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ASSIGNME
NT
RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
THE METHODOLOGY
OF TEACHING
ENGLISH TO VERY YOUNG CHILDREN
HANOI 2021
THANG LONG UNIVERSITY
ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT
A Research Proposal
CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION.............................................................................................8
1.1. Background of the study.................................................................................................8
1.2. Statement of the research problem................................................................................8
1.3. Aims of the study..............................................................................................................8
1.4. Significance of the study..................................................................................................9
1.5. Research questions...........................................................................................................9
CHAPTER 2. A REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE.............................................10
2.1. Theoretical framework..................................................................................................10
2.1.1. Age of learning............................................................................................................10
2.1.2. English vocabulary learning......................................................................................10
2.1.3. English pronunciation learning.................................................................................11
2.1.4. English vocabulary teaching methods.......................................................................11
2.1.4.1. Total Physical Response.......................................................................................11
2.1.4.2. Communicative Language Teaching....................................................................12
2.1.4.3. Natural Approach.................................................................................................12
2.1.4.4. Suggestopedia.......................................................................................................12
2.1.5. English pronunciation teaching methods..................................................................13
2.1.5.1. Listen and repeat..................................................................................................13
2.1.5.2. Drilling.................................................................................................................13
2.1.5.3. Minimal pair drills...............................................................................................13
2.1.5.4. Ear training..........................................................................................................14
2.1.5.5. Tongue twister......................................................................................................14
2.1.5.6. Songs and rhymes.................................................................................................14
2.1.5.7. Phonics.................................................................................................................14
2.1.5.8. Sound-colour charts.............................................................................................14
2.2. A critical review of previous studies............................................................................14
2.3. The gap for the present study to fill in.........................................................................16
CHAPTER 3. RESEARCH METHODLOGY......................................................................17
3.1. Research design (Rationale)..........................................................................................17
3.2. Population and sampling...............................................................................................17
3.3. Data collection instruments (Rationale)......................................................................18
3.4. Data collection procedure.............................................................................................18
3.5. Data analysis instrument...............................................................................................18
CHAPTER 4. EXPECTED FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS...........................................21
4.1. Results related to the first question..............................................................................21
4.2. Results related to the second question.........................................................................23
4.3. Results related to the sub-problems research questions............................................24
CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER STUDY..............27
LIST OF FIGURES
The Early Years Class offer a child-centered, play-based curriculum that uses learning and
teaching materials from the British Early Years Foundation Stage Framework. Thus, the class
does not have a detailed timetable. For Primary Class, students will study three lessons per day
and each lesson last for 2 hours.
3.3. Data collection instruments (Rationale)
Since the purpose of the study is to investigate which methods are used by English teachers
for very young learners, survey method was selected. The survey questionnaire contained 10
questions, each question will concentrate on aspects of language learning and teaching methods.
3.4. Data collection procedure
Data was collected by survey questionnaires. The survey questionnaires contain 10
questions and are numbered from 1 to 10. Questions 1 to 5 will deal with the aspects of teaching
vocabulary and questions 6 – 10 will deal with the aspects of teaching pronunciation.
3.5. Data analysis instrument
After conducting the survey, the data was summed up and shown through charts. The data
collected from question 1, 2, 6 and 7 will be presented in bar charts.
Questions for English vocabulary teaching
Q1: In four vocabulary teaching methods, which method is the most effective? (1: no effect, 2:
little effect, 3: most effective, N: if not apply)
Methods Rate
Total Physical Response
Communicative Language Teaching
Natural Approach
Suggestopedia
Q2: How do students feel about the activities base on these methods? (1: bored, 2: neutral, 3:
excited)
Q3: How do you encourage students to participate in classroom activities? (Write your answer
below)
Q4: Beside the teaching methods, what other factors influence the vocabulary learning of
children? (Write your answer below)
Q5: What is the most useful source of vocabulary for students (textbook, internet or real life)?
(Write your answer below)
Questions for English pronunciation teaching
Q6: In eight pronunciation teaching techniques, which technique is the most effective? (1: no
effect, 2: little effect, 3: most effective, N: if not apply)
Methods Rate
Listen and repeat
Drilling
Minimal pair drills
Ear training
Tongue twisters
Songs and rhymes
Phonics
Sound-colour charts
Q7: How do students feel about these pronunciation activities? (1: bored, 2: neutral, 3: excited)
Q8: Do you use any aids (pictures, videos or audios) to when teaching pronunciation and what
are they? (Write your answer below)
Q9: Beside the teaching methods, what other factors influence the pronunciation of children?
(Write your answer below)
Q10: What is the most useful source for students to learn pronunciation (music, films or
communicate with teachers and friends)? (Write your answer below)
CHAPTER 4. EXPECTED FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
In this section, the results of the study will be presented descriptively according to the research
questions:
What methods do ESL teachers use to teach English to non-native speaking children?
Which methods are the most suitable for children in second language acquisition?
4.1. Results related to the first question
In this part, the study attempts to answer the first question “What methods do ESL teachers
use to teach English to non-native speaking children?”.
Q1: In four vocabulary teaching methods, which method is the most effective? (1: no effect, 2:
little effect, 3: most effective, N: if not apply)
100%
90%
80%
70%
70% 65%
60%
60%
50% Effective
42% Little effect
40% 35% No effect
0%
Total Physical Communicative Natural Approach Suggestopedia
Response Language Teaching
The bar chart above describes the effectiveness of four vocabulary teaching methods,
namely Total Physical Response, Communicative Language Teaching, Natural Approach and
Suggestopedia. The TPR is the most effective method with 70% of teachers approved. This
method is believed to be fun and easy for teachers and students to practice. It can also be used
with other methods such as CLT and NA. However, it is not a creative method since the students
only do as teachers said and it can easily be overused. The CLT is the second effective methods
because it bases on students’ needs and interests. Although it focuses on the fluency, this method
does not focus on accuracy which leads to incoherent, grammatically incorrect sentences. The
NA is the third effective method since students are not forced to produce language until they are
ready. The drawback of this method is that it can be a long process. The SG is described as an
The effectiveness of each techniques
Sound-colour charts 45%
Phonics 60%
Drilling 77%
effective method because it creates a relaxing environment for learners. However, in the
classroom, teachers do not have enough time to apply this method, thus they cannot rate its
effectiveness in a short time.
Q6: In eight pronunciation teaching methods, which method is the most effective? (1: no effect,
2: little effect, 3: most effective, N: if not apply)
The chart above indicates the effectiveness of the pronunciation techniques, namely listen
and repeat, drilling, minimal pair drills, ear training, tongue twisters, songs and rhymes, phonics,
and sound-colour charts. Listen and repeat, drilling, minimal pair drills, ear training, and songs
and rhymes are considered the most effective techniques in teaching pronunciation. These
techniques are fun and easy to practice in the classroom. The other three techniques show little
effects on students since young children can easily get bored with challenging tasks or theory
lessons. Fortunately, there are no techniques that show no effects on teaching and learning
pronunciation.
4.2. Results related to the second question
In this part, the study attempts to answer the second question “Which methods are the most
suitable for children in second language acquisition?”.
Q2: How do students feel about the activities base on these methods? (1: bored, 2: neutral, 3:
excited)
100%
90%
80%
70%
60%
Bored
50% Neutral
Excited
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
TPR CLT NA SG
This chart illustrates which classroom activities based on the four methods is the most
exciting for young children. The types of activities for TPR are imperative drills, dialogues, roles
play and slide presentation (Richards & Rodgers, 2001, p.93). The types of exercises and
activities for CLT are unlimited (Richards & Rodgers, 2001, p.76); however, Littlewood (1981)
stated that "functional communication activities" and "social interaction activities" are the major
activity types in Communicative Language Teaching. The activities for NA are often borrowed
from other methods such as TPR or CLT (Richards & Rodgers, 2001, p.136). The major activity
for SG is listening activities and it is used in three phases of reading (Richards & Rodgers, 2001,
p.1348). Since the students are very young and enthusiastic, they feel excited about almost all
activities in the classroom. These activities also improve children’s vocabulary foundation as well
as motivate them in learning language. However, there are few students feel bored or neutral
toward these activities because they are shy, or they can easily get tired from these activities.
Q7: How do students feel about these pronunciation activities? (1: bored, 2: neutral, 3: excited)
Phonics 30%
Drilling 80%
The chart describes how young learners feel about the eight activities mentioned above.
Children are always energetic when they participate in activities such as singing songs, listening
and repeating, and drilling. These activities help create a joyful and motivative environment for
children, therefore, helping them improve their listening and pronunciation skills. These activities
also boost students’ confidence and creativity. On the other hand, activities like sound-colour
charts and phonics are considered not interesting because they focus mostly on theory and are
hard to remember. Additionally, tongue twisters may be considered challenging for pupils if they
are overused.
4.3. Results related to the sub-problems research questions
In this part, the study attempts to answer the sub-problems research questions:
Are there any factors that influence children in learning English beside teaching
methods?
How can teachers encourage students in learning second language?
What are the most useful sources of language knowledge for students to improve their
language skills?
Concerning the question “Are there any factors that influence children in learning English
beside teaching methods?”, the answer for this question lies in the Q4 and Q9 of the survey
questionnaires. It is clear that teaching methods is not the only factor affecting a child’s language
acquisition. The first factor influences the children’s learning is environment which means their
classroom or family. If a child is exposed to language at an early age, he/she can develop his/her
language acquisition. Another factor affecting pupils’ learning is motivation. Being in a class
where everyone speaks English will motivate the children to learn English so as to play and
communicate with friends and teachers. Other factors such as personality (introverted or
extroverted) and learning environment (positive, active or tense) are also considered to have
certain impacts to young learners’ language acquisition.
Regarding to the question “How can teachers encourage students in learning second
language?”, the response in Q3 and Q8 will answer this question. According to teachers at school
A, they usually offer reward such as stars or presents for students who are dynamic in classroom
activities. Teachers should also build a good relationship with students and show their support to
students when they participate in any activities. Another way to encourage students is creating a
joyful and relaxing environment. Children are more likely to concentrate on learning if they feel
welcoming and relaxing. The environment and atmosphere in the classroom are the essential
factors to help students feel comfortable and confident (Harmer, 2001). Additionally, teachers
can make their lessons more appealing by using visual aids such as pictures, videos and
slideshow, or other aids like songs or flashcard.
For question “What are the most useful sources of language knowledge for students to
improve their language skills?”, the response in Q5 and Q10 are attempted to answer this
question. For vocabulary sources, it is highly recommended that children use audio books.
Students can adjust the speed of the speech, repeat any part they want and read anytime they
want. In the age of technology, children can also learn vocabulary through education games and
apps. However, they will need the supervisor from parents and teachers so that they will not be
distracted by other games on the electric devices. Other sources such as textbook or storybook
can also help young learners acquire English vocabulary. For learning pronunciation, pupils are
encouraged to imitate some phrases or lines from movies and songs they like to improve the
speaking. However, songs and movies can be hard to listen if they are spoken in different accents,
and it is essential that parents and teachers choose songs and movies for the children to listen to.
Audio books can also be used to improve pronunciation. Other sources such as textbook audios
and education apps are also helpful for learning pronunciation.
RECOMMENDATIONS
As the result of the study, there are still several methods and techniques that can be
improved to maximize the potential of young learners. First of all, for theoretical lessons,
teachers should use some visual aids such as pictures, videos or slide presentation to make the
lessons more appealing to students. Furthermore, teachers should also design different types of
games in classroom to help students understand the lessons easily. Different teaching methods
should be combined in order to produce the best result.
Secondly, it is important to stay up-to-date with the current trend so that teachers can
design the suitable lessons or activities. Moreover, teachers can introduce teaching materials to
children such as new storybooks, audio books or videos about English learning. In addition,
teachers can combine teaching language during the class field trip. For example, children can
learn vocabulary from different objects they see during their trip.
The third important area is the improvement of the learning environment. It is ideal that the
learning environment should be welcoming and joyful since the pupils are young and energetic.
According to Harmer (2001), the environment and atmosphere in the classroom are the essential
factors to help students feel comfortable and confident.
Finally, teachers should apply music into teaching as well as creating a relaxing atmosphere
inside the classroom. Richards & Rodgers (2001) stated that the use of music in the learning
environment is based on the knowledge that the human brain can process vast materials given
appropriate learning conditions. Besides, music is believed to help learners relax and create
enjoyment in the teaching and learning environment.
CHAPTER 5. CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION FOR FURTHER STUDY
This study has investigated the methodology of English teaching in terms of vocabulary
and pronunciation in Vietnam.
Based on the findings, the four vocabulary teaching methods, namely TPR, CLT, NA and
SG, were employed in Early Years Foundation Class and Primary Class. The TPR method was
used the most by teachers of school A through classroom activities. The study found that young
learners can understand the action words by responding with simple answers or actions according
to their teachers’ commands. CLT method was applied to encourage students to interact and
communicate with each other. The teachers focus on both social context and functional context
because they both show improvement of the students. For the NA method, the pupils were taught
in a natural environment and were not obliged to speak unless they were ready. The students were
exposed to English through daily conversations with teachers and friends. Although SG is the
least used by teachers, it was still employed in the setting of the classroom. The teachers had tried
their best to create a comfortable environment for students. Along with these methods, various
aids such as pictures, audios, videos and storybooks were used as teaching sources. Grammar was
taught based on their textbook and vocabulary was taught based on both textbook and authentic
materials. The teachers had done a great job in addressing the needs and interests of students.
For the pronunciation teaching methods, the eight techniques were used collaboratively
with each other. Each of the techniques provided different approaches toward learning
pronunciation. Teachers also made the lessons become more appealing by using a variety of
visual aids. Students were encouraged to practice pronunciation through activities such as role-
play, dialogues and drama. Different learning materials were introduced to students to help them
find the most suitable source for their pronunciation learning.
The study has also made some recommendations for the improvement of English teaching
to Vietnamese young learners. It is crucial that teachers are always adapting new teaching
approaches to meet the need of young learners and to “develop engaging, motivating activities to
help young learners in learning English” (Shin & Crandall, 2014, p. 19). Although there are still
more work to be done, this study can be a useful contribution to the field of ESL teaching for
very young children. The study is still present some flaws and limitations. Therefore, the field of
second language teaching in Vietnam is always need more studies and investigations in the
future.
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Methods Rate
Total Physical Response
Communicative Language Teaching
Natural Approach
Suggestopedia
Q2: How do students feel about the activities base on these methods? (1: bored, 2: neutral, 3:
excited)
Q3: How do you encourage students to participate in classroom activities? (Write your answer
below)
Q4: Beside the teaching methods, what other factors influence the vocabulary learning of
children? (Write your answer below)
Q5: What is the most useful source of vocabulary for students (textbook, internet or real life)?
(Write your answer below)
Questions for English pronunciation teaching
Q6: In eight pronunciation teaching techniques, which technique is the most effective? (1: no
effect, 2: little effect, 3: most effective, N: if not apply)
Methods Rate
Listen and repeat
Drilling
Minimal pair drills
Ear training
Tongue twisters
Songs and rhymes
Phonics
Sound-colour charts
Q7: How do students feel about these pronunciation activities? (1: bored, 2: neutral, 3: excited)
Q8: Do you use any aids (pictures, videos or audios) to when teaching pronunciation and what
are they? (Write your answer below)
Q9: Beside the teaching methods, what other factors influence the pronunciation of children?
(Write your answer below)
Q10: What is the most useful source for students to learn pronunciation (music, films or
communicate with teachers and friends)? (Write your answer below)