Applying morphology and contextual communication in learning English vocabulary

Nguyen Van Hung - Volume 3 - Issue 1-2021, p. 70-76 
70 
Applying morphology and contextual communication in 
learning English vocabulary 
by Nguyen Van Hung (Thu Dau Mot University) 
Article Info: Received 11 Jan. 2021, Accepted 1 Mar. 2021, Available online 15 Mar. 2021 
 Corresponding author: hungnv.nn@tdmu.edu.vn
 https://doi.org/10.37550/tdmu.EJS/2021.01.149 
ABSTRACT 
In the trend of globalization and international integration of Vietnam today, 
learning foreign languages in general and English in particular is aimed at 
achieving learners’ communication purposes. Therefore, learning the language 
knowledge including vocabulary is also for the purpose of developing learners' 
communication skills. The non-majored English training for students at the 
Foreign Language Center - Thu Dau Mot University is directed to the 
effectiveness of communication. The most prominent method of learning 
vocabulary is the application of Morphology and Morpheme; At the same time, 
the method of learning meanings of words in contexts and application of newly-
learned words in the practice of communication skills will be also focused. 
Keywords: learning English vocabulary, morphology, morphemes 
1. Introduction 
In the tendency of globalization, foreign languages play an important role and is the key 
to the development and international integration of our country in today's era. The 
experience of developed countries and emerging industrial countries in the world as 
well as in the Asia-Pacific region has shown that, in the necessary conditions for 
integration and development, foreign languages are a vital requirement and an effective 
means in the process of integration and development of each country. 
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In order to realize the mission of "training qualified human resources for 
socio-economic development and international integration of Binh Duong province, 
the Southeast region - the key economic region of the South" (Resolution, 2018), Thu 
Dau Mot University focuses on teaching foreign languages to all of its students, 
especially students not majoring in foreign languages. Of all the foreign languages 
learned by the university’s students, English is chosen by most students due to the high 
popularity and demand for recruiting human resources who can use this foreign 
language of enterprises in Binh Duong and in the neighboring provinces as well. 
As mentioned above, In the trend of globalization today, learning a foreign language in 
the era of globalization has become extremely necessary and urgent. Today, learning 
foreign languages is mainly aimed at meeting people’s needs of communicating in their 
work and daily life as well. Therefore, in the process of teaching and learning English, 
the practice to develop communication skills is the learner's ultimate goal. 
To be able to practice English communication skills such as listening, speaking, reading 
and writing, learners need to acquire necessary language knowledge as grammar, 
vocabulary and pronunciation. The language knowledge is indispensable materials that 
help learners enhance their language skills. One of the important language materials to 
which learners are required to pay attention in foreign language classes is vocabulary. 
However, learning vocabulary at elementary schools and high schools has always been 
so hard for foreign language learners, especially learners of English, because learning 
words requires a lot of effort in looking up the word’s part of speech, meaning and 
transcription. In addition to getting to know the meaning, the pronunciation of new 
vocabulary, learners also have to learn the new word many times until they can 
remember its spelling and the meaning. 
2. Literature review 
Tradiontional ways of learning vocabulary 
In the process of teaching and learning English in all grades at elementary and high 
schools, teachers focus on teaching vocabulary to students. Nevertheless, the methods of 
teaching and learning vocabulary at elementary and high schools have been so passive 
and ineffective in communication. Commonly, students only learn vocabulary in the 
level of knowing, memorizing, and reproducing. At the beginning of each English Unit, 
the teacher lists new English words and their equivalent Vietnamese meanings on the 
board. Students write the new words in their notebooks and then go home copying the 
new words many times until they remember both spelling and meaning. In the next 
class, the teacher calls the students to come up to the board, read the Vietnamese 
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meanings and ask them to write the English words on the board and give them a score 
(usually for the oral mark). Due to their young age and good memory, students can learn 
and remember new words with ease. However, after a short time students will forget the 
learned vocabulary for not using them in communication and not studying them 
repeatedly. 
Based on the survey of two non-English-majored classes of level 4 and 5 Thu Dau Mot 
University’s Foreign Language Center with a total student population of 67, the 
majority of students learned English vocabulary by copying to memorize them at 
primary schools and high schools. Up to 61/67 students surveyed from the above 2 
classes, accounting for 91.04%, confirmed that they had copied the list of words and 
meanings provided by their teachers until they remembered their spellings and 
meanings. The remaining 8.96% of students (6/67 students surveyed), when randomly 
interviewed, said they had studied English at specialized schools or English centers. 
These students reported they learned vocabulary in contexts and applied them in 
communication. 
3. Methods 
This study used quantitative research and qualitative analysis to determine the method 
which non-English-majored students apply to learn vocabulary. The findings gained by 
the surveys as a foundation for action plan laid out by the researchers. 
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
No. of students learning
vocabulary in passive ways
No. of students learning
vocabulary with applied
methods
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4. Results and Discussion 
4.1. Applying morphology and morpheme in learning vocabulary 
In the limited extent of this article, the application of Morphology and Morpheme to 
form new words (word formation) will be introduced to students of Thu Dau University. 
Morphology is a branch of Linguistics mentioning to the structure of English 
vocabulary and how to form new vocabulary by combining Morphemes. Morpheme is 
the smallest meaningful unit in a word that cannot be divided any more. There are two 
types of morphemes: (1) free morpheme (core morpheme or independent morpheme), 
and (2) bound morpheme (dependent morpheme). A free morpheme can stand itself as 
an independent word. A bound morpheme, however cannot be an independent word. It 
must be combined with a free morpheme or another bound morpheme. A single word 
has a free morpheme, but a complex one must have a free morpheme and one or more 
bound morphemes. Bound morphemes come in three types: prefix, infix and suffix. 
For example: 
The adjective tranquil is a simple word that has only one free morpheme. On the basis 
of “tranquil”, the bound morpheme -ize (suffix) can be added to create the verb 
tranquilize; and then the noun tranquilizer is derived by adding the bound morpheme -
er. 
By applying morphemes in learning English vocabulary, students just learn one root 
word with a free morpheme and create several of its derivations in listening, speaking, 
reading, and writing activities without looking them up in a dictionary or memorizing 
them. For example, students who know the word industry (noun) can themselves form 
industrial (adj.) or industrialize (verb) in case they need to use an adjective or a verb. 
Thus, in the process of teaching non-specialized English modules at the Foreign 
Language Center - Thu Dau Mot University, teachers need to introduce to students 
some basic principles of morpheme such as free morpheme and bound morpheme. 
Students, then are able to form new words by adding bound morphemes to the root 
word. For example, on learning the word rely, students just memorize its spelling, part 
of speech and the meaning; and in certain communication situations, they can add the 
suffix -able to establish the adjective reliable or the prefix -un to get the negative 
adjective unreliable. 
Based on the survey of 67 students in two English classes (as mentioned in part II), 
82.09% (54/67) of them found the method of learning words using morphemes is very 
convenient, less time consuming and no need to learn and memorize many words. These 
students claim they can use morphemes by themselves to create new words that need to 
be used in speaking and writing skills without looking them up in a dictionary, and at 
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the same time they can easily guess the meaning of the derived words in reading texts or 
recordings. 
The remaining 17.91% of students (13/67) are not sure of the new words they create. 
The students reported they could identify derived words from their roots in reading texts 
and recorded speeches; However, they have to check the words in the dictionary when 
using them in writing and speaking exercises. 
4.2 Learning vocabulary in contexts 
The second method of learning vocabulary is learning words in a context. In comparison 
with the traditional method, learning vocabulary in context is practical. It helps students 
know how to learn the meaning of new words in a sentence and use learned vocabulary 
in communicative situations. 
4.3. Learning words in contexts 
In this method, the learner is asked to read the contexts and choose one of the given 
words to fill in the incomplete sentence. Thanks to this exercise, learners can remember 
the words and their meanings and know how to use words in a sentence (context) as the 
in following example: 
Complete the following sentences with the words in the box (Enter given words in the 
blanks of the sentences below). 
55 
12 
82.09% students who are
satisfied
17.91% students who are not
self-confident
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1. My three-year old daughter starts _________ next month, so I can go back to work. 
2. When I was at _________, I wanted to become a doctor, but when I went to 
secondary school I got bad grades in science. 
3. My brother's in his _________ at secondary school. 
4. I _________ when I was sixteen because I wasn’t interested in studying. 
5. I’m taking _________. I’m working and saving money for my university fees. 
6. I’m studying English at _________ because I want to become a teacher. 
7. I’ve got _________ next term. Hopefully, I’ll pass. 
8. When I _________, I wanted to get a job in the media, but it was impossible to find 
one. 
9. If I want to get a good job, I’ll have to _________. 
When reading the first sentence, students manipulate assert to words they have learned 
as three-year-old daughter, start, go back to work to guess the missing word: nursery. 
4.4. Using new vocabulary in speaking activity 
The method of learning vocabulary in contexts enables students to use new vocabulary 
in practicing speaking skills. After teaching new vocabulary meaning by method for 
students to guess the meaning of word in context from a reading text or a dialogue, the 
teacher allows students to practice speaking using new words learned. 
For example, when teaching vocabulary of technologies such as cell phones, the teacher 
might suggest questions such as “Do you have a cell phone?” (Do you have cell 
phone?), “How long have you had it (your cell phone)?” (How long do you buy / have 
it?), “Is it important for you? Why? " (Is it important to you? Why?), "What do you use 
it for?" (What do you use it for?) ... Students use these posting questions, or create new 
ones) to practice in pairs. Thanks to this question and answer practice, students can both 
learn new words, know how to use them in context, and especially practice their English 
speaking skills right in each activity of each English class. 
5. Conclusion 
Learning English in the trend of globalization and international integration of Vietnam 
today is mainly aimed at developing learners’ communication skills. Therefore, learning 
English knowledge as vocabulary also serves the purpose of developing students’ 
listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. The training of non-specialized English 
a year off left school primary school 
do a Master's my finals second year 
graduated nursery university 
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for students at the Center for Foreign Languages - Thu Dau Mot University is aimed at 
communication proficiency, most notably the method of learning vocabulary through 
the application of Morphology and Morpheme. At the same time, it also focuses on the 
method of learning meaning in the context and applying the newly learned vocabulary 
to practice communication skills. 
References 
Jack C Richards; John Talbot Platt; Heidi Platt; C N Candlin (1985), Longman 
Dictionary of Applied Linguistics, Nxb Longman 
Geert Booij (2005), The Grammar of Words – An Introduction to linguistics 
Morphology, Oxford University Press. 
Hugh Dellar; Andrew Walkley (2016), Outcomes – Pre-Intermediate, Nxb National 
Geographic Learning. 
Resolution No. 05/NQ-HĐTr dated 22/06/2018 of Thu Dau Mot University’s Board. On 
approving the development strategy of Thu Dau Mot by 2030.