Introduction
The researcher of this piece used phonic and syllabic to teach reading in basic school to improve on learners’ ability. In the work, you would know the methods employed by the researcher as this is a continuation of Chapter Two. Continue reading.
This chapter presents the methodological approach for the study. It considers the various methods and approaches employed to solicit the needed information to explain and analyze the use of syllabic and phonic methods to address Basic two (2) learners of Berekum Methodist B Basic School reading difficulties.
The following sub-headings were covered; research design, population, sample size, sampling techniques, instrumentation, data collection procedures and data analysis.
Research Design
This study employed the action research design. Action research is a ‘process of systematic reflection, enquiry and action carried out by individuals about their own professional practice’ (Frost, 2002,). When applied to teaching,
Action research involves gathering and interpreting data to better understand an aspect of teaching and learning and applying the outcomes to improve practice (GTCW, 2002).
The action research design despite its weaknesses was considered more appropriate as this will enable reflection on the causes of reading difficulties in class and provide the necessary strategies to improve professional practice.
Population
Population is a group of individuals who comprise the same characteristics and constitutes the target of the study (Creswell, 2005). In this study the population comprised of all facilitators and students of Berekum Methodist B Basic School.
However, the accessible population was all basic two class. The class has a total of twenty-six (26) learners comprising of twelve (12) boys and fourteen (14) girls.
Sample Size
Krejcie and Morgan as cited in (Cohen, Manion & Morrison, 1970) suggest that a sample size of 346 for a population of 3500 is appropriate.
Therefore, the total number of pupils from Basic two (2) of Berekum Methodist B Basic School who took part in the study were fifteen (15) pupils out of twenty six (26) pupils and this was representative enough. In total, the sample size for this study was six (6) boys and nine (9) girls.
Sampling Technique
The study employed probability sample plan, specifically the simple random sampling technique without replacement to select participant since the entire population was known.
Since it would have been practically impossible to include all in the study, the lottery type of random sampling technique was used where ‘1, 2, 3…30’ were written on pieces of papers, folded, shuffled and placed them in an empty chalk box.
Learners were called one by one according to the names in the register to pick a piece of paper in turns from the chalk box. All those who picked even numbers are eligible for the work.
The researcher did not use the whole class but selected few due to time constraints, for easy identification of the participants to release boredom in the course of the intervention process. The simple random sampling technique was the most ideal method to be used as it gives equal chances to be involved in the study.
It helps to remove any bias that may have risen from facilitators’ interference. The aim was to ensure a fairly good representation of population.
Research instruments
Observation
Structured and open form of observation and test were the main research instruments used for the study during the pre – intervention, intervention and post – intervention. These instruments were used in order to assist the instructor to obtain correct, accurate and relevant information for the study.
Literally, observation is a research instrument that employs vision as its main means of data collection. In other words, it refers to the act of merely viewing an object or person with the intent of studying into details the situation or person.
Observation as one of the oldest method of data collection allows one to make informed decision, adjustments and allowances based on what has been studied.
The researcher took upon herself the rule of an observer by critically watching the subject, listening and recording what she observed without asking the subjects any question. For proper analysis, both the structured and open forms of observation was used.
This method was used because it is the very direct method for collecting data or information which is best for the study of human behaviors and it provides information where other methods are not effective. The researcher having observed learners realized and came to the conclusion that they have reading difficulties.
Test
Test is an instrument for measuring sample of behavior which takes the form of series of task with the view of obtaining information on an individual’s behaviour in a specific area of study or investigation.
It is an attempt to determine how an individual would function in a set of actual situations. It is a technique that allows subjects to demonstrate their competency in a specific area during and after an intervention.
In this context, the instructor used the test (pre-test) to diagnose the extent of the problem and again to determine the effectiveness of the intervention that has been designed to address the problem (post – test).
This method was used because the true performance of the individuals involved can easily be identified and it also satisfies the researcher’s curiosity of the identified problem.
Pre – Intervention
A pre – test was conducted to ascertain the existence of the problem. It was also to pin – point the exact disability of learners as it pertained to reading with criticalities applied.
This was conducted to collect base line data on pupils reading ability. The first test lasted for sixty minutes. A story entitled “The Mouse and The Cat” (Appendix A) was read to the learners.
It was picked from simplified English (that’s pupils English Course book 2, page 105). Each learner was given a maximum of five minutes opportunity to read with marks awarded through structured observation.
Word Bank: Medicine, Animals, Master, Behaviour, Returned, Village, Watching.
The results of the test is analyzed in the next chapter of this work.
Intervention
After conducting the pre – test, it was found that most of the learners scored below the average marks and intervention was use to improve their reading ability.
The interventions used were mainly child – centered activities which included the use of teaching and learning materials such as phonic wheels, phonic slides, flash cards, sentence cards, group and individual activities (team game), crossing the river, the stone game and the ray diagram. All these teaching and learning materials were designed and made from manila cards.
The primary aim of the intervention was to investigate the impact of using the syllabic and the Phonics methods against the raw form of teaching English language especially reading comprehension.
The intervention spanned three weeks with double periods used for each lesson. The researcher met reading. Three times in a week, thus, Monday, Tuesday and Thursdays.
The Wednesdays and Fridays were free so that if learners were not clear with certain rules, they could have one – on – one interaction (remedial class) with the facilitator at their own free will.
Intervention Plan
A planned intervention to improve poor reading skills of learners includes:
Rotation of learners when in groups, especially poor readers. Encouraging learners to read other books after class reading sessions for improvement.
Monitoring pupils’ pace of reading at the expense of others, especially poor readers. The use of inter – group reading quizzes (news reading) to check on the potency of the intervention used.
Implementation of Intervention
After identifying the problems of the learners in the pre- reading skills and activities such as visual motor (eye-hand coordination), visual discrimination, auditory discrimination (spelling and correct pronunciation of two and three letter words), learners were taken through the following activities to help correct the situation.
Week One
Day One: Tongue Twisters
The researcher led learners through the tongue twisters as ice breakers before the initial sound activities. She drew learners’ attention to the initial letter sounds /b/
The Bitter Butter
Betty bought a bit of butter
But she found the butter bitter
So she bought a bit of butter
To make the bitter butter better
Phonic Work
Learners were asked to recite and write down the letters of the English alphabet both in lowercase and uppercase.
The researcher assisted pupils with the identification of the letters since most of them still had problem with the alphabet /b/, /u/, /d/, /p/, /q/ and /v/. Thus, they find it had identifying / b from d/, /u from v/ and /p from q/.
Vowels and Consonant Identification
Learners were made to make the sounds a, e, I, o, u, v, x, y and z. after the research.
They realized that in the production of a, e, I, o, and u sounds, there is vibration in the vocal cord. She capitalized on learners observation by telling them they are vowels whiles v, x, y, and z are consonants.
She explained; vowels are sounds produced without any interference or obstruction in the vocal tract in the air stream after the glottis. A sound we make with our mouth open allowing the air to flow through it is called a vowel.
Again, vowels are the sounds that we make by letting out breath flow out without closing any part of our mouth or throat. The instructor stressed the need that, in the production of all vowel sounds, there is vibration in the glottis (vocal cord).
On the other hand, a consonant is a sound which we make by not allowing the air to flow freely through our mouth. The researcher made learners aware that apart from a, e, I, o and u; all other letters or sounds are consonants.
After this, learners were made to identify the number of vowels and consonants in the sentence “In the field of instruction, chance favors only the prepared mind”. This was done in groups..
Day Two
Types of Vowels and Vowel Sounds
The researcher slowed the pace of the action in order to capture learner’s attention very well due to the classification we have in vowels.
The researcher stressed on their sounds and how they would be pronounced if encountered in words as well as how to blend the sounds to form words. The researcher used the chart below to help learners understand the concept better and to read words that contained them.
After the instructions on the above table, the researcher made learners draw two rectangles and named them A and B. each rectangle was divided into five sections.
Each learner was made to pick a stone and placed it on the appropriate letter or sound made by the researcher. This is known as the stone game which tested the mystery level of learners on the concept.
Day One
Due to learners fascinating comments, the researcher took another phonic slide and this time used the /i/ and /o/ sounds, they were put into groups to form five words each from the slide bearing in mind the sound as well as forming simple sentences with the words.
Words Formed by Learners by Dragging the Phonic Handle.
Lot, dot, on, no, tomato, go, for, nob, ago, okro, hot,ink,pin, etc.
Formation
• The tea is hot
• The orange is for me
• Let’s go home, Barbara
• Ernestina, use your pencil tip to create a dot
Ray Diagram
Finally, on the short vowels, the researcher drew ray diagram on the chalkboard which she led in explaining the /u/ sound. A child was called to pick a letter from left hand side.
The first child chose “b”; another person chose “t” from the right hand column. A third person was called to write “u” in between the two letters as b – u – t. The fourth person combined the sounds of the letters and pronounced correctly as “but”.
To end the short vowels exercise, pupils were put into groups with each group having all the letters of the alphabet on cards. Words like; bad, acid, bag, ago, local, fit etc. were called out by the facilitator. The first group to have all the three, four or five members standing in the correct order holding up their cards gains a point (Team game).
Day Two
Long Vowels
On the long vowels, the researcher first led the class through the ice breaker below as an energizer. This was done to prepare their minds for the day’s work as they clapped their hands and jumped alongside. “she sells sea shells at the sea shore”.
Next, the researcher introduced the long vowels to the pupils stressing its sound articulation as being long when pronounced. For better assimilation of the concept, the sample table below was developed and used by the researcher in her teaching.
Now, practice they say makes one perfect. Consequently, the ray diagram below was used by the researcher to help pupils practice more words. After the guidelines as to how words can be formed from the diagram, pupils formed three words in the space provided and read them to the hearing of the class.
Words like pay, may, ray, say, bay, way and lay were formed by the class. Again, pupils were asked to judge by making constructive criticisms in groups as to whether the words formed and pronounced are wrong or correct.
This was done to release tension and boredom to make the classroom atmosphere charged but more conducive.
The class was further asked to form three simple sentences each with the words formed in their various groups and read to the hearing of everybody. The sentences formed by pupils included;
Day: Today is the day I was born
Way: This is the way to my house.
Say: Say something.
Pupils gave other examples like clay, day, pay, play and lay.
Week Three
Day One
Picture Identification
The researcher used pictures to improve pupils reading skills. This is where the facilitator draws an objects to relate to the words.
A space was provided below the objects where by facilitator writes its name after pupils have mentioned the name of the object. Facilitator then drill learners through the objects and their names as follows;
Again, learners were asked to look around and mention things they see and spell them. Car, box, t1able, chair, books and chalk were some of the things mentioned. Letters or word dominoes were put together.
Day Two
The researcher used this as ice breaker before the lesson: She sells sea shells at the sea shore.
To aid learners understand and have a better assimilation of the work done the previous day, words were again written on word cards for learners to look at it and say. Learners were encouraged to put the words that are similar.
To help them with auditory discrimination skills, some activities like sound walk and crossing the river were used to develop learners auditory skills. Learners were sent out of the class to stand on the school compound. They closed their eyes and remain quiet as possible.
They then listened to and remembered sounds they heard. When they returned to the classroom, they recalled the various sounds they heard.
Also in the classroom, the game crossing the river was drawn and used by learners to enhance further learning.
This game was used in order to enable learners listen well and produce sounds as they heard it. After the learners have gone through the following activities, the main topic, improving pupils reading ability using Look and Say and Phonic method, was introduced.
Operationalizing the Methods
The researcher drew some pictures with their labels on cardboards. The researcher pasted them on the board and pointed to the picture whilst reading it out for them to listen attentively. The researcher taught the correct pronunciation phonetically.
After that, she pointed at the words for learners to pronounce after her. The researcher then called them one after the other to read what was on the board with the correct pronunciation.
The researcher then drew the same pictures on the cards and mixed them on the table. she mentioned words and then calls learners to pick them. Different learners were called to carry out this assignment.
The researcher also asked them to stand at one end or at the bank of the river. The point at which they stood, learners would have to pronounce the word there before they could jump over to the other side of the river to pronounce a different word.
The researcher then wrote questions on the board and asked them to do it in their exercise books. At the end of the day, there was a massive improvement in pupil’s performance.
Post Intervention (Post – Test)
The post test was administered two days after the necessary intervention had been put in place.
The essence of the post – test was to determine if the intervention strategies used were effective. It was to prove also that learners learn better if they themselves performed the activities under the guidance of their facilitator.
The passage which was administered during the pre – test “The Mouse and The Cat” (Appendix A)”, was the same test used for the post – test. Time used for both test were the same.The researcher was the invigilator. The results are analysed in the next chapter of this work.
Validity and Reliability
To ensure validity of the research data, data were vetted by colleague mentees who were trained by the researcher. This was done to streamline any ambiguity that the items may pose before administration.
Content validity was adopted to determine the appropriateness of the questions in relation to coverage and full representation.
For reliability of the test data, the researcher ensured that learners reproduce similar outcomes on every trial after the pilot study.
The research instruments were administered twice within one – week interval between the first and second tests. The results of the two tests were calculated to establish the extent to which the contents of the tests are reliable in eliciting the same responses, each time the instruments were administered.
Data Analysis
The data were tallied according to the responses generated from all the tests. The total number of responses to each item was compiled and the respective percentages determined.
Descriptive statistics in the form of percentages and frequencies were employed to analyze the collected data. Frequency tables were constructed in line with the variables raised in the research questions to support the data analysis.
SOURCE: bbcpulse.com