Nik Amir Syahir bin Nik Abdullah Research Proposal

Using Visual Aids in Teaching ESL

1.Introduction

In teaching and learning English as a Second Language (ESL), one of the challenges is to make sure the students understand the message that the teachers are trying to convey. Without understanding, there will be communication break-down which will contribute to unsuccessful learning process. Arguably, ESL students are said to encounter this problem because of their limited vocabulary acquisition. Without vocabulary, we cannot communicate effectively. Therefore, it is necessary for teachers to find a way that will reduce this problem. For so long, students in Malaysia have been thought to use dictionary to translate the meaning of words that they do not understand and then memorise the words. However, according to Chitravelu, Sithamparam & Teh (2005), using visual aids such as blackboard drawings, charts, photos, flashcards, and realia are very effective in conveying meaning. As for teachers, teaching with the helps in the form of visual materials not only makes what you have to say more comprehensive to your students, they can make it more interesting as well (Porter & Margaret, 1992, as cited in Davidson & Abebe, 2012). Furthermore, Wright (1976, p 13, as cited in Davidson & Abebe, 2012) mentioned that visual aids used to motivate the student to speak, to create a context with which his speech will have meaning; to provide the student with information to use in speech, including objects, actions, and events; to provide the student with non-verbal clues for manipulation work and to provide non-verbal prompts to dialogue reproduction or to dialogue invention. From this information, it can be understood that visual materials will enhance students understanding towards English language.

Nik Amir Syahir bin Nik Abdullah Research Proposal

2.Problem Statement

Currently, in Malaysia, the main issue of English education is the low level of the language proficiency amongst the students. One of the factors that contribute to this problem is that the students failed to understand the language.

3.Rationale

From this study, a new teaching will be able to have an insight of how we can use visual aids in our teaching session. It will serve as a source for new teachers to learn on how to use visual aids to enhance their teaching based on an observation of an experience English teacher in a Malaysian classroom context. This research will provide the teacher with some recommendations to help students to understand English language better during the process of teaching and learning by introducing the use of visual aids in the classroom context. This is in part of the national effort in improving the proficiency in English language amongst the Malaysian, which we are deemed to be lacking of. It is important that any teaching styles that has potential in enhancing students understanding been addressed for the benefits of national education system.

4.Objective of the Study The objective of this study is to observe and learn how a senior teacher uses visual aids during the classroom lesson.

5.Research Question a) How does the teacher use visual aids to enhance students understanding of the English lesson? b) What are some of the common visual aids used by the teacher during the lesson? c) How has the materials helped teacher to deliver the lesson more effectively?

Nik Amir Syahir bin Nik Abdullah Research Proposal

6.Literature Review

7.Methodology

Research Design This study is a qualitative study that observes how a senior teacher uses visual materials to aids his/her teaching. The reason for using qualitative methodology is that the means of gathering the data is more incline towards descriptive data.

Participants Participants will be an experienced primary school English teacher that currently is teaching at Sekolah Kebangsaan Kenyalang, Kuching. Experienced teacher means the teacher has been teaching for more than five years.

Instrument There will be two instruments to collect the data: a) Observation: A series of classroom teaching observation will be arranged with the teacher according to his/her scheduled. It will be conducted for 2 weeks. During the observation

b) Interview session: The interview question will take around 20 minutes per session. The session will be after the classroom observation. However, this can be change to suit the participant schedule. Throughout the interviews, the participant will be asked some questions related to the use of visual aids in the previous classroom observation. These interviews are intended to obtain participants point of views regarding to this topic.

Nik Amir Syahir bin Nik Abdullah Research Proposal

Procedure The teacher will be informed that they will be involved in an observation to find out how he/she uses visual materials during the teaching and learning session. They will be told that this is only for this study purpose and any of the teachers actions during the class will not be exposed outside of this study context.

Data Analysis

8.References

Abebe, T.T. & Davidson, L.M. (2012). Assessing the Role of Visual Teaching Materials in Teaching English Vocabulary. Language in India, 524-552.

Chitravelu, N., Sithamparam, S., & Teh, S. C. (2005). ELT methodology: Principles and practice (2nd ed.). Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan: Oxford Fajar.