Using mind mapping to teach vocabulary to the first year non-English major students at Bac Giang university of Agriculture and Forestry = Sử dụng bản đồ tư duy

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

NGUYỄN THỊ THÚY LAN

USING MIND MAPPING TO TEACH VOCABULARY TO
THE FIRST YEAR NON-ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS AT
BAC GIANG UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND
FORESTRY

(Sử dụng bản đồ tư duy để dạy từ vựng cho sinh viên
năm thứ nhất không chuyên tại trường Đại học Nông-Lâm
Bắc Giang)

M.A. Minor Programme Thesis

Field: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 60 14 10

Hanoi-2012


2

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

NGUYỄN THỊ THÚY LAN

USING MIND MAPPING TO TEACH VOCABULARY
TO THE FIRST YEAR NON-ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS
AT BAC GIANG UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND
FORESTRY

(Sử dụng bản đồ tư duy để dạy từ vựng cho sinh viên
năm thứ nhất không chuyên tại trường Đại học Nông-Lâm
Bắc Giang)

M.A. Minor Programme Thesis

Field: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 60 14 10
Supervisor: Prof.Dr. Hoàng Văn Vân

Hanoi-2012

Hanoi-2011


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Declaration....................................................................................................

i

Acknowledgements.......................................................................................

ii

Abstract.........................................................................................................

iii

Table of contents...........................................................................................

iv

List of abbreviations.....................................................................................

vii

Lists of tables and figures............................................................................

viii

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

1

1.1. Rationale..................................................................................................

1

1.2. Aims.........................................................................................................

2

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

2

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

3

1.5. Significance of the study..........................................................................

3

1.6. Organization of the study.........................................................................

3

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

5

2.1. An overview of mind mapping ...............................................................

5

2.1.1. Definition of mind mapping .................................................................

5

2.1.2. Classifications of mind mapping...........................................................

6

2.1.2.1. Network tree.......................................................................................

6

2.1.2.2. Event chain.........................................................................................

7

2.1.2.3. Cycle concept map.............................................................................

8

2.1.2.4. Spider concept map............................................................................

8

2.2. The applications of mind mapping to teaching a foreign language.........

9

2.3. The applications of mind mapping to teaching vocabulary.....................

12

2.3.1. The overview of vocabulary..................................................................

12

iv

2.3.2. Strategies of teaching and learning vocabulary....................................

13

2.3.3. Mind mapping in teaching vocabulary..................................................

15

2.4. The advantages of using mind mapping ..................................................

16

2.5. Related studies..........................................................................................

19

2.5.1. Review of related studies worldwide.....................................................

19

2.5.2. Review of related studies in Vietnam.....................................................

20

2.6. Concluding remarks.................................................................................

21

CHAPTER 3: USING MIND MAPPING TO TEACH VOCABULARY
TO THE FIRST YEAR NON-ENGLISH MAJOR STUDENTS AT
BUAF AND ITS EFFECTIVENESS..........................................................

22

3.1. Introduction ............................................................................................

22

3.2. Using mind mapping to teach vocabulary to the first year non-English
major students at BUAF.................................................................................

22

3.2.1. A brief introduction to BUAF...............................................................

22

3.2.1.1. The University...................................................................................

22

3.2.1.2. The teachers of English.....................................................................

23

3.2.1.3. The Students......................................................................................

23

3.2.1.4. The coursebook “New Cutting Edge – Elementary”........................

24

3.2.2. How to use MM to teach vocabulary in the coursebook “NCE –
Elementary”...................................................................................................

25

3.2.2.1. Three chosen vocabulary parts in the coursebook “NCE –
Elementary”....................................................................................................

25

3.2.2.2. Class procedures ................................................................................

26

3.3. How effective is mind mapping in teaching vocabulary to the first year
non-English major students at BUAF?...........................................................

30

3.3.1. Method of the research ........................................................................

30

3.3.2. Population.............................................................................................

30

v


3.3.3. Data collection instruments..................................................................

30

3.3.3.1. Questionnaires...................................................................................

30

3.3.3.2. Interviews..........................................................................................

31

3.3.4. Data analysis procedures......................................................\............

31

3.4. Findings and discussion........................................................................

32

3.4.1. Discussion..........................................................................................

32

3.4.2. The Findings......................................................................................

32

3.4.2.1. The effectiveness of mind mapping technique to teaching
vocabulary......................................................................................................

32

3.4.2.2. Students’ feedbacks on the application of mind mapping in
vocabulary lessons..........................................................................................

34

3.4.2.2.1. Questionnaires.................................................................................

34

3.4.2.2.2. Interviews......................................................................................

36

CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION....................................................................

37

4.1. Major findings of the study.....................................................................

37

4.2. Pedagogical implications and suggestions...............................................

38

4.3. Limitations of the study............................................................................

38

4.4. Suggestions for further studies.................................................................

39

References......................................................................................................

40

Appendices.....................................................................................................

I

vi


LISTS OF ABBREVIATIONS

MM: Mind mapping
MMs: Mind maps
BUAF: Bac Giang University of Agriculture and Forestry
NCE: New Cutting Edge
L2: Second language

vii


LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
Page

Table 1: Question 1 & 2 in questionnaires and students’ answers

34

Figure 1: Example of mind mapping

5

Figure 2: Network tree of U.S currency

7

Figure 3: Event chain

7

Figure 4: Cycle concept map

8

Figure 5: Spider concept map

9

Figure 6: Mind map on “Transport”

16

Figure 7: Mind map on “Family week away”

16

Figure 8: Why to use mind maps?

18

Figure 9: Mind map on “Transport”

27

Figure 10: Mind mapping on “Drink”

28

Figure 11: Mind mapping on “Food”

28

Figure 12: Mind map on “Film”

29

Figure 13: Students’ interest with the application of mind mapping

35

Figure 14: Do you want to learn vocabulary with MM any longer?

35

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CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1. 1. Rationale
Vocabulary is an important element in second language (L2) acquisition. By
learning new words, learners can enhance their listening, speaking, reading and
writing as well as improve comprehension and production in L2.
When a person’s vocabulary is limited, he may find himself incompetent in
learning English as he cannot make full sense of what he hears or reads. Dellar and
Hocking (cited in Thornbury, 2002: 13) states, “If you spend most of your time
studying grammar, your English will not improve very much. You will see most
improvement if you learn more words and expressions. You can say very little with
grammar, but you can say almost anything with words.” Thornbury (2002: 23) also
maintains that learners need not only to learn a lot of words, but also to remember
them.
The prominent role of vocabulary in second or foreign language learning has
been recently recognized by theorists and researchers in the field. Accordingly,
numerous approaches, techniques, exercises and practice have been introduced into
the field of vocabulary teaching (Hatch & Brown, 1995). It has been suggested that
teaching vocabulary should not only consist of teaching specific words but also aim
at equipping learners with necessary strategies to expand their vocabulary
knowledge (Hulstjin, 1993, cited in Morin & Goebel, 2001).

Vocabulary learning strategies are one part of language learning strategies
which in turn are part of general learning strategies (Nation, 2001). One of the
strategies in learning vocabulary is how to learn and remember vocabulary
effectively. Learning new vocabulary involves storing them first in short-term
memory, and then in long-term memory. There are some factors affecting the
process of remembering new vocabulary items. They may be the ways to present
the words, how frequently they appear or how words are recycled.

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Rivers (cited in Thornbury, 2002: 144) states that “vocabulary cannot be
taught, it can be presented, explained, included in all kind of activities and
experienced in all manner of associations…but it is ultimately learned by the
individual.” Moreover, one of the strategies to teach vocabulary is to apply images
and review well in a structured way. Mind mapping is believed to be one of the
techniques or activities which can be used in teaching and learning vocabulary
effectively.
For all the reasons mentioned above, I have decided to choose Using mind
mapping (MM) to teach vocabulary to the first year non-English major students
at Bac Giang University of Agriculture and Forestry (BUAF) as the topic of my
MA thesis.
1.2. Aim of the study
The study is aimed at finding the ways to use MM to teach vocabulary to the
first year non-English major students at BUAF effectively with the coursebook New
Cutting Edge (NCE) – Elementary.
1.3. Research questions
In order to address the aim of the study, the following research questions are
raised for exploration:
1. What are the applications of MM to teaching a foreign language in

general and teaching vocabulary in particular?
2. How is MM used to teach vocabulary to the first year non-English major
students at BUAF effectively?
The answer to Questions 1 involves a review on the notion of MM and its
applications to teaching a foreign language in general and teaching vocabulary in
particular.
The answer to Question 2 involves a mini-experiment in which I will exploit
the insights of MM to teach vocabulary to the first year non-English major students
at BUAF, using the coursebook the university is currently using; then in order to get
2


to know how effective MM is to teaching vocabulary, a small research is conducted
to obtain the opinions from the students at BUAF.
1.4. Scope of the study
Given the aim set in 1.2 and the research questions raised above for
exploration in 1.3, the study can not cover all aspects of vocabulary teaching and
learning. It only focuses on applying the insights of MM to teaching vocabulary to
the first year non-English major students at BUAF.
1.5. Significance of the study
The study will be useful to students, teachers and researchers in the field of
English language teaching and learning: students can use MM model to learn
vocabulary quickly and more effectively; teachers can understand more about the
MM model and use it to teach vocabulary more effectively in their lessons; and
researchers will use the study as a reliable source of reference in their research.
1.6. Organization of the study
The study consists of four chapters.
Chapter 1 – Introduction – covers the rationale, the aim, the research
question, the scope, the significance and the organization of the study.
Chapter 2 – Literature review – provides the theoretical background of the

study which includes some basic knowledge of MM in general and MM in teaching
vocabulary in particular. Besides, some advantages of using MM are also presented.
Chapter 3 – Using MM to teach vocabulary to the first year non-English
major students at BUAF and its effect – describes the method based on which the
study is carried out with the description of participants, data collection instruments,
data collection procedures and analysis procedure. It also gives a brief introduction
to BUAF, English teachers, students and the coursebook that the university is
currently using. Besides, in this chapter, it attempts to describe in detail three places
where vocabulary is taught to the first year non-English major students at BUAF,

3


using the coursebook “NCE – Elementary”. Then to arrive at a preliminary
confirmation about the usefulness of MM in teaching vocabulary, a questionnaire is
designed to obtain students’ opinions. And when there is some doubt about the
results of the questionnaire, an informal interview is conducted. The chapter ends
with presenting the findings and a discussion of them.
Chapter 4 – Conclusion – summarizes the main issues of the study, points
out the limitations of the study, presents the implications for using MM to teach
vocabulary and make some suggestions for further research.

4


CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. An overview of mind mapping
2.1.1. Definition of mind mapping
“Mind mapping” or “Mind Map” was developed by the British psychologist

Tony Buzan in the late 1960s in an attempt to help students take notes effectively.
Buzan (1993: 1) states in “The mind map book” that “MM is a powerful graphic
technique, which provides a universal key to unlocking the potential of the brain”.
According to McGriff (2000: 9), “MMs are an excellent way to help learners
organize knowledge, to empower themselves to better comprehend the key concepts,
and principles in lectures, readings, or other instructional materials”. De Porter,
Readon and Nourie (1999: 175) states that “MM is a creative note-taking method,
which eases us to remember much information”. The best MM is colorful and used
much pictures and symbols; usually like an art.

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Figure 1: Example of MM
With the use of MM in the example above, it can be seen that the learners
can better understand the key concept “holiday” with detailed supporting ideas such

5


as where and when to go, where to stay, who to go with and how to go. They can
not only organize their existing knowledge systematically but remember more
information related to the key concept.
In general, MM imitates the thinking process, namely helps us to move from
one topic to another topic back and forth, and presents the information through
symbols, pictures, emotional meaning and colors, exactly the same as our brains
process it. It uses lines, colors, arrows, branches or some ways of showing
connections between ideas generated on our mind map. Our brains can remember
things better with visual, colors and pictures and therefore remember the facts and
ideas that go with them.
2.1.2. Classifications of mind mapping
There are many different types of MM. Here are four common types that we

can find. They are network tree, event chain, cycle concept map and spider concept
map.
2.1.2.1. Network tree
A network tree is a representation, which shows the relationships among
ideas or concepts that are depicted in the form of branches. The terms are normally
ordered from general to specific and should incorporate examples to reinforce the
word meanings.
It can be used to show casual relationship. In science, it is often used to show
a progression of ideas such as particle to atom to iron to molecule to sub-atomic
particles or any classification process such as those for animals, plants or rocks, also
for hierarchical relationship such as food chains, manufacturing processes or energy
transforms.
With the use of network tree, in Figure 2, it can be shown that hierarchical
relationship in U.S currency is illustrated clearly with two kinds of currency, which
are coins and paper. Moreover, in each kind, there are other sub-kinds.

6


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Figure 2: Network tree of U.S currency
2.1.2.2. Event chain
An event chains is a visualization that shows the relationships between
events and tasks and how the events affect each other. In science, an events chain
can be used to describe a sequence of events, the steps in a procedure, or the stages
of a process.

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Figure 3: Event chain

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As can be seen clearly, in Figure 3, event chain presents the steps in a
process from alarm ringing to leaving for school. With the use of event chain
diagram, we can see the relationship between each step and how they affect each
other.
2.1.2.3. Cycle concept map
A cycle concept map is a special type of event chain map. In a cycle concept
map, the series of events does not produce a final outcome. Instead, the last event in
the chain relates back to the initiating event. It is suitable to show a correlation how
a combination accident is interacting to produce a group of result repeatedly.

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Figure 4: Cycle concept map
This cycle concept map describes the relationship between day and night. It
can be seen that the event starts with nighttime and ends with sunsets; however, it
does not stop there. It backs to the initiating event and starts a new event chain like
the previous one.
2.1.2.4. Spider concept map
A spider concept map has a central or unifying concept in the centre with
related concepts radiating out from the main one. This is a map that you can use for
brainstorming. Once you have a central idea, you may find you have a jumble of
ideas that relate to it, but are not necessarily clearly related to each other. By writing

8

these ideas outside the main concept, you may begin to separate and group
unrelated terms so that they become more useful.

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Figure 5: Spider concept map
Figure 5 presents spider concept map of “homework” with the central
concept “homework” in the centre and supporting ideas radiating out from it.
2.2. The applications of mind mapping to teaching a foreign language
It is reasonable that memory has an important role in learning and acquiring
a foreign language. Especially in the communicative approach, learners have to
become familiar with and internalize words and sentences to use them effectively.
MMs are memory tools which use personal associations to make it easier to
remember new information and to visualize the thinking process. Therefore, MMs
have proven to be a very helpful technique to master a foreign language. Although it
may cost time to use the technique, it will eventually speed up the learning process
when learners know and understand how to use it.
According to Casco (2009), MMs have some applications in teaching a
foreign language. They are as follows:
 Engage the learners:
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The map helps the learners knows what comes next and draws the learners’
attention to the topic. Furthermore, the map provides a structure to reduce the
learners’ anxiety when receiving input through listening and reading and when
speaking.
 Activate prior knowledge:
The use of images and keywords foster memory of what the learners know

about the topic.
 Encourage the learners to ask questions:
The map displays clearly what the learners know and what they do not know
about the topic. Images and interrogation marks broaden the information gap and
stimulate the need in the learners to find out what they do not know.
 Scaffold reading and listening comprehension:
The map is a powerful tool to facilitate comprehension because it offers the
learners a global view of what they are going to listen or read. Furthermore, the
embedded cues contained in the map prompt the learners to form inferences that in
turn act as an aid to understanding.
 Scaffold speaking:
The map serves as a tool for the learners to organize their thoughts and
speech. The different elements of the map can be easily linked and cross-referenced
allowing the learners to create a different discourse each time the learners use the
map.
 Assess oral production:
The same map implemented at other stages of the language course can be
used to get a new sample of the learners’ production. By explaining the connections
on the map, the learners will show if they have acquired new structures and lexical
items. The production obtained with the aid of the map will reveal errors providing
an information source for the teacher to reflect upon in her future practice.

10


 Scaffold written production:
The map originally designed by the teacher and expanded upon by the
learners may become the starting point to write a paragraph or an essay on the topic
explored.
From all his above explanations, Casco (2009) proved that MMs can bring a

lot of benefits in teaching a foreign language in many aspects consisting of reading,
writing, reading skills as well as in motivating the learners and activating the prior
knowledge.
Having the same opinions with Casco (2009), Hofland (2007) agreed that
MMs are great tools for foreign language teaching and learning. Therefore, they can
be used for all skills including reading, speaking, writing and vocabulary.
 Mind maps and reading skills
Hofland (2007) confirms that “reading is a very linear process, a typical left
brain skill”. Furthermore, the human brain is not good at linear process but
extremely good at parallel processing tasks. That is why MM might be a good tool
to improve the learners’ reading skill. It is obvious that when a learner thinks of a
word, all the images, associations, ideas and pictures will come into his mind. In his
research, Hofland also considered that MMs can help the learners understand a text
like an article or a story better.
 Mind maps and writing skills
Writing can be considered as the most difficult skill for the language learners.
They often have many difficulties in expressing their ideas into words. A mind map
can activate the learners’ thinking ability and creativity. By using a mind map as a
brainstorming activity, the learners can express what they are going to write into
images, graphs, ideas, etc. That would be easier for them to follow when they start
to write.
 Mind maps and speaking skills

11


MMs can be served as reminders. Learners can draw a mind map to prepare a
topic that they are going to speak. In those MMs, they should only use key words
and symbols to help them easier to remember their ideas.
 Mind maps and vocabulary

Lastly, Hofland asserted that mind map is a technique that is very suitable to
elicit vocabulary. Learners can create a mind map based on their own thinking with
their own images, pictures, ideas or key words. That is why a mind map is an
excellent way for them to remember new vocabulary.
In summary, building MMs is the way to go in learning or teaching a foreign
language. When creating MMs, learners often develop images that associate with
words. Word association and images are powerful ways of learning quickly and
remember for a longer time. Moreover, MMs can be used with colors; numbers, etc.
that bring the best result for learners in learning a foreign language.
2.3. The applications of mind mapping to teaching vocabulary
2.3.1. An overview of vocabulary
“If language structures make up the skeleton of language, then it is
vocabulary that provides the vital organs and the flesh.” (Harmer, 1993: 153)
Vocabulary is essential to language and is of great significance to language
learners. Words are the building blocks of a language since they label objects,
actions, ideas without which people cannot convey the intended meaning.
Vocabulary knowledge is important because it encompasses all the words we must
know to access our background knowledge, express our ideas and communicate
effectively, and learn about new concepts.
There have been numerous definitions of vocabulary so far. Ur (1996: 60)
defined vocabulary as “the words we teach in the foreign language. However, a new
item of vocabulary may be more than a single word: a compound of two or three
words or multi word idioms”.

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According to Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary Online, vocabulary
is defined as all the words known and used by a particular person, and all the
words which exist in a particular language or subject.

“Vocabulary is the glue that holds stories, ideas and content together…
making comprehension accessible for children.” (Rupley, Logan & Nichols, 1998).
Learners’ word knowledge is linked strongly to academic success because learners
who have large vocabularies can understand new ideas and concepts more quickly
than learners with limited vocabularies.
In short, it can be concluded that vocabulary is the total number of all the
words that a language possesses ranging from a single word, two or three words
items expressing an idea to multi-word idioms.
2.3.2. Strategies of teaching and learning vocabulary
Vocabulary learning strategies are one part of language learning strategies
which in turn are part of general learning strategies (Nation, 2001). Language
learning strategies encourage greater overall self-direction for learners. Self-directed
learners are independent learners who are capable of assuming responsibility for
their own learning and gradually gaining confidence, involvement and proficiency
(Oxford, 1990). Thus, students need training in vocabulary learning strategies they
need most. Research has shown that many learners do use more strategies to learn
vocabulary especially when compared to such integrated tasks such as listening and
speaking. However, they are mostly inclined to use basic vocabulary learning
strategies (Schmitt, 1997). This in turn makes strategy instruction an essential part
of any foreign or second language program.
Learners acquire vocabulary in various ways. Students are exposed to a
lot of new vocabulary during lessons by the teacher, by texts or other
materials

they work with. A lot of this vocabulary is automatically absorbed

(Harmer, 1993: 159). Various techniques and activities are aimed directly at

13

learning vocabulary, which is usually put into sets of somehow related words, often
by topic or meaning.
As McCarthy (1992: 108) suggests, before presenting new language, preteaching activities might be beneficial “to activate existing knowledge to make the
encounter with new words more meaningful”. Pre-teaching activities often arouse
students’ attention and desire to explore a particular topic or subject in greater detail.
Both McCarthy (1992: 110) and Thornbury (2004: 76) suggest two
general possibilities of arranging vocabulary presentation. The teacher provides
the learners with the meaning of the words and then progresses to introduction of
their forms or vice versa – the form is introduced first, followed up with illustration
of the meaning. In the latter, forms are often presented in text or another form of
context and students are encouraged to discover meanings and other properties of
words themselves. This type of activity is called the discovery technique (Harmer,
1993: 160).
For Nation (1990; 2001), the most important way to learn vocabulary is
learners using strategies independently of a teacher. In his recent publication,
strategy training is suggested to be part of a vocabulary development program.
According to Schmitt & Schmitt (1995), the best teaching plan may be to introduce
a variety of learning strategies to students so that they can decide for themselves the
ones they prefer. This echoes learners' need to develop their strategy knowledge.
As Harmer (1993: 161-162) suggests, sense relations, definition and direct
translation of words might function as another helpful tool for clarifying the
meaning. Besides, Thornbury (2004: 81) listed these options as well and
furthermore included an idea of clarifying the meaning by examples, such as
“providing an example situation” or” giving several example sentences”.
Besides explaining the meaning in vocabulary presentation, it is also
important to focus on forms, since the sound of words is one of the aspects
influencing the organization of the mental lexicon (Thornbury 2004: 84; McCarthy,

14

1992: 110). This is arranged by various drilling activities. From experience, songs
and chants are very suitable for drills, providing rhythm, catchy rhymes and an
element of fun.
All these techniques are more or less useful for a particular situation, level
and vocabulary, the best way would be in many cases to combine them and use
several together.
2.3.3. Mind mapping in teaching vocabulary
Casco (2009) states that MM (MMs) was first applied to foreign language
teaching in the 1990s as an aid to activate prior knowledge on a certain topic and
help learners to organize and recall items of vocabulary. When being used to
activate prior knowledge, the teacher asks learners what they know about a certain
topic and the learners brainstorm associations which the teacher writes on the board
creating a collective map. When being used for vocabulary acquisition, teachers
first ask learners to brainstorm items of vocabulary associated with a certain topic
and then learners are asked to create their own maps instead of the more traditional
approach of creating glossaries with new vocabulary.
A mind map consists of picture, symbol and color that will not only help the
students to understand the vocabulary knowledge but also makes the students feel
good, enjoyable and attract their brain which at last leads them to have interest in
mastery vocabulary knowledge.
The examples below will describe clearly how MM can help students learn
vocabulary easily. (See Figure 6 in the next page).
It can be seen clearly in the example in Figure 6 that students not only learn
the meaning of the word “transport” but also know different types of transport
through this MM. By using MM, teachers can enhance students’ imagination;
moreover, students can learn and remember the words more easily and effectively.

15

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Figure 6: Mind map on “Transport”
By using colors and images that can be illustrated in Figure 7, MM can help
students a lot in learning the word and organizing the ideas systematically. In fact, it
usually takes a lot of effort to remember words and sentences; whereas when we
visualize them, they automatically pop up in our mind when we try to remember
them. Of course, it is possible to learn by hearing or remembering but it is much
easier to learn when we visualize and associate because these techniques suit the
way our mind works.

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Figure 7: Mind map on “Family week ahead”
2.4. The advantages of using mind mapping
As presented before, MM was first used to help students take note effectively
by Tony Buzan. In fact, information has been recorded with letters, lines and
numbers for a long time. However, many disadvantages can be found while noting

16


down information. First of all, it takes a lot of energy and time to write down
redundant words. Another disadvantage is that information may be missed while
noting down one idea. Moreover, it takes longer to read and review.
Comparing with the traditional linear notes, we can see many advantages of
using MM technique. According to Russell (1995), MMs have many applications.
First, MMs help organize information into a form that is easily assimilated by the
brain and easily remembered. Thus, they can be used for noting books, lectures,
meetings, interviews, telephone conversations. Next, MMs allow ideas to be quickly

noted as they occur, in an organized manner, obviating the relatively laborious
process of forming neat sentences and writing out in full. They, therefore, serve as a
quick and efficient means of review, and so keep recall at a high level. Russell also
emphasizes that MMs are very valuable in any planning and organizing, whether it
is of books, reports, lectures, meetings, study, daily tasks, or future activities.
De Porter and Hernacki (2008: 172, cited in Dang, 2011) put out that using
MM technique has some advantages. They are as follows.
1) Flexible
Explaining something can be easy without confusing in adding the material
based on MM. We can put the label and category of something based on our own
opinions anywhere in MM.
2) Concentrate on the Topic
Getting the subtopics what we talk about with focus on the main ideas easily.
Keep focus on the keyword can help us to make it simple and it does not waste the
time.
3) Increasing Comprehension
Using MM can make easy in understanding the material. MM is a simple
think pattern so it does not make us confuse to understand what we have learned
and easy to remember the material.

17


4) Enjoyable
Imagination and creativity are unlimited in using MM, so it can be funny to
learn. By using pictures and colors, it makes the brain enjoy and excited in thinking
something what we want about the material.
From the all explanations, it can be seen that MM can bring a lot of benefits
to the learners for the ability of memorizing and brain development. That’s why it is
chosen to apply for teaching language more and more popularly nowadays.

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Figure 8: Why to use mind maps?
According to McGriff (2000: 9), “MMs are an excellent way to help learners
organize knowledge, to empower themselves to better comprehend the key concepts,
and principles in lectures, readings, or other instructional materials”. Buzan
(1993) describes mind maps as a representation of cognition and comprehension in
the learner, and as an excellent way to help learners to express themselves both
verbally and visually. Indeed, in their mind map, learners may use graphic
representation which may help in the brainstorming process. McGriff (2000) found
that relating images to concepts is a creative task which requires thinking instead of
memorizing.
From the advantages MM can bring to the learners as presented above, I
would like to affirm once more time that MM can be an amazing tool to help
students improve their vocabulary as it is a tool to take note effectively. During the

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