-USING FLASH CARD IN LEARNING VOCABULARY AMONG THE MUET

STUDENTS IN A FORM SIX CENTRE IN THE DISTICT OF BARAT DAYA,

PENANG.

BY

DR. KASTHURI A/P VERATHARAJU

(FORM SIX CENTRE, SMK SUNGAI ARA, JALAN DATO’ ISMAIL HASHIM,
11900 BAYAN LEPAS, PENANG.
vrkasthury9@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The study had utilised the flash-card strategy to learn vocabulary during the MUET reading
lessons (comprehension passages). The sample of this study was 18 MUET students (girls)
from a secondary school at the district of Bayan Lepas, Penang. The reason to conduct this
study was due to the students insufficient vocabulary grasping skills. Neither the students
were able to identify the meaning of fundamental nor complex words that they have had read,
especially in simple comprehension passages. The aim of this study is to build vocabulary
grasping skills by spelling the vocabulary words uttered from the texts correctly. In addition
the main objective of this study was to enable students to build a strong foundation of
vocabulary skills through reading comprehension passages, hence this would reduce the
spelling errors during the MUET writing practices. A set of pre-test and post test was utilised
to collect and tabulate the spelling scores. Few selected reading passages were selected for
the purpose to test the students vocabulary grasping skills. The results of the study have
shown that there is a difference in pre-test and post-test scores. Overall, the findings of this
study have shown that, flashcard strategy increased the students vocabulary grasping skills.
However, this strategy has benefited the slow learners to pick up the vocabulary grasping
skills as compared to the fast learners, minimise the spelling errors through using the
flashcard strategies and learn the meaning of words through the flashcard strategies.

1.0 PAST CLASSROOM TEACHING REFLECTION

Since I have been teaching the respective students in Lower Six till the
current Upper Six class, I have noticed that the students have insufficient
vocabulary skills. Neither the students were able to identify the meaning of
fundamental nor complex words that they have had read, especially in simple
comprehension passages. Due to this problem, I have identified that the
students had weak vocabulary grasping skills hence there were major errors
in spelling the words correctly. Furthermore, the students had difficulty to
identify the suitable words to be used in their daily MUET lessons as whole.
This was due to the inability of the students to identify the exact spelling for
the respective vocabulary due to major problem of failure to identify the
meaning of the words in the respective context given (reading comprehension
passages). Nevertheless this is a common problem faced by every bilingual
student who have difficulty to learn and master English as Second Language
(ESL). The Form Six students that I teach had claimed that they were
uninterested to built a solid vocabulary skill as they feel bored and less
meaningful to learn and memorize the spelling and meaning of a unfamiliar
words in a ‘pathetic’ way. Therefore I had difficulties to explain as the students
posses insufficient vocabulary skills furthermore this has been identified as a
common problem during the MUET lesson per se. As I truly believe that
learning should be a meaningful process hence a new strategy that boost the
students long term interest through an independent self learning strategy to
learn English should be comprehended.

2.0 Research Focus

This study was implemented with a mean to assist the MUET class students
who posses weak vocabulary skills as they were unable to spell the words
correctly according to the context. I have had noticed this major problem
during my personal observation and experience conducting the MUET
lessons. If this matter is failed to be tackled the students’ ability to learn and
identify the spelling of words will be a major stumbling block for students
ability to attain Band 3 and above in the MUET examination. Hence this would
affect the students’ university requirements to enrol in good university courses
in near future. Hence, taking these matters into account, I have used the
‘Flashcard’ strategy as a basic attempt to empower students autonomy to
spell fundamental and complex words in simple comprehension passages, in
spite to sustain students’ interests to build vocabulary skills as whole.

3.1 General objective

In the end of the lesson, the students should be able to build a strong
foundation of vocabulary skills through reading comprehension passages,
hence this would reduce the spelling errors during the MUET writing practices.

3.2 Specific Objectives

In the end of this study the students should be able to,

 minimise the spelling errors through using the flashcard strategies

 learn the meaning of words through the flashcard strategies
 expand the vocabulary skills through using the flashcards strategies

4.0 Target Group

 In total 18 students of a Upper 6 class is involved in this study. It is a class

of all girls.
5.0 Research Procedure

I have used the observation, compositions and spelling scores as instrument

to collect the data of this study.

5.1.1 Observation

Profoundly based on my observation the students had difficulty to spell the

basic words nevertheless the complex words. I found that the students were
unable to identify the appropriate words according to the context due to
insufficient vocabulary skills. Moreover the students do not want to learn from
their mistakes and have had taken a reluctant attitude to correct their spelling
errors.

5.1.2 Composition samples

I have difficulty in marking the students composition due to major spelling

errors. The students were unable to use the appropriate words according to
the context because the were unfamiliar with the meaning of words.
Therefore, majority of the students have had perform in band 2 MUET writing
lessons due to this reason. The students claim to repeat the same spelling
mistakes or errors without memorising the words correctly according to the
context.

5.1.3 Spelling Test

The students have insufficient vocabulary skills as they were unable to spell
simple words nevertheless to spell complex words during the spelling test
given. The students have insufficient vocabulary skills hence they have
performed below the par of passing mark (Band 3) for the English Trial
Exams. Only 1 students has obtained Band 3 out of 18 students. I have
noticed that the students basically are weak in grasping the four skills
especially writing, as in writing the students hesitated too long to identify and
spell the correct words according to the context or questions given. I had
witness my students difficulty to spell due to insufficient vocabulary skills.
Thus spelling test will be the intervention given to the students. The
intervention will be aided by the use of flashcard strategy through reading
skills (comprehension passages).The students will identify the level to three
category of words (known, partially known and unknown words) from the
comprehension passages given. I instruct the students to follow step by step
procedure to highlight the respective category of words accordingly.

Next I will require the students to use three different colour of highlighters to
identify the level of difficulty of the words. For instances, green highlighter for
known words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, verb or gerunds), yellow highlighter
for partially known words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, verb or gerunds) and red
highlighter for unknown words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, verb or gerunds).
Thus at the next phase, the students will write down the meaning of the
highlighted words according to the respective group (green, yellow and red)
on the flashcard with the corresponding meaning of words. Students will
identify the meaning of the words according to the contexts.

At the third phase, the students will be given two months to understand and
memorise the flashcard. It is expected that the students become familiar with
the spelling of the semi-familiar and unfamiliar words when they are expected
to read the the flashcard everyday as revision back home.

At the final stage, a post-test will be implemented. The 25 randomnly picked

words of mixed difficulties will be tested as a spelling test. The number of
correctly spelt answers would determine the efficiency of using the flashcard
strategy to spell the vocabulary words correctly. The pre-post tests score
differences will provide an overall view about the effectiveness of the
flashcard strategy used to learn and spell the vocabulary correctly.

5.2 Implementation of the Intervention

The intervention for the use of flashcard strategy to learn vocabulary will be
carried out in few phases. This strategy will

Based on three simple comprehension texts, I will give a spelling test of 25

randomnly picked words (mixed level of difficulties) at the pre-test level. I have
The number of correct answers will determine the students ability to spell the
words correctly. The scoring marks and range would be : 0-12 scores (fail),
13-19 scores (pass) and 20 -25 scores (excellent) to mastered the words
using the flashcard strategy. This will be followed by introducing the flashcard
strategy. The students will read the texts and underline the unfamiliar words.

The duration of the pre-test and post-test implementation will be two months
time. The pre-test will be carried out in the mid of February 2018 and the post-
test will be commenced on the mid of April 2018. Hence in two months time
the students will create the flashcards as accordance to their self-learning
phase mode. The students will build their vocabulary skills based on the
flashcard strategy.

The pre-post tests scores’ differences will determine the effectiveness of

using the flashcards strategy to build and expand the vocabulary skills among
the students.

5.3 Intervention Implementation

The pre-test scores from the spelling test were attained based on 25 selected
words from three comprehension passages. The scores of the pre-test was
calculated and tabulated. This is followed by the post-test (spelling test).

The duration of the intervention phase was two months. The flashcards
strategy was introduced as the intervention teaching strategy to learn
vocabulary correctly.

Upon the matured period of two months, the post-test was implemented. The
25 selected words given during the pre-test phase were repeated in the
spelling test. The students were unaware of the repetition of spelling test
words as the data was collected after two months of the intervention phase. In
the two months time the students were using the flashcards pertaining their
self-learning mode.

The pre-post tests scores’ differences will determine the effectiveness of

using the flashcard strategy to learn vocabulary among the students.

5.4 Analyses of Research Intervention

5.4.1 Observation Analysis

Based on the observation method upon conducting the flashcard strategy, the
students were able to put more effort to create flashcards as own self-learning
initiative taken to memorise and spell the vocabulary words correctly. During
the MUET lessons the students were able to spell the words using the
mnemonics techniques too. For instances ‘awek+struk’ = awestruck.

The students were mere confidence to use the words built on the flashcards
confidently during the essay writing process too. I have noticed that half of the
three quarter of the students had developed their vocabulary skills to boost up
their confidence level to spell the words during the MUET lesson without
being hesitating.

The impact was the students engage lively during the lesson however a
handful of them were keeping quiet due to inability to inculcate the vocabulary
skills successfully.

5.4.2 Analysis of Pre and Post Test

The Spelling Scores of Pre-Test and Post-Test results had provided further
input about this study’s major analysis.
Table 1 : The results of Spelling Scores of Pre-Test and Post Test

RESPONDENT PRE-TEST POST-TEST SCORE

(R) SCORES SCORES DIFFERENCE

1 15 20 6
2 18 21 3
3 7 13 6
4 17 22 5
5 4 15 11
6 7 17 10
7 17 22 5
8 15 20 5
9 15 21 6
10 18 21 3
11 10 20 10
12 16 20 4
13 18 21 3
14 13 20 7
15 8 14 6
16 6 12 6
17 11 19 8
18 12 19 7

The findings in Table 1 had reveal that there is a big difference in students’
pre and post test scores. The spelling scores had increased as compared to
before using the self-learning flashcard strategy among the students. The
number of failures at the pre-test were 8 and the number had dropped
tremendously to only 1 after the post test. 3 out of 8 who had failed at the pre-
test level had the difference scores of 10-11 marks at the post-test. On the
other hand, 3 out of 18 students who had a passing scores of 18 marks at the
pre-test had only improved 3 marks (post-test) in spite achieving the excellent
level. In addition, 7 out of 18 students who had scored pass at the pre-test
had achieved the excellent level (post-test) scores.