ASSIGNMENT ON IMPROVING VOCABULARY RETENTION

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION
FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
IMPROVING VOCABULARY RETENTION FOR EIGHTH- GRADE
STUDENTS OF A SECONDARY SCHOOL THROUGHONLINE
MEANING– FOCUSED ACTIVITIES
THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY OF EDUCATION
FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES
IMPROVING VOCABULARY RETENTION FOR EIGHTH- GRADE
STUDENTS OF A SECONDARY SCHOOL THROUGHONLINE
MEANING– FOCUSED ACTIVITIES

TABLE OF CONTENTS
LIST OF FIGURES..............................................................................
3
TABLE OF CONTENTS.........................................................................4
CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION...............................................................7
1.1 Rationale of the study........................................................................7
1.2 Statement of the problem...................................................................8
1.3 Aim and objectives of the study.........................................
...................9
1.4 Research questions...........................................................................9
1.5 Scope of the study...........................................................................
10
1.6 Significance of the study..................................................................11
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................. 12
2.1 Theoretical background................................................................. 12
2.2 Literature review............................................................................12
2.2.1 Vocabulary retention.....................................................................
13
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2.2.1.1 Definitions of vocabulary retention............................................
.....13
2.2.1.2 The importance of vocabulary retention in learning foreign languages..
......14
2.2.1.3 Difficulties facing with vocabulary retention performance.....................15
2.2.1.4 Used techniques of vocabulary retention improvement.........................
15
2.2.2 Definitions of online meaning-focused activities.....................................
16
2.2.3 Previous research......................................................................
....17
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.........................................20
3.1 Research questions.........................................................................20
3.2 Research design.............................................................................20
3.3 Research context............................................................................20
3.3.1 Institution.................................................................................20
3.3.2 Participants...............................................................................21
3.3.3 The researcher...........................................................................21
3.4 Advantages and disadvantage............................................................
21
3.5Data collection instruments...............................................................22
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3.5.1 .Vocabulary Test........................................................................22
3.5.2 Questionnaire............................................................................22
3.5.3 Interview.................................................................................22
3.5.4 Journal....................................................................................22
3.6 Data collection procedures...............................................................23
3.7 Data analysis.................................................................................24
3.7.1 Quantitative analysis method............................................................24
3.7.2 Qualitative analysis
method...............................................................25
3.8 Analytical
framework......................................................................26
3.9 Structure of the thesis.............................................................
..........26
TIMELINE OF THE
STUDY......................................................................................27
REFERENCE...............................................................................................................29
Certification of Advisor.................................................................................................36
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CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Rationale
In the history of EFL teaching, it has been statistically proven that vocabulary is an
essential core of English language education (ELE). Wilkins (1972) wrote that “. . .
while without grammar very little can be conveyed, without vocabulary nothing can be
conveyed”. Obviously, if speakers do not acquire enough lexical resource, they cannot
get their meaning across and keep speeches going. Evidently, in a study on the topic
“Teaching Speaking Through Public Speaking Course”, a great number of Bangladeshi
students agreed that they were confused when delivering speeches due to poor
vocabulary (Iftakhar, 2013). In another study on the factors discouraging Thai students
in Asia-Pacific International University from speaking English outside the class, a
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descriptive quantitative method and a self-administered questionnaire were used to
collect the data in their study. The study revealed that inadequate vocabulary to speak
effectively was perceived as factors hindering students from conducting public
speaking performances successfully (Lansri, & Katenga, 2019).
With the importance of lexical resource, vocabulary retention has been a subject of
debate among educational researchers. Vocabulary retention has been delineated as the
capacity to recollect or remember information after an interlude of time has passed
(Richards & Schmidt, 2002, p. 457). However, EFL students and/or educators have
been experiencing rough time dealing with recalling a word which has been recently
used or learned, or a word which has been in student’s vocabulary for a prolonged time
but fails to come to mind when it is desirable. Actually, memorizing a range of
vocabulary is an arduous mental process for EFL learners since they are required to
simultaneouslylearn spelling, pronunciation, definition, and function.
Therefore, there have been extensive findings towards efficient methods for
vocabulary retention strategies. However, the educational environment has changed
drastically. This has resulted in a number of modifications in a range of employed
teaching-learning approaches. Moreover, the severe Covid-19 pandemic has currently
had a major negative impact on education which urges educators, researchers, material
developers and syllabus designers to deploy online learning environments more
importantly than ever. Specifically, online meaning – focused activities are considered
as an ideal waywhich students could employ to enhance their vocabulary
retentionMeaning – focused activities have been determined to generate substantial
profit on English such as“gaining content matter knowledge, skill improvement and
enjoyment” (Nation, 2001), building vocabulary (Krashen, 1989).
Accordingly, this research is important since it has deepened thorough
understanding about the beneficial effects of online meaning – focused activities on
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vocabulary retention. As a consequence, intensively exploring this research topic is a
crucial duty of foreign language educators, researchers who are intimately related to
the language learning and teaching process.
1.2 Statement of the problem
All EFL learners worldwide in general and Vietnamese EFL learners in English
schools and English centers in particular are required to develop four skills including
speaking, writing, listening, and reading for complete communication. To acquire this
set of skills, the acquisition of vocabulary knowledge and vocabulary retention
methods occupies a decisive and vital role. According to the Ministry of Education and
Training,Vietnamese twelfth-grade students need to acquire around 2,500 English
words by the end of their final high school semester (MOET, 2018). Moreover, in the
investigation into A Corpus-Based Lexial Analysis Of Vietnam’s High-Stakes English
Exam, Vu (2019) shows that from 2015 to 2018, in order to assimilate 95% of the
Vietnamese national high school graduation exam papers, students are required to
obtain 6,000 word families. One academic question needs addressing is how to
enhance students’ vocabulary retention ability. There has been considerable
undertaken research into this challenge, but they just concentrate particularly upon
high school students (Nam & Trinh, 2012), preschool learners (Thuy, 2018). To the
best of my knowledge, no studies have investigated vocabulary retention methods on
lower secondary school students. More importantly, lower secondary school education
is obviously crucial since it is a fundamental educational level. This stage provides a
basic range of educational knowledge and skills considered essential to adult life
(Nancy et al, 2011). Therefore,the present study aims to investigate eighth-grade EFL
learners at a secondary school in Bac Ninh about the capacity of vocabulary retention
improvement by employing online meaning – focused activities and identify their
attitude about this learning strategy.
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1.3 Aims and Objectives
This study aims at improving vocabulary retention byonline meaning-focused
activities in the context of eighth-grade classes of a secondary school in Bac Ninh.
1.4 Research questions
To obtain the research aim, the study addresses the following research questions:
1. How do online meaning-focused activitiescontribute to development in
vocabulary retention?
2. What are the Bac Ninh eighth-grade EFL students’ attitudes toward online
meaning-focused activities?
3. What difficulties do the teacher and students face when applying online
meaning-focused activities?
1.5 Scope of the study
Firstly,this study was conducted at a lower secondary school in Thuan Thanh
District, Bac Ninh Province.The subjects of the study included 43 male and female
eighth-grade students and a home-room teacher. In order to gain the results, the mixed-
method: quantitative and qualitative are applied.
The present study analyzes the role of online meaning – focused activities on the
vocabulary retention of the students. To this end, the study will also involve an analysis
of attitude of students toward the usage of online meaning – focused activitiesin
educational filed. The empirical study in this research is restricted to one eighth-grade
class at lower secondary school in Thuan Thanh District, Bac Ninh Province, wherein
the opinions of 43 students and a home room teacher were studied. The students were
all at the age of thirteen and had compulsorily learnt English for five years at school.
They were supposed to be equal in English proficiency of beginner level. Moreover,
the scope of the study is also restricted to select the range of vocabulary knowledge
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