Teaching vocabulary through language games to the 1st year non english major students at nghe an junior teachers training college

Figure 1: Situation of using vocabulary games in teaching and learning vocabulary Figure 2: Attitudes towards vocabulary games in teaching and learning vocabulary Figure 3: Purposes o

VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

TEACHINJ VOCABULRY THROUGH LANGUAGE GAMES TO THE 1 ST YEAR NON – ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS AT NGHE AN JUNIOR TEACHERS

TRAINING COLLEGE

HA NOI -

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page Declaration………

1.6 Design of the

study……….3

Development………4

Chapter 1: theoretical background……… 4

I.2.3 Roles of language games in language teaching………12

II.2.1 The data collection instrument………18

collection………19

Chapter 3: data analysis and discussion……… 20

III.1 Data

analysis……… 20 III.2

Appendixes

Appendix 1: Survey questionnaire for teachers

Appendix 2: Survey questionnaire for students

Appendix 3: Inteview for teachers

Appendix 4: Inteview for teachers

Appendix 5: Sample games

List of tables and figures

Table 1: Data collected from survey questionnaire for teachers Table 2: Data collected from survey questionnaire for students

Figure 1: Situation of using vocabulary games in teaching and learning

vocabulary

Figure 2: Attitudes towards vocabulary games in teaching and learning

vocabulary

Figure 3: Purposes of using vocabulary games

Figure 4: Kinds of vocabulary games used in teaching and learning vocabulary

Figure 5: Benefits and Difficulties when using vocabulary games in class

Figure 6: Students‟ participation in vocabulary games

Figure 7 Students‟ feeling after playing vocabulary games

Figure 8: Students‟ evaluation of effectiveness of vocabulary games towards their vocabulary learning

Figure 9: Students‟ expectations towards a useful vocabulary game

Figure 10: Actual use of vocabulary games in class

Part A: Introduction 1.1 Rationale

Nowadays, English has become popular all over the world, and in Viet nam, English also plays a very important role in every field of life This makes English become the common language of communication Thus, the demands for using English as a means of communication make the English teaching and learning more and more necessary Different people study English for different purposes People learn it for communicating with foreigners, for using English as a means which enables them to understand more about English people and country, or for promoting their positions during their lives, etc However, the fact which I have recognized at my college is that non- English major students are not eager in studying English because of some reasons First of all, non-

English major teachers still apply traditional method into teaching English They always teach students the vocabulary, grammar structures of English before practicing it In English lessons, teachers often explain the rules of language by

Vietnamese and then ask students to reproduce them Teachers often focus on the aspects

of language such as grammar, phonetic and vocabulary so students can only learn what their teacher has, they become passively involved in lessons and bored with English lessons Moreover, many teachers do not want to make changes in their teaching process since they will feel nervous and embarrassed when coping with difficulties to which they can not find answers immediately Besides, for non- English major students, English is not their compulsory subject at college so they learn it just for passing exams which they sit for

at the end of each semester rather than trying to use English for communication Many of students are lack of effort and desire in learning English; they find English more difficult and less interesting than other subjects Classes of non- major students are often crowded with various levels of knowledge so it is rather hard for teacher to apply new methods of teaching for improving students‟ knowledge of English and get these learners involved in learning English

Among many activities in classroom such as pair work, group work, role- play, singing songs, games, etc…games have been shown to be a means which has lots of advantages in motivating students in learning the target language by many researchers and educationists Richard (1988) states that “Games can lower anxiety, thus making the acquisition of input more likely” (p.147) “They are highly motivating and entertaining, and they can give shy students more opportunities to express their opinions and feelings” (Hansen, 1994, p.118)

In addition, vocabulary also plays an important role during teaching and learning a foreign language It is difficult for students to enhance other skills such as listening, speaking, reading and writing, if they are lack of vocabulary knowledge Nation and Warring (2004) points out that “Vocabulary knowledge is always a prerequisite to the performance of language skills” (p.1)

The above reasons lead the researcher to the study “Teaching vocabulary through games to

1st year- non English majors students at Nghe An Junior Teachers Training College”

1.2 Aims of the study

For the reasons mentioned above, the study aimed:

Investigating non- English major teachers and students‟ feeling and attitude towards using language games in teaching and learning English Vocabulary

- Finding out effectiveness and challenges of using games in teaching and learning English Vocabulary to 1st year- non English major students at Nghe An Junior Teachers Training College”

- Providing non- English major teachers with in- depth understanding about games and the ways of conducting games in classroom to make decisions when and how they should organize games to keep their learners interested in learning English vocabulary

1.3 Research questions

To achieve the above- mentioned aims, the following research questions were proposed:

1 What are teachers and students‟ perspectives towards using language games in teaching and learning English Vocabulary?

2 What are teachers‟ current ways of using vocabulary games in the lessons?

1.4 Scope of the study

The study focuses specifically on using language games in teaching vocabulary to

1st year- non English majors students at Nghe An Junior Teachers Training College Therefore, the study limits itself to teaching and learning vocabulary only The subjects of the study are 80 non- English majors from three classes: K31 Chemistry - Biology, K7A Information- Technology and K16B of The Children Teachers Training Department who are studying “New- Headway – Elementary” and 8 non- English major teachers at Nghe

An Junior Teachers Training College

1.5 Methods of the study

In the process of carrying out this study, the survey questionnaire is used to collect data for the study Two written questionnaires are administered to the subjects One is for teachers and the other is for students The questions focus on these following points: Teachers and students‟ perspectives towards using language games in teaching and learning vocabulary; teachers‟ the current ways of using games in teaching vocabulary Besides, the observations and interviews are also applied in order to clarify and test the validity of information about using games in teaching vocabulary

1.6 Design of the study

The study id divided into three main parts:

Part A is an introduction of the study including the rationale, the aims, the research

questions, the scope, the methods and the design of the study

Part B is the development which consists of four chapters Chapter I presents the

theoretical background of the study basing on the points: Overview of teaching and learning vocabulary; overview of language games; overview of language games in vocabulary teaching Chapter II deals with the methodology including hypothesis, Subjects

of the study, the data collection instrument, methods and procedures of data collection Chapter III is the analysis of the data and the discussion about the effectiveness and challenges of using language games in vocabulary teaching Chapter IV is the suggestions

on using vocabulary games to teach students vocabulary more effectively

Part C is the conclusion which includes the summary of the study, limitations of the

research and suggestions for further study

Part B: development

Chapter 1: theoretical background

In this chapter, the important roles of vocabulary as well as vocabulary teaching principles and techniques in foreign language teaching and learning are discussed In addition, an overview of language games including definition, roles and types of games, etc in vocabulary teaching are also presented and commented upon

I.1 Overview of teaching and learning vocabulary

I.1.1 The roles of vocabulary in language learning and teaching

In order to communicate effectively in foreign language, learners not only own a number of grammar structures but also master an adequate knowledge of vocabulary so that they can understand the around world and express by themselves more clearly and appropriately in a wide range of situations

Many studies have proved the importance of vocabulary in language teaching and learning Wilkins (1972) stated that “Without grammar, very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing conveyed” (p.11) Piles and Alges, (1970) emphasizes that

“when most of us think about language, we think first about words” (p.96) It means that vocabulary is the central of language as words with their own characteristics enables people not only communicate with one another but also create lots of different kinds of discourse Nation and Warring (2004) also states that “Vocabulary knowledge enables language use, language use enables the increase of vocabulary knowledge, knowledge of the world enables the increase of vocabulary knowledge and language use and so on” (p.1) Dublin and Olshtain (1986) refer to the fact that “possessing a good vocabulary stock is what enables many learners to use their knowledge effectively and in ways which fit their specific needs” (pp 111-112)

Researchers have also shown that most learners‟ difficulties are due to lack of

vocabulary According to Nation (1990) “learners felt that many of their difficulties in both

receptive and productive language use result from an inadequate vocabulary” (p.2) Besides, Nagy (1989) asserts “lack of adequate vocabulary knowledge is already an obvious and serous obstacle for many students” (p.1)

From the above findings, it can be concluded that vocabulary plays a prominent role in foreign language learning and teaching

I.1.2 Principles of teaching and learning vocabulary

As shown above that vocabulary is an essential element in learning a foreign language It demands teachers to follow strictly the vocabulary learning and teaching principles in order that they can help learners acquire the second language lexicon more easily

I.1.2.1 Criteria for selection of vocabulary

It is obvious that vocabulary has an essential role in teaching and learning a foreign language Gairn and Redman (1986) state that three main criteria for selecting of vocabulary are: “frequency, students‟ need and level, cultural factor and expediency” (p.57-63) The most frequently used word should be chosen first Then, it is important for teachers to select what vocabulary items which are appropriate to the learners‟ level and meet to the students‟ needs, for example, vocabulary used for English as a subject in the curriculum is different from English for specific purposes … The third thing is cultural factor People from different countries have different ways of using words for expressing their ideas in the daily life in the second language The last thing is the expediency because the classroom is an environment which requires specific types of vocabulary for classroom activity instructions

Richard Frost (2001) states that “…your students will not need to produce every word they learn, some they will just need to recognize Selecting what to teach, based on frequency and usefulness to the need of your particular students is therefore essential.” (p 1)

I.1.2.2 What to teach and learn?

Nation (1990) stated that “Knowing a word involves not only knowing its meaning(s) but also knowing its forms and its usage” (p.3) Therefore, to teach and to learn vocabulary well, both teachers and students must master the following factors

I.1.2.2.1 Forms

When encountering a new for the first time, students often perceive its pronunciation and spelling forms Since the relation between how a word is written and how it is pronounced is rather vague, there should be the phonemic script of the word so that students can pronounce the word correctly Besides, for further understanding of a word, the teachers and students need to know: the grammatical behavior of the word, the

collocation of the word and the associations of the word It is very important for teachers to provide students with an unpredictable change of form in certain grammatical contexts or some idiosyncratic ways of connecting with other words in sentences at the same time as teaching the base form For example, when teaching the verb, teachers need to introduce the present form, the past form, transitive or intransitive verb, etc Gains and Redman (1999) classified three main forms of word building: affixation (the process of adding prefixes and suffixes to the base form); compounding (the formation of words from two or more separated words) and conversion (process by which an item may be used in different parts of speech) (p 47) Collocation is the way in which words are combined together, and

it sounds “right” or “wrong” in a given context In another way, collocation is defined as a sequence of words or term which co- occur more often than would be expected by chance (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) For example, when introducing words like “decision”

or “conclusion”, we must use verb “make” before these words: “make a decision” or

“make a conclusion” as well as in expressions like “by the way, on the other hand…” we can not omit any words or add other words into these phrases

is polisemy On the contrary, “connotation” refers to the association or positive or negative feeling it evokes, which may or may not be indicated in a dictionary definition

“Connotation is a subjective cultural and or emotional coloration in addition to the explicit

or denotative meaning of any specific word or phrase in a language” (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) This means that readers can infer other meanings from the context based on words

There are various relationships between the meaning of one item and the meanings

of others They are: synonyms, antonyms, hyponyms, co-hyponyms or co-ordinates, superordinate, homophones, etc Synonyms are items that mean the same, or nearly the same, for example, „clever, smart, bright‟ may serve as synonyms of „intelligent‟ Antonyms are items that mean the opposite e.g „tall‟ is antonym of „short Hyponyms are items that serve as specific example of a general concepts; „dog, lion, mouse‟ are hyponyms of animal Co-hyponyms or co-ordinates are items that are “the same kind of thing”; „red, blue, green and brown are co-ordinates Superordinates are general concepts that “cover” specific items; „animal‟ is the superordinate of „dog, lion and mouse‟ Homophones are words that have the same pronounce but different spellings and meanings e.g „eye- my; hair- there‟

I.1.2.2.3 Usage

It is obvious that the words we use are often governed by the style and register we are in Words are not only restricted geography and socially but also restricted by styles of speaking or writing The vocabulary of written English is greatly different from the vocabulary of spoken English Spoken language is the language of face to face conversation, therefore speakers can use a variety of communication tools such as gestures, tone of voice, facial expression while in writing, writers have to select the words precisely for richer usage of vocabulary Besides, the meaning of a word can be changed as it is used

in different contexts, for example, the meaning for the word „gave‟ is changed in following contexts: „He gave his wife five dollars‟; “He gave his wife a kiss‟ or „the doctor gave the patient an injection‟… So, in teaching vocabulary, teachers should create more opportunities for students to use vocabulary items effectively

I.1.2.3 How to teach and learn vocabulary

I.1.2.3.1 Teaching spoken form first then written form

James Cook (2005) states that: “children acquire their first language in spoken form before written” (p.425) John Haycraft (1978) also emphasizes that “whenever possible, teach the words in spoken form first, and only when your students can pronounce them well, introduce the written form” (p 47) There is no clear relation between how a word is written and how it is pronounced If teachers provide students with the written form first, their students will become familiar with these forms, consequently they will make lots of

mistakes in reading as well as in speaking Thus, a foreign language in general and vocabulary in particular should be taught in spoken form first then written form

I.1.2.3.2 Putting new words into context and getting students to practice

In the acquisition of vocabulary, second language learners often encounter unfamiliar words and they are always in the need to understand more about unfamiliar meanings of words To overcome these difficulties, unknown words should be put into contexts, as contexts help learners to work out the meaning of words from the around world for themselves Nagy (1997) also points out that “to infer the meaning of any particular words encountered in context, it is helpful to know the meanings of the words around it” (p.79) Haycraft (1978) expresses that “if the word occurs in a text or passage, the meaning can often be deduced when the other words in the sentence are already known” (p.47) Besides, the context also enables learners to select the most appropriate sense of words and know how to use them in communicating with other people, as

“communication is a process, students must be able to apply the knowledge of target language (forms, meanings and functions) in negotiating meaning It is through the interaction between speaker and listener that meaning becomes clear” (Larsen- Freeman,

1986, p.123) Moreover, students should practice vocabulary regularly, at any time of daily life and in any situations inside or outside the class so that they can improve their knowledge of vocabulary

I.1.2.3.3 Presenting vocabulary in a memorable way

Hubbard (1983) states that “Teachers must make sure students have understood the

new words, which will be remembered better if introduced in a “memorable way” (p.50)

Teachers should employ various techniques or combine them for presenting words in an attractive way, for example, giving concise definition, detailed description, illustration, demonstration, contexts, etc and then put to regular practice to help students retain new words longer and better

I.1.2.3.4 Checking and revising vocabulary frequently

The ability of people‟s retaining information divided into two stages: short- term memory and long- term memory According to Gains and Redman (1986) “unlike short- term memory which is limited in capacity, long- term memory is seemingly inexhaustible and can accommodate any amount of new information” (p.86)

Teachers should create more meaningful vocabulary activities to offer students more chances of practicing and revising so that students can retain more new words in long-term memory since “items which occur most frequently are also easily recognized and retrieved” and “repetition gives the students the opportunity to manipulate the oral and written forms of language items” (Gains and Redman, 1986, pp 88-89)

I.1.2.3.5 Learning groups of words as units

For people beginning to learn a language, a way of quickly developing fluency is

learning groups of words as units According to Moras (2001) “vocabulary is not stored

only as individual words, but also as parts of phrases and larger chunks (include collocations, fixed and semi- fixed expressions and idioms) and occupy a crucial role in facilitating language production being the key to fluency”(p.5 ) And “learning vocabulary

is learning how words relate to external reality and how they relate to one another”

(Wilkin, 1972, p.133) On the other hand, learning individual words will waste students much time and effort in expressing themselves As a result, teachers should give students more opportunities to identify, organize and record chunks, even in the initial stage of foreign language learning process

I.1.3 Techniques of vocabulary teaching

I.1.3.1 Techniques for presenting vocabulary

For drawing students‟ attention to new vocabulary items, the teachers should adopt a large number of techniques such as verbal or visual techniques (flashcards, photographs and pictures, wall charts, blackboard drawings, word pictures, regalia, mime and gesture, etc.) and other many techniques such as translation, matching activities, story- writing, fill

in the blank, etc or combine all techniques above

I.1.3.1.1 Visual techniques

According to Gains and Redman (1986): “Visuals are an extremely useful framework for storage of lexis, and they can be used to highlight the relationships between items” (p.96)

This technique consists of using pictures, regalia, mime, flashcards, etc following Gains and Redman‟s classification (1986, pp 103-113)

Using pictures:

This technique is the most useful „aid‟ for teaching concrete items of vocabulary

such as clothes, means of transport, etc and certain areas such as places, jobs, descriptions Pictures can be used in explaining the meaning of words in various ways by using blackboard drawings, wall pictures and photographs from magazines or wall charts

Using regalia: This is the way of using real objects to show the meaning of words By

pointing at real objects, the teacher will make the explanation of the meaning of words more clearly to their students Teachers can use anything in the classroom or brought into the class: a chair, hats, cups, etc As teaching vocabulary with real objects, teachers only need to point to these things and ask learners describe, make sentences, repeat words

Using mime: This technique is often used to show the meaning of words through actions

and facial expressions Teachers can use mime for explanation action verbs (jumping, walking, write, etc.) or feeling and status adjectives (happy, sad, ill, etc.) The technique is suitable for learners who enjoy acting and moving

In general, visual techniques are attractive to get learners involved to the lesson It is an effective way for presenting concrete words for low level beginning learners

I.1.3.1.2 Showing the meaning of words in context

This is a useful technique for abstract words (happiness, love, difficulties, etc.) Teachers may give learners explanation of words by using examples, sentences or situations They are very helpful for learners to guess the meaning of words from surrounding words

Thus, the teacher should create contexts in which the word is used for helping students to clarify the meaning further

I.1.3.1.3 Verbal techniques

This is also an important technique in presenting vocabulary For students who have some knowledge of English, verbal techniques should be employed These techniques consist of using definition, illustrative situation, descriptions, synonyms and antonyms or translation, etc Definition sometimes causes learners difficulties since they may contain words which learners do not know Synonyms/ antonyms of the new words should be used only when they are already known to learners Translation can be considered the simplest and clearest way of presenting new words However, learners will not able to understand the practical aspect of the words, if teachers only use translation Teachers should combine this technique with other techniques for being more successful in presenting vocabulary

I.1.3.2 Techniques for checking/ revising vocabulary

After the stage of presenting vocabulary, the stage of consolidation is also important In this stage, the teacher must apply techniques which are useful for retaining new words better and longer since new words will fade away day by day if they are not consolidated or revised regularly Bermheden (2002, p.8) states that “students need at least three exercises on all new words to stand a chance of incorporating them into their store of active vocabulary, and that should be the ultimate goal” Teachers can employ a variety of techniques for vocabulary consolidation and revision such as: giving a definition of a given item, using multiple choice or gap filling exercises, matching synonyms or antonyms, etc Uberman (1988) points out that “Teachers can use many techniques for vocabulary consolidation and revision: graphs, grids, multiple choice and gap filling exercises will active the vocabulary… lists of synonyms or antonyms to be matched, sentences to be paraphrased…” (p 9) She adds that: “Visual aids can be of great help with revision Pictures, photographs, or drawing can facilitate the consolidation of both individual words

as well as idioms, phrases and structures”

1.2 Overview of language games

1.2.1 Definition of language games

Teachers often organize games in language teaching, however, most of them are confused as being asked questions such as “What is a game or what are differences between games and language games?”

Many researchers have done work in this area and have made their own definitions

of games According to Hadfield (1987), “a game is an activity with rules, a goal and an

element of fun” (p 4) And Rixon (1983) has similar idea of games: “a game consists of play governed by rules” (p.3) Most of these definitions share the common idea that a game

includes three main points They are: a goal, a set of rules governed in a games and players Language games are games used in language classes The main objectives of language games are developing students‟ language skills and enlarge their knowledge of

language Lewis and Benson (1999) explain this in more detail: “What differentiates

language games from other activities in the EFL classroom is presence of a visible set of

rules which guide the children’s actions, and an element of strategy- children must successfully apply their language (and other) skills” (p.5)

1.2.2 Types of language games

For different objectives of language teaching, educators and researchers have divided language games into different categories in various ways

1.2.2.1 Language practice games

Language practice games can be defined as games for practicing language Rixon (1988) states that these games depend on players producing correct language or demonstrating that they have interpreted a particular piece of language correctly (p 22) This kind of games is useful for primary level They help correct and develop linguistic elements, which are very important for children before practicing communicative skills Games for this sort are: Structure games, vocabulary games, spelling games, pronunciation games, memory numbers, picture filling/ drawing games:

1.2.2.2 Communicative language teaching games

Communicative language teaching games are games aiming to develop general communicative skills: Listening, speaking, reading, writing In other word, the children are given a non- linguistic task to complete and their success will depend on their ability to carry out instructions, directions, descriptions, etc Communicative language teaching games can be divided into five categories according to the skills in the language learning: Listen and do games, read and do games, games and writing, games and speaking, integrating skills games (Lee, 1979)

1.2.3.Roles of language games in language teaching

For being more successful with teaching a foreign language, teachers should employ different types of methods and techniques Games are one kind of activity that contains lots

of advantages Hadfield (1987) has stated that “Games should be regarded as an integral

part of language syllabus They provide, in many cases, as much concentrated practice as

a traditional drill and more importantly, they provide an opportunity for real communication, and thus constitute a bridge between the classroom and the real world”

(p.5) For the games‟ benefits, Wright (1992, p.1) says that: “Games also help the teacher

to create contexts in which the language is used and meaningful The learners want to take part …must understand … and must speak to express their own point of view… ” Hansen

(1994) states that: “Thanks to games, shy language learners will have more chances to speak and show their feeling and opinions in English as much as they can”(p.118)

Richard- Amato (1988) has a similar idea “Games can lower anxiety, thus making the

acquisition of input more likely” (p.147) “They are highly motivating and entertaining, and they can give shy students more opportunity to express their opinions and feelings

(Hansen, 1994, p.118) With relaxed atmosphere created by games, learners will remember things faster and better During playing games, learners are easy to learn new words or new structures since they do not feel to be forced by their teachers And Carrier (1985)

assumes: “games provide quite extensive opportunities of language practice for both

general and specific language skills and so they should be seem as an integral part of a teaching program” ( p.6) Aydan Ersoz (2000, p.12) also affirms that: “Games are highly motivating because they are amusing and interesting They can be used to give practice in all language skills and be used to practice many types of communication”

Many researchers have shown in their studies that games contains a lot of advantages and have been considered as a useful tool for language teaching in general and for teaching vocabulary in particular According to Andrew Wright (2006): “Games help the teacher to create contexts in which the language is useful and meaningful… Games provide one way of helping the learners to experience language rather than merely study it” (p.2) “Games are highly motivating since they are amusing and at the same time challenging” (Aydan Eroz, 2000, p.1) In the field of teaching vocabulary, Ghada Sari states that “games bring in relaxation and fun for students, thus help them learn and retain new words more easily” (p.1) Haycraft (1978) suggests that: “there are large varieties of word games that are useful for practicing and revising vocabulary after it has been introduced” (p.50) Thus, teachers should employ various kinds of word games in presenting and revising vocabulary to attract the students to learning vocabulary items

1.3.1 Types of vocabulary games

1.3.1.1.Types of vocabulary games for presenting new words

There are many kinds of vocabulary games which are useful for presenting new words such as: Separate the words, word matching, guess the words, word puzzle, etc

The game of separating the words can be used for pair work or group work In this game, students were required to separate each line letters into two words After that, students depend on the explanation given next to each word to guess its Vietnamese meaning After students‟ guessing, the teacher gives them feedback and helps them with pronunciation Students then write down the words, the phonetic symbols and the Vietnamese meaning on their notebooks For the word matching game, students can also work in pairs Student A has halves of the word with some missing letters and the explanation for the words Meanwhile, student B has the other halves of the words with some letters missing They then match the halves together to find the missing letters in their words and depending on the explanations; they guess the Vietnamese meaning of the words The pairs who have the most correct answers are the winner of the game In the game of guessing the words, the teacher divides the class into four groups After that, the teacher writes one of the new words on the board and asks students to listen carefully to the explanations in English for guessing the Vietnamese meaning of the The quickest group who can find out the Vietnamese meaning of the words is the winner of the game

1.3.1.2 Types of vocabulary games for revising vocabulary

Since new words always do not come easy, they will fade away day by day if they are not consolidated or revised regularly, the teachers therefore, should organize activities which help their students retain new vocabulary longer and better The most effective activity is organizing of games Games which are useful for revising vocabulary are word matching, guessing the word, crosswords, dominoes, etc The game of word matching can

be used for pair work or group work In this game, the teacher gives students handouts with pairs of synonyms or opposites written in a disorder Then, the teacher asks students find and match these pairs together The quickest pair or group is chosen the winner of the game In the game of guessing the word, students are divided into four or five groups and the teacher has to prepare a number of word cards, each with a word on it After that, the group takes turns to get a card from the teacher and they have to make clear definition or explanation the word for the other group to guess The group with a good explanation will get a point Also, for a good and quickest guess, the group will get a point The group with the highest score in the end will be the winner of the game For the game of dominoes, students are asked to arrange the English words next to their Vietnamese equivalents

Dominoes can be delivered to students by handouts or by small pieces of paper so that students can paste them in the right place

1.3.2 Roles of vocabulary games in teaching vocabulary

As shown above, vocabulary plays an important role in foreign language learning and teaching Thus, teachers must employ the most effective technique to motive learners

to learn more meaningful vocabulary items Among the above techniques for teaching vocabulary, games with its own characteristics are an effective way to keep learners interested in learning new words and in revising vocabulary Vocabulary games can create comfortable and fun environment in which students can retain new words longer and

better “There is also a large variety of word games that are useful for practicing and

revising vocabulary after it has been introduced” (Haycraft, 1978, p.50) Besides,

vocabulary games bring real word context into the classroom where the language is meaningful and useful Students have more chances to enhance the use of English in a flexible, communicative way Moreover, games usually involve friendly competition Thus, vocabulary plays an essential part in teaching vocabulary

1.3.3 Related studies

Up to now, there have been many studies in the field of using language games in language learning and teaching in general and in vocabulary learning and teaching in particular Uberman‟s research (1988) was carried out with the aim of finding out the effectiveness of language games for vocabulary presentation and revision She made comparison between traditional vocabulary teaching techniques and the use of games for vocabulary presentation and revision In the stage of presentation, Uberman (1988) designed a “picture- puzzle” games with a group of 3rd

year students In the stage of revision, she designed a crossword puzzle with a group of first year students at her university After completing the games, Uberman did the tests for both these groups and the other groups which use traditional techniques The results were especially surprising The group which had learnt vocabulary through games received higher marks and retained vocabulary quicker and longer than the groups using traditional techniques

The other study that the researcher finds interesting and useful is that of “Nguyen Thi Thanh Huyen and Khuat Thi Thu Nga” They did the research about learning vocabulary through games The study was carried out at the Distance Education Center

(DEC) at HUFS DEC, established by HUFS, is a center of English for learners who can either go to a class or learn from a distance Students are admitted to take the DECs course, beginning at elementary level if they pass the entrance exam They conducted an action research to find out solutions for students to learn vocabulary effectively Firstly, they applied games in their own classes, and then observed other teachers‟ classes to know how the games are used in other classes by other teachers After that, they interviewed both teachers and learners so that they can elicit students‟ reactions, feelings and effectiveness

of games in vocabulary learning The results are also interesting Most of the learners took part actively in the games and tried their best to be the winner of the games, even quiet students Students stated that “they liked the relaxed atmosphere, the competitiveness and the motivation that games brought to the classroom” (p.7) Students also said that “they can learn lots of new words from their classmates”(p.10) Interviewed teachers answered that

“their students seemed to learn new words more quickly and retain it better” (p.9)

1.3.4 Fitness of the study

The studies above all show that vocabulary games bring many benefits for vocabulary learning and teaching However, those studies‟ the scope is rather narrow, only

in limited group of students; the researcher would like to test whether it is effective or not

as applying with non- English major students who have low level of proficiency and low level of motivation

In addition, the above studies were mainly carried out basing on the method of action research The obtained results can not be representative for a bigger group of students With a survey research, the researcher hopes that the study will get a more comprehensive look about using vocabulary games for non- English major students

Moreover, those studies focus chiefly on the benefits of vocabulary games In my study, I would like to have a look into not only benefits but also difficulties which teachers and students face during conducting vocabulary games and to suggest some sollutions

Last but not least, the researcher expects that the study will be a useful reference for those who are teaching at the college as well as for non- English major teachers And she also hopes that the study will contribute a more compprehensive look in this field

Chapter 2: Methodology

II.1 Background to the study

II.1.1 Hypothesis

The study was carried out with the aim of testing the following hypothesis: Vocabulary games can be used as a teaching technique to make vocabulary more interesting

II.1.2 Subjects of the study and the textbook

The study was carried with the participation of 80 students coming from K31 Chemistry - Biology, K7A Information- Technology and K16B of The Children Teachers Training Department and 8 non- English major teachers who have been teaching English for at least 10 years

Most students learn English with the aim of passing exams the final exams holding

at the end of each semester Students are lack of knowledge of English and often have difficulties in mastering four skills: listening, speaking, reading and writing Especially, their amount of English vocabulary is quite poor, although they have learned English for at least three years at secondary schools Their motivation for learning English in general and

in English vocabulary in particular was pretty low Using vocabulary games in teaching vocabulary for making English lessons more interesting is really necessary and important for both non- English major students and teachers

„New Headway Elementary” was the officially used textbook at the college The textbook consists of fourteen units for three terms For first year students, they have to study first eleven lessons Each lesson consists of four sections: Grammar, Vocabulary, Skills work (like reading, listening or speaking) and writing Vocabulary is the second part introduced just after Grammar Most of vocabulary lessons are under the tendency theme-based and task-based approach A variety of topics such as food and drink, the family, countries and languages and activities aimed to develop students‟ knowledge of vocabulary are provided The lessons in the textbook, however, are designed in much a similar way; and thus, appear rather boring to the students Thus, an effective technique like using vocabulary games should be exploited to attract students‟ attention to these vocabulary lessons

II.2 Data collection

II.2.1 Data collection instrument:

The main instrument for collecting the data in the study is survey questionnaires Two written questionnaires are administered to the participants One is designed for teachers and the other for students These questionnaires are included in the appendixes The questionnaire for teachers consists of 24 questions written in simple questions They are about: the situation of using vocabulary games in vocabulary teaching process (Q.1); the teachers‟ attitude towards vocabulary games in their vocabulary teaching (Q.3, Q.4, Q.5); purposes of using vocabulary (Q.6); teachers‟ ideas about benefits and difficulties when using vocabulary games in class (Q.7, Q.8, Q.9); Teachers‟ fact of using vocabulary games in class, consisting of their frequency of using vocabulary games (Q.10), time for using games (Q.11), stages at which vocabulary games are used (Q.12), types of games (Q.13), organizing vocabulary games (Q.14, Q.15, Q16, Q.17, Q.18, Q.19); Teachers‟ suggestions on how to better employ games in teaching vocabulary (Q.20); Reasons for not using vocabulary in teaching vocabulary (Q.21, Q.22, Q.23)

The questions for students have some similar points with the questions for the teachers They are written in Vietnamese so that students can fully understand questions and give the most appropriate answers Q.1 is also about the situation of using vocabulary games If students choose the answer “Yes”, they continue with questions from Q.3 to Q.21 If they choose answer “No”, they have to explain the reasons why they do not play vocabulary games and express their ideas towards using vocabulary games in learning vocabulary (Q.22, Q.23, Q.24) The questions for students are about: Exposure of vocabulary games (Q.1, Q.2, Q.3); Types of vocabulary games (Q.4); Students‟ attitude towards vocabulary games (Q.5, Q.6, Q.7); Students‟ participation in vocabulary games (Q.8); Students‟ opinions about time and ways of organizing vocabulary games used by teachers (Q.9, Q.10, Q.11, Q.12, Q.13, Q.14, Q.15); Students‟ feeling after playing games(Q.16); Students‟ opinions about advantages of vocabulary games to their vocabulary learning (Q.17); Students‟ expectation towards a useful vocabulary game (Q.18, Q.19, Q.20, Q.21)

Besides, class observation and interviews are also used in the study

II.2.2 Methods and procedures of data collection

The researcher used quantitative method because this method provided her with quantified background data which was useful for investigating the effectiveness of vocabulary games to learning and teaching vocabulary to 1st year non- English major

students at Nghe An Junior Teachers Training College

The study was done as follow:

Firstly, the researcher delivered the questionnaires for students during the class time

to obtain data about students‟ perspectives towards using vocabulary games for their vocabulary learning Before the questionnaires were given to the informants, the researcher took time to explain the purpose of the questionnaires, the requirements of the informants The informants were also encouraged to raise any questions if there were anything unclear

in the survey questionnaires Then they were instructed to complete the questionnaires Then, the questionnaires for teachers were delivered when they are free The researcher also gave them the explanation about the purpose, requirements of the questionnaires and asked them to complete the questionnaires

Along with the survey questionnaires, class observation was also used in the study in order to clarify and test the validity of information collected from the questionnaires The researcher observed six lessons which adapted games in providing and retaining students‟ vocabulary by three non- English major teachers

In addition, interviews were carried out with fifteen students and five teachers to ask for clarification or further information Questions for the teachers are about: advantages and disadvantages of using vocabulary games, preparing of vocabulary games, difficulties of running games, etc Questions for students are about: exposure of vocabulary games, attitudes towards vocabulary games, participation in the games, feeling after the games, etc

Chapter 3: data analysis and discussion

III.1 Data analysis

▪ Figure 1: Situation of using vocabulary games in teaching and learning vocabulary

The result from figure 1.1 shows that all teachers (100%) use vocabulary games in their vocabulary teaching process However, there exist a small number of students (6.7%) (in figure 1.2) who do not know and have not played any vocabulary games yet When being asked the reason why these students answered that their teachers have not organized vocabulary games and they would be ready to take part in if their teachers held games in class

Figure 1.1: For teachers Figure 1.2: For students

▪ Figure 2: Attitudes towards vocabulary games in teaching and learning vocabulary

Most of the teachers (88%) like vocabulary games More specifically, 12% of the teachers show their keenness on vocabulary games, they like vocabulary games very much

No one gives the choice of dislike

Figure 2.1: Usefulness and importance of vocabulary games

In the figure 2.1, the chart shows that 75% of the teachers state that vocabulary

games are very useful and important, 25% thinks that vocabulary games are useful and important for their students‟ developing the knowledge of vocabulary Not any teacher gives the choice of „useless and unimportant‟ While the result in figure 2.2 shows that 60% of the students think that vocabulary games are very useful, 23% says that vocabulary games are useful for their developing the knowledge of vocabulary A significant number (17%) find that vocabulary games are rather useful for their increasing of vocabulary Nobody chooses the answer of “usefulness”

Figure 2.1: For teachers Figure 2.1: For students

In the interviews, most of the teachers said that “vocabulary games can motive students to speak more and improve their fluency Besides, vocabulary games can also reduce the memory load” (T5: Vocabulary not only develop students‟ speaking skill but also reduce the memory load) Students stated that “vocabulary games create the comfortable atmosphere that helps them retain new vocabulary better and longer” (S6: when taking part in the games, I feel comfortable and remember new words better and longer)

▪ Figure 3: Purposes of using vocabulary games

When being asked about purposes of using vocabulary games in teaching vocabulary, all of the teachers (100%) state that they often use vocabulary games for presenting new words, for consolidating and revising vocabulary They add that vocabulary games are useful for all stages of teaching vocabulary

More specifically, vocabulary games can be effectively used by teachers to help students relax, learn vocabulary more easily or help students retain vocabulary longer

62%

25%

13%

A B C

Looking at the pie chart above, it can be seen clearly that most of respondents use vocabulary games as a tool for both relaxing and learning vocabulary easily (62%) There are 25% of the participants who use vocabulary games to help students learn vocabulary more easily and 13% employs vocabulary games to help students retain vocabulary longer The results show that all of the teachers who are involved in the study highly appreciate the successfulness of vocabulary teaching with using vocabulary games

A very useful & important

B useful & important

C useless & unimportant

75%

25%

0%