Enhancing motivation in vocabulary learning via online games

ABSTRACT The present thesis was conducted to examine the extent to which the application of Online games could help to enhance the students‟ motivation in learning vocabulary.. In additi

FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

ĐẶNG MINH ANH

ENHANCING MOTIVATION IN VOCABULARY LEARNING VIA ONLINE GAMES: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT

AT A UNIVERSITY IN HANOI Tăng cường động lực học từ vựng qua trò chơi trực tuyến: Một nghiên cứu

hành động ở một trường đại học tại Hà Nội

M.A MINOR PROGRAM THESIS

Major: English Language Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01

HANOI - 2019

FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

ĐẶNG MINH ANH

ENHANCING MOTIVATION IN VOCABULARY LEARNING VIA ONLINE GAMES: AN ACTION RESEARCH PROJECT

AT A UNIVERSITY IN HANOI Tăng cường động lực học từ vựng qua trò chơi trực tuyến: Một nghiên cứu

hành động ở một trường đại học tại Hà Nội

M.A MINOR PROGRAM THESIS

Major: English Language Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01

Supervisor: Hoàng Thị Xuân Hoa, PhD

HANOI - 2019

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This M.A thesis could not have been accomplished without the invaluable help, encouragement and support form a number of people who I would like to

show my sincerest gratitude and appreciation

To begin with, I would like to express my greatest and deepest thankfulness

to my supervisor, Hoàng Thị Xuân Hoa, PhD., for her enthusiastic and precious

guideline and advice throughout the duration of my thesis Without her instruction

and supervision, this thesis could not have reached the fulfillment

Moreover, my honest thanks also come to all students for taking part in this study

Last but not least, I give my thanks to family and relatives who have always supported me and supplied the best conditions for me to complete this thesis

ABSTRACT

The present thesis was conducted to examine the extent to which the application of Online games could help to enhance the students‟ motivation in learning vocabulary Participants of this study were 28 low-level students in a non-English major university in Hanoi Online games was used as the strategy to enhance students‟ motivation in vocabulary learning This thesis was designed as an action research The whole process of the research was divided into four steps of planning, implementing, observing and reflecting on progress with aims to reduce the problems and to improve students‟ motivation in learning vocabulary The research questions to be addressed in the thesis are: (1) To what extent do online games have influences on students‟ motivation in learning vocabulary? (2) What are students‟ opinions towards the application of these games in vocabulary learning Survey questionnaire, semi-structured interview and classroom observation were used as instruments to collect data for reflection throughout the research The results had confirmed the positive effects of online games on enhancing their motivation in vocabulary learning as the level of motivation after the intervention was increase significantly in comparison with that before the intervention In addition, the results indicated that the students had positive opinions towards application of online

games in vocabulary learning in all aspects of ARSC model

Keywords: action research, vocabulary, motivation, online games, ARSC model

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii

ABSTRACT iii

LIST OF TABLES vii

LIST OF FIGURES vii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS viii

PART A: INTRODUCTION 1

1 Rationale 1

2 Research aims 3

3 Research questions 3

4 Scope of the study 4

5 Method of the study 4

6 Significance of the study 4

7 Design of the thesis 5

PART B: DEVELOPMENT 6

CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW 6

1.1 Vocabulary in language learning and teaching 6

1.1.1 The importance of vocabulary learning 6

1.1.2 Process of vocabulary teaching 7

1.2 Motivation in learning vocabulary 8

1.2.1 Nature of Motivation 8

1.2.2 Kinds of Motivation 9

1.2.2 Methods to enhance motivation in learning 11

1.2.3 ARSC Motivational Design model 12

1.3 The application of online vocabulary games in EFL classroom 14

1.3.1 Definition and classification of games in language learning 14

1.3.2 The application of games in teaching vocabulary 15

1.3.3 The benefits of online vocabulary games 16

CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY 18

2.1 Action research 18

2.2 Research design 19

2.3 Participant selection 20

2.4 Materials 20

2.5 Intervention 20

2.6 Instruments 22

2.6.1 Survey questionnaire 22

2.6.2 Semi-interview 23

2.6.3 Observation 24

2.7 The study procedure 24

2.7.1 Identify the problems 24

2.7.2 Action plan 25

2.7.3 Evaluating the plan 27

2.8 Data collection procedure 27

2.9 Data analysis method and procedure 27

2.9.1 Survey questionnaire 28

2.9.2 Semi-structured interview 30

2.6.3 Observation 30

CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS 31

3.1 Survey questionnaire 31

3.1.1 Questionnaire on Motivation in learning vocabulary 31

3 1.2 Questionnaire on the Use of online games 33

3.2 Semi-structured interview 36

3.3 Observation 37

CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSIONS 40

PART C: CONCLUSIONS 42

1 Summary of findings 42

2 Implications 42

3 Limitations 43

4 Recommendations 43

5 Reflections 43

REFERENCES 45

APPENDICES 51

APPENDIX A: Pre-intervention questionnaire 51

APPENDIX B: Post-intervention questionnaire 52

APPENDIX C: Survey questionnaire 53

APPENDIX D: Open-ended interview questions 56

APPENDIX E: Teacher observation record 57

LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1 IMMS scoring guide 29

Table 3.1 Descriptive statistics of students‟ motivation in learning vocabulary 31

Table 3.2 Comparison of motivation between pre- and post-intervention 32

Table 3.3 Scale reliability based on Cronbach‟s alpha 33

Table 3.4 Range of motivation level 34

Table 3.5 Overall mean scores of students‟ evaluation 34

Table 3.6 Numbers of respondents in each level 34

LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1 Action research model 19

Figure 3.1 Descriptive statistics of Pre-test and Post-test on motivation in learning vocabulary 32

Figure 3.2 Percentages of respondents in each level 35

Figure 3.3 Descriptive statistics of Game evaluation in each scale 36

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

it there is little success for effective communication (Vermeer, 1992) as it is upon words that the structure of language is built and it is words that constitute the raw material for the creation of sentences (Ross & Jan, 2007)

However, in spite of its significant role, vocabulary learning seemed to be one

of the most common problems in language learning for ELF students In this current thesis, the researcher found that despite realizing the importance of vocabulary in language learning, students appeared to have low level of motivation in learning vocabulary According to results of observations and interviews in with students, some problems were identified Most of students found vocabulary learning tiring and boring process or they feel it is too difficult for them to learn and understand Moreover, the practices and exercises which they are asked to complete were not related to students‟ interests Those can be caused by inappropriate teacher styles and methods using by teacher It worth to note the fact that in most traditional class, vocabulary was taught with the teaching method of grammar-translation Since students should not see the vocabulary learning process as a boring process, but as a useful and interesting one, it is essential for teachers to find out and apply a new strategy in order to motivate students in learning vocabulary

Among a variety of methods and techniques, games was proposed as an useful

strategy which increases students‟ motivation especially in learning vocabulary Many researchers support the use of vocabulary games due to their educational values According to these researches, a game-based learning context helps to shape

a higher level of motivation of an individual (Ebrahimzadeh & Alavi, 2017) Application of games in classroom context provides the students with an exciting learning experience (Icard, 2014) Therefore, students become attentive because games make their learning more enjoyable By using games students can be more active, autonomous, and energetic, learn about environment, the world they are living in, and be engaged in the teaching-learning process We can teach all skills and components through playing games, which is based on a learner-centered approach, meanwhile when we are teaching; we have to pay attention to the meaningfulness, appropriateness and the level of the learners (Widodo, 2006)

In addition, with the development and evolution of Internet technology, there was an increasing trend towards online learning environment in which, online games were applied instead of traditional vocabulary games (Wichadee & Pattanapichet, 2018) Online vocabulary games are supposed to inherit the benefits

of traditional ones but to be employed with more interesting design The researcher believed that using online games in the classrooms is considered a good source of entertainment in the classroom that helps students learn and interact with given material in order to learn and acquire a new language Online games could change the way students are accustomed to learning while they sit passively in a classroom and expect the teacher to give them the needed information in order to learn the English language By accessing to Internet, students can easily participate actively

in online interactive games via devices such as their mobile phones or laptops Realizing the low level of students' motivation in learning vocabulary, the researcher believed that an immediate change was necessitated With the aim of creating an relaxed, motivating, and enjoyable environment where students are interested and encouraged to learn vocabulary, this thesis was conducted as an action research with the application of Online games in English lesson as a strategy

to tackle the problems The current study aimed to investigate the extent to which online games help enhancing students‟ motivation in learning vocabulary as well as examine their opinions towards the implementation of games It is hoped that the results will provide insights into the application of online games as motivator in vocabulary learning in particular and in language learning in general

2 Research aims

Vocabulary is the basis of any language to be learned and how to motivate the learners to learn vocabulary is of a great significance in the field of English language teaching To solve the problems in teaching and learning process, this current thesis was carried out with the aims of an action research of: (1) identify the level of students‟ motivation in vocabulary learning through the use of data collection techniques, (2) design, implement and evaluate an action plan in order to solve the problem Specifically, after identified the problems of students‟ low motivation in learning vocabulary, the researcher tries to solve it through the application of a new strategy which can affect the students‟ motivation as well as engage them in learning vocabulary In this current research, online games were designed and implemented in English lesson for the duration of fifteen weeks After that, the application of these games would be evaluated The extent to which online games have influences on students‟ motivation in learning vocabulary were examined In addition, the students‟ opinions toward the implementation of these games in English lesson were analyzed

The researcher hold a strong believe that the application of online games would significantly improve students‟ motivation in learning vocabulary Moreover, students would had positive opinions towards the use of those games To examine

my hypothesis, I have compared the results of questionnaires on motivation level of the students before and after the application using SPSS software In order to figure out students‟ opinions on those games, questionnaires on the use of online games were collected and analyzed in overall and in each aspect of ARCS motivation model

4 Scope of the study

In this study, the researcher does not have the ambition to study all the influences of online games on the students‟ development of language and skills in general Due to the significance of vocabulary development and the low level of motivation of students mentioned above, this study only focuses on the influences

of online games on the students‟ motivation in vocabulary learning In addition, the online games that is chosen for the action research is Kahoot In addition, based on the features of application, Keller‟s 2010 ASRCS motivation model was employed

in this thesis

5 Method of the study

This is an action research with the participants of 28 low-level students at a non- English major university in Hanoi The purpose of this thesis was to conduct

an action research to tackle the problem of their low motivation in learning vocabulary through the use of online games for duration of 15 weeks The whole process of the research was divided into four steps of planning, implementing, observing and reflecting on progress Classroom observation, survey questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used as instruments to collect data for reflection throughout the research

6 Significance of the study

Firstly, as an action research, the plan of this study can be used as an immediate solution to my current students' problem in learning their essential

vocabularies For the students, as mentioned in the statement of the problem, they have troubles in learning vocabulary due to the traditional teaching strategy and tiring practice exercises Therefore, this action research is expected to bring up a new strategy which can highly motivate and engage students in the vocabulary learning

On the other hand, with the findings of this study, this research is expected to provide benefits for writer, readers, teachers and school For the writer, the research result can bring along knowledge and experience to do research in theoretical and practical manner For readers, it can improve their knowledge to get information or reference especially motivation in vocabulary learning with the use of online games The practical benefit of this research for the teachers that it can use as inputs in applied for English teacher in teaching and learning to improve vocabulary learning motivation through online games For the schools, it can give useful information to improve the quality of vocabulary teaching and learning process in school

7 Design of the thesis

This thesis consists of three parts:

Part A: Introduction presents the rationale for conducting the study a longing

with its aims, research questions, methods, significance and design

Part B: Development including four chapters:

Chapter 1 - Literature Review conceptualizes the framework of the study

including the key concepts A brief overview of the related studies are also provided

Chapter 2 - Research methodology presents the context, the methodology used

in this study including the objects, data collection instruments, data collection procedure and analysis

Chapter 3 – Findings presents and gives a comprehensive analysis of the data Chapter 4 – Discussion gives on the findings of this study

Part C: Conclusion offers the summary of findings, implications, limitations,

recommendations and reflection of the researcher

PART B: DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter conceptualizes the framework of the study including key concepts of vocabulary, motivation and the application of online vocabulary games

in EFL classroom

1.1 Vocabulary in language learning and teaching

Vocabulary is one element that links the four skills of speaking, listening, reading and writing all together, consequently, its definition relates to various views about its nature and its use

Researchers and experts seemed to have different viewpoint vocabulary in language learning Vocabulary is defined as the total number of words in a language Hornby (1995) It is considered as all the words that received by human incidentally

or intentionally through indirect exposure to words explicitly instruction to specific word and word- learning strategy (Setiyaningsih, 2009)

1.1.1 The importance of vocabulary learning

Vocabulary functions as a core without which any language could not exist Studying a language cannot be separated from studying vocabulary because when

we are learning speaking, reading listening and writing we all need vocabulary which constitutes the knowledge of meaning is one of the components of a language For instance, language communication would be meaningless and perhaps impossible to have only structure without vocabulary Learning a foreign language requires a strong knowledge of its vocabulary rather than its grammar as a person can say very little with grammar, but can say almost anything with vocabulary (Wilkins, 1972)

In traditional methods, vocabulary was not considered as a major subject to be separately and officially taught Instead of being a particular subject of students to learn, it was included at the margin within lessons of speaking, listening, reading and writing Recently, with the emergence of methods such as CBA and CLT,

vocabulary teaching and learning process has been developed and gets such an importance in EFL classes especially (Darfilal, 2015),

Considering the importance of vocabulary, it is believed that the school must emphasize understanding by teaching the proper use of words at all times Promoting the growth of writing, speaking, reading, and listening vocabularies is a most important function of the language program in every classroom

Generally, learning vocabulary is an important and inspirable part of learning

a language Whenever we want to communicate with other people using a language,

we should have mastered vocabulary related to the topic, therefore, it acts as one of the components supporting communication In other words, the important role of

vocabulary in developing the four language skill is undeniable

1.1.2 Process of vocabulary teaching

Vocabulary teaching is a continuous process, where learners meet the words many times in their learning to increase and deepen their knowledge and their use of words in the foreign language It is also facilitated through using meaningful activities to practice vocabulary, as it provides the learners with opportunities to memorize the words effectively, more than if they just practice them orally by drilling or by using flashcards (Cameron, 2001)

Activities which involve learners in thinking about the words and making decisions about them allow learners to remember the words effectively To ensure long term recall and retention, new knowledge should be integrated to old/existing knowledge, i.e they need to be placed into working memory e.g being compared, combined, matched, sorted, visualized and re- shuffled, as well as being repeatedly filed away and recalled It means that students need exposure to a variety of activities that challenge their thinking and promote their decision making (Thornbury, 2002)

Vocabulary could not be learnt in isolation As Nunan (1995) suggested, when teaching new vocabulary, we should begin by teaching the new item in context, however, at a later stage learners should be given the opportunity of dealing with

the words out of context Kang (1995) found that one of the best ways to enhance second language vocabulary learning is to use a context-embedded approach in which new words are presented in context In his study, target English words, with their meanings and one or more example sentences, were presented to learners via computer audio Learners could hear the target words as many times as desired All in all, vocabulary has an important role in the developing of teaching and learning, so the teacher should be taught vocabulary to the student since the students young so that the learner will easy to master vocabulary and they can reach the goals of teaching and learning a foreign language, that is produce a language in speaking, reading, and writing

1.2 Motivation in learning vocabulary

1.2.1 Nature of Motivation

Despite the importance role of motivation in learning additional languages, there is, in fact, no agreement on the exact definition of motivation Despite motivation is a term frequently used in both educational and research contexts, it is rather surprising how little agreement there is in the literature with regard to the exact meaning of the concept (Dörnyei, 2001)

Motivation is considered the “internal drive” that pushes somebody to do something If we think that our goal is worth doing and attractive for us , then we try to reach that goal This is called the action driven by motivation (Harmer, 1991)

On the other hand, motivation was define as an important component or factor in the learning process Learning and motivation have the same importance in order to achieve something Learning makes us gain new knowledge and skills and motivation pushes us or encourage us to go through the learning process (Parsons, Hinson & Brown, 2001) In his socio-educational model, motivation is perceived to

be composed of three elements These are effort, desire and affect Effort refers to the time spent studying the language and the drive of the learner Desire indicates how much the learner wants to become proficient in the language, and affect means the learner‟s emotional reactions related to language study (Gardner, 1982)

1.2.2 Kinds of Motivation

Motivation can be classified into different categorized as mentioned below Harmer (1991) categorized motivation into two types of Short-term goal and Long-term goal

Short-term goal: when students wish to succeed in doing something in the

near future, for example, students who want to pass their examination or to get good grade or high scores

Long-term goal: a wish of students or learners who want to get a better job in

the future or to be able to communicate with people who use the language that they study or the target language

Krashen (1988) divided motivation in term of relation between the second language ability consisting of two functions of Integrative motivation and Instrumental motivation

Integrative motivation: Integrative motivation is defined as the desire to be a

part of recognized or important members of the community or that society that speak the second language It is based on interest in learning the second language because of their need to learn about, associate or socialize with the people who use

it or because of purpose or intention to participate or integrate in the second language using the same language in that community

Instrumental motivation: Instrumental motivation involves the concepts of

purely practical value in learning the second language in order to increase learners‟ careers or business opportunities, giving them more prestige and power, accessing scientific and technical information, or just passing a course of their study in school

In other studies, the motivation is further classified into two main categories as Extrinsic motivation and Intrinsic motivation

Extrinsic motivation: Extrinsic motivation refers to a desire to get a reward

and avoid punishment It emphasizes external need to persuade the learner to take part in learning activity (Arnold, 2000), such as homework, grade, or doing something to please teachers Both integrative and instrumental motivations are also

grouped under the branch of the extrinsic motivation (Harmer, 1991) As extrinsic motivation is based on external outcomes such as rewards and punishment This motivation could bring a negative impact to the students, because with extrinsic motivation, students do not learn with their strong intention or will but they study it because they are pushed by the interest in the rewards or the punishment When a student is learning because he is promised rewards or because he wants the rewards , he will be highly motivated to come to classes and learn and achieve the goal that

is set for him But when these rewards are taken away, or sometimes even if they do not see any punishment, the student will not be interested in coming to class and learn the language any longer

Intrinsic motivation: Intrinsic motivation refers to learning itself having its

own reward (Arnold, 2000) It means the learners are willingly and voluntarily (not compulsorily) try to learn what they think it is worth or important for them When students have intrinsic motivation, they have the internal desire to learn and they do not have the need for external outcomes There are no negative impacts in having intrinsic motivation In addition, intrinsic motivation pushes the student to learn without rewards, because the need is innate or come from inside or depends on their own will Lightbown and Spada (1999) mentioned that teachers do not have many effects on students‟ intrinsic motivation since the students are from different backgrounds and the only way to motivate students is by making the classroom a supportive environment

According to Harmer (1991), factors that influence intrinsic motivation are: Physical condition, Method, The teacher and Success

Physical condition: It is clearly the case that physical condition have a great

effect in teaching and learning process and can alter students‟ motivation either positively or negatively Classroom that are badly lit and overcrowded can be excessively de-motivating So, the atmosphere in which a language is learnt is vitally important

Method: The method by which students are thought must have some effect on

their motivation If they find it deadly boring they will probably become demotivated, whereas if they have confidence in the method, they will find it motivating

The teacher: In this case, the teacher must show up her teaching as well as

possible, in order to students interested in her English teaching

Success: Success or luck of it plays a vital in the motivational drive of

students Both complete failure and success maybe de-motivating It will be the teachers job 24 to set goals and task at which most of her or his students can be successful or rather task to be able to achieve

1.2.2 Methods to enhance motivation in learning

In learning and teaching process, as the role of motivation, both of intrinsic and extrinsic are needed There are some forms and the ways to build the students‟ motivation in learning activities in language classroom were suggested by Shodiqin (2015) as below:

Giving score: Score, in this case, as a symbol from the value of learning

activities Many students study hard to get a good score A good score for students are strong motivation

Competition: Competition can be used as an instrument to motivate the

students are studying hard Competition both of individual or group, it can increase students achievement in learning English

Giving test: Students will study hard, if they know tomorrow there will be a

test Giving a test includes of good motivation But the teacher must remember, not

to be often giving a test (everyday) because, they will be bored In this case the teacher must be opened It means if a teacher wants to give a test, they should give

an information to the students first

Reward: Reward, can be divided into two, those are:

Giving a praise: When there is a student who succeeds and finishes his/her work well, it necessary to give a praise Giving praise is a form of positive

reinforcement

Punishment: Punishment is a negative reinforcement; it can be as instrument

to motivate the students if the teacher gives it in good situation

1.2.3 ARSC Motivational Design model

One of the motivation model that support the method mentions above was ARCS Motivational Model ARCS is an instructional model developed by John Keller, and focuses on motivation It is important to motivate the learners, and ensure the continuity of the motivation during the instruction There are four steps for promoting and sustaining motivation in the learning process: Attention, Relevance, Confidence, Satisfaction (Keller, 2010)

The first category is Attention This category is important for attracting a

student‟s attention such as changing the level of the tone or using a device to grab a student‟s attention The most important thing in this category is to arouse the students‟ curiosity toward the learning material

Methods for grabbing the learners‟ attention include the use of:

Active participation: Adopt strategies such as games, roleplay or other

hands-on methods to get learners involved with the material or subject matter

Variability: To better reinforce materials and account for individual

differences in learning styles, use a variety of methods in presenting material (e.g use of videos, short lectures, mini-discussion groups)

Humor: Maintain interest by use a small amount of humor (but not too much

to be distracting)

Incongruity and Conflict: A devil‟s advocate approach in which statements are

posed that go against a learner‟s past experiences

Specific examples: Use a visual stimuli, story, or biography

Inquiry: Pose questions or problems for the learners to solve, e.g

brainstorming activities

The second category is Relevance where the information is related to a

learner‟s experience This will allow the learner to enjoy and achieve the learning goal For example, the instructor finds out what the learner likes and makes a connection to the instruction

Six major strategies described by Keller include:

Experience: Tell the learners how the new learning will use their existing

skills We best learn by building upon our preset knowledge or skills

Present Worth: What will the subject matter do for me today?

Future Usefulness: What will the subject matter do for me tomorrow?

Needs Matching: Take advantage of the dynamics of achievement, risk taking,

power, and affiliation

Modeling: First of all, “be what you want them to do!” Other strategies

include guest speakers, videos, and having the learners who finish their work first to serve as tutors

Choice: Allow the learners to use different methods to pursue their work or

allowing s choice in how they organize it

The third category is Confidence In this category students will have a chance

to become independent and have the opportunity to practice new skills on their own which will build their self-confidence toward the learning material

Provide objectives and prerequisites: Help students understand their

likelihood for success If they feel they cannot meet the objectives or that the cost (time or effort) is too high, their motivation will decrease Help students estimate the probability of success by presenting performance requirements and evaluation criteria Ensure the learners are aware of performance requirements and evaluative criteria

Grow the Learners: Allow for success that is meaningful Allow for small

steps of growth during the learning process

Feedback: Provide feedback and support internal attributions for success Learner Control: Learners should feel some degree of control over their

learning and assessment They should believe that their success is a direct result of the amount of effort they have put forth

The last category is Satisfaction Students will feel good about what they

achieved from the instruction because if the students are satisfied, they will remain motivated about what they have been taught

Learning must be rewarding or satisfying in some way, whether it is from a sense of achievement, praise from a higher-up, or mere entertainment Make the learner feel as though the skill is useful or beneficial by providing opportunities to use newly acquired knowledge in a real setting Provide feedback and reinforcement When learners appreciate the results, they will be motivated to learn Satisfaction is based upon motivation, which can be intrinsic or extrinsic Do not patronize the learner by over-rewarding easy tasks

1.3 The application of online vocabulary games in EFL classroom

1.3.1 Definition and classification of games in language learning

There are many definition of games in the field of language teaching Allery (2004) defined a game as a competitive activity with a prescribed setting, constrained by rules and procedures The learning results from playing the game and not from the academic content or specialist subject matter According to Hunt and Cain (1950) a game is: (1) A way of behaving in play which tends to conform

to a pattern that is generally formed and shared by several individuals; (2) The game pattern is emphasized by the elements of organization which bring about a definite and often repeated climax; (3) In a game, individuals do not lose their identity, for the game itself is a situation in which the elements of success and failure are so equally balanced that only players by their own efforts, practice, and application of self can swing the balance to succeed

According to Littlewood (1981) and Hadfield (1996), language games can be categorized into (a) communicative games and pre- communicative games, (b) Cooperation/ competitiveness game and techniques games To start with, communication games are those where the emphasis is on successful communication Communication games cover such communicative functions as greeting, invitation, request, description, and narration, where the output is open- ended, unprescribed, or unpredictable In contrast, pre- communicative are games that stress accuracy of language use As this type of games emphasize accuracy of language use, they have explicit definitions, such as “structural games” The aim of

structure-aimed games is to foster the linguistic ability for certain syntactic patterns, some vocabulary areas and idiomatic expressions, spelling and pronunciation skills and new vocabulary In pre-communicative games, the participants‟ output is close-ended to ensure the correctness of language use In comparison between cooperation/ competitiveness game and techniques games, the first issues to be consider is classifying cooperation and competitiveness game As it was named, cooperation game contains the main action is organized into team- based activities which encourage cooperation The participants have to work together towards a common goal While, the latter type of games is excellent for encouraging shy students, since they require the participation of all the members of a team, group or pair Some typical activities may include the completion of drawings, putting things

in order, grouping things, finding a pair or finding hidden things Students are involved in the exchange of information in order to complete a task and in the giving or following of instructions Different from those two above, techniques include information-gap, problem-solving, guessing, search, matching, exchanging and collecting, combining card games, puzzles and simulation

1.3.2 The application of games in teaching vocabulary

Many researchers support the use of language games in the classroom Some studies have also been conduct investigating the characteristics of games that make vocabulary learning more effectively Nowak (1994) believed games is played among students in the classroom to get better result in teaching and learning process Huang (1996) stated that learning through games could encourage the operation of certain psychological and intellectual factors which could facilitate communication heightened self-esteem, motivation and spontaneity, reinforcing learning, improving intonation and building confidence Uberman (1998) concluded that games can be used as a way to help students not only enjoy and entertain with the language they learn, but also practice it incidentally Another advantage when games are used in the classroom including a welcome break from the usual routine

of the language class, motivating and challenging, effort of learning, and language

practice in the various skills (Lee,1996) Games are useful and effective tools that should be applied in vocabulary classes With the use of games, the teacher can create various contexts in which students have to use the language to communicate, exchange information and express their own opinions

In addition, the application of language games are highly appreciated thanks to their amusement and interest In other words, on the application of game in vocabulary teaching, many experts of language teaching methodology agree that playing games is a good way to engage them in learning vocabulary The helpful role of games as motivator in vocabulary teaching have been affirmed by different opinions of experts Moon (2000) argues that when we use games, we appeal to students sense of fun and arouse their interest Play games give them a real purpose for using language and provide opportunities for them to use language more freely

In addition, games help students revise vocabulary and recalling something that happened in a game may help a student remember the language connected with it (Rixon, 1992) Moreover, games in the foreign language classroom could encourage and develop socialization, cooperating with others, learning self-discipline, respecting rules, peer teaching and cooperative learning Playing games in the classroom develops the ability to cooperate, to compete without being aggressive, and to be a good loser The use of vocabulary games is a way to make the lessons more interesting, enjoyable and effective

Although researchers believe that games are useful, Harmer (2001) comments that not all games are helpful for language learning, definitely when the teachers consider possible games for use, they need to figure out whether this game help to make several English words seem interesting and important to my students According to him, games are helpful because they can make students feel that certain words are important and necessary, because without those words, the object

of the game cannot be achieved Therefore, when playing a game they will concentrate and will try to recall words learnt in order to play the game

1.3.3 The benefits of online vocabulary games

With the development of Internet technology, and evolution of online teaching tools, many online games were introduced and applied by teachers in classrooms at all educational levels Students can easily connect to the internet and sign in in order

to participate actively in interactive games Moreover, they can download applications to play through mobile phones or laptop

Online games can create a good learning environment and promote user engagement According to Reeve (2012), engagement refers to the degree to which

a learner exhibits his/her dynamic participation, attentiveness, enthusiasm when he/she becomes involved in the process of learning, which can contribute to satisfying learning performance On the other hand, lack of engagement can hinder the effectiveness of learning In other words, online games can be used as an effective tool to motivate learners, enhance their enthusiasm , increase and check their comprehension (Simões, Redondo & Vilas, 2013)

In addition, students can perceive the element of confrontation, gain a sense of accomplishment or loss, and receive instant feedback (Kapp, 2012) Given instant and pertinent feedback, learners are more likely to integrate the feedback into what they have studied and revise the learned content

Online vocabulary games are applied in language classroom with the expectation of changing the way students are accustomed to learning while they sit passively in a classroom and expect the teacher to give them the needed information

in order to learn vocabulary

CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY

This chapter clarifies the reason for implementing the study with action research design The research design, participants, instruments and procedure and data collection data analysis are also presented

2.1 Action research

Action research has gained increasing attention in English language teaching

as a means of improving classroom practice and achieving educational changes Action research has been defined in a variety of ways; for example, in a definition proposed by Dick (2002), action research is considered a true reflection

of its name as it is intended to achieve both action and research at the same time It means that researchers should reflect about what is the problem that they have identified and consider how they may improve certain weaknesses in their contexts McNiff (2010) defined action research as a form of “practitioner based”, “self-reflective”, and “self evaluation” research through a developmental process of following through an idea and checking it continually whether it is on a desirable direction Schmuck (1997) proposes that action research is study a real school situation with a view to improve the quality of actions and results within it It aims also to improve one‟s own professional judgment and to give insight into how better

to achieve desirable educational goals Action research offers a means for changing from current practice toward better practice According to Skytt (2000), action research is a strategy teachers can use to investigate a problem or area of interest specific to their professional context It provides the structure to engage in a planned, systematic and documented process of professional growth Through the development of an action research, a teacher identifies a problem in his/her context, and does something to solve it The teacher explores how successful his/her efforts were, and if not satisfied, makes changes and tries again It is a cycle which implies collection and analysis of data, and various possible implementations Mills (2007) affirms that action research is described as a systematic investigation conducted by

teachers to collect data about their own teaching and their students‟ learning with the goals of developing reflective practice and making positive changes in the educational environment Burns (2010) refers to action research as an approach taken by teachers to explore their own teaching reflectively, critically, and systematically She asserts that the researcher, in action research, actively participates in the process of investigation, while making purposeful intervention with a subjective approach to improve her teaching practice and knowledge

Although definitions of action research may vary, they share similar features

as follows: (1) It is conducted by classroom teachers rather than outside researchers; (2) It is targeted to make changes

2.2 Research design

With the aim of enhancing students‟ motivation in learning vocabulary, this current study was conducted with the form of an action research The model action research used

in this study is the model developed by Kemmis and McTaggart in Burns (2010) Based

on this model, this current action plan was carried out with four steps of: (a) planning, (b) acting, (c) observing, and (d) reflecting (see Figure 2.1.)

Figure 2.1 Action research model

a Planning: Develop a plan of critically informed action to improve

what is already happening In this stage, research should arrange his classroom procedure very clearly Specific goal, meaningful activity, and realistic should be on

the research considerations

b Action: Act to implement the plan In this stage, the researcher does

the plans and the classroom procedure that he has made before It can be seen the

correlation between the goal, activity and the outcomes

c Observation: Observe the effects of the critically informed action in

the context in which it occurs

d Reflection: Reflecting process on these effects as the basis for further

planning, subsequent critically informed action so on, though a succession of stages

2.3 Participant selection

The participants of the study were 28 students in an English class in a English major university in Hanoi The participants were all Vietnam students The action research was conducted in the second semester of the schoolyear of 2017-

non-2018 At the time of the study, the students were at the beginning of the English Course 1 with the entry score of 150 TOEIC The course lasts for fifteen weeks with the target score 250 TOEIC In this study, the researcher will act as teacher who carries out the intervention

2.4 Materials

The main materials used for was the English Discoveries Workbook - Course

1 The syllabus consists of 15 units which are covered in the duration of 15 weeks (3 periods per week, 1 week per unit) The package includes the main Course book, English Discoveries online practices, Handouts, PowerPoint slides, and audio tapes

2.5 Intervention

The chosen application for this study are online games named Kahoot The description of the games as well as advantages and disadvantages of the application of these games in class were presented After that, the reasons for applying quiz games as intervention was clarified

Description of Kahoot

Online games recently have taken place of traditional ones due to the significant role of technology in language education Among those, Kahoot was introduced as a popular game-based classroom response system (Fies & Marshall, 2006) Since 2013, Kahoot has become a well-known online game used by teachers

as an tool to check learners‟ knowledge and increase their involvement in learning Kahoot was applied in class as a way to motivate and involve learners With the application of Kahoot, an otherwise sleepy, insipid class can turn into an active and highly charged group of students Ever since it was first introduced, Kahoot has increased students‟ enthusiasm and motivation to learn as well as has benefited classes for many reasons

Advantages and disadvantages of Kahoot

First and foremost, Kahoot is completely free It is accessible for the teachers

of all subjects and can be used at various levels It is neither difficult in use nor requires complicated skills or equipment Once teachers create their account, they can either create their own games or quizzes or they may borrow those already published by others and then edit to adapt them to the level of knowledge and skills

of their students In addition, it is not only easy for teachers to learn but also simple process for students as no account registration or downloading of application is required The only requirement is device with Internet connection Students can enter game pin and start to play with their smartphones, tablets, or computers It is user-friendly with the basic game elements: points, a leader board, instant feedback and a reward Besides, design of music and colors add to student excitement and energy which help to increase student engagement

Despite benefits listed above, online games also have some disadvantages about which educators and students should be aware: there is a limit on the number

of characters you can use in questions and responses; and educators cannot ask open-ended questions or receive open-ended responses

Kahoot quiz games

There are three creation options offered by Kahoot!: multiple choice quizzes, discussion questions and surveys Whilst, discussions and surveys can be used to elicit responses from students related to opinions or beliefs with no right or wrong answers Student responses can then form the basis for further discussion In this study, due to the time constraint, apart from discussions and surveys, quizzes were employed for several reasons

Firstly, in terms of quizzes, Kahoot makes it fun for learners attempting to get the answers right so that their names show on the leader board Students can take quizzes multiple times or even download and save the game on their devices What

is more, Kahoot quiz games can be used by teacher as graded and ungraded quizzes

to assess knowledge, comprehension, and retention It can be used at the beginning

as warm up activities, following lectures, and to review material from several units For evaluation, teachers can download, review, and save student results after the games Furthermore, with quizzes, teachers can adjust the response time It is believed that train students to answer questions in a short period of time which helps them get used to answering questions faster on a test Instant results also help teacher provide clarification or explanation when needed

2.6 Instruments:

While the quantitative method involves performance facts, attitude facts, observational facts, and statistical analysis; qualitative methods includes open-ended questions, interview, observation facts, document facts, and video and recorded speech In this classroom action research, the researcher used different instruments to collecting both qualitative and quantitative data

The following instruments were used in this study

2.6.1 Survey questionnaire

A questionnaire is defined a number of writer questions which are used to gain information from respondents about their knowledge and beliefs In this thesis, two kinds of questionnaire were adopted from motivational measurement instruments

developed by John Keller, designed expressly to measure the four elements of the ARCS model Both were designed as Rating Scale Questions The survey questionnaires were used to answer the two research questions of the extent to which online games influenced the students‟ motivation and their opinions on the

use of these games in learning vocabulary

2.5.1.1 Questionnaire on Motivation in learning vocabulary

The first tool is Questionnaire on Motivation in Learning vocabulary This was

a questionnaire modified from Keller‟s Course Interest Survey (Keller, 2006) It comprised 12 Likert scale questions to measure the level of motivation of students

in learning vocabulary following the guidelines of the IMMS scoring guide (Keller, 2006) The Questionnaire on Motivation in Learning vocabulary was delivered to the participants twice It was delivered once before the intervention as Pre-intervention and one more time after the intervention as Post-intervention questionnaire (See appendix A,B)

2.5.1.2 Questionnaire on the Use of online games

The second one is Questionnaire on the Use of online games, a questionnaire modified from Instructional Materials Motivation Survey (IMMS) developed by John Keller, designed expressly to measure the four elements of the ARCS model It was delivered one time at the end of the course to examine the students opinions toward the use of Online games The IMMS is specific to a self-paced print module

or a self-directed learning event The tool included 36 Likert scale questions designed to measure learner perceptions following the guidelines of the IMMS scoring guide (Keller, 2006) (see Appendix C)

2.6.2 Semi-interview

An interview is a communication process and interaction that happened between interviewers and interview The quality of interview is determined by condition of them It can run well or not when that interviewee is willingly to give information that we need