iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page
Declaration
Acknowledgements
Abstract
Table of contents
Lists of tables and figures
i
ii
iii
iv
v

PART A: INTRODUCTION
1

1. Rationale
2. Aims of the study
3. Research questions
4. Scope of the study
5. Methods of the study
6. Design of the study
1
2
2
3
3
3


CHAPTER 2: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
15

2.1. Subjects of the study
2.2. Data collection instruments and procedures
2.2.1. Data collection instruments
2.2.2. Procedures
15
15
15
16

CHAPTER 3: DARA ANALYSIS, DISCUSSION AND FINDINGS
17

3.1. Results and discussion from the questionnaires
3.1.1. Results and discussion form pre-task questionnaire
3.1.2. Results and discussion from post-task questionnaire
3.2. Results and discussion from the interviews
3.3. Summary of the findings
17
17
23
29
31

CHAPTER 4: IMPLICATIONS FOR USING LANGUAGE GAMES IN
TEACHING AND LEARNING VOCABULARY
33

APPENDIX 3
APPENDIX 4
APPENDIX 5
I
V
IX
X
XII vi

LISTS OF TABLES AND FIGURES

Page
Table 1: Students’ attitudes towards the role of vocabulary in learning
English
Table 2: The common ways of presenting new words taught by their
teachers
Table 3: Students’ main difficulties in learning vocabulary
Table 4: Students’ common ways of learning vocabulary
Table 5: Students’ opinions about language games used in vocabulary
lessons
Table 6: Students’ involvement in language games
17

19

20
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PART A: INTRODUCTION

1. Rationale
Learning a foreign language is hard work and for most people takes a commitment of time
and effort. We all know that learning a foreign language mainly involves learning the
sound system, grammar and vocabulary of that language. It is apparent that vocabulary
learning plays a crucial role in language learning as it helps learners to develop the four
skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing. Currently, the long neglected issue of
vocabulary acquisition is receiving attention in second language pedagogy. A number of
research studies recently conducted have dealt with lexical problems of language learners.
Recognizing the importance of vocabulary in language learning, however, most of English
classrooms in Vietnam today in general and at Phuong Nam private lower secondary
school where I am teaching English in particular, vocabulary teaching and learning has not
been paid enough attention to as it deserves. Vocabulary has not been taught separately but
mixed with lessons of reading, speaking, writing or listening. This causes many difficulties
for teachers of English to apply suitable teaching methods.
Another problem is that even though my students realize the importance of vocabulary in
language learning, most of them find it boring and learn vocabulary passively. They think
that it is simply an activity that teachers introduce new vocabulary and their task is just to
copy down the new word and remember its meaning. They think they know the word
already, but in fact, in many cases, students are not able to use the word they learnt
appropriately in different contexts as well as its pronunciation.
As a teacher of English, in the teaching process, I also realize that when doing tasks in the
textbook or doing tests such as fifteen-minute tests, forty-five-minute tests etc, the most
common question my students often ask is "Can you tell me what this word means?" .
Moreover, many of my students often make complains that they learnt a lot of new words,
but only a few days later, most of the words seem to fade away in their minds and ask the
teacher how they can learn vocabulary effectively and find it an interesting activity.
2


3

The study focuses on investigating the common attitudes and difficulties in learning
vocabulary and accessing the effectiveness of using language games in learning vocabulary
of 7
th
-form students at Phuong Nam private lower secondary school.
5. Methods of the study
In the process of conducting this study, data is collected from survey questionnaires and
interviews with students. The survey questionnaires consist of two types: pre- task survey
questionnaire and post- task survey questionnaire. The pre- task survey questionnaire was
delivered to the students to find out their attitudes towards vocabulary learning as well as
their main difficulties in learning vocabulary. The post- task survey questionnaire was
administered after six lessons applying language games. This questionnaire aims to
investigate students‟ reaction to language games and the effectiveness of their learning
vocabulary through language games.
Interviews were conducted with 5 students to cross- check the questionnaire data and
collect detailed explanation for the student respondents‟ attitudes related to the topic of the
present study.
6. Design of the study
The study consists of three parts:
Part A is the introduction in which the rationale, aims, research questions, scope, methods
of the study are presented.
Part B is the development- the main part of the study. There are four chapters in this part.
Chapter 1 deals with some theoretical background relevant to the study. It includes a brief
look into vocabulary i.e. definitions, classification of vocabulary, aspects involved in
learning a new word, the status of vocabulary in current language learning, some reasons
for undervaluation of vocabulary in teaching and learning in the past and an overview of
language games in language learning.
Chapter 2 presents the research methodology and deal with the investigation of learning

Commonly, we consider vocabulary as all the words of a language or the collection of
words one knows and uses. According to Fran, L. & Jean, O., in education, the word
vocabulary is used with varying meanings. For example, for beginning reading teachers,
the word might be synonymous with “sight vocabulary,” by which they mean a set of the
most common words in English that young students need to be able to recognize quickly as
they see them in print. However, for teachers of upper elementary and secondary school
students, vocabulary usually means the “hard” words that students encounter in content
area textbook and literature selections. For their own, Fran, L. & Jean, O. define
vocabulary as knowledge of words and word meanings in both oral and printed language
and in productive and receptive forms. Oral vocabulary includes those words that we
recognize and use in listening and speaking. Printed vocabulary includes those words that
we recognize and use in reading and writing. Receptive vocabulary includes words that we
recognize when we hear or see them. Productive vocabulary includes words that we use
when we speak or write. From Ur‟s view point, vocabulary as the words we teach in the
foreign language (1996:60).
In short, it is not simple work to give an exact definition of vocabulary. For the purpose of
this study, the researcher herself most agrees with last one.
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1.1.2. Classification of vocabulary
Basing on different features, vocabulary can be classified in many ways.
1.1.2.1. Classification by origin
According to the origin of words, we have two types called native words and loan words.
Loan words are words taken from one language and used in another like abdomen, cookie.
Native words are words that are not borrowed from another language, but are inherited
from an earlier stage of the language like hand, chair.
1.1.2.2. Classification by level of usage
According to the level of usage, vocabulary can be divided into common, literary,
colloquial, slang, technical words.
Common words or popular words often connect with the ordinary things or activities and

considered part of an active vocabulary. Knowing how to pronounce, sign, or write a word
does not necessarily mean that the word can be used correctly or accurately reflects the
intended message of the utterance, but it does reflect a minimal amount of productive
knowledge.
1.1.2.5. Classification by the frequency of use
In terms of frequency studies of vocabulary, there are two types of vocabulary: high
frequency and low frequency vocabulary. High frequency vocabulary consists of words
that are used very often in normal language in all four skills and across the full range of
situations of use. It consists of most function words of English and the most common
content words. The high frequency words are used so often that they make up about 87%
of running words in formal written texts and more than 95% of the words in informal
spoken texts whereas the low frequency words cover only a small proportion of the
running words of a continuous text.
It is thus very important that teachers are aware of the words that make up the high
frequency words of English and that give classroom time to high frequency words.
1.1.2.6. Classification by the concept of morpheme
Basing on this criterion, there are simple words (i.e. words consisting of one root
morpheme),
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derived words (i.e. words consisting of one root and one or more derivational morphemes)
and compound words (i.e. words consist of at least two roots with or without derivational
morphemes).
1.1.2.7. Classification by the part of speech
Vocabulary can be classified into nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, articles
and conjunctions.
1.1.3. Aspects involved in learning a new word
According to Laufer, B., in most linguistic analyses a word is described as a set of
properties or features. It is generally agreed that knowledge of the following is necessary in
order to know a word:

how successfully the sounds of the second language are mastered, without words to
express a wider range of meanings, communication in a second language just cannot
happen in any meaningful way. Sharing the same point of view, Vermeer (1992) stated that
knowing words is the key to understand and being understood. The bulk of learning a new
language consists of learning new words. Grammatical knowledge does not make for great
proficiency in a language. And John Flower in his book Build Your Vocabulary 1(1997)
also said that learning vocabulary is a very important part of learning English. If you make
a grammar mistake, it may be wrong but very often people will understand you anyway.
But if you don‟t know the exact word that you need, it is very frustrating for you, and the
person you are talking to. Thus knowing good English means mastering big vocabulary!
The statements cited above are not aimed to make a comparison between grammar and
vocabulary but to emphasize the place of vocabulary in language learning. It is generally
accepted that foreign language learners who possess good word power or knowledge of
words are usually more successful language learners. It is the fact that there is usually a
positive correlation between one‟s knowledge of vocabulary and his level of language
proficiency. Therefore, it is no doubt that learning vocabulary is extremely important that
English students should focus on in order to achieve success in learning English.
1.1.5. Some reasons for undervaluation and neglect of vocabulary in teaching and
learning language in the past
The teaching and learning of vocabulary was undervalued in the field of second language
acquisition in the past. There are several possible causes for this neglect. Firstly,
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vocabulary is less amenable to generalization than closed system like grammar or
phonology, psycholinguists have reacted against vocabulary since it has been connected
with associative learning rather than a learning process of hypothesis formation and testing
and an emphasis on the beginning of stage of learning led to a focus on grammar (Laufer,
1986). Secondly, this may be originated from the effects of trends in linguistic theory
which at that time - Structuralism and Chomskyan school of linguistics - was grammar and
sound- oriented. Another factor contributing to the neglect of vocabulary can be seen in the

the skill of reading is transferred automatically from L1. Consequently, many teachers
seem to conclude that words are going to be learned naturally from reading and do not
need to be taught.
- Therefore, it becomes much clearer why teachers do not see the need for vocabulary
teaching in spite of the students‟ requests for it. Or, if the teachers do see the need for some
vocabulary instruction, it is of a temporary, bridging nature until the students can do it on
their own.
1.2. Language games in language learning
1.2.1. Definitions of language games
Vocabulary learning is always a hard task for language learners. It is now very generally
accepted that language teaching and learning not merely can be but should be enjoyable.
This means that there is no need, by excluding enjoyment, to make it more difficult. Many
linguists agree that playing language games is a good way of learning vocabulary. So what
is the concept of games and language games?
Lee, W. R. (1979) defined games in the strict sense, which have a definite beginning and
are governed by rules, shade off into game- like activities which have a less formal design.
Byrne (1995) gave the definition to games as a form of play governed by rules. They
should be enjoyable and fun. They are not just a diversion, a break from routine activities,
but a way of getting the learner to use the language in the course of the game. Similarly,
Jill Hadfield (1990) defined games as an activity with rules, a goal and an element of fun.
Therefore, games involve many factors: rules, competition, relaxation, and learning, in
particular. The main focus of using games in class is to help students learn and have fun.
According to Oxford dictionary, a language game is a philosophical concept developed by
Ludwig Wittgenstein, referring to simple examples of language use and the actions into
12

which the language is woven. In the website Wikipedia- the free Encyclopedia
( word games are generally engaged as a source
of entertainment, but have been found to serve an educational purpose as well. In brief, a
language game is an activity where students use language to achieve a goal (usually by

they can provide language students more than that.
According to Granger, C. (1980), by using games with English, students will get the
following benefits: students will be participate in lively, active lessons where they do most
of the talking, and not the teacher, students will use their English more naturally, less self-
consciously- their concentration will be on solving the problem posed by the games and
not on the language they use to solve the problem; students will get used to working in
small groups or teams- playing language games will help to create a friendly working
atmosphere.
Another reason why language games are often used in language classes is that they lower
students' stress and anxiety in the classroom. Littlewood, W. (1998) said that in the
classroom, anxiety can hinder learning and make learners reluctant to express themselves
through the second language… In an environment where learners feel anxious or insecure,
there is likely to be psychological barriers to communication and an obstacle to learning
process. We should try to create space for each learner‟s individuality to express himself
and work to produce a relaxed classroom atmosphere with co-operative relationships.
Hence, using language games is a way to solve this problem as they can banish anxiety and
students will feel “a pleasant, informal and often relaxed atmosphere, favourable to
language learning” (Lee, W R:1979) and in the easy, relaxed atmosphere created by
language games, students remember things faster and better.
Furthermore, to Wright, A., Betteridge, D. and Buckby, M. (1984), language learning is
hard work Effort is required at every moment and must be maintained over a long period
of time. Games help and encourage many learners to sustain their interest and work.
Games also help the teacher to create contexts in which the language is useful and
meaningful.
Therefore, it can be said that language games have a fully respected place in foreign
language learning. As Hadfiled, J., (1984) asserted, games should be regarded as an
integral part of the language syllabus, not as an amusing activity for Friday afternoon or for
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the end of term or to Lee, W R (1979)“ not as a marginal activity, filling in odd moments

collected quickly and economically from a large sample. Also, questionnaire, as one of the
most common forms of data collection tools, can easily be assessed in terms of reliability.
Moreover, the strengths of questionnaires generally include accuracy, generalizability, and
convenience. However, besides the strengths, questionnaires usually fall short in
examining complex social relationship and intricate patterns of interaction. Therefore, in
this study, data gathered via questionnaire was further reinforced via face-to-face
interviews. The questionnaires of the study involve both open-ended questions and closed-
ended questions.
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* Interviews: In addition to questionnaire, semi- structured interviews with five students
were conducted as another important mode of data collection for this study. The interview
is structured with a list of four questions (see appendixes). This type of interview is
conducted in systematic and consistent order but it allows interviewers sufficient freedom
to digress; that is the interviewers are permitted (in fact expected) to probe far beyond the
answers to their repaired and standardized questions. An interview is a very personal way
to gather information since it allows adaptability in questioning. From this point of view,
the interview data provides deeper insight regarding the difficulties of students in learning
vocabulary, the effectiveness of using language games in their vocabulary learning and
their expectations. Furthermore, the interview data complemented and expanded on the
questionnaire data as it gives follow-up information in the case of ambiguous and
incomplete responses from the questionnaires.
2.2.2. Procedures
In collecting the data for this study, the following steps were done:
Firstly, the pre-task survey questionnaire was given to the subjects and they were asked to
complete it. This questionnaire is intended to investigate students‟ current attitudes and
main difficulties in learning vocabulary and their experience with language games as well.
Then six textbook content- based vocabulary lessons were applied with language games to
teach the students. After that, the post-task survey questionnaire was administered to the
subjects to assess the effectiveness of their learning vocabulary through language games

Number
Percentage (%)
A. Very important
13
27.1
B. Important
27
56.2
C. Normal
7
14.6
D. Not important
1
2.1
As can be seen from the table 1, 56.2 % agree that learning vocabulary is important, and
27.1 % think that it is very important. Meanwhile, 14.6 % of the subjects consider it
normal and only one student (accounts for 2.1 %) chooses the option not important. The
results show that most students are fully aware of the central role of vocabulary in learning
English.
Figure 1: Students’ perspective of learning vocabulary in English lessons (Question 2)
18 Figure 1 shows that surprisingly, although a vast of the respondents admit the role of
vocabulary in learning English, most of them (62.5 %) find it not interesting. Students who
opt for learning vocabulary which is a boring activity account for 25 %. Only few students
think it is very interesting and interesting. This result indicates that may be the ways
English teachers use to teach students vocabulary are unappealingly enough to attract
them.
The statistics gained in question 3 indicates that since the majority of the respondents find

18.6

Question 4 investigates teachers‟ common ways of presenting new words. From the table
above, it is not surprising that the most common way the students are taught new words is
translation (100%). This is an easy way to teach students by giving them a bilingual word
list with one column in English and another in Vietnamese. Thus, most English teachers
use this technique. What students need to do is just copy down on their notebooks. This
can be one of the main reasons that make the students feel uninterested as it is not capable
of inspiring motivation to learn vocabulary. Using the target language and visual aids are
other ways usually employed in teaching vocabulary. They in turns account for 50 % and
47.9 %. Language games are also applied in teaching vocabulary, but it is clear that they
only occupy a small percentage (22.9 %) in comparison with the techniques of translation
or using visual aids or using the target language. This shows that many teachers still doubt
about the benefits of language games in language teaching and learning context.
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Figure 2: Student’s preferences of the way of teaching vocabulary

With respect to student‟s preferences of the way of teaching vocabulary, the chart visibly
indicates that more than half of the respondents (52 %) reveal that they do not like the way
their teachers present new words. Only 29.2 % of the students show their interest and there
still exist 18.8 % having no concern about the way they are taught new words. Apparently,
the methods of teaching vocabulary have great influence on students‟ attitudes and interest.
3.1.1.3. Students’ main difficulties in learning vocabulary (Question 6)
Table 3: Students’ main difficulties in learning vocabulary
Options
Number
Percentage (%)
A. Difficult to remember the meaning and spelling
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Percentage %
A. Write down new words and their meanings
31
64.6
B. Make sentences with them
7
14.6
C. Play language games
1
2
D. Read them aloud many times
9
18.8
E. Others
0
0
This question is aimed to explore how the students often learn vocabulary. From the results
shown in the table, it can be realized that the majority of the subjects (64 %) learn new
words by writing them and their meaning down in Vietnamese many times. This can be
inferred from the fact that students are affected by the methods their teachers normally
teach them; that is, when asking students to learn new words by heart at home, they often
ask them to write two or three lines of each new word in their notebooks or sometimes,
teachers consider it as a method of punishing those who do not study new words at home.
18.8 % choose reading aloud many times new words as their own way of learning.
Occupying smaller percentage (7 %) is the respondents who learn new words by making
sentences with them. This is understandable since many students think learning by this
ways is rather difficult and takes them a lot of time to brainstorm to make sentences.
Besides, only one student (2 %) uses language games and, there is no voice for other ways
of learning vocabulary in this question.
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