VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

VŨ THỊ TUYẾT
TEACHING TEXT-BASED VOCABULARY TO THE FIRST
YEAR NON- ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS AT HOA BINH
UNIVERSITY: CURRENT TEACHING SITUATION AND
PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

DẠY TỪ VỰNG DỰA TRÊN VĂN BẢN CHO SINH VIÊN KHÔNG CHUYÊN
TIẾNG ANH NĂM THỨ NHẤT TẠI TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC HÒA BÌNH:
THỰC TRẠNG VÀ ỨNG DỤNG TRONG GIẢNG DẠY

MA MINOR THESIS

Major: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 60.14.10

HANOI, 2011


VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES

VŨ THỊ TUYẾT

TEACHING TEXT-BASED VOCABULARY TO THE FIRST
YEAR NON- ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS AT HOA BINH
UNIVERSITY: CURRENT TEACHING SITUATION AND


iv

Table of contents

v

Part A: INTRODUCTION

1

1. Rationale

1

2. Aims of the study

1

3. Significance of the study

1

4. Scope of the study

2

5. Research questions

2


6

1.1.4 Criteria for selection of vocabulary to teach

7

1.2 Teaching vocabulary through texts

8

1.2.1 Definitions of texts

8

1.2.2 Roles of texts in enriching students’ vocabulary

9

1.2.3 Techniques to teach vocabulary through texts

9

1.2.3.1 Pre-stage

9

1.2.3.2 While-stage

11


2.2.3 Class observation

17

2.3 Procedure of data collection

17

2.4 Procedure of data analysis

18

2.4.1 Data analysis methods

18

2.4.2 Data analysis procedures

18

2.5 Summary

18

Chapter 3: DATA PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION

20

3.1 Data presentation


41

2. Limitations of the study

41

3. Suggestions for further study

41

REFERENCES

42

APPENDICES


iv
LIST OF CHARTS AND TABLES
Chart 1:

The frequency of teachers’ using texts to teach vocabulary (p.21)

Chart 2:

Kinds of vocabulary chosen to teach by teachers (p.22)

Chart 3:


Chart 10:

Ideas from teachers about the effects of texts in vocabulary teaching
(p.32)

Table 1:

Text-based vocabulary techniques preferred by students with reasons
(p.27)

Table 2:

Teachers’ help for students’ difficulties (p.30)


1

Part A: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale
The recent years have witnessed a shift in focus in foreign language learning and
teaching in general and in English in particular from the linguistic competence to the
communicative one. This trend has clearly led to the increasingly important role of teaching
and learning vocabulary. Generally, vocabulary is considered to be one of the main tasks in
acquiring a foreign language as one cannot make himself/ herself well-understood with his/
her poor vocabulary. Wilkins (1972) emphasized the importance of vocabulary when
saying: “without grammar very little can be conveyed; without vocabulary nothing can be
conveyed” (p.111).
However, in Vietnam in general and at Hoa Binh university in particular, vocabulary
teaching has not been paid due attention as it deserves. Traditionally, vocabulary has not
been a particular subject for students to learn but has been taught within the lessons of

hoped to provide an insight into the current teaching situation of using texts to teach
vocabulary to first year students at Hoa Binh university. Therefore, it is believed that this
study will raise the teachers’ awareness of the situation and then they can have proper
adjustment to their teaching methods in order to help their students to learn English,
especially its vocabulary effectively. Students are also exposed to a new way of learning
vocabulary through this study.
4. Scope of the study
The study is limited to the area of teaching English vocabulary at Hoa Binh university.
Specifically, this minor thesis deals with the current situation of using texts to teach
vocabulary to first-year non-English major students at Hoa Binh university and suggests some
pedagogical implications to teachers.
5. Research questions
The research aims at answering the following questions:
1. What is the current situation of teaching text-based vocabulary to first year nonEnglish major students at Hoa Binh university?
2. How effective is the teaching text-based vocabulary to first year non-English major
students at Hoa Binh university?
6. Methods of the study
The study uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative research approaches, which
include observation and survey questionnaires. The quantitative data were collected from two
questionnaires and were analyzed statistically, while the qualitative data were obtained from
the class observation. Survey questionnaires were used to collect information and evidence
for the study with the hope that the research would be reliable and the processing of data
would be manageable within the limited time budget. Class observation was carried out to
supplement the survey questionnaires. It is hoped that the combination of the two methods
would make the data more valid and reliable.
7. Design of the thesis
The thesis was presented in three main parts as follows:
Part A: Introduction provides a general introduction of the study with the specific reference
to the rationale, the aims, the significance, the scope, the methods and the design of the thesis.


vocabulary. According to Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary Third Edition (2008),
vocabulary is defined as “all the words which exist in a particular language or subject”
(p.1624). This definition covers vocabulary’s meaning on the whole. Nevertheless, it does not
show vocabulary in a deep understanding because vocabulary is more complex than this
definition suggests.
Ur (1996) gives clearer explanation of vocabulary as follows:
“Vocabulary can be defined, roughly, as the words we teach in the foreign language.
However, a new item of vocabulary may be more than a single word: for example, post office
and mother-in-law, which are made up of two or three words but express a single idea. There
are also multi-word idioms such as call it a day, where the meaning of the phrase cannot be
deduced from an analysis of the component words. A useful convention is to cover all such
cases by talking “items” rather than “words””(Ur, 1996, p. 60).
In this sense, the definition by Ur is favorably satisfying because his definition
indicates that vocabulary is bigger than just the meaning of words. It covers a huge aspect of
language and is the medium to express ideas.
In conclusion, there are different ways to define the concept “vocabulary”. However,
the idea that vocabulary is the total number of words existing in a language, including single
words as well as multi-word items is the most favorable.
1.1.2 The role of vocabulary in language teaching and learning


5

Vocabulary plays a significant role in language teaching and learning as Shafaei and
Nejati (2009) said “vocabulary is one of the most important objectives in teaching of foreign
languages” (p. 32). Wilkins (1972) also stated that “vocabulary is one of the three dimensions
of a language (phonetics, grammar, vocabulary)” (p.111). By saying that, he emphasizes the
special importance of vocabulary in teaching and learning a language.
Gower (2005) came to the point that “vocabulary is important to students – it is more
important than grammar for communication purposes, particularly in the early stages when

Wallace (1982) shows that the most frustrating experience is the failure to find the proper
words in the second language to express oneself. And it is in reading that vocabulary plays the
most important role. Researchers indicate that lack of vocabulary is the most significant
handicap for readers. Mayher and Brause (1986) assert that writing depends highly on the
ability to choose words while describing events. To sum up, the significance of vocabulary in
the four language skills can be concluded with Laufer’s statement (1986), “without adequate
lexis, there is no proper language competence or performance” (p. 70).
In fact, we have seen that teaching and learning vocabulary are very important. It is
because the main objective of language learners is to understand and be understood in their
communication using the language acquired. In order to achieve this aim, language learners
have to study a certain number of words. If someone has adequate vocabulary, he or she will
feel more confident when communicating with others as well as expressing himself/herself in
both oral and written forms.
1.1.3 Classification of vocabulary
Vocabulary can be classified in various ways depending on different criteria, features
or functions. In terms of semantics, vocabulary items are categorized into notional or lexical
words and functional or grammatical words. Notional words consist of the majority of
vocabulary items a language learner can acquire. These words, which convey meanings in
themselves, namely, objects, actions, or qualities. On the contrary, functional words are those
words whose meanings are grammatical, which means they have some relation to the other
words with which they are used.
In terms of grammar, vocabulary items are divided into different parts of speech. They
can be nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositions, articles, conjunctions and so on.
According to the sequence of use, there are three groups of words, which appear in
different frequencies: high frequency words, low frequency words and specialized words.
However, Nation (2001) suggests distinguishing four kinds of vocabulary in the text. They are
high-frequency words, academic words, technical and low-frequency words.
In terms of the concept of morpheme, there are simple words (only consist of a root
morpheme); derived words (consist of a root and one or more derivational morpheme); and
compound words (have at least two roots with or without derivational morpheme).

opportunism, and centers of interest. Nation and Newton (1997) suggest looking into the
principled selection of vocabulary through the following dimensions: frequency; range; the
ability to combine, define or replace other words; association; and availability. Richards (2001)
presents seven criteria for vocabulary selection: frequency, range, teachability, similarity,
availability, coverage, and defining power. In addition, McCarthy (1990) once states that “the
most frequent words in the language must be presented in the early state of language teaching,


8

and this is a sensible decision, because they offer the learner a survival-level repertoire for
comprehension and production” (p.79). From these points of view, we find that most of
scholars share the same idea about the importance of frequency when mentioning it in the first
position and emphasize it rather than other criteria. They seem to agree that frequency is an
important criterion for vocabulary selection and consider the words which are frequently used
by speakers of that language should be taught first.
1.2 Teaching vocabulary through texts
1.2.1 Definitions of texts
The term “text” is defined in many different ways. Crystal (1992) considers text as “a
piece of naturally occurring spoken, written, or signed discourse identified for purpose of
analysis. It is often a language unit with definable communicative function, such as a
conversation, a poster”. Brown and Yule (1983) see “text” as “verbal record of a
communicative act” (p. 6). Cook (1989) considers “text” as “a stretch of language interpreted
formally” (p. 158).
Nunan (1993) gives a clearer definition when he considers text as the “written record
of a communicative event which conveys a complete message. Text may vary from single
words (for example, Stop!, EXIT) to books running to hundreds of pages” (p. 124). The
communicative events may include oral language (for example, a sermon, a casual
conversation, a shopping conversation) or written language such as a poem, a newspaper
advertisement, a shopping list, a novel.

Finally, texts help readers develop a holistic approach toward reading. Because the
context of a new word may be drawn from a group of sentences, a paragraph or even the
entire text, they learn to direct their attention to language unit larger than the sentence while
they are looking for context clues.
1.2.3 Techniques to teach vocabulary through texts
As mentioned above, the ultimate goal of teaching English is that learners can
communicate in English. In order to do that, learners do not only know isolated words and
recognize them in reading and listening but also know how to use these words in
communication through speaking or writing. Therefore, in teaching English, teachers should
always teach the language in use, that is how words are put in the right contexts. In fact, texts
which are considered to be a good source of vocabulary for students can provide contexts of
words. Texts are often used in four language skills, listening, speaking, reading and writing.
Thus, when teaching vocabulary through texts, teachers should always bear in mind three
stages which include pre-stage, while-stage and post-stage. Each stage has its own techniques.
1.2.3.1 Pre-stage
The purpose of pre-stage is to activate students’ prior knowledge and present new
vocabulary items. It is because “if words important to the meaning of the text are not
understood, then the meaning and significance of the text will not be understood either. What


10

will follow will be Listening/Reading incomprehension” (Cranmer, 1986, p.58), and finally
resulted in Writing/Speaking inability. According to him, there are some ways of teaching
vocabulary before text presentation. They are as follows:


Definitions






Realia



Pictures – photos, magazines picture, illustrations



Explanation



Synonym



Antonym discrimination



Co-ordinates grid



Generalization of form




Synonym



Opposite(s) (antonyms)



Translation


11



Associated ideas, collocations
(Ur, 1996, p. 63)

And the followings are different ways of presenting new vocabulary suggested by Murcia
(1991):


Visual aids (Pictures, Objects)



Word Relations (Synonyms, Antonyms)




Matching



Inference and Definition



Use of monolingual learner dictionaries



Categorization



Information transfer
(p. 60-61)

Furthermore, there are some other techniques that teachers can use to develop students’
vocabulary through texts such as


12



Guessing new words from context


words are not taught in isolation but within the context of the text. Nation (1990) presents five
steps of guessing the meaning of words from context.
Step 1. Look at the unknown word and decide its part of speech. Is it a noun, a verb, an
adjective, or an adverb?
Step 2. Look at the clause or sentence containing the unknown word. If the unknown word is a
noun, what adjectives describe it? What verb is it near? That is, what does this noun do, or
what is done to it?
If the unknown word is a verb, what nouns does it go with?
Is it modified by an adverb?
If it is an adjective, what noun does it go with?
If it is an adverb, what verb is it modifying?
Step 3. Look at the relationship between the clause or sentence containing the unknown word
and other sentences or paragraphs. Sometimes this relationship will be signaled by a
conjunction like but, because, if, when, or by an adverb like however, as a result. Often there
will be no signal. The possible types of relationship include cause and effect, contrast,
inclusion, time, exemplification, and summary.
Step 4. Use the knowledge you have gained from steps 1 to 3 to guess the meaning of the
word.
Step 5. Check that your guess is correct.
(1) See that the part of speech of your guess is the same as the part of speech of the unknown
word. If it is not the same, then something is wrong with your guess.


13

(2) Replace the unknown word with your guess. If the sentence makes sense, your guess is
probably correct.
(3) Break the unknown word into its prefix, root and suffix, if possible. If the meanings of the
prefix and root correspond to your guess, good. If not, look at your guess again, but do not
change anything if you feel reasonably certain about your guess using the context.

Summarizing is a helpful technique to help students to practice their using words and
improve their expressing ability in foreign language. It is a good method that develops both
writing and speaking skills. In order to summarize the text, students have to recall what they


14

have read/listen and concentrate on the main ideas, expressing them in their own way.
Whereas, teachers should give students a little time to prepare and suggest them some words
and phrases. After they complete their summaries, teachers can ask students to stand up and
summarize the text or write their summary on the blackboard.


Organizing discussion

Discussion can enhance students’ vocabulary usage by asking them to discuss about
things relating to the text using words they have known. The best way to do this activity is to
let students to work in pairs or groups so that the whole class have chance to express their
ideas.
To carry out this activity, teachers should raise a problem and ask students to express their
opinions freely. After discussing, the reporter of each group will tell the whole class about
their ideas. By doing that, all the students have chance to express their ideas freely, practice
what they have learnt and therefore become more confident in real life situations.


Retelling the story by using the given words

This is a method to develop students’ memory. Through retelling the story using words
they have learnt, students can consolidate their vocabulary as well as improve their speaking
and writing skill.

Business Administration and 25 students in Applied Graphics department) aged from 18 to 23
years old in their first term and randomly chosen at Hoa Binh university. It is a private and
newly founded university and receives little fame in the country. Thus the students’ entry
level is very low. The numbers from the students’ survey questionnaires show that the
vocabulary size of first year students when they came to study at Hoa Binh university is
considerably low, only 39% of students ( the largest percentage) know 100-500 words while
66% claim that they have learnt English for 7 years. In addition, most of them fail the national
entrance exam to famous universities and then have to apply for studying in this university as
the last chance. Moreover, these students come from different places in the country so there
are different levels of ability amongst students. Some students from urban areas have had
seven years of learning English comprising of four years at secondary school and three years
at high school, some have learnt English for only three years. Those coming from remote
places have never learnt English. As a result, some of them do not know anything about
English but some others know quite a lot. One more thing is that all of them are not students
of English so they do not devote themselves to learning English. In other words, they have no


16

motivation to learn English. They find English too difficult to master. Therefore, most of
them are not interested in learning English. They learn English just because it is a compulsory
subject and they need to pass the exam.
The textbooks used in the course are the New Headway series, published by Oxford
University Press in 2006. It is a multi-level course for adults and young adults who want to
use English both accurately and fluently. Grammar and vocabulary are taught and explained
thoroughly and all four language skills are developed systematically. All the students start
with the Elementary level and end up with “New Headway Upper-Intermediate” after
graduation. This textbook is evaluated as a lexical syllabus because most new words are
presented in a lexical set such as weather, sports, clothing, jobs and so on. Texts used in four
language skills of reading, listening, writing and speaking are constructed around the theme

year non-English major students chosen randomly. The questions for students focus on these
following points:


Students’ information about the frequency that teachers use texts to teach vocabulary
(question 2).



Students’ information about what kind of vocabulary is chosen to teach by teachers
(question 3).



Techniques that teachers often use to teach vocabulary through texts (questions 4, 5,
6).



Vocabulary teaching techniques preferred by students (questions 7, 8).



Students’ difficulties in learning vocabulary through texts (questions 9, 10).



Their ideas about the effectiveness of using texts to teach vocabulary (questions 11,
12).


information was being collected. While they are fulfilling the questionnaires, their additional
questions were answered to clarify their misunderstanding and minimize their confusion.
2.4 Procedure of data analysis
2.4.1 Data analysis methods
The data analysis in this study was implemented based on the framework with clear
set aims and research questions. Therefore, there were the tasks of categorization,
classification and final analysis.
The data received from the close-ended questions in the questionnaires was quantified,
calculated and transferred into numerical form. In order to see the overall evaluation, the
participants’ choices were synthesized and analyzed to gain a composite score.
Data collected mainly from open- ended questions and classroom observations
allowed the researcher to gain insight into the participants’ perceptions, attitudes, and
suggestions. All the same ideas would be grouped together to be compared.
2.4.2 Data analysis procedures
After all the data was gathered, it was transformed and classified according to the two
research questions. From the data analysis, a large amount of statistics obtained from the
questionnaire was transformed into tables and charts, which reassured the clear-cut format and
facilitate the analytical task as well as help readers understand comparison and synthesis.
2.5 Summary


19

In short, this chapter presents the research methodology as well as the procedure of
data collection and data analysis to find out answers to the research questions.


20

Chapter 3: DATA PRESENTATION AND DISCUSSION