DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF VOCAB-EYE TWIST: FOR VOCABULARLY SKILLS ENHANCEMENT OF GRADE IV PUPILS IN USANT MONTESSORI GRADE SCHOOL S/Y 2019-2020
Introduction
English as a language has a great impact to learning,
adapting, and creating relationship with the people around
us. It is known since comprehension is the ultimate goal of
reading, the importance of vocabulary development cannot
be overestimated. A robust vocabulary improves all ar eas of
communication — listening, speaking, reading and writing.
In developing certain identity and overcome the crisis of
vocabulary, younger learners should be helped to improve
and master the necessary skill.
Teaching English effectively has a major impact to
reading development of students. Hence, listening,
speaking, reading, and writing are inseparable yet
achievable to certain extent. Likewise, these otherwise
promote the idea of enhancing the well-driven curiosity of
comprehension, vocabulary, spelling, grammar, and
pronunciation. The researchers realize that language skill
will not be developed without good grasp of vocabulary since
it is the basic and foundation for the pupils to learn English.
According to Jody B. Miller1, Vocabulary is critical to a
child’s success for these reasons: Vocabulary growth is
directly related to school achievement, the size of a child’s
vocabulary in kindergarten predicts the ability to learn to
read, vocabulary helps children to think and lea rn about the
word, and expanding a child’s knowledge of words provides
unlimited access to new information.
Teaching vocabulary can be done through some
techniques and one of which is by using games in teaching.
Text twist game is one way to improve students’ vocabulary.
Indirectly, students can create warm and exciting
atmosphere where teacher and students enjoy working
together. Students can also share their knowledge and
experience to others. Students can express their
understanding of concepts and develop their vocabulary. In
this game, students can find the word, which has the same
meaning with the main word. They can work collectively or
individually. They can learn to share information about
targeted contents and willingly do this because it is naturally
following part of the class activity. In order to develop the
students’ mastery in vocabulary, through use of text twist
game.
Many educators have questions about how to support
this standard. Hiebert2 provides answers to these questions
about text complexity, especially those pertaining to how
struggling readers' capacity with complex texts can be
increased. These answers are developed through three
topics: the distribution of vocabulary in texts, stud ents'
performances with core vocabulary, and scaffolding that
supports students' reading of texts.
The field notes and interview transcripts were analyzed
and coded based on recurring themes, patterns, and ideas.
Open and focused codes were applied to the field notes.4
According to Mrs. Mendoza5, all the students in the pilot
section were able to read and had no problems in decoding,
which indicated that students in the pilot section were
comfortable as code breakers, processing text automatically
and being skilled at reading. Mrs. Mendoza also said that
most of the students were able to comprehend what they
read.
Philippine literacy scholars have commented on the
emphasis on performance and reading aloud. Maminta (1982)6
discusses how reading as a subject was relegated to
the background as the curriculum emphasized speech
improvement with most of the class time being spent on
pattern drills, mimicry, and memorization. Even though
Maminta’s article focuses on speech improv ement as being
the emphasis three decades ago, it seems that it still
characterizes classroom practice s in the Philippines today.
Conclusion
Based from the findings, the study concludes that:
- The pretest result in English 4 for control group is lower compared to experimental group.
- Vocab Eye-Twist was developed.
- The Vocab-Eye Twist in English 4 is curricularly valid.
- The posttest result of the control group is higher than the post test result of the experimental group.
- There is a significance difference in the posttest result of the control and experimental group.
- Through drill and practice, it can help the learners to develop and appreciate the love for repetition which is one of the philosophy of Montessori learning.
Researchers
- Meabelle Amor C. Agao
- Rhulan R. Atutubo
- Reynalyn L. Balaguer
- Christian O. Carascal
- Helen B. Navales
- Carmelli Louise Benedicta S. Porcalla
- Teresita Quenn L. Rubianes
- Mauriel Rose P. Sarit