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Nguyen, T. N., & Phan, N. T. (2025). Using mind mapping techniques in teaching English writing skills for 10th graders. Dong Thap University Journal of Science, 14(06S), 153-167. https://doi.org/10.52714/dthu.14.06S.2025.1683
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Using mind mapping techniques in teaching English writing skills for 10th graders
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Abstract
The study employing a mixed-methods and quasi-experimental design revealed that teaching English writing skills through Mind Mapping Techniques has significantly improved the writing ability of tenth-grade students at Nguyen Khuyen High School. The study involved ninety students who were separated into two groups: the treatment group applied mind mapping and the control group used only traditional teaching methods during eleven weeks of writing lessons. Quantitative data from the pre-tests and post-tests showed that this technique considerably increased students’ writing ability in terms of content, vocabulary and organization ideas in the treatment group. Qualitative results from semi-structured interviews and teacher’s observations conducted with the treatment group also highlighted the use of mind mapping in classroom activities promoted students’ participation and confidence. These findings demonstrated that the application of mind mapping techniques in the grade-10th curriculum contributed to notable progress in English writing skills. The applied approach not only enhances students’ writing ability in content, word choice, coherence and cohesion but also fosters active engagement in writing among 10th graders as well as students in other classes.
Keywords
English writing skills, mind mapping techniques, quasi-experimental design.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
References
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Akbar, G. Z., Kasim, U., & Aziz, Z. (2024). The effectiveness of using the mind mapping technique in teaching writing. Language Circle: Journal of Language and Literature, 18(2), 273–279.
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.
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Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2017). Thematic analysis. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 12(3), 297-298.
Dewi, S. (2020). Improving the writing ability using the mind mapping technique for the first graders of Stikes Muhammadiyah Kendal in the academic year of 2018/2019. Wiralodra English Journal (WEJ), 4(1), 33-49.
Doan Lan, V. (2022). The effects of mind mapping and outlining on Vietnamese EFL students' writing performance and attitudes: An explanatory sequential mixed methods study (Doctoral dissertation, Victoria University of Wellington).
Duong, Y. T. H. (2024). The effects of online mind mapping on the cognitive outcomes of students and their perceptions in the collaborative prewriting stage. Doctoral dissertation, University of San Francisco.
Fiktorius, T. (2013). The use of the mind-mapping technique in the EFL classroom. University of Tanjung Pura.
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Jasper, M. A. (2005). Using reflective writing within research. Journal of Research in Nursing, 10(3), 247-260.
Karatsareas, P. (2022). Semi-structured interviews. In R. Kircher & L. Zipp (Eds.), Research methods in language attitudes (pp. 99–113). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108867788.010.
Kurihara, N. (2017). Do peer reviews help improve student writing abilities in an EFL high school classroom? TESOL Journal, 8(2), 450-470.
Ngo, T. H. T., & Tran, T. T. O. (2021). The English major students’ practices of mind maps in writing skills. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 1(3), 301–312.
Ponitz, C. C., McClelland, M. M., Matthews, J. S., & Morrison, F. J. (2009). A structured observation of behavioral self-regulation and its contribution to kindergarten outcomes. Developmental Psychology, 45(3), 605-619.
Richards, J. C., & Schmidt, R. W. (2013). Longman dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics. Routledge.
Richards, J. C., & Renandya, W. A. (2002). Methodology in language teaching. Cambridge University Press.
Risdayanti, R. (2023). The use of mind mapping technique on improving students’ skill at 8th grade of SMPN 2 Suli (Doctoral dissertation, Institut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN) Palopo).
Russell, G. M., & Kelly, N. H. (2002). Research as interacting dialogic processes: Implications for reflexivity. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 3(3), 1-13.
Saddler, B., & Andrade, H. (2004). The writing rubric. Educational Leadership, 62(2), 48-52.
Saed, H. A., & Al-Omari, H. A. (2014). The effectiveness of a proposed program based on a mind mapping strategy in developing the writing achievement of eleventh-grade EFL students in Jordan and their attitudes towards writing. Journal of Education and Practice, 5(18), 88-110.
Sántha, K. (2017). The role of structured observation in studying teachers' beliefs about classroom teaching and learning. PedActa, 7(2), 1-28.
Sundeen, T. H. (2012). Explicit prewriting instruction: Effect on writing quality of adolescents with learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 18(1), 23-33.
Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257-285. https://doi.org/10.1016/0364-0213(88)90023-7
Tu, N. Q., & Nguyen, H. B. (2023). Teachers’ beliefs and practices of scaffolding paragraph writing through mind-mapping at the pre-writing stage. European Journal of English Language Teaching, 8(4), 1-13.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Zaid, M. A. (1995). Semantic mapping in communicative language. English Teaching Forum, 35(3), 2-11.
Akbar, G. Z., Kasim, U., & Aziz, Z. (2024). The effectiveness of using the mind mapping technique in teaching writing. Language Circle: Journal of Language and Literature, 18(2), 273–279.
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.
Vu, B. D., Hoang, H. H. T., & Lai, U. T. (2019). Using mind map to improve writing skillfor 11th graders at Thai Nguyen high school. TNU Journal of Science and Technology,199(6), 61-64. doi:10.34238/tnu-jst.2019.06.670.
Brown, H. D. (2001). Teaching by principles: An interactive approach to language pedagogy. Longman.
Brown, M. (2011). Effects of graphic organizers on student achievement in the writing process. Online Submission.
Buzan, T. (2005). The ultimate book of mind maps: Unlock your creativity, boost your memory, change your life. Thorsons.
Clark, J. M., & Paivio, A. (1987). A dual coding perspective on encoding processes. In M. A. McDaniel & E. L. J. E. J. M. Einstein (Eds.), Imagery and related mnemonic processes: Theories, individual differences, and applications (pp. 5–33). Springer New York.
Clarke, V., & Braun, V. (2017). Thematic analysis. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 12(3), 297-298.
Dewi, S. (2020). Improving the writing ability using the mind mapping technique for the first graders of Stikes Muhammadiyah Kendal in the academic year of 2018/2019. Wiralodra English Journal (WEJ), 4(1), 33-49.
Doan Lan, V. (2022). The effects of mind mapping and outlining on Vietnamese EFL students' writing performance and attitudes: An explanatory sequential mixed methods study (Doctoral dissertation, Victoria University of Wellington).
Duong, Y. T. H. (2024). The effects of online mind mapping on the cognitive outcomes of students and their perceptions in the collaborative prewriting stage. Doctoral dissertation, University of San Francisco.
Fiktorius, T. (2013). The use of the mind-mapping technique in the EFL classroom. University of Tanjung Pura.
Harizaj, M. (2011). The importance of teaching writing in a communicative way in EFL classes in Albania. Frontiers of Language and Teaching, 2(2), 274-278.
Harmer, J. (2006). Review of How to Teach Writing. Electronic Journal of Foreign Language Teaching, 3(2), 246-248.
Huynh, A. T. (2014). A cognitive meta-linguistic approach to teaching L2 learners reading and writing skills. VNU Journal of Foreign Studies, 30(2), 1-13.
Jasper, M. A. (2005). Using reflective writing within research. Journal of Research in Nursing, 10(3), 247-260.
Karatsareas, P. (2022). Semi-structured interviews. In R. Kircher & L. Zipp (Eds.), Research methods in language attitudes (pp. 99–113). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108867788.010.
Kurihara, N. (2017). Do peer reviews help improve student writing abilities in an EFL high school classroom? TESOL Journal, 8(2), 450-470.
Ngo, T. H. T., & Tran, T. T. O. (2021). The English major students’ practices of mind maps in writing skills. International Journal of TESOL & Education, 1(3), 301–312.
Ponitz, C. C., McClelland, M. M., Matthews, J. S., & Morrison, F. J. (2009). A structured observation of behavioral self-regulation and its contribution to kindergarten outcomes. Developmental Psychology, 45(3), 605-619.
Richards, J. C., & Schmidt, R. W. (2013). Longman dictionary of language teaching and applied linguistics. Routledge.
Richards, J. C., & Renandya, W. A. (2002). Methodology in language teaching. Cambridge University Press.
Risdayanti, R. (2023). The use of mind mapping technique on improving students’ skill at 8th grade of SMPN 2 Suli (Doctoral dissertation, Institut Agama Islam Negeri (IAIN) Palopo).
Russell, G. M., & Kelly, N. H. (2002). Research as interacting dialogic processes: Implications for reflexivity. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research, 3(3), 1-13.
Saddler, B., & Andrade, H. (2004). The writing rubric. Educational Leadership, 62(2), 48-52.
Saed, H. A., & Al-Omari, H. A. (2014). The effectiveness of a proposed program based on a mind mapping strategy in developing the writing achievement of eleventh-grade EFL students in Jordan and their attitudes towards writing. Journal of Education and Practice, 5(18), 88-110.
Sántha, K. (2017). The role of structured observation in studying teachers' beliefs about classroom teaching and learning. PedActa, 7(2), 1-28.
Sundeen, T. H. (2012). Explicit prewriting instruction: Effect on writing quality of adolescents with learning disabilities. Learning Disabilities: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 18(1), 23-33.
Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257-285. https://doi.org/10.1016/0364-0213(88)90023-7
Tu, N. Q., & Nguyen, H. B. (2023). Teachers’ beliefs and practices of scaffolding paragraph writing through mind-mapping at the pre-writing stage. European Journal of English Language Teaching, 8(4), 1-13.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Zaid, M. A. (1995). Semantic mapping in communicative language. English Teaching Forum, 35(3), 2-11.
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