CAN THO UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
ENGLISH DEPARTMENT

AN INVESTIGATION ON THE USE OF PICTURES IN TEACHING ENGLISH
VOCABULARY TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
B. A Thesis
Field of study: English Language Teaching

Supervisor: Tran Thi Chau Pha, M.Ed.

Researcher: Lam Hong Chi
Code: 7086620
Class: NN0852A2

Can Tho, April 2012


An investigation on the use of pictures in teaching English vocabulary to high school students

Acknowledgements
First of all, I wish to send my deep gratitude to the English Department who gave me an
opportunity to carry out this research paper and permitted me to work with my
supervisor, Ms. Tran Thi Chau Pha.
I would like to thank all of my teachers in the English Department, Can Tho University
for their encouragements. Especially, I would like to express my special thanks to my
supervisor, Ms. Tran Thi Chau Pha, for her support and guidance throughout my thesis
writing. It is not my success without her valuable comments, suggestions and
corrections.
Besides, I am sincerely thankful to Mr. Nguyen Thien Nhiem, my supervisor for my
teaching practicum at Chau Van Liem High School and all students of the class 10A2

middle of April, 2012 in Chau Van Liem High School with the participation of 45 Grade
10 students. This was an experimental research with two instruments: a twenty-one-item
questionnaire of five-point scale to know students’ attitudes on the use of pictures in
learning vocabulary, classroom teaching and vocabulary tests. The data results from
questionnaire and tests were treated via SPSS 17.0 and Excel program. The results
showed that the students liked using pictures in learning vocabulary and had a positive
attitude towards the benefits of this technique.

Supervisor: Tran Thi Chau Pha

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Lam Hong Chi-7086620


An investigation on the use of pictures in teaching English vocabulary to high school students

Table of contents
Acknowledgements ..............................................................................................................i
Abstract .............................................................................................................................. ii
Table of contents ............................................................................................................... iii
List of tables...................................................................................................................... vi
List of figures .................................................................................................................... vi
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION....................................................................................1
I.

Rationale ..................................................................................................................1

II.


4. The advantages and disadvantages of pictures used ........................................................ 8
III. Testing......................................................................................................................9
1. The important role of testing .................................................................................................. 9
2. Vocabulary tests ...................................................................................................................... 10
IV. Related studies on the use of pictures ....................................................................11
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .........................................................14
I.

Research design .....................................................................................................14

II.

Participants.............................................................................................................14

III. Instruments.............................................................................................................14
1. Questionnaire ........................................................................................................................... 14
2. Vocabulary tests ...................................................................................................................... 15
IV. Research procedures................................................................................................16
1. The questionnaire .................................................................................................................... 16
2. Vocabulary tests ...................................................................................................................... 16
CHAPTER 4: DATA RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ................................................18
I. Data results .................................................................................................................18
1. Overview of questionnaire analysis .................................................................................... 18
2. Vocabulary tests analysis ...................................................................................................... 21
II. Discussion on the results of the study.......................................................................23
1. Students’ attitudes and perceptions towards using pictures in learning vocabulary
23

2. Using pictures help students learn vocabulary more effectively ................................ 24
CHAPTER 5: IMPLICATIONS, LIMITATIONS AND SUGGESTIONS ..............26



An investigation on the use of pictures in teaching English vocabulary to high school students

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Clusters of the questionnaire ............................................................................ 13
Table 2: Reliability Coefficient of the questionnaire...................................................... 15
Table 3: Descriptive statistics of students’ perceptions and attitudes on the use of
pictures ............................................................................................................................ 16
Table 4: Descriptive statistics of students’ perceptions and attitudes on the use of
pictures ............................................................................................................................ 16
Table 5: The changes in some items of 2 questionnaires ............................................... 17
Table 6: The mean score of 3 vocabulary tests............................................................... 18

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1: The mean score of pre and post-questionnaire................................................ 17
Figure 2: Percentage of marks in the first test ................................................................ 19
Figure 3: Percentage of marks in the second test............................................................ 19
Figure 4: Percentage of marks in the third test ............................................................... 20

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Lam Hong Chi-7086620


An investigation on the use of pictures in teaching English vocabulary to high school students

REFERENCES



An investigation on the use of pictures in teaching English vocabulary to high school students

Greenwood, S. C. (2002). Making words matter: Vocabulary study in the content areas.
The Clearing House, 75, 258-263.
Harmer, J. (Ed.). (1993). The practice of English language teaching (third ed.): Longman
group UK limited.
Harmer, J. (Ed.). (2001). The practice of English language teaching (third ed.). London:
Longman.
Hatch, E., & Brown, C. (Eds.). (1995). Vocabulary, semantics and language education.
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hill, D. A. (Ed.). (1990). Visual impact: Creative language learning through pictures:
Essex: Longman Group UK Limited.
Joklova, K. (2009). Using pictures in teaching vocabulary to primary school children.
Masaryk.
Joklová, K. (2009). Using pictures in teaching vocabulary to children at primary school.
Masaryk University
Leny, N. (2006). Teaching vocabulary through pictures to the kindergarten students.
Jakarta: Islamic University.
Madsen, H. S. (Ed.). (1983). Techniques in testing (first ed.). New York: Oxford
University Press.
Mc Carthy, M. (Ed.). (1992). Vocabulary. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Mckenkchnie, L. (Ed.) (1980) Webster new twentieth century dictionary unabridge
(second ed.). William Collins Publisher
Betty, M.B. (1973). Look Here!, Visual Aids In Language Teaching. London: essential
language- Teach Series, 13- 31.
Nation, I. S. P. (Ed.). (1990). Teaching and learning vocabulary. New York: Heinle &
Heinle.
Nattinger, J. (Ed.). (1988). Some current trends in vocabulary teaching. London:

University Press.
Wright, A., & Haleem, S. (Eds.). (1996). Visuals for the language classroom: Longman
group UK limited.

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An investigation on the use of pictures in teaching English vocabulary to high school students

APPENDICES

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Lam Hong Chi-7086620


An investigation on the use of pictures in teaching English vocabulary to high school students

Appendix 1
QUESTIONNAIRE
Dear students,
This research is designed to explore the use of pictures in teaching English vocabulary to high school students. Your
answer will be very helpful and highly appreciated for an important section in my Bachelor of Art thesis. This information
you provide is only used for this research and known by the researcher and her supervisor. There is no right or wrong


Strongly

Neutral

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3


disagree

agree

success.
2.

I like my teacher to use pictures to teach
new words.

3.

Knowing new words helps me much in
reading, writing, listening and speaking.

4.

I prefer being taught new vocabulary by
using pictures.

5.

When my teacher uses pictures, I can guess
the meaning of new words easily.

6.

I have a positive attitude towards pictures.


4

5

learning process.
8

I like my teacher to use pictures in teaching

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Lam Hong Chi-7086620


An investigation on the use of pictures in teaching English vocabulary to high school students

new vocabulary
9.

Learning new vocabulary by pictures, I can

1

2

3

4


5

1

2

3

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5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

13.

Pictures make me pay attention to the
lesson and make me think more.

14.

I feel frustrated when I cannot find a
correct answer although my teacher uses
pictures and explains them.

15.

Pictures delight class and make me more
active.

16.

I

sometimes

cannot

understand

my

teacher’s pictures and explanations.



5

1

2

3

4

5

can remember and apply about 80%.
18.

Pictures give me the motivating feeling to
express my opinion and contribute some of
my knowledge.

19.

Using pictures in teaching vocabulary will
make my class more interesting.

20.

Pictures help me increase my vocabulary.

1

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An investigation on the use of pictures in teaching English vocabulary to high school students

Appendix 2
BẢNG CÂU HỎI
Các bạn học sinh thân mến,
Đây là một bài nghiên cứu nhỏ được thực hiện nhằm tìm ra tác dụng của hình ảnh trong việc dạy từ vựng tiếng Anh. Những
câu trả lời của các bạn sẽ rất có giá trị đối với phần phân tích số liệu trong bài luận văn tốt nghiệp của tôi. Dữ liệu thu thập
được chỉ dùng cho mục đích nghiên cứu. Câu trả lời và thông tin cá nhân của các bạn sẽ được bảo mật. Hoàn toàn không có
câu trả lời đúng hay sai trong bảng câu hỏi nghiên cứu này. Vì vậy, các bạn có thể thoải mái thể hiện suy nghĩ của mình về
21 ý kiến được nêu trong bảng nghiên cứu này trong vòng 10-15 phút.
Trước hết, vui lòng cung cấp vài thông tin về bạn bằng cách điền vào khoảng trắng bên dưới và đánh dấu () vào ô ứng với
giới tính của bạn trước khi hoàn thành bảng câu hỏi nghiên cứu.
PHẦN A: THÔNG TIN CÁ NHÂN
Tên:………………………………….
Tuổi:………………………………...
Lớp: …………………………….…..
Giới tính:

Nam:

Supervisor: Tran Thi Chau Pha

Nữ:


Đồng ý

Hoàn toàn
đồng ý

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2


3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

của sự thành công.
2.

Tôi thích giáo viên của tôi sử dụng tranh
ảnh để dạy từ mới.

3.

Biết nhiều từ mới sẽ giúp tôi nhiều trong
nghe, nói, đọc, viết.

4.

Tôi thích được dạy từ mới bằng tranh ảnh


1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5


1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

1

2

3

4

5

Tôi cảm thấy nản khi không thể tìm ra
câu trả lời mặc dù giáo viên đã sử dụng
tranh ảnh và giải thích.

15.

Tranh ảnh làm vui lớp học và làm cho tôi
năng động hơn.

16.

Thỉnh thoảng tôi không thể hiểu được
tranh ảnh và giải thích của giáo viên.

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An investigation on the use of pictures in teaching English vocabulary to high school students

17.

Sau khi học từ vựng với tranh ảnh, tôi có

1

2

Tranh ảnh cho tôi động lực để trình bày ý
kiến và đóng góp kiến thức cho bài học.

19.

Sử dụng tranh ảnh làm cho lớp tôi thích
thú hơn.

20.

Tranh ảnh giúp làm tăng vốn từ của tôi.

1

2

3

4

5

21.

Khi tôi học từ vựng với tranh ảnh, tôi chỉ

1

2



Nam: 

Nữ: 

PHẦN B: VOCABULARY TEST
Bài kiểm tra gồm 8 câu tất cả. Trong mỗi câu có 4 sự lựa chọn nhưng chỉ có MỘT đáp án đúng. Vui lòng khoanh tròn vào
phương án mà bạn cho là đúng.
1. One part of a film in which the events happen in one play. It is…………..
A. view

B. setting

C. scene

D. scenery

2. In the film “Titanic”, Jack and Rose are the main………………………
A. characters
Supervisor: Tran Thi Chau Pha

B. actors

C. actresses
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D. actor and actress
Lam Hong Chi-7086620



A. producers

B. actors

C. directors

D. film makers

7. A decade is a period of………….years.
A. 5

B. 10

C. 50

D. 100

8. The person who acts a role of a film or a play. He is a (an)……………
A. character

Supervisor: Tran Thi Chau Pha

B. actor

C. director

xx

D. roller



Supervisor: Tran Thi Chau Pha

B. mournful

C. sad

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D. funny

Lam Hong Chi-7086620


An investigation on the use of pictures in teaching English vocabulary to high school students

3. Roses can be used to………………….love.
A. tell

B. talk

C. express

D. inform

4. He was very kind to us so when he died we all attended his…………………..
A. party

B. funeral



8. Human being has 5……………..They are sight, hearing, taste, smell and touch.
A. emotions

B. senses

C. organs

D. body parts

C. please

D. enjoy

9. Comedies…………………………us after a hard-working day.
A. delight

B. interest

10. He…………………….his enthusiasm to everybody.

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An investigation on the use of pictures in teaching English vocabulary to high school students


Lớp: …………………………….…..
Giới tính:

Nam: 

Nữ: 

PHẦN B: VOCABULARY TEST
Bài kiểm tra gồm 8 câu tất cả. Trong mỗi câu có 4 sự lựa chọn nhưng chỉ có MỘT đáp án đúng. Vui lòng khoanh tròn vào
phương án mà bạn cho là đúng.
1. “Romeo and Juliet” is a…………..written early in the career of play write William Shakespeare.
A. film

C. tragedy

B. comedy

D. tragic-comedy

2. ………….is a large commercial ship, especially one carrying passenger on a regular route.
A. boat

B. liner

C. canoe

D. ferry

3. Earthquake, flood and hurricane cause a lot of damage for human being. They are natural……………
A. dangers