USING FLASH CARD (DIRECT TRANSLATION METHOD) TO

IMPROVE SPELLING PERFORMANCES

AMONG YEAR FOUR SIDDIQ PUPILS OF SK. GAMBANG,
KUANTAN.

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION
1.1

BACKGROUND OF THE PROBLEM

The study aims to

investigate the level of the effectiveness of using flash

card (direct translation method) to improve pupils performance in spelling. Spelling has
always been one of the techniques used in schools years since the colonial time but how
affective is this techniques is still doubtable especially in our Malaysia environment.
Adapted from the mainland of England and to the United State, Spelling Bees is one of
the big events implemented even to the state level.
Therefore, this

research is to study

the

effectiveness of emphasizing

word recognition (figural shape) instead of the conventional spelling method. In the old
method, students will have to remember each letter of the words and for this new method
the words are recognized as pictures and they have their own unique figures. Instead of
pronouncing them, the students will give the meaning of each words displayed. The main
idea of this research is to find which is better, emphasizing on pronunciation which had
been carried out in local schools until now or whether the meaning and the understanding
that should be emphasized.

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As Bahasa Malaysia is taught in school with many different approaches and the
latest is the LINUS BM which is implemented for the illiterate students in the primary
school. The same approach is actually conducted in teaching of Bahasa Melayu which is
to introduce the alphabets and then by teaching them to pronounce syllables for instance
B.O, BO, L.A, LA will become BOLA. What is actually the objective of doing so?
It would only slow down the pace of reading as they spell the words by syllables.
Thus, at the end, it will distract the learning of English as some pupils will try to spell
the English words by syllables. The result would definitely weird as not all English words
are worth spelling. For instance, instead of pronouncing buried, it will be an insult if
the students spell the words just like in Bahasa Melayu.
As for English, second language learning had also been studied for many years
but still there is not enough good result of handling the English language acquisition
problem in Malaysia. The differences of the syntax between Bahasa Melayu and English
made the L2 students uneasy to comprehend the meaning of the language. The same
technique used to overcome second language learner will produced different result as
different language has different syntax. Researches in Thailand, India and other countries
cannot directly be implemented in Malaysia because their languages have different
features. Distraction of the first language gives different impact to the second language
and therefore, different community should have different language approach.
After looking through the examination paper format in Malaysia, it is about fifty
percent are testing the pupils or students comprehension. For instance, in MUET
examination, students will have to answer fifty comprehension questions and just by
understanding the meaning would definitely be a good assistance for them to answer the
questions. This is the problem occurs in most rural area in Malaysia. The students have a
very little knowledge of vocabulary and researcher believes that one of the reasons is
because of lack of communications in English among communities. Students only have
schools as place to practice communicating in English.

1.2

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Letters have very abstract look such as numbers. That is why, even in the

elementary school, it is easier to recognize pictures instead of a single letter. Therefore,

the same method of photographic memory recognition is emphasized. Researcher
manages to do a research at school in SK Gambang. Here in Kuantan, where most
of the weak pupils incapable of comparing or recognizing the letter b and d, q, p and w
(and some students also have the same problems to other letters). Dyslexia could not be
the problem for all these pupils since they recognize the rest of the letter. When they are
asked to sing the alphabet, it is easier for them just by remembering since these letters go
in sequence. When asked to name the letter at random, they seem to fail.
The same problem might occur to the secondary students, but in notifying the
meaning. Some students have difficulty to memorize meanings of words that are not
originated from their mother tongue or languages because they have different language
rules and phonetic usage. Bahasa Melayu teachers at primary schools have implemented
the technique of spelling to pronounce words starting form their first day at school. The
problem occurs when the English teacher enters the classroom and the students started to
spell the words as well. At least, Bahasa Melayu has its own approach but there were
none in English.
Therefore, to shift the conventional approach of teaching language, collaboration
of techniques is used to cater this problem. This research is to investigate the
effectiveness of using the Flash Card method which is called word recognition by using
the LCD projector which is used largely in the primary school and combine with direct
translation method

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1.3

AIM OF THE STUDY

The study aims to measure the level of effectiveness of using flash card method

and direct translation to improve students performance in spelling among Year Four
pupils of SK Gambang.
1.3.1

Objectives of the Study

The study revolves around the formulated objectives which are to:
(a)

evaluate the level of effectiveness of using a new idea of combining flash

card and direct translation in spelling.

1.4

(b)

assist the pupils to improve memorizing skill.

(c)

identify pupils opinion towards the technique conducted.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Based on the objectives, the study has formulated questions as follow:
(a)

To what level flash card method and direct translation improve pupils in
memorizing spelling of words?

(b)

To what extent the technique of combining flash card and direct

translation method as perceived by the pupils?

(c)

To what extent pupils enjoyed the intervention program as perceived by

pupils?

1.5

RESEARCH HYPHOTESIS
The researcher believes that the intervention program has a strong impact on

the samples. If the program is effective then there should be a significant different in their
score in the pre test and post test. The null thesis of the study is that there is no difference
in the mean of the pre test and post test;

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H0: 1 = 2, 1 is the mean of the pre test and 2 is the mean of the post test. The
alternative hypothesis of the study is there is a significant different between the mean of
the pre test and post test. The significant level of the study is at = 0.05 (95% confident
level).
1.6

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Vocabulary is the main part of the language that requires the pupils
to memorize so that their understanding of any texts or passages will not be interrupted
and decelerate along their reading thus will disrupt them on answering any
comprehension questions. Many techniques had been implemented but still there were no
exact solution. The researcher believes that findings from the study provide elaborate
and comprehensive input to teachers and language practitioners pertaining to the
significant impact of using flash card method and direct translation for better
improvement in spelling among year four pupils. Then the pupils progress the skills
mastered to taking dictation and later on to writing.
The researcher also hopes that the same technique will be implemented for
Science and Mathematics in English especially to introduce the Science and
Mathematical terms and then introduced to other schools nearby especially to suburban
schools and hopefully will interest more schools to be implemented at district level. It is
hoped too, that the study enables teachers to be more creative to find alternative and
cheaper means to improve pupils performances in language learning.

1.7

LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Generalisations are made based on the following parameters:
a.

The technique is applied continuously to see its effectiveness. Therefore it

should be carried in and on-going basis.

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b.

Teacher will also have to change the pupils perspective of the easiness of
learning or acquiring the language.

c.

The main focus is for the intermediate pupils and weak pupils. Some
school might not have streamed classes and the good pupils with wider
knowledge of the provided vocabulary will definitely stand in the way to
help these targeted pupils to be more independent.

d.

Many English teachers do not agree of teaching an English classroom

in Bahasa Melayu (translation method).

Hence, generalizations of the research are also made based on the findings
collected from 34 intermediate and low proficiency respondents of year four pupils in
SK. Gambang. Collection of data is done cross- sectionally for both quantitative (pre test
and post test) and qualitative (questionnaires) while the intervention program is done
longitudinally, a period of 10 hours for five consecutive weeks. As the researcher

is

unable to conduct a two-group experimental design, measurement of effectiveness is

confined to the comparison within group and not between groups.

1.8

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
The implementation of the study is based on the following operational definition

of terms:
1.8.1

PowerPoint
PowerPoint is software that is widely used all around the world. Created by

Microsoft, it is user friendly and can be easily used. It also can be operated under
Microsoft Windows or Apples Macintosh. The PowerPoint utilizes as assistance for any
presentation mostly used during courses and tutorials.

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1.8.2

Suburban Area Pupils

The

pupils of SK. Gambang in Kuantan is one of the suburban school

area which are consists of settlers and the Matriculation, UMP and UIAM officers. Most
pupils are from Taman Gambang Damai, Kampung Sri Fajar, and Orang Asli village in
Batu 14 and are mostly have a little English background. The intermediate and the weak
pupils are left here in this school. Therefore it will be a quite challenge task for teachers
to help the pupils, not just to get good grade but at least to pass the English paper. The
target pupils of this approach will be thirty-four year four pupils who one of intermediate
and weak level of proficiency.
1.8.3

The Weak and Intermediate Pupils

The

pupils are widely ranged from the

cleverest to the weakest. But

the focus of this technique is for the intermediate and the weak pupils. Implementation
can also be done for the advanced pupils as to enrich their vocabulary but this research is
to help in a long-term target for pupils to get at least a pass in their English paper. One of
the problems perceived by the English teacher is that the pupils do not have the
motivation of acquiring the language and kept emphasizing that English is difficult for
them. That is why, eventually, most suburban area pupils who manage to enter the
university, unable to perform the language as they supposedly have to be.
1.8.4

Word Flash
Word flash or flash card is well known for the primary school pupils

and its effectiveness is undeniable. The collaboration between speech and eyesight will
enhance the pupils memory sensor which is the principle of encoding, recoding and
retrieval of what been flashed to the pupils and at the end will help pupils retention. This
is one of the ways to convert verbal information into mental images. The pupils will not
have to memorize the letter. Therefore, just by flashing the words to the pupils, they will
focus on the meaning instead of their superficial characteristics which obviously
distracting their mental capability

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1.8.5

Direct Translation Method

Communicative strategies refers to potentially conscious plans for solving

what individual presents oneself as a problem in reaching a particular communicative

goal (Faerch and Kasper cited in Brown, 1994, p.118) and considered to be crucial
language acquisition, as well as for effective communication (Riley, 1991). Such
strategies include appeals for clarification and language switches. On the subject of
communication strategy used in children EFL, Brewster (1991) explains:
It is important that teachers of young learners ensure their
pupils begin to learn a range of strategies required to negotiate meaning in
English, for providing feedback to show that they have understood something,
asking questions to clarify understandings or checking details it might be
possible to ask the children afterwards what they needed to say in English but
only knew in their mother tongue. (128)
The strategy of providing teacher translation of clarification will allow pupils
express themselves clearly. The clarification of meaning will ensure pupils
comprehension, a solid, meaningful cognitive based upon which to develop
communicative use of the language.
1.9

SUMMARY
This chapter discusses the background of the problem, objectives, research

questions, operational definition of terms and limitations. It also principally discusses the
importance of using flash card method and direct translation among Malaysian ESL
students and the significant impact of generating ideas to produce correct spelling. The
result perform by national schools had determined a proper research to be made to cater
such problems. This new prototype technique will be a breakthrough of solving the
problem. A good combination of stimuli that induces this technique will definitely help
teachers of suburban areas.