IN THE NAME OF GOD

THE IMPACT OF APPLYING TWO OF THE CONCEPT MAPPING TECHNIQUES AS A FORM OF PRE-TASK ON

EFL LEARNERS’ USE OF TENSES In Oral Accuracy

BY: ZOHREH SAADATI

zohre.saadati@yahoo.com

Background and Purpose

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Introduction

Crucial role of linguistic features to develop target-

like levels in Oral production

The need to attend to form in communicative

language use

Knowing how to build and use certain structures

makes it possible to communicate certain types of

meaning successfully.

Tenses are of especially great importance in

communication

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Concept mapping a technique for the improvement of the teaching-

learning process

Concept mapping assist learners in performing oral communication

(Yaman & Yildiz, 2008)

Concept mapping is effective for both conceptual and linguistic

development (Ojima, 2006)

The combination of mapping strategies with oral activities could

promote students’ ‘‘higher-level thinking.’’ (Schultz, 1991)

Statement of the Problem Concern among teachers and researchers alike regarding the

accuracy of second/foreign language learners

Recent studies consider the need to include some degree of attention to form in the CLT classroom (Long, 1996, p.429)

Tenses, one of the most problematic Accuracy categories for students

Searching for effective techniques of teaching tenses as pre-task planning which make the use of tenses meaningful

Using the strategies of meaningful learning, like concept mapping, instead of memorization and rote learning

Statement of the Research Question

To fulfill the purpose of this study, the following research question was raised:

Q: Does applying fill-in-the map and construct-a-map technique have any significant impact on EFL learners' use of tenses in oral accuracy?

Research Hypothesis

In order to investigate the research question empirically the following null hypothesis was proposed:

HO: Applying fill-in-the map and construct-the map technique does not have any significant impact on EFL learners’ use of tenses in oral accuracy.

Definition of Key Terms

Concept mapping :

Novak and Cañas (2008) Concept maps are

graphical tools for organizing and representing

knowledge. They include concepts, usually enclosed

in circles or boxes of some type, and relationships

between concepts indicated by a connecting line

linking two concepts. Words on the linking line

specify the relationship between the concepts.

Definition of Key Terms

Construct-a-map:

In this technique, students are asked to construct a map from scratch. This technique varies as to how much information the assessor provides. The assessor may provide the concepts or linking words or may ask students to construct a hierarchical or non-hierarchical map. The response format is simply a piece of paper on which students draw a map. Scoring system varies from counting the number of nodes and linking lines to evaluating the accuracy of the propositions (Ruiz-Primo, 2000, p.69).

Definition of Key Terms

Fill-in-the-map:

The fill-in-the-map technique provides students with a concept map where some of the concepts or the linking words have been left out. Students fill in the blank nodes or linking lines. The response format is straightforward; students fill in the blanks and their responses are scored correct-incorrect (Ruiz-Primo, 2000, p.68).

In this study only linking words were left out of the concept maps and students were supposed to fill in the blank linking lines.

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Accuracy

Error-free clauses: the percentage of clauses that did not contain any error. All errors relating to syntax, morphology, and lexical choice were considered. Lexical errors were defined as errors in lexical form or collocation.

Correct verb forms: The percentage of accurately used verbs in terms of tense, aspect, modality, and subject-verb agreement.

In this study only target-like use of verb tenses was investigated and operationally defined by the using KEPT scale based on which the interviews conducted in pre- and post test phases were scored.

Significance of the Study

The importance of attend to form in the area of second /foreign language teaching

Tenses, one of the most problematic areas in oral accuracy for the foreign or second language learners

Concept mapping helps in gaining better and more comprehensive understanding of the learning material

Little attention is directed at teaching instructional strategies including concept mapping in L2 learning settings in Iran.

Limitations

The researcher had no access to native speaker

All participants were elementary

Just male students

only accurate use of tense in speaking was focused

Working on just 6 tenses

Delimitations

Choosing elementary students ranging from 12 to 16 years of age

Choosing two techniques from among different concept mapping techniques

CHAPTER III Methodology

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Participants

• 98 male Iranians ranging in age between 12 and 16

(Shokouhe-Andishe English Language center)

• Elementary Level

• One experimental and one control group, 49 students in each one

Instrumentation

KET proficiency test for homogenizing the participants

Two Oral Interviews

Textbook (Take Off 3, by Brian Abbs, Ingrid Freebairn and Addison Wesley,1996)

Two Concept mapping techniques

The computer software “ Word 2007”

Procedure

Selecting 98 out of 140 students available in Shokouhe-e Andishe institute, by administering a KET proficiency test

Randomly assigning the selected participants into two experimental and control groups, with 49 students in each.

Administration of two oral interviews to ascertain participants’ homogeneity regarding their accurate use of tenses in speaking.

Both groups received the same amount and method of instruction but they differed in the practice phase, in which the participants in the experimental group used concept mapping techniques (fill-in-the-map and construct-a-map), but those in the control group did not use these techniques.

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For all the tenses, the following procedures were carried out in the

experimental group in 12 sessions:

During the treatment, the teacher started each session with teaching affirmative and negative forms of the tense and then the process initiated from reading texts. In this case, teacher first gave the students the competence about the topic.

1. Pre-speaking phase : The participants read passage individually and they practiced on tense by fill-in-the map and retold each other the reading a passage.

2. While speaking phase: They construct their own map and provided the teacher the summary of the passage.

3. Post -speaking phase: They were checked for grammar, cohesion, and logical sense.

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In the control group, all the three phases of speaking were in the same way as the experimental group, but in the practice phase they gave the summary and discussed without using the concept map techniques. That is, they read the passage before spoke about it.

At the end of the Treatment

The subjects were given the post-test with the same content and characteristics for an oral interview as used in pre-test for the purpose of homogenization.

To determine the reliability of this oral accuracy exam, it was scored by two experienced teachers as rater.

Design

This study was a quasi-experimental, control group posttest only

design

Concept mapping techniques (fill-in-the-map and construct-a-map)

as the independent variable

Use of tenses as the dependent variable

Gender and proficiency level of the participants as the control

variables

Data analysis

KR-21 Formula

T-test

Inter-rater Reliability

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CHAPTER IVResults and Discussions

Table 4.1: Key English Test (KET).

Figure 4.1: Histogram KET Test

Table 4.2: Independent t-test Pretest in Use of Tense

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Table 4.3: Descriptive Statistics Pretest in use of Tense

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Figure 4.2: Mean Scores on Pretest in Use of Tense

Table 4.4: Independent t-test Posttest in Use of Tense

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Table 4.5: Descriptive Statistics Posttest in Use of Tense

Figure 4.3: Mean Scores on Posttest in Use of Tense

Table 4.6: Inter-rater Reliability for Pretest in Use of Tense

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Table 4.7: Inter-rater Reliability for Posttest in use of Tense

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CHAPTER V

Conclusion

Conclusion

Experimental group outperformed control group

Applying concept mapping techniques helps EFL learners improve their Use of tenses

Pedagogical Implications

Teachers: Large group activities, small group settings, individual projects

Plan lessons and teach units

Assessing students’ understanding of the material

Students: Self-assessment

Material developers: Incorporation concept mapping techniques for development of

accurate use of tense in speaking

Suggestions for further research

Another similar study can be conducted to another age group.

Another similar study can be conducted to female students.

Another line of research can be pursued on the impact of concept mapping on Knowledge of tense.

Another study can be done on the same topic, using other concept map techniques.

Another study can be conducted on lower or higher language proficiency levels.

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