A study of vocabulary teaching techniques used by grade 5 teachers of english at a primary school in phu tho

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT OF POST- GRADUATE STUDIES *********************** NINH THỊ KIM NGÂN A STUDY OF VOCABULAR

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

DEPARTMENT OF POST- GRADUATE STUDIES

***********************

NINH THỊ KIM NGÂN

A STUDY OF VOCABULARY TEACHING TECHNIQUES USED

BY GRADE 5 TEACHERS OF ENGLISH AT A PRIMARY

SCHOOL IN PHU THO (Nghiên cứu các thủ thuật dạy từ vựng được sử dụng bởi các giáo viên

Tiếng Anh lớp 5 tại một trường tiểu học ở Phú Thọ)

M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS

Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111

HANOI – 2017

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

DEPARTMENT OF POST- GRADUATE STUDIES

***********************

NINH THỊ KIM NGÂN

A STUDY OF VOCABULARY TEACHING TECHNIQUES USED

BY GRADE 5 TEACHERS OF ENGLISH AT A PRIMARY

SCHOOL IN PHU THO (Nghiên cứu các thủ thuật dạy từ vựng được sử dụng bởi các giáo viên

Tiếng Anh lớp 5 tại một trường tiểu học ở Phú Thọ)

M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS

Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 60140111 Supervisor: Dr Nguyễn Thị Mai Hương

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

I hereby declare that I am the author of this thesis It is the product of my own effort I further declare that I have not submitted this thesis at any other institution for a degree or other qualifications

Hanoi, September 2017

Ninh Th Kim Ng n

I also wish to acknowledge my gratitude to all the teachers from Department

of Post Graduate Studies, University of Languages and International Studies for teaching knowledge and skills to me during the years of studying at the university

so that I could fulfill this research

Finally, I would like to thank my family and my friends for their support and encouragement throughout my study

ABSTRACT

Nowadays, teaching vocabulary techniques are given special attention by scholars and linguists in the field of teaching English to young learners However, the understanding of vocabulary teaching methods for young learners in Vietnam

does not seem to be adequate The research “A study of vocabulary teaching

techniques used by grade 5 teachers of English at a primary school in Phu Tho”

was conducted in this context This study aims to investigate grade 5 English

teachers’ perceptions of teaching vocabulary and the techniques they use in their classrooms The researcher conducted a qualitative case study, which consisted of two main instruments: interview and classroom observation Four teachers of English participated in the research The findings suggest that although these teachers are aware of the importance of vocabulary in teaching English to young learners, their understanding about the teaching methods needs to be revisited

TABLE OF CONTENTS STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP Error! Bookmark not defined

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii

ABSTRACT iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS iv

LIST OF TABLES vi

PART A: INTRODUCTION 1

1 Rationale of the study 1

2 Aims and objectives of the study 2

3 Research questions 2

4 Scope of the study 2

5 Method of the study 3

6 Structure of the study 3

PART B: DEVELOPMENT 5

CHAPTER 1:LITERATURE REVIEW 5

1.1 An overview of vocabulary 5

1.1.1 Definitions of vocabulary 5

1.1.2 Classification of vocabulary 6

1.1.3 The importance of vocabulary in teaching and learning English 7

1.1.4 Aspects of teaching vocabulary 9

1.2 Vocabulary teaching techniques 11

1.2.1 Stages of teaching vocabulary 11

1.2.2 Vocabulary teaching techniques 11

1.3 Young learners ……….15

1.3.1 Definitions of young learners 15

1.3.2 Characteristics of young learners 15

1.3.3 Vocabulary development in young learners’ foreign language learning 16 1.3.4 How to teach vocabulary to young learners 17

CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 19

2.2 Research context 20

2.3 Research participants 21

2.4 Research instruments 22

2.5 Data collection and data analysis procedures 23

CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION 25

3.1 Findings from interview data and discussion 25

3.1.1 The teachers’ perceptions of vocabulary teaching to young learners 25

3.1.2 Teachers’ self-report of their vocabulary teaching techniques 32

3.1.2.2 Using of realia, games, songs, chants and body language 33

3.2 Findings from classroom observations and discussion 34

3.2.1 Teacher 1 34

3.2.2 Teacher 2 35

3.2.3 Teacher 3 36

3.2.4 Teacher 4 37

PART C: CONCLUSION 39

1 Summary of main findings 39

2 Implications 40

3 Limitations of the study 41

4 Suggestions for further studies 41

REFERENCES 42

APPENDICES I

APPENDIX A II

INTERVIEW SCHEDULE II

APPENDIX B III

CLASSROOM OBSERVATION SCHEDULE III

APPENDIX C IV

SAMPLE OF INTERVIEW IV

APPENDIX D VI

SAMPLE OF LESSON OBSERVATION VI

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 Aspects of teaching vocabulary 10 Table 2 Background of participants 22

PART A INTRODUCTION

This research was conducted to understand the teachers’ perceptions of vocabulary teaching to young learners and investigate the vocabulary teaching techniques used by grade 5 teachers of English in the classroom Six sections: rationale, aims and objectives, research questions, scope, method and structure of the study were presented in this part

1 Rationale of the study

In the tendency of integration of the global economic, English has become the global language means for multinational and multicultural communication It plays an important role in the fields of economic, culture, education, science and technology

In Vietnam, English is known as a key language tool to success in science technology and promote cooperation between Vietnam and other countries It is undeniable that the importance of English has been increased day by day in Vietnam Especially, it has occupied a significant place in Vietnamese education It has become a compulsory in all levels of education from primary level to bachelor’s level

Language is made up of vocabulary items and grammatical rules A language cannot exist in the world without vocabulary D.A Wilkins, a famous linguist expresses the importance of vocabulary that “Without grammar, very little can be conveyed Without vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed” Vocabulary is one of the knowledge areas in acquiring a language Vocabulary knowledge plays a significant role for young learners in learning a foreign language Building up a big vocabulary is necessary for primary level in learning English Linse (2005) states that “Young learners’ vocabulary development is an important aspect of their language development Vocabulary has a central role to help student fluent in language skills” Therefore, teaching a language cannot be separated from teaching vocabulary

In recent years, vocabulary has been considered as a center stage in teaching English Vocabulary teaching techniques have become the main focus of linguists

and methodologies However, teaching vocabulary is one of the most difficulties aspects in the process of teaching a language Many teachers in primary schools still keep traditional teaching techniques and use similar activities day by day when teaching vocabulary Moreover, young learners have a short concentration span They are easy to feel bored when they have to do one same activity day by day Therefore, effective teaching techniques on vocabulary are important to motivate students, help them learn English better and have successful lessons

All the above- mentioned reasons motivated the researcher to conduct the

research “A study of vocabulary teaching techniques used by grade 5 teachers of

English at a primary school in Phu Tho”

2 Aims and objectives of the study

The main aim of the study is to investigate the vocabulary teaching techniques adopted by English teachers of grade 5 at a primary in Phu Tho province It is also

intended to look at their perceptions of vocabulary teaching practices

The objectives of the study therefore are:

 To understand the teachers’ perceptions of vocabulary teaching to young learners

 To investigate the vocabulary teaching techniques used by grade 5 teachers

of English in the classroom

3 Research questions

In order to achieve the above objectives, I conducted a qualitative case study

which attempts to answer the following questions:

1 What are the teachers’ perceptions of vocabulary teaching to young learners?

2 What are the vocabulary teaching techniques used by grade 5 teachers of English in the classroom?

4 Scope of the study

This study aims to investigate the teachers’ perceptions of vocabulary teaching and the vocabulary teaching techniques used in the classroom at one

English The researcher wished to explore the current practices of teaching English vocabulary at that school and find out areas where vocabulary teaching can be improved This study can be a significant contribution to English vocabulary teaching in the researched primary school and make it more effective and enjoyable

5 Method of the study

The researcher conducted a qualitative case study which comprised two main instruments: interview and classroom observation Four grade 5 teachers of English were selected to be the participants for the study Data were collected through interviews and classroom observations to analyze

First, the researcher interviewed English teachers to understand teachers’ perceptions of vocabulary teaching to young learners and reported vocabulary teaching techniques which they use in the classroom

After that, classroom observations were conducted to explore actual vocabulary teaching techniques which are used by teachers

6 Structure of the study

My thesis consists of three main parts:

Part A is the Introduction including rationale, aims and objectives,

research questions, research method, scope and structure of the study

Part B is the Development which includes three chapters:

Chapter 1 is the Literature Review, which presents theoretical issues

relevant to the study such as vocabulary (definitions, classification and the importance of vocabulary, aspects of teaching vocabulary), young learners (definitions, characteristics and vocabulary development of young learners, how to teach vocabulary for young learner), vocabulary teaching techniques

Chapter 2 is the methodology In this chapter, research design, research

context, research participants, research instruments and research collection and analysis procedures of the study are discussed

Chapter 3 is the findings and discussion In this chapter, analysis of the

data which was collected from 2 main instruments and discussions on the study is presented

Part C is the Conclusion This part summarizes the main findings, presents

the implications, limitations of the study and recommends some suggestions for further study

PART B DEVELOPMENT

“If language structures make up the skeleton of language, then it is vocabulary that provides the vital organs and the flesh” (Harmer 1993-153)

It is undeniable that vocabulary is an important part of a language It holds a significant role in language acquisition Historically, vocabulary did not have a certain place in teaching and learning English In recent years, it has received an increased attention of researchers and linguists More attention is given to vocabulary teaching techniques A variety of different techniques is necessary to have successful and effective vocabulary lessons

CHAPTER 1 LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter reviews the literature on vocabulary, young learners and vocabulary teaching techniques to help the readers have a better understanding of them It begins with definitions, classification, the importance and aspects of vocabulary, followed by the definitions, characteristics, vocabulary development of young learners as well as the way to teach vocabulary to young learners Then, vocabulary teaching techniques is presented

In terms of semantics, Richard et al (1985, p.307) consider vocabulary as” “a set of lexemes, including single words, compound words and idioms” According to

Hatch and Brown (1995:1), vocabulary is a list or set of words for a particular language or a set or list of words that individual speakers of language might use

Hornby (1995) defines vocabulary as ''the total number of words in a language; vocabulary is a list of words with their meanings” Burns (1972) states vocabulary as" the stock of words which is used by a person, class or profession”

According to Ur (1960), vocabulary is the words which we teach in the foreign language She states that “a new item of vocabulary may be more than a single word, a compound of two or three words and multi-word idioms”

From the definitions above, it can be concluded that vocabulary is all words which contains of aspects (meaning, formation, grammar, use) It is considered as a basic component and indispensable part of a language Vocabulary is used to communicate and express speaker’s meaning and ideas

1.1.2 Classification of vocabulary

Vocabulary can be classified according to different criteria such as: in terms

of methodology, in terms of structure, in terms of meaning, in terms of function…

1.1.2.1 Vocabulary classified in terms of methodology

In this way, vocabulary can be divided into two types They are: active words and passive words

Active words are words which the learners have been taught and learned

Learners can understand their meaning clearly, pronounce correctly and use effectively

Passive words are words which the learners recognize when they appear in a

context but learners are not able to understand, produce and use correctly

1.1.2.2 Vocabulary classified in terms of structure

In this way, there are three types of words They are: simple words, derived words and compound words

Simple words are words which consist of a root or a single free morpheme without inflection affixes For example: book, pen, cat, ect…

Derived words are words which consist of a root morpheme and one or more derivational affixes For example: development, unhappy, dangerous, ect

Compound words are words which consist of two or more root morphemes with or without derivational morphemes like blackboard, rainfall Compound

words also are words which have two or more parts Each part has function as a

word For example: bus park, water table, ect……

1.1.2.3 Vocabulary classified in terms of meaning

In this way, vocabulary is divided into 2 types They are: notional words and functional words

Notional words (or content words) are words which have lexical meaning

They have meaning in isolation They refer to objects, actions, qualities…

Functional words are words which have grammatical meaning They only

have meaning when they are combined with other words They are articles, conjunctions, prepositions, ect…

1.1.2.4 Vocabulary classified in terms of function

In this way, vocabulary is classified into different parts of speech such as: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions and pronouns Each type has its own function and position in the sentence which complies with certain grammatical rules

1.1.2.5 Other classifications of vocabulary

According to frequency of use, Nation and Waring (2014) divides

vocabulary into high frequency words and low frequency words Some linguistics classify vocabulary into productive words and receptive words Productive words

consist of words which the learner can use effectively to produce in speaking and

writing Receptive words consist of words which the learners can receive and

understand in listening and reading

1.1.3 The importance of vocabulary in teaching and learning English

Folse (2014) expresses that “learning a language entails learning numerous aspects about that language, including its pronunciation, writing system, syntax,

pragmatics…., but the most important aspect is vocabulary” Therefore, vocabulary

is considered as a useful part and fundamental tool for communicative purpose and

“vocabulary is a core component of language proficiency and it provides much of the basis for how learners speak, listen, read and write”

Many researches indicate that students can perform well in speaking, reading, writing, listening if they possess a rich vocabulary Learners can read and understand a text quickly and write better with a big source of vocabulary They can develop listening skill, fluent and confident speaking skill if they have a lot of vocabulary Conversely, learners cannot read, listen, speak and write a foreign language effectively without a great source of vocabulary This means that a great amount of vocabulary will assist learners to be successful at those four skills

1.1.3.2 Vocabulary is an important element of communication

Words are considered as basic units for communication Croll (1971) states that “a full vocabulary is essential to adequate self expression.” (p.378) McCarthy (1990: 140) also expresses that a communication in second language cannot happen

in any meaningful way and speakers cannot convey their means without words Therefore, people can feel confident to communicate and express their view in both written and spoken ways easily if they possess a rich vocabulary The more knowledge of vocabulary we have, the more we can express our ideas Conversely, people cannot transfer the meaning of a word and communicate effectively without

an adequate word A limited vocabulary makes the communication be harder

To sum up, “Vocabulary is one of the most important factors that have impact on communicative efficiency”, Jarvis and Stephen (1994) underlined

1.1.4 Aspects of teaching vocabulary

According to Harmer (1991), there are four aspects of teaching a new word They are: word formation, word meaning, word use and word grammar When teaching new words, teachers should provide students with its meaning, form, grammar and use simultaneously

1.1.4.1 Word formation

When learning a new word, it is very necessary for learners to know spelling, pronunciation, affixes, parts of speech of that word These aspects should be correctly presented by teachers

1.1.4.2 Word meaning

A word may have more than one meaning Meaning of a word may be changed in different contexts Learners have to know exact meaning in context they want to focus on The meaning of a word is divided into two aspects: denotation meaning (the literal or direct meaning of a word) and connotation meaning (the associated meaning or secondary meaning which can be suggested by a word) It is very necessary for teachers to teach both connotation and denotation meaning Besides that, the learners need to know how the meaning of a word relates to the meaning of other words Therefore, its sense relations (synonyms, antonyms,….) can also be necessary in teaching

1.1.4.3 Word grammar

The grammar of a new word should also be taught Certain words reflect certain grammatical patterns Students have to know the change of form in different grammatical contexts So providing learners with this information in the same time

as teachers teach word formation is necessary For example, when teaching a verb, the teacher can show students its various forms: the past simple, the present participle and the past participle forms Teachers can help students distinguish

between countable and uncountable nouns, understand adjective and adverb position, know the singular and plural forms of word

1.1.4.4 Word use

Knowing how to use a word correctly in different contexts is necessary for learners when learning a new word Meaning of word is changed frequently by using metaphor, idiom, collocation,… Teachers can put words into collocation in

vocabulary lesson For example: “drive a car”, “ride a bicycle”, “fly an airplane”……

Table 1: Aspects of teaching vocabulary

1.2 Vocabulary teaching techniques

1.2.1 Stages of teaching vocabulary

Teaching vocabulary can be divided into three stages: presenting stage, practicing stage and revising stage

1.2.1.1 Presenting stage

This is considered to be the most important stage in teaching vocabulary In this stage, teachers have to convey and help students understand the meaning, spelling and pronunciation of the words It is very necessary for teachers to adopt different techniques to motivate and attract students into the lessons Teachers have

to make sure that selected techniques help students understand the meaning of the words easily and can use the words correctly

1.2.1.2 Practicing stage

“Practice makes perfect” Therefore, after the stage of conveying meaning, teachers should give students the chance to practice new words which they have learnt This stage is very useful for students to remember and use the new words effectively In this stage, teachers should also have various techniques and activities

to give students chances to use and recycle new words

1.2.1.3 Revising stage

The final step in teaching vocabulary is checking students’ comprehension and consolidating the new words This stage builds up students’ long- term memory and encourages students to use new words more regularly Thornbury states that in this stage, students are advised to complete tasks The teachers should give different exercises to check the students’ vocabulary comprehension Celce-Murcia suggests some activities for checking the students’ understanding, such as fill-in-the-blank, making pairs and sorting exercises Besides that, teacher can use the concept question to check students

1.2.2 Vocabulary teaching techniques

In teaching vocabulary, there are many different useful techniques that can

be adopted by English teachers to make learners to learn vocabulary successfully

and to have effective vocabulary teaching lessons Teachers should consider to finding out interesting and engaging ways to motivate learners

1.2.2.1 Teaching vocabulary through games

In teaching vocabulary, games are considered as one of the most useful techniques that make lessons more interesting, attractive and effective Lewis and Bedson (1999) express that game is a vital part for children’s development and learning Games create an enjoyable environment and relaxed atmosphere It reduces stress in the classroom and brings learners fun and relaxation Games motivate learners and help them learn new words better and faster

Using games is a good way to practice and review the words Moreover, games promote learners’ participation and cooperation In some games, learners have

to work in pair, in groups They share their opinions and express information with each other There is communication between them Therefore, games bring learners opportunities to develop team spirit and promote active learner- centered learning

1.2.2.2 Teaching vocabulary through songs and chants

Music plays an important role in the process of vocabulary learning of young learners Using songs and chants in vocabulary teaching lesson is a good idea for some reasons

Firstly, songs and chants give students the chance to practice vocabulary Norton (2005) states that “teaching vocabulary through songs and chants allows students to learn vocabulary in alternate way, it is less threatening and still provides the repetition needed to learn new vocabulary” Songs and chants focus on a topic

or theme They provide the context for vocabulary learning Students can hear words through songs and chants They helps students enrich vocabulary effectively and remember new words easily

Secondly, using songs and chants in the class is very happy They help to enhance students’ creativity and imagination Moreover, students have opportunities

to learn second language naturally when singing the song and chants Listening skill and pronunciation are improved

1.2.2.3 Teaching vocabulary through flashcards and pictures

Flashcard and pictures are very useful tools which are used in both presenting vocabulary and practicing stage Rijavec (1991: 51) states that “Pictures can be employed to enrich the context, add vividness and reduce boredom” Flashcard and pictures are colorful They capture learners’ attention and make lesson more enjoyable In presenting vocabulary, flashcards and pictures allow learners to brainstorm and present their ideas on thought Students can understand and remember meaning of new words easily and exactly through these tools In practicing stage, flashcards and pictures help learners reinforce what they have learned Moreover, it is not difficult for teachers to prepare flashcards and pictures They can be found on magazines and newspaper or internet

1.2.2.4 Teaching vocabulary through mime and gestures

It is a good way to convey the meaning of the word, especially action words such as: run, jump, fly, ect… This technique brings many advantages It attracts students’ attention to the lesson, creates a good brainstorming, develops students’ imagination and observation ability Students can easily and quickly memorize Children like acting and moving So this technique is very useful for children

Moreover, using mime and gestures helps to improve students’ understanding and memorization of words and build up young learners’ confidence,

Ur (1981) states that “if the mime involves pair work or group work, learners normally find it easier and more motivating to produce language when they have to accomplish a task”

1.2.2.5 Teaching vocabulary through translation

According to Doff (1988), translation is a traditional way but it is an effective technique which is used in classroom context It is the simplest and clearest way to show the meaning of the words

Komorowska (2005: 154) writes that “translation is advisable when introducing abstract words” Translation is suitable to explain the difficult words This way is simple and easy to understand It can save time in the classroom

Teaching vocabulary is faster and easier for students if the meaning of the word is translated by first language However, this technique brings some negative effective It may reduce the use of second language in the class Learners can become accustomed to translation and become passive learners Listening skill cannot be improved

1.2.2.6 Teaching vocabulary through synonyms and antonyms

Using of synonyms and antonyms is a common way to covey the meaning of the new words With this technique, teachers explain the meaning of new word by giving its opposite or similar meaning It will help students remember the words better when they know how the meaning of a word relates to the meaning of other words Synonyms and antonyms help students build the new vocabulary based on the words they already know With this technique, teacher use the words students have already taught to teach them similar words Therefore, students’ vocabulary bank is widened Shortly, it is a useful technique help students develop their vocabulary

1.2.2.7 Teaching vocabulary through realia

Realia refers to real objects and item which are bought into classroom and used for learning and teaching Using realia is an effective way in presenting new words Gower et al (1995) expresses that “when presenting new vocabulary, realia often illustrates meaning more directly and quickly than through verbal explanation” This technique convey the meaning clearly and help students understand the meaning better

Many researches points out that using realia is a good way to attract the student’s attention and concentration Children learn through hands, eyes and ears They usually use their gestures when speaking Therefore, it is very easy for them to understand new words when they can hear, see and touch With real objects, students not only hear their name but also see, touch or taste them Students can memorize new words quickly

Another advantage of using realia is that it can save time for teachers Because teachers only need show the real objects instead of drawing a picture or

1.3 Young learners

1.3.1 Definitions of young learners

According to Thornbury, “young learners are used to describe children of pre-primary and primary school, although it is sometimes used to include adolescents as well” (p.250)

Kasihani (2007:15) defines that young learners are primary school aged 6 to

12 years Young learners can be divided into two groups: younger group (6 to 8 years old) and older group (9 to 12 years old)

In the same way, Scott and Ytrebery mentioned young learners as “an average children” which are divided into two groups: level 1 (5 to 7 years old) and level 2 (8 to 10 years old)

Sahah Phillips (1993) states that “young learners are children of formal schooling (5 to 6 years old) to (11 to 12 years of age)” (p4)

From those above definition, it can be understood that young learners are children between the ages of about 5 to 12 years old

1.3.2 Characteristics of young learners

Young learners don’t like play and working alone They like to play in group and want to be accepted by their partners Wendy and Yteberg (1992) express that young learners like playing and working in the company of others and they are aware

of themselves in relation to others When your friends are sad, they also feel sad They feel afraid when your friends hate and don’t want to play with them According to Vygotsky (1991: 257), young learners learn in social contexts and in groups

According to Philips (1993), there are many different factors affecting the social and intellectual development of young learners such as: culture, environment, parents, sex… Taking into consideration young learners’ development is necessary for teachers and parents

Young learners don’t like to be criticized and failed They like to be encouraged over competition They want to be the winners in competition So

teachers and parents should praise them to support their enthusiasm They will feel happy and satisfied with what they have done if they are praised

Children are very active They like discovering things around them, making and drawing, moving and acting

Children have a very short attention and concentration span Moreover, they are so childish It is easy for them to get bored and frightened with difficult subject They absorb language through activities which they find enjoyable

Wendy and Yteberg (1992) state that young learners have very free of prejudice Their prejudice something based on their knowledge Moreover, they are forgetful and like imitating All actions of adults are easy to be imitated by them

1.3.3 Vocabulary development in young learners’ foreign language learning

In general, young learners like learning foreign language It is a new subject for them They feel excited when learning it

Building up a big vocabulary is necessary for primary level in learning English For young learners, vocabulary acquisition of a foreign language is difficult and complex According to Caremon (2001:72), “Young learners of a second/foreign language are still building up their first language vocabulary, and this development is closely tied up with their conceptual development” Therefore,

in teaching a foreign language for young learners, teachers should consider learners’ first language background

Vocabulary development of young learners is different from vocabulary development of adults It is believed that they learn a word better and faster than adults but they have a short- term memory Therefore, it may be easy for them to acquire meaning and pronunciation of a new word However, they cannot remember many new words simultaneously in a same time

Vocabulary development not only learns about words but also learns about formulaic phrases as well as words inside them Learning vocabulary of a foreign language is a difficult task and cannot finish in a short time It requires a long time

times Each time helps learners extend their knowledge about words and how to use those words As Cameron points out “Every time children meet familiar words, they have changed and will bring new first language and conceptual knowledge to the vocabulary (Cameron, 2001:74) Learning words is a continuous process that changes, as children get older

Hatch and Brown (1995:372) also claim that “Learning words is a continuous process that changes, as children get older” Words will be added to learners’ vocabulary bank According to Hatch and Brown, there are five steps in learning vocabulary to young learners First, they encounter new words Secondly, they learn the forms of words through clear images Thirdly, they learn the meaning

of the words Then there is a memory connection between the form and the meaning

of the words Finally, they are able to know how to use the words

1.3.4 How to teach vocabulary to young learners

Teaching vocabulary to young learners is not easy Based on the above characteristics of young learners, teachers should know some following principles to make the lessons more interesting and effective in the teaching vocabulary process

Firstly, in vocabulary lessons, teachers should make students pay attention to

the form, meaning, grammar and use of words simultaneously These are the basic knowledge that students need to know when leaning new words

Secondly, it is very important for teachers to make a list of words to teach

before each lesson and decide what vocabulary should be selected for teaching Gairns and Redman (1999) suggest that four major criteria for vocabulary selection consist of frequency, cultural factors, students’ need and level, expediency Teachers should choose the most commonest words that are familiar with learner The most frequently used words should be taught first According to Palmer (1917:123) “the more frequently used words will be the more easily learnt” Selected words should be suitable to the level, needs and age of the students Moreover, teachers should take into consideration learner’s background because different countries use different words to express their opinions

Thirdly, having a careful decision on how many words to teach in a lesson is

also very necessary It is impossible for students to learn too many new words in a lesson Teachers should give students a chance for repetition It is especially important for young learners Nation (1990) suggested that a new word needs to be met at least five or six times before it has any chance of being learnt Teachers have

to ensure that vocabulary is regularly met and revised Students will forget words easily if they don’t have the chance to use them again As a result, teaching and learning vocabulary don’t bring positive results

Fourthly, new words should be taught in topics For example, the words “

cat”, “dog’, “cow”, “duck” which belong to topic “animal” should be presented together in a lesson It is easier for learners to remember new words On the contrary, it is difficult for students to remember new words when teaching words in different topics in a lesson

Fifthly, before teaching new words, words difficulty should also be

considered For example, are the words abstract, are they easily pronounced, can the words be easily demonstrated, ect………

Lastly, teachers should have different techniques and vary activities to

motivate students Putting students in learning with pictures, games, songs and interesting activities is necessary However, it is necessary for teachers to decide what techniques should be applied to teach selected words Selected techniques have to suitable to type of words and students’ age Different types of words and different age require different techniques Teachers should keep the lesson simple and make the lesson varied by doing different activities on different topics

CHAPTER 2 METHODOLOGY

This chapter provides a description of the design of the study The first section presents the reason for choosing a case study Then the setting and participants and instruments of the study are described In the last section, data collection and data analysis procedures are discussed

Sandra Lee McKay (2006:71) expresses that “A case study as a single instance of some bounded systems, which can range from one individual to a class,

a school, or an entire community”

According to Merriam (2009), three characteristics of a case study are

particularistic, descriptive and heuristic “Particularistic” means a case study that focuses on a particular participant or a particular group “Descriptive” refers to a rich and thick description of the phenomenon relevant to the case “Heuristic”

means a case study that develops understanding of readers about a phenomenon being studied

I chose case study as the method for my study for the following reasons

Firstly, case study is considered as an appropriate and useful method for

educational field Merriam (2009) expresses that “case studies can be used to investigate educational processes, problem and programs to develop understanding

of the case and improve practice”

Secondly, case study is used to narrow a broad field of research into one easy

topic The researcher can focus on a specific case It provides more realistic responses and detailed information than other methods such as statistical survey

Thirdly, the researcher can collect data from different tools such as:

interview, observation, document review, archival record

2.2 Research context

2.2.1 A brief introduction about the researched primary school

This study was conducted at a primary school in Phu Tho province It was established in 1948 This primary school is a big school and the highlight of Phu Tho education system In the process of development, the school has gained great achievements The school has always accomplished its assigned tasks In the school year 2016-2017, the school has 38 teachers and 28 classes with 871 students, in which about 170 students of grade 5 which are enrolled in 5 classes The average student number in each class is around 33 students

The teaching and learning condition in this school is good Classrooms are equipped with a good facility system of new blackboards, lamps, fans, tables and chairs Classrooms are large, bright and comfortable for students Teaching aids are available The school has a good studying environment To sum up, it is a good choice for teachers and students

2.2.2 English teaching and learning condition

The school has two English classrooms In each class, there are a blackboard,

a projector, a computer with the internet connection There are many interesting and beautiful English pictures, which are decorated in the room to motivate students and make a comfortable atmosphere The students have many opportunities to approach modern facilities and improve their English knowledge The school often organizes English clubs and contests for students It gives students the chance to show their abilities and learn from each other

2.2.3 English textbooks

The school uses the English textbook which is published and imposed by the Ministry of Education There are 4 English periods of 35 minutes per week It means that weekly class time is 140 minutes There are 20 units for 2 semesters Each unit is taught in 6 periods Each unit has following parts:

 Look, listen and repeat: give students the chances to observe, listen and

get familiar with sounds and words

 Point and say: give students the chance to understand the meaning of the

words and practice speaking

 Let’s talk: give students the chances to practice and develop speaking skill

 Listen and complete/ Listen and check/Listen and number: give students

the chances to practice and develop listening skill

 Read and complete/ Read and match: give students the chances to practice

and develop reading skill

 Let’s sing/ Let’s chant: give students the chances to practice in English

through songs and chants

 Let’s play: give students the chances to practice in English through

different games and extra- activities

 Write: give students the chances to practice and develop writing skill

 Project: give students the chance to work in pairs and work in group to

develop team spirit

After 5 units, there is a review period for students to reinforce all knowledge they gain after learning 5 units Then a test of 35 minutes which is designed by English teachers was given for students to evaluate students

2.3 Research participants

The participants of the study were four grade 5 teachers of English at a primary school in Phu Tho province They are young and active teachers They have different experiences and different teaching styles They are very enthusiastic in