The effects of information gap activity on grade 5 students vocabulary learning

This study investigated the effects of information gap activities on grade 5 student’s vocabulary learning in terms of word meaning and spelling. The research also looked at students’ opinions on learning through information gap activities. The participants were 40 grade 5 students at Banmuangnadee School, Ubon Ratchathani Province. The research instruments were a pre-test, immediate and delayed post-tests, questionnaire, observation form, and videotape recording. The pre-and post-tests were the same test that required the students to translate 40 unknown words from English into Thai and Thai into English. The students look the pre-test, the purpose of which was to identify unknown vocabulary items to study. They were then taught the target words thorough information gap activities, designed by the researcher over a period of 10 hours. The post-test and questionnaire were completed immediately after the treatment, and the delayed post-test was completed one month later. The pre- and post- tests scores were analyzed using means, standard deviations, and paired t-test. Results revealed that the information gap activities helped the fifth graders to learn the meanings and spellings of the target words in the short-term and long-term to a small extant. The students strongly agreed with the use of the information gap activities in learning vocabulary. It was also observed that these kinds of activities created peer teaching situations and built a good relationship between the teacher and students, thus benefiting their language learning.