Articulating the English Language through Project Resolute Vocal Training

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

This research-intervention owed its financial support to the Basic Education Research Fund (BERF) of the Department of Education Regional Office V. Language learning is an inevitable tool for acquiring content and participating in communicative processes. English language, through oral means, affects verbal intelligence and is parallel to the reading achievement of the school children. However, oral language engagement in multilingual classrooms has met only a lengthy gap and few gains as shown in the oral reading and class recitations records. This contrasts the true intent of the K to 12 Multilingual Education in the Philippines.

METHODS

Accepting the development challenge, an intervention -Resolute Vocal Training -was set to supplement the English language classes and develop the oral fluency of forty (40) Grade 4-6 learners. This provided the exercise for developing articulators through vocal exercises and oral performance task. Aimed at measuring the success of the intervention, a methodological triangulation was employed. These involved three processes of data gathering: the Student Oral Language Matrix (SOLOM) interview, the result of the Philippine -Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI), and the Performance-Based Assessment which were drawn from the responses of the Experimental Group and compared to the Controlled Group. This quasi-experimental pre-test -post-test two-group research design utilized the independent t-test statistically analyzed through SPSS later on. The Performance Task rubrics utilized the 5-point Likert scale.

RESULTS

The result from the comparison of the means of the SOLOM after treatment for Pronunciation revealed a significant difference of 0.002 still below the margin .05, while the SOLOM after treatment comparisons of means showed 0.044 which is slightly above the marginal point. A complimenting weighted mean for Performance-Based Assessment was found in T-test and Group Statistic analysis.

DISCUSSIONS

The 30-session Resolute Vocal Training intervention is proven viable in responding to the demands of the English Language. Oral fluency deems to meet the communicative language strand in the current Philippine Qualification Framework of Basic Education. This is manifested in the receptive listening comprehension and active learners' metalanguage. The rhythm, pace, articulation and voicing out of thoughts encompassed the communicative competence of an effective eloquent speaker, a necessity for thriving in the 21st century.