Title Page

Project USAP

(Utilizing Improvised Speech Laboratory in Attaining Oral Language Proficiency in English)

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 Table of Contents
Context and Rationale...............................................................................................................................3
Research Questions...............................................................................................................................3
Significance of the Study.......................................................................................................................4
Scope and Limitations...........................................................................................................................5
Method.......................................................................................................................................................5
Type of Research...................................................................................................................................5
Sampling Method...................................................................................................................................6
Proposed Innovation..............................................................................................................................6
Instruments............................................................................................................................................7
Data Collection Procedure....................................................................................................................7
Ethical Considerations..........................................................................................................................8
Data Analysis.........................................................................................................................................9
Work Plan..............................................................................................................................................9
Analysis..............................................................................................................................................9
Plan and Requirements.....................................................................................................................9
Design...............................................................................................................................................10
Development.....................................................................................................................................10
Testing..............................................................................................................................................10
Deployment......................................................................................................................................10
Upkeep and Maintenance................................................................................................................11
Cost Estimates......................................................................................................................................11
Plan for Dissemination and Utilization..............................................................................................11
References................................................................................................................................................12
Appendices...........................................................................................................................................12
A. Instrument/s.............................................................................................................................12
B. Consent and Assent Letters.....................................................................................................12
C. Declaration of Anti-Plagiarism and Absence of Conflict of Interest....................................12
D. Scanned copy of Landbank ATM card..................................................................................12

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Context and Rationale

COVID-19 pandemic has brought a huge challenge among students and educators. Two

years ago, where face to face classes is still in used, teachers already have a difficulty in

enhancing the oral language proficiency of learners due to varied external factors like noise.

Then, suddenly teachers have to shift their teaching strategies from face-to-face modality to

distance teaching modality. Problems arise continuously since not all students can afford to

attend online consultation with their English teachers. The two-year distance teaching and

learning has resulted to poor monitoring of students’ oral language proficiency.

Rayla and Sonsona (2022) revealed that Senior High School students lacked transitional

words to connect ideas. Students are also having problems in elaborating their ideas for they

cannot directly supply apt words and thoughts. The study also showed that learners have minimal

eye-to-eye contact with the audience when tasked to speak in public. Moreover, low tones,

pronunciation, and articulation of words are not that good. The study recommends that teachers

and school administrators may develop a suitable compendium of activities for these students to

practice better in harnessing their oral skills. Teachers are encouraged to give them drills and

exercises geared toward mastering these oral language skills for them not just to be equipped but

to be able to communicate effectively and attain academic success.

In lined with giving drills and exercises, Krishna (2021) mentioned the importance of

language laboratory in developing language skills. She said that language labs should exist

within the school premises. It gives a chance to work on individual needs, which are not dealt

with in a traditional classroom setting. It strengthens the learner’s fundamentals of the language,

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that is, a language’s grammar and sound system. She also concluded that language lab aims to

engage students in overcoming the mother tongue influence and developing their communication

skills.

On the contrary, putting up a real speech laboratory in a public school set up is not that

easy. One of the notable reasons is the insufficient classrooms. According to the Department of

Education, P1.08 trillion is needed to address the shortage of classrooms nationwide in the next

three years. This figure accounts for 110,954 classroom shortages; 85,524 replacements of

classrooms scheduled for condemnation/demolition; and 46,125 classrooms for the Last Mile

Schools (Hernando-Malipot, 2021). This only entails that improvisation of classroom or even

laboratories are undoubtedly important to cater the learners’ needs.

In the present context, the incoming grade 11 students for school year 2022-2023 are

deemed in need of further follow up for they are products of two-year distance learning modality

where English oral language proficiency is very difficult to monitor. This prompted the

researcher to conduct the study on the utilization of improvised speech laboratory in attaining the

English oral language proficiency of the selected grade 11 students of Assemblywoman Felicita

G. Bernardino Memorial Trade School.

Research Questions

This study aims to utilize the improvised speech laboratory in attaining oral language

proficiency in English of selected grade 11 students for school year 2022-2023.

Specifically, it aims to answer the following questions:

1. What are the difficulties of the selected grade 11 students in terms of oral

language in English as perceived by the oral communication teachers?

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 2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the improvised speech laboratory?

3. What modifications can be made to improve the improvised speech laboratory?

Significance of the Study

The result of this action research will be beneficial to the following group of

people:

Department of Education. The results of this action research will give an

overview to the department on the importance of putting up a speech laboratory in

public schools.

School Principal. The study will open an avenue for the school principals

to strengthen the wide use of the improvised speech laboratory not just in senior

high school but also in junior high school.

Teachers. The utilization of the improvised speech laboratory will help

the teachers conduct remediation among learners who have difficulty in English

oral language with ease since external noise will be reduced.

Students. The utilization of the improvised speech laboratory will enable

the learners practice oral language proficiency in English without the influence of

their mother tongue since the learning environment suggests an inviting

atmosphere where they can express themselves.

Future researchers. This action research may serve as a basis for other

researchers who may want to further investigate the utilization of improvised

speech laboratory in improving the oral language proficiency of the senior high

school students.

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 Scope and Limitations

The research will be conducted among selected grade 11 senior high school

students and oral communication teachers at Assemblywoman Felicita G. Bernardino

Memorial Trade School, school year 2022-2023.

Only grade 11 students who have poor oral language proficiency will be part of

the study. Students who already possessed the necessary skills in speaking will no longer

be required to attend remedial sessions where improvised speech laboratory is utilized.

Method

Type of Research

The researcher will utilize quantitative research design specifically descriptive

research method. Descriptive research method…. In the study…

Sampling Method

The researcher will use non-probability sampling specifically purposive sampling.

This sampling technique selects participants based on certain criteria. In the study, only

grade 11 students who were diagnosed to have poor oral language proficiency in English,

and teachers who are handling oral communication in context will be part of the study.

Proposed Innovation

The Improvised Speech Laboratory (ISL) is a corner where both the

teacher and the student can comfortably conduct remedial sessions in oral

communication. The ISL is located at the senior high school computer laboratory where

there is a cubicle specifically designated for speech apparatus usage. The apparatus

includes computer monitor where students can watch the pronunciation drills, headset

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with microphone where teachers can listen to students’ oral language exercises and a web

camera where students can see themselves to mirror their gestures during speech.

Instruments

The research instruments which will be utilized in the action research are the

following:

Rubrics. The speaking rubrics will be used to assess the current state of the oral language

proficiency of the target participants.

Questionnaire. The researcher made questionnaire will be utilized to identify the

strengths and weaknesses of the improvised speech laboratory.

Data Collection Procedure

The researcher will send a request letter for the approval of the action research to

the Schools Division Office thru the School Principal of Assemblywoman Felicita G.

Bernardino Memorial Trade School. When the request is already granted, the researcher

will immediately communicate with the Oral Communication teachers of

Assemblywoman Felicita G. Bernardino Memorial Trade School, Senior High School

Department for the schedule of action research briefing. Once the teachers already knew

the flow of the study, the grade 11 students will be given oral language assessment to

identify the learners which need remediation. After selecting the participants, the oral

com teacher and the participant will use the ISL for 8 weeks. After the 2-month

remediation, the oral communication teacher will then assess the ISL in terms of its

strengths and weakness based on the month-long experience.

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Ethical Considerations

In conducting action research, there are some important ethical considerations are

needed. There are several types of ethical issues, corresponding to Bhandari, one of these

is an informed consent wherein the participants know the purpose, benefits, risks, and

funding behind the study before they agree or decline to join. Moreover, confidentiality

of the participants is guaranteed that the researcher anonymizes personally identifiable

data and results communication is also considered to ensure the accurate representing of

the outcome (Bhandari, 2021).

Data Analysis

Work Plan

In planning and developing the system, a set of procedures are needed for

improvement. The researcher followed the SDLC (System Development Life Cycle)

method. According to (Gillis, 2019), the systems development life cycle (SDLC) is a

conceptual model used in project management that describes the stages involved in an

information system development project, from an initial feasibility study through

maintenance of the completed application. SDLC can apply to technical and non-

technical systems. So that, the researcher used this method as it has a guide to further

develop the system. This model has seven (7) steps namely: analysis, plan and

requirements, design, development, testing, deployment and upkeep and maintenance.

Below shows the research development in each step.

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Analysis

The first step is the most necessary step in creating a productive system.

Consequently, the researcher defined an existing feasible problem that needs to be

solved. Objectives and resources were also identified. As a result, the researcher

decided to create an automated Excel to help teachers in school forms.

Plan and Requirements

Planning is identifying the resources requirements and allocated time

needed to integrate the system. The researcher provides schedule and define

breakdown of tasks per day. As the project is in progress, the researcher needs to

assure the quality, states the probable errors to be encountered, has an estimate of

project costs, and include an acquisition plan.

Design

The design phase comes after a good understanding of the first two steps.

This step includes the elements of a system, the components and other structural

interface. The researcher used to make design choices for easier access and

understanding of the system.

Development

This step is the concrete construction process after having a full and

demonstrated design for the system. The system was divided into sheets so that

the user can understand easily without confusion and difficulties. Each button will

be guaranteed to function properly.

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 Testing

The system will be tested if there are any errors or bugs will appear.

Testing is important to ensure that the user is satisfied and really understand the

process on how the data they will input is the data that appears as the output.

After testing, immediate correcting will take place.

Deployment

After ensuring that the system is working properly without any errors or

bugs, it will make available for everyone to use. The automated Excel will be

evaluated by senior high school advisers using the evaluation form to verify

successful system completion and correctness.

Upkeep and Maintenance

The researcher will keep upgrading the template of what the school year’s

data. It will be changed better according to the needs of the school.

Cost Estimates

Meals in Development Phase

Researcher:

Lunch & Snacks – PHP 200.00 per day for 50 days

Total: PHP 10,000.00

Consumed Electric Bill – PHP 2,000 for 60 days

Volunteer teachers as a tester and validator of the system.

Snacks – PHP 100.00 per day for 5 days

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 Total: PHP 1, 500 (for 3 person)

Senior high school teachers as evaluators.

Snacks – PHP 100.00 for 55 Advisers (Grade 11 & Grade 12)

Total: PHP 5, 500

Paper and printing costs – PHP 1,000

Total Costs: PHP 20,000

Plan for Dissemination and Utilization

References

Appendices

A. Instrument/s

B. Consent and Assent Letters

C. Declaration of Anti-Plagiarism and Absence of Conflict of Interest

D. Scanned copy of Landbank ATM card

(Indicate branch, account number and 3 sample specimen signatures) - for

proponents applying for funding under PRPF

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