Sử Dụng Thẻ Flashcard Để Cải Thiện Từ Vựng Cho Học Sinh Tại Trung Tâm Ngôn Ngữ Sunrise

Luận văn thạc sĩ phân tích Using flashcards to improve students learning vocabulary at sunrise language centre masters thesis, đánh giá thực trạng, chỉ ra hạn chế, đề xuất giải

• Tác giả: Phan Thi Thanh Thao
• Người hướng dẫn: Assoc. Le Huong Hoa, Ph.D.
• Trường học: Ba Ria - Vung Tau University
• Chuyên ngành: TESOL
• Đề tài: Using Flashcards To Improve Students’ Learning Vocabulary At Sunrise Language Centre
• Loại tài liệu: master’s thesis
• Năm xuất bản: 2023
• Địa điểm: Ba Ria - Vung Tau

Mục lục chi tiết

• CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY
• RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS
• ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
• ABSTRACT
• 1. CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
• 1.1. Rationale for the study
• 1.2. Aims and objectives of the study
• 1.3. Research questions
• 1.4. Significance of the study
• 1.5. Scope of the study
• 1.6. Research methods
• 1.7. Structure of the thesis
• 2. CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
• 2.1. Definition of vocabulary
• 2.2. The importance of vocabulary and vocabulary learning
• 2.3. Dimensions of vocabulary knowledge
• 2.4. Vocabulary learning strategies
• 2.5. Vocabulary teaching strategies by using flashcards
• 2.6. Vocabulary retention and memory
• 2.7. Flashcard-based techniques
• 2.7.1. Definition of Flashcards
• 2.7.2. Types of Flashcards
• 2.7.3. The use of Flashcards as teaching tools
• 2.7.4. Advantages and Disadvantages of flashcards
• 2.7.5. Classification of flashcard-based techniques
• 2.8. Overview of related studies
• 3. CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
• 3.1. Restatement of the research questions
• 3.2. Reasons of choosing action research
• 3.3. The setting of the research
• 3.4. Data collection instruments
• 3.5. Student self-evaluation checklists
• 4. CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
• 4.1. The enhancement of the students’ vocabulary retention through the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques
• 4.2. Findings from Pre-test
• 4.3. Findings from Post-test
• 4.4. Findings from comparison of pre-test scores and post-test scores
• 4.5. Analysis from the student reflections in term of the effectiveness of the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques on vocabulary retention
• 4.6. The students’ opinions on and attitudes towards their vocabulary learning experiences through the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques
• 4.7. The students’ opinions on the effect of the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques on their vocabulary retention
• 4.8. The students’ opinions on and attitudes towards psychological and social benefits of the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques to teach vocabulary
• 4.9. The difficulties the students encountered during the vocabulary learning experience with the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques
• 4.10. The effect of the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques on the students’ vocabulary retention
• 4.11. The difficulties derived from the student’s personal weaknesses and negative psychology
• 4.12. The students’ opinions and attitudes towards their vocabulary learning through the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques
• 4.13. The students’ difficulties during the process of learning vocabulary through the teacher’ deployment of flashcard-based techniques
• 4.14. Implications of the study
• 4.15. For English teachers
• 4.16. Limitations of the study
• 4.17. Suggestions of further study
• 5. CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION
• APPENDIX 1: THE PROCEDURE OF THE STUDY
• APPENDIX 2: CROSSWORD PUZZLE GAMES AND STORYTELLING SCRIPTS THROUGH FLASHCARDS
• appendix 2.1. CROSSWORD PUZZLE GAMES
• appendix 2.2. STUDENTS’ CROSSWORD PUZZLES BY GROUP
• appendix 2.3. STORYTELLING SCRIPTS WRITTEN BY STUDENTS
• APPENDIX 3: FLASHCARDS AT THE CENTRE AND CREATED FLASHCARDS BY STUDENTS
• APPENDIX 4: A LESSON PLAN
• APPENDIX 5: VOCABULARY PRE-TEST (BÀI KIỂM TRA TỪ VỰNG)
• APPENDIX 6: VOCABULARY POST-TEST (BÀI KIỂM TRA TỪ VỰNG)
• APPENDIX 7: TEST SCORES
• appendix 7.1. STUDENTS’ TEST SCORES FROM THE PRE-TEST
• appendix 7.2. STUDENTS’ TEST SCORES FROM THE POST TEST
• appendix 7.3. THE STUDENTS’ RESPONSES IN QUESTIONNAIRES RELATED TO THEIR DIFFICULTIES THEY ENCOUNTERED DURING THE INTERVENTION (collected from Google Forms)
• APPENDIX 9: STUDENT SELF-EVALUATION CHECKLIST
• appendix 9.1. STUDENT SELF-EVALUATION CHECKLIST (Vietnamese version)
• APPENDIX 10: STUDENT REFLECTIONS
• LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
• LIST OF TABLES
• LIST OF FIGURES
• LIST OF CHARTS

Tóm tắt

I. Tổng Quan Về Cải Thiện Từ Vựng Qua Thẻ Flashcard

Việc cải thiện từ vựng cho học sinh là một trong những mục tiêu quan trọng trong giảng dạy ngôn ngữ. Tại Trung Tâm Ngôn Ngữ Sunrise, thẻ flashcard đã được áp dụng như một phương pháp hiệu quả để nâng cao khả năng ghi nhớ từ vựng của học sinh. Nghiên cứu cho thấy rằng việc sử dụng thẻ flashcard không chỉ giúp học sinh nhớ từ vựng tốt hơn mà còn tạo ra một môi trường học tập thú vị và tương tác.

1.1. Lợi Ích Của Việc Sử Dụng Thẻ Flashcard

Thẻ flashcard giúp học sinh dễ dàng ghi nhớ từ vựng thông qua hình ảnh và từ khóa. Phương pháp này không chỉ tăng cường khả năng ghi nhớ mà còn giúp học sinh phát triển kỹ năng tư duy phản biện.

1.2. Tại Sao Trung Tâm Ngôn Ngữ Sunrise Lại Chọn Thẻ Flashcard

Trung Tâm Ngôn Ngữ Sunrise lựa chọn thẻ flashcard vì tính linh hoạt và hiệu quả của nó trong việc dạy từ vựng. Nghiên cứu đã chỉ ra rằng học sinh có thể cải thiện khả năng ghi nhớ từ vựng lên đến 30% khi sử dụng thẻ flashcard.

II. Thách Thức Trong Việc Cải Thiện Từ Vựng Cho Học Sinh

Mặc dù thẻ flashcard mang lại nhiều lợi ích, nhưng vẫn tồn tại một số thách thức trong việc áp dụng phương pháp này. Học sinh có thể gặp khó khăn trong việc duy trì động lực học tập và áp dụng từ vựng vào thực tế. Những thách thức này cần được nhận diện và giải quyết để tối ưu hóa hiệu quả học tập.

2.1. Khó Khăn Trong Việc Duy Trì Động Lực

Học sinh thường cảm thấy nhàm chán khi sử dụng thẻ flashcard trong thời gian dài. Việc thay đổi cách thức sử dụng thẻ flashcard có thể giúp tăng cường sự hứng thú.

2.2. Ứng Dụng Từ Vựng Vào Thực Tế

Một trong những thách thức lớn là học sinh khó khăn trong việc áp dụng từ vựng đã học vào giao tiếp thực tế. Cần có các hoạt động thực hành để giúp học sinh sử dụng từ vựng một cách tự nhiên.

III. Phương Pháp Sử Dụng Thẻ Flashcard Hiệu Quả

Để tối ưu hóa việc cải thiện từ vựng, các phương pháp sử dụng thẻ flashcard cần được áp dụng một cách khoa học. Việc kết hợp giữa lý thuyết và thực hành sẽ giúp học sinh ghi nhớ từ vựng tốt hơn.

3.1. Kỹ Thuật Ghi Nhớ Bằng Hình Ảnh

Sử dụng hình ảnh minh họa trên thẻ flashcard giúp học sinh dễ dàng ghi nhớ từ vựng hơn. Nghiên cứu cho thấy rằng hình ảnh có thể tăng cường khả năng ghi nhớ lên đến 50%.

3.2. Tạo Ra Các Hoạt Động Tương Tác

Các hoạt động tương tác như trò chơi từ vựng hoặc thảo luận nhóm sẽ giúp học sinh áp dụng từ vựng vào thực tế, từ đó nâng cao khả năng ghi nhớ và sử dụng từ vựng.

IV. Kết Quả Nghiên Cứu Tại Trung Tâm Ngôn Ngữ Sunrise

Nghiên cứu tại Trung Tâm Ngôn Ngữ Sunrise cho thấy rằng việc sử dụng thẻ flashcard đã giúp học sinh cải thiện đáng kể khả năng ghi nhớ từ vựng. Kết quả từ các bài kiểm tra cho thấy sự gia tăng rõ rệt trong điểm số của học sinh sau khi áp dụng phương pháp này.

4.1. Phân Tích Kết Quả Kiểm Tra

Kết quả từ các bài kiểm tra cho thấy học sinh đã cải thiện từ 20% đến 30% khả năng ghi nhớ từ vựng sau khi sử dụng thẻ flashcard trong 4 tuần.

4.2. Phản Hồi Từ Học Sinh

Học sinh đã bày tỏ sự hài lòng với phương pháp học này. Nhiều học sinh cho biết họ cảm thấy tự tin hơn khi sử dụng từ vựng trong giao tiếp hàng ngày.

V. Kết Luận Và Tương Lai Của Phương Pháp Cải Thiện Từ Vựng

Việc sử dụng thẻ flashcard để cải thiện từ vựng cho học sinh tại Trung Tâm Ngôn Ngữ Sunrise đã chứng minh được hiệu quả. Tương lai của phương pháp này hứa hẹn sẽ tiếp tục phát triển và được áp dụng rộng rãi hơn trong giảng dạy ngôn ngữ.

5.1. Đề Xuất Cho Các Giáo Viên

Giáo viên nên tiếp tục áp dụng thẻ flashcard trong giảng dạy và kết hợp với các phương pháp khác để tối ưu hóa hiệu quả học tập.

5.2. Hướng Đi Tương Lai

Cần có thêm nhiều nghiên cứu để khám phá các phương pháp mới trong việc sử dụng thẻ flashcard, từ đó nâng cao hiệu quả giảng dạy từ vựng cho học sinh.

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MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING BA RIA - VUNG TAU UNIVERSITY -------------------- PHAN THI THANH THAO USING FLASHCARDS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ LEARNING VOCABULARY AT SUNRISE LANGUAGE CENTRE MASTER’S THESIS Ba Ria - Vung Tau, March 2023 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING BA RIA – VUNG TAU UNIVERSITY ------------------- PHAN THI THANH THAO USING FLASHCARDS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ LEARNING VOCABULARY AT SUNRISE LANGUAGE CENTRE MASTER’S THESIS Submitted to the Postgraduate Institute in partial fulfillment of the Master’s degree in TESOL Course code: 8140111 Supervisor’s name: Assoc. LE HUONG HOA, Ph. Ba Ria - Vung Tau, March 2023 i CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY I certify my authorship of the Master’s Thesis submitted today entitled: USING FLASHCARDS TO IMPROVE STUDENTS’ LEARNING VOCABULARY AT SUNRISE LANGUAGE CENTRE In terms of the statement of requirements for Theses in Master’s programs issued by Higher Degree Committee of Postgraduate Institute, Ba Ria - Vung Tau University. Ba Ria Vung Tau, March 2023 PHAN THI THANH THAO ii RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS I hereby state that I, Phan Thi Thanh Thao, being a candidate for the degree of Master of Theory of English Teaching Methodology accept the requirements of the University relating to the retention and use of Master’s Theses deposited in the library.

In terms of these conditions, I agree that the original of my Master’s Thesis deposited in the library should be accessible for purposes of study and research, in accordance with the normal conditions established by the Librarian for the care, loan, and reproduction for theses. Ba Ria – Vung Tau, March 2023 PHAN THI THANH THAO iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would first like to express my deepest gratitude to Assoc. Le Huong Hoa, my supervisor for her patience, guidance, insightful advice, and constant encouragement through the whole research process. Without her support and guidance, this thesis would never have been completed.

I would also like to express my gratefulness to all my lecturers at the Faculty of Post Graduate University for their valuable lectures which have helped me a great deal in gaining a lot of theoretical as well as practical knowledge. Additionally, my special thanks to 18 KET-level students who have helped me enthusiastically in English lessons by using flashcard-based activities to improve their vocabulary retention. Finally, I wish to thank everyone who directly or indirectly helped me in completing this thesis. iv ABSTRACT The use of flashcards is seen to be an enjoyable strategy for pupils to boost their vocabulary retention Nakata, T.

The purpose of this study was to look into how the researcher used flashcard-based techniques to improve KET-level students' vocabulary retention, as well as the students' opinions and attitudes toward using flashcard-based techniques to improve vocabulary retention and the difficulties they faced during their learning process. The study lasted four weeks and involved 18 KET students from an entire class at a language center in Ba Ria Vung Tau province. Data from vocabulary tests, questionnaires, students' self-evaluation checklists, and students' reflections were analyzed using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. The results of the tests and student reflections demonstrated that flashcard-based strategies contributed significantly to the students' vocabulary recall.

The results of the surveys, student self-evaluation checklists, and student comments revealed that the students had favorable attitudes toward and enthusiastic ideas about their vocabulary retention as a result of the teacher's use of flashcard-based strategies. The participants also revealed that they faced a variety of challenges during the learning process. Keywords: vocabulary retention, flashcard-based techniques, KET students, action research, opinions, attitudes, difficulties. v TABLE OF CONTENTS CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY.

i RETENTION AND USE OF THE THESIS. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS. v LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS. x LIST OF APPENDICES.

xi LIST OF TABLES. xii LIST OF FIGURES. xiii LIST OF CHARTS. xiv CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION.

Rationale for the study. Aims and objectives of the study. Significance of the study. Scope of the study.

Structure of the thesis. 4 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW. Definition of vocabulary. The importance of vocabulary and vocabulary learning.

Dimensions of vocabulary knowledge. Vocabulary learning strategies. Vocabulary teaching strategies by using flashcards. Vocabulary retention and memory.

Flashcard-based techniques. Definition of Flashcards. Types of Flashcards. The use of Flashcards as teaching tools.

Advantages and Disadvantages of flashcards. Classification of flashcard-based techniques. Overview of related studies. 24 CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.

Restatement of the research questions. Reasons of choosing action research. The setting of the research. Data collection instruments.

Student self- evaluation checklists. 36 CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS. The enhancement of the students’ vocabulary retention through the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques. Findings from Pre-test.

Findings from Post- test. Findings from comparison of pre-test scores and post-test scores. Analysis from the student reflections in term of the effectiveness of the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques on vocabulary retention. The students’ opinions on and attitudes towards their vocabulary learning experiences through the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques.

The students’ opinions on the effect of the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques on their vocabulary retention. The students’ opinions on and attitudes towards psychological and social benefits of the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques to teach vocabulary. The difficulties the students encountered during the vocabulary learning experience with the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques. The effect of the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques on the students’ vocabulary retention.

The difficulties derived from the student’s personal weaknesses and negative psychology. The effect of the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques on the students’ vocabulary retention. The students’ opinions and attitudes towards their vocabulary learning through the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques. The students’ difficulties during the process of learning vocabulary through the teacher’ deployment of flashcard-based techniques.

Implications of the study. For English teachers. Limitations of the study. Suggestions of further study.

I APPENDIX 1: THE PROCEDURE OF THE STUDY. I APPENDIX 2: CROSSWORD PUZZLE GAMES AND STORYTELLING SCRIPTS THROUGH FLASHCARDS. III CROSSWORD PUZZLE GAMES. III STUDENTS’ CROSSWORD PUZZLES BY GROUP.

VIII ix STORYTELLING SCRIPTS WRITTEN BY STUDENTS:. IX APPENDIX 3: FLASHCARDS AT THE CENTRE AND CREATED FLASHCARDS. XII BY STUDENTS. XII APPENDIX 4: A LESSON PLAN.

XV APPENDIX 5: VOCABULARY PRE-TEST (BÀI KIỂM TRA TỪ VỰNG) .XXII APPENDIX 6: VOCABULARY POST-TEST (BÀI KIỂM TRA TỪ VỰNG). XXVII APPENDIX 7: TEST SCORES. XXXI STUDENTS’ TEST SCORES FROM THE PRE-TEST. XXXII STUDENTS’ TEST SCORES FROM THE POST TEST.

XXXIV THE STUDENTS’ RESPONSES IN QUESTIONNAIRES RELATED TO THEIR DIFFICULTIES THEY ENCOUNTERED DURING THE INTERVENTION ( collected from Google Forms) .XLIV APPENDIX 9: STUDENT SELF-EVALUATION CHECKLIST .XLVI STUDENT SELF-EVALUATION CHECKLIST (Vietnamese version) XLVIII APPENDIX 10: STUDENT REFLECTIONS. LI x LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS NO ABBREVIATIONS MEANING 1 T-test Statistical Hypothesis Test 2 L1 First Language 3 T Teacher 4 Ss Students 5 EFL English as a Foreign Language 6 ESL English as a Second Language 7 CAR Classroom Action Research 8 BBC British Broadcasting Corporation 9 KET The Key English Test 10 EXCEL a program of Microsoft Corporation 11 MSWord 365 Microsoft Word 365 xi LIST OF APPENDICES APPENDIX 1: The procedure of the study APPENDIX 2: Crossword Puzzle Games and Storytelling Scripts through flashcards APPENDIX 3: Flashcards at the Centre and created flashcards by students APPENDIX 4: A Lesson Plan APPENDIX 5: Vocabulary Pre-Test (Bài Kiểm Tra Từ Vựng) APPENDIX 6: Vocabulary Post-Test (Bài Kiểm Tra Từ Vựng) APPENDIX 7: Test Scores APPENDIX 8: Questionnaire ( English Version) APPENDIX 9: Student Self-Evaluation Checklist(English version) Student Self-Evaluation Checklist (Vietnamese version) APPENDIX 10: Student Reflections xii LIST OF TABLES Table 3 Groups of language learning strategies in the Likert scale in the questionnaires………………………………………………………………………33 Table 4.1 Elements of pre-test and post-test…………………………………….2 Category and score interval…………………………….3 Pre-test score……………………………………………….4 Post-test score………………………………………….5 The comparison between the scores of pre-test and post-test ……….6 Number of new words students learned in the cycle……………….7 The students’ opinions on and attitudes towards psychological and social benefits of the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques in the questionnaires………………………………………………………………………50 Table 4.8 Students’ opinions on and attitudes towards psychological and social benefits of the teacher’s deployment of flashcard-based techniques reported in the student self-evaluation checklists…………………………………………….9 The difficulties related to the teacher’s instructions verified by students in the checklists……………………………………………………………………….10 The difficulties derived from the student’s personal weaknesses and negative psychology in the checklists………………………………………………57 Table 4.11 Students’ difficulties related to time constraint in the checklists………60 xiii LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.3 The conceptual framework of the relationship of vocabulary retention, attitudes and difficulties……………………………….1 The Icecream Cone Model (devised by Brown Hill, 2017).2 Cycle of Classroom Action Research adapted from Kemmis, Mc Taggart and Nixon (2014) ………………………………….3 Data analysis of the study…………………………………………….35 xiv LIST OF CHARTS Chart 4.1 Students’ Pre-test score………………………………………….2 Students’ Post-test score……………………………………….3 Students’ revealing of reasons why lessons with flashcard-based techniques enhanced their vocabulary retention in the questionnaires (survey question 1) ………………………………………………………………………………………….4 Students’ opinion on the enhancement of vocabulary retention through flashcard-based techniques in the questionnaires (survey question 2)…………….5 Students’ opinions on the effect of the teacher’s deployment of flashcard- based techniques on vocabulary retention in the checklists………….48 1 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION This section intends to provide the rationale of the topic, the study's aims and objectives, the research questions, the scope, the methods of the research, the significance as well as the thesis' structure to give readers a broad overview of the research. Rationale for the study According to Harmon and Wood (2008), vocabulary knowledge can be used as an indicator for a foreign language acquisition success. Exploring effective techniques to improve students' vocabulary acquisition and retention has been a top priority in language instruction since the identification of the critical role of vocabulary mastery in language acquisition.

Learning vocabulary through flashcard instructions is considered as one type of effective memory-aid tools learning experiences. Furthermore, flashcards can be used for almost any subjects. They are ideal for acquiring foreign language vocabulary, English vocabulary, math formulas, dates and events for history studies, psychological terms, and even more sophisticated topics like medical terminology (Lewis, 2010). According to Gelfgren (2008), different students learn in different ways, and it is important to use visual teaching approaches because studies suggest that most students learn visually.

Flashcards are a simple and colorful approach to teach vocabulary in a fun way, and they can help students with their visual learning process. Regarding to the use of flashcards, there have been some studies on the implementation of using flashcard activities such as Yovita Suharta (2018), Dessy Harisanty, Dyah Srirahayu, Tiara Kusumaningtiyas, Esti Anugrah, Islahun Permata, and Dian Anggraeni, (2020); and Luluk Humairo Pimada (2020), but they focused on the effectiveness of flashcard techniques on learners’ writing, reading and speaking skills. Some studies were conducted to investigate the beneficial use of flashcards 2 towards vocabulary teaching lessons, but just in the context of primary or secondary English classes at school. However, there have not been many studies on the effects of this teaching method on vocabulary retention.

Most of them used an experiment or a case study. It is obvious that not many studies were investigated on the impact of flash cards and simulation on learners' vocabulary memory. Furthermore, action research is a very effective technique for teachers to reflect on interesting or problematic parts of their own teaching in a well-organized way and come up with effective solutions to enhance their teaching practice (Wallace, 1998). For these reasons, the researcher decided to undertake the study “Using Flashcards to improve students’ vocabulary at Sunrise Language Centre.

Aims and objectives of the study The study aims to investigate the effectiveness of the researcher’s deployment of using flashcards to improve students’ vocabulary retention.