using mind mapping to teach second year cadets vocabulary in intensive reading a quasi experimental study at telecommunication university in nhatrang

USING MIND MAPPING TO TEACH SECOND YEAR CADETS VOCABULARY IN INTENSIVE READING: A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY AT TELECOMMUNICATION UNIVERSITY IN NHATRANG A thesis submitted in partial ful

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

………

USING MIND MAPPING TO TEACH SECOND YEAR CADETS

VOCABULARY IN INTENSIVE READING: A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY AT TELECOMMUNICATION UNIVERSITY IN NHATRANG

A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements

for the degree of Master of Arts (TESOL)

Submitted by Nguyen Thi Hien

Supervisor Assoc Prof Dr Nguyen Thanh Tung

Ho Chi Minh City, August 2018

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

I certify that the thesis entitled “Using mind mapping to teach second year cadets vocabulary in intensive reading: A quasi-experimental study at Telecommunication University in Nha Trang” is my original work; it is based on my own research to meet the requirements of a Master’s Program at Ho Chi Minh City Open University issued

by the Higher Degree Committee

All sources used by me have been documented No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgement

This piece of work has not previously been submitted for assessment in this or any other subject or course at this University or elsewhere

Ho Chi Minh City, August 2018

Nguyen Thi Hien

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First, I would like to thank my thesis supervisor, Assoc Prof Dr Nguyen Thanh Tung, a vice dean at the Department of English in the Ho Chi Minh City University of Education, who was always giving me the best constructive comments and advice about my writing This paper is my own work, but he guided me to do this paper in the right direction

I would also like to thank the experts for their participation in the survey in this research project: Ms Ngo Thi Thuy Duong and Ms Bui Thi Minh Nguyet, lecturers and MA holders at Telecommunication University in Nha Trang Without their passionate participation and input, the survey could not have been successfully conducted They were also the second readers of this thesis and I am very grateful for their valuable comments

I would also like to acknowledge my colleagues at Telecommunication University in Nha Trang and TESOL 10 classmates at Ho Chi Minh City Open University who were always willing to help me so much to finish this paper work to the soonest

Finally, I must express my very profound gratitude to my parents for providing

me with unfailing support and continuous encouragement throughout my years of study and through the process of researching and writing up this thesis This accomplishment would not have been possible without them

ABSTRACT

Although a number of studies were carried out to improve the quality of teaching and learning vocabulary at universities recently, students still have difficulties in lexical learning Therefore, this study is aimed to examine the effect of using mind mapping on the vocabulary achievement in intensive reading of the second year cadets

at Telecommunication University (TCU) in Nha Trang

Based on theoretical framework of mind mapping (MM), the quasi-experimental research was carried out during the second school year in 2017 Fifty-six cadets of the two classes at TCU were divided into two groups: Control group (CG) and experimental group (EG) The EG was exposed to the MM Meanwhile, the CG had traditional English vocabulary lessons Data were collected from three sources: a pre-test and a post-test to measure the cadets’ vocabulary improvements after the study treatment, a pre-questionaire and a post-questionnaire to assess the changes in their attitudes towards vocabulary learning with MM and an interview with 10 random cadets in the EG to clarify their attitudes

The findings of the study show the effectiveness of the technique on TCU second year cadets In fact, it not only helps them to remember words longer but also do the tests better Furthermore, according to the interview and questionnaires, they feel more relaxed, active, creative, and learner-centered Thanks to this, their motivation in learning vocabulary increased

TABLE OF CONTENTS

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iii

ABSTRACT iv

LIST OF FIGURES ix

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ix

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Background of the study 1

1.2 Statement of the problem 3

1.3 Research aims and questions 4

1.4 Significance of the study 4

1.5 Structure of the study 5

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 6

2.1 Concept of MM 6

2.1.1 Definition of MM 6

2.1.2 Characteristics of MM 8

2.1.3 Classification of MM 9

2.2 Ways to make MM 13

2.2.1 Center image 14

2.2.2 Key word 14

2.2.3 Basic ordering ideas 15

2.2.4 Branches 16

2.2.5 Colors 17

2.2.6 Pictures 18

2.3 Advantages of MM 19

2.3.1 Vocabulary ability 20

2.3.2 Attitude to vocabulary learning 21

2.4 Where and when to use MM in intensive reading 22

2.4.1 The use of MM techniques in pre-reading 24

2.4.2 The use of MM techniques in while-reading 25

2.4.3 The use of MM techniques in post-reading 26

2.5 Empirical research 26

2.6 Chapter summary 28

CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 29

3.1 Research site 29

3.2 Research participants 29

3.3 Methodology 30

3.3.1 Approach 31

3.3.2 Method 32

3.3.3 Techniques 32

3.3.3.1 Test 32

3.3.3.2 Questionnaire 34

3.3.3.3 Interview 35

3.3.3.4 Summary 36

3.4 Analytical framework 36

3.4.1 Quantitative analysis of vocabulary test results in the pre- and post-test 37 3.4.2 Quantitative analysis of the pre- and post-questionnaire 38

3.4.3 Qualitative analysis of interview 38

3.5 Validity and reliability 39

3.6 Chapter summary 40

CHAPTER 4 RESULT AND DISCUSSION 41

4.1 Data analysis 41

4.1.1 Data analysis of vocabulary test results in the pre-test and post-test 41

4.1.1.1 Data analysis of vocabulary test in pre-test 41

4.1.1.2 Data analysis of vocabulary test in post-test 42

4.1.2 Comparison of mean scores 43 4.1.2.1 Resemblance of vocabulary test results in the pre-test of EG and CG43

4.1.2.2 Difference of vocabulary test results in the post-test of EG and CG 44

4.1.3 Questionnaire data analysis 46

4.1.3.1 Pre-questionnaire data analysis 46

4.1.3.2 Post-questionnaire data analysis 55

4.1.4 Interview data analysis 63

4.2 Discussion of findings 67

4.2.1 Cadets’ improvement in vocabulary learning 67

4.2.2 Cadets’ positive change in attitudes towards learning vocabulary 69

4.3 Chapter summary 69

CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 71

5.1 Conclusions 71

5.2 Evaluation of research methodology 72

5.2.1 Strengths 72

5.2.2 Weaknesses 72

5.3 Recommendations 72

5.3.1 For teachers 72

5.3.2 For students 74

5.4 Suggestion for further research 74

5.5 Chapter summary 74

REFERENCES 76

APPENDICES 81

APPENDIX 1: PRE-TEST 81

APPENDIX 2: POST-TEST 87

APPENDIX 3: PRE-QUESTIONNAIRE 93

APPENDIX 4: POST-QUESTIONNAIRE 97

APPENDIX 5: INTERVIEW 101

APPENDIX 6: MODEL LESSON PLAN FOR CG 102

APPENDIX 7: MODEL LESSON PLAN FOR EG 108

APPENDIX 8 114

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 2.1: Example of MM (Buzan, 2007) 8

Figure 2.2: Network-tree (Ersoy & Panwar, 1992) 10

Figure 2.3: An event chain (Glencoe Science, n.d.) 10

Figure 2.4: Cycle-concept maps (Glencoe Science, n.d.) 11

Figure 2.5: A spider concept map (Glencoe Science, n.d.) 11

Figure 2.6: Word relationships (Antonacci, 1991) 12

Figure 2.7: A word map (Walpole & McKenna, 2007) 13

Figure 2.8: Example of center image (Buzan, 2006) 14

Figure 2.9: Example of keyword (Windura, 2008) 15

Figure 2.10: Example of basic ordering ideas (Erkan, 2018) 16

Figure 2.11: Example of branches (Illumine Training, 2015) 17

Figure 2.12: Example of colours (Illumine Training, 2017) 18

Figure 2.13: Example of picture (Buzan, 2006, p 2) 19

Figure 4.1: Pre-test score distribution of control and experimental class 42

Figure 4.2: Post-test score distribution of control and experimental group 42

Figure 4.3: Cadets’ opinions about role of vocabulary in learning English 47

Figure 4.4: Cadets’ opinions about how difficult learning vocabulary is 48

Figure 4.5: The frequency of cadets in learning telecommunication vocabulary 49

Figure 4.6: The main difficulties in learning telecommunication vocabulary of CG and EG 50

Figure 4.7: How cadets overcome unknown telecommunication vocabulary in both classes 51

Figure 4.8: Cadets’ strategies to remember telecommunication vocabulary 53

Figure 4.9: Cadets’ awareness about mind map strategies 55

Figure 4.10: EG cadets’ opinions about learning vocabulary 56

Figure 4.11: The main difficulties in learning telecommunication vocabulary of EG after the study 57

Figure 4.12: How cadets overcome unknown telecommunication vocabulary in EG after the study 58

Figure 4.13: Cadets’ strategies to remember telecommunication vocabulary in EG after the study 59

Figure 4.14: EG cadets’ opinions on MM strategy 61

Figure 4.15: EG cadets’ opinions on application of MM strategy to learn telecommunication vocabulary after the study 62

Figure 4.16: EG cadets’ opinions on the helpfulness of MM strategy 62

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

CG: Control group

EG: Experimental group

EFL: English as a foreign language

MM: Mind-mapping

MMs: Mind maps

S.D.: Standard deviation

STD: Standard

SPSS: Statistical package for the social sciences

TCU: Telecommunication University

LISTS OF TABLE

Table 3.1: Participants’ characteristics 30

Table 3.2: Teaching schedule 33

Table 3.3: Summary of instruments of data collection 36

Table 3.4: Reliability statistics for the pre-questionnaire 39

Table 3.5: Reliability statistics for the post-questionnaire 40

Table 4.1: Class statistics of pre-test results 43

Table 4.2: Independent samples t-test of the pre-test 44

Table 4.3: Class statistics of post-test results 45

Table 4.4: Comparison of the results of the 2 classes in the post-test 45

Table 4.5: Cadets’ comments 64

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

English is becoming more and more important in every aspect of our daily life People use English not only for communication purposes but also as a tool to discover new knowledge from different aspects of life As a result, learning and teaching quality

of the English language is becoming the biggest concerns for teachers, educators, and even policy makers Learners are often expected to master all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing in order to master English To do so, they need to grasp some elements of language such as vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation A famous linguist, Wilkins (1972) said “without grammar, very little can be conveyed; without vocabulary, nothing can be conveyed” (pp 111-112) Harmer (1991) also mentioned that a learner who just learns grammar without vocabulary would feel difficult to convey what he or she might want to say However, a learner who just learns vocabulary, reads the text, or opens a dictionary will be able to say something

As a result, many researchers still find vocabulary teaching and acquisition interesting topics to conduct studies on Accordingly, there have been so many new activities and techniques introduced into the field to teach vocabulary It has been recommended that vocabulary teaching activities should not only focus on teaching words by words but also contain strategies and techniques so that learners could expand their vocabulary by themselves because the more vocabulary learners own, the better result they harvest in foreign language learning

Reading is an activity that can help learners to improve their knowledge about a specific topic and also new vocabulary There are various types of reading such as oral

reading and silent reading Intensive reading may be one of the most difficult courses

in language learning It is also one of the main accesses that help learners acquire English knowledge Intensive reading is aimed to help learners understand the text closely and profoundly through doing exercises under the teacher’s guidance In intensive reading, learners not only have to solve the task but also understand and explain the words, phrases or terms carefully and thoroughly

Telecommunication University (TCU) is one of the military universities the main role of which is to train cadets into military officers specializing in telecommunication English is one of the qualifications to place freshmen into the right classes because the classes with cadets who are good at English will study major subjects in English English has been considered as a compulsory subject and cadets will be tested for their English ability as they graduate Understanding the role of English nowadays in our society, TCU Management Board have made considerable efforts in improving learners’ English competence and performance not only in daily life but also in their career (i.e specific telecommunication English) Because the world changes every day, knowledge of telecommunication also needs to be updated and most of the knowledge

is used in English Without understanding and using English, cadets cannot develop themselves in the field Teaching and learning English in general and vocabulary in particular is the concern of both teaching staffs and the cadets

Learning and mastering vocabulary in general is thought to be very tough for non-English majored learners To telecommunication vocabulary, the task should be much more difficult Because of rare uses and difficult terms, telecommunication cadets find it very difficult to learn and remember this kind of vocabulary With a traditional method of teaching, the teaching and learning of vocabulary seems to have

no advantages Teachers cannot fully teach cadets and the cadets cannot remember this kind of vocabulary because they do not have a chance to use it in daily conversations

or it is not easy for them to absorb this kind of vocabulary into their brain Jonassen (2005) emphasized the necessity of modeling classes, which support meaningful learning through model building, providing powerful techniques for engaging, supporting, and assessing a conceptual change in learners

Based on these descriptions, it is really necessary for the cadets to have a new strategy in learning vocabulary, especially under the guidance of the teachers The cadets can actively map out their mind with colorful and logical ideas and imagination Since they can remember vocabulary longer with things drawn from their own brain, a

MM method is known as a very good method applied into teaching language, especially foreign languages It is believed to be the most vivid way that helps learners memorize vocabulary more effectively and longer Al-Jarf (2011) clarified that the mind-mapping technique is “a graphic organizer in which the major categories radiate from a central idea and sub-categories are represented as branches of larger branches” (p 4) In addition, a mind map is used as a visual tool that can help in generating ideas, taking notes, and organizing thoughts Teachers can use it to improve learners learning

It is a helpful tool for learners who prefer learning with visual aids, which can be used

as a clarifying tool that assists them in organizing thought, guiding learning, and building connections

1.2 Statement of the problem

Based on the researcher’s personal teaching and learning experience, she noted that Vietnamese students in general and the cadets in TCU specifically face difficulties

in acquiring new vocabulary and applying it in their spoken or written language This problem affects language acquisition and development, especially for low-level learners Furthermore, some experts have already conducted various researches about benefits of using mind mapping techniques into teaching and learning language Mind mapping (MM) can help learner to overcome their learning problems by organizing

new vocabulary in basic and logical ideas The MM uses diverse types and colors of lines, arrows, and branches to help the cadets to express relationships between the spelling rule and the examples created on the mind map

However, to the best knowledge of the researcher, there has been no research done into telecommunication vocabulary teaching method for TCU Moreover, the demand for telecommunication English is becoming more essential because the cadets are going to learn their majors in English As a result, the researcher decided to carry

out the study entitled: “Using MM to teach the second year cadets vocabulary in intensive reading: A quasi-experimental study at TCU in Nha Trang” with the hope

that it can help to improve the cadets’ learning quality of telecommunications and their attitudes towards English for specific purposes

1.3 Research aims and questions

The aims of the study are to discover whether or not using MM in teaching has effects in assisting second year cadets telecommunication vocabulary at TCU and to describe the cadets’ attitudes towards MM in learning telecommunication vocabulary

To achieve above aims, the study addresses the following research questions about the cadets’ vocabulary acquisition and their attitudes towards the employment of MM in learning vocabulary in intensive reading:

1 What are the effects of MM on the development of 2nd year cadets’ vocabulary achievement?

2 What is the cadets’ attitudes towards mind maps (MMs) in learning telecommunication vocabulary?

1.4 Significance of the study

The study will support one of the techniques that can help learners overcome their

learning difficulties Theoretically, the writer hopes that the result of the research can give information about the cadets’ achievement in vocabulary mastery and their attitudes towards the vocabulary learning strategy She also hopes that the use of MM strategy in teaching and learning can be beneficial for both teachers and the second year cadets at TCU Practically, the writer hopes that learners will have an effective tool to learn vocabulary and feel it interesting to learn vocabulary in general and telecommunication vocabulary in particular to help them to have higher scores at the exams

1.5 Structure of the study

The thesis consists of five chapters Chapter 1 introduces the study by providing the context of the research, the statement of the problem, the aims and research questions, the significance of the study, and the structure of the thesis Chapter 2 reviews relevant literature to provide conceptual framework for the study by presenting the issues related to learning English in general and learning vocabulary in particular and the main themes of MM such as definition, classification, characteristics, and its effects on teaching vocabulary Chapter 3 describes the methodology employed in the study and procedure of research It also gives a detailed description of the research site, the subjects, data collection instruments, and method of data analysis Chapter 4 reports the results of study from the instruments of tests, questionnaire and interview and also discusses the findings of the study based on the results analyzed and interpreted in the previous part The final chapter gives a summary of the study, some recommendations for English practitioners and suggestion for further research

CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter presents a theoretical framework of the study It deals with the issues such as MM concept and ways to make it Then it discusses advantages of using MM and when to use it in teaching intensive reading The chapter ends with the review of some empirical studies on a similar topic

2.1 Concept of MM

2.1.1 Definition of MM

Tony Buzan first founded MM in his 1970s book in the UK and BBC TV program "Use Your Head" This term derives from two words, “mind” and “mapping” Oxford Dictionary (2015) defines the word “mind” as “The element of a person that enables them to be aware of the world and their experiences, to think, and to feel” (p 971) Moreover, it also has another meaning “A diagram or collection of data showing the spatial arrangement or distribution of something over an area” (p 971)

According to Thorsons (2012, p 2) "a mind map is the whole-brain alternative to linear thinking It reaches out in all directions and catches thoughts from any angle” Buzan (2006, p.56) also mentioned that MM is a graphical way to represent ideas and concepts A mind map is a way to present information through what appears in learners’ eyes that is arranged in a special map Through MM we can use to express ideas, concepts or tasks The most highlighted image of MM is presented in the center

as a key point and surrounded by branches of subheading topics and ideas Colours are also used flexibly to help users differentiate ideas separately and in a well-structured order Subheading topics are then added to the branches as ideas now freely Normally,

in a mind map, topic and subheading topic text are included from one to two keywords,

to provide a reminder for what the idea is More information is then detailed in

attached notes As with other visual learning techniques, MM provides a simplified overview of complex information allowing learners to better understand relationships

and to find new connections

Buzan (2006) states that MM is a powerful graphic technique, which provides a universal key to unlock the potential of the brain It is a visual map idea, laid out in a radial format around a central thought It involves a unique combination of imagery, and visual-spatial arrangement which is proven significantly to improve recall when compared to conventional methods of note-taking learning by rote It needs imagination and associations to activate our brain in remembering something According to Jonassen (1997), MMs also can be used in the educational context to

"help learners to analyze and organize what they know or what they are learning (p 258)

In order to create a mind map, people usually start in the middle of the page to draw the central theme or main idea, and then draw wider in all directions to create a growing diagram composed of keywords, concepts, facts, and information Furthermore, mind map graphically shows ideas in a relational framework, with the main topic at the center of the paper; major subtopics on branches derived from the main topic and sub-subtopics around each major subtopic MMs can be created using paper and pens or using one of several computer applications (Murley, 2007)

Different people have different ways to learn new things, so MMs can be seen as

an individual and personal style for different people They can bring the learning materials into what is most comfortable for learners Leaners can use icons, symbols, color, graphics or their own words to make sure that they can understand vocabulary well and recall information in the easier way (Buzan, 2006)

Learners can also use MM to create systems to show what they are going to do and how they develop their thoughts in order to organize their ideas

One of the multiple reasons that MMs work well is because they provide learners a

clear visual knowledge and help them to navigate and develop idea faster and easier in the most logical way

Figure 2.1: Example of MM (Buzan, 2007)

2.1.2 Characteristics of MM

According to Budd (2003), there are four main characteristics of MM Firstly, each

MM has a central picture as a starting location containing the main theme or idea Secondly, the central point in the MM commonly uses picture because picture can help brain to generate ideas easily Thirdly, the ideas of the MM are “released” from the central topic or image as branches with sub-topics connected to each other Finally, the sizes of the branches are different and the connecting words are used to support relations to main topic

According to Palmberg (2011), the final structure of the mind map becomes a hierarchy of linked ideas He claimed that our consciousness always analyzes how things are connected to each other And when that is done, the mind creates an image

to symbolize the structure Each branch has keywords or colorful pictures connected to

each other One is recommended to use the picture in the entire mind map A traditional outline often lacks color whereas the use of color is important in creating MMs In particular, many MMs use one color for each major topic to help in organization Each branch used a single keyword, not a phrase or sentence

Windura (2008) also mentions that different features have different benefits to learners Main ideas are surrounded and expressed behind a center image which inspires learners and makes it more enjoyable to learn A key word can activate more words and events from learners Since learners have to collect and express the ideas in

a basic order and logical way, they have to be creative in designing the maps vividly and think deeply to express all the ideas from the key words

All MMs have something in common There are five essential characteristics of MMs The first one is that its main idea is often clearly presented in the center image, key word or picture Secondly, the sub-ideas are derived from the center image as branches Thirdly, the branches carry the sub-themes and they are drawn with lines and colors or associated words Next, topics of lesser importance are represented as twigs

of the relevant branch Finally, all the branches form a nodal structure which is a symbol of the conceptualizing matrix of that similar thinking in the brain All of these characteristics are suitable to to apply into teaching language learners of different levels

Figure 2.2: Network-tree (Ersoy & Panwar, 1992)

Secondly, an event-chain is used to describe routines, schedules, or series of events in the plan, etc

Figure 2.3: An event chain (Glencoe Science, n.d.)

Thirdly, in a cycle-concept map, the events are also put in chain; however, they

do not link to a final result It runs in a circle

Figure 2.4: Cycle-concept maps (Glencoe Science, n.d.)

Finally, in a spider concept map, the main idea is expressed by a word written in the middle It is often used at the start of a lesson or meeting to activate people’s thinking and brainstorm All the sub-main ideas are related to the main ideas; however, they are not necessarily linked together They are the results of sharing ideas

Figure 2.5: A spider concept map (Glencoe Science, n.d.)

Antonacci (1991) mentioned the three kinds of semantic maps are based in word

relationships: synonyms, antonyms, examples and non-examples and word connections

Figure 2.6: Word relationships (Antonacci, 1991)

Salameh (200) distinguished that three kinds of semantic mapping exist: maps, concept-maps and story-maps A word map contains a central key word and many key-related words to help a reader to realize the nature of the central one A concept map is a way to organize information about the subjects A story-map in which the events, characters, plots, etc in the story are arranged chronologically and logically

word-Figure 2.7: A word map (Walpole & McKenna, 2007)

Actually, MM designs are flexible so there may be many types of MM It depends

on users’ purposes to choose a suitable one Sometimes, teachers may create themselves a brand new style of MM or mix different types together so that it is appropriate with the teaching target

2.2 Ways to make MM

According to Johnson and Pearson (1984, as cited in Nguyen, n.d, p 635), MM designer uses the concept that branches of information spread out from the center-start point The center-start point lies in the center of map using a picture with very short description or words, which represent the idea From the center-start point, users can add much different sub-information as they want, and then connect center point to sub-divisions The map could be widened endlessly but still keep information in the order that information near center point is closer to the main idea

There are several versions of MM techniques in use Each version has a scratch difference to others But in general, in logically, five main techniques can be named: center image, key word, basic ordering ideas, branches, color, and picture (Windura,

2008, pp 77-86)

2.2.1 Center image

A center image functions as the main idea of MM and drawers often put it on the center of paper with the most colorful image so that reader can see it from the beginning In this case, MMs give freedom for the work of the brain to radiate ideas in all directions and express learners' thoughts creatively and naturally (Windura, 2008)

Figure 2.8: Example of center image (Buzan, 2006)

2.2.2 Key word

According to Windura (2008), the use of one key word per line also stimulates learners to spark new ideas easily and help them recall the memory By the key terms, the others will be easily recalled, all relating to the key terms and also the topic

Figure 2.9: Example of keyword (Windura, 2008)

2.2.3 Basic ordering ideas

According to Tony and Barry (1994), “basic ordering ideas are key concepts within which a host of other concepts can be organized… these power words or basic ordering ideas are the key to shaping and steering the creative process of association (p 88) Windura (2008) concludes that MM is aimed at making it easy for the brain to memorize and remember information Accordingly, information is classified based on its category and logical classification of information It is like writing a story, it is started with several steps followings: name of the story, the headings for chapters in the story and then plots of the story Basic ordering ideas help users to develop ideas in a naturally structured way

Figure 2.10: Example of basic ordering ideas (Erkan, 2018)

2.2.4 Branches

The branches may be pictured as a tree starting with the biggest idea and the subheading ideas should be in smaller branches Those smaller branches should be curvy and in the same length as the words or picture above them (Buzan, 1993) Like the above styles, branches help learners remember things easily thanks to their naturally-easy-to-remember structure

Figure 2.11: Example of branches (Illumine Training, 2015)

2.2.5 Colors

Human brain is easy to be attracted by colorful things One can use colors to activate learners’ memory Color encourages creativity and helps in memorization Adding plenty of colors via branches, map background and images will give learners the most vivid image of what they will learn via mind map (Illumine Training, 2015)

Figure 2.12: Example of colours (Illumine Training, 2017)

2.2.6 Pictures

In MM, using pictures will help learners get more fun by looking them as a whole along with characters and colors Sometimes, learners feel enjoyable to remember the picture more than keywords in the MM (Buzan, 2006)

Figure 2.13: Example of picture (Buzan, 2006, p 2)

2.3 Advantages of MM

Deporter, Readon, and Singer-Nourie (1999) propose some reasons why teachers can use MM in teaching vocabulary Firstly, it is because of MM’s flexibility and suitability when it is applied to different age levels, themes, subjects, and situations for whole classes, groups or individuals Secondly, MM is a very good tool for creative thinking and problem solving Thirdly, in foreign language teaching and learning, MM can improve memory recall and the retrieval of facts, words or images Next, MM is a creative note-taking method that helps learners to remember more information Finally,

MM is a colorful use of pictures or symbols, which leads to an increase in the student interest in the subject (p 175)

Murley (2007) explained that the radiating design of a mind map keeps the main topic or idea central stand together with all its major sub-topics neighboring it Similarly, sub-subtopics stay close to their topics This arrangement keeps the big picture in focus and makes relationships and connections easier to notice Furthermore,

MM is more flexible to learn; as a result, it encourages learners’ creativity Memory storage is enhanced as MM allows displaying all related topics on the same MM, with keywords and connections indicated by images, symbols, and colors The benefits of

MM include providing the learners with a more attractive and enjoyable format for their eyes and brains In addition, Murley (2007) noted that it is easy to understand the

“maps” drawn on MMs This benefits the learners as it saves time and increases productivity that helps to distinguish and accommodate learning styles in EFL classrooms MMs are especially helpful for strong visual learners who absorb information better when it is presented via diagrams and similar visual aids than through written text

Moreover, Al-Jarf (2011) pointed out that MM is used to enhance learning This author also added that MM enables learners to organize and integrate material presented in a course better

These are the general benefits of using MM techniques in learning language For the purpose of this research, it is necessary to clarify whether it is useful to apply MM techniques to improve vocabulary ability and attitudes to learning vocabulary

2.3.1 Vocabulary ability

Vocabulary ability is about learners’ mastery of vocabulary One’s vocabulary ability depends on several factors such as the number of words they know and the number of words they use According to Baker and Westrup (2000, p 41), MM “stores vocabulary in a logical and helpful way so they can find old words and add new words easily” It is widely accepted that learners will remember a word more easily by the following ways: firstly, they see the word and remember it immediately by nature Secondly, they are put under a situation to understand it Thirdly, they are taught to learn the word Grains and Redman (1986) showed that memorizing new items needs several steps such as storing them first in the short-term memory and using them in real life to store in the long-term memory It is believed that people can store any amount of information in the long-term memory These authors also stated that our "mental lexicon" is highly organized and efficient, and that semantically related items are

stored together The mental lexicon is a memory system in which a vast number of words accumulated in a course of time has been stored (Hulstijn, 2000, p 210) Word frequency is another factor that affects storage, because it is easier for learners to use and remember the words, which are often used in a daily conversation When they use

it more frequently, they can remember it longer Understanding this point, teacher can help to improve learners’ vocabulary and vocabulary memorization by grouping words according to fields or topic to teach

2.3.2 Attitude to vocabulary learning

When the word attitude is mentioned in a language classroom, it is probably about learners It is their attitude which is bad or good to make a successful classroom

or failed one According to Smith (1971), it is students’ attitude that is the crucial factor in foreign language learning He also stated that in the past, the word attitude and motivation were not primary important in a foreign language classroom Teachers seemed busy modeling their profession with the help of language labs, linguists, or government sponsored programs However, what happens in reality shows that when the number of students increases, there is a need for a change in both quantity and quality Teachers started to care more about other criteria such as learners’ attitude and motivation in order to improve the classroom atmosphere According to Pehrsson and Denner (1989), MM is a strategy to represent individual concepts MMs allow learners

to activate their prior knowledge naturally without or with little force, so they will be not feared when language lesson is coming Learners feel more eager to discover the knowledge and arrange knowledge in a logical way Each MM has its own unique pattern; as a result, learners will be more motivated and easily remember to create their own features because different learners will have different ways to create their own maps to learn vocabulary With the help of a teacher in a classroom to overcome the beginning shortness of using MMs such as unusualness and inflexibility, students feel more relaxed and excited to learn with MM techniques

In addition, they need to remember words over time and being able to recall them readily” (Pribilova, 2006, p 13) The use of MM also stimulates learners to spark new ideas easily and helps the learners recall the memory (Windura, 2008) As a result, learners will know how to present the words in logical chains and produce them easily because words are learned systematically before As the result, once learners have acquired a substantial amount of vocabulary, they will be able to improve their reading skill of telecommunication English

2.4 Where and when to use MM in intensive reading

Reading is an activity that can help learners to improve their knowledge about a specific topic and also new vocabulary There are several types of reading such as oral reading and silent reading Intensive reading may be one of the most difficult courses

in language learning It is also one of the main accesses that help students acquire English knowledge Intensive reading is aimed to help students understand the text closely and profoundly through doing exercises under the teacher’s guidance In intensive reading, learners have to not only solve the task but also understand and explain the words, phrases or terms carefully and thoroughly In intensive reading, learners usually read a page or several pages to explore the meaning and to get acquainted with writing mechanism (Alyousef, 2005)

MM is an innovative technique that involves visualizing ideas and organizing them on one surface According to Buzan (1989) “MM can be used in every activity where thought, planning, recall, or creativity is involved” (p 26) According to Mahmud, Rawshon and Rahman (2011), “A mind map allows a user to record a great deal of information in the form of linked ideas with keywords and images In addition,

a user can record or inscribe gathered information on a page while showing the relationships between the concepts involved” (p 23) If students have the ability to represent a complex set of relationships in a diagram, it means that they probably

understand those relationships and they also have the ability to analyze their component parts Farrand et al (2002) showed that “retention and recall are better among students when MMs were used as a study technique” (p 429)

Many studies have attempted to integrate the use of MM techniques with reading lessons to improve learners’ learning comprehension ability at various levels For example, Singtui (2008) employed this technique into teaching reading skill and found out that the distribution of the students who got higher scores in the post-test in comparison with the pre-test is significant and the attitude of the students toward MM techniques also increased Maestas and Croll (1985) carried out a study on the effects

of training in story mapping procedures on the reading comprehension of poor readers

It was found that there was an increase on the students’ ability to answer comprehension questions and increased tendency to maintain story mapping component in their story recall The results of the aforementioned studies indicate that the MM technique can help improve learners’ reading comprehension ability, especially poor readers

Students desire to maintain a comfort level that is most familiar to them Therefore, by applying the MM technique, the linking of words with images enhances their learning process in reading skill Al-Jarf (2009) found a significant difference between a group of the students who used MM while reading and those who did not She also stated that, “since students have difficulty generating ideas and writing paragraphs with topic sentences and supporting details, MM can be used to help students brainstorm, generate ideas, relate main ideas, and provide supporting details” (p 2)

Indrayani (2014) emphasized that MM can be an alternative technique for students who are seeking to achieve academic success Correspondingly, one of the skills that the MM technique improves is students’ reading comprehension of a narrative text In addition, it is an interesting alternative technique that helps students to

organize their ideas about the text they have read using their own schema so that they can comprehend the text easily Furthermore, MM can be maximized through the use

of colours, pictures, and connections These terms will be more useful when students, especially visual ones, also use their creativity in the process It is undeniable that creativity enables students to think freely in mapping their thoughts about any material they want to learn

Gomez (2014, pp 72-73) stated, “The brain does not naturally work linearly or by simply remembering lists of words to acquire vocabulary; however, teachers at every level are aware of how important it is to facilitate the understanding of words using contextual information” Learners’ vocabulary acquisition will develop when they acquire not only the definition of single words, but also the relevance of the words in different contexts Therefore, Gomez (2014) also emphasized that it is necessary for learners “to design and adapt MMs in the classroom and asserted that it is a useful matching activity that supports the increase of spatial and personal intelligences, giving them the opportunity to explore their thoughts and express their visions” (p 75) It is important to take into account how learners’ brains work to support their insights, help them to explore, and relate their understandings to diverse contexts

This study is focusing on the use of MM techniques in intensive reading It is necessary to see how MM techniques are used in the process of teaching and learning reading skill following three basic steps: pre-reading, while-reading and post-reading 2.4.1 The use of MM techniques in pre-reading

Pre-reading activities cover a number of possibilities They are targeting at helping learners engage in a process of discovery and feel authorized to engage with the form and content of the text All the pre-reading activities are aimed to help students activate knowledge themselves or one may say that it is a student-centered approach The instructor has to help learners understand what they are going to read

and identify the potential problems of readability inherent in a chosen reading text, and then has to help them find ways to surmount those difficulties Rather than just provide answers or summarize the content, the instructor can help learners identify the sources

of their reading difficulties

A teacher must provide pre-reading activities that would match with the text to be read According to Tierney and Cunningham (1984), pre-reading activities act as a way

to access the readers’ former knowledge and “provide bridge between their knowledge and the text” (p 610) As a result, the use of MM is suitable to meet the demand of shortness at the beginning of the lesson Teacher may write a big word on the board, use a picture or an image to activate learners about what they already know and ask them to discuss it By this way, teacher may help learners to gradually approach the reading text easily Moreover, it depends on learners’ level to apply the techniques in a suitable way MM techniques in pre-reading activities help learners map out their prior knowledge and bring it to the surface Learners quickly get their questions to be answered as they see the layout of the reading passage through the map of headings, titles, and subtitles, and so on

2.4.2 The use of MM techniques in while-reading

In the while-reading stage, readers read the text and try to answer the questions given in the text and questions discussed before that This part can be very difficult for readers to understand the text, especially the language for specific purposes because it

is not often used in their daily life With the traditional style of learning reading, students are often trying to read all over the text without any selective techniques This may bring out time-wasting or ineffective reading

MM techniques in this part also can be very effective Students may use MMs in previous parts to continue develop ideas in the text While they read they can add directly what they think is important into the maps By doing this way, it is clear and

easy for them to keep track on what they read and focus on the main points of the text While reading, learners may encounter many new words they do not know; at that time, MMs take their effect into helping leaners learn and remember new vocabulary easily There are many features learners need to remember while reading; with the use

of MM, the knowledge is divided into smaller parts in a logical way and they can digest it easily

2.4.3 The use of MM techniques in post-reading

Heimlich and Pittelman (1986, as cited in Dilek & Yürük, 2012, p 1535) first believed MM can be applied in post-reading At this stage, students have another chance to look back at what they have read and develop their reading skill with other main skills Post-reading is to check for accurate comprehension of the text Too often students are asked to read a selection and then never get a chance to discuss the piece they have read By using simple post-reading strategies, teacher can help learners derive meaning from what they have read and address any misunderstandings that they may have encountered

Moreover, Bogatikov (n.d., pp 6-10) clarified the use of MM in post-reading via creating a semantic map after reading texts together with writing composition By using MM at this stage, learners easily retell what they read by looking at the maps They also may develop their thought by looking at the map if that map is taken notes of well in the two previous steps With a full MM at this stage, learners can do what they want, such as retelling what they read, summarizing the text and developing it into new knowledge

2.5 Empirical research

There have been a number of studies attempted to discover how the use of MM techniques improve learners’ learning vocabulary

In a study to find the educational outcomes of using digital MMs in elementary level classes, Kim and Kim (2012) perceived its positive effects, for example in memorizing vocabulary, and they also believed MM as a tool that suits with different learning styles

Benavides et al (2010) searched on the effects of MM techniques on reading comprehension for the students of Bachelor degree in English attention, reading and writing in English II course at Universidad de Oriente Univo, San Miguel The results

in the first part showed that 17/25 students had made their progress in learning The results of questionnaire showed that 100% of the students considered the MM to be a good tool for the improvement of reading comprehension skill and as a technique to summarize reading and to organize the ideas

Tran Thi Thom (2014) at Da Lat Army Academy carried out her thesis entitled

"An investigation into the effects of using the MM technique to teach speaking skills to non-major postgraduate students at Da Lat Army Academy." This research showed the concepts of MMs and their effects in teaching English speaking skill for non-major postgraduate students at Da Lat Army Academy

Nguyen Thi Thuy Van (2012) at Foreign Language University also did a research for her Master Thesis named “Using mind mapping techniques to develop Ly Thuong Kiet high school 11th grade students’ reading text summary skills” The research was done with 80 participants devided into two groups In her research, she found that using mind mapping techniques in the post reading stage can improve students’ reading text summaries skills

From the studies mentioned above, the researcher decided to carry out the study because no one in Vietnam has investigated whether or not MM is appropriate for military students in general to learn vocabulary in intensive reading and TCU cadets in

particular

2.6 Chapter summary

This chapter shaped a conceptual framework for the current study by giving

information about MM, ways to make it and its advantages in learning vocabulary The

researcher also discussed the use of MM technique in the three stages of reading skill

Finally, she also presented previous studies related to MM topic which encouraged her

to carry out the study The theoretical background in this chapter will be further

employed in the next chapter of research design and method of investigation