Improving Spelling Performance of SHS students in a Public School: An Action Research

Donita-jane B. Canceran
Kristine Mae D. Ramelb

I. Context and Rationale

One of the features of the 21st century education is the development of students’

communication skills which do not only include oral but also writing skills. It is an indispensable skill

needed for students to become successful. In the K-12 curriculum, students most especially those

who are enrolled in the senior high school must have good communication skills in order to build their

future careers. When one talks about good communication, spelling comes into context.

Spelling is important for everybody to communicate his/her idea. As posited by Benyo (2014)

mastering of the writing system of any language includes the ability to spell properly. Error in spelling

may sometimes lead to obscurity and these make comprehension virtually impossible. Additionally,

bad spelling is a hindrance for the reader to get the meaning of written language. Spelling is very

important in written language, and any mistake in spelling can affect the written product and may lead

to misunderstanding. Therefore, correct spelling of vocabulary is essential to convey the intended

meaning.

In the Philippines, students continue to struggle with spelling despite the number of years

spent in school and the number of English subjects they have already taken. Even senior high school

students who are supposed to show proficiency on the language still lack the basic skills on spelling.

If students’ spelling problems will not be addressed, it may contribute to the failure of securing a job

for future careers. Possible reasons why students have poor spelling in English could be attributed to

their attitude on the use of the language not just in speaking but also in writing, poor vocabulary,

degree of usage of the English language and their familiarity with the sounds of the language. Thus,

the researcher thought of a remedial instruction project called ‘Spell Time’. This project will be done

daily for the first 5 minutes of the teaching instruction wherein students will be given set of words to

spell using the dictation method. These words might be related to the students’ specialization or it

may be chosen by the subject teacher provided that the teacher knows that these are the words

needed to be mastered by the students.

II. Action Research Questions

1. What is the spelling performance of the students before the implementation of the project ‘Spell

Time’?

2. What is the spelling performance of the students after the implementation of the project ‘Spell

Time’?

3. Is there a significant difference between the spelling performance of the respondents before and

after the implementation of the project ‘Spell Time’?

III. Proposed Intervention

To address the spelling problems of the SHS students and to eventually improve their

communication skills, the project ‘Spell Time’ will be implemented.

Project ‘Spell Time’ will be conducted by all the subject teachers of the SHS students in order

to ensure maximum utilization and implementation of the project leading to its possible success. After

all, every teacher is expectedly a language teacher (Bullock, 1975 as cited by Ruiters et. al. 2017).

The first five minutes of the instruction time for each subject will be utilized.

IV. Research Methods

This study will use the Quasi-Experimental research design. Quasi-experimental

research is research that resembles experimental research but is not true experimental

research. Although the independent variable is manipulated, participants are not randomly

assigned to conditions or orders of conditions thus it eliminates the directionality problem

because it involves the manipulation of the independent variable. (Cook & Campbell, 1979).

A. Participants and other sources of data/information

The study will be conducted at Santo Tomas National High School, Santo Tomas,

Isabela. The respondents of the study will be the SHS students particularly the Grade 12.

Total enumeration will be used as a sampling procedure.

B. Data Gathering Methods

First, the researcher will ask permission to the Principal through a letter about the

usage of the first 5 minutes of instruction time of the subject teachers. After which, the

researcher will also tell the students about the project and what it aims to accomplish. To

further assess the spelling capabilities of the respondents, the researcher will give the

subject teachers the designed English Spelling placement test. The researcher believes
 that it is appropriate because of the simple reason that an English Spelling placement test

practically puts students in a situation to recognize English sound and to write. The said

test is adopted from Institute for Excellence in Writing. Institute for Excellence in Writing

(IEW) is a homeschool site that equips teachers and teaching parents with methods and

materials which will aid them in training their students to become confident and competent

communicators and thinkers.

After gathering the result of the test, the researcher will now explain the project ‘Spell

Time’ to the subject teachers. It must emphasized that the subject teachers are also part

of the designing of the daily spelling tests for the students. Moreover, the implementation

of project ‘Spell Time’ will be done for the months of January to March of the second

quarter so that the last month April, will be dedicated for the dissemination of the results.

C. Data Analysis

The research proposal will make use of the following:

1. Result of the English Spelling Placement test.

2. Paired sample t-test shall be used in determining significant difference between the

spelling performance of the respondents before and after the implementation of the

project ‘Spell Time’

3. The effect size or magnitude of the differences between groups will be computed using

the Eta squared.

The data will be tabulated and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences

(SPSS). Eta squared will also be implemented using Cohen’s guidelines:

0.20-small effect

0.50-moderate effect

0.80 and above-large effect

 V. WORKPLAN

Strategies Programs Activities Task Resources Timeline

Persons Materials Cost of

involved Materials
Improve the Project PREPARATION
spelling ‘Spell Time’ A. Manuscript  Write/prepare  Proponent October
performance Writing
the research 20-
of Grade 12 proposal November
TVL students  Review the
 Proponent 20, 2018
through process on
project ‘Spell how to go
Time’ about project
“Spell Time’
 Submit the  Proponent  Bond P150
research  Principal Paper
proposal to  Folder
the Principal’s with
office for Fastener
endorsement
B. Approval  Implement  Proponent
suggestions  Principal November
and
recommendat
 Division 21-
research December
ions from the Committee
Division
 Division
2018
Research Superinten
Committee for dent
approval
C. Conduct/I
 Prepare the January-
mplementa
classroom  Proponent  Copies of
tion of the P5200 March
Research and the  Subject the
module that teachers module 2018
consists the  students
following:
English
Spelling
Placement
test,
achievement
chart,
progress
chart, project
‘Spell time’
activity
matrix, and
learner’s
record book
which will be
used in the
conduct of the
research  Proponent

 Implement
 Subject
teachers
project ‘Spell
Time’ as  students
intervention to
the problem  Proponent

 Gather and
analyze data
from the
project  Proponent  Printing of
manuscrip P940
 Submission of t
full blown  Ring
research bound
proposal to and hard
the Principal’s bound
 Office and the copies of
Division the
Office manuscrip
 Proponent
t
D. Disseminat  Subject April 1-30,
ion of the  Sharing teachers
Results 2018
research  students
results with
the school
through LAC
sessions  Proponent
 School’s
 Disseminate teaching
the results of and non-
the research teaching
to the Division staff
Office and  Secondary
other school
secondary principals
schools in the
Division
 Division
 Pamphlet
research
Committee  Travel P1300
 Recommend expenses
‘Spell Time’  Division
utilization Superinten
dent

Total estimated expenses P7,690

VI. COST ESTIMATE

ACTIVITY ITEM DESCRIPTION/ QUANTITY UNIT UNIT TOTAL

PARTICULARS COST AMOUNT
 Submit the research proposal  Printing of Proposal 5 sets 30 P150
to the Principal’s office for
endorsement
 Preparation of the classroom,  Reproduction of modules
and the module that consists -printing
the following: English Spelling -photocopying 20 pages 2 P40
Placement test, achievement -binding
chart, progress chart, activity 43 sets 40 P1720
matrix, and learner’s record 43 sets 80 P3440
book
which will be used in the
conduct of the research

 Submission of full blown  Printing of full blown 5 sets 30 P150

research proposal to the Research Manuscript
Principal’s Office and the  Ring-Binding of Completed 4 sets 90 P540
Division Office Research
 Hard-Bound Copy of 1
set 250 P250
Completed Research
Manuscript (for Regional
Office copy)

 Operational Expenses  Dissemination of the P1300

research results to the
school’s teaching and non-
teaching staff, Division
Office and other Secondary
Schools
Total Estimated Expenses P7690
 VII. ACTION PLAN FOR DISSEMINATION

STRATEGIES PROGRAMS ACTIVITIES/TASK RECOURCES Timeline

Persons Materials Cost of
Involved Materials
Improve Research Research April 1-
spelling Development Dissemination and 30, 2018
performance Utilization
of TVL  Communicate  Proponent  One P300
 School ream
students in the results of the administrat bond
the Division research to ors paper
through school  Subject (for
project ‘Spell administrators teachers reprod
uction
Time’ and other of the
subject teachers pamphl
 Proponent et)
 Disseminate the  Division  Ink for
P1200
results of the Superintend printer
research to the ent
Division Office  Secondary
School
and other principals
secondary  Subject
schools in the Teachers
Division
 Recommend
Project ‘Spell
Time’ in all TVL
classes in
secondary
schools

Total Estimated Cost P1300

 VIII. REFERENCES

Benyo, A. A. (2014). English Spelling Problems among Students at the University of Dongola, Sudan.
International Research Journals. Vol. 5, No. 9. Salman Ibn Abdulaziz University, College of Science
and Humanity Studies, Sulayiil, Saudi Arabia

Casil, P. (2015). Students’ Attitude toward English language Learning: Its Relationship to their English
Proficiency. Cagayan State University. Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

Dulin, A. (2016). Status of Language Across Curriculum at CSU: Basis for Language Policy Formulation.
Cagayan State University. Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

Evans M., Hoare P., Kong S., O'Halloran S. & Walker E. (2001). Effective Strategies for English Medium
Classrooms: A Handbook for Teachers.
Price, P. et. al. (2015). Charper 7. Non-experimental Research. Quasi-Experimental Research. Retrieved
from http://open.lib.umn.edu/psychologyresearchmethods/chapter/7-3-quasi-experimental-research/
Sofie, R. (2015). The role of English in ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)
http://strategidanbisnis.com/artikel/520/the-role-of-english-
 Excellence in Spelling Placement Test Assessing your Child’s Spelling Competence
From Institute of Excellence in Writing (2012)

Scoring: Missed 33 or more-Level 2

Missed 31 and below-Level 1