Yoga Exercise: Tool in Improving Vocabulary in English

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

This research aims to improve the level of performance in vocabulary building of Grade 9 English learners using Yoga Exercise, an intervention program. Morgan (2011] cited in Howard and Johnson 2004) justified that many students are studying with complex physical, psychological, and emotional pressures which lead to poor concentration in study. Likewise, the researcher observed that the Grade 9 second language learners in Calauag National High School had difficulty in vocabulary building. This was proven by the National Achievement results (NAT) in English. In school year 2013-2014, the NAT score was 49.16% while in school year 2014-2015, this decreased to 32.5 %. In response, the researcher conducted this study which taught the process of teaching vocabulary in a non-threatening and interesting way through one yoga exercise and one vocabulary exercise using context clues every Monday and Wednesday of the time frame.

METHODS

Pre-test-Post-test Control Group Design with the experimental group was used. This study was conducted to grade nine English of Calauag National High School in 2016-2017. The English learners were purposively, randomly selected and randomly assigned to the control group and the experimental group. English proficiency in vocabulary is limited only on the 30-item multiple choice vocabulary test made by the researcher. The statistical methods used are: percentage, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, independent t-test, and paired sample t-test. Pre-test and post-test are the instruments used by the researcher.

RESULTS

Based on the findings, the following results show that: Both the experimental group and the control group have nearly equal level of knowledge before they were taught vocabulary. The control group showed little increase in the mean scores (pre-test and post-test). Comparing the pre-test and post-test mean scores of the control group and experimental group show that the score of the experimental group of 11.94 is higher than the score of the control group which is 2.43.

DISCUSSIONS

The researcher concludes that teaching vocabulary using yoga exercise before the lesson is more effective than teaching vocabulary in a static mode. Hence Yoga Exercise can serve as a tool in teaching vocabulary in schools.