires 24 3.3.2 Interview 26 3.3.3 Tests 27 3.4 Data analysis techniques 29 3.4.1 Data analysis from questionnaires 29 3.4.2 Data analysis from interview 29 3.4.3 Data analysis from tests 29 3.5 Research procedure 29 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 33 4.1 Findings and discussion from the students‟ questionnaires 33 4.1.1 Finding and discussion from the pre-task questionnaire 33 4.1.2 Finding and discussion from the post-task questionnaire 39 4.2 Findings and discussion from an interview 46 4.2.1 Findings and discussion from question 46 4.2.2 Findings and discussion from question 46 4.2.3 Findings and discussion from question 47 4.2.4 Findings and discussion from question 47 4.3 Finding and discussion from participants‟ tests 48 4.3.1.Data collected from pre-test results 48 v 4.3.2 Data collect from post – test results 49 4.3.3 Comparision between pre-test and post-test results 49 4.3.4 Summary from tests 50 4.3.5 Summary from result of pre –task and post – task questionnaires and interview 50 CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION 51 5.1 Recapitulation 51 5.2 Concluding remarks on the research objectives 52 5.3 Limitations of the study 52 5.4 Recommendations for further study 53 REFERENCES 55 APPENDCES I APPENDIX I I APPENDIX V APPENDIX 3: Pre –test X APPENDIX 4: Post -test XIII APPENDIX 5: Lesson plan XVI APPENDIX XXI APPENDIX XXIII vi LIST OF TABLES Table 4.1: The students‟ view on the role of vocabulary in 33 Learning English ( Question 1) 33 Table 4.2: The time that students spend on learning vocabulary ( question 3) 34 Table 4.3: The common way of presenting vocabulary at secondary school 35 ( Question 4) 35 Table 4.4: The students‟ biggest difficulties in learning vocabulary 36 Table 4.5: The common way of learning vocabulary after lesson and at home 37 Table 4.6 : The students opinion about the benefit of using language games ( Question 1) 39 Table 4.7: Students‟ assessment of their classmates‟ support in vocabulary learning through language game (Question 6) 42 Table 4.8: Students‟ involment in language games (Question 7) 43 Table 4.9: Students expectation from the teacher when conducting language games ( Question 10 ) 45 vii LIST OF FIGURES AND CHARTS Figure 4.1: The students‟ attitudes toward learning vocabulary in English lesson (Question 2) 34 Figure 4.2: The students‟ expression about this way ( Question 5) 36 Figure 4.3: This question shows the feeling of students when playing games in learning vocabulary (Question 8) 38 Figure 4.4: Students‟ understanding and experience about the purpose of language games and their view of point on them ( Question 9,10) 38 Figure 4.5: The students‟ feeling and attitudes about language games the teacher uses in every vocabuary lessoon (Question 2) 40 Figure 6: The students‟ feeling after taking part in language games (Question 3) 41 Figure 4.7: Students‟ evaluation of the effectiveness of learning vocabulary through language games (Question 5) 42 Figure 4.8: Students‟ preferences of ways organizing language game Question 44 Figure 4.9: Students‟ hope in taking part in language game in every vocabulaary lesson ( Question 9) 45 Chart 4.1: Pretest results 48 Chart 2: Post-test results 49 Chart 4.3: Comparision between pre-test and post-test results 49 viii Banana orange apple chicken Many little few big What where when her 10 My his their her C money D clothes C money D clothes C money D clothes C money D clothes C money D clothes C money D clothes C money D clothes C money D clothes Exercise 3: Circle the best answer (2 pts) I have some……… in the frigde A sugar B food I have some……… in the frigde A sugar B food I have some……… in the frigde A sugar B food I have some……… in the frigde A sugar B food I have some……… in the frigde A sugar B food I have some……… in the frigde A sugar B food I have some……… in the frigde A sugar B food I have some……… in the frigde A sugar B food Exercise 4: Write 10 words for each topic ( pts) Family school ………… ………………… ………… ………………… ………… ………………… ………… ………………… XI ………… ………………… ………… ………………… ………… ………………… ………… ………………… ………… ………………… ………… ………………… Exercise 5: Fill the missing letter in the blanks (1 pt) Wire_e_ _ C_nt_e Ma_ _ a_e _es_ _ur_nt S_imm_ _g XII APPENDIX 4: Post -test Exercise 1: Look at the picture and match each picture with a suitable phrase in the box ( 3pts) Brush the teeth have breakfast wait at the bus stop get up Work at the office sing at the Karaoke club Go dancing go to the cinema Plant trees drink coffee Go shopping cook meal Exercise 2: Circle the odd one out ( pts) grapes lemon water mango bread spaghetti butter tea drinking sneaker planting watching Win work sing go August September October Monday At the office at home plane at the ofice Flower shrimp crab lobster Single married young children On beside over behind XIII 10.Facebook Zalo Twitter picture Exercise 3: Circle the best answer (2 pts) My close friends give me many ……… on my 20th birthday A gifts B gift C giftes D gifting There are many ……… on sale on summer holiday A books B tickets C food D flowers They like playing outdoor activities so they usually …………… A go to themovies B drink coffee C go camping D go shopping She teaches us English at a vocational college so she is a …………… A math teacher B a doctor C scientist D teacher of English She needs a ………to cut her hair A knife B scissors C paper clip D pliers How much …… you need ? A oil B oranges C kilos of rice D banana The …………includes 21 floors A building B stadium C station D store She answers the telephone calls and types the letters She is a ……… A nurse B sale assistant C manager Exercise 4: Write 10 words for each topic ( pts) Bank Hotel ………… ………… ………………… .………………… ………… ………… ………………… .………………… ………… ………… ………………… .………………… XIV D receptionist ………… ………… ………………… .………………… ………… ………… ………………… .………………… Exercise 5: Fill the missing letter in the blanks (1 pt) H_t_l Va_c_t_ _n Pi_t_r_ He_d_ch_ _ ues_i_n XV APPENDIX 5: Lesson plan Monday, September 20th 2019 WEEK Period UNIT 1: FAMILY AND FRIENDS I Aims By the end of the lesson, Ss will be able to: + name family members, words about friendship + ask and answer about family members and friendship II Teaching method Communicative Approach III Teaching aids Projector, computer, pictures, TV,… IV Procedures Time Teacher’s activities Students’ activities A Class stabilization: 2‟ - Greeting -Greeting * Warm - up: 3‟ - Sing and dance: Finger -Sing and dance family B New lesson 15‟ Presentation * Act Teaching vocabulary - T shows pictures and -Look and listen introduce new words: brother, sister, son, daughter, niece, nephew, grandmother, - Listen and repeat XVI grandfather, cousin, aunt, uncle, closefriend, bestfriend Classmate, roommate… - Look -T has students listen to each new word in chorus, groups and individuals -Listen and point - T checks Ss‟ pronunciation - T arranges the flashcards on the board and plays audio -Work in pairs and practice - T has students listen and point at the pictures in their books - T has Ss work in pairs, one - Listen to the rule of game points at the picture in the book and the other says the - Pass the pictures word - T observes and checks - Say the words pronunciation * Check-out: Passing the - Play games pictures - T gives the first student a picture and plays a song - T has Ss pass the pictures - Look and guess - When the music stops, the student with the flashcard has - Play game to say the word aloud - T repeats the activity with XVII other pictures Practice *Act Listen and point - Listen to the situation - T introduces the situation, point at each person in the - Look and listen picture and have students call out the words “father, mother, - Listen and point brother, sister, closefriend ” - Play audio and have - Listen students look at the picture - T demonstrate the activity by pointing at "father", "mother", "sister", "brother", - Listen and repeat “classmate”… in the picture - Play the audio again Have students listen and - Work repeat in pairs practice - While-listening: Play audio again Have students listen and point - Listen - Post- listening: Point at each picture and have students call out the words again “This is my father/ - Listen and sing mother/ brother/This is my classmate….” - Post-listening: Have - Sing in groups XVIII and some students demonstrate the activity in front of the class *Act Sing a song - Listen to the rule of game - T plays audio and has students listen - T plays audio and has - Listen and play game students turn to page 68 - T plays audio and has - Run and words students sing the song in chorus and groups - T has some students sing in front of class Production * Game: Whispering - T divides class into - Listen groups - T says words to the first person of each group - T asks Ss to whisper each other - T has the last person listen and run to slap correct words on the board - The winner group is the one has more points C Wrap up XIX slap correct - T consolidates the lesson - T asks Sts to prepare the new lesson - T asks Ss to greet others at home V EVALUATION XX APPENDIX Interview questions In your opinion, what is the role of vocabulary in learning English? S1: In my opinion, vocabulary plays a very indispensable role in learning English because without vocabulary We don‟t understand what the other says and we can‟t express our ideas to make the other understanding us S2: Vocabulary is a basic component of language that helps from such skills as reading writing, listening, and speaking S3: Vocabulary plays an important role because Good vocabulary helps me to test well S4: Vocabulary is necessary because it helps me to understand the text I read S5: Vocabulary is very important because having a good knowledge of vocabulary I can get a good job after graduating from a vocational college Do you want to learn English vocabulary through language games? S1: Yes, of course Language games help me more excited about learning new words S2: Yes, certainly because it makes the lesson less bored S3: Yes, I Language games create a joyful learning environment S4: Yes, certainly The game keeps me from falling asleep during a vocabulary lesson S5: No, I don‟t Language games make me tired What are the benefits of language games in vocabulary learning? S1: Language games help me to remember the words faster and longer S2: Language games make the vocabulary lesson becoming more exciting and relaxed S3: Games would make vocabulary easier for learners to understand the meaning of words and how to use the words correctly XXI S4: Language games help me to learn vocabulary more effectively S5: Language games helps me to develop team working Could you suggest some effective ways for the teacher to make language games in your learning vocabulary more interesting and useful? S1: I think the teacher should organize the games in various forms such as group work, pair work or individual S2: The teacher should use language games in all the vocabulary lesson S3: The teacher should use language games based on students‟ level S4: The teacher should explain the rule of the game clearly S5: I think the teacher should choose in each team with both good and bad students XXII APPENDIX Sample games used in teaching vocabulary I Noughts and Crosses Teaching aids: chalk, color chalk Rules: - The teacher divides the class into two teams and asks students to give their name - The teacher gives the students different topics and asks them to write the words which involve the topic II Lucky Number 1.Teaching aids: Computer, projector, chalk 2.Rules: -Teacher divides the class into two teams and asks them giving the name of the team -Teacher asks students choose a number textbox for each team Each textbox contains points ( There is a different topic in each textbox and the stdents must find ten words which relates to the topic If they can, they will get points There are few lucky number textboxes which they not find any words and still get poin III Slap the board Teaching aids: Toy Hammers, Flash Cards, Candies for prizes Rules: - The teacher divides the class into teams Each team sends a representative to the board - The teacher read the word, students stand backward and use toy hammers to slap the word - Who is quicker is the winner XXIII IV Hang Man (Hangaroo) Teaching aids: Chalk, board, Candies for prizes Rules: - The teacher divides students into teams, give names to them - The teacher provides word with blanks of numbers of a letter (_ _ _ _ _ _) and draws a hanger and ahead - Students guess the letter in the word, each right letter gets one point Each wrong letter gets the appearance of a part of the body - The team can get the right words has points V Find the letters Teaching aids: Two boards to hang the letters, sets of letters (A- Z), magnets to stick the boards of letters into the chalkboard Rules: - The teacher divides students into teams, give names to them - The teacher spreads sets of the letter on tables - The teacher reads the word, the representatives of each team need to find the letter in the set and hang it on the board - Who is right and quicker is the winner VI Apple Pass (Pen box pass) Teaching aids: a pen box or anything Rules: - The teacher gives the pen box to a student and says a word related to the lesson (Topic: Months of a year) - That student needs to give to the other and say a different word concerned with the lesson - Continue giving and saying words until one cannot say - Give a penalty for that student like singing or dancing XXIV VII Mime the action (Explain the words by using action not saying) Teaching aids: chalk Rules: - The teacher divides the class into teams, give a name to each - Each team sends a representative and stands backward to the board - The teacher writes a word, every student in his and her team needs to explain by actions not words till he or she understands and says the word aloud - Who has more right answers is the winner VIII Guess the pictures Teaching aids: Pictures on PowerPoint Rules: - The teacher puts shape on the pictures and lets students guess by raising hands and answers XV Whispering divides class into groups - T says words to the first person of each group - T asks Ss to whisper each other - T has the last person listen and run to slap correct words on the board - The winner group is the one has more points XXV ... preparation and class organization increase the success of language games in the classroom As a teacher of English in a vocational college, the researcher found that students at the vocational college. .. The importance of language games in learning vocabulary Games help teacher to create contexts in which the language is useful and meaningful It can be said that Language games have a fully respected... games, information 10 gap games, guessing games, search games, matching games, labeling games, exchanging and collecting games, board games, role play games Basing on language knowledge and skills