Calorx Teachers’ University, Ahmedabad Action Research

The emergence of Action Research in India:

In the early Seventies an American Educationist by name Stephen M Corey visited India and
disseminated the concept of Action Research. He attempted to integrate Research and Classroom
teaching. Usually researches are confined to Post-graduate Department of Education in Universities
and rarely reach to the level of high-school teachers. Being fully aware of the limitations of an
average teacher in understanding sophisticated Research-methodology, he introduced a new system
called Action- Research. Many of the problems faced by teacher require immediate attention. He
cannot look for remedy or solution in Research journals because these may not be easily accessible
or he might lack the necessary knowledge in interpreting the findings. Such on-the-spot research
aimed at the solution of an immediate problem is known as Action-Research.

Difference between Conventional Research and Action Research:

Conventional Research is rigorous study. The sample size is greater. It helps the researcher to form
broad generalizations. Hence, the outcome of such research is applicable to broad mass.

Whereas Action Research is less rigorous and more concerned with the immediate needs of a class-
room teacher. This, basically, is to help the teacher to improve the standards of his / her class room
teaching – learning process. Hence, it is confined to one grade or a class that too mostly regarding a
particular subject.

Advantages of Action Research:

o It enables the practitioner to convert the findings of conventional research into actual
implementation.
o It equips the teacher with research attitude and research practices that can prove fruitful in
making teaching-learning process more and more qualitative.
o This up dates the teacher with real picture of the class and help him / her to refine the
teaching – learning process

Limitations of Action Research:

o Its finding cannot be applied to broad mass.

o As the teachers are not trained researcher or qualified researcher, they may find difficulty in
conducting Action Research in terms of forming appropriate strategies as well as to identify
the effective tool to collect the required data and also in analyzing the collected data.
o It becomes difficult for a teacher to conduct it as it requires individual attention and time to
implement the strategies.
 Calorx Teachers’ University, Ahmedabad Action Research

Step: 1 Rationale: (How have you come across this problem?)

This problem was observed during the evaluation of the mid-term exam. Reflecting the class room
discussions too, the teacher has realized the problems faced by the students in expressing with
correct sentence patterns.

Step: 2 Statement of the Problem:

Example: The students of Class V are finding difficulty in writing sentence patterns correctly in
English Language.

Step: 3 Probable Reasons of the problem: (Here, teacher will analyse the mistakes done by the
students in their mid-term exam performance. Also prioritize the reasons. The reason you find the
most prevalent in the class, set the first priority for it. You may find the other reasons too but not
prevalent more)

1. The knowledge of sentence pattern is weak. / There is lack of knowledge regarding sentence
pattern.

2. Students have very less practice of listening and speaking English.

3. Students make mistakes in Complex Sentences.

Step 4: Strategy Planning:

Sr. Probable Reasons Strategy Planning Implementation of Strategy

No
1 The knowledge of sentence Teacher will explain the 1st Period- Teacher will
pattern is weak. / There is different sentence patterns; explain Affirmative Sentence
lack of knowledge regarding Affirmative Sentence Pattern, Pattern and Negative Sentence
sentence pattern. Negative Sentence Pattern, Pattern with the help of chart.
Imperative Sentence Pattern,
2nd Period – Teacher will
Question Sentence Pattern,
explain Imperative Sentence
Exclamatory Sentence Pattern
Pattern and Exclamatory
Sentence Pattern with the help
of Flash Cards
3rd Period – Teacher will
explain different patterns of
different question sentences
with the help of PPT
2 Students have very less Teacher provides enough Teacher assigns them the
practice of listening and practice to reinforce the following Home work:
speaking English. knowledge of different
sentence patterns in English Read News Paper /
Language. Magazine / Story Book / Text
Book and collect 10 sentences
for each pattern. And prepare
 Calorx Teachers’ University, Ahmedabad Action Research

charts for the same.

Sr. Probable Reasons Strategy Planning Implementation of Strategy

No
3 Students make mistakes in Teacher will first explain the
Complex Sentences.
Total Period Required:
difference between Simple
Sentence, Compound sentence
and Complex Sentence.
4th Period: Teacher will
explain the difference between
Simple Sentence, Compound
Sentence and Complex
Sentence.
5th Period: Teacher will
conduct an activity in which
she will distribute the whole
class in three teams.
She / He will provide a news
paper / magazines or any
Stories and will ask the
students to identify 30
sentences in terms of their
patterns.
Teacher will assign the
homework to the students to
go through their own
notebooks and identify their
own mistakes and also to
correct them.
5 Periods

Step: 5 Reflections and observations while implementation of the strategies (Period wise and
activity wise too):

First Period: Teacher will elaborate his/ her experience during the implementation of the first
strategy.

Likewise, the teacher will elaborate his / her experience for the rest of the periods and activities of
home work too.

Teacher will also elaborate his / her reflection on the activities conducted or homework given.

Step: 6 Evaluation:

Teacher can evaluate the learning of the students for the same in any kind of evaluation mode. For
example; through paper-pencil test, oral, discussion etc.

Step : 7 Follow up:

Teacher records the result of the evaluation and analyze how much the problem is solved. He/ She
also conducts the follow up session to clarify the mistakes done in the evaluation.