Available online at www.sciencedirect.

com

ScienceDirect
Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 (2014) 674 – 678

5th World Conference on Educational Sciences - WCES 2013

Using an interactive whiteboard in vocabulary teaching

Haruethai Katwibun*
Chiang Mai University Demonstration School, Faculty of Education, Chiang Mai University,
239 Huay Kaew Road, Chiang Mai 50200, Thailand.

Abstract

This research aimed to investigate the effects of using an interactive whiteboard (IWB) in vocabulary teaching. The target group
was 51 11th-grade students of the academic year 2011. The research instruments consisted of 3 lesson plans, 3 IWB instructional
media packets, post-teaching teacher’s note, vocabulary knowledge test, students’ participation observation form and attitude
questionnaire. The data obtained were analyzed using percentage, means, standard deviation, and quality levels. The
conclusions from the analyses indicated that after using the IWB, the students’ vocabulary knowledge, participation and attitude
were at a very good level.
© 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Academic World Education and Research Center.
Keywords: interactive whiteboard (IWB), vocabulary teaching;

1. Introduction

According to the framework for 21stcentury learning, information, media and technology skills are essentially
required for 21st century scholars due to the environment of technology and media. Competent people and workers
must have critical thinking skills such as information literacy, media literacy and ICT (Information,
Communications and Technology) Literacy. Almost all of the processes are based on the reading literacy skill,
which is a very important linguist requirement for students studying literature as well as the other subjects in class
(Geske & Ozola, 2008). Vocabulary knowledge and conceptual knowledge are closely related – a spoken word
represents our known concepts in communicating with others (Leu & Kinzer, 2003). To communicate successfully
and have positive academic performance, vocabulary has played an important role in students’ communicative
experiences. One of the technologies that enhance vocabulary teaching is IWB. The IWB is a giant sensitive board
that is connected to a computer and digital projector, which reflects the computer’s image onto a big touchable
computer screen controlled electronic pen or finger (Vetter, 2009). Tataroglu & Erduran (2010) noted that we can
access any software program or Internet projected onto the whiteboard. Glover et al (2005) added that the ability
derived from the technology enables the learner to learn more quickly and effectively, it also assists teachers to

* Corresponding name :HaruethaiKatwibun Tel.: +66-53-944292

E-mail address:[email protected]

1877-0428 © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Academic World Education and Research Center.
doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2014.01.278
 Haruethai Katwibun / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 (2014) 674 – 678 675

bring back mandatory creative autonomy. Thus, this study was aimed to explore the factors that effected to IWB in
vocabulary teaching.

2. Review of literature

By history, any languages have words and in any subsequence a language originated from a word, and in terms of
the way we learned our first (Thornbuty, 2002). The heart of the first, second or foreign language acquisition is
"vocabulary learning" (Decarrico, 2001). There are two steps of studying a language for learners are (1) to
understand the meaning of vocabulary (words), and (2) to know the grammar-related sentence structure. Both steps
are better in combination. No matter what they are in linguistics, the construction of an accurate sentence cannot be
made without knowing the meanings of the appropriate vocabulary (Kritikou, et al, 2010). As soon as a language
learner reaches an advance level, they have the knowledge of the fundamental structures of the language, and they
would be able to communicate with other people well. But not enough, the advanced learners are required to know
more words in order that they can make clear and suitable expression in any circumstances (Moras, 2001).

2.1. Teaching Techniques and Activities

Decarrico (2001) suggested that new vocabulary should not be ever presented either solely alone or by simple
rote memorization. They must be presented in enriched contexts that are plenary enough to give guiding clues to
their meanings, whereas the learners should be given several exposures to the items they are learning. It is essential
to provide exercises or activities included learning words in word association lists, emphasizing key words in texts.
The playing of vocabulary games and computer programs that include the pronunciation sounds of the vocabulary,
as well as any illustrations or pictures, provide opportunity to practice in a variety of contexts, of which spoken and
written are recommended.

The Requirements of Language-focused Vocabulary Instruction

With respect to the language-focused vocabulary instruction requirements, Nation and Newton (2009) noted that
the word instruction of useful items should receive more attention instead of having more frequent information
about words than any other segment of the language. It is a must for learners to have good control over the
relatively small number of high frequency vocabulary. Without an effective command of language effectiveness it
is hard to use the large existing key 2000 to 3000 words families - either in the spoken or written form. A General
Service List of English Words (West, 1953 cited in Nation and Newton, 2009) and the Academic Word List
(Coxhead, 2000 cited in Nation and Newton, 2009) have included those words. There are a total of about 6000 word
families used in our simple spoken language (Nation, 2006 cited in Nation and Newton, 2009).

High Frequency Vocabulary Techniques

In the intensive reading requirement there are numbers of methods to implement;

• Before reading the whole passage, a select few words from the passage can be taught at an appropriate time
period before the start of the real class reading. This emphasizes aspects of the vocabulary, their meaning,
their senses, the technical usage restrictions, common collocations, grammar usage, and any appropriation
of their use as being colloquial, impolite, and so on.
• After reading the text, the words should be included in an exercise that includes word family tables, word
matching, meanings, collocation pattern classification, or key meaning work-outs.
• During the reading, we should look into the various vocabulary characteristics of the forms, meanings, and
applications. However, this can often be very time consuming.
676 Haruethai Katwibun / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 (2014) 674 – 678

• As the glossary is a guide to helping vocabulary learning, it is necessary to make a glossary prior to the text
being read by the learners.

Low Frequency Vocabulary Techniques

• Do not pay attention to the vocabulary itself.

• Use a translation, photograph, diagram, and L2 definition demonstration to rapidly give the meaning of the
vocabulary.
• Before the students work on the text, replace more useful high frequency vocabulary in the text. The text
can be made easy to help the learners get into the text more easily. This method will decrease the tension
of unseen vocabulary.
• In order to save time in the class, a glossary should be made available prior to the learners seeing the text to
allow understanding of the low frequency vocabulary. As a result, the glossary would help in ignoring the
vocabulary in class. (Nation, 2009)
Observably the new word can be found in our communications, and the written input for these communicative
activities can be an effective origin of a new word. Finally, in order to reach the outcome of a self-motivated
drill in the classroom, new vocabulary can be met in activities where the individual works-out of the answers,
but they could work equally as well for small groups or pairs (Nation, 1994).

2.2 Approaches to Teaching Vocabulary

As many teachers know how important pre-reading activities are, and they realize that the words should be
learned in context. They consequently scan the vocabulary to find words that are unfamiliar to their classes,
before giving assignment on that passage (Milulecky, 1990). The way of teaching particular vocabulary, for
example, a session in introducing new words before the class reading started is called "direct instruction" (Beck,
McKeown & Kucan, 2002, cited in Sedita, 2005). On the other hand, “indirect instruction” encourages students
to improve vocabulary appreciation in which they participate in an enjoyable experience and the delightfulness
of the word by sending them a number of new words and maintaining their reading levels (Baumann,
Kame’enui & Ash, 2003, cited in Sedita, 2005).

3. Method

This study took place at a public high school in the northern region of Thailand with a total of 51 11th grade
students. Three 50 minute-lesson plans of vocabulary (root, prefix and suffix) consisting of three steps; presentation,
practice and production were given with three IWB instructional media packets. The students’ participation
observation form was conducted by teacher during the classes and after decoding the video recording was assessed
on a 4 rating scales of response. Post-teaching teacher’s written reflections were made by the researcher, a
vocabulary knowledge test, including twenty multiple choice items, was implemented after learning through IWB,
and a questionnaire with 8 items with 5 rating scales of attitude was administrated after using the IWB.
 Haruethai Katwibun / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 (2014) 674 – 678 677

4. Research findings

4.1 Vocabulary Knowledge Test

Table 1: The result of the students’ vocabulary knowledge test

N Minimum Maximum Mean Std. Deviation Level

vocabulary knowledge test 51 14 20 17.73 1.65 Very good
Table 1 shows the result of students’ vocabulary knowledge is at a very good level. The mean is 17.73 with the
standard deviation of 1.65. The highest score is 20, while the lowest one is 14.

4.2 Students’ Participation Observation Form

Table 2: The result of students’ participation

Mean Std. Deviation Level

students’ participation 7.94 1.24 Very good
Table 2 shows students’ participation is at a very good level.

4.3 Attitude Questionnaire

Table 3. The result of students’attitude

No Items of Evaluation Mean Std. Deviation Results

1. Enhance learning English 3.59 0.50 High
2. Enhance lesson interest 4.12 0.68 High
3. Participate in activities 3.92 0.69 High
4. Have learning atmosphere 4.12 0.65 High
5. Different from other normal English classroom 3.90 0.90 High
6. Have happiness and enjoyment to learn with IWB 4.14 0.75 High
7. Have good attitude in English class 3.96 0.72 High
8. Require IWB in next English class 4.00 0.85 High
Total 3.97 0.43 High
Table 3shows students’ attitude is at a high level.

5. Discussion and conclusions

Such a surprising achievement - it illustrates that implementing IWB in vocabulary teaching demonstrated
success in students’ academic performance not only in student participation in the classroom, but also their attitude.
The result is at a very good level for the following reasons:
• Students’ vocabulary knowledge is at a very good level. The word roots and affixes (suffixes and prefixes)
are taught by direct methods (Sedita, 2005). Most lesson plans are those explaining specific meaning by
several visual and audio tools of IWB that embeds students’ learning experiences. The medium for
students engaging new thing could be the IWB (Hall, 2009). The findings agree with the findings of the
impact of IWB on teaching and learning. Cuthell (2005) showed that teachers who embraced an impact tool
of IWB to assist all classroom learning, made it more meaningful than every single child, and that
students’ capabilities of seeing and recalling the meaning, their cognitive ability to manipulate it through
their personal knowledge and understanding of language construction. Additionally, putting words
systematically as based on their importance would help us to understand them easier ( Schmitt, 1997;
Sokmen, 1997 cited in McCarten, 2007). Language-based groups are based on linguistic rule that applied
to grouping method , for example, the various of a word family in parts of speech; vocabulary with the
same prefix or suffix, or the same sound; phrasal verbs; collocations of diverse categories ( verb + noun;
adjective + noun, etc.) (McCarten, 2007).
678 Haruethai Katwibun / Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 116 (2014) 674 – 678

• Students’ participation is also at a very good level. Using the IWB as an instructional tool has shown a
significant increase in student participation. This occurs in report on the effect to employ IWB in a
classroom on students’ participation (Vetter, 2009). As is suggested by socio-cultural theory, Armstrong et
al (2005) proposed that either students or teacher could operate IWB directly with a keyboard or electronic
pen anywhere in the room because of a variety of the collaborative accessories on the active board.

• Students’ attitude was at a very good level. The finding results are supported by Tataroglu (2010) revealed
that students’ interest, as well as motivation, are increased and their interest is captured after using IWB.
Their attitudes were also at a medium level. As determined by the increase of presentation qualities of
utilizing color, movement, either to disclose or to reveal for the purpose of learning or participation, it is
clear that the motivation can be increased through IWB usage (Carr, 1999 cited in Glover, 2005).
Similarly, technology promotes interactive multimedia characters of lesson plans and control student’s
attention and motivation (Gatlin, 2012).

The distinguished observation of students’ participation dropped slightly at the end of the lesson if the IWB
accommodated the whole period of teaching, instead it seems that they preferred this applicant as a facilitating tool
just a part of the lesson. In conclusion, it is necessary for the teacher to integrate the IWB technology with the
learning theory and pedagogy that impress learners’ individual needs in order to guide the students' academic
achievement to meet the final success.

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by Chiang Mai University Demonstration School (CMUD), Faculty of Education,
Chiang Mai University ; Lect. Sakda Swathanan, Ph.D., Assistant Director of Research & Planning, CMUD.

References

Armstrong, V., Barnes, S., Sutherland, R. ,Curran, S., Mills, S., & Thompson, I. (2005). Collaborative research methodology for investigating
teaching and learning: the use of interactive whiteboard technology. Educational Review, 57(4), doi: 10.1080/00131910500279551
Cuthell, J. P. (2005). Seeing the meaning. The impact of interactive whiteboards on teaching and learning : Proceedings of WCCE 05.
Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Decarrico, S. J. (2001). Vocabulary learning and teaching. In Celce-Murcia, M. (Ed.), Teaching English as a second or foreign language (3rd ed.).
USA: Heinle& Heinle.
Gatlin, M. (2012). Interactive whiteboard system creates’ active classrooms’ for rural Georgia school system. Retrieved April 12, 2012, from
http://www.questia.com/googlescholar.qst?docld=50002074923
Geske, A., & Ozola, A., (2008). Factor influencing reading literacy at the primary school level. Problems of Education in the 21st Century. 71-77.
Glover, D., Miller, D., Averis, D., & Door, V., (2005). The interactive whiteboard: a literature survey. Technology, Pedagogy and Education,
14(2), 155-170.
Hall, D. (2009). ActivBoard instruction: Does it increase reading skills?, The Corinthian: the Journal of Student Research at GCSU, 10,139-152.
Kritikou, Y., Stavroulaki, V., Paradia, M. & Demestichas, P. (2010). User-oriented web-based learning management systems for enhanced
vocabulary teaching. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences 9(2010), 473-479.
Leu, D. J., & Kinzer, C. K. (2003). Effective literacy instruction, K-8. (5th ed.). Pearson Education.
McCarten, J. (2007). Teaching vocabulary. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Mikulecky, S. B. (1990). A short course in teaching reading skills. USA: Addison-Wesley Publishing.
Moras, S. (2001). Teaching vocabulary to advanced students: a lexical approach. Retrieved October 14, 2012, from
http://www3.telus.net/lingisticsissues/teachingvocabulary.html
Nation, I. S. P. (2009). Teaching ESL/EFL reading and writing. New York: Routledge.
Nation, I. S. P. & Newton, J. (2009). Teaching ESL/EFL listening and speaking. New York: Routledge.
Nation, P. (1994). New ways in teaching vocabulary. Illinois, USA: Pantagraph Printing.
Partnership for 21st century skills. Framework for 21st century learning. (2011). Retrieved September 12, 2012, from www.P21.org
Sedita, J. (2005). Effective vocabulary instruction. Insights on Learning Disabilities, 2(1), 33-45.