A Proposed Research Project Presented To The Faculty of Graduate Studies University of Saint Anthony

UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY
(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)

City of Iriga
SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH
THE EFFECTS OF HAND-SHAPE-CODING TECHNIQUE (HSC) IN TEACHING

SUVERBA ON SENTENCE CONSTRUCTION AMONG GRADE 7 STUDENTS
OF MANUEL ANDAYA BUSTAMANTE HIGH SCHOOL
A proposed Research Project

Presented to the Faculty of Graduate Studies
University of Saint Anthony
In Partial Fulfillment
Of the requirements in
EDUC 229-Thesis Seminar
JIESEL L. PESITO
MAY 2021
City of Iriga
Chapter 1
THE PROBLEM
English is the current, highly recognized international lingua franca. As the world unites
into a global community commonly engaged by modern technology, the need to use the
English language has become more and more apparent. Today more than any episode in
history, people from different regions of the world are able to communicate fast because of the
favors of technology. Adjacent with a person’s competent use of technology, it has likewise
become essential to hone the skills of speaking or writing effectively in English if one were to
partake in global commerce, especially that English is widely used in business industries and
in education. Moreover, English is learned and studied in the modern world for its obvious
practical importance, i.e. as a means to communicate in the international level and as a means
to optimize one’s access to opportunities in the employment market (Estanislao, 2013).
In the Philippines, English has long been a part of the curricula of varied academic
programs. Curriculum has changed drastically but the learning of English remains intact in the
essentials of any curriculum. With K to 12 coming to fore, English is offered in both the Junior
and the Senior High School curricula. It is also the medium of instruction in teaching other
subjects such as Mathematics and Science, among others. Filipinos are regarded to be among
the more fluent speakers of the English language. This is one of the reasons that fellow Asians
from other ASEAN countries have chosen to study here in the Philippines or resort to learning
English from Filipino mentors.

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Despite the economic benefits of being an English-speaking nation, Filipinos have not
fully maximized its potentials. Studies show that the Filipinos' grasp of the English language is
slipping while other Asians are catching up fast. In 2008, an online article by Karl Wilson in
“The National” revealed that Filipinos scored an overall mean of 6.69 for the macro skills in
English in terms of listening, writing, reading, and speaking. This indicates a rather low profile
at the backdrop of international standards. Historically, the English proficiency of Filipinos has
been consistently stable across 1993 to 2000 before a gradual decline has been reported in
the following years. Even more alarming is the rising percentage of those who are incompetent
in English which doubled from a measly 7% in 1993 to 14% in 2006 (UK Essays, 2013). Anent
the above, grammar is regarded as one of the fundamentals of language. Regardless of any
language, competence in grammar is foundational to one’s ability to communicate in a
particular language. One’s good grasp of grammar implies the ability to send clearer
messages, and the likelihood of being intelligible and understood by others. Moreover, one can
also produce good quality writings with a competent mastery of grammar (Bradshaw, 2013).
In addition to the above, the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum uses the Spiral
Progression Principle in English language teaching. In the spiral curriculum design, key
concepts are presented repeatedly throughout the curriculum, but with deepening layers of
complexity. As such, learning competencies in English are taught at increasing levels of
difficulty and sophistication. This allows the students to progress from the foundational level to
higher levels of language use. Thus, the performance in English of the language learners,
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especially in writing which focuses on subject-verb agreement, is a crucial part in their
language learning as it greatly affects their performance in the succeeding grade levels.
Students have problems in Subject-Verb Agreement because our first language (L1) is
different from English. The tenses of our mother tongue and Filipino language is different from
English that is the reason why the students get confused. The researcher wants to know the
effectiveness of new technique in teaching subject-verb agreement in sentence construction
among Grade 7 students of Manuel Andaya Bustamante High School, Oas North District,
Albay Division. This study would like to cater the needs of the learners and offer teaching
strategy on English teachers. Thus, with this objective in mind, the researcher was prompted to
formulate the theoretical and conceptual framework of this study.
Theoretical Framework
This research is anchored on carefully as well as individually on chosen educational
theories and models of some pedagogical experts, namely: Visual Learning Theory, Explicit
Meta-linguistic approach, Merrill’s Principle of Instruction proposed by M. David Merrill and
Universal Design for Learning Theory by David Ross.
Visual learning theory is defined as the assimilation of information from visual formats.
Visual learning also helps students to develop visual thinking, which is a learning style
whereby the learner comes better to understand and retain information better by associating
ideas, words and concepts with images.

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Explicit Meta-linguistic approach provides predominantly explicit teaching of
language, often in the context of specific visual cues. Once the child has learned a new rule,
some grammar facilitation methods may be used alongside visual templates and explicit
references to the child’s errors, and more context may begin to be added. This approach is
based on the hypotheses that students with primary language difficulties cannot easily learn
grammar implicitly and benefit from explicit teaching of the rules. It is teaching that is focused
on producing specific learning outcomes. Topics and contents are broken down into small
parts and taught individually. It involves explanation, demonstration and practice. (a) Color
coding is frequently used in meta-linguistic approaches. Colorful Semantics (Bryan, 1997)
color codes thematic roles in sentences in order to help children identify thematic roles and
create a variety of argument structures. (b) Shape coding. A related meta-linguistic approach
uses a combination of shapes, colors and arrows to indicate phrases, parts of speech and
morphology respectively.
Merrill’s Principle of Instruction is based on the different ways that learning can be
facilitated. There are four core phases of learning: demonstration, activations of previous
knowledge, application and integration. This theory also involves “scaffolding”, whereby
learners are gradually introduced to more complex ideas and help them achieve the Zone of
Proximal Development.
Universal Design for Learning is a way of thinking about teaching and learning that
gives all students equal opportunity to succeed and t aims to meet the needs of students.
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Figure 1.
Theoretical Paradigm
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Conceptual Framework
This study focuses on the effectiveness of the Hand-Shape Coding Technique in
teaching Subject-Verb Agreement on sentence construction among Grade 7 students in
Manuel Andaya Bustamante High School.
The researcher adopts the input-process-output system of illustrating the conceptual
framework of this study as shown in Figure 2.
The INPUT of the study is the Pre-test and Post-test in Subject-Verb Agreement given
by the researcher to the respondents and the Integration of Hand-Shape Coding Technique in
the lessons, activities and drills of the students.
The PROCESS consists of the experimental method of research using Matched Group
Design. There were experimental and control groups in the study. This study also involves the
analysis and interpretation of data of Pre-test and Post-test results; and Test of Significant
Difference.
The OUTPUT, which is teaching subject-verb agreement using shape-coded materials
that will address the difficulties of students in sentence construction with correct subject-verb
agreement.
The FEEDBACK of this study is the proposed Hand-Shape Coding Technique in
teaching subject-verb agreement on sentence construction will improve the grammar
competence of the students and offer new strategy to the teachers in teaching grammar.
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Figure 2.
Conceptual Paradigm
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Statement of the Problem
This study aims to determine the effectiveness of Hand-Shape-Coding Technique in
teaching subject-verb agreement in sentence construction among Grade 7 students.
Specifically, the study seeks to answer the following questions:
1. What is the performance of the students who were exposed to Hand-Shape Coding
Technique in the pre-test and post-test?
2. What is the difference in the performance of the two groups in the pre-test and post-test?
3. Is there a significant difference between their performance?
4. What are the implications of results to language teaching and learning process?
5. What other learning materials can be developed to support Hand-Shape-Coding technique
in teaching SVA?
Assumptions
The researcher has drawn the following assumptions:
1. The results of this study may serve as a bases for teaching and learning process. It will also
improve the grammar skills of the students especially on subject verb-agreement.
2. Educators may design and develop supplementary learning material to enhance the
grammatical competence of the students along subject verb agreement and create a game-
based interactive activity using HSC technique.

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Scope and Delimitation
This study focuses on the Effects of Hand-Shape-Coding Technique in Teaching

Subject-Verb Agreement (SuVerbA) on sentence construction among Grade 7 students in
Manuel Andaya Bustamante High School.
Null Hypothesis
There is no significant difference between the performance of the two groups in the pre-
test and post-test.
Significance of study
The results of this study may bring various advantages in the strategies and techniques
to be applied in teaching grammar to the students. This will enhance the skills of students not
just in writing but also in speaking with correct grammar.
English Learners. The result of this study primarily benefits its direct respondents. The
learning materials developed will be used during and after the lessons. This will give them an
opportunity to enhance their writing skill with correct subject-verb agreement. Through this
technique, they may find their lesson easy, exciting and enjoyable.
English Teachers. The English teachers may adapt the technique and also the
learning materials to address their learners’ needs and difficulties. This will serve also as a
guide to improve the performance of their students in grammar. It could enable them to devise
some strategies and techniques that would foster understanding of concepts and develop their
grammar skills.
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School Administrators. This will serve as a guide in aiding grammar difficulties of
students and help them in evaluating teachers-students interaction during discussion. It may
motivate administrators of schools to encourage their language teachers to design innovations
in teaching, be it in strategies, techniques or instructional materials which could make
teaching-learning interesting and challenge their intellectual minds.
Researcher. It provides the researcher a new knowledge and experience that would
help her in teaching profession. The findings of this study will motivate her to perform better
and use it to increase the competence of her students in grammar.
Future Researcher. The conduct of this research may help future researchers in their
chosen field of expertise that is relevant to the study. Moreover, possible researchers may
continue this study or may use this as a reference to their research.
Definition of Terms
For a clear understanding of the study, important terms are defined either conceptually
or operationally based on how it is applied on the study.
SUBJECT-VERB AGREEMENT or SVA. Refers to the subject and verb in a sentence
that agrees in number, both must be singular, or they both must be plural. This is one of the
weaknesses in English Grammar Structure of the students.
SENTENCE. It refers to a set of words that is complete in itself, typically containing a
subject and predicate, conveying a statement, question, exclamation, or command, and
consisting of a main clause and sometimes one or more subordinate clauses.

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The SHAPE CODING system was designed by Speech & Language Therapist Dr.
Susan Ebbels at Moor House School & College to teach spoken and written grammar to
school-aged children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). It uses a visual coding
system to show rules for how words are put together in sentences, to develop the child’s
understanding and use of grammar, so that they can communicate more effectively. It includes
use of shapes (syntactic structures), colors (parts of speech) and arrows (tense and aspect).
An explicit way to teach grammatical rules in the area of argument structure, syntax and
morphology. It underlines individual parts of speech with the basic colors of the color pattern
scheme. Red for Nouns and Pronouns, Yellow for Verb, Orange for conjunctions, Pink for
Possessive Pronouns, Green for Adjectives and Blue for Prepositions.
Arrows are added to underlines to denote past, present, or future tense Shapes are
used to differentiate subjects from objects within the sentence. Shapes can also be used to
show the type of sentence (What, How, When, Where), clauses, and phrases.
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HAND TECHNIQUE. The use of hands as an unconventional technique to teach SVA in
writing sentences. The right hand signifies the plural subjects whereas the left hand signifies
the singular subjects.
STUDENTS. The respondents of the study, are the Grade 7 students of Manuel Andaya
Bustamante High School of Oas North District, Albay Division

City of Iriga
Chapter 2
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
Introduction
This chapter presents the research design and methodology. It includes the research
design, the selection of respondents, the methods of data collection, and statistical treatment
use.
Research Design
This study will use of the experimental method of research design. The experimental
method of research is defined by Good as a method or procedure involving the control
manipulation of conditions for the purpose of studying the relative effects of various treatments
applied to members of a sample, or of the same treatment applied to members of different
sample. (Goodman, p. 216)
Therefore, it is a method in one or more variables are consciously manipulated and the
outcome or effect of that manipulation on other variables is observed.
In this study, two groups will be used. One group called the experimental group will be
exposed to the experiment, which is the integration of the Hand-Shape Coding Technique in
City of Iriga
teaching Subject-Verb Agreement on sentence construction among Grade 7 students, while
the other group, called the control group is not exposed to the experimental variable, the Hand-
Shape Coding Technique.
Respondents
Non-probability sampling will be used in determining the subject of this study. Purposive
sampling technique will be used in selecting the respondents. The respondents share the
same characteristics for the study.
The researcher will identify two (2) sections of grade seven students as the respondents
of the study. Each group will have an equal number of respondents.
The schedule of the control group is 8:30-9:30 a.m., Mondays-Wednesdays-Fridays
while the experimental Group will be scheduled at 2:30-3:30 p.m., Mondays-Wednesdays-
Fridays. The researcher did not include in her study the schedule of the two groups as a factor
to affect the performance in learning Subject-Verb-Agreement on sentence construction.
Research Tools and Techniques
Research tools and techniques will be utilized in this study in order to find out the effects
of Hand-Shape Coding Technique in teaching Subject- Verb agreement on sentence
construction of the students are the Pre-test and Post-test, implementation of HSC Technique
and data analysis.

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Preparation of the pre-test and post-test. The researcher will prepare a teacher-
made test to be administered as a pre-test and post-test to the student-respondents. The test
is composed of fifty (50) items and it contains set of sentences to be completed by identifying
and providing correct verb and constructing sentences using the given pictures with correct
Subject-Verb Agreement.
The Experimental Phase. In this stage, the researcher will formally start the
experiment when classes are fully organized. At the start of the experiment, the two groups will
undergo pre-test to know the levels of proficiency for each respondent.
The researcher will introduce the hand-shape coding technique to the respondents
during the lesson, how it is work or how to use it. The materials will be provided and use them
on drills in sentence construction with SVA rules but they are not allowed bringing it at home or
outside the classroom. The students in the experimental group will be exposed to the Hand-
Shape Coding Technique. The control group will be taught by the researcher using the
traditional method, without the Hand-Shape Coding Technique to be used or manipulated by
the students.
The experiment will end after the required lessons were covered by the researcher.
Post-test will be administered. The same procedure as to the conduct, checking and analyzing
of the pre-test will be followed by the researcher to ensure uniformity and validity, as well as
reliability.
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Statistical Tools
The researcher will use different statistical treatment and analysis to analyze the data
collected. The result will be presented and systematically tabulate according to the different
variables included in the study. The statistical tools to be used are:
Percentage technique. Percent simple means “per hundred” and the symbol used to
express percentage is %. One percent (or 1 %) is one hundredth of the total or whole and is
therefore calculated by dividing the total or whole number by 100. The following formula will be
used:
P = N X 100
____________
Where:
P = percentage
N = number of respondents
N = the total number of respondents

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Mean. It is the most common statistic used to measure the center of a numerical data
set. It is the sum of all the values in the data set divided by the number of values in the data
set. The formula is:
The formula use in getting the mean for ungrouped data is:
ẋ = ∑ fx
Where:
ẋ = mean
fx = summation of the product of the frequency score
N = number of scores or cases
The T-test . It is use when comparing the means before and after the treatment. It is
also use to compare the means of the pre-test and post-test. To find the significant difference
between the performance in the pre-test and post-test of the experimental and control group
involve in this study, the t-test provided for by the researcher for testing a difference between
uncorrelated means in two samples of equal size, having the formula:
.
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Where:
t = the t-test
X1 = the means of group 1
X2 = the means of group 2
SS1 = the sum of squares of group 1
SS2 = the sum of squares of group 2
n1 = the number of observations in group1
n2 = the number of observations in group 2
Standard Deviation. To find the standard deviation, this formula will be utilized:
Where:
X = the value in the data distribution
ẋ = the sample mean
n = total number of observations

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A Proposed Research Project Presented To The Faculty of Graduate Studies University of Saint Anthony

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UNIVERSITY OF SAINT ANTHONY

(Dr. Santiago G. Ortega Memorial)

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES AND RESEARCH

THE EFFECTS OF HAND-SHAPE-CODING TECHNIQUE (HSC) IN TEACHING