: RECORECH APPROACH AND SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENTOF GRADE III PUPILS
Research Proponent : Larry B. Saliga Position
: Teacher II
Division: Davao City
School/Institution
: Megkawayan Elementary School, Malabog District
Abstract The study was conducted to test the significant difference in using the RECORECH Approach to the understanding of subject-verb agreement of the Grade III pupils in Megkawayan Elementary School, Malabog District, Davao City. The researcher utilized descriptive-comparative design and population sampling technique. The data were analyzed using Mean & SD, Paired Samples-T-test and Eta2. The instrument used in the study contained 20 items multiple choice type of test. Results showed that there is a significant difference in the scores of the respondents after the implementation of the RECORECH Approach. It is recommended that RECORECH Approach be used in teaching subject-verb agreement for it showed significant results.
Introduction As a prerequisites skill in the elementary curriculum, pupils need to learn about basic grammatical rules in order to communicate effectively not only in oral communication but as well as in written communication. It is important that pupils need to choose the correct words in constructing their sentences to properly convey their messages. It is apparent that most pupils in the elementary are having difficulty with
regards to subject-verb agreement. The general rule on subject-verb agreement is that the subject agrees with the verb in the sentence. Singular subjects take singular verbs ending in -s and plural subjects takes plural verb without an -s in the end. In spite of the simple rule presented about subject-verb agreement this still pose a problem and confusion to the pupils and they tend to make errors in their writing for they are unable to acquire the correct form of it (Surina & Kamaruzaman, 2009:190). Difficulties in constructing a correct sentence in English are a common phenomenon to students because they have problems in the rules of subject-verb agreement and there has an increase interest in discovering what causes this problem. For example, Stapa (2010) tried to examine 5 types of errors in subject-verb agreements: subject verb agreement of person, subject verb agreement in number, agreement with coordinated subject, agreement with indefinite expression of amount and also notional agreement and proximity. Her studies revealed that majority of the students have committed errors in subject-verb agreement especially in subject-verb agreement of number followed by subject verb agreement of person. In addition, in the study of Nayan (2009) revealed that student has problems in subject verb agreement because they don’t have this kind of rule in their first language. From the previous researches, the researcher assumed that it is suited at the moment to develop an intervention in an attempt to address the problem in learning subject-verb agreement. Specifically, the main purpose of the study was to discover if the intervention used would help the Grade III pupils of Megkawayan Elementary School in learning subject-verb agreement through a series of simple and easy to follow steps and with the use of an acronym for the pupils to easily remember the steps. The outcome of
this study would be very critical in addressing problems related pupils performance and outlooks towards language learning.
Research Questions The study aimed to determine whether the developed intervention presented will have an effect to the pupil’s language learning on subject-verb agreement. Specifically, sought to answer the following questions: 1. What is the score of the respondents before the implementation of the RECORECH Approach? 2. What is the score of the respondent after the implementation of the RECORECH Approach? 3. Is there as significant difference in the score of the respondents before and after the implementation of the RECORECH Approach? 4. What is the effect of the RECORECH Approach into understanding of Subject-Verb Agreement of the respondents?
Further, the following terms were operationally defined: RECORECH Approach refers to the intervention used by the researcher in introducing subject-verb Agreement to the Grade 3 pupils. The RECORECH Approach was carefully developed through a series steps for the Grade III pupils to follow in order to easily understand the topic and remember the rules on subject-verb agreement with the use of acronym. This would aid the learners in answering exercises related to the topic.
RECORECH Approach Stands For: RE - read the sentence carefully CO - count the person (subject) in the sentence RE - recall/remember the rules in subject-verb agreement If a sentence has one person (singular subject), add -s to the verb. If a sentence has two or more person (plural subject), use verb without -s (simple form of the verb). CH - choose the correct answer.
Subject-Verb Agreement is one of the 2nd quarter topic/competency in English Grade III Curriculum under the Integrated Language Arts Domains on the Grammar Awareness & Structure, specifically stated on 3.2.1 on the use of verbs in simple present and past tense.
Methodology and Research Design Research Design The study employed the descriptive-comparative design to test the effectiveness in the use of RECORECH Approach on the subject-verb Agreement of Grade 3 pupils.
Conceptual Framework Independent Variable
RECORECH APPROACH
Dependent Variable
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT
Students ability to understand the topic on Subject-Verb Agreement (Dependent Variable) is greatly attribute to the RECORECH Approach teacher created strategy (Independent Variable). These relationships are illustrated in Figure 1.
Theoretical Framework Understanding the structure and rules of the language is anchored from the Language Learning Theory under Krashen’s Theory of Foreign Language Acquisition also known as the Natural Approach. Attention is focused on the language and its written form and the objective of the student is to recognize the construction and the rules of language, whose parts are dissected and analyzed. The task requires intellectual effort and deductive reasoning. It seeks to transmit to the student knowledge about the language, its functioning and grammatical structures. Hopefully it will produce the practical skills of understanding and speaking the language (Schutz, 2014).
Research Respondents Population sampling was applied by the researcher as a sampling technique in selecting 31 Grade 3 respondents of this study of Megkawayan Elementary School, Megkawayan Calinan, Davao City.
Research Instruments A 20-item test was utilized by the researcher to the 31 Grade 3 pupils. Further, this study applied the following statistical tests in the treatment of data. These were the mean, SD, Paired Samples T-Test which was analyzed very carefully and statistically interpreted using Statistical Packages for Social Science (SPSS) software version 16.
Results and Discussion This section presents the analysis of the data collated and given a meaningful interpretation. Table 1. Pre- Test Scores Test
N
SD
Mean
Descriptive Interpretation
Pre-Test
31
3.53
9.32
Moderate
Table 1 shows the pre-test scores in RECORECH Approach of Grade 3 pupils of Megkawayan Elementary School. It shows that the Grade 3 pupils have moderate scores with the mean score of 9.32.
Table 2. Post-Test Scores Test
N
SD
Mean
Descriptive Interpretation
Post-Test
31
3.33
12.54
Moderate
Table 2 reveals the pre-test scores of the RECORECH Approach of the Grade 3 pupils of Megkawayan Elementary School. It shows that the Grade 3 pupils have moderate scores with the mean score of 12.54.
Table 3. Paired- Sample Test on RECORECH Approach Test
N
Mean
SD
Df
t-value
p-value
Decision
Pre-Test Post-Test
31
-3.22
2.97
30
-6.038
.000
Significant
Table 3 depicts that paired-sample test on RECORECH Approach. It shows that pre-test and post-test t-value is -6.038 and an SD of 2.97, it generated a p-value of .000 which is interpreted as significant. Hence, there is a significant difference in the pre-test scores ad post test scores of the respondents after the implementation of the RECORECH Approach. In reference to Krashen’s Theory on Foreign Language Acquisition also known as the Natural Approach about the Language Learning Theory the results of the study agrees that in focusing the pupils attention on the language and its written form and dissecting its parts and analyzing it the student can recognize the rules of language therefore understanding its functions and grammatical structures.
Table 4. The Effect of the RECORECH Approach
N
t-value
Eta2
Descriptive Value
31
-6.038
0.549
Large Effect
Table 4 highlights the Test of Effect Size of RECORECH Approach. It generated an Eta2 value of 0.549 which signifies large effect, thus the RECORECH Approach is an effective tool in teaching Subject-Verb Agreement in Grade 3 pupils.
Conclusion 1. The Grade 3 pupils have moderate scores before the implementation of the RECORECH Approach. 2. The Grade 3 pupils have moderate scores after the implementation of the RECORECH Approach. 3. There is a significant difference between the pre-test scores and post-test scores. 4. The RECORECH Approach has a large effect on the Grade 3 pupils test results in learning about subject-verb agreement.
Recommendation 1. The RECORECH Approach is recommended to be used by the teachers of Megkawayan Elementary School, Malabog District in teaching Subject-Verb Agreement. 2. In introducing the topic on subject-verb agreement it is important to break down the process into meaningful steps. 3. Provide varied examples on the subject-verb agreement on the number of person because most pupils are confused on this area.
4. Further study may be conducted to check the validity of the findings of the study.
References Biberauer, T. (2013). Syntax. Retrieved October 17, 2014, from University of Cambridge Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics: http://www.mml.cam.ac.uk/ dtal/courses/ugrad/p9_Syntax.html Masangya, E. M. (2009, January 21). An Investigation on the Relationship between the Language Exposures and Errors in English Essays of High School students . Retrieved October 17, 2014, from Philippine ESL Journal: http://www.philippineesl- journal.com/index.php/component/content/article?layout=edit&id=34 Nayan, S. (2009). A Study of Subject-Verb Agreement: From Novice Writers to Expert Writers. International Education Studies , v1 1-2. Schutz, R. (2014, June 5). Language Acquisition-Language Learning. Retrieved October 17,
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http://www.sk.com.br/sk-laxll.html Stapa, S. H. (2010). Analysis Of Errors In Subject-Verb Agreement Among Malaysian ESL Learners.3L The Southeast Asian Journal of English Language Studies , 1.
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