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ACTION RESEARCH SUMMARY
RESEARCHER

: CHRISTIE BIN MOH HASSAN

MATRIX NO

: IPGKG/PPG/BI/2011/06/031 (TESL GROUP 1)

PROGRAM

: PROGRAM IJAZAH SARJANA MUDA PENDIDIKAN (PJJ)

PENGAJIAN

BAHASA INGGERIS SEKOLAH RENDAH DENGAN

KEPUJIAN.
COURSEWORK

TSL3133 ACTION RESEARCH

USING FLASHCARDS TO IMPROVE THE PUPILS

UNDERSTANDING OF SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE

Introduction
Language is very important to express something and to communicate with other. As
everybody knows, language is a tool to convey ideas, opinions, and feelings among people by
oral or written ways. One of the languages which are often used in communication is English. It
becomes the dominant language around the world, and more people use English than other
language respectively as an international language. In Malaysia the English language has been
an important role for the country to cater to the needs of a developing country. It has reached
almost all aspect of live in the modern life, in education, business, trade, science and
technology. For this it is important for the people of Malaysia to use good English to
communicate with other people from other country. In order to fulfil the needs pupils in schools
need to start early in mastering the language.
In this research, the researcher used flashcard to improve students understanding on
Simple present tense. The researcher focuses on simple present tense because most of
students were confused in on the use of the suffix s, es and ies in the simple present tense. The
researcher used flashcard because flashcard as one of teaching media is an interesting aid in
teaching to activate the students in learning process and most of them are interested.
This study is a classroom action research that was done in four cycles. The researcher
used pre-test, observation and post-test to collect the data. To analyse the data, descriptive
quantitative analysis is used; it is to present the result of study in the form of descriptive
explanation of students understanding on simple present tense.

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Focus of Research

How does the implementation of flashcard enhances the teaching of Simple Present
Tense?

How efficient is the usage of the flashcards in teaching the Simple Present Tenses?

Objectives

The focus of the study is to look at the use of flash cards as an instrument to enhance
the students understanding of the rules of the simple present tense.

To identify the effectiveness of usng flashcards to improve students understanding of

the simple present tense.

Targeted Group
The research respondents or participants will be 10 students from Primary 5 AF of SK Merotai
Kecil and consist of local students. The school is situated 32km from town and considered as a
rural school because of the problem in water supply and the state of the school basic
necessities. He pre-test was done in the first session and I choose the pupils randomly as my
respondents because they are more from weak to average in the use of the English language.
The 10 students consist of 2 boys and 8 girls. The boys have some problem in writing and a few
of the girls can be considered as weak in the English language subject.

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Figure 1
KEMMIS AND Mc TAGGART
Action Research Model

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Stages in the Research Model
1. Planning
Planning an action research by focusing on who, what, when, where, and how the action will be
done.
2. Action
The planning strategy will be applied in teaching learning process.
3. Observation
Observation is the next step to monitoring and watches closely teaching learning process and
collects the data from result of action. The researcher prepare the observation paper to know
class condition when the action done, then the researcher discuss about the result of
observation, what the problem faced when teaching learning process and look for good solution
to solve the problem. In this phase, the researcher observes and takes notes during teaching
learning process.
4. Reflection
Reflection means to analyse the result based on the data that have been collected to determine
the next action in the next cycle. In this phase, the researcher could observe the activity that
results any process, the progress happened, and also about the positives and negatives sides.
5.1 Procedure Of Study
A classroom action research was used in this research. The method was begun by
question about classroom experiences, issues, or challenges. It was a reflective process which
helped the teachers to change and improve aspects of teaching and learning .There were four
components in one cycle for doing classroom action research. It consisted of planning, acting,
observing, and reflecting. This classroom action research was arranged into four cycles. They
were pre-test, cycle I, cycle 2, and Post Test.

5.1.1 Pre-test
Before planning the first cycle, I had to know the students level of knowledge of the
simple present tense and where students have problems understanding the rules of the simple
present tense. The 20 question pre-test will be made in the first week. Results of 10 students
will be chosen randomly to be respondents for this research. At this stage it is important for me

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to know the issues that the students facing in understanding the rules of the simple present
tense.
5.1.2 Cycle 1
After gathering data and determining the level of the pupils knowledge. I planned a
lesson that incorporates the Flashcards and carried out a lesson with the use of flashcards and
worksheet. Only Ten pupils was selected randomly to become the participants. All of the pupils
in the class received the same worksheet as the ten respondents. This is to eliminate the sense
of being observed by the teacher and makes the session a comfortable session for the
respondents. It made them respond naturally to questions and stimulus or the flash cards.
1.

For the introduction of the simple present tense, I showed daily action words

that are printed on the Flashcards. Pupils will read out loud the words. I will then ask the pupils
what type of words that are shown to them. And their answers are the daily actions. This is to
stimulate their prior knowledge of verbs of daily action. This takes about 5-8 minutes of the class
time.
2.

Then I will show another flash card that shows a pronoun. And ask the pupils to

say it out loud. Then I will hold the flashcard with the pronoun in my right and I will pick a
flashcard with the left hand and hold it next to the pronoun. Then I ask the students to read the
words on the cards that certainly will be a sentence.
Example.

I
She

walk
walk
s

The pronoun and the verb will be changed and if the prefix s or ies is need I just have to turn
the flash card because the flash card was printed with the same words but with different spelling
for a different pronoun. This makes the grammar rule obvious for the pupils to see and
understand.

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3.

This process is repeated for 8 15 verbs. The repetition and the changing of

the words used to form the sentences is good for the students to build a map of the structure of
the sentence that is pronoun + verb to form a simple present tense sentence.
4

The next step was that I gave a worksheet with 10 sentences that the verbs are

omitted from the sentence. Pupils must write the present tense word or verb in the blanks. And
each correct answer will be a awarded 1 mark. At the end of the session pupils hands in their
worksheet and teacher will check their answer. This was done to reinforce students memory of
the targeted tense. During the class session I have asked a colleague to observe the teaching
and learning process. I supplied him with a form to be filled while he was observing me and the
pupils. The respond or comments given will be used to make decisions on effectiveness of the
method of flashing the flashcards towards the pupils and see how to improve the teaching and
learning process for the pupils.
5.1.3 Cycle 2
In cycle 2, I have made changes to my approach in using the flashcards. This cycle I
decided to give the students the freedom to form sentences using the flash cards that I have
printed on an A4 paper to help them form a sentence without the use of books and pens. This
was also to give the students the chance to interact with their peers and form sentences using
flash cards given.
1.

In the beginning of the session I divided the students into groups of 4. Students

that I have selected as respondents are grouped into 3 groups with one group only having 2 of
the respondents.
2.

An envelope filled with small flashcards was then distributed to all the groups.

Pupils form sentences using the small flashcards.

3.

Teacher only observed the groups while they are forming the sentences. I gave

the freedom for the pupils to form sentences using the flashcards and it was motivating for them
since they took it as a game but with the use of flashcards as their tool to form the sentence.
4.

After they finished forming the sentences, the pupils read their sentences a

loud. The pupils then copy the sentences that they have formed into their exercise book.
5.1.4 Post Test
The Final step was post-test, a post-test was given and the questions are different from
the pre-test that was done on the first session before the use of the flashcards in teaching the
simple present tense. In this post-test the questions are different to eliminate the chances of the
students remembering the answer to the question rather than understanding the rules of
grammar that was the focus of the research. The questions have the same quantity as the pretest so that the result can be seen clearly.
Referring to the data from the pre-test and observation of the pupils understanding of the
Simple Present Tense before the use of Flashcards which have been done inn the previous
chapter, showed that the percentage of wrong answer was 47% percent and 53% correct

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compared to the post test results shows the increase of correct answer from 53% to about It
can be summed that the pupils are below average in the understanding of the Simple Present
tense. The researcher concluded that the pupils need improvements by using the flashcards
method.

Findings
After the 1st cycle and cycle 2 was done, the results of the post-tests shows that the pupils
improved their understanding of the simple present tense. This can be seen in the increase of
correct answer from 53% to 75% overall. It proves that the Pupils were improving.
According to the data from result of tests and observation of teacher on the
understanding on Simple Present Tenses after the use of flashcard which have been done and
analysed in the previous chapter, it showed indicators that the use of flash cards to improve the
students understanding on Present Continuous Tense was effective. It could be seen that using
flashcards in teaching Present Continuous Tense was more interesting to the students. Flash
cards could reduce students feeling of boredom, and stimulated pupils who have low motivation
in learning the English language. there was an improvement on students score Even after the
first cycle. The Use of the Flashcards was proven effective even only in one cycle.
The repetition of the use of flashcards may help the pupils to master the simple present
tense and any other grammar item if it use to perfection and this supports the By using teaching
aids that is the flashcards, it is known for pupils can draw a map in their mind of the rules of the
grammar item by determining the rules by themselves for the low proficiency students, if it is
done frequently, according to the behaviourism theory of learning by Pavlov, Thorndike
and Watson, provided teachers with sets of principles to be implemented in the class room.
the understanding of the simple present tense was increased significantly after the
treatments using the flashcards. It is proven by comparing the percentage of wrong and correct
answer in the Pre-Test and the Post Test. This showed that flashcards really could improve the
pupils understanding of the Simple Present Tense.
Based on the findings of the research, I concluded that, The implementation of flash cards to
improve students understanding on the Simple Present Tense are;
a. The improvement of the learning tools for teaching improved by each cycle as the use of the
flashcards in every cycle performed was appropriate in order to make the pupils interested in
the learning of Present Tense.
b. The use of the Flashcards motivates the pupils to discuss in groups when they are assigned
to form sentences using the flashcards in cycle 2. This helps to get passive pupils to involve
themselves in interaction with their peer to obtain information and learn the rules of the tense

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from them. The involvements of the pupils in the activities are crucial because it shows that the
pupils effort to understand the rules of the Simple Present Tense. Referring to the peer
observation form, the observer commented on the high interaction and participation of the pupils
in the activities done in their class holds their attention to the learning process.
c. The use of the flashcards to improve pupils understanding on teaching Simple Present Tense
could be applied by using more methods and more creative activities such drilling, playing
games using the flashcards, guessing games of the base words and more. The understanding
of the teacher on the method used and focus of the language that was used in the session with
the pupils to achieve the goal or objective of the lesson.
d. The use of the flashcards gives a good idea of the sentence structure of the simple present
tense. The pupils were able to form a mind image of the rule. Even when the flash cards are
jumbled up, the pupils were able to form sentences. the teacher doesnt have to explain the
rules every time and this makes the teacher as an observer rather than a walking rule book.
This was supported by the comment in the peer observation form.
Chapter 8
Suggestions
There were some suggestion for the students and the English Teacher. The suggestions
were as follows:
Tenses are known to be the most difficult subject, the use of flashcard in teaching
learning was an interesting tool because it could attract the pupils interest. It is easy to
memorize the material and motivation the pupils in learning the English Language. English
teacher should create activities for teaching and learning process as an enjoyable and fun
session, because students loved to play around Pupils or young learners are known best to
learn something quickly when they are enjoying themselves.
I suggested to the teachers to use flash cards as teaching aid. Teachers can use
several flashcard in any subject, they can choose the appropriate flashcard that are appripiate
with the material. They can find the flashcard by buying them, make them themselves, student
can help make them or by downloading the flashcards from the internet. There are thousands of
site that supplies flashcards to help teachers teaching the English Language.
Tenses are important subject to be learnt. But, most of students have difficulties in
learning tenses because there are some tenses in English and there are no tenses in the
Bahasa Melayu. Therefore, Teachers need to intensify the use of flashcards in learning the
English grammar and should develop pupils knowledge by giving grammar activities using
interesting media such as flashcard because flashcard can attract the students interest and
motivation in learning process. And most of all it is easy to obtain and manage since the ICT can
help by flashing the words on powerpoint slides.
Students in SK Merotai Kecil have the motivation in learning, but there were limited
facilities such as limited library collection and there was no language laboratory. The School
management should prepare and design the material based on the students need and their

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competence. School also had to provide interesting learning environment to the students such
as providing language laboratory and teaching media such as Projectors.