Using total physical response to improve vocabulary for the pupils of grade 4 at Luong Ngoc Quyen primary school

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

DUONG THI VAN ANH

USING TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE TO IMPROVE

VOCABULARY FOR THE PUPILS OF GRADE 4 AT LUONG NGOC

QUYEN PRIMARY SCHOOL

M.A. THESIS

Field: English Linguistics

Code: 8220201

THAI NGUYEN - 2021

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

DUONG THI VAN ANH

USING TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE TO IMPROVE VOCABULARY

FOR THE PUPILS OF GRADE 4 AT LUONG NGOC QUYEN PRIMARY

SCHOOL

M.A. THESIS

Field: English Linguistics

Code: 8220201

THAI NGUYEN - 2021

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

DUONG THI VAN ANH

USING TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE TO IMPROVE

VOCABULARY FOR THE PUPILS OF GRADE 4 AT LUONG NGOC

QUYEN PRIMARY SCHOOL

M.A. THESIS

(APPLICATION ORIENTATION)

Field: English Linguistics

Code: 8220201

Supervisor: Duong Cong Dat, Ph.D.

THAI NGUYEN - 2021

ĐẠI HỌC THÁI NGUYÊN

TRƯỜNG NGOẠI NGỮ

DƯƠNG THỊ VÂN ANH

SỬ DỤNG PHẢN XẠ TOÀN THÂN NHẰM TĂNG VỐN TỪ VỰNG CHO

HỌC SINH LỚP 4 TRƯỜNG TIỂU HỌC LƯƠNG NGỌC QUYẾN

LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ

( Định hướng ứng dụng)

Ngành: Ngôn ngữ tiếng Anh

Mã số: 8220201

Cán bộ hướng dẫn: TS. Dương Công Đạt

THÁI NGUYÊN - 2021

i

DECLARATION

I hereby certify that the thesis entitled “Using Total Physical Response to improve

vocabulary for the pupils of grade 4 at Luong Ngoc Quyen Primary School” is the

study of my own research and the substance of this research has not been submitted

for a degree to any other university or institution.

Approved by Supervisor

Dr. Duong Cong Dat

Thai Nguyen, April 2021

Signature

Duong Thi Van Anh

ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The thesis on “Using Total Physical Response to improve vocabulary for the

pupils of grade 4 at Luong Ngoc Quyen Primary School” came to completion. On

this occasion, the writer would like to thank all those people who have contributed

to the completion of this research report.

The deepest gratitude and appreciation are extended to Dr. Duong Cong Dat,

the supervisor who has given her continuous guidance, helpful correction, moral

support, advice and suggestion, without her valuable support it is doubtful that this

thesis came into completion.

The writer’s deepest thank also goes to the following:

1. Mrs. Nguyen Thi Lan Minh as the principal of Luong Ngoc Quyen Primary

School, who has permitted and given the opportunity to the writer to carry out her

study at the school.

2. Mrs. Dinh Thi Lien as a teacher of English at Luong Ngoc Quyen Primary

School in Thai Nguyen City who has willingly shared their time to conduct the

treatment and collect some data needed for completing her study.

3. The teachers and students at Luong Ngoc Quyen Primary School, especially

students in Class 4B and 4C at the academic year 2019-2020 who have participated

in this Study.

4. All of the lecturers of The English Department of School of Foreign

Languages, Thai Nguyen University, who have guided and shared their knowledge

during her academic years.

5. Her family for their support and encouragement.

The writer realizes that this thesis is still far from perfect. She therefore will

be glad to receive any constructive criticism and recommendation to make this

thesis better.

Finally, the writer expects that this thesis will be useful to the reader who

wishes to learn something about teaching methods, especially using TPR in

teaching English.

iii

ABSTRACT

Currently, English is seen as a compulsory subject at schools in Vietnam. It

is no longer new and strange for students, this subject has received the attention of

parents and students. In the process of teaching English, teaching vocabulary is a

necessary activity which not only helps the pupils to remember vocabulary but also

pronounce words correctly and use words to communicate with other. This study

aims to enhancing vocabulary for pupils by using TPR and find out the impact of

using TPR on the learners’ learning English vocabulary. This research also indicates

the pupils’ responses after experiencing TPR method. Through finding the answers

of the research questions, the researcher can find out effectiveness of using TPR in

teaching English vocabulary for primary school pupils. Its results are hoped to be

helpful reference for further researches, as well as for teachers who desire to help

pupils in studying English.

Key words: Total Physical Response, vocabulary, teaching, young learners

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TABLE OF CONTENT

DECLARATION ........................................................................................................ i

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

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

TABLE OF CONTENT............................................................................................ iv

LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................... vii

LIST OF FIGURES................................................................................................. viii

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

1.1. Rationale for the study .........................................................................................1

1.2. Aims of the study .................................................................................................3

1.3 Research questions................................................................................................3

1.4. Scope of the study ................................................................................................3

1.5 Structure of the study ............................................................................................3

CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................5

2.1 Young Learners and Their Characteristics............................................................5

2.2 Vocabulary and vocabulary learning ....................................................................7

2.2.1. The definitions of vocabulary ...........................................................................7

2.2.2. The importance of vocabulary in teaching and learning foreign languages.....7

2.3 Total Physical Response .......................................................................................8

2.3.1. The definition of the Total Physical Response method ....................................8

2.3.2. The features of TPR ..........................................................................................9

2.3.3. Application of TPR in language classroom ....................................................10

2.3.3.1 Designing learning activities in accordance with TPR.................................10

2.3.3.2 The steps of applying TPR in the class.........................................................13

2.4. Previous studies on using TPR in teaching and learning vocabulary ................14

CHAPTER 3. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY..................................................19

3.1. Research questions.............................................................................................19

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3.2. Research design..................................................................................................19

3.3. Participants.........................................................................................................20

3.4. Materials.............................................................................................................20

3.5. Teaching Procedure............................................................................................21

3.6. Research Procedure............................................................................................22

3.6.1. Planning...........................................................................................................22

3.6.2. Implementing the action..................................................................................23

3.6.3. Confirming ......................................................................................................25

3.6.4. Closing ............................................................................................................25

3.7. Data collection instruments................................................................................25

3.8. Data analysis ......................................................................................................27

CHAPTER 4. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ...................................................30

4.1. Findings from observation .................................................................................30

4.1.1. Pre-observation results....................................................................................30

4.1.2. Post-observation results ..................................................................................31

4.2. Findings from tests.............................................................................................40

4.2.1. Pre-test results.................................................................................................40

4.2.2. Post-test results................................................................................................33

4.2.3. Differences in pupils’ vocabulary use before and after using TPR in teaching

vocabulary .................................................................................................................34

4.3. Findings from interviews ...................................................................................35

4.3.1. Interviews with teachers..................................................................................35

4.3.2. Interviews with pupils.....................................................................................36

4.4. Findings from questionnaire ..............................................................................37

4.5. Discussion ..........................................................................................................39

CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION..........................................50

5.1. Conclusion..........................................................................................................50

5.2. Implications........................................................................................................43

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5.3. Limitations of the research.................................................................................44

5.4. Suggestions ........................................................................................................45

5.4.1. For the English teachers..................................................................................43

5.4.2. For the students...............................................................................................44

5.4.3 For the other researchers..................................................................................54

REFERENCES..........................................................................................................46

APPENDIX 1:............................................................................................................. I

APPENDIX 2: ..........................................................................................................X

APPENDIX 3:.........................................................................................................XII

APPENDIX 4:......................................................................................................XXII

APPENDIX 5:................................................................................................... XXXII

APPENDIX 6:..................................................................................................XXXIV

APPENDIX 7:..................................................................................................XXXVI

APPENDIX 8: ..............................................................................................XXXVIII