IMPROVING THE SPELLING OF OCCUPATIONS FOR YEAR

3 HIJAU PUPILS BY USING “MISSPELL AND SLIDE” GAME

By:

Muhammad Amirul Shafiq Bin Ahamad Zani, Zainab Binti Abd Rahman

Jabatan Bahasa-Bahasa, IPG Kampus Dato’ Razali Ismail

amisya91@gmail.com, zainababrahman@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This research is conducted to improve the spelling of the Year 3 pupils on

occupations using the game called “Misspell and Slide” game. This action

research involved 4 pupils of Year 3 Hijau from Sekolah Kebangsaan Rengas

Bekah, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu. The Research participants were

selected based on observation and document analysis such as exercise books

and worksheets. Here, pupils tend to make mistakes in spelling when writing

the exercise. The instruments used in this study were the observation checklist,

interview and document analysis. Qualitative data was analysed descriptively

according to research participants. Based on the findings, it shows that the

intervention used had successfully helped the research participant’s problem in

their spelling on occupations whereby they showed improvement in their

spelling based on the result after the intervention. The strength of using Misspell

and Slide game is, it is able to create fun and interesting learning environment.

This intervention needs to be improved so that it can be applied to teach other

topics.

Keyword: Spelling, Writing, Occupation words, Misspell and Slide Game

REFLECTION OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

The effective teaching and learning session can be conducted if the teacher can plan the

activity that can attract pupils’ attention in the classroom. Based on the third phase practicum

experience at Sekolah Kebangsaan Rengas Bekah, I found that almost all the pupils

regardless of their year had problem in writing especially in spelling. During this phase, I

was assigned to teach Year 3 Hijau. This class was the second of the three classes in this

school. The proficiency of the pupils in this class was from low to intermediate level.

Based on my observation and comments from my lecturer during the practicum, I had found

some problems regarding the English learning. The major problem that I found was their

spelling when writing especially the occupation words. This was because I taught this topic

during the practicum. The pupils had trouble getting the letters right. When I asked the pupils

to spell the words, the pupils would say I do not know or just made a gesture to show that

they did not know. If they were persuaded to spell the words, they would just spell it based

on the sound of the words. For example, the word ‘teacher’ is spelled as ‘ticer’.

As written in Document Standard for Year 3, spelling is included in the writing skill which

is under 3.2.4; ‘able to spell common sight words’. So, pupils should be able to spell the

words that they have learnt. But, what happened here was that the pupils still had problem to

spell correctly.

I also found that the pupils had short attention span during the teaching and learning sessions.

But their attention span will increase if I carry out fun activity such as game in the lesson.

Thus, to overcome this problem, I had done an action research to improve the spelling of

occupations by using ‘Misspell and Slide’ game.

LITERATURE REVIEW

According to Nesamalar (2005), writing is a system for interpersonal communication using a

visible signs or symbol on a flat surface such as paper, cloth or even stone labels. According

to Oxford Dictionary (2014), spelling is a person’s ability to spell word. It also the process or

activity of writing or naming the letters of a word in the correct sequence. (Voon Foo, 2007),

asserts that writing is such an important tool because it helps students to understand ideas and

concepts better. Thus, the important thing that needs to be considered when discussing about

writing is spelling. However, according to Johnston (2000), English spelling has traditionally

been difficult for those who teach it as well as those who must learn it.

According to psychology research, young children find it difficult or impossible to see

language as an abstract system, independent of communication or enjoyable such as song and

rhymes. They find it difficult in terms of learning goal or objective but they can respond

immediately to objectives such as drawing or colouring a picture. They also cannot focus on

one thing for a long time. According to a survey (Zhao Chengfu, 2002:202) shows that in a

well-organized atmosphere, children’s attention last for different time: around age 5 to 7, they

can pay attention for 10 to 15 minutes; age between 7 and 10 can pay attention for about 20

minutes; age between 10 and 12 last for about 25 minutes; and the time of attention of those

older than 12 may reach to 30 minutes. Thus, activity that can attract their attention is needed

so that they can remain focus on the class and game is one of the interesting activity.

Furthermore, a total physical response developed by James Asher in 1960 and later it is

discussed by H. Doughlas Brown. Psychologist also claimed that human’s memory can be

increased if it stimulated through an association with physical activity (Brown, 2007)

As we know, children are active when playing game. Playing games is their nature. Hadfield

(1998) defines that a game is an activity with rules, a goal and an element of fun. Nesamalar

(2005) believe that games can remove boredom without sacrificing repetition that is necessary

for successful learning if language element. American psychologist and educational reformer

John Dewey holds the notion that teaching material must be highly coherent with psychology.

If the teaching material accords with children’s psychology, they would be attracted by the

interesting activities and accordingly learn and master the teaching material on their own

initiative (Cathy, 2008). When playing games, the children get the pleasure and satisfaction

so that they are willing to learn English. Therefore, I had invented an intervention based on

game.

The intervention is adapted from a board game called snake and ladder and is called misspell

and slide game. Studies had proven that a game is an effective way to help students with

language problems. Based on research done by I’in (2012), she stated that the use of songs

and game in teaching vocabulary could improve the students’ vocabulary achievement and

could involve the students in the process of teaching and learning. She also claimed that games

are able to arouse students’ motivation and improve students’ vocabulary achievement. This

is also supported with Wright (2006) that Games provides intense and meaningful practice

of language.

RESEARCH PURPOSE

The main purpose of this research is to improve the spelling of occupations of Year 3 Hijau

pupils by using the intervention called Misspell and Slide Game.

RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

To find out whether Misspell and Slide Game can help to improve pupils spelling of

occupation among Year 3 Hijau in Sekolah Kebangsaan Rengas Bekah.

RESEARCH QUESTION

How does “Misspell and slide” game improve year 3 Hijau pupils’ spelling of people’s

occupation?

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This research involved four pupils from 3 Hijau. There were two boys and two girls. The

research participants were selected based on my observation and the document analysis. The

instrument for data collection were observation checklist, interview and document analysis.

Qualitative data were analysed descriptively according to research participant.

The first type of data collected is through observation. The data is collected during the

intervention session. The instrument used to collect this data was observation checklist. The

checklist was designed to observe four aspects which are participants’ confidence when

answering the questions, their writing skills, their errors in spelling and their behaviours and

reactions during the game. In the intervention session, the other researchers helped in

observing the research participants and filling in the checklist given to them. The same type

of data is collected during the second intervention session with the same focus whereby the

intervention had gone through some amendments in order to improve the results.

The second type of data collected is interview. The interview session was done with each

research participant right after the intervention session ended. The interview was done in

Bahasa Malaysia so that the participants could clearly express their thoughts or feeling about

the intervention sessions. This type of data was also collected for both session but the

difference was the interview session during the second intervention is done with the purpose

of looking on their improvement and positive progress compared to what was done during the

first intervention.

The third type of data that I had collected was called document analysis. For this of data, I

used the worksheet. The data was collected right after the intervention session ended whereby

I gave the research participants a worksheet in order to assess the research participants’

performance after the intervention was done. For the worksheet, there were 10 question where

the research participants had to write the spelling of the occupations based on the picture. The

worksheets were marked and the right answers were counted to see the improvement made

by the research participants. In this worksheet, I could see clearly the improvement made by

all the research participants after the sessions and to see whether the intervention helped them

in spelling.

INTERVENTION SPECIFICATION

The intervention is called “Misspell and Slide” game. It is a board game adapted from snake

and ladder game whereby the player needs to move their counter based on the number they

get from the dice and needs to answer a question when landed at the question mark circle. It

consists of a board, a dice, picture cards and four counters. In this intervention, the game was

conducted by a game master which was the researcher itself. The role of the game master was

to show the picture card to the player and make sure the player wrote the spelling into the

answer sheet and check the answer. If the answer was correct, the game master would allow

the player counter to move up the ladder and if the answer was wrong the game master would

ask the player to slide down the counter.

The board is the most crucial thing for this intervention. It was made from a mounting board.

Then it was pasted with square colour paper to make the big square. It has 42 squares

altogether. In each square there are numbers from 1 until 42. In certain squares there are small

circles with question marks. If the player moves the counter to the square with the circle, the

player needs to answer the question. The board also has slide and ladder picture in certain

squares. When the player answers the question wrongly, the player needs to slide down the

counter. For the ladder, if the question answer was right, the player can climb the ladder.

During the intervention session, 10 picture cards had been used. The card are made from

plain white paper pasted on manila card to ensure its durability. The size of the picture card

is 7.5cm height and 22cm width. This picture cards are used to show the occupation needed

to be spelled by the player. The picture cards contains two side, on one side is the picture

and on the other side is the name of the occupation. The name of the occupation is folded so

that the player only sees the picture and after the player has finished writing the word, the

folded side will be opened so that the player can check their spelling.

The counter is used as an indicator for the player at the board. The counter is a button like a

cartoon character. The dice is the thing that is used for the player to get the number they can

move. It varies from each turn which is from 1 to 6. Both of the items were bought at the book

store.

The board Picture Card

Dice and Counter

The board

There was amendment made which was an activity called word formation. For the word

formation, the materials used was envelope containing printed scrambled letter. The research

participants need to rearrange the letters to form a word.

The intervention was done in three sessions, in the first session all the research participants

participated in the game and they were required to answer all the questions prepared in order

to finish the game. The objective of this session was to increase the spelling of occupations

of all the research participants. But, the objective was not achieved and after getting the

feedback from the research participants, I had made amendment and the amendment was

conducted in the second and third session. For the second session, the amendment made was

by adding an activity called word formation. It means that the research participants had to

rearrange the letters and then write the answers in the worksheet provided. The third session

was implemented so that the result of the second session could be improved.

RESEARCH FINDING

The research question was aimed to investigate how the use of game improve the spelling of

ten occupations. This research was conducted in three intervention session. The intervention

was done by using a board game called “Misspell and Slide” game. On this finding I will

focus on a research participant called ‘Mat’. Before the research Mat was reluctant to

participate actively in English lesson. He was lazy to write any word during the lesson and he

also loved to disturb his friends during the lesson. When I checked his worksheets he made

many spelling mistakes and he was not motivated to learn as for him English was a tough

subject.

From the observation during the first session, Mat looked excited to play the game. But, he

hesitated to spell the occupation word when he landed at the question square. He was also not

focused on the game as he disturbed his friends and looked around the place. For the second

session, he looked eager to play the game. He also liked the new activity which is the word

formation. This word formation activity was the amendment made to improve the result of

the game. Although he liked the new activity, he took longer time than the other research

participants to arrange the letters. During the third session, he had shown improvement where

he looked confident to spell the word. This was proved when he took less time to arrange the

letter and he could focus on the game.

Based on the interview conducted after each intervention session, I found that this game had

helped Mat to improve his spelling. As Mat said after the first session, he said that he did not

remember the spelling of the occupations. He also said that my pronunciation was not clear

for him to spell the words. So, based on the feedback of the interview, I had made amendment

to the game and conducted the second session. In this session of the second intervention, Mat

said that he loved the new activity introduced. He could play rearranging the letters which

increase his focus on the game. Then in the third session, he said that, he knew how to spell

the words.

Word Formation

From the chart above, we can see that Mat had made improvement in his spelling. During the

first session, he made 9 mistakes in the worksheet provided after the intervention session.

Then, he had made improvement in the second session whereby he made 4 mistakes and made

another improvement in the third session where he only made 2 mistakes. This result had

shown that the game had helped improve his spelling of the occupations.

All the research participants in this research had successfully made improvement in their

spelling of occupations words. Two of the research participants managed to spell all the 10

words correctly, one managed to spell 9 words correctly and one manage to spell 8 words

correctly.

Conclusion

The finding revealed that the pupils who had learnt through game can improve the spelling of

the words. In this research, it was clear that game had helped the research participants to solve

their spelling problem in writing. This happened as the pupils were attracted to the game

which was interesting. The spelling had improved for all the research participants after

playing the ‘Misspell and Slide’ game. They had all shown improvement in the worksheet

given after the sessions. The result of the exercise is shown on the graph below.

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Mat

Number of mistakes in the worksheet

Session 1 Session 2 Series 3

The game also increase the motivation and confidence of the pupils. From the research, the

motivation and confidence level of the research participant had increased from the first session

to the second session. Khan (1991) asserts that the usefulness of the game is because of its

motivating importance. Thus, when the pupils feel motivated, their confidence level will also

increase.

This action research is a research that can increase the professionalism as a teacher to be. This

is because, during the process of action research, I could identify problems that occur among

the pupils. Apart from the problem on the topic or syllabus, I could also identify the problems

related to pupils’ behaviours. In addition, my communication skills have improved as I needed

to communicate with teachers and pupils in order to conduct this research. During the

intervention session, I played an important role especially when interact with the pupils. Other

than that, I needed to ensure that the problem faced by the pupils could be solved with the

best solution. Therefore, I think of the best ways that I could do in order to help the pupils

solving their problem. Thus, this action research found to be very helpful in enhancing the

professionalism of the researcher as a teacher-to-be.

The strength of my research is the intervention attracts the pupils with fun and interesting

learning environment. It is because I used game with the element of fun learning. As children

love to play, game is the most suitable approach to get them to learn. This intervention has

also helped to solve the spelling problem in a fun way.

Besides the strength, I found that this intervention also had weakness in it. The weakness is

the board is hard to carry. The board is big and it has a lot of things such as dice, picture cards

and counter that come with it. In order to solve this problem, I think that I can use a bag to

put all the materials for the board or make the board with material that can be folded. By doing

this, it can increase the board mobility.

In conclusion, I feel satisfied with this research as it has successfully improved my pupils’

ability to spell the words on occupations. This research has motivated me to do more research

on the future.

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

Amira Ain Alif Mat

Marks for Spelling Exercises

Session 1 Session 2 Series 3

REFERENCES

Brown, H. (2007). Teaching by Principles: An Interactive Approach to LanguagePedagogy.

New York: Pearson Educatio, Inc.

Chitravelu, Nesamalar, Saratha , S.& Teh, S.C. (2005). ELT Methodology : Principles and

Practice (2nd Ed.). Shah Alam: Oxford Fajar Sdn. Bhd.

Cathy. (2008). cersp. Retrieved from Using Games in English Teaching:

http://eblog.cersp.com/userlog26/189416/archives/2008/856581. Shtml

Hadfield, Jill (1998). Elementary Vocabulary Games. Pearson Education Limited.

Harlow http://privatewww.essex.ac.uk/~vcook/OBS2O.htm Instruction on the

Expository Essay of ESL Students in a Malaysian Secondary School. Universiti

Sains Malaysia, Penang, Malaysia.

I’in, E. S. (2012). Improving Student's Vocabulary Using Song and Game. English

Education Study Program Language And Arts Education Department Teachers

Training And Education Faculty Tanjungpura University 2012. (pp. 110 – 120)

Johnston, F. R., (2000). Spelling exceptions: Problems or possibilities? The Reading

Teacher, 54(4), 372-378.

Oxford Dictionary. (2014). Spelling. Retrieved from Oxford Dictionary Online:

http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/spelling?q=spelling

Voon Foo, C. T. (2007) The Effect of the process-Genre Approach to Writing

Zhao Chengfu, ( 2002 ), "Student Psychology", Shandong People's Publishing House