VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES
 NGUYỄN THỊ HOA THE EFFECTIVENESS OF USING PICTURES IN
TEACHING VOCABULARY AT SMART-KIDS SCHOOL
IN BAC NINH PROVINCE

(Hiệu quả của việc sử dụng tranh ảnh trong việc dạy từ vựng
tại trường Smart-Kids, tỉnh Bắc Ninh)
M.A. MINOR THESIS Field: English Language Teaching Methodology
Code: 60140111 Hanoi, 2014
VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HA NOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES


I hereby certify that this thesis is my own work and effort and that it has not been
submitted anywhere for any award. Nguyen Thi Hoa ii


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ABSTRACT

Vocabulary is one of the important elements in teaching English. In acquiring a
foreign language, learning vocabulary is considered as one of important tasks. At
Smart-kids school, learning and teaching vocabulary is a major concern, too. In an
attempt to investigate the effect of pictures in teaching vocabulary the study has
been conducted in the form of an action research. The participation of the study
comprised 30 kindergarten students. They were randomly assigned into two
homogeneous groups each consisting of 15 learners. The experimental group used
pictures in teaching vocabulary but the control group didn‟t use. The classroom
observation and tests were the main instruments employed for the data collection.
The result showed that the students in the experimental group outperformed the
students in the control group in their vocabulary knowledge. It means that the
contribution of pictures in teaching vocabulary to students led to higher level of
vocabulary improvement. Therefore, using pictures in teaching vocabulary seems to
be more effective than not using.
1.1.3.3. Person-dependent factors 13
1.2. Pictures in teaching vocabulary 15
1.2.1. The meaning of pictures 15
1.2.2. The types of pictures 16
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1.2.3. Issues of using pictures in teaching vocabulary 17
1.2.4. Activities using pictures in teaching vocabulary 19
1.2.5. Review of previous studies on using pictures in teaching vocabulary . 20
CHAPTER 2. METHODOLOGY 22
2.1. Research question 22
2.2. Informants 22
2.3. Planning 23
2.4. Acting 24
2.5. Observing 25
2.6. Reflecting 25
CHAPTER 3. DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 26
3.1. Classroom observation 26
3.1.1. Memory 26
3.1.2. Interest 28
3.1.3. Classroom interaction 32
3.2. Test result 34
3.2.1. The progress tests 34
3.2.2. The final test 35
3.3. Finding and comments 37
PART C. CONCLUSION 40
1. Conclusion 40
2. Implications 41
3. Limitations and recommendations for further studies 41
REFERENCES 43


PART A: INTRODUCTION
Part A – Introduction- provides the background to the study and statement of
the problem, the aims, the research question, the scope of the study as well as the
research methodology. It also outlines the organization of the thesis.
1. Rationale of the study
English teaching involves four language skills: listening, speaking, reading
and writing. One of the main tasks assigned to foreign language teaching at school
is that of training students to be communicatively competent. Speaking is "the
process of building and sharing meaning through the use of verbal and non-verbal
symbols, in a variety of contexts" (Chaney, 1998: 13). In any second language
teaching and learning, speaking is always believed to be the most vital skill and in
teaching speaking, vocabulary is the most important thing. “If language structures
make up the skeleton of language, then it is vocabulary that provides the vital
organs and the flesh.”(Harmer 1993: 153). Cook‟s (2000) conclusion is also
consistent with Wilkins in that “Grammar provides the overall patterns, vocabulary
the material to put into those patterns”. Or some authors, led by Lewis (1993) argue
that vocabulary should be at the center of language teaching, because „language
consists of grammaticalised lexis, not lexicalised grammar‟. From the statement, it
can be seen that vocabulary functions as a cornerstone without which any language
could not exist. Speaking would be meaningless and perhaps impossible having
only structure without vocabulary. Therefore, the English teacher has to be able to
organize teaching and learning activities; they have to give materials by using a
suitable technique and master the lesson effectively. Especially in learning
vocabulary, teachers must make the students able to memorize such words in
English language and group of new words. Celce Maria stated that research in first
and second language acquisition suggest that initial teaching priorities for language
areas should be vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. Therefore, the English
teacher has to be able to organize teaching and learning activities and they have to
give materials by using a suitable technique and master the lesson effectively.


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5. Organization of the study
This minor thesis is composed of three parts as follow:
Part A - Introduction: The first part presents rationale, aims and
significance as well as scope of the study, research methodology and organization
of the study.
Part B - Development: The second part consists of three chapters. Chapter 1
is for literature review, which provides the theoretical background of the study.
Chapter 2 is methodology which represents the research question, describes
informants and the design of the study. Chapter 3 presents the data analysis of
classroom observation and test then discussion.
Part C – Conclusion: The final part summarizes the major findings of the
experiment, voicing some implications for language teachers in teaching vocabulary
and suggesting some recommendations for further studies.
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1.1.1. Stages in vocabulary teaching
Basically as proposed by Doff (1988:98), there are four stages in teaching
vocabulary namely presentation, practice, production, and review.
1.1.1.1. Presentation
The first is presentation, one of the most important and complex preliminary
stages in teaching vocabulary. The title of this stage indicates clearly its function is
introducing new lexical items to learners. As suggested by Thornbury (2002: 75-76)
learners need to learn both the meaning and the form of a new word. He also
emphasizes some major factors subject to the number of word to be presented such
as: the learner‟s level (beginner, intermediate or advanced), learner‟s likely
familiarity with the words.
According to Gairns and Redman (1986: 73-75), there are three techniques
used in the presentation of new vocabulary items. The first one is visual techniques
including mime, gestures, and visuals such as flashcards photographs, blackboard
drawings, wall charts, and realia. The second one is verbal techniques: use of
illustrative, situations, use of synonymy and definition, contrasts and opposites,
scales, and examples of the type. The last one is translation. It is considered a
quick, easy, and effective way of conveying the meaning of vocabulary. Similarly,
Thornbury (2002:77) suggests a variety of techniques in introducing vocabulary
such as translation, real things, pictures, gestures, definitions, and situations. On the
other hand, Doff (1988, p. 96) groups these techniques into four categories: showing
the meaning of words visually, showing the meaning of words in context, using
synonyms or antonyms and translation. He adds that a combination of the
techniques should be implemented when it comes to the effectiveness of presenting
meaning of new words.
1.1.1.2. Practice
When the teacher presents the meaning of new words, they can only become
student‟s passive vocabulary, and students may easily forget them and do not know
how to use properly. Students‟ vocabulary can only be activated effectively if the

awareness; repetition and recycling of activities, for example, summarizing a text
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orally one day and again a few days later to keep words and expressions that have
been learned active, working with language corpuses created by the teacher for use
in the classroom. Besides, Doff (1988) judges communicative activities such as
information exchanging, elicitation of student-talk, games and role plays as the most
effective ways to motivate students to be more actively involved in the speaking
activities to produce the words they have known.
1.1.1.4. Review
This process aims at helping students acquire active, productive
vocabularies. In the reviewing stage, students have more chance to use language
and receive feedback. It can be seen that games and communicative activities are
the best way to help students to review words. Besides, visual aids can make
vocabulary revision more interesting and effective. Revision can be done in both
individuals and collaboration. Doff (1988: 97) expresses that vocabulary is mainly
reviewed through the warm up steps. It means that teacher can review new words in
the later lesson. It aims at refreshing memories or as a preparation for a new
presentation.
1.1.2. Techniques in vocabulary teaching
Learners acquire vocabulary in various ways. Students are exposed to a lot of
new vocabulary during lessons: by the teacher, by texts or other materials they work
with. A lot of this vocabulary is automatically absorbed. (Harmer 1993: 159).
Besides this incidental acquisition there are “pre-planned lesson stages in which
learners are taught pre-selected vocabulary items” (Thornbury 2004: 75). Various
techniques and activities are aimed directly at learning vocabulary, which is usually
put into sets of somehow related words, often by topic or meaning. As McCarthy
(1992) suggests, before presenting new language, pre-teaching activities might be
beneficial “to activate existing knowledge to make the encounter with new words
more meaningful” (McCarthy 1992: 108). Pre-teaching activities often arouse

also important to focus on forms, since the sound of words is one of the aspects
influencing the organization of the mental lexicon (Thornbury 2004: 84; McCarthy,
1992: 110). This is arranged by various drilling activities. From experience, songs
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and chants are very suitable for drills, providing rhythm, catchy rhymes and an
element of fun. As Thornbury (2004: 86-87) suggests, introducing the written form
of the word should follow not long after the presentation of the pronunciation. After
presentation, learners should be provided with plenty opportunities to practice the
newly gained language in accordance with the principles.
1.1.3. Factors affecting vocabulary retention
When considering variety of factors that affect the acquisition of vocabulary,
theorists and researchers present slightly different opinions. However, various
opinions meet at some points, and it is said that the retention of vocabulary may be
affected by some factors as follows:
- Memory
- Motivation
- Person-dependent factors
Therefore, understanding factors affecting vocabulary retention might help
teachers create more effective ways to teach vocabulary and find their own way to
find solution for teaching difficulties.
1.1.3.1. Memory
It can be seen that memory is important in learning new words. According to
Thornbury, 2002, there are two major types of memory: short term memory, long
term memory.
Short term memory is the brain capacity to hold a limited number of items of
information for periods of time up to a few seconds. It is the kind of memory that is
involved in repeating a word that you have just heard the teacher modeling. But
successful vocabulary learning involves more than holding words for a few seconds.
To integrate words into long - term memory they need to be subjected to different

+ Mnemonics - tricks to help retrieve items or rules that are stored in
memory. The best kinds of mnemonics hare visuals hand keyword techniques.
+ Motivation - strong motivation itself does not ensure that words will be
remembered. Even unmotivated students remember words if they have to face
appropriate tasks.
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+ Attention - impossible to improve vocabulary without a certain degree of
conscious attention.
1.1.3.2. Motivation
As it has been said one of the factors that have a strong impact on success or
failure in learning English is motivation. If students miss motivation for studying
English, it will be very hard to make them cooperate. It can simply be said that
without motivation students would not do some activities and consequently there
would not be any effort to acquire a language. According to Rogers, „motivation…
is as much a matter of concern for the teacher as it is for the learner; it depends as
much on the attitude of the teacher as on the attitudes of the students‟ (Rogers 1996:
66). On the other hand, Williams & Burden suggest that motivation is a „state of
cognitive arousal‟ which provokes a „decision to act‟ as a result of which there is
„sustained intellectual and/or physical effort‟ so that the person can achieve some
previously set goal‟ (Williams and Burden 1997: 120). Besides, another theory on
motivation can be seen from Littlewood‟s perspective (1998: 53) that “in second
language learning as in every other field of human learning, motivation is the
crucial force which determines whether a learner embarks on a task at all, how
much energy he devotes to it, and how long he perseveres. It is a complex
phenomenon and includes many components: the individual’s drive, need for
achievement and success, curiosity, desire for stimulation and new experience, and
so on”. Keller (1984) (quoted in Ellis, 1994) sees 'interest' as one of the major
components of motivation, defining it as “a positive response to a stimuli based on
existing cognitive structures in such a way that learners’ curiosity is aroused and

generating the motivation, it is mostly self-sustaining for as long as the child wants
to continue the activity. Children also engage in some activities because adults tell
them to, or in an effort to please another party. These activities are "extrinsically
motivated." When a child is extrinsically motivated, the reward comes from outside
the child-it has to be provided by someone else, and has to be continually given for
the child to remain motivated enough to continue the activity. It is more difficult
for a child to sustain extrinsically motivated activity because of this reliance upon
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some outside force. Since intrinsically motivated activity is more rewarding in and
of itself, children learn more from this sort of activity, and they retain that learning
better. Intrinsically motivated children are more involved in their own learning and
development. In other words, a child is more likely to learn and retain information
when he is intrinsically motivated - when he believes he is pleasing himself. Parents
can build on this sense of confidence by guiding their child's play and activities
while still giving the child a range of options. This unstructured play is an essential
element of the child's motivation, learning, and development.
1.1.3.3. Person-dependent factors
According to Lightbown and Spada (1999), person-dependent factors include
age, language aptitude, intelligence, attitude and personality. Rubin and Thomson
(1994) also consider the factors including age, aptitude, attitude, personality,
learning style and past experiences. In this thesis, these factors are considered in a
logical way to understand how they affect vocabulary acquisition in second
language acquisition.
Age is one of the factors that influence second language learning. It is widely
believed that children learn second languages quickly, without effort and that the
younger they are, the more skilled in acquiring a second language they will become.
Brown (2000) adds that there are differences between child and adult language
learning that require explanation based on neurological, psychomotor, linguistic,
cognitive and affective considerations in order to avoid some misunderstandings

Stern (1983:376-377) into three types:
+ Attitudes towards the community and people who speak second language
+ Attitudes towards learning and language concerned
+ Attitudes towards languages and language learning in general.
Certain personality characteristics and general interest in foreign languages
of learners can influence them in a positive or negative way. It is also important
how they feel about learning a particular language in a particular course and from a
particular teacher. It is obvious that learners who have positive attitudes learn more,
but also learners who learn well acquire positive attitudes. So, it cannot be denied
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that understanding factors affecting vocabulary retention might help teachers create
more effective ways to teach vocabulary.
1.2. PICTURES IN TEACHING VOCABULARY
1.2.1. The meaning of pictures
Pictures are kinds of visual instruction materials which might be used more
effectively to develop and sustain motivation in producing positive attitudes
towards English and to teach or reinforce language skills. Many definition of picture
are shown.
According to Cobuild (1987: 1320), a picture can be defined as “a visual
representation of image painted, drawn, photographed or otherwise rendered on a
flat surface.” Meanwhile, according to Andrew Wright (1989: 29), “Picture is not
just an aspect of method but through its representation of place, object, and people,
it is essential part of the overall experiences.” In addition, Hornby (2007: 1138),
picture is a description that gives you an idea in your mind of what something is
like. It means that using picture will make the children easier to remember and
understand the new vocabulary that they get. Besides, Vernon S Gerlach stated
different definition of picture: “Pictures area two dimension visual representation of
person, places, or things. Photograph prints are most common, but sketches,
cartoons, murals, cut outs, charts, graphs and maps are widely used….” Through

wall pictures and wall charts is to display on the classroom wall. The difference
between wall charts and wall pictures is the way they are used. Wall pictures are
often used for the whole class but wall charts are most part unsuitable for whole
class teaching because they are usually complex, with printing too small to be seen
by the learners.
The second type is sequence pictures. They are series of pictures on a single
subject. They “reveal their story or theme like a strip cartoon, in a connected set of
illustrations” for good selection and display the teacher needs make the titles and
captions large enough to read, or omit them all together and do the describing
orally. In addition, the teacher may know how to link pictures to form a set, thus
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forming the continuity of characterization, setting and subjects from picture to
picture. As learners look through the sequence, each picture helps to clarify the
meaning of the others.
The third type is flash cards. Flash cards are word flash cards and picture
flash cards. Picture flash cards are teacher‟s accompanying guide. They are useful
for the representation of a single concept, such as an object or in action. On the
other hand, word flash cards are on which words have been printed can be held up
rapidly by the teacher before class. They include visual as well as text magazine
pictures drawing maps and diagrams. The cards are easy to store and to carry to the
classroom. They are easy for the teacher and the students to handle and use at the
appropriate moment.
Finally, drawing on the board can easily caught learners‟ attention, change
the pace of lesson and encourage naturals of response. The teacher can organize
different activities through drawing on the board. He/she can teach vocabulary
spelling, pronunciation, drills and so on (Bowen, 1973). Before drawing, the teacher
should think carefully to make a visual aid and consider the purpose, the specific
learning points of the lesson, the characteristics of learners especially young
learners.