Effectiveness of Task-Based Reading Activities on Vocabulary Learning and Retention to

Grade VI Pupils. 

Classroom-based study

Presented to

Policy, Planning and Research Division

Misamis Occidental Division Office

Oroquieta City

Proponent

Medorie Rafallo
Teacher 3 
Context and Rationale

Providing reading activities is an old school approach but still an effective way both in

learning to read with mastery and improving comprehension performance of grade school pupils.

Undeniably learning to read is an important educational goal, it has been the basis of

academic success since reading is considered one of the most basic skills every child has to

acquire regardless of intellectual levels. 

This has been strongly supported in the study of  Mahdizadeh, M., & Aminafshar, N.

(2018) which has been cited by Fazeli (2010) when he mentioned the importance of reading in a

civilized world. He further believes reading has been an eminent skill in this globalization and

technological age. 

It is the skill that has effect on the success in every academic area and academic

disciplines. Learning to read is an important educational goal. For both children and adults, the

ability to read lead to new worlds and opportunities. It makes us able to gain new knowledge,

enjoy literature, and do everyday things that are parts of our modern life including reading

novels, newspaper, instruction manuals, maps and so on.

Reading has been a constant advocacy in every learning entity and it has been considered

the most important skill and competency that have to be addressed well in the Department of

Education before any other else due to the reason that everything starts in reading.

Task–based reading activities are of crucial value today, and consequently learners’

proficiency is more important than their abstract knowledge of language rules. It seems that

learners’ familiarity with task-based reading activities may increase learners’ proficiency.

Since vocabulary is a very crucial part of learners understanding of what he reads this has

to be addressed first. Effective vocabulary instruction is fundamental to ensure learners retain

new vocabulary knowledge. So it means to say teaching techniques in vocabulary acquisition has

to be find a solution. So in other words learning a language is not possible without learning its

vocabulary.

Learning the vocabulary of a language and its appropriate use is one of the most

important  aspects of learning that language. In other words, learning a language is not possible

without learning its vocabulary. In fact, vocabulary learning is at the center of language learning,

so, great attention should be paid to the issues related to vocabulary teaching and learning (Hasan

Abadi, 2003). In contrast to grammar, vocabulary has been neglected in teaching. Traditionally,

vocabulary has been taught through other skills but grammar has been taught as a separate

module (Mcdonough & Chaikitmongkol, 2007). Also, one of the main obstacles that L2 learners

face with in vocabulary learning is the number of words they need to acquire in order to be fluent

in L2. Teachers may understand this need but may not know how to support their students in this

endeavor. Therefore, there is a need for research that helps to recognize learning tasks that

provide opportunities for L2 vocabulary learning (Derakhshan & Khodabakhshzadeh, 2011).This

particular study investigated the effect of task-based reading activities on vocabulary learning

and retention of Iranian intermediate EFL learners. Recently, task-based language teaching has

gained special attention in every language teaching context and the Iranian context is not an

exception. Like many other fields of study, Iranian scholars have focused on the hot topics of the

day and have conducted a wealth of empirical research across various fields of study. Nahavandi

(2011) investigated the effect of task-based activities on EFL learners' reading comprehension

and suggested that reading comprehensioncan be improved by using TBLT, especially

information-gap, opinion-gap, reasoning-gap and problem solving tasks, when students have part

of the information that another student does not have, they try to
fill the gaps of their understanding by sharing their ideas and to solve the problems they face in

answeringcomprehension questions. Nahavandi and Mukundan (2013) focused on task-based

language teaching and investigated the effect of task-based cycle in reading comprehension

classes. The results of the study showed that applying the elements of task-based cycle affected

students’ reading comprehension positively. Keihaniyan (2014) investigated the effect of post-

reading questions on vocabulary learning.The results indicated that there is a high correlation

with reading comprehension and incidental vocabulary learning. Iranmehr, Erfani, and Davari

(2011) investigated integrating task-based instruction as an alternative approach in teaching

reading comprehension in English for special purposes. The study involved 75 and 65 students

majoring chemistry at Damghan University and Shahrood University of Technology,

respectively. The researchers found that task-based instruction could have a significant effect on

improving the ESP reading comprehension of Iranian university students.

There is no ambiguity in the 21st century that English has become a universal language,

and 21st-century learners have to learn the third language in order to become globally

competitive or not at least at par with other countries.

Many studies have focused on the exposure of pupils to reading activities to achieve the

oral fluency of the children. The majority of these studies were conducted outside the country.

However, very few studies can be read regarding the effect of task based reading activities on

vocabulary learning and retention in the Philippines. Hence, this study will be conducted on the

pupils in the Philippine setting.   

Action Research Questions 

 In this study, the researcher will use task-based reading activities on vocabulary learning

and retention of  Grade 6 pupils of Gumbil Elementary School (GES) during the school year

2020 – 2021. The study answered the following specific questions:

1. What is the pupils' level of vocabulary learning and retention before and after the task-

based reading activities?

2. Is there a significant improvement in the pupils' vocabulary learning and retention before

and after the use of task-based reading activities?

3.  What are other improvements observed among the pupils after the use of task-based

reading activities on vocabulary learning and retention of Grade 6 pupils?

Intervention

 Enhancing learners' vocabulary learning and retention  has always drawn the attention of

both learners and especially teachers. Becoming a more fluent speaker of English is a very highly

ranked goal among learners of English. The learners should bear in mind that becoming a fluent

speaker of a language is a gradual process that requires a lot of persistence and practice.

With the ability to read and speak fluently and understand its contents, it is easier for

them to understand the lessons (Auzar, 2013). In the field of elementary oral reading instruction,

educators from varying theoretical perspectives have strived to promote instructional practices

that work with diverse populations of students, with differing conclusions (McIntyre, 2013).

Teachers also establish guidelines and practices that produce a literacy-rich environment. Then,

they provide readers with multiple instructional strategies to use in their classrooms, along with a

checklist indicating when to position the instructional technique (Fair, 2013).

         The pupils' vocabulary learning and retention will be assessed before the conduct of the

intervention through a pretest. The teacher then gives the intervention to the pupils for two
months. After the intervention, a posttest will be conducted to assess the vocabulary learning and

retention of Grade 6 pupils in Gumbil Elementary School. The following are the steps:

1.          Reading the story by the teacher

2. Letting the student underline what word they do not understand in each sentence of

the story.

3. The teacher will present 7 vocabulary words from the story and let the pupil find the

meaning in the dictionary

4. The Teacher will explain the word and guide the pupils in using the word in a

sentence.

5. The pupil will answer the multiple choice comprehension questions made by the

teacher.

Action Research Methods

Participants of the Study. The participants of the study will be the 19 Grade 6 pupils of

Gumbil Elementary School, Tudela District, Division of Misamis Occidental.

Data Gathering Methods. Given this intervention activity, the researcher will ask

permission from the Schools Division Superintendent before the study's conduct. To determine

the effectiveness of task-based reading activities, the teacher will utilize a structured activity

made by the teacher.  After the administration of the pretest, the results will be analyzed to

determine the pupil's performance in vocabulary learning. 

 A 28-item teacher-made test was utilized to measure the Grade six pupils' vocabulary

learning and retention  in the pretest and posttest. The score will be computed based on the

DepEd. Mean Percentage Score (MPS).

           The MPS result in the pretest and posttest will be used to describe the pupils' mastery

level based on the following scale and verbal description for analysis.

Range Mastery Level Description

96%-100%                                                 Mastered

86%-95%           Closely Approximating Mastery

66% -85% Moving Towards Mastery

35%-65% Average

15%-34%                                                      Low

5%-14%                                                      Very Low

0%-4%                                                         Absolutely No Mastery

       B. Focus Group Discussion (FGD) of Teachers. The researchers used these questions to

teachers who were part of the conduct of the study, as stated below:

1. What is your observation of the vocabulary learning and retention of the pupils?

2. How did the use of task-based activities will help improve the vocabulary learning and

retention of Grade 6 pupils.?

          

Data Analysis Plan

         The study will  employ the following data analysis plan:

      Mean and standard deviation will be the statistical tools to be used to describe the pupils'

vocabulary learning and retention. 

      T-test will be used to compare the significant difference in the pupils' vocabulary learning

and retention before and after the intervention's conduct.

       Thematic Analysis will be used to report the interview transcripts' common themes and the

teachers' and parents' observation of their children's vocabulary learning and retention.

      Action Plan for Effectiveness of Using Multimedia in Enhancing Pupils’ Oral Fluency

Objectives/ Time Persons Expected/

Strategies/Activities Remarks
Targets Frame Involved Output

A modified
Develop an Use of Task-based task-based
Increased
intervention Reading Activities on Teacher, reading
Year vocabulary
program based Vocabulary Learning pupils, activities on
Round learning and
on the results of and Retention in the parents vocabulary
retention.
the study intervention program learning and
retention.

Improve the Use the intervention

Improved
performance of that emerges from the Increase
Teacher, performance
Grade 2 pupils conduct of the research Year level in
pupils, on
in oral such as task-based Round vocabulary
parents vocabulary
communication activities using activity retention
retention
skills sheets.
 In-depth
Conduct Encourage co- teachers INSET
knowledge Teachers use
colloquium to to use the task based LAC Teachers
of the said strategy
co-teachers reading activities Session
strategy 

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Cost Estimates

Computer / Laptop ₱15,000.00

Reproduction Cost     1,000.00

Office Supplies       500.00

₱26,500.00

Appendix A

Task-based technical vocabulary teaching in the experimental group Lesson plan 1 Topic: Modern
Persian Literature The sample lesson presented in this study belonged to lesson 1: Modern Persian
literature. One of the objectives of this unit was to teach the students the technical vocabularies related
to the topic in English using the Task-based approach. This lesson contains the pre-task, the task and the
post-task phases. Pre-task 1. In pre-task phase in order to activate students’ schemata the teacher asks
questions based on the topic of the reading passage. For example: - Who can talk about the history of
literary tradition? - Can anyone name some of the famous poets of that time? - What was the style of
traditional poets? 2. Look at the text and try to guess the meaning of following words. Don’t worry if you
do not understand them. Context will help you to understand the meaning of the word. The impact of
western civilization, which began to affect life in Iran in the course of the 19th century, did not leave its
solid literary tradition untouched. 3. Cooperative dictionary use: A group work based on trying to work
out definitions of words. Students go through the new words in pairs and have dictionaries at their
disposal to check meaning.

During tasks 1. Negotiation of meaning: Divide the class in to A and B groups of between 5 students per
group. They sit facing each other. Each group has the word with definitions; they try to ask each other. A
asks: what is the meaning of literary tradition? B replies: literary beliefs, customs, and styles A asks:
what is the meaning of poetical expression? B replies: the way a poet uses to show his feelings, opinions
2. Information-gap task: Student A would have the vocabulary words written on strips of paper and
student B would have the definitions of those words. Working together, they pair words and definitions
to learn new vocabulary. Student A student B Adaptability The ability to adjust Wage To begin and carry
on a war Genuine original, real 3. The teacher writes three new vocabularies on the board and then
describes the meaning of one of them; students in group should guess which word is described and say
aloud the correct one. 4. Guessing: What is it? After you hear the teacher's description, try to figure out
what is described and write down on the paper. Then the teacher asks groups to check the correct
answer. For example: Person acting as one’s substitute or representative (deputy) 5. Matching: students
work in groups. In the blank they should write the correct letter to match items on the right colum 1.
Amateur ……. a. a very skilled person 2. Nationalism…… b. the roles of pattern and sound in poetry 3.
Prosody…… c. the ability to change so as to be suitable 4. Court….. d. an artist who is not paid for his art
5. Prose…… e. love for one’s own country 6. Adaptability….. f. poetical expression g. the official home of
a king or queen h. written language in its usual form

Post-task 1. Read the text again and find the vocabularies which seem problematic to you. Then ask
teacher for help. 2. The teacher considers students performance on different types of tasks and finds
problematic areas to be worked or practiced. 3. Fill in the blanks. 1. The rules of pattern and sound in
poetry are ……………. 2. Although he′s only an/a ………….. , he′s a first class player. Lines, structure,
prosody, constitution, intellectual, attitude, Amateur, waged, vicissitude, poem 3. Britain is governed
with unwritten ……………. . 4. A few of Iran′s …………… participate in Persian literature Conference. 5. A
battle was ………… against the enemy. 6. Literature has important role in political and social …………….. of
nation.

7. The ancient……………… of Persian literature was changed in the course of 19th century. 8. The writer
composes ………….. . 9. Western civilization caused fundamental change in the …………. of the poet
toward his art. 10. In court poetry, most of poet works on traditional …………. . 4. Fill the appropriate
word in each column. poetry, wage, vicissitude, innovatively, remarkable, constitution, poetically,
western, attack, genuine, evolve, entirely, verb Noun adverb adjective