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USING CONCEPT MAPPING AND WORD SEARCH GAME TO
IMPROVE PRIMARY FOUR PUPILS ENGLISH LANGUAGE
VOCABULARY MASTERY AT GBEOGO SCHOOL FOR THE
DEAF
ABSTRACT
This study sought to address the declining trend of academic
performance as a result
of difficulties in vocabulary mastery of P4 pupils in Gbeogo
School for the Deaf
through the use of concept mapping and word search game. I made
use of Pre and
Post-Test as instruments for data collection to diagnose the
problem and measure the
impact of the interventions respectively. The scores were
gathered, analyzed and
presented using tables and figures (pie chart and bar chart).
Twelve hearing impaired
pupils are sampled for the study. They comprise seven boys and
five girls. Their ages
range between 8 to18.
The research findings proved the intervention strategy in the
study as very effective
for addressing Basic School pupils vocabulary difficulties. The
research findings
increasingly point to the need for the government and the
educational authorities to
examine the techniques of lesson delivery employed by teachers
on the field.
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Background to the Study
Vocabulary acquisition is a key component to successfully
developing
communication and literacy skills among pupils. Vocabulary plays
a central role in
students ability to communicate their thoughts clearly and
concisely. Being able to
read and understand text is a fundamental part of the learning
process because there is
a relationship between students vocabulary knowledge and their
understanding of
what they read. However, developing a rich vocabulary is a major
difficulty and an
on-going challenge to both the hearing and pupils with hearing
impairments. In
Gbeogo School for the Deaf, majority of P4 students exhibit
difficulties with
vocabulary mastery. The class teacher complained about the lack
of vocabulary
mastery among the P4 pupils. A pretest conducted by the
researcher on vocabulary
acquisition from their prescribed P4 English Language revealed
that 12 out of 43
pupils lacked vocabulary to express themselves.
New words and phrases are introduced in the classroom nearly
every day. In order for
students to learn and build upon ideas, they must acquire and
master a substantial
amount of vocabulary through which they will confidently express
their thoughts
when signing and writing. A number of techniques exist for this
purpose. One of the
activities for teaching and learning vocabulary is through
concept mapping and word
search games (Edmondson, 1994).
When Concept mapping is used, recall is easier because
associated key concepts are
used, main ideas are more clearly defined with the relative
importance of each idea
clearly indicated, students easily develop relationships among
different bits of
information and build on previous knowledge and skills, and,
students are motivated
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to learn, resulting in higher academic achievement. Also,
Concept mapping
complemented with word search games help arouse and sustain
students interest in
learning. They also help the teacher to create contexts in which
the language is useful
and meaningful. It is in the light of this that the researcher
chose to use concept
mapping and the word search game to improve upon the vocabulary
mastery of
Primary Four (P4) pupils of Gbeogo School for the Deaf.
Statement of the Problem
Vocabulary mastery has assumed a declining trend among P4 pupils
of Gbeogo
School for the Deaf. The situation has resulted in the students
vocabulary being very
limited. This has resulted in significant difficulties in
reading comprehension, and has
affected academic performance of the students.
Purpose of the Study
The purpose of the study was to use concept mapping and word
search game to
enhance vocabulary mastery among P4 pupils of Gbeogo School for
the Deaf.
Objectives of the Study
The objectives for the research were to:
Identify some of the methods used in helping basic school pupils
improve
upon their vocabulary mastery.
Use concept mapping approach to help improve vocabulary mastery
among
P4 pupils of Gbeogo School for the Deaf.
Find out how word search game can facilitate vocabulary mastery
of primary
school pupils.
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Identify some of the previous studies on the use of concept
mapping and word
search game to enhance vocabulary mastery of P4 pupils.
Research Questions
The following research questions were raised to guide the
study:
1. What are some of the methods used to help basic school pupils
improve upon
their vocabulary mastery?
2. How does concept mapping approach help improve vocabulary
development
of P4 pupils?
3. How can word search game facilitate vocabulary mastery of P4
pupils?
4. What are some of the previous studies on the use of concept
mapping and
word search game in enhancing vocabulary mastery of P4 school
pupils?
Significance of the Study
Findings from this study could be used by other teachers to
improve vocabulary
acquisition among pupils. The findings of the study would also
form a material basis
upon which other researchers who may be interested in the use of
concept mapping
and word search game would replicate to improve upon English
Language vocabulary
mastery of P4 pupils.
Operational definition of terms
Reading: Reading is the way a person gets information from
written letters and words
using sight or touch.
Vocabulary: It is the knowledge of words and word meanings.
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Concept mapping: Concept mapping is a pictorial representation
of a domain that
consists of concepts represented as nodes that are connected
to
each other by arcs. The concepts are words or ideas that
represent
events, objects, or emotions and feelings.
Word search game: A word search game is a word game in which the
letters of a
word in a grid, that usually has a rectangular or square
shape,
and the player is required to find and mark all the words
which
are usually placed horizontally, vertically or diagonally.
Delimitation of the Study
The study was delimited to concept mapping, word search game,
vocabulary of road
users, vehicles, pedestrians, and traffic, a school for the
deaf, Upper East Region, and
deaf pupils.
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CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
Introduction
This chapter reviews relevant and related literature on the use
of concept mapping and
word search game to improve pupils vocabulary mastery.
Literature review focused
on the sub-headings: some of the methods used to help basic
school pupils improve
upon their vocabulary mastery, word search game facilitates
vocabulary mastery, and,
previous studies on the use of concept mapping and word search
game in enhancing
pupils vocabulary mastery.
Some of the methods used to improve vocabulary mastery of basic
school pupils.
Anderson et al. (1985), Elley, (1989), Leong and Pikulski,
(1990), Robbins &
Ehri,(1994), John & Shane,(2004), Juel et al. (2003), John
& Shane, (2004),
Anderson and Freebody, (1981), Aronoff, (1994), Amoako-Gyimah
(2004), and
Alberto, (2003) among others identified the following as some of
the methods used to
improve vocabulary mastery among Basic school pupils : reading
aloud, the use of
dictionaries, teaching the meaning of prefixes, suffixes, and
root words, word maps,
guessing from context, and, word part analysis.
Reading Aloud
The recommendation that parents and teachers read aloud to
children is among the
most popular recommendations in the field of reading. A
research-based report
Becoming a Nation of Readers (Anderson et al. 1985) concluded,
The single most
important activity for building the knowledge required for
eventual success in reading
is reading aloud to children. One very obvious way in which
reading aloud to
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children can be expected to be beneficial is to increase their
language and vocabulary
skills. A research by (Elley, 1989; Leong and Pikulski, 1990;
and, Robbins and Ehri,
1994) supports this position.
A study by Elley (1989) strongly suggested that vocabulary
growth was much greater
when teachers discussed, even if briefly, the meanings of the
words in addition to just
reading the books aloud. The study by Juel et al. (2003) showed
that while teachers in
kindergarten and first grade spent considerable time reading and
discussing books to
children with below average vocabularies, these activities had
minimal impact on the
progress of the children. They contend that only when teachers
spent focused time on
the vocabulary did significant growth occur. They applied the
term instructional read
aloud to read aloud events where, in addition to reading aloud
to stimulate an interest
in books and reading, there is also a deliberate teaching of
skills that will promote
independence in reading, such as an increased vocabulary.
The Use of Dictionaries
Exploring dictionary entries is one important and effective
component of
understanding a word deeply. The entries help students determine
the precise meaning
of a word. Dictionaries also provide helpful information about
the history of a word
and reinforce the interrelationships among words in the same
meaning families. For
example, a discussion of run-on entries illustrates how one
words entry can include
information about related words-the entry for entrap also
includes entraps and
entrapment. The usage notes in dictionaries often explain subtle
but important
differences among words-usually the appropriateness of one word
over another in a
particular context. Words for which the dictionary is essential
may be entered in a
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students vocabulary notebook. Dictionaries can also contribute
to an interest in and
attitudes toward words that teachers and the students explore.
The usage notes in
dictionaries reflect a powerful and consistent research finding:
every word/concept we
know, and the degree to which we really know it, depends on the
relationship of that
word/concept to other words/concepts. (John & Shane,
2004).
Teaching the Meaning of Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Words
The majority of English words have been created through the
combination of
morphemic elements, that is, prefixes and suffixes with base
words and word roots. If
learners understand how this combinatorial process works, they
possess one of the
most powerful understandings necessary for vocabulary growth
(Anderson and
Freebody, 1981). This understanding of how meaningful elements
combine is defined
as morphological knowledge because it is based on an
understanding of morphemes,
the smallest units of meaning in a language. In the intermediate
grades and beyond,
most new words that students encounter in their reading are
morphological derivatives
of familiar words (Aronoff, 1994). In recent years research has
suggested some
promising guidelines for teaching the meanings of prefixes,
suffixes, and word roots
as well as for the ways in which knowledge of these meaningful
word parts may be
applied (Templeton, 2004). Word roots such as dict, spect, and
structare meaningful
parts of words that remain after all prefixes and suffixes have
been removed but that
usually do not stand by themselves as words: prediction,
inspection, contract. In the
primary grades students begin to explore the effects of prefixes
such as un-, re-, and
dis- on base words. In the intermediate grades students continue
to explore prefixes
and an increasing number of suffixes and their effects on base
words: govern (verb) +
-ment=government (noun). Common Greek and Latin roots begin to
be explored,
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along with the effects of prefixes and suffixes that attach to
them (Templeton, 1989).
These include, for example, chron(time, as in chronology),
tele(distant, far as in
television), and fract(break, as in fracture). A large
proportion of the vocabulary of
specific content areas is built on Greek and Latin elements. As
this morphological
knowledge develops, teachers can model how it may be applied to
determining the
meanings of unfamiliar words encountered in print.
Word Maps
Jones, (1999), contends that the word map is an excellent method
for scaffolding a
childs vocabulary learning. He said, the adult (either alone or
with the child(ren))
should preview reading materials to determine which words are
unfamiliar. For each
of these new vocabulary words the child (with the support of the
adult) creates a
graphic organizer for the word. At the top or center of the
organizer is the vocabulary
word. Branching off of the word are three categories:
classification (what class or
group does the word belong to), qualities (what is the word
like) and examples. Using
prior knowledge the child fills in each of these three
categories. Word maps help
readers develop complete understandings of words. This strategy
is best used with
children in grades 3-12, (Jones, 1999).
Guessing From Context
Chi & Chen (1989) developed questionnaires to find out
teaching and learning
situations of English reading in junior high schools in Taiwan.
Three hundred and
thirty-eight third-year junior high school students and
thirty-seven teachers from three
junior high schools participated in this study. Based on the
results of the study, they
found that, in terms of vocabulary instruction,30% of the
teachers used example
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sentences to explain new words;25% of them explained new words
in Chinese and
English; less than 20% used prefixes, suffixes and roots to
explain new words; more
than 50% of them encouraged their students to adopt guessing
meanings from context
when encountering unfamiliar words;40% of them encouraged their
students to check
up new words in dictionaries; only few teachers encouraged
students to skip new
words and continue reading. The researchers emphasize the
importance of guessing
from context and suggest that teachers should teach their
students how to guess
words meanings from context by means of prefixes suffixes and
roots, contextual
clues and discourse markers when reading.
Word Part Analysis
A large number of English words have derivational forms by
adding prefixes or
suffixes to the word base. A study by White, (1987) confirmed
the frequent,
widespread occurrence of derivational affixes, which makes it
worthwhile learning
word parts from the point of view of cost/benefit analysis.
Nation and I.S.P. (2001,
p.264) contends that:
A knowledge of affixes and roots has two values for a learner of
English: it can be
used to help the learning of unfamiliar words by relating these
words to known words
or to known prefixes and suffixes, and it can be used as a way
of checking whether an
unfamiliar word has been successfully guessed from context.
Nevertheless, if used properly, this strategy will help the
learning of thousands of
English words, including high-frequency and low-frequency words,
especially
academic vocabulary (Nation & I.S.P. 2001). The word part
strategy involves two
steps. Firstly, learners need to be able to recognize prefixes
and suffixes so that they
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may break the unknown word into parts. Secondly, they need to
relate the meaning of
the word parts to the dictionary meaning of the word. To achieve
this goal, learners
have to know the meanings of the common word parts and to be
able to re-express
the dictionary definition of a word to include the meaning of
its prefix and, if
possible, its stem and suffix (Nation 2001, p.278).
Effectiveness of the concept mapping approach in improving
vocabulary
development in basic schools.
A study by Novak, (1998) states that there is indication that
Concept Mapping is
particularly beneficial for lower ability learners, partly
because it does induce the
active, inquiring, orderly approach to learning that is likely a
more natural part of the
higher ability students approach to learning.
Alberto, (2003) reveals that when Concept Mapping is used in a
course of vocabulary
instruction, particularly when it forms an integral feature of
the learning process, and
not just some isolated add-on at the beginning or end, students
understanding is
enhanced. He further contends that Concept Mapping appears to be
particularly
beneficial when it is used in an ongoing way to consolidate or
crystallize educational
experiences in the classroom.
Alberto, (2003) numerated further, educational applications of
Concept Mapping
including: 1) a scaffold for understanding, 2) a tool for the
consolidation of
educational experiences, 3) a tool for improvement of affective
conditions for
learning, 4) an aid or alternative to traditional writing
assignments, 5) a tool to teach
critical thinking, 6) a mediating representation for supporting
interaction among
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learners, and 7) an aid to the process of learning by teaching.
Several studies were
examined in which Concept Mapping was used to identify students
current
understandings, misconceptions and conceptual change. Concept
Maps have been
used in collaboration and cooperative learning, and as a formal
assessment tool.
Concept Maps have been used to organize and present information,
including use as
an Advance Organizer, and, use by instructors for course or
curriculum design
(Alberto, 2003).
There is also indication that learning effects are enhanced when
in the course of
Concept Mapping learners adopt an active, deep and questioning
approach to the
subject matter. Such active, self-engaging, transformational
interaction with learning
material has been suggested to enhance learning in general and
this appears to carry
over to learning with Concept Maps as a tool (Feltovich, Spiro,
& Coulson, 1993).
Also important and characteristic of Concept Maps is the
inclusion of crosslinks.
These make explicit relationships between or among concepts in
different regions or
domains within the Concept Map. Cross-links show how a word from
one domain of
knowledge represented on the map is related to a word in another
domain shown on
the map (Edmondson, 1994). The structure of Concept Maps
includes specific
examples of events or objects. These helps to clarify the
meaning of words in a given
concept.
Word search game facilitates vocabulary mastery.
There has been increased interest in the use of instructional
games. It has been argued
that young people, raised playing games, have changed in ways
that turn them off to
conventional instruction (Prensky, 2001). Greenblat, (1981)
suggests that instructional
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games, specifically word search games, because of their applied
and dynamic nature,
can heighten the learner's motivation and interest more
effectively in vocabulary
learning than classroom lectures. He suggests another benefit of
word search games in
vocabulary learning as that they improve the retention of
learned words and
knowledge.
Gary (2002) holds the view that word search games are fun; they
can be very
rewarding, teachers can therefore use them to help their
students practice more,
learned words and improve their skills of communication.
Amoako-Gyimah (2004) contends that vocabulary games and
exercises can perform
very important functions. He said if they are interesting and
carry enough fun, they
will be played over and over again, thus providing the
repetition needed to incorporate
the new words into the childrens sight vocabulary.
Thi & Khuat (2003) contends that word games bring in
relaxation and fun for
students, thus help them learn and retain new words more easily.
Also, games usually
involve friendly competition and thus, keep learners interested.
These create the
motivation for learners of English to get involved and
participate actively in the
learning activities, and thus, enhance students' use of English
in a flexible,
communicative way (Thi & Khuat, 2003).
Previous studies on the use of concept mapping and word search
game in
enhancing vocabulary mastery.
The goal of a study by Nicoll, Francisco & Nakhleh (2001)
was to investigate the
value of using Concept Mapping in general chemistry and, more
particularly, to see if
Concept Mapping would produce a more interconnected knowledge
base in students
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with hearing impairments, compared to ordinary instruction. The
results showed that
the Concept Mapping group knew more concepts (49 vs. 38), more
linking
relationships (69.9 vs. 46.2), more useful linking relationships
(55 vs. 34.6), and
had no more erroneous linking relationships than the non Concept
Mapping students.
These finding are very impressive for Concept Mapping, as it
relates to the
development of an interconnected knowledge base.
A related study was by Jegede, Alaiyemola & Okebukola (1990)
in Nigeria, with
students with emotional disorders who were the
American-equivalent of grade ten, to
test whether the addition of Concept Mapping to instruction
would aid achievement
and reduce anxiety. The results were dramatically in favor of
Concept Mapping.
There were positive effects in favor of the Concept Mappers in
both achievement and
for anxiety reduction.
The purpose of a study by Esiobu & Soyibo (1995) was to test
effects of Concept
Mapping and Vee diagramming in different forms of instruction.
The study took place
in Nigeria and involved secondary school students. The subject
matter was ecology
and genetics. The results were that 37 students in the treatment
conditions greatly
outscored those in the controls in all learning conditions.
There appear to have been
some general benefits of cooperation as well. This is one of the
strongest
demonstrations of the educational effectiveness of Concept
Mapping to be found.
Concept maps can be effective for affective, as well as
cognitive, instructional
objectives. Jegede et al found in a study of biology learning
that "there was a
tendency for the concept mapping strategy to significantly
reduce anxiety towards
biology achievement in males." ((Jegede, Alaiyemola et al. 1990,
p. 956). They
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suggest that "anxiety, a situation of foreboding, which has been
found to affect
learning, is certainly one of the pressures which exert
considerable influence on
learners' intellectual competence and performance. The ability
of the learner to
control, determine, and make decisions about 'the how' and pace
of what is learned
confers on the learner the advantage of shaking free from the
pressures which would
otherwise impede meaningful learning." (Jegede, Alaiyemola et
al. 1990, p. 957)
A word search game approach was evaluated for teaching reading
comprehension
skills to first- and second-graders in economically
disadvantaged schools in Chile
(Rosas et al, 2003). The performance of an experimental group,
who used the games,
was compared to a group from another school that did not use the
game. It was found
that the target school outperformed the external group, thus,
there is evidence to
support the effectiveness of the word search game approach over
traditional
vocabulary instructions.
Malouf (1988) investigated the motivational effect of word
search games for special
education students. He compared the performance of sixth,
seventh, and eighth-grade
learning-disabled students who were learning vocabulary skills.
His results showed
that the game condition resulted in significantly higher levels
of continuing
motivation than the non-game condition.
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CHAPTER THREE
METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This chapter highlights the procedures in conducting the study.
These comprise the
research design, the targeted population, sample and sampling
technique,
instrumentation, procedure for data collection and data analysis
procedures.
Research Design
Action research design was used to carry out the study. This is
because the study
involved an intervention measure in the classroom with pupils.
The intervention
involved the use of concept mapping and word search game to help
pupils acquire
skills in vocabulary mastery in English Language.
Population
The population for the research comprised 43 P4 pupils of Gbeogo
School for the
Deaf. The 43 pupils were made up of 28 boys and 15 girls who are
deaf. Their ages
ranged between 9 to 19 years with an average age of 12
years.
Sample
The sample comprised12 P4 pupils, including 7 boys and 5 girls.
The twelve students
were aged between 8 to 18 years. The 12 pupils demonstrated high
level vocabulary
learning difficulties, and therefore needed intervention.
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Sampling Technique
The researcher used purposeful sampling technique to select
participants. Purposive
sampling was used to select participants because the pupils who
demonstrated
difficulties in vocabulary mastery were included in the
study.
Instrumentation
Data were gathered using one adapted comprehension passage from
pages 113-114 of
the prescribed P4 English Language text book, and questions
asked at the end to
evaluate pupils understanding of the passage read.
Procedure for Data Collection
Pretest and post test are the instruments used to gather the
necessary information to
carry out the research. 20 questions in Reading Comprehension in
English Language
at the pretest and post test stage were administered and the
pupils response were
marked over 20. Pupils English Language exercise books were also
collected and
their performance in English Language was observed. It was
realized that difficulty in
vocabulary mastery runs through their work.
Data analysis
Data were analyzed using tables and figures (pie chart and a bar
chart) to represent the
responses of the respondents. Results were converted into
percentages and discussed.
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CHAPTER FOUR
INTERVENTION DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION
Introduction
This chapter presents the pre-intervention test which
establishes the baseline of the
pupils vocabulary mastery skills, and an intervention design to
address pupils
difficulty in vocabulary mastery. A post-intervention test was
also administered to
participants to assess the effectiveness of the intervention
design.
Pre-Intervention Test
In order to establish a basis for carrying out this research,
students English Language
vocabulary mastery were tested before the interventions were
implemented to enable
the researcher establish the effectiveness of the use of concept
mapping and word
search game in helping participants improve upon their English
Language vocabulary
mastery. Table1 shows the results of 12 students in the
Pre-test.
Table1: Pre-intervention test results.
Number Pupils Initials Score (over 20) Percentage %
1 L. B. 3 15
2 M. R. 0 0
3 A. K. 5 25
4 A. A. 7 35
5 I. A. N. 6 30
6 D. Y. 7 30
7 T.W. 3 15
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8 C. A. 1 5
9 I. D. 1 5
10 N. M. 2 10
11 A.Y. 5 25
12 L. M. 2 10
In the table above, the first column contains pupils numbering
from 1-12.The next
column is for the initials of the pupils, and then followed by
their score of the test
administered which is marked over 20. The last column represents
the percentage of
marks scored by each pupil in the pretest. The pass score was
10, hence referring to
Table 1 above, none of the pupils were able to pass the
test.
Intervention Design
The intervention was designed to assist P4 pupils of Gbeogo
School for the Deaf
improve upon their vocabulary mastery. A period of four weeks
was used for the
intervention process. The technique used to help the children to
overcome their
vocabulary difficulties was concept mapping and word search
game.
Intervention Procedure
The following guidelines were followed to teach vocabulary using
concept mapping
and word search game.
I selected a passage on road safety from pages 113-114 of the
prescribed P4
English Language text book.
I developed a concept map that represents the relationships
among the ideas in
the text. The main topic was written at the center of the map.
Subtopics
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connected to the central topic were written around the main
topic with spacing
among them (see figure 1 and 2).
Next, I explained to the participants that the drawing on the
board was called a
concept map. I told participants that a concept map can help
them organize
information they learn from reading. Then I wrote the topic in
the center of the
map and told students that was the main idea that they should
pay attention to
as they read the text.
I identified ideas that are related to the main topic. During
reading, I stopped
periodically to discuss ideas as a class, or ask participants to
flag important
ideas in the text.
I organized important concepts by letting participants share
relevant ideas they
identified during reading. I then recorded those ideas using
single words or
short phrases on the concept map, and organized related ideas by
placing them
around the central topic or branching off of the ideas
previously listed. I
explained why I placed certain ideas in groups with other ideas,
or asked
participants to suggest where I should write their responses and
explain their
reasoning(see figures 3 and 4)
I extended the activity by conducting a writing activity in
which I helped the
participants construct sentences based on the concept map.
I then introduced the word search game. The concepts and their
related
vocabularies were in the game, and children were asked to search
them out.
This was done in the form of competition in order to arouse and
sustain the
interest of the children in the activity.
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WEEK ONE: ROAD USERS
Figure 1: A concept map for road users.
WEEK TWO: VEHICLES
Figure 2, A concept map for vehicles.
ROAD USERS
Vehicles
Pedestrians
Motorcycles
Bicycles
VEHICLES
Tractor
Train
Bus
Trolley
Subway
Autombile track van
WEEK THREE: SAFETY MEASURES FOR
Figure 3: A concept map
PEDESTRIANS
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SAFETY MEASURES FOR PEDESTRIANS
oncept map showing safety measures for pedestrians
Before Crossing
Stop
Zebra
Look
Listen
Walk on pavement
Observe Traffic
Wear helmet when riding
Waiting for a bus
Stand on curb
Board a bus
Be seated
Depart from bus
safety measures for pedestrians.
leftrightleft
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WEEK FOUR: TRAFFIC
Figure 4: A concept map
WEEK FIVE: WORD SEARCH GAME
Table 2: The word search game
Table 2 contains mixed
vocabularies relating to road safe
TRAFFIC
P W A L K
L E F T E
R E D L F
B U S E A
U S E R S
D E P A R
G O B R U
L O O K N
A V E H I
P A V E M
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: TRAFFIC LIGHTS
concept map showing traffic lights and their meanings.
WORD SEARCH GAME
he word search game
Traffic
Pedestrian
Road
Cross
Pavement Walk
Depart
Users
Run
Clear
mixed-up letters of the English alphabet. Beside the table is a
list of
to road safety. Pupils were required to search
Red means
Yellow
Green means
K C J T H C
E R C E E A
F O I E L R
A S F R M B
S S F T E E
R T A S T Z
U C R O A D
N R T I I Q
I C L E A R
M E N T E N
means
showing traffic lights and their meanings.
Left
Car
Road Vehicle
Helmet
ement Walk
Depart Zebra
Users Red
Curb
Bus
Clear Street
up letters of the English alphabet. Beside the table is a list
of
re required to search out the concepts
Stop!
Go!
Get ready
to stop!
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and their related vocabularies in the game. This was done in the
form of competition
in order to arouse and sustain the interest of the children.
Post -Intervention Test
To evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions used, a
post-test was also
administered. Table 3 below depicts the results of 12 students
in the post-test.
Table 3: Post-intervention test results.
Number Pupils Initials Score (over 20) Percentage %
1 L.B. 18 90
2 M.R. 17 85
3 A.K. 19 95
4 A.A. 19 95
5 I.A.N. 18 90
6 D.Y. 18 90
7 T.W. 19 95
8 C.A. 14 70
9 I.D. 17 85
10 N.M. 15 75
11 A.Y. 17 85
12 L.M. 15 75
-
25
Referring to Table 3 above, the scores and percentages have
increased indicating an
improvement in the vocabulary mastery of the pupils. This
implies that the
intervention process has been successful.
26
CHAPTER FIVE
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS OF RESULTS, SUMMARY OF FINDI NGS
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
This chapter presents and analyses results of the study,
summaries the findings and
made recommendations.
Pre-Intervention Test Results
Table 4: Pre-intervention test results.
Number Pupils Initials Score (over 20) Percentage %
1 L.B. 3 15
2 M.R. 0 0
3 A.K. 5 25
4 A.A. 7 35
5 I.A.N. 6 30
6 D.Y. 7 35
7 T.M. 3 15
8 C.A 1 5
9 I.D. 1 5
10 N.M. 2 10
-
27
11 A.Y. 5 25
12 L.M. 2 10
Table 4 indicates that 12 pupils demonstrated weaknesses in
their vocabulary skills
because they could not meet the pass mark of 10. From the table,
one pupil scored 0
representing 0%. Two pupils scored 1 mark out of 20 marks
representing 5% each.
Two scored 2 out of 20 marks. Two scored 3 marks out of 20
marks; two scored 5 out
of 20 marks representing a percentage of 15 and 25 respectively.
One pupil scored 6
marks representing 30% and two pupils scored 7 marks out of a
total score of 20.
Below in Table 5, is a group data showing the pre-intervention
test results.
Table 5: Group data showing of the pre-intervention test
results.
MARKS (x) FREQUENCY (f) PERCENTAGE (%)
0 1 8
1 2 17
2 2 17
3 2 17
5 2 17
6 1 8
7 2 17
In Table 5, the marks(
the frequency (f) is the number of participants who scored a
particular mark ,and the
percentage of the frequency is indicated in the percentage
column.
Figure 5: A pie chart showing pre
In Figure 5 above, the mathematical equations
means that two pupils
corresponds with the colour
Post-Intervention Test R
Table 5: Post-intervention test results.
Number Pupils Name
1 L.B.
2 M.R.
7 marks 0 marks
2=17%
1=8%
28
In Table 5, the marks(x) column indicates the marks scored over
20 by participants,
) is the number of participants who scored a particular mark
,and the
the frequency is indicated in the percentage column.
: A pie chart showing pre-intervention test results.
above, the mathematical equations on the divisions, for example
2=17%
made a percentage of seventeen each on a particular mark
that
colour of the marks.
Test Results
intervention test results.
Name Score (over 20) Percentage %
18 90
17 85
0 marks 2 marks 5 marks 1 mark
2=17%
2=17%
2=17% 2=17%
1=8%
) column indicates the marks scored over 20 by participants,
) is the number of participants who scored a particular mark
,and the
, for example 2=17%
nteen each on a particular mark that
6 marks 3marks
2=17%
0=8%
-
29
3 A. K. 19 95
4 A. A. 19 95
5 I. A.N. 18 90
6 D.Y. 18 90
7 T.W. 19 95
8 C.A. 14 70
9 I.D. 17 85
10 N. M. 15 75
11 A.Y. 17 85
12 L. M. 15 75
From the post-intervention test results, one pupil scored 14 out
of 20 marks
representing 70%. Two made a score of 15 out of 20 marks to make
a percentage of
75. Three pupils scored 17 marks each representing 85%. Two
groups of three pupils
each scored 18 and 19 marks each representing 90% and 95%
respectively.
Comparing the pre-intervention test and the post-intervention
test, it can be deduced
that there has been a tremendous progress of the pupils
vocabulary mastery. All the
pupils grabbed the concept and therefore answered the questions
well to score above
the pass mark of 10. The pupil who scored 0 in the pre-test now
made a score of 17
representing 85% which is very satisfactory. This signifies that
the intervention has
been effective.
Table 6 and Figures 6, &7
giving a vivid illustration
Table 6: Grouped data of the post
Figure 6: A pie chart
MARKS (x
14
15
17
18
19
3=25
1=8%
30
Table 6 and Figures 6, &7 are a grouped data, a pie chart,
and a bar
giving a vivid illustration of the pupils performance at the
post-intervention test.
data of the post-intervention test results.
A pie chart showing pupils performance at the post-interve
x) FREQUENCY (f) PERCENTAGE (
1 8
2 17
3 25
3 25
3 25
3=25%
2=17% 3=25%
3=25%
, a pie chart, and a bar graph respectively
intervention test.
intervention test.
18marks
17marks
19marks
14marks
15marks
PERCENTAGE (%)
-
Figure 7: A bar graph
In the table and figures above
who took the test. 25% also represents 3 pupils who scored 18
marks and an
who scored 17marks. The 2 pupils who scored 15 marks each are
represented by 17%
and the 1 who made 14 marks is represented by 8% of the 12
pupils who sat for the
test.
Summary of Findings
This research work is an action research which featured t
The researcher systematically reflect
data that answered question
pupils of Gbeogo School for the Deaf
in vocabularies through
some other auxiliary teaching techniques. The researcher
cond
diagnose the problem, implemented a
issue, and conducted a p
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
14
Frequency
31
graph showing pupils performance at the post-
table and figures above, 3 scored 19 marks to represent 25
. 25% also represents 3 pupils who scored 18 marks and an
who scored 17marks. The 2 pupils who scored 15 marks each are
represented by 17%
and the 1 who made 14 marks is represented by 8% of the 12
pupils who sat for the
Summary of Findings
This research work is an action research which featured the
teacher
systematically reflected on his teaching and other work
questions on the poor vocabulary mastery skills
pupils of Gbeogo School for the Deaf. I sought to address the
participants difficulties
through the use of concept maps and word search game
some other auxiliary teaching techniques. The researcher
conducted a p
diagnose the problem, implemented a five-week intervention
progra
and conducted a post-test to measure the impact of the
intervention
15 17 18 19Marks
-intervention test.
25% of the12 pupils
. 25% also represents 3 pupils who scored 18 marks and another
3
who scored 17marks. The 2 pupils who scored 15 marks each are
represented by 17%
and the 1 who made 14 marks is represented by 8% of the 12
pupils who sat for the
he teacher as the researcher.
other works, and collected
vocabulary mastery skills of primary 4
participants difficulties
word search games alongside
ucted a pre-test to
program to address the
test to measure the impact of the intervention. I
32
simultaneously gathered data through observations and tests. The
data presentation
and analysis gave a clear visual presentation of the problem and
the impact of the
intervention.
In general the research findings proved that the intervention
strategies implemented in
this study were to a very large extent successful because the
results of the post-test
shows a huge improvement over what was recorded in the pre-test.
The approach was
effective in promoting decoding skills, enhancing word meaning,
and strengthening
comprehension, provided in students a desire to rationalize
their thoughts and a
motivational devices to get them involved in the material they
would later read.
Indeed the findings proved that concept mapping alongside word
search game are
very potent teaching techniques for maximizing vocabulary
mastery skills of pupils.
Recommendation
In line with the findings of this study, I suggest that concept
mapping and word search
game should be used as a method in helping Basic school pupils
to master vocabulary
at a faster rate.
-
33
REFFERENCE
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36
APPENDIX A
COMPREHENSION PASSAGE
Road safety
Millions of children are disabled or die as a result of road
accidents each year. This is
because neither pedestrians nor motorists observe road safety
measures. What do you
know about road accidents?
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow:
Some motorists drive when they are tired or drunk. Others drive
too fast and break the
speed limit. Pedestrians must stop, look and listen, before
crossing a road. First you
must look left, then right, and left again, listening for
oncoming cars. Then cross if the
road is clear. Always cross at a zebra crossing. Do not wear
dark cloths when walking
along the street at night, because if you do, drivers may not
see you. Always walk on
the pavement.
Traffic lights show whose turn it is to use a certain part of
the road. For pedestrians,
the red sign on the pedestrian traffic light means that we must
stop and wait. The
green pedestrian sign means that the cars must stop for us to
cross. Always walk
across the street. Do not run. For the motorist, red on the
vehicular traffic light means
stop, yellow means get ready to stop, and green means go.
When riding bicycles, or motorcycles, it is important to wear a
helmet. A helmet
should sit properly on your head and come down over your
forehead. A helmet will
protect your head and brain if there should be an accident.
When waiting for a bus, you should stand on the curb and remain
there until the bus
comes to a complete stop. You should then board the bus, take
your seat, and remain
-
37
seated throughout the ride. Once the bus comes to a stop, you
should rise and depart
from the bus. You should not run after the bus.
Complete these sentences.
1. Always walk on the
2. Always stop, ., and before crossing a road.
3. Before crossing, the light on the pedestrian traffic must be
..
4. Always . across the street. Do not
5. Only cross if the road is ..
6. Never . onto a street to catch a
7. When waiting for a bus, you should stand on the
8. Take a when you get on the bus.
9. For the motorist, red on the vehicular traffic light
means
10. Wait for your turn to cross at the crossing.
11. Look.... look.. and look .again before you cross a road.
12. You should wear a ...to protect your head when riding a
bicycle.
13. You should rise and from the bus when it comes to a
stop.
14. Lights which show whose turn it is to use a certain part of
the road are
called..
15. Yellow on the traffic means..
Source: Adapted from pages 113-114 of Primary English, Pupils
Book 4.
38
APPENDIX B
PRE-INTERVENTION AND POST-INTERVENTION TEST RESULTS
Pre-Intervention Test Results
Table 1: Pre-intervention test results.
Number Pupils Initials Score (over 20) Percentage %
1 L.B. 3 15
2 M.R. 0 0
3 A.K. 5 25
4 A.A. 7 35
5 I.A.N. 6 30
6 D.Y. 7 35
7 T.M. 3 15
8 C.A 1 5
9 I.D. 1 5
10 N.M. 2 10
11 A.Y. 5 25
12 L.M. 2 10
-
39
Post-Intervention Test Results
Table 2: Post-intervention test results.
Number Pupils Initials Score (over 20) Percentage %
1 L.B. 18 90
2 M.R. 17 85
3 A.K. 19 95
4 A.A. 19 95
5 I.A.N. 18 90
6 D.Y. 18 90
7 T.W. 19 95
8 C.A. 14 70
9 I.D. 17 85
10 N.M. 15 75
11 A.Y. 17 85
12 L.M. 15 75