INTRODUCTION ………………………… ……………8-10 1.1 Background
Scopes
There are also many other strategies for teaching and learning vocabulary (Gu & Johnson, 1996); however, this research paper will only focus on the guessing strategy due to its limited scope
The research will be carried out in Nguyen Gia Thieu secondary school in Tan Binh District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Research Objectives
This study aims to examine whether teaching affixes is an effective approach to increase vocabulary size for secondary school students
Research Questions
Is teaching affixes an effective method for increasing students’ vocabulary size?
Organization
This study is structured into five sections, beginning with an overview that highlights the significance of vocabulary acquisition It also addresses the current state of word formation teaching and learning in Vietnam.
1 In section 2, academic literature, which depicts a general picture of the effects of affixes awareness on one’s vocabulary size and reading skills will be reviewed The methodology introduced in section 3 will include 4 steps:
The research process involves several key steps: identifying research subjects, creating a comprehensive questionnaire, selecting appropriate data collection methods, and analyzing the gathered data The findings will be addressed in Section 4, followed by conclusions and recommendations in the concluding section.
LITERATURE REVIEW……………………………….11-16 2.1 Definitions and Hypothesis
Vietnamese Students’ Difficulties in Learning English Vocabulary
The ability of learners to acquire English is significantly influenced by their home language background (Ramirez et al., 2011) Unlike countries such as the Philippines, Singapore, and Malaysia, where English is commonly used as a second language, Vietnam treats English as a foreign language Although a limited number of Vietnamese children are exposed to English-speaking environments at early ages in language centers, this exposure is often brief, and they predominantly speak Vietnamese at home Consequently, these children lack opportunities to practice English in real-life contexts.
Alexandre de Rhodes significantly influenced Vietnamese culture by introducing the Latin alphabet in 1651, which gives Vietnamese speakers an advantage in learning English compared to the ideogram systems of Chinese and Korean The Vietnamese language shares notable similarities with the alphabets of English, French, and Spanish; however, its word formation differs as it is monosyllabic and lacks concepts like inflection, derivation, or prefixes In contrast, cognate languages such as French, Spanish, and English often combine roots with prefixes, as seen in the word "communicable," derived from "communicate" and the suffix "-able," conveying the same meaning of being able to be communicated.
Effects of Morphological Awareness
Developing morphological awareness appears to have a significant effect on facilitating vocabulary learning process, which has a great influence on reading comprehension (Hiebert & Kamil, 2005; Stahl & Nagy, 2006)
2.3.1 Effects of morphological awareness on vocabulary size
Expanding vocabulary is essential for learning English, making it important to develop effective methods for vocabulary enhancement Templeton (2012) notes that many English words are formed through morphological processes, suggesting that increasing morphological awareness can improve both the speed and accuracy of identifying written words by decomposing low-frequency terms into recognizable segments Research indicates that this awareness significantly benefits English language learners.
Page | 14 learners at young ages since in this period of time, morphological awareness is apt to develop considerably (Berninger, Abbott, Nagy, & Carlisle, 2010)
Research indicates that a strong understanding of morphology significantly enhances children's ability to acquire and retain complex words Kuo & Anderson (2006) emphasize that this understanding is crucial for vocabulary development Similarly, Goodwin et al (2013) highlight that upper elementary students' fluency in English is heavily influenced by their morphological knowledge Anglin (1993) further supports this by demonstrating that elementary students utilize their understanding of base words and suffixes to decipher the meanings of less common words.
2.3.2 Effects of morphological awareness on reading
Reading, which includes many subskills and components such as linguistic, cognitive, and socio affective features (Carr, Brown, Vavrus, & Evans, 1990), is one of the most fundamental and complex skills (Koda,
Learning to read involves more than just translating written words into sounds; it encompasses understanding the meanings conveyed by the text and the author's intent Morphological awareness plays a crucial role in this process, as it involves recognizing the meanings of morphemes and how to effectively combine them to form comprehensible words.
& Anderson, 2006), can partially facilitate learning process and help English language learners, especially ones who study English as a foreign language like the Vietnamese
Guessing is among the most useful techniques in reading since one’s lexicon is limited In some reading tasks, readers are required not only to
Research indicates that morphological awareness significantly enhances English word reading and comprehension, particularly in middle school learners (Carlisle & Fleming, 2003; Deacon & Kirby, 2004; Kieffer & Lesaux, 2012) Understanding the structure of complex words, such as recognizing the prefix and root, is crucial for effective reading For instance, elementary readers may struggle with the word "bipolar," despite knowing "polar," while more experienced readers can easily decipher its meaning by analyzing its components (Scott & Nagy, 2004; Kuo & Anderson, 2006).
Affixed words with familiar base forms can impede the reading process for students For instance, words like "celebration," "freedom," and "colorful" (found in the ninth-grade textbook, Unit 8) are derived from the base words "celebrate," "free," and "color," which students recognize However, many students perceive these affixed words as entirely new, complicating their reading experience.
Tet, also known as the Lunar New Year, is the most significant celebration for Vietnamese people, occurring in late January or early February This festive period is marked by families cleaning and decorating their homes, as well as enjoying traditional special foods together.
Page | 16 such as sticky rice cakes Family members who live apart try to be together at Tet
Passover, celebrated by Jewish communities in Israel and worldwide, occurs in late March or early April and commemorates the liberation from slavery This ancient spring festival features a significant tradition where families gather for a special meal known as the Seder on the first and second nights.
Easter is a vibrant festival celebrated globally, coinciding with Passover On Easter Sunday, children eagerly anticipate receiving chocolate or sugar eggs as a reward for their good behavior Across various countries, lively parades fill the streets, showcasing colorful displays and bringing communities together in festive spirit.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY……………………….17-20 3.1 Overview of Previously Applied Methods
Overview of the Experiment
This study utilized a survey, pretest, and posttest to evaluate their effectiveness and relevance for the research objectives The survey comprised 10 questions focusing on students' personal information and their views on word formation According to Bhattacherjee (2012), a survey is an effective tool for capturing diverse unobservable data, which can benefit both participants and researchers by saving time and effort Consequently, a questionnaire survey was selected as it effectively meets all research requirements.
This study utilizes a survey approach that ensures high response rates and allows for immediate clarification of any questionnaire ambiguities The survey will concentrate on three key areas: (1) students' awareness of the significance and application of word formation, (2) the self-directed learning methods students employ for mastering word formation, and (3) students' recommendations for enhancing teaching methods in this area.
The use of pretests and posttests clearly demonstrates the relationship between cause and effect in treatment manipulation, particularly in educational settings This method effectively measures teaching effectiveness, especially for Vietnamese ninth-graders, whose proficiency levels are comparable to beginners or pre-intermediate students The assessments included in both the pretest and posttest provide valuable insights into student progress.
This article discusses a study involving 10 fill-in-the-blank questions focused on word formation, utilizing 20 high-frequency words from secondary school English textbooks The selected affixes, such as the prefix -ir, were designed to be easily understood and applied by students The words tested included terms like irreligious, retake, and oversleep The pretest aimed to assess students' ability to identify and use appropriate affixes, while the posttest evaluated the effectiveness of teaching affixes in improving their performance The results of both tests will be analyzed and compared to draw conclusions about the impact of affix instruction on student outcomes.
Subjects of the Experiment
100 ninth-graders in Nguyen Gia Thieu secondary school in Tan Binh District were chosen randomly to complete the questionnaire and the two tests.
Procedures
The researcher utilized questionnaires, pretests, and posttests created in Microsoft Word 2013, distributing them to participants to facilitate direct interaction with students and maintain complete control over the timing of the data collection process.
The researcher obtained permission from the principal of Nguyen Gia Thieu Secondary School to collect data from ninth-graders After securing approval from the parents of 101 students, a survey and pretest were administered simultaneously, with the researcher providing guidance on answering the survey questions Following the completion of the questionnaire, the students took a 10-minute pretest, which was submitted to the researcher upon completion Over the next four weeks, the researcher conducted weekly lessons on word formation, culminating in a posttest during the fifth week, marking the end of the five-week study process.
DATA ANALYSIS 21-24 4.1 Background Information of Students
Students’ Awareness of and Attitudes towards Word Formation
Figure 4.2 Students’ opinions on the necessity of word formation
A significant majority of participants (95%) recognized the importance of word formation in their English learning journey, yet only 5% disagreed Despite this understanding, a gap exists between their views on word formation and the emphasis teachers place on it, with 87% of students advocating for greater focus on teaching word formation techniques Interestingly, only 85% of students expressed interest in the word formation process itself, indicating a lack of motivation to engage deeply with the subject This lack of motivation may stem from two primary factors: ineffective teaching methods and unclear definitions and objectives surrounding word formation.
Students’ Vocabulary Learning Methods
Figure 4.3 Students’ strategies for learning vocabulary
Repeating or rewriting new words
Applying into real contexts Learning through affixes and base words
A significant number of participants favored combined methods for vocabulary learning, with 46% opting for strategies that involve understanding the meanings of base words and affixes In contrast, 58% of students preferred rote memorization techniques, such as visual repetition, which includes rewriting words multiple times or reading them aloud.
Figure 4.4 Students’ point of view about word formation
Students show minimal interest in learning about word formation, as indicated in section 4.2 Figure 4.3 reveals that even those who studied vocabulary through word components often lack a deep understanding of the concept Word formation should be defined as the process of creating new words, rather than merely an exercise or method for vocabulary acquisition.
The creation of a new word
Page 24 highlights the importance of supporting students in identifying and guessing new words However, only 23% of students demonstrated a solid understanding of word formation, which may be attributed to the teaching methods used Word formation has often been approached merely as an exercise category, lacking practical applications.
Students’ Performance in the Pretest and Posttest
Figure 4.5 Students’ performance in the two tests
Teaching affixes to secondary school students significantly enhances vocabulary acquisition, as evidenced by pretest and posttest results Notably, 33% of participants demonstrated consistent performance with high scores in both assessments, while around 32% improved their scores by at least five correct answers in the posttest.
Figure 4.6 Descriptive statistics of the pretest and posttest
Following the instruction on word formation, the outcomes were significantly positive, with 41% of students achieving perfect scores on the posttest compared to just 1% in the pretest A notable difference was observed in the modes of the two tests, with the pretest mode at 4 (20 cases) and the posttest mode rising to 10 (41 cases) Nearly all students demonstrated improvement, as evidenced by the mean scores increasing from 4.62 in the pretest to 7.9 in the posttest.
Figure 4.7 Boxplots of pretest and posttest
The analysis reveals that the median score of the posttest (9.0) surpasses that of the pretest (4.0) The pretest's lower and upper quartiles are 3.0 and 7.0, whereas the posttest's quartiles are 6.0 and 10.0 Notably, the interquartile ranges for both tests are relatively comparable.
The pretest and posttest results show a significant difference, with the longer whisker in the pretest box positioned above the median line, while in the posttest box, it is below This shift indicates that the intervention of teaching affixes led to higher and less varied posttest scores Therefore, incorporating affix instruction can effectively improve students' vocabulary performance.
Students’ Suggestions
Figure 4.8 Students’ suggestions on word formation learning
Motivating secondary school students and fostering their interest in knowledge transfer are crucial for effective teaching Research indicates that students are more engaged when vocabulary tasks are presented in diverse formats, which can significantly enhance their enthusiasm for learning and expand their vocabulary repertoire.
Adding interesting games and activities Adding more examples of real life contexts
THE PROCEDURE OF TEACHING WORD FORMATION
To enhance students' understanding of word formation in English, researchers provide a foundational knowledge base and essential tools Key aspects include the definition, function, and usage of word formation Early lessons should introduce word families, such as electric, electrician, electricity, and electrify Through guided exploration, students can discover the meanings, usages, and rules of affixes independently.
The researcher introduced various categories of word formation tasks, accompanied by instructions and lists of affixes By utilizing these lists, students can independently complete the tasks and enhance their long-term retention of vocabulary.
Prefix Meaning Examples ad, af, ar, as To, forward Adjudge to make a judgment
Afforestation the act of planting trees to make forest
Arrange to organize, make plans
Ascertain to find out something ante Before Antecedent preceding event or word
Page | 29 com, co, col, con, cor With, together Commission a group of people be given the official job
Coeditor joint editor Collaborate work together Conference meeting
Corroborate confirm de Down away Devalue reduce the value
Deforest cut trees di Two Divide cut into two parts
Dilemma choice between two bad alternatives dis, dif Not, apart Dislike do not like someone
Differ disagree (carry apart) extra, extro Beyond, outside Extraordinary beyond normal
Extrovert person interested chiefly in external objects and actions in, il, im, ir Not Inefficient not efficient
Illegible not readable Imperfect not perfect Irresponsible not responsible in, il, im, ir In, on, upon Invite call in
Illustration something that makes clear
Impression effect upon mind or feelings
Irradiate shine upon inter Between, among International between nations
Interactive talking together mis Bad, improper Misbehave behave badly
Mischance unfortunate accident multi Many Multicultural many different countries, races, etc
Multipurpose having many purposes non Not Non-renewable cannot be replaced after being used of, op Against Offend insult
Opponent someone who struggles against; foe para Beyond, related Parallel similar
Paraphrase restate; translate post After postpone change day, time to after pre Before Predict say before happening
Premonition forewarning re Again, back Repeat say or write again
Return come back sub, suf, sug, sup, sus Under, less Subnormal less than normal
Suffuse spread through Suggest hint
Suppress put down by force Suspend delay; temporarily cease super, sur Over, above Supernatural above natural things
Surpass be better or greater than something sym, sys With, together Sympathize pity; identify with
Telecommunications systems facilitate long-distance communication by transmitting messages from one person to another The term "transmission" refers to the process of sending information across distances It's important not to underestimate the value of these systems, as they play a crucial role in connecting individuals Additionally, "unilateral" actions are those taken by only one party, highlighting the importance of mutual communication in effective telecommunications.
Suffix Meaning Examples able, ible Capable of (adjective suffix)
Edible able to be eaten Legible able to be read ac, ic Like, pertaining to
Economic pertaining to the economy
Aquatic pertaining to the water icious Full of (adjective suffix) Spacious plenty of space al Pertaining to (adjective or noun suffix)
Logical pertaining to logic ant, ent Full of (adjective or noun suffix)
Disappointment state of being disappointed
Suppliant pleader (person full of requests) ary Like, connected with
Dictionary book connected with words
Honorary with honor ate To make (verb suffix) Differentiate to recognize the difference
Facilitate to make easier Activate to make an electrical system work
Page | 33 ation That which is (noun suffix)
Investigation the act of investigating
Communication the state of communicate cy State of being (noun suffix)
Dependency state of being dependent
Efficiency state of being effective eer, er, or Person who (noun suffix)
Engineer person who designs machines, roads, etc
Employer person who employ Professor person who teach at a university or college fic Making, doing (adjective suffix)
Terrific arousing great fear Scientific related to science fy To make (verb suffix) Beautify make beautiful
Simplify make simple ism Doctrine, belief (noun suffix)
Heroism very great courage Journalism job of writing news reports ist Dealer, doer (noun suffix)
Realist one who is realistic Artist one who deals with art ity State of being (noun suffix)
Ability state of being able to do something
Hospitality state of being friendly ive Like (adjective suffix) Effective successful
Attractive pertaining to attract ize, ise To make (verb suffix) Modernize make more modern
Enfranchise means to set free, while "verbose" describes something that is full of words The term "marvellous" signifies something that is extremely good Additionally, "solitude" refers to the state of loneliness.
After every two units, the researcher designed exercises to assess students' understanding of word formation Students were tasked with inferring additional forms of new words using a provided word formation table For instance, following unit 2 in the textbook, the researcher administered exercises to evaluate their comprehension.
Directions: For each word, write the affix, its meaning, and part of speech
Word Affix Meaning Part of speech
(2) the person does the action _
Besides common exercises, the researcher aroused students’ interests by turning exercises into fascinating games such as word scramble, crossword, word search puzzle, etc
2 epuirtano opinions people have on someone
5 unrwdeflo making you feel happy
6 iredto person whose job is editing
7 blanieednu definitely true or certain
8 fereodm the right to do what you want
9 baieohvr things that a person does
10 psirusvaee able to make people believe you
5 Could you send me details of courses for _, who have not learnt
7 He is always _ of is parents (depend)
8 Ba’s family and Liz had a very day in the countryside last weekend (enjoy)
1.A large number of car accidents are caused by fast and driving
2.The company has made a new motorbike having very low fuel _
3.Both competitors are strong and fast (surprise)
4.The local government has plans to _ this city (modern)
6.The Internet has helped students study more _ (effect)
After each lesson, the researcher would give students group assignments such as analyzing complex words in signs that they found
Picture 5.1 Caution and traffic signs Task 3
A researcher assessed students' understanding of word families and parts of speech by administering exercises akin to those found in the First Certificate in English (FCE) test These exercises not only evaluated knowledge but also enhanced students' skills in word identification.
After the recent floods, (1) are calling for beavers to be reintroduced to Britain You may wonder how animals that build dams prevent floods when (2) _ the opposite is true
However, beavers construct dams in upland areas, creating small pools and (3) that retain water and release water to lowland areas much more (4) _
Until the 16th century, beavers thrived in parts of Britain but were hunted to extinction for their fur Recently, British wildlife organizations have sought to reintroduce beavers to the countryside Their reintroduction could help manage flooding, create wetland habitats, and promote biodiversity.
But such measure are (9) _ Beavers recently reintroduced to Estonia have flooded large areas of forest and
The overpopulation of beavers has led to significant damage to crops, necessitating culling when their numbers become excessive This practice raises ethical concerns among many, as it involves reintroducing a species only to later remove them.
Passages with words containing affixes were given to check students’ abilities in identifying the affixes and guessing the words’ meanings
Agriculture in Australia has evolved from its traditional focus on wheat and wool to a more diverse range of crops and livestock, including exotic fruits and vegetables Today, large-scale farms produce thousands of tons of crops, primarily selling to urban factories rather than local markets Modern irrigation techniques, such as sprinkler systems, have replaced the old practice of flooding fields, leading to better water conservation amid severe droughts affecting southern states The innovative approaches adopted by farmers in recent years offer hope for the future of Australian agriculture.
Finally, a posttest was given to check students’ performance and progress
Match the prefixes with their meanings The first one has been done for you
1 il- a not (words start with /l/) E.g: illegal
3 im- c not (words start with /r/) E.g: irrelevant
4 inter- d to cause to be (to make verbs) E.g: enrich
5 en- e not (words start with /m/ or /p/) E.g: impossible
Match the suffixes with their meanings The first one has been done for you
1 -ism a state or quality E.g: heroism
2 -less b a person, who concerned with a special major
(usually to make nouns from nouns) E.g: pianist
6 -ion f action or process E.g: action
Fill in the blank with one suitable affix from part 1
E.g: It is illegal to sell cigarettes to someone under 16
1 You can always trust him He is a depend man
2 Those preservation s are looking for a solution of deforestation
3 Sugar _ food is good for people who want to lose weight
4 The government is trying to simpli the law
5 She will help you She just needs a little gentle persuas
6 The next stage in the development of television is active TV
7 His breathing has become regular after the accident
8 He is always late I am getting patient with him
9 Global warming is _dangering our lives
10 Apparently her alarm clock did not ring at 7 am, so she _slept and woke up at 10 am
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Limitations of the Current Study
The study's limited participant size and brief teaching duration suggest the need for further research to broaden the scope Expanding the study could provide a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between students' morphological awareness and their vocabulary-related task performance.
Further Research
Future research should aim to broaden the scope of the current thesis by involving a larger participant group and extending the teaching duration for more accurate outcomes Conducting interviews can deepen the understanding of students' grasp of word formation, while also exploring their satisfaction levels and factors influencing performance Additionally, interviewing teachers will provide a more balanced perspective, enhancing the objectivity of the studies It is crucial to introduce affixes early, ideally in the sixth grade, to help students become familiar with and aware of their usage.
Alqahtani, M (2015) The importance of vocabulary in language learning and how to be taught International journal of teaching and education,
Bauer, L., & Nation, P (1993) Word families International journal of
Byrne, D (1979) Teaching writing skills (p 1) London: Longman
Carlisle, J F., & Feldman, L B (1995) Morphological awareness and early reading achievement Morphological aspects of language processing,
Carlisle, J F., & Fleming, J (2003) Lexical processing of morphologically complex words in the elementary years Scientific studies of reading,
Cruz-Ferreira, M., & Abraham, S A (2006) The Language of Language:
Core Concepts in Linguistic Analysis Pearson/Prentice Hall
Deacon, S H., & Kirby, J R (2004) Morphological awareness: Just “more phonological”? The roles of morphological and phonological awareness in reading development Applied psycholinguistics, 25(2),
Freyd, P., & Baron, J (1982) Individual differences in acquisition of derivational morphology Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 21(3), 282-295
Goodwin, A P., Huggins, A C., Carlo, M S., August, D., & Calderon, M
(2013) Minding morphology: How morphological awareness relates to reading for English language learners Reading and Writing, 26(9), 1387-1415
Gu, Y., & Johnson, R K (1996) Vocabulary learning strategies and language learning outcomes Language learning, 46(4), 643-679 Hiebert, E H., & Kamil, M L (2005) Teaching and learning vocabulary:
Bringing research to practice Routledge
Hinkel, E (2006) Current perspectives on teaching the four skills Tesol
Kame'enui, E J., & Baumann, J F (Eds.) (2012) Vocabulary instruction:
Research to practice Guilford Press
Kieffer, M J., & Lesaux, N K (2012) Direct and indirect roles of morphological awareness in the English reading comprehension of native English, Spanish, Filipino, and Vietnamese speakers Language
Koda, K (2007) Reading and language learning: Crosslinguistic constraints on second language reading development Language learning, 57, 1-
Kuo, L J., & Anderson, R C (2006) Morphological awareness and learning to read: A cross-language perspective Educational Psychologist, 41(3), 161-180
Marslen-Wilson, W., Tyler, L K., Waksler, R., & Older, L (1994)
Morphology and meaning in the English mental lexicon
O'Grady, W., Dobrovolsky, M., & Katamba, F (Eds.) (1997) Contemporary linguistics St Martin's
Ramirez, G., Chen, X., Geva, E., & Luo, Y (2011) Morphological awareness and word reading in English language learners: Evidence from Spanish-and Chinese-speaking children Applied
Rubin, H (1988) Morphological knowledge and early writing ability
Scott, J A., & Nagy, W E (2004) Developing word consciousness
Vocabulary instruction: Research to practice, 201-217
Schmitt, N., & Zimmerman, C B (2002) Derivative word forms: What do learners know? Tesol Quarterly, 36(2), 145-171
Schmitt, N., & McCarthy, M (1997) Vocabulary: Description, acquisition and pedagogy Cambridge University Press Štekauer, P., & Lieber, R (Eds.) (2006) Handbook of word-formation (Vol
Templeton, S (2012) The vocabulary-spelling connection and generative instruction: Orthographic development and morphological knowledge at the intermediate grades and beyond Vocabulary instruction: Research to practice, 116-138
Wysocki, K., & Jenkins, J R (1987) Deriving word meanings through morphological generalization Reading Research Quarterly, 66-81 Yule, G (2016) The study of language Cambridge university press
APPENDICES Appendix 1 Questionnaire and Pretest
This article presents a research study titled "Vocabulary Enhancement: Teaching Affixes to Secondary School Students," which aims to gather data on students' understanding of word formation and its functions The accompanying questionnaire consists of two sections, designed to be completed in just 15 minutes The first section includes 10 questions regarding students' backgrounds, while the second section features a brief test assessing their knowledge of word formation Your cooperation in this research is greatly appreciated.
1 How long have you been studying English?
2 Besides studying at school, where do you learn English?
3 How do you learn new words? (you can choose more than one answer)
A By repeating the words aloud many times
B By rewriting the words many times
C By applying the words into real contexts
D By learning the meaning of each parts of the words
4 What do you know about word formation? (you can choose more than one answer)
A The creation of a new word
5 Do you find word formation necessary?
6 Should teachers focus more on word formation in class?
7 Are you interested in how a word is formed?
8 Do you think learning word formation will improve your vocabulary size efficiently?
9 What can be the benefits of learning word formation? (you can choose more than one answer)
B Making writing more expressive and vivid
C Saving time in learning new words
10 What are your suggestions to make word formation teaching more effective? (you can choose more than one answer)
A Teaching meaning of affixes and base words
B Adding more examples of real life contexts
C Adding interesting games and activities