Vocabulary instruction to efl high school students keyword versus wordlist method

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY NGUYEN THI THU HOAI VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION TO EFL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: KEYWORD VERSUS WORDLIST METHOD MASTER’S THESIS IN EDUCATION Nghe An, 2018 MASTER’S THESIS IN EDUCATION MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY NGUYEN THI THU HOAI VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION TO EFL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: KEYWORD VERSUS WORDLIST METHOD Major: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Code: 8140111 MASTER’S THESIS IN EDUCATION Supervisor: Dr Tran Thi Ngoc Yen Nghe An, 2018 STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I hereby acknowledge that this study is mine The data and findings discussed in the thesis are true, used with permission from associates, and have not been published elsewhere Author Nguyen Thi Thu Hoai i ABSTRACT The main goal in this study is to find out whether the keyword method better facilitates than wordlist method on word meaning and word spelling In order to achieve the mentioned goal, a study was carried out among seventy 10 th graders at a high school in the rural area The participants were divided into two groups, each of which had 35 students One served the keyword group and the other as the wordlist group Before the treatment, all participants did a general English test Then both groups were asked to sit the pre-test to check vocabulary in order that they have not known these words Two post-tests were administered after the treatment to compare the results of word meaning and word spelling The data indicated that the participants in the keyword group made better progress than those in the wordlist group on word meaning and word spelling Based on the findings, some implications for teaching vocabulary were elicited Limitations of the study and further research were also given ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I would like to express my deep gratitude to Dr Tran Thi Ngoc Yen, who directly supported me to fulfill this study I am truly grateful to her for her support and guidance she offered to help me I would also like to thank to the students of the two classes I worked with in order to gather data for my study Finally, my special thanks go to my friends, my parents without whose unceasing support, patience and understanding I could not have been able to complete my study iii TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP i ABSTRACT ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii TABLE OF CONTENTS iv LIST OF TABLES vi LIST OF FINGURES vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS viii CHAPTER INTRODUCTION .1 1.1 Rationale .2 1.2 Aims of the study 1.3 Research questions 1.4 Scope of the study 1.5 Organization of the study CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Definition of vocabulary .6 2.2 Classification of vocabulary 2.2.1 According to the concept of morpheme 10 2.2.2 According to the meaning 10 2.2.3 According to the use of word 10 2.3 The role of vocabulary in language learning 11 2.4 Vocabulary mastery 12 2.4.1 Word form 15 2.4.2 Grammar 15 2.4.3 Collocation .16 2.4.4 Meaning 16 2.5 Vocabulary instruction 16 2.5.1 Techniques to teach English vocabulary as a foreign language 16 2.5.2 Principles in teaching vocabulary 22 2.5.3 Factors affecting vocabulary acquisition 27 2.6 Keywords in vocabulary teaching .28 iv 2.6.1 Keywords in foreign language teaching 28 2.6.2 Benefits of keywords 29 2.6.3 Activities that can be done with keywords 31 2.7 Wordlists in vocabulary teaching 33 2.7.1 Wordlists in foreign language teaching 33 2.7.2 Benefits of wordlists 34 2.7.3 Activities that can be done with wordlists .34 CHAPTER METHODOLOGY 36 3.1 Research questions 36 3.2 Materials 36 3.3 Participants 39 3.4 Data collection method .39 3.5 Data collection procedure 39 CHAPTER FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION .41 4.1 General English test results 41 4.2 Pre-test results .44 4.3 Post-test results 44 4.3.1 The results from the word meaning tests 44 4.3.2 The results from the word spelling tests 50 4.4 Discussion 57 4.4.1 The effect of the keywords and wordlists presentation on memorizing the word meaning 57 4.4.2 The effect of the keywords and wordlists presentation on word spelling 58 CHAPTER CONCLUSION 59 5.1 Summary of the main findings 59 5.2 Implications 60 5.3 Limitations of the study 60 5.4 Suggestions for further research 61 REFERENCES 63 v LIST OF TABLES Table 3.1: The reading topics of fifteen units in Tieng Anh 10 36 Table 4.1 The average total scores and standard deviations of the general English test of the keyword group and the wordlist group 43 Table 4.2 The average total scores and standard deviations of the pre- test of the keyword group and the wordlist group .44 Table 4.3 The specific scores of all participants of the first post test on word meaning for both groups 45 Table 4.4 The mean scores and standard deviations of the first post test on word meaning of two groups 45 Table 4.5 The specific scores of all participants of the second post-test on word meaning for both groups 46 Table 4.6 The average total scores and standard deviations of the second post-test on word meaning of two groups 46 Table 4.7 The average scores of two tests on word meaning by all participants(P) 47 Table 4.8 The mean scores and standard deviations of the two post tests on word meaning of two groups 49 Table 4.9: The specific scores of all participants and percentage of the first post tests on word spelling for both groups 50 Table 4.10 The average total scores and standard deviations of the first post test on word spelling of two groups 51 Table 4.11: The specific scores of all participants of the second post- test on word spelling for both groups 51 Table 4.12 The average total scores and standard deviations 52 of the second post-test on word spelling of two groups .52 Table 4.13 Mean scores of two post tests on word spelling by all participants (P) 52 Table 4.14: The specific score average of all participants and percentage of the two post tests on word spelling for both groups 54 Table 4.15 The mean and standard deviations of the average two post tests on word spelling of two groups 56 vi LIST OF FINGURES Figure 4.1 Number of participants for the general test’ score from two classes 41 Figure 4.2 The percentage of the general test’ scores of both groups 42 Figure 4.3 Comparison of the mean scores of all participants of the two post -test on word meaning for both groups 49 Figure 4.4 The comparison of the scores on the two post tests on word spelling made by the two groups 55 vii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS EFL: English as a Foreign Language L1: First Language L2: Second Language SLA: Second Language Acquisition SD: standard deviation viii A concert audiences liked their music B they signed a recording contract C their national tour was very successful Task 6: You will hear a man called Ben, from a young people's organisation, telling a youth group about a course they can on Saturdays For each question, fill in the missing information in the numbered space Saturday course Name of Ben's organisation: (35) Aim of course: Discovering (36) Closest course location for this group: (37) Length of course: (38) weeks Examples of activities we will do: Learn how to climb • Cut up wood • Make a (39) • Design a (40) to take home APPENDIX B PRE-TREATMENT VOCABULARY TEST Write the meanings of the words Words 1.Straw 2.Shortage 3.Method 4.Change 5.Lifestyle 6.Bumper crop 7.Gulf 8.Cover 9.Challenge 10.Investigate 11.Organism 12.Contribute 13.Biodiversity 14.Variety 15.Eliminate 16.Destruction 17.Circulation 18.Threaten 19.Disappearance 20.Defense Meanings Words - 21.Locate 22.Establish 23.Species - 24.Toxic 25.Chemicals 26.Contamination - 27.Communicate 28.Emotion 29.Integral - 30.Solemn 31.Mounful 32.Delight - 33.Lull 34.Century 35.Discover - 36.Decade 37.Scene 38.Audience - 39.Moving 40.Motion Meanings - APPENDIX C THE FIRST POST-TREATMENT VOCABULARY TEST ON WORD SPELLING Reorder the letters Jumbled Words Right words Jumbled Words Right words 1.s-t-a-w-r 11.o-n-g-i-r-s-a-m 2.s-a-t-h-g-o-e-r 12.c-b-o-u-n-t-e-t-r-i 3.d-e-m-o-t-h 13.t-i-y-v-b-e-i-r-i-o-s-d 4.e-l-i-l-f-s-e-t-y 14.v-e-t-a-y-r e-g-n-a-h-c 15.e-n-i-t-l-a-i-m-e 6.r-b-u-p-m-e p-r-o-7.f- 16.d-i-e-t-n-s-o-t-r-u-c u-l-g 17.c-o-li-a-r-t-c-i-u-n r-e-c-o-v 18.t-a-h-e-t-r-n-e 9.c-e-h-n-a-g-l-e-l 19.d-p-e-a-i-e-s-a-r-a-n-p-c 10.i-t-e-n-i-v-g-e-a-s-t 20.d-e-c-e-f-n-e APPENDIX D THE FIRST POST-TREATMENT VOCABULARY TEST ON WORD MEANINGS Write the meanings of the words Words Straw Shortage Method Change Lifestyle Bumper crop gulf Cover Challenge 10.Investigate Meanings Words Meanings 11.Organism 12.Contribute 10 Biodiversity 11 Variety 12 Eliminate 13 Destruction 14 Circulation 15 Threaten 16 Disappearance 17 Defense APPENDIX E THE SECOND POST-TREATMENT VOCABULARY TEST ON WORD SPELLING Reorder the letters Jumbled Words Right words Jumbled Words Right words 1.l-a-o-t-c-e 11.m-u-n-o-l-u-f 2.s-e-b-s-l-t-i-a-h 12.d-i-g-l-e-h-t 3.s-i-c-p-e-s-e 13.l-l-l-u 4.t-i-c-o-x 14.c-u-t-r-e-n-y 5.c-i-c-h-a-l-e-s-m 15.d-o-c-i-o-s-v-e-r 6.c-u-c-t-o-n-i-m-a-m-e 16.d-a-c-e-d-e 7.c-e-m-o-m-u-n-c-e-t-a 17.s-e-n-c-e 8.e-t-o-n-m-i-o 18.e-a-i-e-n-u-c-d 9.i-g-n-r-t-a-l-e 19.m-i-v-o-g-n 10.s-l-m-o-n-e-u 20.m-i-t-a-n-o APPENDIX F THE SECOND POST-TREATMENT VOCABULARY TEST ON WORD MEANINGS Write the meanings of the words Words Meanings Words Meanings 1.Locate 11.Mounful 2.Establish 12.Delight 3.Species 13.Lull 4.Toxic 14.Century 5.Chemicals 15.Discover 6.Contamination 16.Decade 7.Communicate 17.Scene 8.Emotion 18.Audience 9.Integral 19.Moving 10.Solemn 20.Motion APPENDIX G LESSON PLAN FOR KEYWORD GROUP UNIT 8: THE STORY OF MY VILLAGE LESSON A: READING - ENGLISH 10 – P 82 & 83 A OBJECTIVES  Language objectives By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: - better their reading skill through vocabulary Matching and completion exercises - enlarge vocabulary about country life such as bumper crop, straw, lifestyle… Content objectives By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: - build up students’ background knowledge about country life B LANGUAGE FOCUS Key words: Straw, shortage, method, change, lifestyle, bumper crop C METHODS Communicative Language Teaching Method, using keyword method to teach vocabulary D TEACHING AIDS Textbook, board, chalk, pictures, photos, power point E PROCEDURE Content 1.Warm Teacher’s activities Students’ activities – Networks- Game up -Ask Ss to work in groups of four and - Group work (5’ mins) make a list of words related to the country The group with the longest list will be the winner II Pre reading - Picture description -Have Ss work in pairs and discuss the -Work in pairs (15 mins) questions in the book -Call on some Ss to read their answers aloud in front of the class -Tell the answers Feedback and give suggested answers The farmers are having the crop They are working very hard Vocabulary pre-teach -Introduce new words -Require Ss to look at the pictures and guess the way to read and the phrases explaining the meaning of words -Guess the words - Ask Ss to read the words in chorus twice -Read new words Dry cut stalks of various cereals -Guess the meanings of the words A lack of S.T needed a way of doing something The act of becoming different The particular way that a person or groups lives Producing much more than usual Checking vocabulary - Rub out and remember -Read and remember - Show all the words -Read the words and -Rub out all the words in English and remember keep the pictures - When all the words are rubbed, ask Ss to look at the pictures and read the words and tell its meanings III While - Task 1: Vocabulary matching reading Ask students to read the passage and (13 mins) match the words which all appear in the -Match the words with the passage in A with their definition in B pictures Encourage students to guess the meaning of the words in the context Have students compare their answers -Work in pairs with a friend Call on some students to explain their answers in front of the class Make necessary corrections Give correct answers Task 2: Table completion Ask students to scan the passage to get specific information to complete the -Read the passage table -Do the task individually Let students study the table carefully before doing the task Task 3: Answering Questions Ask students to work in pairs: Read the passage again and answer the questions in Task -Ask and answer in pairs Tell students to underline the information that support the answers Have students compare their answers with another pair Call on some students to read their answers aloud in front of the class IV.Post - -Ask Ss to work in groups and discuss reading the questions -Discuss the questions ( 10 mins) - Tell Ss to look back to the passage to -Work in groups get the ideas for the questions - Give the suggested questions V.Wrapping - Show the pictures again and ask Ss to -Read new words again ( mins) read the words Assign homework basing on the picture APPENDIX H LESSON PLAN FOR WORDLIST GROUP UNIT 8: THE STORY OF MY VILLAGE LESSON A: READING - ENGLISH 10 – P 82 & 83 A OBJECTIVES  Language objectives By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: - better their reading skill through vocabulary Matching and completion exercises - enlarge vocabulary about country life such as bumper crop, straw, lifestyle… Content objectives By the end of the lesson, students will be able to: - build up students’ background knowledge about country life B LANGUAGE FOCUS Key words: Straw, shortage, method, change, lifestyle, bumper crop C METHODS Communicative Language Teaching Method, using wordlist method to teach vocabulary D TEACHING AIDS Textbook, board, chalk, pictures, photos, power point E PROCEDURE Content 1.Warm Teacher’s activities Students’ activities – Networks- Game up -Ask Ss to work in groups of four and - Group work (5’ mins) make a list of words related to the country The group with the longest list will be the winner II Pre reading - Picture description -Have Ss work in pairs and discuss the -Work in pairs (15 mins) questions in the book -Call on some Ss to read their answers aloud in front of the class -Tell the answers Feedback and give suggested answers The farmers are having the crop They are working very hard Vocabulary pre-teach -Introduce new words -Require Ss to look at the pictures and guess the way to read and the phrases explaining the meaning of words -Guess the words - Ask Ss to read the words in chorus twice -Read new words Words Meanings 1.Straw Rơm 2.Shortage Thiếu thốn 3.Method Phương pháp 4.Change Thay đổi 5.Lifestyle 6.Bumper crop -Read and remember Cách sống Vụ mùa bội thu Checking vocabulary - Rub out and remember - Show all the words -Read the words and -Rub out word by word in English and remember keep the tables - When all the words are rubbed , ask Ss to look at the meanings and read the words III While - Task 1: Vocabulary matching reading Ask students to read the passage and (13 mins) match the words which all appear in the -Match the words with its passage in A with their definition in B Encourage students to guess meanings the meaning of the words in the context -Work in pairs Have students compare their answers with a friend Call on some students to explain their answers in front of the class Make necessary corrections Give correct answers Task 2: Table completion Ask students to scan the passage to get -Read the passage specific information to complete the -Do the task individually table Let students study the table carefully before doing the task Task 3: Answering Questions Ask students to work in pairs: Read the passage again and answer the questions -Ask and answer in pairs in Task Tell students to underline the information that support the answers Have students compare their answers with another pair Call on some students to read their answers aloud in front of the class IV.Post - -Ask Ss to work in groups and discuss reading the questions -Discuss the questions ( 10 mins) - Tell Ss to look back to the passage to -Work in groups get the ideas for the questions - Give the suggested questions V.Wrapping - Show the table again and ask Ss to read -Read new words again ( mins) the words Assign homework basing on the picture ... TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY NGUYEN THI THU HOAI VOCABULARY INSTRUCTION TO EFL HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: KEYWORD VERSUS WORDLIST METHOD Major: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) Code:... the keyword method is a technique that leads to better retention than the wordlist method However, what we clearly not know is whether the keyword method is a more effective method compared to. .. expected to be useful for teachers in teaching vocabulary 1.3 Research questions Does keyword or wordlist better facilitates for EFL high students? ?? retention of word meaning? Which method (keyword