Teachers’ perceptions and practices of using total physical response in teaching english vocabulary to young learners at primary schools in quy nhon city

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
QUY NHON UNIVERSITY

NGUYEN THI MY HANH

TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICES OF
USING TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE IN TEACHING
ENGLISH VOCABULARY TO YOUNG LEARNERS AT

PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN QUY NHON CITY

MASTER THESIS IN THEORY AND METODOLOGY OF
ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING

Binh Dinh, 2023

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
QUY NHON UNIVERSITY

NGUYEN THI MY HANH

TEACHERS’ PERCEPTIONS AND PRACTICES OF
USING TOTAL PHYSICAL RESPONSE IN TEACHING
ENGLISH VOCABULARY TO YOUNG LEARNERS AT

PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN QUY NHON CITY

Field: Theory and Methodology of English Language Teaching
Code: 8140111

Supervisor: Ha Thanh Hai, Ph.D

BỘ GIÁO DỤC VÀ ĐÀO TẠO
TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC QUY NHON

NGUYỄN THỊ MỸ HẠNH

NHẬN THỨC VÀ THỰC TẾ GIẢNG DẠY CỦA GIÁO
VIÊN TRONG VIỆC SỬ DỤNG PHƯƠNG PHÁP PHẢN
ỨNG CƠ HỌC ĐỂ DẠY TỪ VỰNG CHO HỌC SINH TẠI
CÁC TRƯỜNG TIỂU HỌC Ở THÀNH PHỐ QUY NHƠN

Ngành: Lý luận và phương pháp dạy học bộ môn Tiếng Anh
Mã số: 8140111

Người hướng dẫn: TS. Hà Thanh Hải

i
STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP
I hereby acknowledge that this study is mine. The data and findings
discussed in the thesis are true and have not been published elsewhere.

Quy Nhon, 2023

Nguyen Thi My Hanh

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Without the support, encouragement, and contributions from my

supervisor, my professors, my school, colleagues, friends, and family, the
successful completion of this thesis work would not have been possible. I take
this chance to express my deepest thanks to them for their support.

First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my
thesis supervisor, Dr. Ha Thanh Hai, for his continuous support, expert
guidance, and patience throughout the study. He provided me with assistance
at every stage of the process and always expressed his faith in me. I am
gratefully indebted for his very valuable comments on this thesis.

I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the teachers at primary
schools in Quy Nhon City who devoted their time to taking part in this research.

I was also thankful to my colleagues for their support during my study
time. I am also grateful to Quy Nhon University, Post-graduate Department,
and the Foreign Languages Department for the administrative assistance.

Last but not least, I must express my gratitude to my family for providing
me with unfailing support and continuous encouragement throughout the
course and the study of this thesis.

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ABSTRACT

This study aims at exploring teachers’ perceptions of using TPR in teaching
vocabulary to young learners in primary school. It also examines how teachers
use it in the classroom. The research was conducted with the participation of
50 EFL teachers at 18 primary schools in Quy Nhon City. This research
implemented quantitative and qualitative approaches to collecting the data by

using questionnaires, semi-structured interviews and observation checklists.
The findings showed that teachers had a positive perception of using TPR in
their vocabulary teaching. However, the limited time and classroom conditions,
coupled with some noisy students and some shy students were obstacles to
teachers using TPR. Hence, some suggestions were forwarded so as to
minimize problems encountered and maximize the implementation of TPR for
young learners at primary schools. Based on the findings, implications for
educators, school administrators, and teachers were also offered.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

STATEMENT OF AUTHORSHIP ................................................................ i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS............................................................................ ii
ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................... iv
LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................ vii
LIST OF CHARTS ......................................................................................viii
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION.................................................................. 1

1.1. Rationale ................................................................................................ 1
1.2. Aim and Objectives of the Study ......................................................... 3

1.2.1. Aim of the Study............................................................................... 3
1.2.2. Objectives of the Study..................................................................... 3
1.3. Research Questions ............................................................................... 3
1.4. Scope of the Study ................................................................................. 3
1.5. Significance of the Study ...................................................................... 4
1.6. Organization of the Study .................................................................... 4

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW...................................................... 5
2.1. Teaching Vocabulary ............................................................................ 5
2.1.1. Definitions of Vocabulary................................................................ 5
2.1.2. Types of Vocabulary ........................................................................ 6
2.1.3. Teaching Vocabulary....................................................................... 7
2.2. Teaching Vocabulary to Young Learners .......................................... 8
2.2.1. Young Learners and Their Characteristics .................................... 8
2.2.2. Teaching English Vocabulary to Young Learners at Primary
Schools........................................................................................................ 9
2.3. Total Physical Response (TPR) ......................................................... 10
2.3.1. Definition of TPR........................................................................... 10
2.3.2. Principles of TPR ........................................................................... 12
2.3.3. Teachers’ and Learners’ Roles in TPR ........................................ 13

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2.3.3.1. Teachers’ Roles ........................................................................ 13
2.3.3.2. Learners’ Roles......................................................................... 14
2.3.3.3. Instructional Materials’ Roles.................................................. 14
2.3.4. Implementation of TPR in Language Classroom ........................ 14
2.3.4.1. TPR Activities ........................................................................... 14
2.3.4.2. The Procedure of Vocabulary Teaching Using TPR................ 17
2.3.5. Advantages and Disadvantages of TPR ........................................ 18
2.3.5.1. Advantages of TPR ................................................................... 18
2.3.5.2. Disadvantages of TPR .............................................................. 20
2.4. Teachers’ Perceptions......................................................................... 20
2.4.1. Introduction to Perception............................................................. 20
2.4.1.1. Definitions of Perception.......................................................... 20
2.4.1.2. Types of Perception .................................................................. 21
2.4.2. Teachers’ Perceptions.................................................................... 21

2.5. Previous Studies .................................................................................. 22
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY............................................................... 24
3.1. Research Design .................................................................................. 24
3.2. Participants.......................................................................................... 25
3.3. Data Collection .................................................................................... 27
3.3.1. Questionnaire ................................................................................. 27
3.3.2. Classroom Observation .................................................................. 28
3.3.3. Interview ........................................................................................ 30
3.4. Data Analysis ....................................................................................... 31
3.5. Chapter Summary............................................................................... 32
CHAPTER 4: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION ......................................... 33
4.1. Teachers’ Perceptions of Using TPR Method to Teach English
Vocabulary To Young Learners at Primary Schools ............................. 33
4.1.1. Teachers’ Perceptions of Advantages of TPR Method ................ 33
4.1.2. Teachers’ Perceptions of Disadvantages of TPR Method ........... 37
4.1.3. Teachers’ Perceptions of Necessity of TPR Method .................... 40

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4.2. Implementation of TPR to Teach English Vocabulary ................... 42
4.2.1. Frequency of Using TPR in Teaching Vocabulary...................... 42
4.2.2. TPR Activities ................................................................................. 44
4.2.3. How do Students Respond when TPR is Implemented? .............. 47
4.2.4. Factors Affecting Implementation of TPR ................................... 50
4.2.4.1. Factors from Teachers.............................................................. 50
4.2.4.2. Factors from Learners .............................................................. 51
4.2.4.3. Other Factors............................................................................ 52
4.2.5. Challenges of Using TPR Method faced by EFL Teachers......... 53

4.3. Discussion............................................................................................. 57

CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSION ..................................................................... 65

5.1. Summary of the Key Findings ........................................................... 65
5.1.1. Teachers’ Perceptions of Using TPR in Teaching Vocabulary to
Young Learners at Primary Schools ....................................................... 65
5.1.2. Teachers’ Practices of Using TPR in Teaching Vocabulary to
Young Learners at Primary Schools ....................................................... 66

5.2. Implications ......................................................................................... 67
5.2.1. Implications for Educators ............................................................ 67
5.2.2. Implications for Teachers.............................................................. 68

5.3. Limitations of the Study ..................................................................... 69
5.4. Suggestions for Further Research ..................................................... 70
REFERENCES .............................................................................................. 71
APPENDIX 1
APPENDIX 2
APPENDIX 3

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 3.1 A brief description of survey participants p. 26

Table 4.1 Teachers’ perceptions of advantages of TPR method p. 34

Table 4.2 Teachers’ perceptions of disadvantages of TPR p. 38

method

Table 4.3 Teachers’ perceptions of necessity of TPR method p. 40

Table 4.4 Teachers’ activities p. 46

Table 4.5 Students’ responses p. 49

Table 4.6 Challenges that teachers may face when using TPR p. 53
method

Table 4.7 Classroom conditions p. 54

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LIST OF CHARTS

Chart 4.1 Frequency of using TPR in the classroom p. 43

Chart 4.2 TPR activities used frequently by the teachers p. 44

Chart 4.3 Factors from teachers affecting implementation p. 50
of TPR

Chart 4.4 Factors from learners affecting implementation of p. 51
TPR

Chart 4.5 Other factors affecting implementation of TPR p. 52

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CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
This chapter introduces the rationale, the objectives, the scope, and the

research questions of the study. Besides, the significance and the outline of the
study are also mentioned.

1.1. Rationale

Currently, English has been widely used in Vietnam. This is a
compulsory subject in almost all school levels. Teaching English at primary
schools is one of the important goals concerned by the Government. Moreover,
children aged from 6 to 13 is the right time to learn another language along with
their mother tongue because children have a good memory to achieve new
things during that period.

In addition, there is no language without vocabulary and English is not
an exception. According to Cameron (2001), vocabulary is a base to the
learning of a language at the initial level. Pupils often encounter difficulties in
learning English vocabulary, so they find it hard to understand reading texts,
understand what others speak as well as giving responses. Therefore, learning
vocabulary is so important that the pupils study it as the basic competence to
learn those four skills in English. Learning new words relates to how we
understand them and how long we remember them. There are many factors
affecting word retention, for example, how diversification and frequently
words are used. According to Thornburg (2002), “the learner needs not only to
learn a lot of words, but also to remember them”. Therefore, sensory memory
has important values in learning vocabulary.

In the past, teachers often used traditional methods to teach vocabulary
such as providing word explanations and requiring practices, however, that was
not a really effective method. According to Singer, A.J. (2003), “teaching is

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helping learners to acquire new knowledge or skills. Teaching consisted,
mainly, of telling, showing, guiding the learner in performance tasks and then
measuring the results”. In some cases, some teachers do not have suitable
methods to inspire their students for learning English effectively, which makes
students not excited to learn vocabulary. It is easy to show that it is hard and
challenging, and time-consuming. The close relationship between vocabulary
and understandability must be expressed in the form of words. Finite
vocabulary will make learners find hard in communication, which loses their
confidence and gradually interests in studying English. Some reasons for those
limitations may be affected by teaching method, learning environment and
motivation. Within the scope of this study, teaching method will be focused on.

In primary education, vocabulary is considered one of the foundational
concerns in English teaching and learning. Thus, teachers should find effective
teaching methods to enhance students’ vocabulary so as to raise their interests
and language competency in learning English. So far, many researchers have
provided various methods to help students to easily study and memorize
vocabulary. One of them, TPR is regarded one of the most useful methods in
teaching and learning vocabulary. According to Richards and Rodgers (2001),
TPR is a method which is built around the coordination of speech and action in
other words it is to teach language through activity. There are no texts in the
teaching environment but there is a teaching via songs, games, stories
accompany actions which attracts the attention of young active learners. TPR
is an essential technique in teaching English for primary learners because this
method appeals to children’s attention and encourages them to have favorable
attitudes to learning English.

Although much work has been done to explore issues relating to the use
of TPR method to young learners, for examples, Muñoz (2011), Sariyati

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(2013), Bahtiar (2017), little attention has been paid to teachers’ perceptions as
well as practice of using TPR.

For all the reasons mentioned above, the researcher will conduct this
thesis with the title: “Teachers’ perceptions and practices of using Total
Physical Response in teaching English vocabulary to young learners at primary
schools in Quy Nhon city”
1.2. Aim and Objectives of the Study

1.2.1. Aim of the Study
This study aims to identify teachers’ perceptions toward the use of the

TPR method to teach young learners at primary schoolss
1.2.2. Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the study are formulated as follows:
- To identify teachers’ perceptions of using TPR in teaching English

vocabulary to primary school pupils.
- To describe how the teachers implement TPR method in English

classes.
1.3. Research Questions

This research is intended to answer these questions below:
1. What are teachers’ perceptions of using TPR method to teach English
vocabulary to young learners at primary schools?
2. How do primary teachers implement TPR method to English classes?

1.4. Scope of the Study
The scope of the study will be limited within 18 primary schools in Quy
Nhon city where an investigation into teachers’ perceptions about the use of

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TPR in teaching English vocabulary to young learners was implemented. The
main participants were the teachers of English at some primary schools. Due to
the fixed curriculum and limited time, it has been carried out in the second
semester of school year 2022-2023.

1.5. Significance of the Study

Despite its limitations, this study has significance for both theoretical
and practical contributions. Firstly, this research may contribute in modifying
theories that focus on the teachers’ perceptions and practice of TPR method
and how English vocabulary is taught at primary schools with the purposes of
finding out some factors affecting on the use of TPR. Secondly, this study may
help English teachers in designing the process of teaching English especially in
using TPR method in teaching English vocabulary at primary schools.
Additionally, the result of this research is expected to be used as an additional
reference in carrying out further research.

1.6. Organization of the Study

This thesis is organized into five chapters. The first chapter gives a brief
introduction about the rationale of the research, research questions, the
objectives, scope as well as structure of the study. In the next chapter, a
fundamental overview of theoretical concepts relating to the research is
provided. The third chapter presents methods used to collect data and

information of participants. Questionnaires, interviews and classroom
observations are described in more detail. In the fourth chapter, collected data
are calculated and analyzed to draw conclusions about perceptions and practice
failure to help teachers use TPR method effectively in their own English
classes. Finally, the study summarizes the research findings, offers implications
as well as limitations of the study and makes suggestions for classroom practice
and further research.

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CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter discusses general issues about teaching vocabulary and
teaching vocabulary to young learners, Total Physical Response and
implementation of TPR in classroom.

2.1. Teaching Vocabulary

2.1.1. Definitions of Vocabulary

Vocabulary is one of the most essential aspects of language because it
expresses human thoughts and experiences and facilitates the growth of
language skills. While Hornby (1995) viewed vocabulary as “total number of
words which make up the language with rules for combining them”, Linse
(2005b) defined it as “the collection of words that an individual knows”.
Moreover, according to Hatch and Brown, vocabulary refers to a list or
collection of words for a particular language or a list or collection of words that
individual language speakers may use. In addition, they stated that vocabulary
is the only alphabetical system (Hatch and Brown, 1995).

According to Webster’s definition (1983), vocabulary is a list of words
and phrases, typically arranged alphabetically and defined: a dictionary,
glossary, or lexicon. According to him, vocabulary consists of all the words
used by a particular individual, group, profession, etc. Sometimes, they are all
the words a person recognizes and understands, but does not necessarily use in
full, passive vocabulary.

According to Kim and Kim (2012), vocabulary is the foundation of
communication in that language. Therefore, it is essential to experiment with a
variety of teaching methods that encourage students to acquire vocabulary
without negative emotions. It is a factor in the formation of sentences so that
interactions can occur fluently and communication can be readily understood.

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It is difficult to communicate without vocabulary because words are used to
express thoughts, emotions, and desires. Vocabulary is, in short, a tool for
effective communication.

There are numerous definitions of vocabulary based on the preceding
statements. In this study, vocabulary refers to a list or collection of words for a
particular language.

2.1.2. Types of Vocabulary

There are many ways to categorize vocabulary. There are four types of
vocabulary, according to Judy K. Montgomery (2007): Listening vocabulary,
speaking vocabulary, reading vocabulary and writing vocabulary. The words
we hear and comprehend are our listening vocabulary. When individuals were
infants, they would simply listen and then gaze at the words to determine their

meaning. They continue to learn new terms in this manner throughout their
lifetimes; Speaking vocabulary consists of the words that individuals use to
communicate. The amount of people's speaking vocabulary is much smaller
than their listening vocabulary, most likely due to the simplicity of use;
Reading vocabulary is the words people understand when reading texts. There
are some of these words that people do not use in their speaking vocabulary;
Writing vocabulary are the words people can retrieve when they write to
express themselves. They are significantly influenced by their ability to spell
words.

Harmer (1991) distinguished between two categories of vocabulary:
active and passive. Active vocabulary is the vocabulary that has been taught to
students and that they are expected to be able to use. The second type, passive
vocabulary, refers to words that students can recognize when they encounter
them but are unlikely to be able to articulate.

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Hatch and Brown (1995) agreed that there are two types of vocabulary:
receptive vocabulary and productive vocabulary. Learners' receptive
vocabulary is the vocabulary they can comprehend when reading or listening
to text. Learners understand and recognize the meaning of words upon sight.
This allows them to comprehend the text they have read but not spoken or
written. Learners' productive vocabulary consists of words they comprehend
and can articulate. The students can effectively use these words in both speech
and writing. Teachers who understand the classification of English vocabulary
will be able to utilize each category and select appropriate vocabulary and
teaching methods for their students.

Besides, Thornbury (2002) said that there are six kinds of vocabulary,

they are word classes or parts of speech (such as noun, pronouns, verb,
adjective, adverb, preposition and determiner), word families (such as prefixes
and suffixes), word formation (such as compounding, clipping, blending and
so on), multi-word units (such as phrasal verbs and idioms), collocations,
homonyms.

2.1.3. Teaching Vocabulary

Because languages are based on words, teaching vocabulary is an
essential part of language acquisition (Alqahtani, 2015). Without words, it is
impossible to acquire a language; even human communication is based on
words. When the teaching and learning process occurs, teachers will encounter
difficulties. Recent research showed that teaching vocabulary may be
challenging because many teachers lack confidence in the best practices for
teaching vocabulary and are unable to decide where to begin focusing on word
acquisition (Berne & Blachowicz, 2008). Teachers should be concerned that
teaching vocabulary is something new and distinct from students' native
language. In addition, they must consider the fact that teaching English to

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young learners differs from teaching English to adults. Teachers need choose
the appropriate techniques to help the students learn vocabulary in an effective
way.

Harmer (2001) listed five methods for teaching vocabulary in general.
The initial method is demonstration. It means that teachers illustrate the terms
students will learn with actions. The second method involves explication.
Teachers use a diagram, a textbook, and a whiteboard to explain the
construction of language using this method. The third one is discovery. It

indicates that new language forms can be comprehended by allowing students
to discover them on tests or by examining grammatical evidence. The fourth
one of learning is the check question, which is used to evaluate students'
comprehension of the text's meaning and word usage. The final method is
presentation. With this method, the teacher presents the words through the use
of images, videos, mime, actions, and gestures. It is evident that vocabulary
should not be learned by memorizing individual terms. They should be placed
with other words or in sentences, in contexts, so that the learning process is not
as passive and boring as in the past.

2.2. Teaching Vocabulary to Young Learners

2.2.1. Young Learners and Their Characteristics

When teaching English to children, teachers should be aware of their
characteristics. Pupils between the ages of six and ten, who are enrolled in
primary school, have characteristics that differ from those of elder people when
it comes to learning foreign languages, as the former are frequently more
enthusiastic and energetic. Halliwel (1992) stated that children gain great
delight from discovering and generating fun in their activities. They favor
playing to studying in general. Children will create whatever they want. They
enjoy learning in-depth about everything in the world around them. If teachers

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use traditional methods to teach vocabulary, they will get bored with familiar
activities.

Scoot and Ytreberg (1990) showed five main characteristics of young
learners. First, they constantly ask questions. They rely on both spoken words

and the written representation of words to convey and comprehend meaning.
They are determined about the activities they enjoy and dislike. Children have
developed a sense of fairness regarding what occurs in the classroom and begin
to ask their teacher's decisions; they are able to work with and learn from others.

Furthermore, Slattery and Willis indicated that young learners are fast-
developing individuals who acquire knowledge by observing, listening,
imitating, and doing. They are adept at accurately reproducing sounds and
speak as adults do. The grammar rules and explanation are neglected. They
attempt to know the situation from their perspective and express their thoughts
freely. They are naturally curious about everything and use their creativity to
imagine what they think (Slattery and Willis, 2001). In addition, students enjoy
physical activities, body movement, and gestures to understand the meaning of
words. In light of the fact that students become bored with remaining in the
chair and writing their lessons, teachers should constantly motivate their
attention by using new vocabulary teaching techniques.

2.2.2. Teaching English Vocabulary to Young Learners at Primary
Schools

Students in primary school may have varying levels of interest in
learning. In this situation, teachers must challenge and motivate their students
to acquire new knowledge. Teaching English vocabulary to elementary school
students differs from teaching English to adults. Therefore, teachers should
carefully consider methodologies and techniques when teaching English to
elementary students.