MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY M. THESIS USING ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN CONTEXTS TO ENHANCE READING SKILLS FOR SOPHOMORES AT A COLLEGE IN HANOI (Sử dụng phương pháp học từ vựng tiếng Anh theo ngữ cảnh để cải thiện khả năng đọc hiểu cho sinh viên năm 2 tại một trường Cao đẳng ở Hà Nội) LÊ THU HÀ Field: English Language Code: 8220201 Hanoi - 2023 MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING HANOI OPEN UNIVERSITY M. THESIS USING ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN CONTEXTS TO ENHANCE READING SKILLS FOR SOPHOMORES AT A COLLEGE IN HANOI (Sử dụng phương pháp học từ vựng tiếng Anh theo ngữ cảnh để cải thiện khả năng đọc hiểu cho sinh viên năm 2 tại một trường Cao đẳng ở Hà Nội) LÊ THU HÀ Field: English Language Code: 8220201 Supervisor: Assoc. Ho Ngoc Trung Hanoi - 2023 i CERTIFICATE OF ORIGINALITY The study project report titled “USING ENGLISH VOCABULARY IN CONTEXTS TO ENHANCE READING SKILLS FOR SOPHOMORES AT A COLLEGE IN HANOI” was presented in partial satisfaction of the criteria for the degree of Master in English Language.
I, the undersigned, hereby certify my authority of the research project report. No other person’s work has been used without proper attribution in the text of the thesis, except in those instances where the reference is stated. Hanoi, 2023 Le Thu Ha Approved by SUPERVISOR Ho Ngoc Trung (Signature and full name) Date: …………………… i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to extend my deepest appreciation to all those who played a crucial role in the successful completion of this thesis. It’s possible that without their guidance and input, I would not have been able to bring this work to fruition.
Firstly, I want to convey my heartfelt thanks to my supervisor, Assoc. Ho Ngoc Trung. He has been an unwavering source of support throughout the entire thesis process. His invaluable guidance, insightful direction, and constructive feedback have been indispensable; without his assistance, this thesis would have remained far from completion.
Secondly, my gratitude goes out to the faculty members of the Faculty of English at Hanoi Open University. Their academic expertise, enlightening lectures, and clear instructions have been immensely beneficial as I strived to finalize this project. Thirdly, I would like to express my appreciation to the librarians at Hanoi Open University. They greatly facilitated my research by assisting in locating and borrowing the necessary resources for this thesis.
Lastly, I want to express my profound gratitude to my family, seniors, and instructors for their unwavering support and encouragement throughout this journey. ii ABSTRACT This thesis aims to describe LEV in contexts that were applied in the classroom to facilitate their reading skills. The results obtained can pave the way for several implications for teachers to make better decisions on encouraging their students to LEV in contexts to improve reading skills. Therefore, the study is aimed at achieving the following objectives: Firstly, it aims to find out whether the experimental group of second-year students in the Faculty of Tour Guiding at Hanoi Tourism College are any better at their reading skills through using English vocabulary in contexts than the control group.
Secondly, it investigates the opinions of second-year students in the Faculty of Tour Guiding at Hanoi Tourism College toward using English vocabulary in contexts to enhance reading skills. Thus, the author utilized a sequential explanatory approach combining qualitative and quantitative techniques. Sequential explanatory is a form of hybrid method in which quantitative data collection is followed by gathering qualitative information to strengthen the quantitative data. Multiple methodologies, including qualitative, quantitative, descriptive, and analytic, were used to conduct the study.
The pre-reading test, post-reading test, as well as vocabulary test outcomes for students, are analyzed qualitatively to glean relevant data. Quantitative methods are utilized to collect data through exams, questionnaires, and interviews. Descriptive language is used to convey the results of exams, questionnaires, and interviews. The analysis is used to examine the elements that have an impact on the utilization of LEV in the context of boosting reading skills based on the data obtained from evaluations, questionnaires, and interviews.
The results of this thesis show that the implementation of using LEV in contexts to improve students’ reading skills in class A has yielded a significant improvement compared to students in class B, where no experimental intervention was conducted. When it comes to the survey questionnaire and the interview, the students agreed that LEV in contexts was very helpful and helped them improve their reading skills. Key Words: LEV in contexts, improve reading skills, the second-year students in the Faculty of Tour Guiding at Hanoi Tourism College. iii LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS EV: English Vocabulary LEV: Learning English Vocabulary FTG: Faculty of Tour Guiding HTC: Hanoi Tourism College LIST OF APPENDICES Appendix I: Pre and Post-Reading Test Appendix II: List of Vocabulary Appendix III: Vocabulary Test Appendix IV: Survey Questionnaire Appendix V: Interview Questions Appendix VI: Transcript of the Interview Appendix VII: Lesson Plan for Reading Skills LIST OF CHARTS AND TABLES Chart 4.1: The results of the pre-reading test in classes A and B Chart 4.2: The results of the post-reading test in classes A and B Chart 4.3: The results of the pre and post-reading tests of class A Chart 4.4: The results of the pre and post-reading tests of class B Chart 4.5: The results of the vocabulary test of classes A and B Table 4.1: The results of the pre-reading test in classes A and B Table 4.2: The results of the post-reading test of classes A and B Table 4.3: The results of the pre and post-reading tests of class A Table 4.4: The results of the pre and post-reading tests of class B Table 4.5: The statistical table of the pre-test and the post-test results in classes A and B Table 4.6: The results of the vocabulary test of classes A and B Table 4.7: The statistical table of the vocabulary test results in classes A and B Table 4.8: The results of the vocabulary learning habits Table 4.9: The effectiveness of LEV in context compared to the traditional methods Table 4.10: The frequency of encountering unfamiliar words while reading English Table 4.11: Improving reading skills through LEV in context Table 4.
Students’ opinions about LEV in context as a useful method to improve reading skills.13: Students’ recommendations on LEV in context to improve reading skills iv TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER I: Introduction 1. Aim and objectives 2 1. Methods of the study 3 1. Scope of the study 4 1.
Significance of the study 4 1. Structure of the study 4 CHAPTER II: Literature Review 2. Review of previous studies 6 2. Review of theoretical background 8 2.
Nature of vocabulary 8 2. Overview of Reading Skills 10 2. Vocabulary learning strategies 13 2. Learning English vocabulary in contexts 15 2.
Summary 18 CHAPTER III: Methodology 3. Population and sample 23 3. Methods of Analysis 24 3. Quasi-Experimental teaching 24 3.
Summary 28 CHAPTER IV: Results and discussion 4. Results of reading tests 29 v 4. Results of vocabulary tests 38 4.3 Results of the survey questionnaire 41 4. Results of the interview 43 4.
Summary 45 CHAPTER V: Conclusion 5. Limitation of the study 50 5. Recommendations and suggestions for further research 51 REFERENCES 52 APPENDICES 54 Appendix I: Pre and Post-Reading Test 54 Appendix II: List of Vocabulary 58 Appendix III: Vocabulary Test 61 Appendix IV: Survey Questionnaire 63 Appendix V: Interview Questions 65 Appendix VI: Transcript of the Interview 66 Appendix VII: Lesson Plan for Reading Skills 68 vi CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION This chapter starts with the introduction of the thesis: the rationale, aims, objectives, and research questions of this study. Next, it is the method, scope, and significance of the thesis.
The structure of the study comes in the end. Rationale of the Study Vocabulary is a fundamental element of language acquisition and proficiency, playing a significant role in the development and use of language skills. Coady and Huckin (1997) assert that vocabulary plays a vital role in the process of language acquisition and holds significant value for the average language learner. One essential aspect is the fact that vocabulary constitutes a fundamental component of language, as no language can exist devoid of lexical units.
The term “vocabulary” typically evokes thoughts of words through auditory or written means. A significant portion of students dedicates a substantial amount of time to the acquisition of English vocabulary, employing various learning methods, including memorization, repetition, and note-taking (Schmitt, 2000). Nevertheless, there exist various approaches to acquiring vocabulary through different skill sets. According to Schmitt (2000), there exists a range of tactics that can be employed to facilitate vocabulary acquisition.
One such strategy involves the discovery of the meaning of a new word. In this approach, students are required to engage in reading activities, wherein they analyze, verify, speculate on the meaning, and consult a dictionary for unfamiliar words. The acquisition of vocabulary plays a crucial role in developing reading proficiency. As pupils expand their vocabulary, they will acquire the capacity to comprehend a wide range of texts, hence enhancing their reading proficiency.
Furthermore, as posited by Chall (1987), a strong command of vocabulary has the potential to enhance reading comprehension, while engaging in reading activities can facilitate the expansion of one’s lexical repertoire. Both vocabulary and reading play crucial roles in the acquisition of English language skills among pupils. The ability to read is an essential competency that holds significant importance for individuals, particularly students. According to Mikulecky and Jeffries (2004), 1 the act of reading holds significant importance as it has the potential to enhance students’ overall language proficiency in English.
This includes aiding students in developing the ability to think in English, expanding their vocabulary, refining their writing skills, and serving as a valuable means of acquiring new ideas, facts, and experiences. Hence, based on this perspective, the acquisition of reading skills has been regarded as a means for pupils to enhance their understanding of the English language. According to Harmer’s (2003) research, reading is classified as one of the receptive skills in the English language. However, the four language skills exhibit a strong interdependence.
Proficiency in reading English texts is crucial in facilitating comprehension of academic materials. To further their academic endeavors, students are obligated to acquire a comprehensive understanding of numerous English literary works. Norbert (2000) asserts that the proportion of familiar and unfamiliar vocabulary is a critical determinant of text comprehension difficulty. This factor is observed among certain students at Hanoi Tourism College.
Occasionally, students may lack the necessary resources to enhance their reading proficiency and expand their vocabulary. As a result of this issue, individuals gradually enhance their skills by isolating the acquisition of language from the whole learning process, leading to suboptimal outcomes in their proficiency levels. Hence, it is advisable to employ certain methodologies to acquire vocabulary through the act of reading. One possible rationale is that students embarking on their academic journey may anticipate the acquisition of new vocabulary, which in turn can facilitate the enhancement of their reading proficiency.
Efficient acquisition of spelling for newly acquired vocabulary is facilitated through the reception of intelligible input during reading. The primary objective of this study is to investigate the potential benefits of using English vocabulary in contextualized materials for sophomores studying in the Faculty of Tour Guiding at Hanoi Tourism College, with a specific focus on improving their reading skills. Aim and Objectives of the Study The study aimed to describe LEV in contexts that were applied in the classroom to facilitate their reading skills. The results obtained can pave the way for several implications for teachers to make better decisions on encouraging their students to LEV in contexts to improve reading skills.