The Use of Mind Mapping Technique to Enhance Writing Skills of Grade Four Bhutanese Students
Keywords:
mind mapping technique, descriptive writing, students’ learning achievement, students’ learning satisfactionAbstract
This study adopted mixed-methods to explore the effectiveness of mind mapping technique in enhancing grade four Bhutanese students’ writing skills. It was carried out in one of the primary schools in central Bhutan with one target group, comprising 18 grade four students. Quantitative data gathered using pretest and posttest achievement tests were analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis. Content analysis was conducted to analyze the qualitative data gathered through students’ learning behavior observation and focus group discussion. The mean scores of the pretest and posttest were 11.56 and 15.86 respectively. The mean score of the posttest was statistically higher than the mean score of the pretest indicating the significant improvement in descriptive writing skills after the intervention of the mind mapping technique. This study also revealed the positive impact of the mind mapping technique in improving students’ writing confidence. This study recommends the integration of the mind mapping technique in Bhutanese English curriculum to promote writing competency.
References
Ahmad, S.R. (2016). Importance of English communication skills. International Journal of Applied Research, 2(3), 478- 480.
Akdeniz, C., Bacanlı, H., Baysen, E., Çakmak, M., Çeliköz, N., Doğruer, N., & Yalın, H. I. (2016). Learning and Teaching: Theories, Approaches and Models. Ankara, Turkiye: Cozum.
Al Naqbi, S. (2011). The use of mind mapping to develop writing skills in UAE schools. Education, Business and Society: Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues, 4(2), 120-133.
Al-Zyoud, A. A., Al Jamal, D., & Baniabdelrahman, A. (2017). Mind mapping and students' writing performance. Arab World English Journal, 8 (4), 280-291.
Aprilia, A., Setiyadi, A., & Mahpul, M. (2015). The implementation of mind mapping technique to improve students' ability in writing descriptive text at second grade. UNILA Journal of English Teaching, 6(6), 1-53.
Ballantyne, S. (2016). Use of project-based learning approach to improve students’ descriptive process writing skills. KKU International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 6(3), 1-21.
Bhutan Council for School Examination and Assessment. (2013a). National Education Assessment 2013. Thimphu, Bhutan: Author.
Bhutan Council for School Examinations and Assessment. (2013b). Pupils Performance Report 2013.Thimphu: Bhutan.
Boyson, G. (2009). The use of mind mapping in teaching and learning. The Learning Institute, Assignment, 3(8), 123-145.
Bulut, P. (2017). The effect of primary school students’ writing attitudes and writing self-efficacy beliefs on their summary writing achievement. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 10(2), 281-285.
Buran, A., & Filyukov, A. (2015). Mind mapping technique in language learning. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 206, 215-218. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.10.010
Buzan,T. & Buzan, B. (2013). The Mind Map Book. London: BBC worldwide.
Buzan, T., Buzan, B., & Harrison, J. (2010). The mind map book: Unlock your creativity, boost your memory, and change your life. New York: Pearson BBC Active.
Cobern, W. W. (1993). Contextual constructivism: The impact of culture on the learning and teaching of science. In K. G. Tobin (Ed.), The practice of constructivism in science education (pp. 51-69). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Curriculum and Professional Support Division (2014). Reading and Literature: Teachers’ Guide Class IV. Paro, Bhutan: Author
D'Antoni, A. V., Zipp, G. P., Olson, V. G., & Cahill, T. F. (2010). Does the mind map learning strategy facilitate information retrieval and critical thinking in medical students? BMC medical education, 10(1), 61.
Davies, M. (2011). Concept mapping, mind mapping and argument mapping: what are the differences and do they matter? Higher education, 62(3), 279-301.
Defazio, J., Jones, J., Tennant, F., & Hook, S.A. (2010). Academic literacy: The importance and impact of writing across the curriculum: A case study. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 10 (2), 34-47.
Fiktorius, T. (2013). The use of mind-mapping technique in the EFL classroom. Retrieved from: https://www.academia.edu/3823093/The_use_of_mindmapping_technique_in_the_EFL_classroom
Fitriani, G. A. (2012). Using mind mapping technique in improving grammar mastery of the tenth graders of Sma Ma’arif Lawang. Retrieved from http://karya-ilmiah.um.ac.id/index.php/sastra-inggris/article/view/17677
Garrick, R., Romanowski, C., & Slifka, M. (n.d). Using mind mapping to influence creativity and Innovation. Retrieved from: http://www.indiana.edu/~ciec/Proceedings_2012/Papers/ETD-351/ETD-351_Slifka.pdf
Graham, S. (2008). Effective Writing Instruction for all Students. Wisconsin Rapids, USA: Renaissance learning, Inc.
Grami, G. M. A. (2010). The effects of integrating peer feedback into university-level ESL writing curriculum: A comparative study in a Saudi context (Doctoral dissertation, Newcastle University). Retrieved from: https://www.kau.edu.sa/files/0005407/researches/57369_27610.pdf
Hallen, D., & Sangeetha, N. (2015). Effectiveness of mind mapping in teaching English among VIII standard students. Journal on English Language Teaching, 5(1), 45-50.
Ingemann, M. (2011). The power of mind mapping. Retrieved from: http://www.fortunewell.com/tpomm.pdf
Jain, S. (2015). The comprehensive study of how mind mapping technique helps to understand concepts and ideas in science teaching. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 5(12), 284-286.
Keles, O. (2012). Elementary teachers’ views on mind mapping. International Journal of Education, 4(1), 93-100.
LaPrairie, M. (2014). A Case study of English-medium education in Bhutan (Doctoral Dissertation, University of London, London, United Kingdom). Retrieved from: https://scholar.google.co.th/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=LaPrairie%2C+M.+%282014%29.+A+Case+study+of+English-medium+education+in+Bhutan&btnG=
Lhamu, C. (2016). Unintended forces that shape youth value: A theoretical analysis of the implicit messages in the structure and processes of school education shaping youth development. The Druk Journal, 2(2). Retrieved from: http://drukjournal.bt/journal-issues/
Marquette University. (2011).What makes writing so important? Writing across the curriculum. Retrieved from: https://www.marquette.edu/wac/
Namgay, P. (2016). The effects of using six thinking hats technique towards English essay writing achievement of grade 6 students in Bhutan (Unpublished Master’s Thesis, Rangsit University, Thailand.)
Namgyel, S. (2014). Personal communication. Retrieved from www.opensociety foundations.org/
Nurliala, A.P. (2013). The use of mind mapping in writing descriptive text. Journal of English and Education, 1(2), 9-15.
O'Connell, R. M. (2014). Mind mapping for critical thinking. [IGI Global version] Retrieved from: https://www.igi-global.com/e-resources/
Parikh, N. D. (2016). Effectiveness of teaching through mind mapping technique. The International Journal of Indian Psychology, 3(3), 148-156.
Purnomo, A. (2014). Improving descriptive writing skill through mind mapping technique. English Department of Educational, 7(2), 245-262.
Putra, P. P. (2012). The use of mind mapping strategy in the teaching of writing at SMAN 3 Bengkulu, Indonesia. International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(21), 60-68.
Rafii, A. (2017). Improving students’ motivation in writing descriptive texts by using mind mapping. ELT Echo: The Journal of English Language Teaching in Foreign Language Context, 2(2), 147-157.
Reima, A. J. (2009). Enhancing freshman students’ writing skills with a mind mapping software. The 5th International Scientifics Conference–eLearning and Software for Education–Bucharest, (1), 375-382.
Royal Education Council and Education Initiatives Pvt. Ltd. (2008). Bhutan's annual status of student learning 2008. Thimphu, Bhutan: Author.
Royal Education Council and Education Initiatives. (2011). Bhutan’s Annual Status of Student Learning. Thimphu, Bhutan: Author.
Salem, A. A. M., & Al Dyiar, M. A. (2014). Writing anxiety as a predictor of writing self-efficacy in English for special education Arab learners. International Education Studies, 7(6), 128.
Saygili, K. (2017). Effects of retrieval vocabulary instruction on academic reading comprehension. Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 3(2), 253-270.
Soltani, A., & Kheirzadeh, S. (2017). Exploring EFL students' use of writing strategies and their attitudes towards reading-to-write and writing-only tasks. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 13(2), 535-560.
Special Committee for Education, (2016). The review report on the quality of education. Thimphu, Bhutan: National Council of Bhutan.
Tee, T. K., Azman, M. N. A., Mohamed, S., Muhammad, M., Mohamad, M. M., Yunos, J. M.,…. Othman, W. (2014). Buzan mind mapping: An efficient technique for note-taking. International Journal of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences, 8(1), 28-31.
Thinley, P. (2013). How does teaching of process approach (PA) help students with their writing? Journal of the International Society for Teacher Education, 17(2), 70-80.
Tshering, T. (2016). Peer assessment on grade eight students’ descriptive essay writing at a Lower Secondary School in Bhutan. Journal of Roi Et Rajabhat University, 10(2), 1-10.
Turner, R.C., & Carlson, L. (2003). Indexes of item- objectives congruence for multidimensional items. International Journal of Testing, 3(2), 163-171.
Vijayavalsalan, B. (2016). Mind mapping as a strategy for enhancing essay writing skills. New Educational Review, 45(3), 137-150.
Wahyuni, S. (2017). The effect of different feedback on writing quality of college students with different cognitive styles. Dinamika Ilmu, 17(1), 39-58.
Wright, S. (2011). Why writing skills are more important than ever. Retrieved from: https://study.com/articles/Why_Writing_Skills_are_More_Important_Than_Ever.html
Yunus, M. M., & Chien, C. H. (2016). The use of mind mapping strategy in Malaysian university English test (MUET) Writing. Creative Education, 7(04), 619-626.
Zangpo, N. (2005). Writing standard in English primary schools in Bhutan: A sample study. RABSEL: The CERD Educational Journal, 4, 76-90.
Akdeniz, C., Bacanlı, H., Baysen, E., Çakmak, M., Çeliköz, N., Doğruer, N., & Yalın, H. I. (2016). Learning and Teaching: Theories, Approaches and Models. Ankara, Turkiye: Cozum.
Al Naqbi, S. (2011). The use of mind mapping to develop writing skills in UAE schools. Education, Business and Society: Contemporary Middle Eastern Issues, 4(2), 120-133.
Al-Zyoud, A. A., Al Jamal, D., & Baniabdelrahman, A. (2017). Mind mapping and students' writing performance. Arab World English Journal, 8 (4), 280-291.
Aprilia, A., Setiyadi, A., & Mahpul, M. (2015). The implementation of mind mapping technique to improve students' ability in writing descriptive text at second grade. UNILA Journal of English Teaching, 6(6), 1-53.
Ballantyne, S. (2016). Use of project-based learning approach to improve students’ descriptive process writing skills. KKU International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 6(3), 1-21.
Bhutan Council for School Examination and Assessment. (2013a). National Education Assessment 2013. Thimphu, Bhutan: Author.
Bhutan Council for School Examinations and Assessment. (2013b). Pupils Performance Report 2013.Thimphu: Bhutan.
Boyson, G. (2009). The use of mind mapping in teaching and learning. The Learning Institute, Assignment, 3(8), 123-145.
Bulut, P. (2017). The effect of primary school students’ writing attitudes and writing self-efficacy beliefs on their summary writing achievement. International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 10(2), 281-285.
Buran, A., & Filyukov, A. (2015). Mind mapping technique in language learning. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 206, 215-218. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.10.010
Buzan,T. & Buzan, B. (2013). The Mind Map Book. London: BBC worldwide.
Buzan, T., Buzan, B., & Harrison, J. (2010). The mind map book: Unlock your creativity, boost your memory, and change your life. New York: Pearson BBC Active.
Cobern, W. W. (1993). Contextual constructivism: The impact of culture on the learning and teaching of science. In K. G. Tobin (Ed.), The practice of constructivism in science education (pp. 51-69). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.
Curriculum and Professional Support Division (2014). Reading and Literature: Teachers’ Guide Class IV. Paro, Bhutan: Author
D'Antoni, A. V., Zipp, G. P., Olson, V. G., & Cahill, T. F. (2010). Does the mind map learning strategy facilitate information retrieval and critical thinking in medical students? BMC medical education, 10(1), 61.
Davies, M. (2011). Concept mapping, mind mapping and argument mapping: what are the differences and do they matter? Higher education, 62(3), 279-301.
Defazio, J., Jones, J., Tennant, F., & Hook, S.A. (2010). Academic literacy: The importance and impact of writing across the curriculum: A case study. Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 10 (2), 34-47.
Fiktorius, T. (2013). The use of mind-mapping technique in the EFL classroom. Retrieved from: https://www.academia.edu/3823093/The_use_of_mindmapping_technique_in_the_EFL_classroom
Fitriani, G. A. (2012). Using mind mapping technique in improving grammar mastery of the tenth graders of Sma Ma’arif Lawang. Retrieved from http://karya-ilmiah.um.ac.id/index.php/sastra-inggris/article/view/17677
Garrick, R., Romanowski, C., & Slifka, M. (n.d). Using mind mapping to influence creativity and Innovation. Retrieved from: http://www.indiana.edu/~ciec/Proceedings_2012/Papers/ETD-351/ETD-351_Slifka.pdf
Graham, S. (2008). Effective Writing Instruction for all Students. Wisconsin Rapids, USA: Renaissance learning, Inc.
Grami, G. M. A. (2010). The effects of integrating peer feedback into university-level ESL writing curriculum: A comparative study in a Saudi context (Doctoral dissertation, Newcastle University). Retrieved from: https://www.kau.edu.sa/files/0005407/researches/57369_27610.pdf
Hallen, D., & Sangeetha, N. (2015). Effectiveness of mind mapping in teaching English among VIII standard students. Journal on English Language Teaching, 5(1), 45-50.
Ingemann, M. (2011). The power of mind mapping. Retrieved from: http://www.fortunewell.com/tpomm.pdf
Jain, S. (2015). The comprehensive study of how mind mapping technique helps to understand concepts and ideas in science teaching. International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, 5(12), 284-286.
Keles, O. (2012). Elementary teachers’ views on mind mapping. International Journal of Education, 4(1), 93-100.
LaPrairie, M. (2014). A Case study of English-medium education in Bhutan (Doctoral Dissertation, University of London, London, United Kingdom). Retrieved from: https://scholar.google.co.th/scholar?hl=en&as_sdt=0%2C5&q=LaPrairie%2C+M.+%282014%29.+A+Case+study+of+English-medium+education+in+Bhutan&btnG=
Lhamu, C. (2016). Unintended forces that shape youth value: A theoretical analysis of the implicit messages in the structure and processes of school education shaping youth development. The Druk Journal, 2(2). Retrieved from: http://drukjournal.bt/journal-issues/
Marquette University. (2011).What makes writing so important? Writing across the curriculum. Retrieved from: https://www.marquette.edu/wac/
Namgay, P. (2016). The effects of using six thinking hats technique towards English essay writing achievement of grade 6 students in Bhutan (Unpublished Master’s Thesis, Rangsit University, Thailand.)
Namgyel, S. (2014). Personal communication. Retrieved from www.opensociety foundations.org/
Nurliala, A.P. (2013). The use of mind mapping in writing descriptive text. Journal of English and Education, 1(2), 9-15.
O'Connell, R. M. (2014). Mind mapping for critical thinking. [IGI Global version] Retrieved from: https://www.igi-global.com/e-resources/
Parikh, N. D. (2016). Effectiveness of teaching through mind mapping technique. The International Journal of Indian Psychology, 3(3), 148-156.
Purnomo, A. (2014). Improving descriptive writing skill through mind mapping technique. English Department of Educational, 7(2), 245-262.
Putra, P. P. (2012). The use of mind mapping strategy in the teaching of writing at SMAN 3 Bengkulu, Indonesia. International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2(21), 60-68.
Rafii, A. (2017). Improving students’ motivation in writing descriptive texts by using mind mapping. ELT Echo: The Journal of English Language Teaching in Foreign Language Context, 2(2), 147-157.
Reima, A. J. (2009). Enhancing freshman students’ writing skills with a mind mapping software. The 5th International Scientifics Conference–eLearning and Software for Education–Bucharest, (1), 375-382.
Royal Education Council and Education Initiatives Pvt. Ltd. (2008). Bhutan's annual status of student learning 2008. Thimphu, Bhutan: Author.
Royal Education Council and Education Initiatives. (2011). Bhutan’s Annual Status of Student Learning. Thimphu, Bhutan: Author.
Salem, A. A. M., & Al Dyiar, M. A. (2014). Writing anxiety as a predictor of writing self-efficacy in English for special education Arab learners. International Education Studies, 7(6), 128.
Saygili, K. (2017). Effects of retrieval vocabulary instruction on academic reading comprehension. Eurasian Journal of Applied Linguistics, 3(2), 253-270.
Soltani, A., & Kheirzadeh, S. (2017). Exploring EFL students' use of writing strategies and their attitudes towards reading-to-write and writing-only tasks. Journal of Language and Linguistic Studies, 13(2), 535-560.
Special Committee for Education, (2016). The review report on the quality of education. Thimphu, Bhutan: National Council of Bhutan.
Tee, T. K., Azman, M. N. A., Mohamed, S., Muhammad, M., Mohamad, M. M., Yunos, J. M.,…. Othman, W. (2014). Buzan mind mapping: An efficient technique for note-taking. International Journal of Psychological and Behavioral Sciences, 8(1), 28-31.
Thinley, P. (2013). How does teaching of process approach (PA) help students with their writing? Journal of the International Society for Teacher Education, 17(2), 70-80.
Tshering, T. (2016). Peer assessment on grade eight students’ descriptive essay writing at a Lower Secondary School in Bhutan. Journal of Roi Et Rajabhat University, 10(2), 1-10.
Turner, R.C., & Carlson, L. (2003). Indexes of item- objectives congruence for multidimensional items. International Journal of Testing, 3(2), 163-171.
Vijayavalsalan, B. (2016). Mind mapping as a strategy for enhancing essay writing skills. New Educational Review, 45(3), 137-150.
Wahyuni, S. (2017). The effect of different feedback on writing quality of college students with different cognitive styles. Dinamika Ilmu, 17(1), 39-58.
Wright, S. (2011). Why writing skills are more important than ever. Retrieved from: https://study.com/articles/Why_Writing_Skills_are_More_Important_Than_Ever.html
Yunus, M. M., & Chien, C. H. (2016). The use of mind mapping strategy in Malaysian university English test (MUET) Writing. Creative Education, 7(04), 619-626.
Zangpo, N. (2005). Writing standard in English primary schools in Bhutan: A sample study. RABSEL: The CERD Educational Journal, 4, 76-90.
Downloads
Published
2018-12-11
Issue
Section
Research Articles
