UPSI Digital Repository (UDRep)
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UPSI Digital Repository (UDRep)
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| Abstract : Perpustakaan Tuanku Bainun |
| The aim of this investigation was to study the effects of scaffolding in improving students' essay
writing especially narrative writing in a Form Five classroom. The scaffoldings utilized for this
study are brainstorming, mind mapping and group work. The objectives of this study were to minimize
errors in pupils' essays. Next, the study also seeked methodologies on how pupils could drive ideas
to write an essay that were in line with the given topics. Finally this study was to create an
awareness and liking towards essay writing among the pupils.
The theoretical framework for this study encircled around the use of collaborative or cooperative
writing. The use of this framework was essential as the participants were of average level and they
need all the assistance that the participants could get. This was also closely connected to next
theoretical framework founded by Russian Psychologist Vygotsky. Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal
Development or ZPD banks on group work where the better members of the group assist the weaker
members. This is because weaker pupils are able to function beyond their ability if they are given
the needed assistances. Besides that, brain storming and mind mapping were two other types of
assistance that the weaker pupils need in order to extract ideas from the group members and mind
mapping before writing out the essay with fewer errors.
The samples of this study were intact groups from two different form five classes where one class
was assigned to the researcher to teach English and the other to another teacher. Therefore, no
random selection took place. The samples consisted of 42 pupils of 17 years of age. The samples
were both male and female of Indian and Chinese race. The samples were from low and middle income
family whose level of English was of above average and average. The group that the researcher took
was termed as experimental group and the other group was the control group.
As this study was a quasi-experimental study the methodology for this study comprised instruments
that were. of pre test, followed by treatments for grammar topics, the use of brain storming and
mind mapping to get ideas for the essay and finally a post test. The data were collected from the
pre test, from two narrative essays and finally from the post test. Then error analyses for all the
essays were done and the data were tabulated to indicate the number of errors done for each grammar
topic taught. The data were analyzed qualitatively by commenting on the errors. A comparison was
also made by looking at the error analyses from the pre and post tests. Besides the essays
qualitative analyses were conducted towards the effects of group work, brain storming and mind
mapping. The data were graphed to facilitate understanding.
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