THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

VU MAI MY

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EMPLOYMENT OF GAMES TO
DEVELOP ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR THE 3RD GRADE

PUPILS AT TAN LAP PRIMARY SCHOOL, THAI NGUYEN CITY,
THAI NGUYEN PROVINCE
M.A THESIS
Field: English Linguistics
Code: 8220201

THAI NGUYEN- 2022

THAI NGUYEN UNIVERSITY
SCHOOL OF FOREIGN LANGUAGES

VU MAI MY

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE EMPLOYMENT OF GAMES TO
DEVELOP ENGLISH VOCABULARY FOR THE 3RD GRADE

PUPILS AT TAN LAP PRIMARY SCHOOL, THAI NGUYEN CITY,
THAI NGUYEN PROVINCE

M.A THESIS

Field: English Linguistics
Code: 8220201

THAI NGUYEN- 2022

ĐẠI HỌC THÁI NGUYÊN
TRƯỜNG NGOẠI NGỮ

VŨ MAI MY

HIỆU QUẢ CỦA VIỆC ÁP DỤNG TRÒ CHƠI ĐỂ PHÁT TRIỂN
TỪ VỰNG TIẾNG ANH CHO HỌC SINH LỚP 3 TRƯỜNG TIỂU
HỌC TÂN LẬP, THÀNH PHỐ THÁI NGUYÊN, TỈNH THÁI NGUYÊN

LUẬN VĂN THẠC SĨ

Ngành: Ngôn ngữ Anh
Mã số: 8220201

THÁI NGUYÊN - 2022

DECLARATION

I certify that the information I have written on the application form and the
documents I have submitted are true and accurate. I confirm that this paper is
submitted in fulfillment of the requirement for the M.A. Degree and has not been
submitted elsewhere in any other form for the fulfillment of any other degree or
qualification.

Approved by Supervisor Submitted by:

Vu Kieu Hanh Ph. D Vu Mai My


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This thesis would have not been finished without the guide, support,
suggestions, and encouragement from many people around the researcher. The
researcher would like to express her deepest and sincere gratitude to:

Academic lecturer and her advisor Dr. Vu Kieu Hanh for her generous advice,
valuable guidance, elaborated correction, patience, and willingness to assist the
researcher during her busy time throughout the research process.

All lecturers in the English Education Department, School of Foreign
Languages – TNU, who have given her great support and insightful lectures in the
field of study.

All her friends and classmates in the English Education Department, School of
Foreign Languages – TNU, who always supported her during the study in the
graduate program and for their spirits to accomplish her study.

The headmaster and teachers at Tan Lap Primary School have given support and
motivation to complete this thesis.

The primary pupils at Tan Lap Primary School were engaged as participants in
this research.

Her beloved parents and husband for their love, patience, support, and
motivation.


In the end, the researcher realized this paper could not be perfect. There were
shortcomings and mistakes. Therefore, all critics and suggestions for this paper to be
better are appreciated.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ........................................................................................................i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................... ii
TABLE OF CONTENTS........................................................................................ iii
LIST OF TABLES ...................................................................................................vi
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................vii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS............................................................................... viii
ABSTRACT ..............................................................................................................ix
CHAPTER I...............................................................................................................1
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 1

1.1. Rationale of the study......................................................................................1
1.2. Aims of the study .............................................................................................4
1.3. Research questions ..........................................................................................4
1.4. Scope of the study ............................................................................................4
1.5. Method of the research ...................................................................................5
1.6. The significance of the study ..........................................................................5
1.7. Organization of the thesis ...............................................................................6
CHAPTER II. ............................................................................................................7
LITERATURE REVIEW.........................................................................................7
2.1. Games in vocabulary teaching and learning.................................................7
2.1.1. Concept of language games ........................................................................7
2.1.2. Roles of language games .............................................................................9

2.1.3. Main types of language games. ..................................................................9
2.1.4. Advantages of language games ................................................................12
2.1.5. The role of games in teaching and learning vocabulary........................13
2.2. Vocabulary .....................................................................................................15
2.2.1. Definition of the vocabulary.....................................................................15
2.2.2. Types of vocabulary ..................................................................................17
2.2.3. Importance of vocabulary ........................................................................18
2.3. Teaching vocabulary .....................................................................................19

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2.3.1 The importance of vocabulary teaching...................................................19
2.3.2. Process of vocabulary teaching ................................................................19
2.4. Learning vocabulary .....................................................................................20
2.4.1 The importance of vocabulary learning...................................................20
2.4.2 Obstacles in learning vocabulary..............................................................21
2.5. Characteristics of young learners ................................................................21
2.6. Motivation in learning vocabulary ..............................................................22
2.6.1. Nature of Motivation.................................................................................22
2.6.2. Kinds of Motivation ..................................................................................23
2.6.3. Methods to enhance motivation in learning ...........................................25
2.6.4. ARSC Motivational Design model...........................................................26
2.7. Previous studies .............................................................................................28
2.8. Summary ........................................................................................................30
CHAPTER III..........................................................................................................31
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ..........................................................................31
3.1. Context of the study ......................................................................................31
3.1.1. The textbook ..............................................................................................31
3.1.2. The research location................................................................................31
3.1.3. The subjects and sampling .......................................................................31

3.2. Research design .............................................................................................32
3.2.1. Data collection instruments......................................................................33
3.2.3. Procedures of data analysis ......................................................................36
3.3. Action research procedure ...........................................................................37
3.3.1. Warming up ...............................................................................................37
3.3.2. Presentation ...............................................................................................39
3.3.3. Explanation ................................................................................................40
3.3.4. Production...............................................................................................41
3.4. Summary ........................................................................................................42
CHAPTER IV..........................................................................................................43
FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS..........................................................................43

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4.1. Findings from tests ........................................................................................43
4.1.1 Pre-test results ............................................................................................43
4.1.2. Post-test results..........................................................................................44
4.1.3. Differences in pupils’ vocabulary use before and after using language
games in teaching vocabulary ............................................................................45
4.2. Findings from interviews ..............................................................................45
4.2.1. Interviews with teachers ...........................................................................45
4.3. Questionnaires for pupils..............................................................................48
4.3.1. Pupils’ attitude towards learning vocabulary with the use of games...48
4.3.2. The improvement of pupils after they had been taught with the use of
games. ...................................................................................................................49
4.3.3. Pupils’ favorite tasks in the lesson with the use of games .....................49
4.4 Discussions ......................................................................................................50
4.5 Summary .........................................................................................................51
5.1. Conclusions ....................................................................................................52
5.1.1. Summary of findings.................................................................................52

5.1.2. Implications ...............................................................................................52
5.1.3. Limitations .................................................................................................53
5.1.4. Recommendations .....................................................................................54
REFERENCES ........................................................................................................55
APPENDIX 1 ............................................................................................................. I
APPENDIX 2 ............................................................................................................II
APPENDIX 3 .......................................................................................................... IV
APPENDIX 4 ............................................................................................................ V
APPENDIX 5 .......................................................................................................... VI
APPENDIX 6 .........................................................................................................VII
APPENDIX 7 ....................................................................................................... XIV

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LIST OF TABLES

Table 4.1: The overall descriptive data of the tests...................................................45
Table 4.2: The sources of games (Question 4)..........................................................47
Table 4.3. The improvement of pupils after they had been taught with the use of
games ......................................................................................................................... 49
Table 4.4: Pupils’ favorite tasks in the lesson with the use of games.......................49

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 4.1: Pre-test outcome .....................................................................................44
Figure 4.2: Post-test outcome....................................................................................44
Figure 4.3: Teachers’ frequency of using games in teaching English (Question 1) .46
Figure 4.4: Teachers’ attitudes towards the effectiveness of games. (Question 2) ..47

Figure 4.5. Pupils’ attitude towards learning vocabulary with the use of games .....48

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ARSC LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
CIS
CLT Attention, relevance, satisfaction, confident
EFL Course Interest Survey
ESL Communicative language teaching
IMMS English as a Foreign Language
English as a Second Language
Instructional Materials Motivation Survey

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ABSTRACT
English plays a very important role in the current globalization era.
Therefore, the education system of our country places great emphasis on
teaching English to pupils. However, learning English is a challenging task for
pupils in Vietnam. Local primary school pupils are still weak in all four skills
of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Especially, pupils in Tan Lap are
very shy to speak English in class due to many different reasons such as
shyness, reticence, and fear of laughter when they say the wrong thing; Due to
the large class sizes, teachers have little time to practice skills for each student.
Therefore, a good organization of speaking practice will help overcome these
limitations. Therefore, finding an appropriate, interesting, and effective way to
learn English is a problem for teachers in general and Tan Lap school in
particular. This research is going to practice on techniques of using games in
teaching English vocabulary to primary pupils. This research is going to
practice on techniques of using games in teaching English vocabulary to

primary pupils. By finding the answers to the research questions, the researcher
can find out the effectiveness of using game techniques in teaching English
vocabulary to the pupils. Its results are hoped to be a helpful reference for future
research, as well as for teachers who desire to help pupils in studying English.

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Thus, two sets of survey questionnaire including pre-task survey questionnaire
and post-task survey questionnaire are used to investigate students’ attitudes,
perspectives towards speaking skill and language games adapted during
speaking lessons, to find out the students’ preferences for employing this
technique in mastering speaking skill. The study consists of five chapters.
Chapter I presents the factors as the plan of the study such as: aims, scope,
methods as well as the design of the study. Chapter II named Literature Review
is the display of theoretical background. The next chapter, Research
Methodology is the presentation of the hypothesis, subject of the study, the
textbook and data collection. Chapter IV is one of the most important chapters
in the study deals with the collected data, and to infer some suggestions on
using language games, which are presented in the last chapter

Key words: Language Games, Vocabulary, Teaching, Action Research.

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CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION

1.1. Rationale of the study
Nowadays, as learning English is no longer new and unfamiliar to pupils, this


subject has received the attention of parents and pupils. English is also a subject for
pupils to love, explore, compare the differences between languages, and learn about
the culture, people, and socio-economics of the country they are studying. However,
for primary school pupils, especially those who start to come into contact with
English like 3rd graders, teaching Vietnamese is already difficult, and teaching
English is even more challenging. On the first day of class, the teacher asked the
pupils to keep quiet or answer in a low voice. With enthusiasm, teachers overcome
difficulties and inspire pupils. Gradually, the subject of English began to seep into
each student. For pupils at primary schools, teaching and learning English should
come from the children’s interests, concerns, and personal experiences. The pupils at
Tan Lap Primary School in Thai Nguyen Province share the same nature; they have
not been able to grasp a language systematically and analyze a language consciously,
and one of their common characteristics is curiosity. The way of teaching with
nothing new and interesting will make pupils bored; therefore, the teacher needs
something different to make pupils interested, and interesting activities which can
motivate them. Thus, to motivate them, the teacher needs something new that can
stimulate their curiosity, and one of the best methods to teach English to pupils at this
age is through interactive activities. Games as interactive activities are used to avoid
boredom and increase enjoyment in the classroom. Both pupils and teachers will
benefit from including games during class time.

During the monitoring of English lessons at Tan Lap Primary School, it has
been observed that there exists a significant lack of vocabulary in English in the
pupils. The lack of vocabulary is characterized by some signs that pupils show in the
classroom. On most occasions when pupils are asked about the name of an item in
the target language, they tend to use their mother tongue because of a lack of

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knowledge of the word in the foreign language; or they simply stay silent because

they do not know or do not remember the word in English. Another perceived aspect
is that pupils do not discriminate words correctly as they do not know their meanings
and many times they get confused with words that have a similar spelling or sound;
this deficiency in the discrimination of words makes the pupils use wrong words
which makes the sense of the message distorted. Also, the pupils have some
difficulties when recognizing objects around them, elements or topics that include
simple vocabulary such as the parts of the body, numbers, the alphabet, and school
supplies, among others. Additionally, what is most noticeable is that pupils cannot
answer questions, showing insecurity at the time of responding, and this is because
they are real beginners as they have heard little English during their learning
experience.

Although language structure is considered “the skeleton of the language,” it is
agreed that vocabulary is “the vital organs and flesh” (Harmer, 1991). Vocabulary is
the basic part and a key element to learning any language, in other words, vocabulary
learning plays a major role in English language learners’ success. On another aspect,
learning English vocabulary is not easy especially for beginners because sometimes
they should find the meaning of difficult words when they found them. It might be
difficult for beginners because they have to memorize unfamiliar words and their
spelling (Nguyen & Khuat, 2003). As specialists in the teaching of a foreign language,
we have the responsibility for contributing to the significant learning of vocabulary,
not just as knowledge but as something that must be present in pupils’ real life. That
goal can be achieved through different activities that include songs, craft activities,
drills, games, and others. However, from all these, we consider that a technique that
can help pupils learn in a fun and active way is through language games because they
sustain enjoyment and interest in learning and encourage using the language
fearlessly and creatively.

Theoretically, many linguists across the world have investigated the use of
games in teaching vocabulary. The previous studies illustrated in the report

(Decarrico, 2001), that vocabulary should not be learned separately or by

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memorization without understanding. This is why teaching English in a fun and the
interesting way might be appropriate for teaching beginners, including using games.
Furthermore, another study focused on the impact of using interactive games on the
mode of learning (Foreman et al., 2004). Games are helpful for teachers in creating a
meaningful language context. The use of games as a learning tool is more effective
to catch pupils’ attention compared to using traditional media such as textbooks
(Wood, 2001). Other studies have shown that various games can help learners to
master the vocabulary, for example, memory games, word association, miming,
kangaroo, hangman, etc. Games provide learners a chance to learn, practice, and
review the target language in a fun atmosphere. Meanwhile, Nguyen and Khuat
(2003) showed the advantages of using games in learning vocabulary. First, games
bring relaxation and pleasure to pupils which can help them to learn and retain new
words easier. Second, games can engage pupils in learning by involving a friendly
competition which increases their motivation to participate actively during learning
activities. Third, it brings a real-world context into the classroom and stimulates
pupils to use English flexibly and communicatively. Thus, it can be concluded that
the role of games in teaching and learning vocabulary cannot be denied. However,
while there have been many such studies in Vietnam, little attention has been paid to
the effectiveness of the employment of games to develop English vocabulary for
primary school pupils, particularly third-graders. In search of a new contribution in
the course of teaching, the researcher wants to conduct this research based on a case
study to enhance the use of language games to improve English vocabulary learning
for primary pupils.

All of the aforementioned reasons have paved the way for the researcher to carry
out a study: “The Effectiveness of the Employment of Games to Develop English

Vocabulary for the 3rd Grade Pupils at Tan Lap Primary School, Thai Nguyen City,
Thai Nguyen Province”.

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1.2. Aims of the study
The study aims to identify the effectiveness of using games in teaching English

vocabulary for the 3rd-grade pupils at Tan Lap Primary School, Thai Nguyen City,
Thai Nguyen Province.

To conduct the research smoothly, it was required to clarify the specific
objectives as follows:

- To identify the perceptions of the teachers and pupils at Tan Lap Primary
School towards the effectiveness of teaching vocabulary with the combination of
language games to the third graders.

- To identify the effectiveness of teaching vocabulary using language games to
enhance primary-level pupils' vocabulary acquisition.
1.3. Research questions

The above overall aims are expected to be fulfilled by addressing the following
research questions:

1. What is the effectiveness of the use of language games for their vocabulary
use?

2. To what extent was learning vocabulary through language games effective
for the third graders at the school?


The researcher holds a strong belief that “the application of language games”
would significantly improve student’s motivation in learning vocabulary.
1.4. Scope of the study

Due to the limitation of time and experience, this study only concentrates on
investigating the effectiveness of language games in teaching and learning
vocabulary to the third graders at Tan Lap Primary School, Thai Nguyen City, Thai
Nguyen Province. The researcher would like to determine how vocabulary games are
effective in teaching and learning vocabulary to the third-grade pupils as perceived
by the teachers and pupils as well as to justify the effectiveness of language games in
the pupils’ vocabulary acquisition. However, it is time-consuming to carry out the
research including all third-grade pupils at the school. Thus, the researcher only
collected the data among 35 pupils in class 3C at Tan Lap Primary School, Thai

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Nguyen City, Thai Nguyen Province. Under the allowable scheme of the study, the
researcher conducted the study in three months.
1.5. Method of the research

• Approach:
The main method of the research is action research. The term “action research”
refers to two dimensions of activity: the word “research” refers to a systematic
approach to carrying out investigations and collecting information that is designed to
illuminate an issue or problem and to improve classroom practice, meanwhile the
word “action” refers to taking practical action to resolve classroom problems
(Richards, 2005). Therefore, action research achieves both action (change or
improve) and research (understanding).
According to Cohen et al. (2007), action research is “small-scale intervention

in the functioning of the real world and a close examination of the effects of such
intervention”. Kemmis and Mc Taggart (1988) identify three characteristics of action
research, which are “carried out by practitioners”, “collaborative” and “aimed at
changing things”.
Action research was chosen as the primary research method as it meets the aim
and objectives of the study. In the process of carrying out this study, the survey
questionnaire is used to collect data for the study.
• Sample:
The target population of this study was from The survey questionnaire
including pre-task survey questionnaire and post- task survey questionnaire is for 35
pupils in class 3C at Tan Lap Primary School, Thai Nguyen City, Thai Nguyen
Province.
1.6. The significance of the study
The research is important for several reasons. To begin with, the findings of
the study would show the importance of using language games to improve
vocabulary in students in grade 3rd through finding the answers to the research
questions, the researcher can find out the effectiveness of using game techniques in
teaching English vocabulary for primary school students. Its results are hoped to be

5

a helpful reference for further research, as well as for teachers who desire to help
students in studying English.

It is believed that the findings of the study would be beneficial to English
teachers and instructors in the way that they provide English teachers with a better
perception of the use of a variety of language games in their classroom, as well as
provide them with information on the advantages of utilizing language games in the
classroom, particularly when teaching vocabulary.


It will assist teachers in gaining a better understanding of their students'
perceptions toward the use of games to improve vocabulary learning.

The study also outlines how games might be used in the classroom.
For other researchers, this paper might be a good source for reference and inspires
a new direction for further studies.
1.7. Organization of the thesis

This thesis consists of five chapters. Chapter I, Introduction, presents the
background to the study, states the aim of the study, and lists the research questions,
limitations of the study, method of the research, the significance, the scope, and the
design of the study. Chapter II, Literature Review conceptualizes the framework of
the study including the key concepts. A brief overview of the related studies is also
provided. Chapter III, Methodology, provides a detailed description of the research
methods including research question, data collection instruments, subjects,
procedures, and data analysis of the study. Chapter IV, Discussion gives the findings
of this study. Finally, Chapter V, Conclusion offers the summary of findings,
implications, limitations, recommendations of the researcher.

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CHAPTER II.
LITERATURE REVIEW

This chapter shows the theoretical background of the research. First of all,
theories of vocabulary, teaching vocabulary and games in teaching are discussed.
Then, it is going to mention the studies related to teaching English vocabulary
through games.
2.1. Games in vocabulary teaching and learning
2.1.1. Concept of language games


The word "game" can be described in a variety of ways. According to the
Oxford Dictionary, a game is "an action or sport with rules in which individuals or
teams play against each other."

According to Jones (1980), a game is described as one or more players
competing or cooperating according to a set of rules. According to Rogers (1981), a
game is an objective that is established, rule-governed, and competitive to bring
together and engage pupils.

Language games help pupils gain confidence and contribute to improving
grades. Language games play an important part in vocabulary instruction because
they introduce real-world meaning into the classroom. They can keep their brains
busy by playing with words and letters, which also aids in the development of their
communicative skills.

Language games are pair or group exercises used by teachers to encourage
pupils to participate in vocabulary learning during each cycle. While its advantages
were suggested and justified as early as the 1970s, the notion of using games in
teaching does not seem to be universally adopted or enforced. There is a common
misunderstanding that all learning should be serious. Games are an essential
instrument for bringing fun to the classroom. They are particularly beneficial to
beginners as a source of cognition that aids in the adaptation of sounds and rhythms
as well as the comprehension of the foreign language. According to Byrne (1995), a
game is a type of play regulated by rules. They can be pleasurable and relaxing.
They're more than just a distraction or a break from normal activities. They're also a

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