5.

0 IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTION

The purpose of this action research was to improve Year 2 pupils’ pronunciation of words

containing the diphthongs /aʊ/ and /aɪ/ using Fish and Diph Game. The intervention was

implemented after thorough investigation on the problem. It was an alternative method that I

chose because game can engage pupils with the learning.

Intervention: Fish and Diph Game

Fish and Diph Game was invented based on the concept of Fishing Rode game. It provides an

innovative and exciting way to improve pupil’s ability in pronouncing words containing diphthong

/aʊ/ and /aɪ/. Through games, it makes learning fun, motivates students and helps them to pay

attention and stay focused on the subject (Oppenheim, 1984).

This intervention mainly based on drilling. Drilling helps pupils to remember faster. Tice (2005)

states that drilling helps students notice the correct form or pronunciation of a word or a phrase
and these elements is an important stage in developing language competence. My intervention

was made from the recycle items as below:

Intervention Descriptions

This was one of the flash cards I used for

intervention. Overall, there were 10 flash cards

used. Five flash cards containing words with

diphthong /aʊ/ and the other five flash cards

containing the diphthong /aɪ/. These 10 flash cards

were made from a piece of paper. On the flash

card, there was a picture, a diphthong either /aʊ/ or

/aɪ/. The size of the font used was 130. The words

were printed using Cooper Black. This type of font

was chosen because it was hoped that the

participants can see the words clearer when it

pasted on the whiteboard.

This was the fish that I used for my Fish and Diph

Game. It was made from recycled CDs, colourful

shiny papers, ring and the eyes was made from the

fish toys. The size of the font used was 100. The

diphthong words were printed using Arial. There

were 10 fishes made. Each fish had one diphthong

either /aʊ/ or /aɪ/ and one picture that was pasted

on the recycled CDS.

This was the fish pond that I used for my

 intervention. It was made from recycled box. It was

then wrapped with black paper and decorated

using DIY things such as the colourful stones,

stickers, fake grasses and coconut trees. The

fishing rod was bought from a toy game which only

cost RM2.

These were the two boxes I used for categorizing

part. It was made from recycled box. It was then

wrapped with two coloured papers. The green

coloured paper indicated the diphthong /aʊ/ and

the blue coloured paper indicated the diphthong

/aɪ/.

The implementation of Fish and Diph Game is one of the ways to improve my Year 2 pupils’

pronunciation of words containing the diphthongs /aʊ/ and /aɪ/ and at the same time

encouraged them to participate in the teaching and learning process. I carried out 2 cycles for

the purpose of implementation of my intervention. The procedures of using Fish and Diph Game

stated as below:

Cycle 1 Cycle 2

Step 1 Introduction Introduction

 1. Introduced diphthong /aʊ/ and /aɪ/. 1. Reintroduced the diphthong /aʊ/

2. Demonstrated the correct and /aɪ/.

pronunciation of the diphthong /aʊ/ 2. Recall the correct pronunciation of the

and /aɪ/. diphthong /aʊ/ and /aɪ/.

3. Participant was tested individually

based on the pronunciation of the

diphthong /aʊ/ and /aɪ/.

Development Development

Step 2 1. Pasted 10 flash cards on the 1. Pasted 10 flash cards on the

whiteboard. Five cards containing whiteboard. Five cards containing

words with diphthong /aʊ/, and the words with diphthong /aʊ/, and the

other five containing the diphthong other five containing the diphthong

/aɪ/. /aɪ/.

2. Demonstrated the correct 2. Recall the correct pronunciation of the

pronunciation of the 10 flash cards 10 flash cards shown.

shown. 3. Participant was assessed individually

3. Participants pronounce the 10 words based on their pronunciation of the 10

containing diphthong /aʊ/ and /aɪ/ words that containing diphthong /aʊ/

based on the flash cards pasted on and /aɪ/ that was pasted on the

the whiteboard earlier. whiteboard.

Implementation Implementation

Step 3 1. Introduced Fish and Diph Game to 1. Reintroduced Fish and Diph Game to

the participants. the participants.

2. Participants randomly drawlot their 2. Recall the rules of Fish and Diph
 turn to play by picking up picture Game.

badge that was put inside the 3. A participant needs to catch one fish

‘Mysterious Box’. for the first round and another fish

3. Rules to play Fish and Diph Game during the second round.

were introduced. 4. Participant showed his or her

4. A participant needs to catch one fish diphthong and the picture he or she

for the first round. had based on the fish that they caught

5. Participant showed his or her to their friends.

diphthong and the picture he or she 5. That particular participant will be

had based on the fish that they assessed for the correct segmenting,

caught to their friends. correct blending and correct

6. That particular participant will be pronunciation of the words.

assessed based on the 6. Lastly, each participant need to

pronunciation. for segmenting and categorise the correct box of which

blending of the words. diphthong should be put.