A study on using VOA Special English program to improve vocabulary for the second- year English...
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DECLARATION
I certify the thesis entitled “A study on using VOA Special English program to
improve vocabulary for the second- year English majors at Hung Yen University of
Technology and Education” is the result of my own research and the substance of this
thesis has not been submitted for a degree to any other university or institution.
Signature
Le Phuong Thao
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This paper could have been completed without the help, encouragement and
support from a number people who all deserve my sincerest gratitude and appreciation.
First of all, I would like to thank Ms Nguyen Thi Anh Tuyet, my supervisor. I am
indebted to her inspiration, scholarly supervision and intellectual support throughout the
course of writing this graduation paper. Her continual encouragement, careful reading,
critical comments and patient guidance made my work more enjoyable and easier.
Special words of thank also go to all my informants for their willing participation
in this questionnaire. Without them this paper could not have been possible.
Finally, my deepest gratitude and appreciation go to my family, my friends and
my classmates. Their love, support and constant encouragement gave me a great deal of
strength and determination that help me during the stressful time of writing this paper.
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ABSTRACT
In general, Vietnamese students usually feel bored in learning listening
vocabulary and second year English major students in Hung Yen University of Technology
and Education are same. Because they have not changed their learning habits, such as
writing words on paper, trying to learn by heart or learning passively through the teacher's
explanations. To help students find language classes, specially get easier to learn listening
vocabulary more interesting, and to achieve more from VOA Special English, I conducted
action research to find the answer to the question, "Do VOA Special English help students
learn vocabulary effectively, and if so, how?". However we singled out the component of
VOA to study that in isolation. After reviewing academic opinions on this specifically
focused matter, of which there are relatively few, I began action research by questionnaires
in 57 second year English major students in UTEHY, and 5 English teachers at Department
of Foreign Languages, to get direct opinions. Also, as the finding shows, teachers and
students used VOA Special English to improve listening vocabulary. Finally, the research
recommends that the teachers should usually use VOA to teach student more appropriate
tasks and activities and be active creative as well to maintain the learners’ interest in
learning.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION .................................................................................................................... i
ACKNOWLEDGMENT........................................................................................................ ii
ABSTRACT...........................................................................................................................iii
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................... vi
LIST OF TABLESS AND FIGURES ..................................................................................vii
CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION........................................................................................... 1
1. Rationale of the study.............................................................................................. 1
2. Aims of the study .................................................................................................... 2
3. Scope of the study ................................................................................................... 2
4. Methods of the study ............................................................................................... 3
5. Design of the study.................................................................................................. 3
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW .............................................................................. 4
2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 4
2.2 Theoretical backgrounds of vocabulary ...................................................................... 4
2.2.1 The important of vocabulary ............................................................................... 4
2.2.2 The Understandings of vocabulary...................................................................... 5
2.2.3 Listening vocabulary ........................................................................................... 6
2.3 Theoretical backgrounds of VOA ............................................................................... 6
2.3.1 The understanding of VOA Special English ........................................................ 6
2.3.2 The advantages of using VOA Special English .................................................... 6
2.4 Summary ..................................................................................................................... 7
CHAPTER THREE: THE STUDY ....................................................................................... 8
3.1 Methodology ............................................................................................................... 8
3.1.1 The physical setting ............................................................................................. 8
3.1.2 The listening course ............................................................................................. 9
3.1.3 Participants of the study .................................................................................... 10
3.1.4 Data collection instruments ............................................................................... 10
3.1.5 Procedure .......................................................................................................... 11
3.1.6 Summary ............................................................................................................ 11
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3.2 INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSIONS OF THE DATA ............................... 11
3.2.1 Data analysis of students’ responses ................................................................. 11
3.2.2 Data analysis of teachers’ responses ................................................................ 21
3.3 Summary ................................................................................................................... 29
3.4 Recommendation and suggestion:............................................................................. 30
3.4.1. For teachers ...................................................................................................... 31
3.4.2 For students ....................................................................................................... 32
CHAPTER IV: CONCLUSION .......................................................................................... 35
4.1. Summary of the study .............................................................................................. 35
4.2. Limitations of the study............................................................................................ 35
4.3. Suggestions for future studies .................................................................................. 35
REFERENCE....................................................................................................................... 36
APPENDICES ........................................................................................................................I
APPENDIX 1...........................................................................................................................I
APPENDIX 2........................................................................................................................ VI
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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
VOA: Voice of America
UTEHY: Hung Yen University of technology and Education
FFL: Faculty of Foreign Language
IELTS: International English Language Testing System
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LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES
Pie chart 1: The students use VOA Special English to learn Pie chart 2: The students’ time use VOA to learn listening vocabulary
Pie chart 3: The teachers use VOA Special English Pie chart 3: The teachers use VOA Special English Pie chart 5: The teachers’ toward student’s time should spend using VOA
Bar chart 1: The students’ topic attract learning in VOA Bar chart 2: The students’ attitude towards important of listening vocabulary
Bar chart 3: The students’ ways learn listening vocabulary Bar chart 4: The students’ factors affect learning listening vocabulary ability in VOA. Bar chart 5: The student’s activities attractive when learning listening vocabulary
Bar chart 6: Students’ ways improve listening vocabulary in VOA Bar chart 7: The teachers’ topics want to teach listening vocabulary
Bar chart 8: Teachers’ attitude towards the importance of listening vocabulary Bar chart 9: The teachers’ opinions on the ways to help students improve their listening vocabulary
Bar chart 10: Teachers opinion factors affecting learning listening vocabulary ability in VOA.
Bar chart 11: The teachers’ opinion activities attractive students Bar chart 12: The teacher’s opinion way to improving students learn listening vocabulary in VOA
Table 1: students’ reasons learn listening vocabulary Table 2: The students’ frequent situations meet vocabulary Table 3: The students’ frequent use methods to learn listening vocabulary
Table 4: The students’ frequent use techniques to learn listening vocabulary in VOA Table 5: The teachers’ frequent situations meet vocabulary
Table 6: The teachers’ opinion students’ frequent use techniques to learn listening vocabulary in VOA Table 7: The teachers’ opinion techniques should use to remember listening vocabulary in
VOA
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CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationale of the study
No one denies the importance of English language in the present time as global
language. It is clear that English has become more and more dominant around the world.
Actually, in some countries it is used as the mother tongue and, other countries learn it as
second language in their schools. There is no doubt that English is language of
communication between the people from different cultures. Moreover, English is the
language of science and technology. It is also the language of computers that help to
integrate the people around the world via Internet technology and e-mail. Needless to say,
people who know English can deal with the Internet. Therefore, the need of mastering a
foreign language Specially English is becoming more and more necessary.
As for as we concern, study a language cannot be separated from studying
vocabulary. Yet it is true that the vocabulary is the focus of language. It is in words that
sound and meaning interlock to allow us to communicate with one another, and it is word
that we arrange together to make sentences, conversation, and discourse of all kinds.
Besides, vocabulary really plays an important role because it appears in every language
skill. Obviously, vocabulary is really important in any language learning.
However, it is not easy to study perfect English vocabulary. Almost students often
face up with some problems in learning vocabulary. At first, especially major English
student. In fact, it is difficult to memorize a new word with its meaning, spelling and
pronunciation, many students are often confused with knowing how can apply grammar
into sentences, sometimes, they cannot understand when being opposed to video and audio.
Moreover, techniques to teach English in university is traditional teaching methods and
similar activities days by days, which makes students become fed up with learning English.
Therefore, interesting techniques to teach English are necessary to help students learn
English vocabulary better; they also attract student’s interest on English.
There is a fact that most of the second-year English majors students at Hung Yen
University of Technology and Education agreed that vocabulary is very difficult to
remember and they fed up with learning new words. In addition, some students have never
focused on writing vocabulary; have ignored one of the most important things in learning
English.
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From the above reasons, I have the ambition of presenting using VOA Special
English to improve vocabulary in Hung Yen university technology and education with
hope that the second-year English majors will be interesting in learning vocabulary. Due to
my English knowledge limitation and the frame of the graduation paper, I would like to
choose the research paper entitle: “A study on using VOA Special English program to
improve vocabulary for the second- year English majors at Hung Yen University of
Technology and Education”.
2. Aims of the study
The main goal of my research is to provide using VOA to improve English
vocabulary in university to make students more interested in the lesson as well as to master
learned knowledge of that lesson in an effective way. In order to gain that aim, the specific
objects of the study are:
- To investigate the real situation of teaching and learning listening vocabulary of the
second-year English major student in at UTEHY.
- To study the theory related to vocabulary, psychology features of the second-year
English major students at UTEHY.
- To provide some suggestions using VOA to improve English listening vocabulary
to attract students interest and involvements in lessons.
In order to achieve the above stated objectives, the study finds out the answers to
the following research questions:
1) What are the students’ and teachers’ perspectives toward the teaching and learning
listening vocabulary at UTEHY?
2) What are the factors affecting the listening vocabulary of the second-year English
major at UTEHY?
3) What are the suggestions using VOA Special English to stimulate the students in
learning listening vocabulary?
3. Scope of the study
In fact, there are lots of various techniques to learn English vocabulary for
students. It requires much of time and effort. Furthermore, English vocabulary includes
meaning, grammar, pronunciation, and spelling. In my opinion, it is impractical to study
such a wide range, simultaneously, time, resources and knowledge of mine is limited, and
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this study can only focus on using VOA to improve listening vocabulary for the second-
year English major students at Hung Yen University Technology and Education.
4. Methods of the study
Conducting qualitative methods carry out the study. Survey questionnaires are
specifically designed for both teacher and the second-year English major students who
always using listening vocabulary. The using qualitative methods provide reliable data,
based on which the conclusions and suggestions are made in the next parts.
5. Design of the study
The study is divided into three main parts: Introduction, Development, and
conclusion.
Chapter I: Introduction shows the reasons to choose the study, the aims, scope,
methods and design of the study.
Chapter II: Literature review of the study Methodology: gives the theoretical
background of the study related to improve vocabulary and VOA Special English in
learning listening vocabulary: introduction, theoretical backgrounds of vocabulary,
theoretical backgrounds of VOA Special English, and summary.
Chapter III: There are three parts in this chapter. The first one conceptualizes the
framework through the discussion of the issues and ideas on theories for improve
vocabulary by VOA Special English. The second one presents the methodology used in the
study including the sample and sampling, instrumentation, data collected from the survey,
and the observation. And the recommendations and suggestion for the students to improve
listening vocabulary are provided in the last one.
Chapter IV: Conclusion: gives a summary of the major findings, limitation of
the study and the suggestion for further studies.
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CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
This chapter is concerned with some of the most important issues in the theories
of using VOA Special English to improve listening vocabulary. Two main features will
take into consideration, namely, theoretical backgrounds of vocabulary and theoretical
backgrounds of VOA Special English.
2.2 Theoretical backgrounds of vocabulary
2.2.1 The important of vocabulary
It can be said that vocabulary is comprised of four things: listening, writing,
reading, and speaking. All four of these elements are used to make up a larger structure
that is called literacy. While literacy has been important ever since humans first discovered
writing, it has become much more important in the information age.
More than ever before, information has been allowed to flow freely. While much
of this information is not very valuable, some of it can enhance your career, make you
more productive, and even save your life. Your vocabulary is the element that will
determine your cultural literacy.
When many people think of vocabulary, they think of it as a tedious learning
process. However, it is very vital to your success in our world of today. It is no longer
enough to just know what is happening in your neighborhood, city, or country. It is equally
important for you to understand what is happening on a global scale.
Improving your vocabulary from an early age will allow you to become informed.
It will allow you to successfully convey your ideas to others, and it can also improve your
career outlook. It is important for parents to focus on improving the education of their
children from an early age.
In general, vocabulary plays an important role in the development of each
language; its importance is concluded in this list:
An extensive vocabulary aids expressions and communication
Vocabulary size has been directly linked to reading comprehension
Linguistic vocabulary is synonymous with thinking vocabulary
A person may be judged by others based on his or her vocabulary
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2.2.2 The Understandings of vocabulary
Vocabulary is one of the language components which should be mastered by
English learners. Vocabulary has role, which parallel with phonology and grammar to help
the learner mastering four language skills.
There are many definitions about vocabulary.
A 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” (Cambridge Advanced
Learners Dictionary) .However, according to Sebastian Wren, PhD , the words known and
used by a particular person do not constitute all the words a person is exposed to. By
definition, a vocabulary includes the last two categories of this list:
Never encountered the word.
Heard the word, but cannot define it.
Recognize the word due to context or tone of voice.
Able to use the word but cannot clearly explain it.
Fluent with the word – its use and definition.
Another definition of vocabulary: vocabulary is knowledge of words and word
meanings. However, vocabulary is more complex than this definition suggests. First, words
come in two forms: oral and print. Oral vocabulary includes those words that we recognize
and use in listening and speaking. Print vocabulary includes those words that we recognize
and use in reading and writing. Second, word knowledge also comes in two forms,
receptive and productive. Receptive vocabulary includes words that we recognize when we
hear or see them. Productive vocabulary includes words that we use when we speak or
write. Receptive vocabulary is typically larger than productive vocabulary, and may
include many words to which we assign some meaning, even if we don’t know their full
definitions and connotations – or ever use them ourselves as we speak and write (Kamil &
Hiebert, in press).
Besides, according to Webster’s Dictionary (1993-327) “Vocabulary is a list or
group of words and phrase, usually in alphabetical order”.
In general, vocabulary is a component of language that maintains all of
information about meaning and using word in language (Harimurti kridalaksana 1993-
27).It is one of the important factors in learning English besides sound system, grammar,
and culture. A vocabulary usually grows and evolves with age, and serves as a useful and
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fundamental tool for communication and acquiring knowledge. Therefore, a person's
vocabulary is the set of words they are familiar with in a language.
2.2.3 Listening vocabulary
In general, vocabulary is divided into four types: reading vocabulary, listening
vocabulary, writing vocabulary and speaking vocabulary. But, in this study, I focus on
listening vocabulary.
Listening vocabulary refers to the words we need to know to understand what we
hear. A person's listening vocabulary is all the words he or she can recognize when
listening to speech. This vocabulary is aided in size by context and tone of voice.
2.3 Theoretical backgrounds of VOA
2.3.1 The understanding of VOA Special English
The VOA is the Voice of America, the official U.S. international broadcasting
service. This is their Special English used to provide the same content in 46 languages.
The Voice of America has been broadcasting programs in Special English since
1959. Special English is VOA’s method of communicating with English learners around
the world in a way that is easy to understand. The vocabulary is limited to about 1,500
words. The sentences are short. The speed is slower than normal. Special English programs
are broadcast on the Voice of America, on radio stations around the world, on satellite
television and on the Internet. These programs present the latest world news as well as
information about science, medicine, education, economics, American history and life in
the United States.
2.3.2 The advantages of using VOA Special English
The VOA Special English program offers teachers and students the opportunity to
develop their high frequency vocabulary in all four skills, with a Special emphasis on
making that vocabulary available for speaking and writing. The Special English program
uses a basic vocabulary of 1,500 English words to deliver interesting written and audio
reports on news, music, language, culture, and other topics. Most of the vocabulary
consists of high frequency words, although some words are more difficult when reports
deal with topics like medicine and science.
The VOA Special English program has gained great popularity with English
learners around the world, especially with beginners. But we have learned that the
speaking and writing skills of advanced learners can also derive considerable benefits from
this pro - gram. Some advantages of the Special English program include:
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• It is easily accessible on the Internet at www.voanews.com/Specialenglish . This
saves learners much time and effort in finding appropriate English learning materials. In
addition, some websites that serve learner in Viet Nam offer a free downloading service of
the Special English program that is updated daily.
• The Special English program exposes learners to a large amount of
comprehensible input using high frequency words. The repeated use of these words and
their collocations in different contexts makes it easier for students to learn essential
vocabulary. Special English also offers instruction - al opportunities for extensive speaking
and writing.
• The Special English program arouses the learners’ enthusiasm for English
learning with its interesting, informative, and detailed reports. It exposes learners to
vocabulary used to express current issues that are widely discussed around the world and
thus provides learners with what they actually need in terms of vocabulary for authentic
com - mutilation, which is in stark contrast to the topics in their textbooks. Learn - ears are
highly motivated to learn from such relevant materials expressed by many words and
expressions that meet their communicative needs. When the material is interesting,
students are more likely to become engaged in the task and learn the content. The use of
interesting and relevant topics is especially critical for speaking and writing tasks (Nation
2001b).
These advantages led us to teach the following course to improve our students’
productive use of high frequency English words.
2.4 Summary
In summary, the chapter has so far conceptualized the discussion of issues and
aspects concerning the topic of the study. It has discussed the concepts relating theoretical
backgrounds of vocabulary and theoretical backgrounds of VOA. The following chapters
will display the metrology and findings of the research under the light of the above
discussed theories.
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CHAPTER THREE: THE STUDY
3.1 Methodology
The purpose of this part is to describe the research methodology used to answer
research question in this study. It presents the research questions, observes and provides a
description of the participants. In addition, it contains a description of the instrument and
procedure used to gather of the data.
3.1.1 The physical setting
The term “physical setting” refers to the place where the lessons take place, the
number of students in an English class, the equipments and different types of materials
available for teachers and students in teaching and learning English.
FFL was founded and developed in 1992, with the first name was the Basic theory
team with only 5 teachers. In 2003, the basic theory team and the faculty of Basic Sciences
were merged together to teach English and English major techniques. On December 2007,
according to the decision of the Rector Headmaster of UTEHY was changed to Faculty of
Foreign Languages.
Since its development into department in 2007, the Faculty of Foreign Language
in UTEHY has employed many more young teachers, making the number 36 who live and
work in different places like Hai Duong, Hung Yen and Ha Noi. All the teachers graduated
from well- known university such as: Hanoi University, Foreign Language University,
Hanoi National University of Education, etc. All of them have MA degrees. The
Department of Foreign Languages consists of 40 teachers including 3 Chinese teachers.
Their ages are from 25 to 45. Majority of them graduated from faculty of foreign languages
of Hanoi National University or Hanoi University. At the present, there is one post-
graduate in Britain, 15 masters and the rest ones are bachelor studying for the degree of
Master. Up to now, the department has trained 10 academic years, from K5 to K14. It
focuses on training English major in Hai Duong and Pho Noi campus. Everything has been
in the process of innovation and development for better things both of teaching and
learning.
The Faculty of Foreign Language consists of about 65 English second year major
students, who have learnt English for at least 8 years. They come from the different
provinces of country but most of them live rural areas, so their English level is very low.
At university, students have a lot of difficulties in learning English. For example, the
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university is located in small province so that students do not have opportunities to practice
with foreigners, teaching facilities do not satisfy learners such as: language laboratory,
library, etc. However, they find that English plays an important role for future jobs.
3.1.2 The listening course
The textbooks “Get Ready for IELTS (Listening)” (Jane Short) put into use in the
2016-2017 academic years. The book contains 12 units. Each unit focuses on a different
topic and these topics are ones that often appear in the IELTS exam. After every three
units, there is a Review unit which helps you to revise the language and skills covered in
the previous units. At the end of the book the Practice test gives learner the opportunity to
take an IELTS-style test under test conditions.
1. Friends abroad Travel: countries and, nationalities
2. Food and cooking: Food, cooking, measures and weights charts
3. Presentations: Academic subjects
4. Work: Types of work
5. On campus services: University facilities
6. Staying safe: Crime, protection and safety
7. Studying, exams and revision: Study habits
8. Shopping and spending: Spending habits, products
9. Hobbies, interest and sport: Interest and pastimes
10. Work-life balance: Time management
11. Comparing cultures: Food, dress, housing
12. Exploring the oceans: Natural resources, ocean life
Each unit starts with the Aims of the unit. They outline the key language and skills
covered.
Part 1: Language development provides exercises on vocabulary related to the
topic as well as key grammar related to the IELTS Task covered in the unit. Clear
structures are provided.
Part 2: Skills development provides step-by-step exercises and guidance on
specific question types that appear in the test. There are explanations and examples that
show you how to approach each question type. Useful tips are highlighted to help you
develop successful test-taking strategies.
Part 3: Exam practice provides one exam practice question for either Task 1 or
Task 2 in a format that follows the actual exam. You can use this to check whether or not
you are ready for the test. Finally, a checklist summarizes the key points covered in the
unit.
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3.1.3 Participants of the study
The participants for my study are teachers and second-year English majors who
are teaching and studying at Hung Yen University of Technology and Education.
3.1.3.1 Teachers
Five teachers of English department at UTEHY were invited to answers the
questions. Their ages are from mid-twenties to nearly fifty. The reason for choosing these
five teachers is that they are teaching the listening subject in the school year 2016-2017, at
the time this study was being carried out.
3.1.3.2 Students
Being 57 English major students of the Department of foreign language at this
university, they had to pass a very challenging university entrance examination. The
students here come from all parts of the country but almost all of them come from the
countryside or small hometowns. Although their level of English is not quite high, their
ability of English is quite the same. That is, most of the students have learnt English for at
least 7 years at secondary and high schools. The students are between 20 and 21 years old,
both males and females but females make up for a majority in the target population.
3.1.4 Data collection instruments
Measurement instrument was designed for data collection is responded
questionnaires (one of them is survey questionnaire for teachers and another is one for
students).
The questionnaire for students consists of 12 multiple choices. From these
questions, the researcher can find information about the students’ attitudes towards
learning listening vocabulary, second-year English majors’ type of using VOA Special
English in learning vocabulary, and what they would like to learn vocabulary to make them
motivated in studying listening vocabulary. The survey will be reliable because the
students are well- aware of their mission and they have enough knowledge of English to
answer all of these questions given in the survey questionnaire.
The questionnaire for teachers comprised 12 questions. They are multiple
choices. The purpose of this was to obtain the teachers’ opinions about using VOA to learn
and motivate listening vocabulary; activities and techniques they have been using to teach
the students; the teachers’ comments on the textbook, and their suggestions to improve it.
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3.1.5 Procedure
First, at the middle of periods, the survey questionnaire to the students was
delivered and they are asked to complete the questionnaire seriously within 15-20 minutes
in their classroom. The researcher asked the teacher for permission to have a personal
contact with the study population to explain the aim as well as clarify any questions that
students had.
Then, the survey to the teachers was delivered to 5 teachers of listening and they
had one week to complete it.
Last, basing on the result of the questionnaire, the classroom performance by
teachers was observed to check the validity and the reliability of it. The observation was
recorded in a narrative form, in which detailed notes were kept and interpreted, and then
the conclusions were draw from them.
3.1.6 Summary
This chapter presented the overview on objectives of the course, the subjects of the
study, the textbook, instruments of data collection and data collection. The author used two
different instruments: two survey questionnaires, and class observation with the purpose of
achieving more reliable, valid data. The author will present the data analysis, and
discussion for teaching and learning English Writing skill.
3.2 INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSIONS OF THE DATA
This study, as indicated in Chapter one, was intended to find out type of
motivation possessed by the second year English major students at UTEHY, factors
affecting motivation and suggestions to motivate them. In this section, the data collected
from the questionnaire and observation were presented and interpreted.
The 40 copies of the questionnaire were delivered to the students and 6 copies to
teachers. The data is analyzed in this part of the study in the below tables and figures
which show the response for the question having in the questionnaires.
3.2.1 Data analysis of students’ responses
3.2.1.1 Students’ personal information
The numbers of students in this study was 57 and were chosen randomly from three
classes of TAK13. Among them, 53 are female and 4 are male. They are from 20 to 22 years
old.
Question1: Have you ever used the program VOA Special English?
After researching, the number of students using VOA makes up 63% of total.
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Pie chart 1: The students use VOA Special English to learn.
The pie chart gives data on the percentage of students using VOA to learn
listening vocabulary. The data show that the number students use VOA accounting for the
vast majority. With the highest percent, 63% of them have using VOA to lean. In contrast,
37% of students don’t use to learn listening vocabulary.
3.2.1.2 The reality of the students’ perspectives toward learning listening vocabulary in
VOA.
Question 2: If you use VOA in the future, what topics do you usually learn to improve
listening vocabulary when you use VOA Special English?
Bar chart 1: The students’ topic attract learning in VOA
According to the bar chart, if students use VOA, most of them 24,4% attractant
by all topic in VOA: Education, Science, Medicine, Economics, History, Life. The
percentages of students (23,2%) said that they feel common with Life, new words about
life is not difficult with them. Neatly, Education is one of the easy topics they want to learn
with second- year students (20,7%). The similarity about percentages between Science and
History (12,2%), students are same attractant with two topic. Lastly, History and Medicine
are lower (3,7%) they said that are two topics boring and long time, it has many Specialist
register of English, and very hard to remember.
63%
37%
YES
NO
0.0% 5.0% 10.0% 15.0% 20.0% 25.0%
Education
Science
Medicine
Economics
History
Life
All of them
20.7%
12.2%
3.7%
12.2%
3.7%
23.2%
24.4%
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Question 3: How much important is learning listening vocabulary?
Bar chart 2: The students’ attitude towards important of listening vocabulary
As can be seen from the data on students’ attitude towards is the importance of
listening vocabulary. There are 68% of students find listening vocabulary is very important
in learning English, 32% students said that it is important, and no one feels listening
vocabulary is not important or not very important in studying English. From the data
shown, we can see that most of student fully aware of the signification of learning listening
vocabulary in studying English.
Question 4: Why do you learn listening vocabulary?
Types of
motivation
Reasons Number of students
Instrumental
motivation
a. They are interested in learning listening
vocabulary, and in learning English in general
35 (45,5%)
b. They want to be better their listening
vocabulary.
13 (16,9%)
c. For their study 24 (31.2%)
d. One of the requirements in learning English. 4 (5,2%)
c. Others 1 (1,3%)
Table 1: The students’ reasons learn listening vocabulary
The table showed that the main reason of learning listening vocabulary of the
students (45,5%) is they are interested in learning listening vocabulary, and in learning
English in general.
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
VERY
IMPORTANTIMPORTANT
NOT
IMPORTANT NOT VERY
IMPORTANT
68%
32%
0%0%
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Similarly, about (31,2 %) of students claimed that they studied listening
vocabulary just because it necessary for your study. Nowadays, the students’ awareness is
higher and higher. They determined more clearly and exactly the purpose of learning, and
understood the importance and necessity of learning listening vocabulary in particular and
learning English in general. Thus, they would have better motivation to learn this subject.
Next, the students (16,9%) said they liked to learn listening vocabulary just
because their results is they want to be better your listening vocabulary.
Fourthly, students said that one of the requirements in learning English (5,2%) so
they need to learn listening vocabulary.
Lastly, the lowest percentage of the students (1,3%), they have some motivations
to learn listening vocabulary
In a nutshell, the students’ major reason for learning listening vocabulary is they
are interested in learning listening vocabulary, and in learning English in general.
Question 5: Where do you meet new words?
Situations Never Rarely Sometimes Often Usually
When you use VOA Special English
(reading, listening, watching news) 14% 12% 51% 19% 4%
When using / surfing the Internet (e.g. English websites, e-chatting (e.g. writing: QQ, MSN; speaking:
Skype) 2% 19% 28% 49% 2%
In textbooks and from classroom learning activities 2% 7% 49% 37% 5%
In vocabulary lists arranged in
alphabetical order 5% 12% 53% 30% 0%
In vocabulary lists arranged by meaning 7% 16% 39% 25% 5%
During English conversations with
others (e.g. teachers, classmates, foreigners) 0% 12% 40% 46% 2%
When reading English materials (e.g.
books, newspapers, magazines) 9% 7% 40% 33% 11%
When singing English songs or watching English movies / TV shows 0% 7% 40% 35% 18%
Table 2: The students’ frequent situations meet vocabulary
In general, we can see that students and have answers for situations vocabulary
appearance. 51% of students sometimes meet new words when you use VOA Special
English (reading, listening, watching news). 19% often, 14% never, 12% rarely, 4%
15
usually saw new words. Most of students in surveys use VOA to learning listening
vocabulary so they often meet new words.
Students usually meet vocabulary use when using / surfing the Internet (e.g.
English websites, e-chatting (e.g. writing: QQ, MSN; speaking: Skype), 28% sometimes,
2% usually. In contrast, 19% rarely, 2% never use or learn by this ways.
Besides, other situations such as in textbooks and from classroom learning
activities and in vocabulary lists arranged in alphabetical order, in vocabulary lists
arranged by meaning, During English conversations with others (e.g. teachers, classmates,
foreigners), or when reading English materials (e.g. books, newspapers, magazines), when
singing English songs or watching English movies / TV shows are sometimes appear new
words (between 39% and 53%). (25% to 46%) often, (0%-18%) usually, (7%-16%) rarely,
(0%- 7%) never meet.
Question 6: If you use VOA, how much time do you spend on learning writing
vocabulary in VOA Special English on a day
Pie chart 2: The students’ time use VOA to learn listening vocabulary
As shown in pie chart 2, 33% of the students said that theirs time use VOA to
learn listening vocabulary about 1 or 2 hours. 18% spends 3 hours to study, 2% four hours.
And 14% others, it means that they can spend more four hours or less than a hour per day
to learn new words they meet in VOA Special English. With second-year major students,
1-2 hours per day to learn vocabulary is very suitable.
Question 7: When you want to learn or remember the vocabulary; how often do you do
any of the following on your own initiative?
33%
33%
18%
2% 14% A hour
Two hours
Three hours
Four hours
Others
16
Bar chart 3: The students’ ways learn listening vocabulary
A. I learn through VOA Special English
B. At home I make lists of words and I study them. C. I write down the word as it sounds or make some sort of annotation to remember
its pronunciation.
D. On my own initiative I write the translation next to the word I would like to learn. E. I relate the English word with other words that are written or sound in a similar
way F. I write down the word together with an example sentence. G. I create my own dictionary.
H. I relate the word in English with an image, a drawing or a scheme. I. I repeat the words out loud several times.
J. All of them. According to bar chart: 19,7% students preferred write down the word as it sounds
or make some sort of annotation to remember its pronunciation . The explanation for this
could be that the second year English majors still kept the habit from the high school, this
is a traditional and effetely ways to learn listening vocabulary in VOA, and entrance
University they still use to learning. Also 13,7% confirmed that at home they make lists of
words and they study them.
In addition, 12,8% said that they liked create my own dictionary because they can
remember meaning or words easier by their writing, setting,… , and attract as well as
stimulate them in vocabulary more.
Also, about 12% of the survey students use VOA to learn listening vocabulary. It
means that many students don’t know how to using VOA to learn. VOA Specials English
is one of the best channels should use when students wants to learn better foreign language
in the world.
Moreover, 7,7% liked write the translation next to the word, write down the word
together with an example sentence, repeat the words out loud several times.
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
A B C D E F G H I J
12.0%13.7%
19.7%
7.7%5.1%
7.7%
12.8%
4.3%
7.7%9.4%
17
Next, 9% students choose that they use all of ways to learn listening vocabulary.
Lastly, 5,1% students were used the English word with other words that are
written or sound in a similar way. They said that this way is very difficult complex; they
don’t have much time to do this way. 4,3% relate the word in English with an image, a
drawing or a scheme, there are similar in two ways to learn listening vocabulary.
In general, a majority of the students said that write down the word as it sounds or
make some sort of annotation to remember its pronunciation which they liked best. Many
of them enjoyed create my own dictionary. And they don’t like used the English word with
other words that are written or sound in a similar way or relate the word in English with an
image, a drawing or a scheme
Question 8: According to you, which of the following factors affects your learning
listening vocabulary in VOA Special English ability?
Bar chart 4: The students’ factors affect learning listening vocabulary ability in VOA.
The bar chart pointed out that: students’ learning vocabulary abilities (20,2%),
difficulties in remembering meaning of general (18%). Difficulties in listening and writing
news in VOA Special English (15,7%). The English-learning environment and all of the
above factors are similar percentages (13,5%). Motivation to learn vocabulary (12,4%),
some students said that they have others reasons to effect their ability in learning listening
vocabulary in VOA .
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
A B C D E F G
20.2%
12.4%
18.0%
15.7%
13.5% 13.5%
6.7%
A. Students’ learning vocabulary abilities
B. Motivation to learn vocabulary
C. Difficulties in remembering meaning of general vocabulary,
Special words D. Difficulties in listening and
writing news in VOA Special
English E. The English- learning
environment F. All of the above factors G. Others
18
Question 9: How often do you use these methods to learn listening vocabulary?
Methods Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Learning from VOA Special
English (listening and reading,
watching news) 19% 37% 40% 2% 2%
Learning from text books 9% 47% 40% 4% 0%
Learning from teachers 12% 42% 44% 2% 0%
Learning from your friends 16% 42% 37% 5% 0%
Learning from games 7% 33% 49% 11% 0%
Learning from Internet (music,
film …) 16% 54% 30% 0% 0%
Learning from synonym or
antonym words 7% 44% 42% 7% 0%
Table 3: The students’ frequent use methods to learn listening vocabulary
Table 3: Indicates students' preferences for some methods used to learn listening
vocabulary. Students always use learning from VOA Special English (listening and
reading, watching news), learning from friends, teachers, or Internet. The reason for this is
that these are the most basic contents for any good methods. Most of students often or
sometime use learning from VOA Special English (listening and reading, watching news)
(37;40%), learning from text books (47;40%), learning from teachers (42;44%), learning
from your friends ( 42;37%), learning from games (33,49%), learning from Internet
(music, film …) (54;30%), learning from synonym or antonym words (44,42%).
Obviously, the rest of the contents are by far the least – frequently, difficulty applied
because of the fact that they are out of the teachers' control and not meaningful for the
students' self – learning.
19
Question 10: Which techniques do you use to remember listening vocabulary in VOA
Special English?
Techniques Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Write words on pieces of paper, then
stick them wherever visible 21% 51% 26% 2% 0%
Write words in both Vietnamese and English many times 21% 56% 23% 0% 0%
Stick words on the objects they
describe 19% 46% 33% 2% 4%
Listen repeatedly to a news (remember meanings, pronunciations) 16% 40% 44% 0% 0%
Others: 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Table 4: The students’ frequent use techniques to learn listening vocabulary in VOA
According to their opinion, remembering of words is the most difficulty when
learning listening vocabulary in VOA, so they will apply their own tips in order to easily
memorize all words after watch or listen news.
51% students often use writing words on pieces of paper, then sticking them
wherever visible, which is common way to remember, applying this way will be easier in
learning English. 26% students sometimes using, 21% always, 2% rarely and 0% never use
this ways.
Meanwhile, writing words in both Vietnamese and English many times have 56%
students often using, 23% sometimes, 21% always, and nobody rarely or never. It proves
that students do come to realize which tips are the most suitable for learning vocabulary.
In addition, 46% say that they often stick words on the objects they describe. And
33% sometimes, 19% always, 4% never, 2% rarely use this way. Most of them think that
this is finical a way time-consuming
Next, Listening repeatedly to a news (remember meanings, pronunciations), 44%
students sometimes, 40% often, 16% always, 0% rarely or never. It means that almost
students use this ways to learning listening vocabulary in VOA.
From the figures, it shows a reality that students have many ways to learn
listening vocabulary English in VOA better and better.
Question 11: How attractive do you find these activities?
20
Bar chart 5: The student’s activities attractive when learning listening vocabulary
The bar chart illustrates 5 types of activities to learning listening vocabulary:
learning through VOA Special English news, learning at home, learning with friends,
learning in class, finding synonym or antonym word. The students always attractive most
percentage among 5 activities, (61%) learning through VOA Special English news, that is
more than half students who know and use VOA Special English. (67%) learn in class,
(63%) learn at home, (49%) learn with friends and find synonym or antonym word. It
proves that students come to realize that with some activities, they would have more
opportunities and motivation to learn listening vocabulary English. In other words,
students are likely to think that they will learn better from 5 above activities.
Question 12: What ways should you do to improve your ability in learning listening
vocabulary in VOA Special English?
Bar chart 6: Students’ ways improve listening vocabulary in VOA
19%
18%
33%
19%
28%
61%
63%
49%
67%
49%
18%
19%
18%
14%
19%
2%
0%
0%
0%
4%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
Learning through VOA special English
news
Learning at home
Learning with friends
Learning in class
Finding synonym or antonym word
Not attractive
A bit attractive
Attractive
Very attractive
0.0%
2.0%
4.0%
6.0%
8.0%
10.0%
12.0%
14.0%
16.0%
18.0%
20.0%
A B C D E F G H
17.0%
19.8%
17.9%
8.5%
10.4%
15.1%
6.6%
4.7%
A. Keeping a dictionary and thesaurus handy
B. Listening and trying to write down news
C. Looking up any new word
you do not recognize. D. Writing more
E. Using flashcard or post- it notes around your house
F. Learning words through
topics G. All of them
H. Others
21
The bar chart indicates that in the ways to improve listening vocabulary in VOA,
keeping a dictionary and thesaurus handy, listening and trying to write down news, looking
up any new word you do not recognize, are reported to enhance the students' self -
learning. Students (19,8%) find them most useful because they help the students to use
different ways strategies for learning listening vocabulary . For example, they have to
listen and try to write downs to the whole news for the main ideas and then combine these
main ideas to make an outline. Through listening, they also have to list out new
vocabulary, structures and even phonological aspects and listening skills they use for
listening. The next group of useful contents falls on keeping a dictionary and thesaurus
handy, looking up any new word you do not recognize (17%%). What's more, informants
(15,1%) share learning word through topics in VOA would be of great tool to the students'
self - learning. Using flashcard or post- it notes around your house (10,4%)
It may help the students get easier to study new words. The rest of contents seem
that they are not really useful for the students ' self - study, however, they are necessary for
learning listening vocabulary in VOA Special English.
3.2.2 Data analysis of teachers’ responses
3.2.2.1 Teachers’ personal information
The total number of teachers is in this study are 6 people. Among
them, 3 teachers are female and 2 teachers are male. Although they are different ages with
different years’ experience in teaching English, all of them have experiences in teaching
writing skill.
3.2.2.2 Teachers’ attitudes toward the reality of the learning listening vocabulary in VOA Question1: Have you ever used the program VOA Special English to teach your
students?
Pie chart 3: The teachers use VOA Special English
80%
20%
YES
NO
22
As you know, VOA Special English is very popular with English-learner and
teachers, 80% teachers said that they use VOA to teach their students, while 20% showed
that they don’t use this program. VOA is important program to English learner, especially;
listening in VOA Special English is easier way to achievement voluminous new words.
Question 2: If you use VOA in the future, what topics do you usually use to teach your
students listening vocabulary when you use VOA Special English?
Bar chart 7: The teachers’ topics want to teach listening vocabulary
From the chart, we can see that 37,5% informants like to education and
science. This can be viewed as a helpful part to enable the students to have book-learning;
they may reuse the source someday for another purpose. The next part, which can interest a
large number of the teachers (12,5%) believed that students will like to learn some topics
about economics or life . It is easy to realize that fact as it helps the students; the teachers
have more and more social knowledge.. Thanks to this, the students are more aware of the
life around their-self. It is a good way to help them to learn listening vocabulary better.
Another nobody thinks Medicine or History attracts students study listening vocabulary in
VOA Special English, these two topics are very difficult and have many Specialist register.
Question 3: How much important is learning listening vocabulary?
In this question, all the teachers have the same answers, and 100% of them fell
learning listening vocabulary is very important.
0.0%
10.0%
20.0%
30.0%
40.0%
Education Science Medicine Economics History Life All of
them
37.5% 37.5%
0%
12.5%
0%
12.5%
0%
23
Bar chart 8: Teachers’ attitude towards the importance of listening vocabulary
It is clearly to be seen that all students highly evaluated the importance of
learning listening vocabulary in the language in teaching and learning.
Question 4: How much interested do your students feel in learning listening vocabulary
through VOA Special English?
Pie chart 4: The students’ interested in learning listening vocabulary in VOA
Pie chart 4 shows that nearly all teachers (60%) think the students
interested in learning listening vocabulary in VOA. 20% very interested and 20% little
interested. No one choose interested. VOA are become a program closer with English
learner in general, with second- year English major in UTEHY in particular.
Question 5: In your opinion, where do your students meet new words?
0%
100%
VERY IMPORTANTIMPORTANT
NOT IMPORTANTNOT VERY
IMPORTANT
100%
0%0%
0%
20%
60%
20%
0%
Very interested
Interested
Little interested
Not interested
24
Situations Never Rarely Sometimes Often Usually
When you use VOA Special English
(reading, listening, watching news) 0% 40% 0% 60% 0%
When using / surfing the Internet (e.g. English websites, e-chatting (e.g.
writing: QQ, MSN; speaking: Skype) 0% 20% 20% 60% 0%
In textbooks and from classroom learning activities 0% 40% 0% 60% 0%
In vocabulary lists arranged in
alphabetical order 20% 20% 20% 40% 0%
In vocabulary lists arranged by meaning 20% 20% 20% 40% 0%
During English conversations with
others (e.g. teachers, classmates, foreigners) 0% 20% 40% 40% 0%
When reading English materials (e.g.
books, newspapers, magazines) 0% 20% 20% 60% 0%
When singing English songs or watching English movies / TV shows 0% 20% 20% 60% 0%
Table 5: The teachers’ frequent situations meet vocabulary
As can be seen from the table, 60% teachers said that their students often meet
new words when you use VOA Special English (reading, listening, watching news), when
using / surfing the Internet (e.g. English websites, e-chatting (e.g. writing: QQ, MSN;
speaking: Skype), in textbooks and from classroom learning activities, when reading
English materials (e.g. books, newspapers, magazines), when singing English songs or
watching English movies / TV shows. The reason for this choice is all above situations
very meaningful and useful inspire of the fact. Besides, in vocabulary lists arranged in
alphabetical order and in vocabulary lists arranged by meaning are never meet, because of
very trouble. In addition, during English conversations with others (e.g. teachers,
classmates, and foreigners) is a situation to appear listening vocabulary.
Question 6: According to you, if your students use VOA, how much time do your
students should spend using on a day?
25
Pie chart 5: The teachers’ toward student’s time should spend using VOA
As can be seen from the pie chart 100% of the teachers who take part in the study,
they think students should use a hour per day to learning listening vocabulary from VOA.
Students’ time allocation for self-study at home is also a problem and it affects the learners
very much in mastering the listening vocabulary. However, it seems to be a disadvantage
of UTEHY second-year English majors.
Question 7: According to you, when your students want to learn or remember the
vocabulary; what should your students do?
Bar chart 9: The teachers’ opinions on the ways to help students improve their
listening vocabulary
A. Learn through VOA Special English B. Make lists of words and study them.
C. Write down the word as it sounds or make some sort of annotation to remember its pronunciation.
D. Write the translation next to the word
E. Relate the English word with other words that are written or sound in a similar way
F. Write down the word together with an example sentence.
G. Create self-dictionary. H. Relate the word in English with an image, a drawing or a scheme.
100%
0%0%0%0%
A hour
2 hours
3 hours
4 hours
Others
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%
A
C
E
G
I
0%23.1%
7.7%7.7%
0%15.4%
7.7%7.7%
15.4%15.4%
26
I. Repeat the words out loud several times.
J. All of them. To this question, many methods have been introduced by teachers with the hope
of helping students overcoming their difficulties in learning listening vocabulary. There are
some of the most outstanding ones: Make lists of words and study them (23,1%); write
down the word as it sounds or make some sort of annotation to remember its
pronunciation, write the translation next to the word, create self-dictionary, relate the word
in English with an image, a drawing or a scheme (7,7%); relate the English word with
other words that are written or sound in a similar way, repeat the words out loud several
times (15,4%). Besides, no one suggest their students learn through VOA Special English
or Relate the English word with other words that are written or sound in a similar way.(
15,4%) teachers thinks should learn by all above ways.
Question 8: According to you, which of the following factors affects your students
learning writing vocabulary in VOA Special English ability?
Bar chart 10: Teachers opinion factors affecting learning listening vocabulary ability
in VOA.
In this question, similarity 28,6% of these teacher find difficulties in
remembering meaning of general and all of the reasons. Besides, motivation to learn
vocabulary, difficulties in listening and writing news in VOA Special English and the
English-learning environment are 14,3%. No one choice students’ learning vocabulary
abilities or others.
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
A B C D E F G
0%
14.3%
28.6%
14.3% 14.3%
28.6%
0%
A. Students’ learning vocabulary abilities
B. Motivation to learn vocabulary
C. Difficulties in remembering meaning of general vocabulary, Special
words D. Difficulties in listening and
writing news in VOA Special English
E. The English- learning
environment F. All of the above factors
G. Others
27
Question 9: According to you, how often should your students use these methods to
learn writing vocabulary?
Methods Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Learning from VOA Special English (listening and reading, watching news) 20% 20% 40% 20% 0%
Learning from text books 0% 40% 60% 0% 0%
Learning from teachers 0% 40% 60% 0% 0%
Learning from their friends 0% 40% 40% 20% 0%
Learning from games 0% 20% 80% 0% 0%
Learning from Internet (music, film…) 0% 20% 80% 0% 0%
Learning from synonym or antonym words 0% 20% 60% 20% 0%
Table 6: The teachers’ opinion students’ frequent use techniques to learn listening
vocabulary in VOA
To this question, many methods have been introduced with the hope of helping
students overcoming their difficulties in learning listening vocabulary. There are some of
the most outstanding ones: Learning from Internet (music, film…), Learning from games
(80%), this may be simple to attractive student self- study, practicing makes their
vocabulary perfect. Next, teachers think that student sometimes learn from text books or
learn from teachers, learn from synonym or antonym words (60%). (20%) teachers reckon
student always learning from VOA Special English (listening and reading, watching news).
Specially, students should enrich the techniques and tips as much as they can to improve
listening vocabulary.
Question 10: According to you, which techniques should your students use to remember
listening vocabulary in VOA Special English?
Techniques Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Write words on pieces of paper, then stick them wherever visible 0% 20% 80% 0% 0%
Write words in both Vietnamese and English many times 0% 0% 100% 0% 0%
Stick words on the objects they describe 0% 40% 60% 0% 0%
Listen repeatedly to a news (remember meanings,
pronunciations) 0% 60% 20% 20% 0%
Others 0% 0% 0% 0% 0%
Table 7: The teachers’ opinion techniques should use to remember listening
vocabulary in VOA
28
This question is to find the techniques that the teachers suggest students apply to
learn listening vocabulary in VOA Special English. Looking at the table, we can easily see
that techniques sometimes learn by: write words in both Vietnamese and English many
times (100%), write words on pieces of paper, then stick them wherever visible (80%),
stick words on the objects they describe (60%), listen repeatedly to a news (remember
meanings, pronunciations) (20%) . And listen repeatedly to a news (remember meanings,
pronunciations) (60%), students should often use stick words on the objects they describe
(40%), or write words on pieces of paper, then stick them wherever visible (20%). It is the
traditional way for students study listening vocabulary in VOA. The other suggestions
(20%) think that rarely listen repeatedly to a news (remember meanings, pronunciations)
which may be take a long time and students can’t hard-study to learn by this way.
Question 11: According to you, how attractive do your students find these activities?
Bar chart 11: The teachers’ opinion activities attractive students
According to the bar chart, opinions of teachers about attractive students feel with
some activities. Teacher said that 60% student attractive with learning through VOA
Special English news, and 60% student a bit attractive. VOA is well-known with major
English students.
20% to 40% student attractive with learning at home, with friends in class,
findings synonym or antonym word, 20%- 80% a bit attractive through teacher’s opinion.
Both learning with friends and at home are 80% a bit attractive, teachers think that students
not enough hard to self-study or learn with team.
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%
Learning through VOA special English
news
Learning at home
Learning with friends
Learning in class
Finding synonym or antonym word
60%
20%
20%
40%
40%
40%
80%
80%
60%
60%
Not attractive
A bit attractive
Attractive
Very attractive
29
Question 12: According to you, what ways should your student do to improve your
students ‘ability in learning listening vocabulary in VOA Special English?
Bar chart 12: The teacher’s opinion way to improving students learn listening
vocabulary in VOA
The bar chart show that, both keeping a dictionary, thesaurus and learning words
through topics are 27,3 % , it means with teachers this can be seem a good ways to learn
listening vocabulary in VOA. 18,2% are listening and trying to write down news and using
flashcard or post- it notes around your house. Besides, 9,1% teacher think that looking up
any new words you do not recognize. To this question, many methods have been
introduced with the hope of helping students overcoming their difficulties in learning
listening vocabulary.
The collected data show that most of the students at UTEHY have a great desire
to improve their listening vocabulary by carrying out the activities self-study. The students
express their preference some ways to learn, this kinds of activity not only activates their
knowledge but arouse their interest as well. Another interesting finding is that the students
enjoy studying in VOA, Internet or by watching movie, listening song. It is believed that
students can learn vocabulary effective as the students can benefit from learning through
VOA; it provides them more and more new words, to share much information.
3.3 Summary
From the above analysis of collected data, we can see the current situation of
teaching and learning listening vocabulary in VOA Special English at UTEHY, and this
university proves itself to be a potential university in which the teachers and students are
0.0%
5.0%
10.0%
15.0%
20.0%
25.0%
30.0%
A B C D E F G H
A. Keeping a dictionary and thesaurus handy
B. Listening and trying to write
down news C. Looking up any new word
you do not recognize. D. Listening more E. Using flashcard or post- it
notes around your house F. Learning words through
topics G. All of them H. Others
30
focus of the development, it is understandable that the teachers’ techniques may be
partially be accessing to up-dating with modern teaching techniques.
However, it can be inferred from the data that there exist a lot of difficulties in
teaching and learning listening vocabulary. There are some reasons for this: first, the
students spend most of their time study four skills as their first and important duty is to do
well the examinations to universities. They forget basic steps to learn best English is learn
vocabulary in general, listening vocabulary in particular. Second, the students seem not to
have appropriate learning method and have little experience in learning listening
vocabulary. Last but not least, the teachers do not spend much of their time to design
successful and effective to improve students leaning listening vocabulary, thus, it seems for
the teachers that teaching listening vocabulary in VOA Special English comprehension is
not more than testing.
From the survey we need to keep in mind that there are still mismatches between
the teachers and the students in the way the teachers create learning listening vocabulary
interest or motivation. Actually the teachers, students can use VOA Special English in
teaching or learning to improve students’ listening vocabulary, and make full use of
communicative approach in teaching and learning in order to increase interest for the
students in studying listening vocabulary.
Also in chapter three, findings from the survey show that most of the students are
active and well-aware of what they need to do to learn listening vocabulary. However,
what they have done seem not efficient enough to improve their listening vocabulary.
To solve and overcome all the problems and difficulties is not easy, this is a
matter of time and effort of both the teachers and students in the process of teaching and
learning listening vocabulary. In the next part I am going to suggest using VOA Special
English to improve listening vocabulary based on my knowledge, experience as well as
what I have found in the survey with the hope that they would be of a help to improve the
quality of teaching and learning listening skill for the teachers and the second-years major
English students in UTEHY.
3.4 Recommendation and suggestion:
Base on several difficulties of students on learning listening vocabulary English,
this part will introduce using VOA Special English to overcome those difficulties.
31
3.4.1. For teachers
It is the teachers who should help their students to realize the nature of listening
vocabulary in VOA Special English. VOA Special English is an active rather than a
passive process which involves using a large number of skills and strategies at the same
time and need student take a long time with this program.
The teachers teach students about vocabulary use in receptive and productive
contexts and illustrating how the mastery of a large number of high frequency words in
receptive activities can help them dramatically improve their production of fluent and
accurate English. It is one thing to be able to understand a word, whether in a written or
oral context, but quite another to be able to use that word fluently to express oneself. More
speaking and writ-ing activities, with proper attention to high frequency vocabulary items,
are necessary to improve the students’ ability to use the words fluently. Equally important,
students realize that learning involves much more than memorizing the Vietnamese
definition of a word.
The teachers introduce for students know the VOA Special English program and
show them why it is an excellent source to increase both their receptive and productive
listening vocabulary. This introduction is essential to arouse students’ enthusiasm and
maximize the program’s instructional value.
Teachers devote to raising the students’ awareness of collocations through the
selection of Special English reports that contain interesting topics related to textbook
material and the most useful vocabulary and collocations.
For example, when the textbook’s topic is related to health problems, we choose
the Special English report “Freshman Fifteen” (Gollust, Moss, and Weaver 2005).
http://www.51voa.com/voa_Special_english/American_Mosaic_17601.html
This report deals with a relevant health problem that troubles college students
worldwide and has many useful collocations such as: put on weight, poor diet, and foods
high in fat and sugar. The students also find reports that correspond to a wide variety of
topics from their textbooks. The same health-related textbook chapter led them to choose
reports about a variety of health concerns such as SARS, AIDS, and Bird Flu.
Some techniques to explore VOA in teaching English vocabulary:
Steps to conduct a lesson with VOA:
32
Step 1: Students listen to a select Special English report three times without the
script. Teachers require taking notes of key words and collocations while listening.
Step 2: Students then work in pairs using the words and collocations from the
report to discuss the topic.
Step 3: Students listen to the report two more times with the script projected onto a
screen; and focus on problematic vocabulary and concepts.
Step 4: Students do oral exercises in pairs or groups without the script, such as
asking and answering questions and translating collocations to make sure they can
use the words and collocations correctly.
Step 5: Finally, students do the fluency-oriented 4/3/2 activity. As an alternative,
they can write as much as possible about the report for fifteen minutes.
Techniques to assign homework with VOA
The students have to study at least one Special English report after class every
other day. After reading the reports and listening to the corresponding audio files, they use
the words and collocations to practice retelling the main ideas of the reports, either orally
or in writing. Retelling the reports orally to oneself is encouraged when no partners or
family mem - bers are available. Moreover, students must write summaries of their reports
in a note - book to prepare for their later presentations. If time allows, they can write
longer passages that include their impressions or opinions.
3.4.2 For students
Throughout the course students are instructed to keep a pocket-size notebook to
collect both new and familiar words, collocations, and sentences they encounter in the
Special English reports or from other sources. Jotting down even those familiar words and
collocations that they recognize helps them retrieve familiar vocabulary when speaking
and writing. They are encouraged to ask themselves these questions: “Can I use this
word/collocation at will when it is needed to express my ideas? If not, do I need to make it
a part of my productive vocabulary?”
Students are encouraged to carry their vocabulary notebooks with them most of
the time for frequent addition, review, and recycling of the entries. When they have time,
they can copy those entries into three-ring binders, which are classified into sections like
“Food,” “Family,” “Health,” and “Music.” Anything not belonging to a particular category
33
goes into a “Miscellaneous” section. These binders’ help students organize, memorize, and
locate the entries.
Make a good self-study plan to explore VOA:
A study plan is an organized schedule that students create that outlines study
times and learning goals in VOA. Each person will have their most suitable self-study plan
that suit with their time, ability, subjects,… there are no model plan that can be use for all
of people, therefore, each students should make a careful plan. A good self-study plan will
help students reach their target quickly and control their time effectively. You can make a
good plan by following step:
Create a time chart of your current activities: time chart allow you see how you
spent your time from day to day. Students should spend from 1 to 2 hours to learn
listening vocabulary in VOA Special English. It can help you improve your
vocabulary, grammar, background knowledge and you can learn listening
vocabulary easily and effectively.
Develop a schedule: You have determined available days and times for learning
listening vocabulary. You should make a mark in your planner or calendar and thus
you are reminded every time you look at it.
Creating good learning environment
Learning environment for learning listening vocabulary in VOA, which is
listening laboratory besides cassettes tapes, tape recorders and written listening texts, is a
vital key affecting the quality of both learning and teaching listening vocabulary.
To create good learning environment, students should:
- Find a quiet place to listen in order to concentrate better during listening
comprehension process.
- Have good physical condition for learning: good radio, comfortable chair, etc.
- Make friendly and pleasant atmosphere
Besides using VOA Special English the learners should:
- Speak to native English and teachers and try to imitate their pronunciation
- Practice listening everyday to have sensitivity to connected speech
- Make conversations with friends in English and have peer correction
- Listen and try to memorize lyrics and rhythm of English songs - Watch news,
movies, etc on TV
34
In listening vocabulary learning, the focus should be not just on expanding
learners’ vocabulary but also on helping they gain greater familiarity with high frequency
words and collocations. And this should be as much the case with advanced learners as
with beginners and intermediate learners. Efforts should be taken to enable second-year
English major students in UTEHY to progress gradually from receptive knowledge to
productive knowledge and from consciously knowing words to subconsciously and
automatically using them. VOA Special English focuses on high frequency of words and
collocations; it will make students have progress in their speaking, listening and writing.
The progress in turn will built up their confidence and increase their engagement with
these activities; moreover, the learning habits study by VOA Special English help them
become more independent, responsible and confident language learners who will continue
to pursue better proficiency in English beyond the course.
35
CHAPTER IV: CONCLUSION
4.1. Summary of the study
To reach what the author aimed her study; at the study was divided into four
chapters with their own purpose. The first chapter covered rationale, aims, scope, methods,
and design of the study. The second chapter briefly covered the theories related to the
study, namely, theoretical background of vocabulary, and the theoretical backgrounds of
VOA Special English. The third chapter presented the overview on situation of teaching
and learning English listening vocabulary at UTEHY, and research methodology. The forth
chapter presented the author’s findings of the approach to listening vocabulary at UTEHY
through the questionnaires. This chapter also helps the author find the answers for three
research questions that stated in the introduction. And the last chapter is some
recommendation and suggestion for the teachers to improve English listening vocabulary
learning and teaching at UTEHY.
4.2. Limitations of the study
In any research papers, limitations are unavoidable. The study presented is of no
exception. Firstly, the difficulties found out in the study is just from second – year English
majors at UTEHY so there should be further studies on different subjects.
Secondly, the using VOA Special English to learn listening vocabulary suggested
through prove to be useful and effective, they are likely to be subjective and incomplete.
There should be some more techniques and activities to help second English majors of
UTEHY in particular and English major students in general make good advance in learning
listening vocabulary.
4.3. Suggestions for future studies
The following directions should be taken into consideration in the future research:
- The present research only suggests using VOA Special English to learn listening
vocabulary. Further research should focus on using VOA Special English to learn other
skills in English
First, further investigation into VOA Special English
Second, further investigation into how to improve other language skills through VOA
Special English
Third, further investigation into how to enhance the students’ awareness of VOA
Special English for lifelong learning vocabulary
36
REFERENCE
1. Allen.F.A,(1983), Techniques in teaching vocabulary, NewYork : Oxford
University Press
2. Harimurti Kridalaksana, (1993), Kamus linguistic, (Jakarta: PT Gramedia pustake
Utama).
3. Harmer, (1993), The Prarice of English Language Teaching, Essex: Longman
Group UK Limited, ISBN 978-019-442169-0
4. Helena Anderson & Carol Ann Pesola, (1993), Languages and Children, The
Modern Language Journal 77.
5. Hiebert, E. H. (in press), Teaching and learning vocabulary: Bringing scientific
research to practice, Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum.
6. JoAnn Aebersold, Mary Lee Field, (1997), Language Arts & Disciplines.
7. Krashen, S, (1982), Principles and practice in second language acquisition, New
York: Prentice-Hall.
8. Paul Nation,(1990) Teaching and Learning Vocabulary.
9. Sebastian Wren, Ph.D. Vocabulary. BalancedReading.com
10. Webster's Dictionary (1993)
11. Wright, (1990), Pictures for Language Learning, Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, ISBN 0-521-35800-0
12. Wright and Haleem Safia, (1996), Visuals for the Language Classroom.Essex:
Longman Group UK Limited, ISBN 0-582 047811
13. Averil Coxhead Victoria University of Wellington New Zealand, Nation (2001b)
14. Jane Short , Get Ready for IELTS (Listening)
Some links in this study:
1. http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/vocabulary?a=british
2. http://learningenglish.voanews.com/
3. www.voanews.com/Specialenglish
4. http://www.51voa.com/voa_Special_english/American_Mosaic_17601.html
I
APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1
SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE (STUDENTS)
This survey questionnaire is designed to find out your attitude and your
expectations towards teaching and learning English vocabulary. Your answers will be used
for researching purpose of my graduation paper entitle: “A study on using VOA Special
English program to improve vocabulary for the second- year English majors at Hung
Yen University of Technology and Education”. Thank you for your cooperation in
completing this survey questionnaire. All the information provided by you is solely for the
study purpose, and you can be confident that you will not be identified in any discussion of
the data.
Thank you very much for your cooperation!
Le Phuong Thao, senior student in Faculty of
Foreign Language, Hung Yen University of
Technology and Education.
Instructions:
The questionnaire is in two parts; please circle, tick each response or give short
answer in the provided space to your view (please use either English or
Vietnamese)
The “vocabulary” used in this questionnaire means “Listening vocabulary in
English”.
Personal information:
Your gender: Male
Female
Your age: …………….
Where are you from? The countryside
Town
City
How long have you learned English: ………… years.
II
Students’ and teachers’ perspectives toward learning and teaching vocabulary at
UTEHY
1. Have you ever used the program VOA Special English?
A. Yes
B. No
( If tick “no” ,please move question 2)
2. If you use VOA Special in the future, what topics do you usually learn to improve
listening vocabulary?
( you can tick more than one answer)
A. Education
B. Science
C. Medicine
D. Economics
E. History
F. Life
G. All of them
3. How much important is learning listening vocabulary?
A. Very important
B. Important
C. Not important
D. Not very important
4. Why do you learn listening vocabulary?
(You can tick more than one answer)
A. You are interested in learning listening vocabulary, and in learning English in
general.
B. You want to be better your writing skill
C. You think learning listening vocabulary is necessary for your study.
D. It is one of the requirements in learning English.
E. Others
5. Where do you meet new words?
1= never; 2=rarely; 3= sometimes; 4=often; 5=usually
III
Situations 1 2 3 4 5
When you use VOA Special English (reading,
listening, watching news)
When using / surfing the Internet (e.g. English
websites, e-chatting (e.g. writing: QQ, MSN;
speaking: Skype)
In textbooks and from classroom learning activities
In vocabulary lists arranged in alphabetical order
In vocabulary lists arranged by meaning
During English conversations with others (e.g.
teachers, classmates, foreigners)
When reading English materials (e.g. books,
newspapers, magazines)
When singing English songs or watching English
movies / TV shows
6. If you use VOA Special English in the future, how much time do you spend on
learning listening vocabulary in VOA Special English on a day?
A. A hour
B. 2 hours
C. 3 hours
D. 4 hours
E. Others
7. When you want to learn or remember the vocabulary; how often do you do any of the
following on your own initiative?
A. I learn through VOA Special English
B. At home I make lists of words and I study them.
C. I write down the word as it sounds or make some sort of annotation to remember
its pronunciation.
D. On my own initiative I write the translation next to the word I would like to learn.
E. I relate the English word with other words that are written or sound in a similar
way
F. I write down the word together with an example sentence.
G. I create my own dictionary.
H. I relate the word in English with an image, a drawing or a scheme.
IV
I. I repeat the words out loud several times.
J. All of them.
Factors affecting learning listening vocabulary at UTEHY
8. According to you, which of the following factors affects your learning listening
vocabulary in VOA Special English ability?
A. Students’ learning vocabulary abilities
B. Motivation to learn vocabulary
C. Difficulties in remembering meaning of general vocabulary, Special words
D. Difficulties in listening and writing news in VOA Special English
E. The English- learning environment
F. All of the above factors
G. Others
9. How often do you use these methods to learn listening vocabulary?
(Put a tick in the appropriate column)
Methods Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Learning from VOA Special English
(listening and reading, watching
news)
Learning from text books
Learning from teachers
Learning from your friends
Learning from games
Learning from Internet (music,
film…)
Learning from synonym or antonym
words
10. Which techniques do you use to remember listening vocabulary in VOA Special
English?
(Put a tick in the appropriate column)
V
Techniques Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Write words on pieces of paper, then
stick them wherever visible
Write words in both Vietnamese and
English many times
Stick words on the objects they
describe
Listen repeatedly to a news (remember
meanings, pronunciations)
Others:
11. How attractive do you find these activities?
(Put a tick in the appropriate column)
Name of activities Very attractive Attractive A bit
attractive
Not
attractive
Learning through
VOA Special English
news
Learning at home
Learning with friends
Learning in class
Finding synonym or
antonym word
Ways to improve ability in learning listening vocabulary
12. What ways should you do to improve your ability in learning listening vocabulary in
VOA Special English?
(You can circle more than one choice)
A. Keeping a dictionary and thesaurus handy
B. Listening and trying to write down news
C. Looking up any new word you do not recognize.
D. Writing more
E. Using flashcard or post- it notes around your house
F. Learning words through topics
G. All of them
H. Others
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION!
VI
APPENDICES
APPENDIX 2
SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE (TEACHERS)
This survey questionnaire is designed to find out your attitude and your
expectations towards teaching and learning English vocabulary. Your answers will be used
for researching purpose of my graduation paper entitle: “A study on using VOA Special
English program to improve vocabulary for the second- year English majors at Hung
Yen University of Technology and Education”. Thank you for your cooperation in
completing this survey questionnaire. All the information provided by you is solely for the
study purpose, and you can be confident that you will not be identified in any discussion of
the data.
Thank you very much for your cooperation!
Le Phuong Thao, senior student in Faculty of
Foreign Language, Hung Yen University of
Technology and Education.
Instructions:
The questionnaire is in two parts; please circle, tick each response or give short
answer in the provided space to your view (please use either English or
Vietnamese)
The “vocabulary” used in this questionnaire means “Listening vocabulary in
English”.
Personal information:
Your gender: Male
Female
Your age: …………….
How long have you been teaching English: ………… years.
VII
Students’ and teachers’ perspectives toward learning and teaching vocabulary at
UTEHY
1. Have you ever used the program VOA Special English to teach your students?
A. Yes
B. No
( If tick “no”, please move question 2)
2. If you use VOA in future, what topics do you usually use to teach your students
listening vocabulary?
( you can tick more than one answer)
A. Education
B. Science
C. Medicine
D. Economics
E. History
F. Life
G. All of them
3. How much important is learning listening vocabulary?
E. Very important
F. Important
G. Not important
H. Not very important
4. How much interested do your students feel in learning listening vocabulary through
VOA Special English?
A. Very interested
B. Interested
C. Little interested
D. Not interested at all.
5. Where do you meet new words?
1= never; 2=rarely; 3= sometimes; 4=often; 5=usually
VIII
Situations 1 2 3 4 5
When you use VOA Special English (reading,
listening, watching news)
When using / surfing the Internet (e.g. English
websites, e-chatting (e.g. writing: QQ, MSN;
speaking: Skype)
In textbooks and from classroom learning activities
In vocabulary lists arranged in alphabetical order
In vocabulary lists arranged by meaning
During English conversations with others (e.g.
teachers, classmates, foreigners)
When reading English materials (e.g. books,
newspapers, magazines)
When singing English songs or watching English
movies / TV shows
6. In your opinion, How much time should your students spend on using VOA Special
English on a day?
A. A hour
B. 2 hours
C. 3 hours
D. 4 hours
E. Others
7. According to you, when your students want to learn or remember the vocabulary;
what should your students do?
A. learn through VOA Special English
B. make lists of words and study them.
C. Write down the word as it sounds or make some sort of annotation to remember its
pronunciation.
D. Write the translation next to the word
E. Relate the English word with other words that are written or sound in a similar
way
F. Write down the word together with an example sentence.
G. Create self-dictionary.
H. Relate the word in English with an image, a drawing or a scheme.
IX
I. Repeat the words out loud several times.
J. All of them.
Factors affecting learning listening vocabulary at UTEHY
8. According to you, which of the following factors affects your students learning
writing vocabulary in VOA Special English ability?
A. Students’ learning vocabulary abilities
B. Motivation to learn vocabulary
C. Difficulties in remembering meaning of general vocabulary, Special words
D. Difficulties in listening and writing news in VOA Special English
E. The English- learning environment
F. All of the above factors
G. Others
9. According to you, how often should your students use these methods to learn writing
vocabulary?
(Put a tick in the appropriate column)
Methods Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Learning from VOA Special English
(listening and reading, watching news)
Learning from text books
Learning from teachers
Learning from their friends
Learning from games
Learning from Internet (music, film …)
Learning from synonym or antonym
words
10. According to you, which techniques should your students use to remember listening
vocabulary in VOA Special English?
(Put a tick in the appropriate column)
X
Techniques Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never
Write words on pieces of paper, then
stick them wherever visible
Write words in both Vietnamese and
English many times
Stick words on the objects they
describe
Listen repeatedly to a news (remember
meanings, pronunciations)
Others:
11. According to you, how attractive do your students find these activities?
(Put a tick in the appropriate column)
Name of activities Very
attractive
Attractive A bit
attractive
Not
attractive
Learning through VOA
Special English news
Learning at home
Learning with friends
Learning in class
Finding synonym or
antonym word
Ways to improve ability in learning listening vocabulary
12. According to you, what ways should your student do to improve your students ‘ability
in learning listening vocabulary in VOA Special English?
(You can circle more than one choice)
A. Keeping a dictionary and thesaurus handy
B. Listening and trying to write down news
C. Looking up any new word you do not recognize.
D. Writing more
E. Using flashcard or post- it notes around your house
F. Learning words through topics
G. All of them
H. Others
THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION!
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