Using supplementary reading materials in teaching english medical vocabulary to college students

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY NGUYEN NU THU THUY USING SUPPLEMENTARY READING MATERIALS IN TEACHING ENGLISH MEDICAL VOCABULARY TO COLLEGE STUDENTS MASTER’S THESIS IN EDUCATION Nghe An, 2017 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY NGUYEN NU THU THUY USING SUPPLEMENTARY READING MATERIALS IN TEACHING ENGLISH MEDICAL VOCABULARY TO COLLEGE STUDENTS Major: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60.14.01.11 MASTER’S THESIS IN EDUCATION Supervisor: Dr Tran Thi Ngoc Yen Nghe An, 2017 STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP I hereby acknowledge that the study “Using supplementary reading materials in teaching English medical vocabulary to college students” is mine The data and findings discussed in the thesis are true, used with permission from associates, and have not been published elsewhere Vinh, August 2017 Author’s signature Nguyen Nu Thu Thuy i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First of all, I would like to express my deep gratitude to Dr Tran Thi Ngoc Yen, who I believe is the most wonderful supervisor, for her valuable direction and generous assistance while I was doing this project Her enthusiasm and positive attitudes were sparkling in such a way that it helped to make my research a serious task to fulfil Second, I am also grateful to my colleagues and students of K10A1 and K10 A2 at HaTinh medical college who helped me to finish the study Next, I would like to show my special thankfulness to my parents and my loved family who love, support and encourage me a lot in the production of this thesis Finally, I am too aware that despite all the advice and assistance, the thesis is far from perfect, it is, therefore, my sole responsibilities for any inadequacies that it may be considered to have ii ABSTRACT Most learners and teachers understand the importance of vocabulary acquisition In recent years, second language vocabulary acquisition has become an increasingly interesting topic of discussion for teachers because vocabulary is crucial in language learning This study aims at examining the effectiveness of using supplementary reading materials on EFL students’word spelling and word meaning retention In the experiment, supplementary reading materials were delivered to the experimental group Before the treatment, a general English test, a pre-treatment vocabulary test on word spelling and word meaning were administered to assess the participants’ English proficiency and vocabulary level The results of the post-treatment vocabulary test at the end of the experiment indicated that using supplementary reading materials can help the participants develop their ability to retain word spelling and word meaning iii TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii ABSTRACT iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS vii LIST OF TABLES viii LIST OF FIGURES ix CHAPTER INTRODUCTION 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Rationale 1.3 Aims of the study 1.4 Research questions 1.5 Scope of the study 1.6 Thesis design CHAPTER LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Theorical background of ESP 2.1.1 Definition of ESP 2.1.2 Charateristics of ESP 2.1.3 English for Medical Purpose (EMP) 2.2 Vocabulary 2.2.1 Definition of vocabulary 2.2.2 Classification of vocabulary 11 2.2.3 Roles of vocabulary in teaching and learning 12 2.2.4 Word aspects 14 2.2.4.1 Word form 17 iv 2.2.4.2 Grammar 18 2.2.4.3 Collocation 18 2.2.4.4 Meaning 18 2.3 ESP vocabulary instruction 19 2.3.1 Factors affecting vocabulary acquisition 19 2.3.2 Methods and techniques to teach ESP vocabulary 21 2.4 Reading and vocabulary development 23 2.5 Supplementary reading materials 24 2.5.1 Definition 24 2.5.2 Criteria for selecting supplementary reading materials 25 CHAPTER THE EXPERIMENT 27 3.1 Research questions 27 3.2 Participants 27 3.3 Materials 28 3.4 Procedures 29 CHAPTER DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 31 4.1 Results 31 4.1.1 General English test 31 4.1.2 Pre-treatment vocabulary test 34 4.1.2.1 Word spelling 34 4.1.2.2 Word meaning 37 4.1.3 Post- treatment vocabulary test 39 4.1.3.1 Word spelling 40 4.1.3.2 Word meaning 43 4.1.4 The difference between pre-treatment and post treatment tests 46 v 4.1.4.1 Word spelling 46 4.1.4.2 Word meaning 50 4.2 Discussion 533 4.2.1 The effect of the supplementary reading materials on memorizing the word spelling 53 4.2.2 The effect of the supplementary reading materials on memorizing the word meaning 55 CHAPTER CONCLUSION 57 5.1 Summary of the main findings 57 5.2 Implications 60 5.3 Limitations 61 5.4 Suggestions for further research 61 REFERENCES 65 APPENDIX A 69 APPENDIX B 75 APPENDIX C 79 APPENDIX D 83 APPENDIX E 98 APPENDIX F 102 APPENDIX G 107 vi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS EFL: English as a Foreign Language L1: First Language L2: Second Language ESP: English for specific purpose EMP: English for medical purpose vii LISTS OF TABLES Table 4.1 The average total scores and standard deviations of general English test for the treatment group and the control group 31 Table 4.2 Means and standard deviations of the pre-treatment vocabulary test on word spelling for the treatment group and the control group 34 Table 4.3 Means and standard deviations of the pre-treatment vocabulary test on word meaning for the treatment group and the control group 37 Table 4.4 Means and standard deviations of the post-treatment vocabulary test on word spelling for the treatment group and the control group 40 Table 4.5 Means and standard deviations of the post-treatment vocabulary test on word meaning for the treatment group and the control group 43 Table 4.6 The improvement of the pre-treatment vocabulary test and the posttreatment vocabulary test on word spelling for the treatment group and the control group made 46 Table 4.7 The improvement of the pre-treatment vocabulary test and the posttreatment vocabulary test on word meaning for the treatment group and the control group made 50 viii APPENDIX E SCORES ON THE GENERAL ENGLISH TEST OF ALL THE PARTICIPANTS THE CONTROL GROUP THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP Participants Scores Participants Scores A1 B1 A2 B2 A3 B3 A4 B4 A5 B5 A6 B6 A7 B7 97 A8 B8 A9 B9 A10 B10 A11 B11 A12 B12 A13 B13 A14 B14 A15 B15 A16 B16 A17 B17 A18 B18 A19 B19 98 A20 B20 A21 B21 A22 B22 A23 B23 A24 B24 A25 B25 A26 B26 A27 B27 A28 B28 A29 B29 A30 B30 A31 B31 99 A32 B32 A33 B33 A34 B34 A35 B35 A36 B36 A37 B37 A38 B38 A39 B39 A40 B40 A41 B41 A42 B42 A43 B43 100 A44 B44 A45 B45 101 APPENDIX F THE NUMBER OF THE RIGHT WORDS ON THE PRE-VOCABULARY TEST BY PARTICIPANTS FROM TWO GROUPS (Max: 50 words) THE CONTROL GROUP Participants THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP Word Word spelling Participants Word Word meaning spelling meaning test test test test A1 B1 A2 B2 A3 B3 A4 B4 A5 B5 A6 2 B6 A7 B7 102 A8 1 B8 A9 B9 A10 B10 A11 B11 A12 B12 3 A13 B13 A14 1 B14 A15 B15 A16 B16 A17 1 B17 A18 B18 A19 B19 2 103 A20 B20 A21 B21 A22 B22 A23 B23 A24 B24 A25 1 B25 A26 B26 A27 B27 A28 1 B28 A29 B29 A30 2 B30 A31 B31 104 A32 1 B32 A33 B33 A34 B34 A35 B35 A36 B36 A37 B37 1 A38 B38 A39 B39 A40 B40 A41 B41 A42 B42 A43 0 B43 105 A44 B44 A45 B45 106 APPENDIX G THE NUMBER OF THE RIGHT WORDS ON THE POST-VOCABULARY TEST BY PARTICIPANTS FROM TWO GROUPS THE CONTROL GROUP Participants Word THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP Word Participants Word Word spelling meaning spelling test test test A1 30 25 B1 30 46 A2 30 30 B2 30 40 A3 15 25 B3 25 30 A4 10 15 B4 45 45 A5 25 B5 25 30 A6 25 30 B6 45 45 A7 25 B7 35 35 107 meaning test A8 35 20 B8 25 35 A9 30 35 B9 45 46 A10 15 B10 20 25 A11 25 10 B11 20 25 A12 30 35 B12 5 A13 25 B13 40 45 A14 10 20 B14 20 10 A15 22 10 B15 45 35 A16 10 25 B16 40 46 A17 30 35 B17 35 40 A18 22 10 B18 5 A19 10 15 B19 25 15 108 A20 15 20 B20 40 30 A21 35 30 B21 30 40 A22 22 25 B22 22 25 A23 30 35 B23 45 46 A24 35 30 B24 45 30 A25 20 B25 5 A26 22 20 B26 22 20 A27 15 10 B27 40 45 A28 20 20 B28 20 22 A29 10 10 B29 20 30 A30 20 25 B30 40 45 A31 22 15 B31 15 15 109 A32 20 20 B32 25 35 A33 10 B33 45 46 A34 22 10 B34 15 20 A35 20 20 B35 15 20 A36 20 B36 45 46 A37 25 B37 40 45 A38 22 25 B38 15 20 A39 15 B39 20 25 A40 22 25 B40 40 45 A41 5 B41 20 35 A42 20 25 B42 45 46 A43 20 25 B43 25 30 110 A44 25 20 B44 20 10 A45 20 25 B45 20 20 111 ...MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING VINH UNIVERSITY NGUYEN NU THU THUY USING SUPPLEMENTARY READING MATERIALS IN TEACHING ENGLISH MEDICAL VOCABULARY TO COLLEGE STUDENTS Major: English Teaching. .. learning This study aims at examining the effectiveness of using supplementary reading materials on EFL students? ??word spelling and word meaning retention In the experiment, supplementary reading materials. .. appropriately for teaching purposes 2.5.2 Criteria for selecting supplementary reading materials Supplementary materials are essential tools in English language teaching They allow students to interact