Applying games in reviewing vocabulary after units in tieng anh 8 (experimental book) m a thesis thesis linguistics 814023101

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

LE THI PHUONG GIANG

APPLYING GAMES IN REVIEWING VOCABULARY
AFTER UNITS IN TIENG ANH 8 (EXPERIMENTAL TEXTBOOK)
ghi

c u việc ng dụ g trò chơi để ô tập từ vựng

sau các đơ vị bài học tro g sách Tiế g A h 8 sách thí điểm))
M.A. MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS

.
Field: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 8140231.01

HANOI – 2018


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

LE THI PHUONG GIANG

APPLYING GAMES IN REVIEWING VOCABULARY

AFTER UNITS IN TIENG ANH 8 (EXPERIMENTAL TEXTBOOK)
ghi c u việc ng dụ g trò chơi để ô tập từ vựng sau các đơ
vị bài học tro g sách Tiế g A h 8 sách thí điểm))
M.A. MINOR PROGRAMME THESIS

Field: English Teaching Methodology
Code: 8140231.01
Supervisor: Dr. Tran Thanh Nhan

HANOI – 2018


DECLARATION
I, the undersigned, declare that this thesis is the result of my own
research for the Degree of Master of Arts at Viet Nam National University,
Hanoi, University of languages and international studies, and that this thesis
has not been submitted for any degree at any other university or tertiary
institution.

Hanoi, 2018
Student

Lê Thị Phương Giang

i


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
First of all, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude to my
supervisor, Ms. Tran Thanh Nhan, PhD for her wholehearted assistance.

Without her advice, comments, and corrections, it would have been
impossible for me to fulfill the thesis.
Besides, students at Hoan Son secondary school are people to whom I
want to send my grateful thanks.
Last but not least, I am willing to show my deepest thanks to my family
and friends who encouraged and supported me a lot.

ii


ABSTRACT
There is no doubt that vocabulary plays an essential role in helping
students reach their competence in English. Therefore, there have been
numerous studies of applying different techniques in teaching and learning
vocabulary. In this study, the author considers with applying games in
reviewing vocabulary after units in Tieng Anh 8 (experimental book). The
study aimed to investigate the effects of games in reviewing vocabulary. It
was conducted on the basis of both quantitative and qualitative, namely tests,
and reflection. Tests included 6 tests. Each test of 10 questions related to
vocabulary in units. Reflections were carried out with after 6 tests. The result
of the study showed that students’ scores after applying games were higher.
Also, they were excited with games.

iii


TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION..............................................................................................i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS...........................................................................ii
ABSTRACT....................................................................................................iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS...............................................................................iv
LISTS OF TABLES AND FIGURES...........................................................vi
PART A: INTRODUCTION.......................................................................... 1
1. Rationale for the study.................................................................................. 1
2. The objectives of the study.............................................................................2
3. Research questions........................................................................................2
4. Scope of the study.........................................................................................2
5. Design of the thesis.......................................................................................2
PART B: DEVELOPMENT...........................................................................4
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW......................................................4
1.1. Vocabulary..................................................................................................4
1.1.1. Definition of vocabulary......................................................................... 4
1.1.2. The importance of vocabulary................................................................ 5
1.1.3. Learning vocabulary............................................................................... 6
1.1.4. Teaching vocabulary............................................................................... 8
1.2. Games.........................................................................................................9
1.2.1. Definition of games.................................................................................9
1.2.2. Roles of games......................................................................................11
1.2.3. Classification of games......................................................................... 12
1.2.4. How to use games in teaching vocabulary........................................................... 14
CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY...............................................................16
2.1. Restatement of the research questions.....................................................16
2.2. The setting of the study............................................................................16
2.3. Participants...............................................................................................16
2.4. Research types..........................................................................................17
iv


2.5. Implementation of the Action Research Study........................................ 17
CHAPTER 3: FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION......................................... 27

3.1. Research question 1: How does the use of games help students review
vocabulary?.....................................................................................................27
3.1.1. Results from tests..................................................................................27
3.1.2. Results from reflections........................................................................31
3.2. Research question 2: What games should be used to review vocabulary
for 8th grade students at Hoan Son secondary school?................................... 33
3.2.1. Results from tests..................................................................................33
3.2.2. Results from reflections........................................................................35
PART C: CONCLUSION.............................................................................37
1. Major findings of the study.........................................................................37
2. Implications.................................................................................................38
2.1. Increasing the time for vocabulary...........................................................39
2.2. Frequency of using games........................................................................39
2.3. Giving instruction.................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.4. Using language games in a flexible and appropriate way......................Error!
Bookmark not defined.
2.5. Using variety of language games..................Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.6. Using suitable kinds of games........................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
3. Limitations of the study.............................................................................. 40
4. Suggestions for further studies....................................................................41
REFERENCES..............................................................................................43
APPENDICES..................................................................................................I
APPENDIX 1: TESTS.....................................................................................I
APPENDIX 2: SCORES................................................................................II
APPENDIX 3: GAMES APPLIED IN THE PROCESS...........................VI

v


LISTS OF TABLES AND FIGURES

Table 2.1. Sample of test.................................................................................21
Table 2.2. The action plan...............................................................................24
Table 3.1: Students’ rank through the mark framework..................................28
Table 3.2.: Average of test results................................................................... 30
Table 3.3: Correlation between test 1 and the other tests................................30
Table 3.4.: Effects of applying games in reviewing vocabulary.....................31
Figure 2.1. The cycle of an action research………………………………….19
Figure 3.1: Students’ rank through the mark framework................................ 29
Figure 3.2: Effects of applying games in reviewing vocabulary....................32
Figure 3.3: The change in number of vocabulary........................................... 33
Figure 3.4: Kinds of games preferred............................................................. 35

vi


PART A: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale for the study
Experimental textbooks in general and Tieng Anh 8 in particular
include 12 main units. Each unit has seven sections which are Getting started,
A closer look 1, A closer look 2, Communication, Skills 1, Skills 2, and
Looking back & Project. Each section lasts 45 minutes. Reviewing vocabulary
belongs to Looking back & Project lesson, which is then divided into
Vocabulary, Grammar, Communication and Project.
Compared to the traditional textbook, the experimental book contains a
large number of new words, which poses a major challenge for the eighth
graders. Besides, the level of difficulty of the words appears beyond the
students’ ability, especially those in rural schools. Therefore, vocabulary poses
a real challenge for them.
Traditionally, tests and exams focus on grammar, so teachers mostly teach
grammar. Learning vocabulary is usually ignored. However, when the

experimental book is adopted, learners have to take the speaking and listening
test. It is obvious that without adequate vocabulary knowledge, students
cannot speak and listen effectively.
Last but not least, after six sections in each unit, students have a chance to
review words they learned in the seventh section. Nevertheless, the tasks
designed do not interest students; therefore, they normally do not complete these
tasks. As a result, their vocabulary pool cannot increase and they gradually
become bored with learning new words in particular and English in general.

It is believed that applying games in reviewing vocabulary can be a
feasible solution to arouse the learners’ interest and trigger their long-term
memory.

1


The reasons mentioned above lead me to my choice of the research title:
Applying games in reviewing vocabulary after units in Tieng Anh 8
(experimental book).
2.

The objectives of the study.
This study is carried out in order to:


investigate the effects of games on helping 8th grade students at Hoan

Son secondary school to review vocabulary after units.


make recommendations and implications on how games might be

exploited to make them more enjoyable and productive to the students.
3.

Research questions

The research is conducted to address the following questions:
1.

How does the use of games help students at Hoan Son

secondary school review vocabulary?
2.
What games should be used to review vocabulary for 8th grade
students at Hoan Son secondary school?
4.

Scope of the study

The study focuses on using games to review vocabulary after each unit,
which means that the students have learned the words in previous sections in
the unit. Therefore, the types of games to be used in this study may not be
applied for introducing new vocabulary or learning vocabulary in general.
Besides, the study concentrates on the 8th grade students at Hoan Son
secondary school, so the games to be designed need to be tailored to the
contents of the lessons and the levels of the students. The results of the study,
therefore, might not be applicable to all the students in other grades.
5. Design of the thesis
The study is divided into three parts:

Part A – The Introduction presents the rationales for the study, the aims
and objectives, the research questions, the scope of the study and the design
2


of the study.
Part B – The Development consists of three chapters. Chapter 1 is the
literature review which provides an overview of the theoretical background
and the previous researches related to the study. Chapter 2, the methodology
restates the research questions and describes the setting, the participants, and
the research methods of the study. Chapter 3, data analysis and the findings
are shown.
Part C – The Conclusion briefly summarizes the study, gives implications,
limitations and makes some suggestions for further studies.

3


PART B: DEVELOPMENT
CHAPTER 1: LITERATURE REVIEW
1.1. Vocabulary
1.1.1. Definition of vocabulary
Vocabulary is a term which is familiar to English teachers and students;
however, not all of them know exactly what vocabulary is. There are a large
number of definitions about vocabulary.
Sometimes, linguists themselves are not certain when mentioning the
concept. According to Hiebert and Kamil (2005:96), “The word vocabulary
itself can be confusing. Sometimes educators talk about a “sight vocabulary”
or a set of the most common words in English.” Nevertheless, they then stated
that because of discussing word meanings, they would use the words

“vocabulary” and “word meanings” synonymously.
When considering what it is meant by vocabulary, Schmitt (2000:1)
assumed that “The first idea that probably springs to mind is words, a
formulation that is admirably adequate for the layperson.” Clearly, in his
opinion, vocabulary is not something sublime that is only perceived by
experts or professors; in contrast, just an ordinary person with no special
knowledge is able to understand words.
Ur (1996:60) also gave a definition about vocabulary which was quite
short and understandable to people. He said that we can describe
approximately vocabulary as words taught in the foreign language.
According to Mehta (2009:1), “vocabulary can be defined as the words of
a language, including single items and phrases or chunks of several words
which convey a particular meaning, the way individual words do.” In other
words, vocabulary consists of not only single words but also lexical phrases or
chunks.
4


In summary, vocabulary can be expressed as all the words in a particular
language. These words can be known and used by a certain common person
without unique understandings. Moreover, vocabulary includes both single
words and phrases.
1.1.2. The importance of vocabulary
Vocabulary is one of the most important components of language
development. Having a wide range of vocabulary helps students with reading
comprehension, writing activities as well as speaking and listening ones.
Without sufficient vocabulary, students may feel confused and challenged
when they want to express their thoughts and ideas. Shastri (2010:97) stated
that “Lack of vocabulary is a major handicap for the learners of English as a
second language. They fumble for words when they have to express an idea

either in writing or in speech.” Obviously, when students do not have enough
vocabulary, they have difficulty in writing or speaking things in their mind in
a foreign language although they can convey the things fluently and
confidently in their native language.
Vocabulary can be considered a key point or a nuclear element in language
learning. That is, it is surrounded by the other language elements. As a result,
it will play an essential role in controlling them as Lewis (1993:89) confirmed
that “lexis is the core or heart of language”. Shastri (2010:97) went further to
argue that the focal part of language learning is created by vocabulary. When
vocabulary is the core of language, the main task of second language
acquisition, all language skills as listening, speaking, reading, and writing
cannot go without vocabulary.
All language components like grammar and vocabulary are important. But,
it is far more difficult to communicate with no vocabulary than with no
grammar. Wilkins (1972:111) claimed that few things can be expressed

5


without grammar; however, nothing can be expressed without vocabulary.
Obviously, it is impossible to produce a sentence if a person does not have the
vocabulary that is required to communicate the things the person wishes to
say. Allen (1983:5) supposed that “Teachers have never doubted the value of
learning vocabulary. They know how communication stops when learners lack
the necessary words. They do not believe that the teaching of vocabulary
should be delayed until the grammar is mastered.” He also said that teachers
must teach most of the vocabulary in English textbooks because without it, no
one can speak or understand the language.
Vocabulary is the first and foremost important step in language acquisition.
Besides vocabulary, mastering grammatical structure is really good;

nonetheless, native speakers also tend to accept grammatical errors. It is
necessary to have concentration on the appropriate vocabulary from the
beginning. Native English speakers can understand utterances with correct
vocabulary but not so accurate in grammar rules rather than those with correct
grammar rules but not so accurate in vocabulary use. The acquisition of an
adequate vocabulary is principal for successful second language learning
because without an extensive vocabulary, we will not be able to use the
grammatical rules we may have learned for comprehensible communication.
Clearly, the importance of vocabulary is undeniable. Therefore, learners
need to spend time and effort developing their vocabulary. When their
vocabulary bank increases, learners can use words effectively and then
communicate successfully as Flanigan (2015:3) stated that “our ability to use
vocabulary effectively is one of the primary means by which we communicate
and connect with important people in our life.”
1.1.3. Learning vocabulary
It is obvious that vocabulary is very important; however, learning

6


vocabulary in reality is problematic, and the ways to learn vocabulary are not
effective enough. There are many different opinions about learning
vocabulary.
Decarrio (2001: 285) stated that words should not be learnt separately or
by memorization without understanding. Clearly, when learning words,
students should attach them to context so that they can acknowledge word
meaning correctly.
According to Rohani and Pourgharib (2013:3540), most of the time,
foreign language learners tend to forget or misuse new words. The reason of
this forgetting and misusing is because of many factors. Some important ones

are not being properly stored of words in student’s minds, their not being
practiced enough and not being related to students own experiences and
interests.
When mentioning factors affecting vocabulary learning, Singleton (2008,
p.4-24) also listed some elements. They are linguistic features of lexical items,
the influence of first and other languages, the incremental nature of
vocabulary acquisition, the role of memory in vocabulary learning and
acquisition, the organization and development of L2 mental lexicon, the
source of vocabulary (exposure to linguistic input), individual learner
differences, the role of teacher and vocabulary teaching and strategies.
In a study, Thanh Huyen and Thu Nga (2003) stated that many learners of
English thought of learning a list of new words with meanings in their native
language without any real context practice. They looked up words in a
bilingual dictionary and even wrote down lines of new words without any
idea of the real use of them in context.The authors also gave several factors
which made students in general and Vietnamese students in particular become
passive in learning vocabulary. Firstly, the teacher’s explanation for meaning

7


or definition, pronunciation, spelling and grammatical functions made
students bored. They only listened to their teacher when the teacher teaches
vocabulary section. Secondly, students considered that knowing a new word
was to know its basic meaning. Thirdly, the words during classroom lessons
students learn were in textbooks or given by teachers. Finally, Vietnamese
students felt risky to apply what they were taught in different contexts.
Clearly, English learners have to learn a number of new words. However,
there are a number of factors making their learning vocabulary ineffective. In
order to learn and remember new words, learners should join different taskbased activities in their classroom. Such activities also include vocabulary

games which concentrate on supporting learners to develop and use words in
different contexts by making the lessons interesting. Hence, it is necessary to
explore whether learners learn vocabulary effectively through games and how
they learn it.
1.1.4. Teaching vocabulary
There are numerous techniques in teaching vocabulary. According to
Gairns and Redman (1986:74), there are three techniques used in the
presentation of new vocabulary item. The first one is visual techniques
including mime, gestures, and visuals such as flashcards, photographs,
blackboard drawings, wall charts, and regalia. The second one is verbal
techniques: (1) use of illustrative situation, (2) use of synonyms and
definition(s), (3) contrasts and opposites, (4) scales, and (5) examples of the
type. The last one is translation. It is considered a quick, easy, and effective
way of conveying the meaning of vocabulary.
There are two main approaches to vocabulary teaching used in the United
Arab Emirates: the grammar translation method and the audio – lingual
method. The first method focuses more on memorizing lists of vocabulary for

8


translation tasks and for final assessments. The main feature of this approach
is that illustrate grammatical rules. The other method is the audio – lingual
approach, which focuses on attention to pronunciation and intensive oral
drilling. (OshaSaeed Al Neyadi, cited in Richards and Renandya, 2002)
Haycraft suggests some things about teaching vocabulary. One of them is
teaching the vocabulary “in spoken form first” to prevent learners from
pronouncing the words in the form they are written, placing them in context,
and revising them. According to Uberman (1998), teachers can use a variety
of techniques for consolidating and revising vocabulary. They are a choice of

graphs and grids, multiple choice and gap filling exercises, synonyms or
antonyms to be matched, sentences to be paraphrased, doing cloze tests,
visual aids (pictures, photographs, or drawings). He adds that there is also a
large variety of word games that are useful for practicing and revising
vocabulary after it has been introduced. Numerous puzzles, word squares,
crosswords, etc., are useful especially for pair or group work.
Obviously, techniques used to present and review vocabulary are various;
however, if teachers expect learners to remember new words, it is necessary
for them to teach these words in context, help students practice regularly what
they have learnt and revise to prevent from forgetting. The process of revision
is very important because it help students acquire active and productive
vocabularies. Teachers must make sure learners have comprehended the new
words, which will be memorized better if presented in a memorable way.
1.2. Games
1.2.1. Definition of games
Many different definitions of games have been made so far.
Lee (1991: 3) defines: “Games in the stick sense, which have a definite
beginning and end, are governed by rules…” Games are closed activities that

9


have a beginning and an end with a winner who defines the end of the game
(Rixon, 1981).
According to Haldfield (1999): “A game is an activity with rules, a goal
and an element of fun… Games should be regarded as an integral part of the
language syllabus, not as an amusing activity for Friday afternoon or for the
end of the term.” This definition shows the importance of games. It is not
merely an activity for only some occasions. In fact, teachers can apply it in
lessons to arouse students’ interest because it has “an element of fun”. He also

emphasizes that ““Games can be used at all stages of the progression from
controlled to free practice, serving at one end of the range as a memory aid
and repetition drill, at the other as a chance to used the language freely and as
a means to an end rather than an end in itself. They can also serve as a
diagnostic tool for teacher, who can note areas of difficulty and take
appropriate remedial action.”
Similarly, Byrne (1995) gave the definition to games as a form of play
governed by rules. They should be enjoyable and fun. They are not just a
diversion, a break from routine activities, but a way of getting the learner to
use the language in the course of the game.
Greenall (1990:6) has defined games as one kind of activity which is used
to consolidate language already taught or acquired, and which occurs during
the free stage of a lesson or during occasions such as English club meetings.
And the term game “is used whenever there is an element of competition
between individual students or teams in a language activity.”
Therefore, games involve many factors: rules, competition, relaxation, and
learning, in particular. The main focus of using games in class is to help
students learn and have fun. However, to use games in classrooms, it is
equally important that before the game starts, its rules are clearly explained

10


and well understood by the students. There should be only a few, wellexplained rules. Demonstrations also can be very helpful because it can help
students understand the game and help them follow the rules. Otherwise, they
will misunderstand the purpose of the game and they may not get the benefits
they should have from the game.
1.2.2. Roles of games
Some people think that games are often considered as an end of term
activity or something to fill in last five minutes of a lesson. However, games

are not just time – filling activities but have a great educational value. In fact,
they are becoming an indispensable activity in language syllabus because they
play vital roles in vocabulary teaching and learning.
According to Richard-Amato (1996: 10), even though games are often
associated with fun, we should not lose sight of their pedagogical values,
particularly in foreign language teaching and learning. Games are effective as
they create motivation, lower students’ stress, and give language learners the
opportunity for real communication. Hansen (1994:118) also agreed that
games are highly motivating and entertaining, and they can give shy students
more opportunity to express their opinions and feelings.
Wright, Betteridge, and Bucky (1983: 1) point out that, “Games help and
encourage many learners to sustain their interest and work.” Clearly, games
can provide powerful and meaningful practice of language. Moreover, games
can be found to give practice in all skills (reading, listening, writing, and
speaking), in all stages of the teaching and learning and for many types of
communication.
Many experts of language teaching methodology agree that playing games is a
good way to learn vocabulary. According to Thanh Huyen and Thu Nga (2003),
student’s seemed to learn new vocabulary more quickly and retain it better when it

11


was applied in a relaxed and comfortable environment such as while playing
ESL games.
In the easy, relaxed atmosphere which is created by using games, students
remember things faster and better (Wierus and Wierus 1994:218). Obviously,
games create comfortable atmosphere for students. When students learn
vocabulary relaxingly and comfortably, they can retain words in a long time.
In addition, Uberman (1998) also affirmed the helpful role of games in

vocabulary teaching after quoting and analyzing different opinions of experts.
From her own teaching experiences, Uberman observed the enthusiasm of her
students in learning through games. She considers games a way to help
students not only enjoy and entertain with the language they learn, but also
practice it incidentally.
While playing, students have fun, relax, exercise, and tease their friends.
Apart from having fun, students learn at the same time. They acquire new
vocabulary along with its spelling and pronunciation. Students begin to realize
that they have to speak or pronounce the words clearly if they want others to
understand what they are saying.
In summary, games are useful and effective tools that should be applied in
vocabulary in classes. The use of vocabulary is a way to make the lessons
more interesting, enjoyable and effective.
1.2.3. Classification of games
Classifying games is not easy since such categories often overlap. A good
teacher has to have several games on hand at all times. Hadfield (1984)
explained two ways of classifying language games; linguistic games that
focus on accuracy and communicative games that focus on exchanging
information.
Besides, Hadfield suggested another way of classifying language games
which are into more detailed forms:
12




Sorting, ordering or arranging games: for e.g. give students a set

of cards with months, and they have to arrange those cards in order.


Information gap games: the one having information have to

exchange it with those who do not have it to complete a task.


Guessing games: a student with a flash card must just mime it

to others who try to guess the word.


Searching games: for e.g. everyone is given a clue to find out

who the criminal is. They ask and reply to solve the problem.


Matching games: participants need to find a match for a word,

picture or card.


Labeling games: a form of matching games, the only difference

is that they math labels and pictures.


Exchanging games: students barter cards, objectives or ideas.



Board games: “scrabble‟ is one of the most popular games in this category.



Role playing games: students play roles that they might not

play in real life. They might also practice dialogues.
Basing on language knowledge and skills that learners need to master, Lee
(1979) divided games into:


Structure games



Vocabulary games



Spelling games



Pronunciation games



Number games



Listen-and-do games



Games and writing



Miming and role play

13


Discussion games



McCallum (1980) gave another classification of games which consists of
seven kinds:


Structure games



Vocabulary games



Number games



Spelling games



Conversation games



Writing games



Role play and dramatics

It is clear that the classifications of games depend on each type of games
which concentrates on a language item or a skill for the purpose and the
content of the lesson. Thus, it is very necessary for teachers to choose the
most appropriate game for each lesson so that these games can bring a large
number of benefits to both students and teachers.
1.2.4. How to use games in teaching vocabulary
Using games when teaching vocabulary to students require trained
teachers in playing and mastering the linguistic part of the language. Rixon
(1981) stated that understanding games will support teachers in finding and
creating games that make their learners learn while they play.
Halliwell (1991) stated that teachers have to provide students with a
communicative atmosphere so that they could express themselves. Besides,

because using language in any activity is unpredictable, teachers have to
encourage them to actively construct language for themselves. That is the
reason why games are vital and useful. They both are fun and create the wish
to interact with each other and create predictability.
Another noticeable thing is that not all games fit the classroom

14


environment, or all groups of students. In fact, it is good for teachers to keep
in mind when selecting a game that a recipe for a good educational game is
one that balances both fun and challenge (Steve Sugar.1998.p. xvi)
It can be seen that in order to gain the most from vocabulary games, it is
important that suitable games are chosen. Whenever a game is to be
organized, the factors such as the number of students, proficiency level,
cultural context, should be taken into account.

15


CHAPTER 2: METHODOLOGY
In this chapter, the research questions are raised again. The
information about the setting of the study, participants, research types, data
collection instruments, data collection procedures, data analysis methods will
be described in details.
2.1. Restatement of the research questions
The research question has clearly been shown in part A already.
Nevertheless, for the sake of highlighting the selected research method, the
research question is restated here again:
1.

How are games used to help students at Hoan Son secondary

school review vocabulary?
2.

What games should be used to review vocabulary for 8th grade

students at Hoan Son secondary school?
2.2. The setting of the study
The study was conducted at Hoan Son secondary school located in Hoan
Son commune, Tien Du district, Bac Ninh province. The school is spacious
with three floors and nineteen classes. Each class has at least twenty–five
students. All classes are equipped with projectors. Among them, six classes
are equipped with intelligent boards.
In terms of teachers, there are five teachers of English. All of them have
achieved the certificate of B2 in English. They teach 18 lessons per week.
Each lesson lasts 40 minutes. Teachers are active to choose their own teaching
methods as long as they find students satisfied with their teaching and make
progress.
Concerning about students, they are at A1 or A2 level.
2.3. Participants

16


This study focuses on 8th grade students at Hoan Son secondary school.
Eighty non – English major 8th form students from four classes: 8B, 8D and
8E took part in the study. The number of students in these classes is 26, 25
and 29 respectively. All of them started learning English when they were at

primary school. In other words, they have learned English for 5 years. Their
knowledge and vocabulary of English are at elementary level. Students have
three periods of English per week. In English lessons, most of students are not
interested in learning or reviewing vocabulary. Most of them find it a boring
and difficult activity and do not want to spend time on it. This is the reason
why the author wishes to carry out this action research with the hope to
change the present situation.
2.4. Research types
The study employs action research to investigate how effective the use of
games in helping students review vocabulary is and suggest what games
should be used. The research goals are achieved by means of both quantitative
and qualitative methods. The qualitative data (reflections from students) was
obtained after the quantitative data (tests for students)
2.5. Implementation of the Action Research Study
Whenever teachers identify happening problems in their class, it is their
responsibility to find the ways to solve them. In these educational situations,
action research is certainly a very popular type that teachers in general and
teachers of English in particular often employ to carry out their research.
According to Jonida Lesha (2014:379), “action research is a formative study
of progress commonly practiced by teachers in schools. Basically an action
research is a spiral process that includes problem investigation, taking action
& fact-finding about the result of action. It enables a teacher to adopt/craft
most appropriate strategy within its own teaching environment”.

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