VIETNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, HANOI
UNIVERSITY OF LANGUAGES AND INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
FACULTY OF POST-GRADUATE STUDIES
HOÀNG THỊ NGA
TEACHERS’ AND STUDENTS’ ATTITUDES TOWARDS
USING LANGUAGE GAMES TO TEACH VOCABULARY:
A STUDY AT A PRIMARY SCHOOL IN HANOI
(Quan điểm của giáo viên và học sinh đối với việc sử dụng trò chơi trong
việc dạy từ vựng: một nghiên cứu tại một trường tiểu học tại Hà Nội)
M.A MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS
MAJOR: ENGLISH TEACHING METHODOLOGY
CODE: 8140231.01
SUPERVISOR: PROF. HOÀNG VĂN VÂN
HANOI - 2020
i
DECLARATION
I, Hoang Thi Nga, state that the minor thesis, entitled “Teachers’
and students’ attitudes towards using language games to teach
vocabulary: a study at a primary school in Hanoi” is my own research
result and that it has not been submitted for any other universities and
institutes.
Hanoi, 2020
Student‟s signature
Hoàng Thị Nga
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to
Prof. Hoàng Văn Vân, my supervisor for his invaluable advice. During
this thesis writing period, he provided much helpful guidance and
encouragement. Without constructive criticism, precious correction, my
thesis could not have been completed.
My thanks also go to all of the lecturers and staff of the Faculty of
Post-Graduate Studies, University of Languages and International
Studies, Vietnam National University, Hanoi for their valuable lectures
and useful materials.
I am also thankful to all the English teachers and students at Van
Con Primary School for answering the questionnaires, which are
indispensable for the analysis and discussion in my study.
Last but not least, my hearted thanks are reserved for my family
and friends for their love and support that have encouraged me a lot in
conducting this thesis.
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ABSTRACT
The current study aims at helping fifth-grade students at a primary
school in Hanoi to improve their vocabulary learning through language
games. The school chosen for the study is Van Con Primary School in
Hanoi. The quantitative and qualitative methods are employed for the
study. Therefore, it is an attempt to investigate the teachers and students‟
attitudes towards using language games to teach vocabulary. The subjects
of the study are 05 English teachers and 106 fifth-grade students (03
classes) from Van Con Primary School in Hanoi. The data have been
gathered via survey questionnaires for both the teachers and students and
informal interviews only for the teachers. The first finding indicates the
majority of the teachers and students have positive attitudes when
applying language games to teach vocabulary. The second finding is that
most of the teachers have applied different types of sources of word
games in teaching vocabulary. However, there are some certain
limitations. They mainly use language games to present new words but
not really call interest from their students or motivate them in learning
new words. This means that they have not yet made advantage of its
potentials. The final finding shows some possible difficulties faced by the
teachers and the students when using language games to teach and learn
vocabulary.
Based on the findings, some recommendations, it is hopeful that
the study can be support to the teachers and students at Van Con Primary
School for reference to teach and learn vocabulary more effectively.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Pages
DECLARATION………………………………………………………..
i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS…………………………………………….
ii
ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………….
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS……………………………………………….
iv
LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES…………………………………...
vi
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION………………………………...........
1
1. Rational of the study……………………………………………...
1
2. Aim and objectives of the study………………………………….
2
3. Research questions………………………………………………..
2
4. Scope of the study…………………………………………………
2
5. Methods of the study……………………………………………..
3
6. Significance of the study………………………………………….
4
7. Structure of the study……………………………………………
5
CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE REVIEW……………………….....
6
2.1. Attitudes in teaching and learning foreign language………
6
2.1.1. Definition of attitude………………………………………
6
2.1.2. The role of attitude in language learning……………………
7
2.2. Games in teaching and learning language……………………
8
2.2.1. Definition of language games………………………………
8
2.2.2. Types of language games……………………………………
10
2.2.3. Benefits in using language games to teach vocabulary……..
12
2.3. Vocabulary in teaching and learning language…………….
15
2.3.1. Definition of vocabulary……………………………………
15
2.3.2. The role of vocabulary in language learning………………...
16
2.3.3. Techniques to teach vocabulary through games……………..
17