2.

THE APPLICATION OF COMMUNICATIVE METHODS IN

TEACHING ENGLISH VOCABULARY

2.1. The description of the experiment

2.2. The methods and techniques used in the experiment

2.3. The results of the experiment
An experiment -is a controlled study in which the researcher attempts to understand
cause-and-effect relationship. The study is “controlled” in the sense that the researcher controls
how subjects are assigned to groups and which treatments each group receives.
The experiment was made in the period of time September -October 2014 and included three
specific stages:

1. stage of observation (establishment);

2. fundamental stage (the experiment itself);
3. final stage of control.

The stage of observation was formed by a group - of 35 subjects, pupils from 8th A grade
and 8th grade,. Fundamental stage consist of 43 subjects, final stage of control 39 of subjects
which were subjected.

At first stage of observation (September 2014) - the goal was to finding the level of
English competence in using English vocabulary about “music” in teaching this topic in 6th
grade.

At this phase was followed:

-the conditions of the place and atmosphere in which pupils have enjoyed different kinds of
activities, by using the music vocabulary in communication;

- finding out the peculiarities and communication skills in teaching new vocabulary about music
(listen to music, watching video, make up dialogue, fill in the blanks, use words in sentences,
questions/answering) and many others;
- it was supposed to develop pupils’ interest in using vocabulary through the communicative
competence (speaking about types of music, favorite musician, singer or group), expressing the
opinion towards the human fallings in life.

- establishing the comprehension in teaching new topic, acquiring the meaning of tasks in oral
activities;

- identifying the difficulties encountered of some pupils from this group.

Here, was applied the Direct method, Grammar –Translation Method in teaching the subject
about music. In conversation about music, pupils had to watch some pictures with different kinds
of instruments and singers. They recognized each instrument and say it in English. Then, pupils
read a rhyme about music. They read aloud twice and then was erased by one word till all the
piece of poem was deleted.

Example of poem: Music

Music brings joy,

To all of our hearts,
It's one of those,
Emotional arts.

Music clearly,
enlightens our days,
Makes us happy,
In so many ways.

In this way was introducing the new topic, also the vocabulary of music. Pupils enjoyed this
activity, because they memorize this rhyme easily and funny. The oral competence of speaking,
reading, memorizing gave a chance for the pupils being attentive at the entire lesson. The teacher
acquired their attention through various activities. By giving a piece of paper pupils had some
questions to answer. The conversation between teacher -pupils, pupils- pupils was through the
following questions. Here, each pupil has an opportunity to express his/her idea. It is noticed
again that communicative competence was developed.
Example: Conversation Questions:

• What types of music do you like?

• What is your favorite music group?

• Who is your favorite musician or singer?

• How have your musical tastes changed since when you were a kid?

• Do you play a musical instrument? How long have you been playing?

• Can you sing? Have you ever sung in karaoke?

• What types of music do you dislike?

• Do you think music can affect our emotions?

• Where do you usually listen to music?

In this activity, pupils answer orally, showing the ability of communication in using
vocabulary connected with music, as we can see above. There are a few pupils who had met
some difficulties in speaking, in expressing the general idea about a musician or type of music.
Going further with this topic, pupils received a piece of the text about:
What is music?
“Music is an art that puts sounds together in a way that people like or find interesting. Most
music includes people singing with their voices or playing musical instruments, such as the
piano, guitar, or drums. People can enjoy music by listening to it. They can go to concerts to
hear musicians perform. Classical music is usually performed in concert halls, but sometimes
huge festivals are organized in which it is performed outside, in a field or stadium, like pop
festivals. People can listen to music on CDs, Computers, IPods, television, the radio,
cassette/record-players and even mobile phones. People can learn to play an instrument such as
the piano, the guitar, the bass, the trumpet, the drums, or the flute. Anyone can make up his or
her own pieces of music. It is not difficult to compose simple songs or melodies (tunes), but it’s
easier for people who can play an instrument themselves”.
 Pupils had to read the text above and then to express their opinion towards the music. After
this task, they had to identify the different parts of speech from text: nouns, verbs, adjectives.
Considering these words the “music vocabulary “, pupils had to make up sentences using each
part of speech, as in example:

Music vocabulary

Nouns Verbs Adjectives

Sound Sing Pop
Voice Listen Rock
Concert Play Classical
Musical instrument Compose Jazz
Festival Perform Country

Pupils made up sentences:

” I love to listen to classical sound when I’m feeling bad.”
“Mary performed a musical instrument in a rock concert.”

The communicative skills were developed through these sentences, expressed by pupils
‘opinion, composing and demonstrating the meaning of a single sentence. Pupils ‘thoughts are
expressed in a chronological order, some pupils made mistakes in speaking by confusing the part
of speech. This task was difficult for some pupils, because of the lack of active vocabulary
In 9th grade for teaching the same topic it was use Communicative approach, Grammar
translation method and The Direct method, Audio- lingual method. As for integrating pupils at the
lesson and for creating a good atmosphere in warm -up was made the next activity. It was playing
a song on the background and pupils had to thinking/interpret a quote about music:
“The music is the most precious of all the noises.”
(Théophile Gautier)
By listening to the song “I’m alive” by Celine Dion, pupils have written their feelings towards
music according to the quote above and even the song played. They expressed their opinions by
given supported arguments. By all group of pupils from 9th grade, a part of more than half of the
group have given good answers. The majority of pupils gave their response supported by examples
from their life ‘experiences about their likes. A small number of subjects had encountered mistakes
in expressing their ideas, but they were encouraged by the teacher and classmates.
By using the method Communicative Approach, it was used in this topic a video. It is an
interview about Lisa Haydon “All about music and personal stories”.
Pupils have to watch it carefully for twice and answer the following questions:

1. When and why did you start playing?

2. Which instruments do you play?

3. What was the first tune(s) you learned?

4. Is your family musical?

5. Which famous musicians do you admire? Why?

6. Who are your favorite musicians? Groups? CD's?

Working in pairs pupils have to express their ideas as in in the watched video. They made
small interviews in pairs and tried to present in front of the class. As a role-play, they were
receptive at this activity and the majority of them wanted to present an interview, some of them
love very much the sounds of music and wish to become a singer. Their mistakes were noticed by
the teacher. Most of them had difficulties at tenses and articulation of nouns. For discovering the
new vocabulary of music, pupils had to enjoy the following activity. Pupils had to find in the
puzzle below the new vocabulary connected with the music.

M U S I C I A N R L
E S O L O G T S H Y
L C V P M U R O Y R
O R B I P I U N T I
D O D A O T M G H C
Y C U N S A P D M S
 P K E O E R E R T Q
N O T E P R O P H S
C O N D U C T O R W

The pupils had to found the new words in 7 minutes and wrote them on the blackboard. Each
pupil received a sheet of paper with this puzzle. In finding by a word pupil wrote it on the
blackboard:

Music vocabulary
Melody Note Musician Lyrics
Composer Rhythm Solo Duet
Guitar Conductor Piano Trumpet
Rock Pop Song

This activity was funny for pupils, because they had a chance of discovering the new
vocabulary through thinking and imagination, or with the help of their knowledge. They like it and
made some oral sentences with new words.
The use of dialogues was a part of technique in performing communicative skills. Pupils
had to write/compose a dialogue about music, working in pairs.
Example of dialogue:

A: Hi, how are you?

B: Hi, I’m fine.
A: Music is a beautiful art isn’t it?
B: Of course, I don’t spend even only a single day without listening to new songs by some good
singers.
A: I love it, I feel myself free and amazing when I listen to music.
B: Yes, I like specially rock and pop music, the sounds are awesome.
A: I prefer listening the kind of songs that have a meaning, when the artist expresses his feelings
about something.
B: Who is your favourite singer?
A: Pink, Smiley and Taylor Swift are amazing, they are my favourite ones. What about you?
B: I like Selena Gomez, Justin Timberlake. I also like groups like “One Direction”, “Linkin
Park”,” Imagine Dragons”.
A: Fine, see you later.
B: Good bye.
At the end of the organized activities in the first phase of the observation all the pupils were
evaluated with a short test by predicting the level of vocabulary memorization and the ability of
speaking easy at each discussion, subject intended by the teacher. The test evaluation captured the
general level of skills development and communication competence, and different peculiarities in
mastering English language, as given vocabulary in 6th and 9th grade.

The second stage of the made with pupils, consist in development of the experiment itself.
According to the established objectives, it was made by acquiring real facts about pupils
‘knowledge. The experiment comprised - 43 subjects. They were subdivided in two subgroups,
so by 20 subjects from 6th grade and 23 subjects from 9th grade. For the subjects from 6th grade,
had specific conditions for working in class with explanation for the pupils, examples, but for
the second 9th grade, remained to work without any explanation in ordinary conditions. Pupils
from 6th grade listen to the song at CD recorder and complete the blanks. Pupils from 9th grade
listen to the song at the phone with some errors. All pupils received a piece of paper with the
song.
So, pupils have enjoyed a listening of a song from the very beginning, than they have to fill
in the blanks the missed words, and then to read their answers.

For example:

Step off the ______, walking down your street again

Passed your door, but you don't ______ there anymore

 Its years since you've been there, and now you've ____________ somewhere

To outta space, you've found some _________ place.

Pupils from 6th grade listened for three times the song and completed the spaces. They had
some difficulties in clarify the sound heard. They encountered difficulties in writing at the same
time when listening to the song. The majority of pupils complete correctly the blanks. Some of
them said that the task was difficult for them, because they did not heard about this song or was
hard in predicting the word. Some of them failed the task. Comparing with 9th grade, pupils were
more active and liked the song. They listened for twice the song and completed the pieces more
easy. Even a few of pupils gave papers uncompleted. More of them have managed to write the
correct answers. Than they read in turns the song and fill their mistakes. After that they listened
one more time the song and even sing with the singer in the same time.

However, in this activity is noticed that small pupils from 6th grade still growing for
acquiring such competences as pupils from 9thgrade.