THE USE OF COLOUR CODES TO IMPROVE THE SUBJECT VERB OBJECT IN

CONSTRUCTING SIMPLE SENTENCES AMONG LOWER PRIMARY PUPILS

MUHAMMAD HASEEF BIN ZAINAL ABIDEEN

jajabinx8@gmail.com
BAINAH MUSTAFA
bainah@ipda.edu.my

ABSTRACT

Colour codes is a useful tool in enhancing pupils’ experience of learning language.

Writing has a significant effect towards the language development especially in the
context of second language learning. Colour codes was used to improve the pupils’
writing development particularly in the construction of subject verb object sentences.
This action research aims to investigate how the use of colour codes can improve the
competency of subject verb object in constructing simple sentences among lower
primary pupils. The participants in this research comprised of 12 mixed ability pupils.
The collection of data was by using reflective journal, pupils’ work, and semi-
structured interview. This was a 1-cycle-action research based on McNiff’s model
(2013) which encompasses the 5 steps which are observe, reflect, plan, evaluate and
modify. The diagnostic tests had shown that pupils had problems in structuring a
correct and comprehensible subject verb object simple sentence structure. In cycle 1,
the use of colour codes was to clearly classify the components of subject, verb, and
object, and improve their writing of SVO sentence pattern. In the cycle, quite a
number of pupils were able to construct a proper subject verb object sentence
structure correctly. The results had shown that the pupils were able to produce
correct subject verb object sentences as the product of colour codes. In the future, it
is suggested that contextual text and pictures should be integrated into this
intervention to scaffold pupils’ ability in writing.

Keyword: colour codes, subject verb object (SVO), writing, simple sentence