The effect of using interactive whiteboard on the fifth graders' vocabulary achievement, vocabulary retention and learning attitudes at Tran Quang Khai Primary School

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

TRAN THI THUY TRANG

THE EFFECT OF USING INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARD ON THE

FIFTH GRADERS’ VOCABULARY ACHIEVEMENT, VOCABULARY

RETENTION AND LEARNING ATTITUDES AT TRAN QUANG KHAI

PRIMARY SCHOOL

MASTER OF ARTS IN TESOL

Ho Chi Minh City, 2019

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY

TRAN THI THUY TRANG

THE EFFECT OF USING INTERACTIVE WHITEBOARD ON THE

FIFTH GRADERS’ VOCABULARY ACHIEVEMENT, VOCABULARY

RETENTION AND LEARNING ATTITUDES AT TRAN QUANG KHAI

PRIMARY SCHOOL

Major: Teaching English to speakers of other language

Major code: 60140111

MASTER OF ARTS IN TESOL

Supervisor: Dr. NGUYEN HOANG TUAN

Ho Chi Minh City, 2019

TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC MỞ CỘNG HÒA XÃ HỘI CHỦ NGHĨA VIỆT NAM

THÀNH PHỐ HỒ CHÍ MINH Độc lập – Tự do – Hạnh phúc

KHOA ĐÀO TẠO SAU ĐẠI HỌC

GIẤY XÁC NHẬN

Tôi tên là: Trần Thị Thùy Trang

Ngày sinh: 28/02/1990 Nơi sinh: Long An

Chuyên ngành: Lý luận và Phương pháp dạy học bộ môn Tiếng Anh

Mã học viên: 1581401110057

Tôi đồng ý cung cấp toàn văn thông tin luận án/ luận văn tốt nghiệp hợp lệ về bản

quyền cho Thư viện trường đại học Mở Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh. Thư viện trường

đại học Mở Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh sẽ kết nối toàn văn thông tin luận án/ luận văn

tốt nghiệp vào hệ thống thông tin khoa học của Sở Khoa học và Công nghệ Thành

phố Hồ Chí Minh.

Ký tên

(Ghi rõ họ và tên)

Trần Thị Thùy Trang

i

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP

I certify that this thesis entitled “The Effect of Using Interactive Whiteboard on the

Fifth Graders’ Vocabulary Achievement, Vocabulary Retention and Learning

Attitudes at Tran Quang Khai Primary School” is my own work.

Except where reference is made in the text of the thesis, this thesis does not contain

material published elsewhere or extracted from a thesis by which I have qualified for

or been awarded another degree or diploma.

No other person’s work has been used without due acknowledgment in the main text

of the thesis. This thesis has not been submitted for the award of any degree or

diploma in any other tertiary institution.

Ho Chi Minh City, September 2019

TRAN THI THUY TRANG

ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This Master of Arts in TESOL thesis is the result of a fruitful collaboration of all the

people who have kindly contributed with an enormous commitment and enthusiasm in

my research. Without the help of those who supported me at all times and in all

possible ways, it would not have been feasible for me to complete my M.A. thesis.

First of all, I am deeply indebted to my supervisor, Dr. Nguyen Hoang Tuan, whose

compassion; encouragement and guidance throughout the research have supported me

in the thesis completion. I have truly learned from his excellent knowledge and wide

experience in research.

I am also sincerely grateful to all lecturers of the Open University in Ho Chi Minh

City for providing me valuable sources of intellectual knowledge during my study.

This knowledge was very useful when I conducted this research.

I owe a great debt of gratitude to the participating teachers and students at Tran Quang

Khai primary school who contributed data to this thesis. Without them, the data

collection for this study could not properly been carried out.

iii

ABSTRACT

As the rapid growth of technology, the Interactive Whiteboard takes priority in

educational settings around the world. Unlike schools in developed countries, only

Vietnamese public elementary schools in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh cities have been

newly supplied with this teaching aid since 2014, including Tran Quang Khai primary

school. Due to its first application, therefore, the overall aim of the study was to

evaluate the success of integrating the Interactive Whiteboard into vocabulary lessons

in terms of developing the fifth graders’ vocabulary achievement, vocabulary

retention and positive learning attitudes. The thirteen-week quasi-experimental study

was conducted on the two classes 5/1 and 5/2 with the participation of 80 fifth graders

as the control group and the experimental group, respectively. The instruments

included three vocabulary tests (e.g. one pre-test, one post-test and one delayed post￾test); and the attitude questionnaire. The quantitative data obtained from these

measurement tools were analyzed by SPSS version 20.0. The findings of the study

indicated that the Interactive Whiteboard activities positively contributed to the fifth

graders’ vocabulary performance and retention. In other words, these interactive

activities helped the students performed vocabulary tests better and retain the words

longer. Besides, the fifth graders’ level of motivation, interest, and active behavioral

intentions considerably increased thanks to the Interactive Whiteboard. Based on the

research findings, the paper concluded with some pedagogical implications and a

recommendation for further study in line of research on the Interactive Whiteboard

application.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP........................................................................i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.................................................................................. ii

ABSTRACT......................................................................................................... iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS .....................................................................................iv

LIST OF TABLES............................................................................................. viii

LIST OF FIGURES AND CHARTS ....................................................................x

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .........................................................................1

1.1 Background to the Study ................................................................................1

1.2 Problem Statement .........................................................................................2

1.3 Research Aims...............................................................................................3

1.4 Research Questions........................................................................................3

1.5 Significance of the Study................................................................................4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................6

2.1 Characteristics of Young Learners..................................................................6

2.2 Theories to Teaching to Young Learners........................................................7

2.2.1 Social Constructivism..............................................................................7

2.2.2 Zone of Proximal Development ...............................................................7

2.3 Definition and Functions of the Interactive Whiteboard .................................9

2.4 Benefits and Challenges of the Interactive Whiteboard ................................11

2.5 Definitions, Roles and Aspects of Vocabulary..............................................13

2.6 Vocabulary Instruction to Young Learners...................................................13

2.6.1 The process of Vocabulary Acquisition .................................................13

2.6.2 Principles of Vocabulary Instruction......................................................14

2.6.3 Vocabulary Retention ............................................................................15

2.7 Vocabulary Instruction with the Interactive Whiteboard................................16

2.8 Concept of Learning Attitude .......................................................................18

2.8.1 Definitions of Attitude..............................................................................18

2.8.2 Constructs of Attitude................................................................................19

2.9 Previous Studies...........................................................................................19

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2.10 Conceptual Framework ..............................................................................22

2.11 Chapter summary.....................................................................................................23

CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY................................................24

3.1 Research Design...........................................................................................24

3.2 Reseach Content...........................................................................................25

3.3 Research Participants ...................................................................................25

3.4 Training Procedure.......................................................................................27

3.4.1 Materials................................................................................................27

3.4.2 Time Framework ...................................................................................28

3.4.3 Lesson Plans for the Experimental Group and the Control Group...........29

3.5 Measurement Tools......................................................................................30

3.5.1 Vocabualry Tests.........................................................................................31

3.5.2 Attitude Questionnaire................................................................................32

3.6 Data Analytical Configuration......................................................................35

3.6.1 Vocabulary Tests...................................................................................35

3.6.2 Attitude Questionnaire ...........................................................................35

3.7 Reliability and Validity of the Measurement Tools.......................................36

3.8 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................38

CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION.....................................39

4.1 Research Question 1.....................................................................................39

4.1.1 Data Analysis of the Vocabulary Tests.....................................................39

4.1.1.1. Independent Samples T-Test on the Pre-Test Results between

Groups……………………………………………………………................39

4.1.1.2 Paired Samples T-Tests on the Pre-Test and Post-Test Results within

Groups……………………………………………………………………….41

4.1.1.3 Independent Sample T-Test on the Post-Test Results between

Groups…………………………………………………………………….44

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4.1.1.4 Paired Samples T-Test on the Post-Test and the Delayed Post-Test

Results within Groups……………………………………………............46

4.1.1.5 Independent Samples T-Test on the Delayed Post-Test Results between

Groups...........................................................................................................48

4.1.2 Discussion………………………………………………….....................50

4.2 Research Question 2.......................................................................................53

4.2.1 Data Analysis of the Attitude Questionnaire............................................53

4.2.1.1. Reliability Analysis............................................................................54

4.2.1.2. Data Analysis.....................................................................................58

4.2.2. Discussion.................................................................................................59

4.3. Chapter Summary...........................................................................................62

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.......................63

5.1 Conclusions..................................................................................................63

5.2 Overall Recap of Methodology ....................................................................64

5.2.1. Strengths...................................................................................................64

5.2.2. Limitations...............................................................................................65

5.3 Recommendations........................................................................................65

5.3.1 For Teachers..........................................................................................66

5.3.2 For Future Research...............................................................................67

5.4 Chapter Summary ........................................................................................67

REFERENCES ....................................................................................................68

APPENDICES .....................................................................................................74

APPENDIX A: LESSON PLANS FOR THE CONTROL GROUP ...................75

APPENDIX B: LESSON PLANS FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL GROUP..........84

APPENDIX C.1: PRE-TEST .............................................................................94

APPENDIX C.2: POST-TEST..........................................................................96

APPENDIX C.3: DELAYED POST-TEST.........................................................99

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APPENDIX D.1: QUESTIONNAIRE ( ENGLISH VERSION)...........................102

APPENDIX D.2: QUESTIONNAIRE ( VIETNAMESE VERSION)...................104

APPENDIX E: TEST SCORES.............................................................................106

.

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 2.1: A Recap of Vocabulary Activities with the Interactive Whiteboard .......17

Table 3.1: Research Design ....................................................................................25

Table 3.2: The Students’ Demographic Information................................................26

Table 3.3: Description of the Training Material ......................................................27

Table 3.4: Time Framework of the Study................................................................28

Table 3.5: The Tie-up between Research Questions and Measurement Tools.........31

Table 3.6: Sources for the Attitude Questionnaire....................................................34

Table 3.7: Quality Justification of Measurement Tools............................................37

Table 4.1a: Group Statistics on the Pre-Test of the Control and Experimental Groups

................................................................................................................................40

Table 4.1b: Independent Samples T-test on the Pre-test of the Control and

Experimental Groups.............................................................................................41

Table 4.2a: Paired Samples Statistics in the Pre-test and the Post-Test of the Control

Group ....................................................................................................................42

Table 4.2b: Results of Paired Samples T-test in the Pre-test and the Post-test of the

Control Group .......................................................................................................42

Table 4.3a: Paired Samples Statistics in the Pre-Test and the Post-Test of the

Experimental Group ..............................................................................................43

Table 4.3b: Results of Paired Samples T-test in the Pre-test and the Post-test of the

Experimental Group ..............................................................................................43

Table 4.4a: Group Statistics on the Post-test of the Control and Experimental

Groups........................................................................................................................45

Table 4.4b: Independent Samples T-test on the Post-test of the Control and

Experimental Groups.................................................................................................45

Table 4.5a: Paired Samples Satistics in the Post-test and the Delayed Post-Test of the

Control ......................................................................................................................46

Table 4.5b: Results of Paired Samples T-test in the Post-test and the Delayed Post￾test of the Control Group............................................................................................46

ix

Table 4.6a: Paired Samples Statistics in the Post-Test and the Delayed Post-Test of

the Experimental Group.............................................................................................47

Table 4.6b: Results of Paired Samples T-test in the Post-test and the Delayed Post￾test of the Experimental Group................................................................................47

Table 4.7a: Group Statistics on the Delayed Post-test of the Control and Experimental

Group..........................................................................................................................49

Table 4.7b: Independent Samples T-test on the Delayed Post-test of the Control and

Experimental Groups.............................................................................................50

Table 4.8: Reliability Statistics of the Questionnaire............................................54

Table 4.9: The Students' Affective Attitudes...........................................................55

Table 4.10: The Students’ Cognitive Attitudes......................................................56

Table 4.11: The Students’ Behavioral Attitudes....................................................58