NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGE AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES & ĐÀO KIM ANH ACTION RESEARCH ON THE APPLICATION OF VOICETUBE TO IMPROVE LEARNERS’ VOCABULARY RETENTION AT AN ENGLISH CENTRE IN HAIPHONG (Nghiên cứu hành động về việc ứng dụng Voicetube để cải thiện khả năng ghi nhớ từ vựng của người học tại một trung tâm tiếng Anh ở Hải Phòng) MA. MINOR THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231.01 HA NOI - 2024 VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGE AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES & ĐÀO KIM ANH ACTION RESEARCH ON THE APPLICATION OF VOICETUBE TO IMPROVE LEARNERS’ VOCABULARY RETENTION AT AN ENGLISH CENTRE IN HAIPHONG (Nghiên cứu hành động về việc ứng dụng Voicetube để cải thiện khả năng ghi nhớ từ vựng của người học tại một trung tâm tiếng Anh ở Hải Phòng) MA. MINOR THESIS Field: English Teaching Methodology Code: 8140231. Võ Đại Quang HA NOI - 2024 DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP I certify that the minor thesis entitled “Action research on the application of Voicetube to improve learners’ vocabulary retention at an English centre in Hai Phong” is the result of my own work and has not been previously submitted in any form for the purpose of obtaining any other degree or diploma at any universities or other academic institutions.
I am fully aware that should this declaration be found to be dishonest, disciplinary action and penalties in accordance with university policies and rules can be imposed. Hanoi, 2023 The researcher Approved by SUPERVISOR (Signature and full name) Assoc. Võ Đại Quang Date:. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my advisor, Assoc.Phd Vo Dai Quang, for his invaluable support throughout this research project.
His expertise in this field and his unwavering commitment to excellence were instrumental in shaping and guiding my research, and the opportunity to work under their supervision has been a source of gratitude. Throughout the course of this project, Assoc.Phd Vo Dai Quang provided insightful feedback and guidance that helped me to refine my research questions, analyze my data, and present my findings in a clear and compelling way. His willingness to take the time to discuss my ideas, answer my questions, and provide constructive criticism was truly invaluable. In addition to his support and guidance, Assoc.Phd Vo Dai Quang also provided me with many opportunities to learn and grow as a researcher.
They encouraged me to attend conferences, workshops, and seminars where I could network with other scholars, learn about the latest research in my field, and develop my own skills as a researcher. Finally, I would like to acknowledge the many friends and family members who provided me with emotional support and encouragement throughout this project. Their love, kindness, and understanding helped me to stay motivated and focused during the ups and downs of this process. ABSTRACT The primary objective of this study is to investigate the potential utilisation of Voicetube as a mean to enhance learners' vocabulary retention at an English centre in HaiPhong.
This study was carried out in the form of action research in which students were instructed on the use of the Voicetube app in their vocabulary lessons. The study comprised of a total of 38 students who were enrolled in an English language centre located in Hai Phong. The research utilised a combination of quantitative and qualitative methodologies. The qualitative data were acquired by an analysis of the results received interviews while the quantitative data were derived from the pre-test and post-test scores of the students' vocabulary, as well as from a questionnaire administered to the students.
The results revealed that the post-test scores in Cycle 2 showed a significant improvement compared to Cycle 1, indicating that the utilisation of Voicetube has an impact on students' vocabulary retention. Students experience heightened levels of enthusiasm towards the instructional material. This study provides an analysis of the data, recommendations, and strategies for educators to utilise Voicetube as a mean to facilitate constructive modifications in their instructional approaches to enhance students ‘English vocabulary retention. Ultimately, the study concludes by presenting recommendations and its shortcomings.
TABLE OF CONTENTS DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP. 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS. iv LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES. Rationale for the research.
Aims and objectives of the study. Scope of the study. Method of the study. Organization of the thesis.
What is vocabulary?. Vocabulary learning and retention. The methods and strategies to develop vocabulary for students. Application of information technology and multimedia.
The effects of using Voicetube in vocabulary learning .3 The research gap. Restatement of research questions. Context of the study. Definition of action research approach.
Principles of an action research. Models of an action research. Procedures of the study. Data collection instruments.
Pre-test and Post-test. Data collection procedure. Data analysis procedure. DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS.
Pre-test and post-test analysis. Students’ general attitudes about watching videos from Voicetube. The students’ response about the appropriateness of video from Voicetube. The student's response to the teacher's activities.
Data analysis of interview. Discussion of all findings. Limitations of the study. Suggestions for further study.
78 vi LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES Table 1. 10 Units in Global success 6 textbooks. Classify students on a 10-point scale. Students answered to the interview.
The 4 Stages Action Research Cycle by Burns (2010). The interest in watching videos from Voicetube. The aspects of the process watching videos’ Voicetube. The appropriateness of using video from the application of Voicetube.
The student's attitudes to teacher's activities. INTRODUCTION This part presents the overview of the study including rationale, research aims and objectives, research questions, scope, significance, methods and organization of the thesis. Rationale for the research English is a language with a rich vocabulary; therefore, learners and users have many difficulties. As an English teacher at a language center in Haiphong, the researcher possesses a profound comprehension and empathetic awareness of the challenges commonly faced by pupils in their vocabulary retention.
A significant propotion of students struggle with producing sentences or working on the test due to forgetting the vocabulary. Many students lack proficiency in effectively utilizing the vocabulary they have acquired. In fact, educators in the field of language teaching always try hard to find ways to make learning vocabularies more attractive and straightforward to assist students to retain acquired vocabularies. During the early 1980s, language schools began using technology such as films, television, and language labs equipped with video tapes and audio cassettes.
In addition, a type of computer-assisted language software known as drill-and-practice was implemented (Cunningham, 1998). As technology developed, new applications have come into use to create a more interactive and interesting environment for language learners and teachers than in traditional language classroom, and captioned videos application is worth considering to apply in ESL context. According to Danan (2004, videos with caption modes in English as a foreign language facilitate language learning by helping learners visualize genuine conversation with what they hear. Today, we have access to many of the applications that are currently used and tested in language classrooms for teaching grammar, speaking, and other 1 skills.
Numerous educators advocate for the use of the Voicetube app to enhance pupils' language proficiency, since they believe that this application contribute largely to improve learners’ vocabulary acquisition. For this aim, the researcher, in search of the best way to improve learners’ vocabulary retention, uses Voicetube in the language classroom to find out its effects on vocabulary retention in learners. The circumstances have presented the researcher with an opportunity to undertake a study titled "An action research investigation into the utilization of Voicetube for enhancing learners' vocabulary retention at an English center in HaiPhong." The author expresses a desire for the work to contribute to the enhancement of English language instruction, specifically in the domain of vocabulary retention, with the goal of improving overall teaching efficacy. Aims and objectives of the study.
The thesis is aimed at improving vocabulary retention for 6th graders at an English center in Hai Phong. Two objectives are hereby set forth for the fulfilment of the above-mentioned aim. These objectives are: (i) To investigate the improvement of the students’ vocabulary retention through Voicetube application. (ii) To investigate the attitudes of 6th graders at an English center in Hai Phong towards using Voicetube.
Research questions To make it easier to understand, the objectives can be rephrased as the following two research questions: 1) To what extent does Voicetube improve students’ Vocabulary retention for 6th graders at an English center in Hai Phong? 2) What are the attitudes of 6th graders at an English center in Hai Phong towards using Voicetube? 2 1. Scope of the study This study was conducted with the participation of 38 sixth graders at a language center in Hai Phong to investigate the effectiveness of the use of voicetube in vocabulary lessons and their attitude towards learning vocabulary through the application. Videos with transcripts/subtitles from the app Voicetube applied in the research process helps English learners practice the vocabulary that they learned in the classroom. The study was carried out over a period of approximately two months, commencing June 1st to August 1st, allowing for a comprehensive examination of the research questions and objectives.
The geographical location of the study is a language center in Haiphong, Vietnam. By focusing on this specific school setting, the research provides insights into the context of vocabulary teaching as well as the problems encountered by grade 6th students in learning English vocabulary, evaluating the effectiveness of the Voicetube app in vocabulary teaching, investigating students' attitudes towards learning English vocabulary through videos of Voicetube. Method of the study The researcher employed a classroom action research methodology in this study, which involved a sample of 38 6th graders at an English center in Hai Phong. The research instruments utilized were questionnaires, semi- structured interviews, and tests.
The pretest and posttest were administered to measure students' vocabulary retention, while questionnaires and semi- structured interviews were conducted to gauge their attitudes towards vocabulary learning. Action Research Model: The study employs a cyclical action research methodology that 3 incorporates several iterative cycles (Kemmis & McTaggart, 2005). The process comprises distinct stages: planning, executing, observing, and reflecting. The selection of this model is based on its iterative characteristics, which enable the ongoing improvement of the implementation strategy through real-time feedback and outcomes.
The cyclical method is in line with the ever- changing educational environment and enables continuous adaptations to maximise the efficiency of the Voicetube (Kemmis & McTaggart, 2005). Data Collection: Firstly, a pre-test and post-test were administered to assess the students' baseline knowledge and progress in vocabulary retention, respectively. The data collected from these instruments allowed the researcher to analyze the effectiveness of the use of Voicetube in improving students' vocabulary retention. Secondly, to gather information on students' perceptions of vocabulary retention and the implementation of Voicetube in teaching vocabulary, the researcher administered a questionnaire consisting of 10 items to the students.
The items on the questionnaire aimed to elicit responses on topics such as the students' attitudes towards using Voice Tube in the language classroom. The Likert scale was used to analyze the responses. According to Singh (2006, p. 32), "a Likert scale is composed of a series of four or more items that represent similar questions combined into a single composite score or variable." The Likert scale data was considered to have interval properties, and the mean was employed as the measure of central tendency.
The questionnaire items were developed using a 5-point Likert scale, encompassing values from 1 to 5: strongly agree (5), agree (4), neutral (3), disagree (2), and strongly disagree (1). The researcher took advantage of the software SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) version 20 to calculate the frequencies and form the 4 frequency tables of the students’ options.