The role of games in electronic lessons in teaching english grammar to 10th graders at hong ha private high school m a 60 14 10

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF HO CHI MINH CITY UNIVERSITY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES ************* NGUYỄN THỊ MINH ĐOAN THE ROLE OF GAMES IN ELECTRONIC LESSONS IN TEACHING ENGLISH GRAMMAR TO 10th GRADERS AT HONG HA PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL MA THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN TESOL Supervisor LƯU TRỌNG TUẤN, PhD Ho Chi Minh City, April 2011 i STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I hereby certify that this thesis entitled “THE ROLE OF GAMES IN ELECTRONIC LESSONS IN TEACHING ENGLISH GRAMMAR TO 10th GRADERS AT HONG HA PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL” submitted in terms of the statements of requirements for thesis in Mater programs issued by the Higher Degree Committee, is my own work This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or diploma in any other institution Ho Chi Minh City, April 24, 2011 Nguyễn Thị Minh Đoan ii RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS I hereby state that I, Nguyễn Thị Minh Đoan, being a candidate for the degree of Master of Arts in TESOL, accept the requirements of the university relating to the retention and use of Master Thesis deposited in the university library In terms of these conditions, I agree that the original of my Master Thesis deposited in the university library should be accessible for the purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the librarian for the care, loan or reproduction of the thesis Ho Chi Minh City, April 24, 2011 Nguyễn Thị Minh Đoan iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Statement of authorship i Retention and use of the thesis ii Table of contents iii List of tables vi List of figures vii Acknowledgements ix Abstract x CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the research 1.2 Rationale for the research 1.3 Aims of the research 1.4 Research questions: 1.5 Organization of the thesis CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Grammar 2.1.1 Definitions of grammar 2.1.2 Overview of grammar teaching approaches The Grammar -Translation Method The Direct Method The Audio-lingual Method Community Language Learning (CLL) 10 Total Physical Response (TPR) 11 Communicative language Teaching (CLT) 11 2.1.3 Application of technology in teaching and learning grammar 12 Advantages of instructional technology in language teaching and learning 13 Application of technology in teaching and learning grammar 15 iv 2.2 Games 17 2.2.1 Definitions of game 17 2.2.2 Classifications of games 20 2.2.3 Advantages of using games in language teaching and learning 24 Games motivate learners 25 Games promote learners’ interaction 26 Games improve learners’ acquisition 27 Games increase learners’ achievement 28 2.3 Prior researches on teaching English grammar through games 29 CHAPTER 31 METHODOLOGY 31 3.1 Research question 31 3.2 Research approach 31 3.3 Subjects 32 3.4 Instruments 33 3.4.1 The two written grammar tests 33 3.4.1.1 The diagnostic test 33 3.4.1.2 The achievement test 33 3.4.2 Questionnaires 34 3.5 Materials 34 3.5.1 Electronic grammar lessons 35 3.5.2 Selection of electronic games 36 3.6 Data collection procedures 37 3.7 Experimental teaching 38 Conclusion 38 CHAPTER 39 FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS 39 4.1 The similarities of the two groups in terms of students’ background 39 4.2 The results from the two tests 41 v 4.2.1 The results of the pretest 41 4.2.2 The results of the posttest 43 4.2.3 Comparison of the posttest scores via two-sample t-test 45 4.3 Students’ responses to questionnaires 46 4.3.1 Students’ preferred grammar learning activities 46 4.3.2 Students’ attitude towards games in grammar lessons 46 4.3.3 Students’ motivation towards games in the electronic grammar lessons 51 4.3.4 Students’ interaction through games in the electronic grammar lessons 52 4.3.5 Students’ achievement through learning through games in the electronic grammar lessons 56 CHAPTER 60 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 60 5.1 Conclusions 60 5.2 Limitations 62 5.3 Recommendations 62 5.3.1 Suggestions for further studies 62 5.3.2 To teachers 63 5.3.3 To students 64 REFERENCES 66 APPENDIX QUESTIONNAIRE (ENGLISH VERSION) 73 APPENDIX QUESTIONNAIRE (VIETNAMESE VERSION) 78 APPENDIX DIAGNOSTIC TEST 83 APPENDIX ACHIEVEMENT TEST 89 APPENDIX ELECTRONIC GAME DESCRIPTIONS 95 APPENDIX A SAMPLE ELECTRONIC GRAMMAR LESSON 116 vi LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1 Questions and dimensions 34 Table 3.2 Grammatical points for each unit in the first term of English 10 35 Table 4.1 Students’ gender 49 Table 4.2 Students’ age 40 Table 4.3 Students’ length of learning English 40 Table 4.4 Score distribution of the pretest 41 Table 4.5 Pretest’s score analysis 42 Table 4.6 Score distribution of the posttest 43 Table 4.7 Posttest’s score analysis 44 Table 4.8 t-Test: Two-Sample Assuming equal variances 45 vii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 4.1 Students’ length of learning English 41 Figure 4.2 Students’ preferred grammar learning activates 46 Figure 4.3 Students’ response to the statement “Games are highly motivating and entertaining.” 47 Figure 4.4 Students’ response to the statement “Games may lower your anxiety.” 47 Figure 4.5 Students’ response to the statement “Games make you communicate a lot.” 48 Figure 4.6 Students’ response to the statement “Games are often competitive.” 48 Figure 4.7 Students’ response to the statement “Games help you understand grammar lessons faster.” 49 Figure 4.8 Students’ response to the statement “Games make you remember the grammar lessons better.” 50 Figure 4.9 Students’ responses to if they want to learn grammar with games 50 Figure 4.10 Students’ responses to how they enjoy games in the electronic grammar lessons 51 Figure 4.11 Students’ responses to how often they want to play games in the electronic grammar lessons .52 Figure 4.12 Students’ responses to how long they want a game to last 52 Figure 4.13 Students’ responses to how often they talk to their team members in game activities in the electronic grammar lessons 53 Figure 4.14 Students’ responses to how often they talk to the members of other teams in game activities in the electronic grammar lessons 64 viii Figure 4.15 Students’ responses to how often they ask their teacher questions in the game activities in the electronic grammar lessons 55 Figure 4.16 Students’ responses to how often they volunteer to answer their teacher’s questions in the game activities 55 Figure 4.17 Students’ responses to how they understand the lessons 56 Figure 4.18 Students’ responses to how they remember the lessons 57 Figure 4.19 Students’ responses to how often they answer a grammar question correctly 57 Figure 4.20 Students’ responses to how often they search grammar exercise for further practice 58 ix ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Above all, I would like to send my deepest gratitude to my supervisors, Associate Prof Dr Dinh Dien, and Dr Luu Trong Tuan, for their encouragement, enthusiastic guidance and valuable comments on my writing Without their carefulness of reviewing my draft as well as their valuable support, I would not have finished my thesis I would like to show my great thanks to the principal, some English teachers, especially Mr Nguyen Van Tuan and 75 tenth graders at Hong Ha high school for their support and contributions to my experimental teaching I would like to express my great gratitude to my dearest parents and my siblings who have always taken care of me, supported me, encouraged and urged me to complete the thesis Finally, my great thanks are sent to all of my friends who help me relook at several of my points in this thesis Game 5: Holiday Squares (like the game “noughts and crosses) - Language point: past perfect - Skill: speaking, listening - Level: English 10 - Aids: laptop, projector, screen - Players: groups - Time: 6-8 minutes - Description: Teacher has to divide the classes into groups only One is nought (o), one is cross (x) 103 Teacher shows the game demo on the screen in which there is a table with numbers (All the contents hidden under the numbers) Students have to choose the number so that they can make a line with three same (x) or (o) Teacher clicks on that number Then the content hidden behind that number will appear Students in groups have to answer the questions/requirements behind the number accordingly If their answer is correct, they will get one x/o, if not, another group will take their chance to answer and get the x/o Continue the game until a line (three Xs/Os) appears The winner will be the one who gets the line 104 Game 6: Guess what behind the picture - Language point: used to - Skill: speaking, listening - Level: English 10 - Aids: laptop, projector, screen - Players: groups - Time: 5-7 minutes - Game description: Teacher divides the class into teams Each team is asked a question If they answer correctly, the teacher clicks the Remove Box button one time 105 This removes one box from the board, if the team can correctly guess what the picture is, they win If they cannot guess it correctly the game continues Once a team has correctly identified the picture, teacher clicks the next slide button in the upper right to go to the next board 106 Games 7: Horse race - Language point: summary lessons - Skill: speaking, listening - Level: English 10 - Aids: laptop, projector, screen - Players: groups - Time: 7-10 minutes - Game description: Teacher divides the class into teams according to the horse’s color Each team has to take turn to choose number with the content hidden under that number If they answer correctly, their horse will step forward Continue till one horse goes to the finish 107 Game 8: Golden bell ringing - Language point: the present perfect passive - Skill: speaking, listening - Level: English 10 - Aids: laptop, projector, screen - Players: groups - Time: 6-8 minutes - Game description: Teacher divides the class into teams 108 Each team has to take turn to choose number with the content hidden under that number If they answer correctly, they will get one point If not, other teams will take their chance to answer the question The winner is the one who gets the highest points 109 Game 9: Wheel of fortune - Language point: reported speech (yes-no question/ statement) - Skill: speaking, listening, writing - Level: English 10 - Aids: laptop, projector, screen - Game type: pairs - Time: 6-8 minutes - Game description: 110 Teacher gives each pair of the students an index card with a number from 1to Students are instructed to write a statement on their card, a yes-no question Teacher clicks the Spin Button When the wheel hits the number on the index card, the student chooses who will receive the question/statement on their card, then change it into reported speech If the pair who does the task given correctly, they will get the mark related to the number in the wheel The winner will be the one who gets the highest scores 111 Game 10: Find the treasure - Language point: conditional sentence and reported speech - Skill: speaking, listening - Level: English 10 - Aids: laptop, projector, screen - Game type: groups - Time: 6-8 minutes - Game description: Teacher divides the class into teams Teacher picks a board to play All game boards have a treasure hidden in different places Each team is asked a question If they answer correctly, they are allowed to choose the box on the screen which they believe the treasure to be behind Teacher then clicks that box to reveal what is behind it The first to find the treasure wins If the teacher still has questions to ask, just start the PowerPoint over and choose a different board 112 113 Game 11: Crossword 114 - Language point: the + adjective - Skill: speaking, listening - Level: English 10 - Aids: laptop, projector, screen - Game type: groups - Time: 5-7 minutes - Game description: Teacher divides the class two teams Each team has to take turn to choose number with the content hidden under that number Teacher clicks on that number, a picture will appear Students have to call out the word that combines “the” with an adjective to name that picture The game continues till the key word appears The winner is the one who calls out the correct key word and describe that key word 115 APPENDIX A SAMPLE ELECTRONIC GRAMMAR LESSON 116 117 ...i STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I hereby certify that this thesis entitled ? ?THE ROLE OF GAMES IN ELECTRONIC LESSONS IN TEACHING ENGLISH GRAMMAR TO 10th GRADERS AT HONG HA PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL? ?? submitted... there have been no studies on the use of electronic games in teaching grammar to high school students in Vietnam context The study, therefore, aims at finding the influences of games in the electronic. .. on teaching English grammar through games have also been examined All of these serve as a basis for an investigation into the role of games in English grammar teaching which is presented in the