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CHAPTER V
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
5.0 INTRODUCTION
5.1 ANALYSIS OF ISSUES AND LINGUISTIC DIMENSIONS RELATED
TO LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING AT TEACHER
TRAINING INSTITUTES AT PRIMARY LEVEL
5.2 ANALYSIS OF SELF-WORTHINESS TO USE THE COMPONENTIAL
DIMENSIONS OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
5.3 ANALYSIS OF TEST SCORES OF EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL
GROUPS
5.4 ANALYSIS OF TEST SCORES OF THE THREE EXPERIMENTAL
GROUPS: A CROSS COMPARISON
5.5 ANALYSIS OF GAIN SCORES OF THE EXPERIMENTAL AND
CONTROL GROUPS ON THE SELECT COMPONENTS OF
COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
5.6 GENDER-WISE ANALYSIS OF TEST SCORES
5.7 MANAGEMENT-WISE ANALYSIS OF TEST SCORES
5.8 LOCALE-WISE ANALYSIS OF TEST SCORES
5.9 ANALYSIS OF THE SELF-WORTHINESS TO ACCOMMODATE THE
COMPONENTIAL ASPECTS OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
5.10 PRAXIS OF REFLECTIVITY THROUGH CASE STUDIES
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
5.0 INTRODUCTION
Analysis is the process of editing, segmenting and consolidation of
data through conceptualizing and graphically representing data so as to reach
meaningful conclusions. It is an ongoing cyclical process integrated into all
phases of the research.
This study titled, “Effect of Reflective Teaching Strategies on
Communicative Competence of Teacher Educands at Primary Level”,
demanded quantitative data and qualitative interpretations so as to address all
pertinent dimensions and trends under the ambit of communicative
competence in English while adopting reflective practices. The data thus
collected have been analysed, interpreted and synchronised with discussion,
in alignment with the set objectives of the study under the following two
sections:
Section A
Analysis of issues and linguistic dimensions related to language learning and
teaching at Teacher Training Institutes at Primary Level with focus on the
development of Communicative Competence in English of Teacher Educands.
Section B
Analysis of the effect of the select reflective teaching strategies in the
enhancement of communicative competence in English of teacher educands
at Primary Level by considering the performance of teacher educands on: The
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
211
Language Test on Communicative Competence, the Self-Assessment Rubric
for communicative purpose, the Strategy Evaluation Proforma, and Case
studies in praxis.
The first section provides a framework to the study raising important
issues and questions about a) the fundamental pedagogy of teaching English
language at the Teacher Training Institute at Primary Level, b) the constraints
experienced in enhancing communicative competence and, c) the need to
acquaint teacher educands at Primary Level with certain reflective practices
so that they could subsequently be equipped to develop their own
communicative competence and the communicative competence of the
student-folk in future.
The second sphere of the analysis intensifies the effect of the select
reflective teaching strategies namely; Concept-mapping, Problem-solving and
Portfolio-writing, in the enhancement of communicative competence of
teacher educands by analysing the test scores of the select sample on the
English language test on communicative competence, by assessing the
observations made by teacher educands on the Strategy Evaluation
Proforma, by comparing gain scores of performance on the four select
dimensions on communicative competence and by analysing case studies in
praxis. Prior to the conduct of the experiment, the perceptions of teacher
educands with regard to their level of communicative competence on the four
components namely; grammatical, sociolinguistic, discourse and strategic
competencies were considered.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
212
The synchronisation of the analysis section indicates a coherent way of
responding to the prime concern of maintaining excellence in our schools with
the enhancement of communicative competence of prospective teachers.
From the setting of high standards in language arts interaction to the
translation of these standards in classroom practices, this chapter offers a set
of unique perspectives on the development of communicative competence in
English. More than that, it provides educators an important basis for
meaningful exchange through offering research-based select reflective
teaching strategies and a conceptual framework for new practices built upon
them.
A schematic representation of the analysis undertaken under the two
specified sections mentioned above is shown in Table 5.1.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
213
Analysis of test scores of the three Experimental groups taken two at a time
Analysis of gain scores of Experimental and Control groups on the four select components of communicative competence
Table 5.1
A Cognitive Gestalt of the Analysis undertaken in the Present Study
SECTION A
5.1
SECTION B
EXPERIMENT ON THE ANVIL: PRE TEST POST TEST NON-EQUIVALENT GROUPS DESIGN
Analysis of issues and linguistic dimensions related to language learning/teaching at Teacher Training Institutes at Primary Level with focus on the enhancement of Communicative Competence of teacher educands
Prevailing status with respect to the attainment of set communicative goals
Constraints experienced
Suggestive alternate modes
Analysis of self-worthiness to use the componential aspects of communicative competence by teacher educands at Primary Level
Grammatical
Discourse
Strategic
Socio-linguistic
Analysis of test scores of Experimental and Control groups taken two at a time
Concept-Mapping vs Control
Problem-Solving vs Control
Portfolio vs Control
5.3
5.4 Concept-Mapping vs Problem-Solving
Problem-Solving vs Portfolio
Problem-Solving Vs Portfolio
5.5
ANALYSIS BASED ON THE STRATIFIED VERSION OF THE SAMPLE:
Gender
Type of Management
Locale of Institution
Gender-wise analysis of test scores of each experimental and control group
5.6 Male vs Female
Management-wise analysis of test scores of each experimental and control group
5.7 Govt. vs Aided
Govt. vs Unaided
Aided vs Unaided
Locale-wise analysis of test scores of each experimental and control group
5.8 Urban vs Rural
5.2
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
214
Analysis of the Self-worthiness to accommodate the componential aspects of communicative competence by Teacher Educands at Primary Level through the Self-Assessment Rubric
Analysis of Case Studies – one from each experimental group
Table 5.1 (continued) REACTIVATION OF SELF-WORTHINESS:
PRAXIS OF REFLECTIVITY:
SECTION A
5.1 ANALYSIS OF ISSUES AND LINGUISTIC DIMENSIONS RELATED
TO LANGUAGE LEARNING AND TEACHING AT TEACHER
TRAINING INSTITUTES AT PRIMARY LEVEL WITH FOCUS ON THE
DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE IN ENGLISH
OF TEACHER EDUCANDS
In the wake of the changed global scenario, there has been a growing
demand for strengthening the communicative competence of prospective
teachers at Primary Level as they are the deciding factors in building a sound
language culture among learners at the decisive age of language acquisition.
But, the investigator’s close interaction with the teacher educands at Primary
Level on several occasions while taking classes on Communicative English
has revealed that the competence in English of teacher educands in general
is very low. In this context, it was deemed essential to analyse the pertinent
issues and linguistic dimensions with regard to the communicative
5.9
5.10
Case from Concept-Mapping group
Case from Problem-Solving group
Case from Portfolio group
Aided vs Unaided
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
215
performance of teacher educands at Primary Level and a) to analyse the
prevailing status of English language learning/teaching, b) the constraints
experienced, if any, in the actualisation of communicative goals through the
prevailing curriculum transaction modes, and c) the suggestive alternative
modes for strengthening the communicative competence of teacher educands
at Primary Level. With these aspects in view, the observations of a mixed
sample of teachers including Experts in linguistics, teacher educators and
school practitioners at various levels were garnered and analysed. The item-
wise responses of the select sample are given below.
Regarding the expected communicative performance in English of
teacher educands at Primary Level (item No.1), the prominent elements
attributed to develop a satisfactory level of communicative competence
among teacher educands as observed by the select sample are listed below.
They are, the ability to:
focus on specific linguistic components;
organize information according to its semantic attributes;
analytically integrate language elements;
design contextualized discourses within the stipulated time limit;
apply problem-solving modes and convey meaning unambiguously;
introspect one’s own communicative ability;
participate in a variety of cognitively challenging writing tasks to
develop their skills.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
216
As far as the general assessment of the communicative ability of
teacher educands at Primary Level was concerned (item No.2), the majority of
teachers observed that the prospective teachers were still at the Novice level
with regard to their acquisition of the grammatical, sociolinguistic, discourse,
and strategic features of language. Most of the teacher educands had
knowledge of grammatical rules but were inhibited in their use in a social
context. This phenomenon may be due to their fear of occurrences of acute
mistakes in their communication which are likely to creep in their day to day
communicative scenario. They were unable to build word relationships which
are essential for generating discourses. They were also cited to have poor
language framework in their daily communications. Only a minority of teacher
educands could be confidently ranked as ‘Advanced’ or ‘Proficient’ with regard
to their communicative capabilities. The select sample of experts reiterated
that the commonly used teaching learning practices (item No. 3) included:
Collaborative learning
Shared readings
Lecture in bilingual modes
Peer coaching
Projects
Seminars
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
217
Focussed discussions, which constitute towards developing active
initiations on the part of learners and the consequent nourishing of
self-direct learning.
A critical assessment was made by the practitioners about the
appropriateness of the prevailing strategies in equipping teacher educands to
employ communication skills in their daily practices (item No. 4). They are of
the opinion that the prevailing activity-oriented modes, though innovative, are
not sufficient to assist teacher educands to: increase their competence in
subject matter; improve their literal and critical comprehension; develop
capacity for engaging in inquiry-based modes; build a language framework
that could make them more conscious of their language processing modes
and to develop reflection that could ensure deeper exploration, enriched
learning, focused introspection, and enhanced communication.
The next area that captures our attention is the set of challenges
confronted by the stakeholders in education in their classroom set up where
English serves as the medium of instruction. The prominent findings in this
respect are given in Table 5.2.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
218
Table 5.2
Encumbrances towards the Development of Communicative
Competence among Teacher Educands
Item No.
Encumbrances Responses of Teachers in %
5. Lack of motivational factors 90%
Dearth of information-gap activities 95%
Paucity of time to provide an open, uncritical environment for learner choice
90%
Weakness of the feedback and revision system to transform both content and expression
91%
Lack of life-related or learner-focused activities 95%
Overuse of mother tongue 88%
Minimal exposure to a framework within which learning can be structured
90%
Lack of flexibility to treat mistakes 80%
Use of multiple models rather than teach one well 85%
The constraints mentioned by experts in the area of the development of
communicative competence among teacher educands included: lack of
activities related to real life situations, dearth of information-gap activities and
an inquiry focused classroom. The weakness of the evaluation system,
overcrowded classrooms, other syllabus requirements and the overuse of
mother tongue too hampered the use of English in classrooms. It was felt that
the lack of a framework within which morphological, syntactic and semantic
elements could be built into too posed additional challenge to the teachers in
the present system of curriculum transaction. It has been found that teachers
in an attempt to develop creativity and inquisitiveness among learners have
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
219
resorted to multiple models leading to fragmentation and lack of overall
understanding of critical aspects of the learning mode.
From the analysis of item No. 6, the constraints experienced by
teachers in their attempt to minimise the problems faced by their learners and
in eventually raising their communicative opportunities were gathered. A
good number of the select sample of teachers (88%) opined that problems
related to the lack of hands-on-experience in a) schematically presenting the
language content, b) in meaningfully using probes that initiate verbal
interactions, and c) in using novel modes that foster reflective thoughts, were
among the major constraints experienced by teachers of a second language
in structuring communicative tasks effectively. They also added that the
pressure of syllabus coverage and parallel assignments seldom gave them
room to create a congenial language learning environment for their learners.
Almost all the teacher educators and school practitioners (85%) reiterated that
systemic constraints like examinations and large class sizes prevented them
from creating a conducive environment for communication. A good number of
them (73%) added that certain cultural constraints characterised by beliefs
about teacher and student role, and classroom relationships stood in the way
of according complete freedom for learners to explore the communicative
task. They also commented that the teacher educands’ low motivation and
unequal ability to take part in independent active learning practices too
caused hurdles in the smooth transaction of the course work. The teachers
admitted that a small proportion of teacher educands are quick in
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
220
comprehending internally but are inept in using language meaningfully in
connected speech or in a social context.
It was also noted by the investigator that teachers themselves were not
very comfortable with the shared inquiry approach to literature and the
reasoning processes used to engage in persuasive writing. Moreover, there
was limited effort to teach linguistic competency.
While seeking the remedial measures for inducting teacher educands
towards an effective communicative culture (vide item No.7), majority of the
select sample of experts (90%) emphasised the need for building an inquiry-
focused environment. The other suggestive comments are presented in
Table 5.3.
Table 5.3
Suggestive Remedial Measures to Strengthen
Communicative Competence of Teacher Educands
Item No.
Thrust Area Response of Experts in %
7. Suggestive measures:
- Opportunities to elaborate upon prerequisites
- Engage in process-oriented learning episodes
- Opportunities for concretizing thinking through appropriate scaffolds
- Involvement in reflective tasks wherein metalinguistic and meta cognitive strategies in language processing are involved
90%
90%
92%
95%
It was observed that in order to strengthen the communicative ability of
teacher educands or learners of English in general, it is essential to open
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
221
avenues for them to integrate previous knowledge, and be moved towards
inquiry-oriented, thought-generating processes wherein appropriate reflective
modes are involved. As a result, the learner builds a self-monitoring
mechanism to discover the relevance of his syntactic and semantic
formulations and steps towards incorporating suitable ones.
In order to identify certain efficacious strategies that could lead towards
faculty development and guide personal inquiry, the select sample of experts
were asked to suggest a few facilitative supports (vide item no. 8). It was
noted that most of them (87%) favoured the inclusion of reflective teaching
strategies like: ‘Critical Incident Analysis’, ‘Concept-Mapping’, ‘Journal
Writing’, ‘Mind-Mapping’, ‘Portfolio-Writing’, ‘Problem-Solving’, ‘Reflective
Discussions’ in second language classrooms.
From among these strategies, all the experts (98%) vouched for the
inclusion of ‘Concept-Mapping’, ‘Problem-Solving’ and ‘Portfolio Writing’ (vide
item No. 9) as each of them has a systematic progression of phases that
could be easily assimilated by novices for better communicative performance.
They are of the view that Concept-Mapping can enable practitioners
visualise the communicative scenario in its interlinking networking background
and in leading towards an identification of major concepts and their significant
minutiae and in obliterating inappropriate information while Problem-Solving,
could lead them towards informed decision-making in problematic situations,
and the finally suggested strategy Portfolio, could enable them to thematize
and maintain a folder of interconnected schemas.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
222
A summative framework of the strengths and challenges cited by the
sample of teachers and experts regarding the role of the select strategies in
developing communicative competence (vide items no. 10 & 11) are given in
Table 5.4.
Table 5.4
An Interpretive Version of the Suggestive Strategies for Developing
Communicative Competence in General
Item No.
Thrust Area Response of Experts in %
10. Strengths:
- Develop a conceptual framework of syntactic practices to incorporate language structures within the classroom set up.
- Integrate sequences of linguistic network based on prior knowledge.
- Conscientize them about their lexical, syntactic and semantic repertoire.
- Foster multiple-level thinking and self-monitoring.
- Develop conducive environment for strengthening specific language competencies like. collaboration, cohesiveness, decision-making and other deliberations for language processing.
92%
92%
93%
93%
93%
11. Hindrances in the pathway of the smooth implementation of the strategies:
- Lack of proper environment to foster thought-generating processes like open-mindedness, trust, wholeheartedness.
- Deficiency of trained personnel to scaffold reflective thinking.
- Non-availability of resources and lack of time.
- Lack of a core of efficient faculty to foster appropriate linguistic competencies.
94%
95%
95%
96%
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
223
The experts are of the view that the select strategies namely, Concept-
Mapping, Problem-Solving and Portfolio-Writing, have an upper hand over the
other prominent reflective teaching strategies in that they can prepare the
essential foreground to incorporate linguistic elements in a more informed
manner. Integration of the linguistic sequence based on prior knowledge,
awareness of one’s own lexical syntactic repertoire, and an enhancement in
higher-order thinking processes are some of the strengths attributed to these
strategies.
Hindrances in the pathway of the smooth implementation of the select
strategies as cited by majority of them (94%) pointed towards the lack of
proper thought-generating environment, deficiency of trained personnel skilled
at promoting reflective thinking, non-availability of resources, paucity of time
and, dearth of a core of efficient faculty to foster appropriate linguistic
competencies.
Opinion about the extent of practice of the set strategies (item No. 12)
revealed that negligible proportion of the sample of teachers were routinely
carrying out these strategies in their daily classroom practices. Practitioners
having higher qualifications and better training are familiar with such
strategies and were using them frequently.
The final session of the interview focused on seeking alternate modes
for setting appropriate environment for promoting the select strategies
namely, Concept-Mapping, Problem-Solving, and Portfolio-Writing. The
prominent ones which need special mention are:
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
224
Incorporation of the schema in the prescribed curriculum framework of
preservice teacher training programme.
Developing ICT resources for the smooth implementation of reflective
teaching strategies.
Outlining appropriate learning packages based on these strategies.
Implementation of a monitoring device to ensure practice of the same.
Timely provisions of inservice training to the practitioners for
acquainting themselves with the recent trends in this field.
Developing district-wise systems of curriculum management that
encourage teachers to employ new materials and techniques, and that
which provide adequate planning time for collaboration between and
among teachers on how best to deliver instruction.
The initial sphere of the interview traced the prevailing status of English
language learning at the preservice training programme and the problems of
communicative competence. It was revealed that the communicative ability of
teacher educands is far below the expected level and in order to strengthen
their capabilities in this regard they were to be exposed to conducive
environments that foster specific language competencies like collaboration,
cohesiveness and decision-making.
Even though most of the teachers are practising reflective strategies for
enhancing comprehensibility and cohesiveness there exists a lacunae in the
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
225
smooth transaction of the same owing to deficiency in exercising these modes
on a regular basis.
The prevalence of such situations compelled the investigator to adopt
the set strategies for developing the desired level of communicative
competence among teacher educands. These strategies can pave way
towards gaining proficiency in applying grammatical rules appropriately, in
formulating syntactic patterns suitably and in integrating language elements
for conveying ideas in language unambiguously.
Certain studies conducted by Hawkey (2006); Bruton (2002); Samuda
(2001) and Stern (1992) reveal that selection of appropriate learning
strategies are a prerequisite for the attainment of communicative competence
among the stakeholders.
Such an exploration by the investigator through a face-to-face
interaction, on the pedagogic aspects of teaching language is likely to
contribute towards raising the awareness of teachers and exponents in the
field of language education to the different meanings and dimensions of
communicative competence by helping them reflect positively on their beliefs
and practices followed in their classroom set-up. As Tsui (2003) has
observed, such reflections are likely to help teachers come to a somewhat
clearer understanding of the different dimensions of language teaching and
learning. The interview results also suggest to the authorities the need for
taking timely steps for the implementation of innovative practices like
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
226
reflective teaching strategies and ICT based resources for ingraining
communicative competence among students.
Thus, the first section of the analysis throws light into the dire need of
refurbishing the prevailing curriculum transaction modes through the adoption
of select reflective teaching strategies.
SECTION B
ANALYSIS OF THE EFFECT OF THE SELECT REFLECTIVE TEACHING
STRATEGIES IN THE ENHANCEMENT OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
IN ENGLISH OF TEACHER EDUCANDS AT PRIMARY LEVEL
In the second section of the analysis undertaken in the study, the effect
of the select reflective teaching strategies, namely, Concept-mapping,
Problem-solving, and Portfolio writing on the communicative competence in
English of teacher educands at Primary Level was ascertained through both
quantitative and qualitative approaches.
As a prelude to the experimental study, the investigator deemed it
essential to gather the perceptions of teacher educands at Primary Level
regarding their own level of communicative ability on the four select
dimensions of communicative competence. This was done because reflection
is believed to begin only through self-reflection of one’s own strengths and
weaknesses (Barbara, 2008).
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
227
5.2 ANALYSIS OF SELF-WORTHINESS TO USE THE COMPONENTIAL
DIMENSIONS OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE BY TEACHER
EDUCANDS AT PRIMARY LEVEL
This section outlines the self-worthiness of teacher educands to use
the prominent componential dimensions of communicative competence
namely, grammatical, sociolinguistic, discourse and strategic features. The
Self-Assessment Rubric employed for this purpose comprised of various
criterion levels of communicative competence ranging from the Novice to the
Proficient levels on four descriptors. The prominent criterion levels for the
different categories were: ‘Proficient’, ‘Advanced’, ‘Intermediate’, and ‘Novice’.
Here, being ‘Proficient’ implied, the ability to communicate with ease
and dexterity; ‘Advanced’ specified, an ongoing movement towards being
proficient but lacking a blend of all the essential attributes required to
communicate effectively; ‘Intermediate’ meant possessing communicative
ability more than the basic level but not yet advanced; and ‘Novice’
represented the lack of ability to communicate in English even at the basic
level.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
228
Table 5.5
Assessment based on Criterion-referenced norms and Dimension-wise
Classification of Communicative Competence among Teacher Educands
Components of Communicative
Competence
No*. of Teacher Educands in %
Proficient Advanced Intermediate Novice
Grammatical Nil 2 23 75
Sociolinguistic Nil 1 15 84
Discourse Nil 1 13 86
Strategic Nil 1 3 96
*No = 327 teacher educands
Table 5.5 elucidates that none are qualified to be termed as Proficient
in all the four select dimensions of communicative competence namely;
grammatical, sociolinguistic, discourse and strategic competencies. This may
be due to the grammatical insensitivity of teacher educands and a failure to
imbibe the essential elements underlying the structural patterns of the
language. These teacher educands are still ‘satellizers’ ; that is, they are
cognitively, emotionally and socially dependent on parent figures to guide
their thinking and are incapacitated to organize, synthesise and sequence
ideas as per the task demands.
The table also shows that only a negligible proportion of teacher
educands (1.2%) could be qualified as ‘Advanced’ on any of the four select
components of communicative competence. The table further reveals that
just a handful of teacher educands could be categorised as ‘Intermediate’ in
terms of the set componential features. The performance ratings on the Self-
Assessment Rubric reveal that the teacher educands under the ‘Intermediate
level’ have the confidence to communicate sparsely with their peers in English
even though they commit several grammatical errors, make inappropriate
lexical substitutions, use umpteen repetitive phrases and ubiquitous sentence
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
229
constructions. Among those who were qualified as ‘Intermediate’ it is noted
that their scores on the prime component of communicative competence –
grammatical – was higher than in the other three components and least on the
strategic component. This result reveals that the select teacher educands
have been exposed to a language teaching mode that has focussed more on
pattern practice and least on developing procedural skills for solving language
problems. Being at the ‘Intermediate’ level implies that these teacher
educands had still to increase a meticulous planning for their written product,
monitor the writing, deduce grammatical rules, and elaborate on personal and
creative prior knowledge and integrate the same for newer language
constructions.
The data in Table 5.5 reveals that the majority of select teacher
educands (87%) at Primary level come under the category ‘Novice’ with
regard to their communicative performance. The teacher educands were
categorised so because they felt least confident in executing language tasks
in English calmly and with self-confidence. Their limited vocabulary
repertoire, insufficient knowledge of phonology, inappropriate development of
oral and literacy skills, excessive reliance on their mother tongue and limited
social consciousness to structure discourse coherently and strategically were
some other pertinent reasons that hindered their communicative proficiency.
They resort to rote memorisation of linguistic features without any language
practice. The differences noted in the performance level of the select teacher
educands through the self-monitoring device is explicated in Figure 5.1
attached.
230
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Proficient Advanced Intermediate Novice
Re
sp
on
ses
(%
)
Level of Communicative Competence
Figure 5.1 Classification of Teacher Educands on the basis of their Level of Communicative Competence
via Adoption of the Communicative Competence Assessment Rubric
Grammatical competence
Sociolinguistic
Discourse Competence
Strategic Competence
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
231
The diagrammatic representation shown in Figure 5.1 indicates that
most of the teacher educands are found to be in the Novice level which
reveals a considerably low level of communicative competence of teacher
educands for their day-to-day performance.
The conclusion that can be drawn in a nutshell is that in order to
develop the communicative ability of teacher educands they need to be
exposed to devices that strengthen their mental processes like planning,
implementing, monitoring, and checking the outcomes of learning. An
empowerment in the comprehension of a second language is imperative to
understand the nature of language as being ‘communicative’. Some studies
based on language teaching (Ellis, 2000; Nunan, 2000) point out that
communicative comprehension can be developed through the adoption of
inquisitive, process-oriented tasks which are mainly meant for generating
thoughts and solving problems in a planned manner.
The results on the Self-Assessment Rubric which was administered
prior to the experimental procedures revealed that teacher educands at
Primary Level experience difficulty in identifying the purpose behind a
communicative task, in formulating multiple perspectives on a given issue, in
stating assumptions behind a line of reasoning and in applying linguistic and
literary concepts appropriately. The result also support the proposition that
teacher educands need to be trained adequately in an advanced reflective
mode that focuses on the pertinent components mentioned earlier. Through
the deliberations with experts, intensified readings and personal experience, it
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
232
was decided to find the effect of the suggested reflective teaching strategies
on the communicative competence in English of prospective teachers at
Primary Level. The results of the Self Assessment Rubric point towards the
urge for the conduct of an experiment in order to find out the extent to which
the suggested strategies would be fruitful in upbringing the language
competencies in the select areas with special reference to the Grammatical,
Sociolinguistic, Discourse and Strategic competencies.
EXPERIMENT ON THE ANVIL: PRETEST POSTTEST NON-EQUIVALENT
GROUPS DESIGN
The effect of the select reflective teaching strategies namely, Concept-
mapping, Problem-solving and Portfolio-writing were ascertained
quantitatively by adopting the experimental procedures for Pre test Post test
Non-Equivalent Groups Design. Out of the total sample of teacher educands
(n = 327) selected for the study, a sum of 200 were subjected to the
experimental study. The selection of subjects to the three experimental and a
control groups were based on the scores of the pre test. Teacher educands
representing the High, Average and Low groups were equally divided to the
four groups. Care was taken to select equitable number of teacher educands
for each group. The first group was made the ‘control’ and underwent
instructions through the prevailing activity oriented classroom transaction
mode, and the other three groups constituted the Experimental groups. The
first experimental group was exposed to concept-mapping treatment, the
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
233
second experimental group to the problem-solving strategy, and the third and
final experimental group to the portfolio treatment.
The pre and post scores obtained through the English language test on
communicative competence formed the basis for ascertaining the efficacy of
the select strategies. Added to these were the responses of teacher
educands garnered through the Strategy Evaluation Proforma and the
re-administration of the Self-Assessment Rubric. In order to have a
comprehensive assessment of the extent to which reflection followed through
the select strategy namely, concept-mapping, problem-solving, and portfolio
writing in a controlled set up could be internalised by teacher educands, Case
Studies were also undertaken and the data in this regard have been analysed
and presented in this chapter.
5.3 ANALYSIS OF TEST SCORES OF EXPERIMENTAL AND CONTROL
GROUPS TO ASCERTAIN THE EXTENT OF ATTAINMENT OF
COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE IN ENGLISH BY TEACHER
EDUCANDS AT PRIMARY LEVEL
This section as specified earlier, presents the analysis and
interpretation of the pre and post test scores of the three experimental and the
control group. For a detailed description of test scores, the data have been
grouped under the following stratifications:
5.3.1 Comparison of the test scores of the Concept-Mapping group and the
Control group using t-test
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
234
5.3.2 Comparison of the test scores of the Problem-Solving group and the
Control group using t-test.
5.3.3 Comparison of the test scores of the Portfolio group and the Control
group using t-test.
Determining the genuineness of the difference in the performance of
groups
5.3.4 Effectiveness of the Experimental treatments in developing the
communicative competence in English (using ANCOVA)
Summary of ANOVA of pre test and post test scores of teacher
educands in the experimental and control groups
Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) of the pre test and post test
scores of teacher educands in the experimental and control
groups
Adjusted means for the post test scores of teacher educands in
the experimental and control groups.
5.3.1 Comparison of the Test Scores of the Concept-Mapping Group
and the Control Group using t-test
To find out the effect that the select reflective teaching strategy namely,
Concept-Mapping had over the prevailing classroom transaction modes in
enhancing the communicative competence in English of teacher educands at
Primary level, the pre test and post test scores of the control group and
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
235
concept-mapping group were analysed using appropriate statistical
techniques in the manner shown:
Pre test Scores of Control group and the Experimental group (Concept-
Mapping): A Comparison
As an initial step to assess the degree to which the select reflective
teaching strategy namely, Concept-Mapping could improve the
communicative competence in English of teacher educands at Primary Level
over the prevailing classroom practices, the mean and standard deviation of
the pre test scores of teacher educands in each group were computed and
the critical ratio was found out. The results of the test of significance are
presented in Table 5.6.
Table 5.6
Results of the Test of Significance of Mean Pre test Scores of
Control Group and the Experimental Group (Concept-Mapping)
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Control 50 7.16 3.23
1.01 Experimental
(Concept-Mapping) 50 6.50 3.33
It is seen from Table 5.6 that the critical ratio (CR = 1.01; p > .05) is not
significant at any level. This shows that there is no significant difference
between the test scores of the control group and the experimental group
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
236
(Concept-Mapping). The result indicates that the two groups were equitable
in their initial levels of performance.
Post test Scores of Control group and Experimental Group (Concept-
Mapping): A Comparison
In order to find out whether there existed significant difference between
the post test scores of teacher educands in the control and the concept-
mapping group, the mean and standard deviation of the post test scores of
teacher educands in each group was calculated and critical ratio was found
out. The details are presented in Table 5.7.
Table 5.7
Results of the Test of Significance of Mean Post test Scores of
Control Group and the Experimental Group (Concept-Mapping)
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Control 50 8.80 3.33
5.87 Experimental
(Concept-Mapping) 50 14.12 5.48
The critical ratio obtained on comparing the mean post test scores of
the control group and the concept-mapping group reveals that there exists
significant difference between the mean post test scores of the two groups
(CR = 5.87; p < .01). Concept-mapping group with a mean post test score of
14.12 was superior to the control group whose mean post test score was
8.80. That is, the teacher educands who were exposed to the select reflective
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
237
teaching strategy, namely, Concept-mapping, showed significant development
in their level of communicative competence over their counterparts in the
control group exposed to the prevailing teaching modes.
This positive trend noted in the performance level of teacher educands
exposed to the concept-mapping strategy may be due to the improved
cognitive framework assimilated by the teacher educands when exposed to
the specific phases of concept-mapping namely, ‘Exploration’, ‘Bridging’,
‘Context-guided Integration’ and ‘Evaluation’.
The reflective teaching strategy Concept-mapping has enabled teacher
educands to go through the syntax of the strategy in four phases as detailed
below:
Through the first phase of this strategy, namely, ‘Exploration’, the
teacher educands were being equipped to a greater extent to focus on
relevant language themes by following a systematic pattern of comprehending
the lexical terminologies used, the syntactic patterns employed and cues
adopted for structuring the discourses.
The second phase of the select strategy namely, ‘Bridging’, was
assisting them to rely on their previous schemata and confidently construct
ideas through a divergent line-of-action. They were being sensitised to
discern the suitability of the discourse constructed and proceed to devise
appropriate ways of internalising linguistic patterns.
The third phase of the strategy, namely, ‘Context-guided Integration’
could provide necessary algorithms to establish meaningful relationships
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
238
among the concepts generated and check its suitability in the wider
framework. They could discover the intricacies involved and enhance the
activation of contextually relevant information and thereby develop an
interlinked network of meaningful associations of linguistic elements.
The fourth and the final phase of the strategy namely, ‘Evaluation’ has
enriched their self-monitoring capabilities and the development of a proper
language framework within which they were being capacitated to:
re-examine the processes employed;
hypothesise the possible combinations of language elements;
infer cause and effect relationship;
concretise prominent language elements;
interlink hierarchically and generate newer streams of conceptualised
elements;
analyse the dimensional aspects of the language task;
reconsider the appropriateness of the grammatical cues employed; and
extract summarised versions meaningfully.
As a conclusion to the syntactic version of concept-mapping, it can be
stated that the select reflective teaching strategy has empowered teacher
educands of this group to conceptualise language elements required for
effective communication and gain the skill to process grammatical
components in an automatic manner. As noted by the investigator through
participant observation modes, the teacher educands of the concept-mapping
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
239
group have shown active trends in hierarchically clustering language
elements, in subsuming compartmental themes, in developing lexical
terminologies and have moved towards the production of language in a skilled
manner as expected of them.
In order to assess the praxis of the concept-mapping strategy in their
daily classroom interaction, the self-evaluation of the appropriateness of the
strategy was gathered through the Strategy Evaluation Proforma, the details
of which are given in Table 5.8.
Table 5.8
Self-Evaluation of the Appropriateness of the Concept-Mapping
Strategy towards Strengthening Language Competence of
Teacher Educands at Primary Level
Observations
Responses of Teacher Educands in %
To a greater extent
To some extent
Not at all
1. The concept-mapping strategy has helped me greatly to focus clearly on the lexical, syntactic, and semantic meanings of the language text.
96 4 -
2. The strategy has helped me to sequence events in a meaningful manner so as to address the task requirement in its totality.
98 2 -
3. I am able to identify topic sentences of discourse and refurbish it with supporting details.
87 13 -
4. It helps me in my search for devising appropriate substitute terms and in thus building meaningful units appropriate to the social context.
80 20 -
5. It has helped me to visualise concepts in a divergent mode and capture the essence of the matter conveyed.
89 11 -
6. The Concept-mapping strategy has enhanced my competency for the effective use of language especially in situations demanding specific clarifications and collaborations.
89 11 -
7. It has exposed avenues for facilitating re-examination of the emerged discourses.
80 20 -
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
240
Table 5.8 (continued)
8. It allows me to learn at my own pace and also to see how my learning differs from my peers.
80 20 -
9. It has refined my study skills and patterns of thinking.
88 12 -
10. It has provided innovative modes of executing language tasks and in upgrading the learned task.
82 18 -
11. Exposure to concept-mapping strategy has opened the way for meaningfully integrating language tasks and in strengthening vocabulary and sentence patterns with firm grammatical background.
80 20 -
The responses gathered through the administration of the Strategy
Evaluation Proforma throw light into the extent of impact the select reflective
teaching strategy – concept-Mapping – has had on teacher educands in
developing the essential language competency. It was found that though
initially these teacher educands had difficulty in retrieving lexical terminologies
for positional processing and for constructing discourses with grammatical
accuracy, after being exposed to the concept-mapping strategy they have
shown a positive inclination towards the learning of English language. Almost
all the teacher educands (90%) exposed to concept mapping were of the view
that this strategy has helped them to consciously focus on the syntactic and
semantic features of language, sequence the ideas in a hierarchical mode
moving from the most important idea to the subordinate ones, in devising
appropriate substitute terms, in capturing the essence of the matter conveyed
and in acquiring the skill for re-examining the emerged discourses much more
than their usual practices.
As a concluding remark towards establishing the effectiveness of the
Reflective Teaching Strategy namely, Concept-Mapping, on the
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
241
communicative competence in English of teacher educands at Primary Level,
it can be stated that the select strategy is superior to the prevailing classroom
practices in the conceptualisation, integration, and development of language
processing tasks.
The results of the concept-mapping strategy reveal that teacher
educands are greatly benefited when they are led through meaningful learning
modes that can create powerful language frameworks onto which the
language elements can be subsumed and syntactic patterns can be placed.
This finding is in consensus with the findings of Brandsford (2000) where they
found that concept maps could help develop these habits of mind:
To look for the pivotal ideas in the text;
To become sensitive to or aware of ambiguity, irony, and nuances in text;
To be able to recognise an author’s ‘voice’ and how it is achieved;
To put forward their own ideas about the text supported by textual
references;
To appreciate the power of syntax;
To develop a life-long love of reading;
To appreciate the multiple pathways to pursue meaning and arrive at
solutions.
It is realised that the curriculum material provided to teacher educands
should have richness, complexity, and literary merit that provides issues,
themes, and ideas that are meaningful. With literary habits of mind as guiding
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
242
beacons, prospective teachers can be helped to make classroom decisions
that are truly world class.
5.3.2 Comparison of Test Scores of the Problem-solving Group and the
Control Group
In order to find out the effect of the select reflective teaching strategy
namely, Problem-solving, over the prevailing activity-oriented modes adopted
in the Teacher Training Institutes for enhancing the communicative
competence of teacher educands, the pre test scores and post test scores of
the two groups were computed statistically. The results of the data gathered
in this regard are presented as shown.
Pre test scores of the Control and Experimental group (Problem-
solving): A Comparison
To find out whether there is any significant difference between the
experimental group (problem-solving) and the control group of the total
sample in their pre test scores, the mean and standard deviation were
obtained and critical ratio was found out. The data and results of the test of
significance of the difference between the means are given in Table 5.9.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
243
Table 5.9
Results of the Test of Significance of Mean Pre test Scores of
Control Group and Experimental Group (Problem-Solving)
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Control 50 7.16 3.23
0.59 Experimental
(Problem-Solving) 50 6.80 2.89
The critical ratio (CR = 0.59; p > .05) indicates that there is no
significant difference at any level. This shows that there is no significant
difference between the control group and the problem-solving group in their
pre test scores. The results reveal that the two groups were equitable in their
initial levels of performance.
Post test scores of Control Group and Experimental Group (Problem-
Solving): A Comparison
To find out whether there is any significant difference between the post
test scores of the control and the experimental groups exposed to the
Reflective teaching strategy, namely, problem-solving, the test of significance
of difference between the means was found out. The details are presented in
Table 5.10.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
244
Table 5.10
Results of the Test of Significance of Mean Post test Scores of
Control Group and Experimental Group (Problem-Solving)
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Control 50 8.80 3.33
6.67 Experimental
(Problem-Solving) 50 14.18 5.02
The critical ratio obtained is 6.67 which is significant at .01 level (CR =
6.67; p < .01). This shows that there exists significant difference between the
mean post test scores of teacher educands in the control group and the
problem-solving group. Since the mean post test score of the problem-solving
group (M = 14.18) is higher than that of the control group (M = 8.80), the
problem-solving group is superior to the control group with regard to the
attainment of communicative competence. So it can be concluded that the
reflective teaching strategy Problem-solving, is more effective than prevailing
Activity-oriented strategies in enhancing the communicative competence in
English of Teacher Educands at Primary Level. The superior performance of
teacher educands exposed to the problem-solving strategy over their
counterparts in the control group may be attributed to the concomitant
features associated solely with the select reflective teaching strategy. The
investigator could experience that the teacher educands while going through
the various phases of the strategy could make mental leaps beginning, from,
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
245
‘Problem Identification’, through ‘Problem-Defining’, ‘Strategy formulation’ and
‘Problem Solution’ ultimately leading to a wholistic vision of the set linguistic
context. Learning through the sequential phases have helped the teacher
educands to a great extent to contextualise the problems by examining the
appropriacy of the syntactic patterns and to arrive at feasible conclusions.
The first and foremost phase of the problem-solving cycle namely,
‘Problem identification’ could enable teacher educands to trace out the
problematic situation and devise appropriate tasks to get a comprehensive
background of what linguistic context is expected of them.
In the subsequent phase, namely, ‘Defining the Problem’, the teacher
educands could focus on specific grammatical components and equip
themselves to make inferences as and when required. The teacher educands
were being armed with the skill to a) state the problem accurately, b) identify
the missing elements, and c) thematise discourses in a full-fledged language
environment leading them towards being precise in presenting suitable
statements.
Through the third phase of the problem-solving strategy – ‘strategy
formulation’, the teacher educands could synthesise the language elements
and establish interrelatedness of those linguistic elements with each other and
with the contextual features. Here, the teacher educands could generate an
assortment of possible mental representations of discourses and select the
most clear-cut representations of the language task. The goal of the task thus
formulated, could help focus their attention to the processing of grammatical
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
246
elements. It could equip teacher educands to select relevant syntactic and
semantic features in proximity with the task demand. A search for diversified
meaning through lexical search enhanced the development of automatic
connections that led to a quantum of lexical inferences.
Through the final phase of problem-solving the teacher educands could
develop competence to assess the relevance of the discourses generated in
terms of:
- grammatical conciseness;
- syntactic accuracy;
- contextual relevance, and thereby develop appropriate insights into
the ‘workings’ of their own language use and re-think about the nature of the
complex cognitive and social phenomenon of language production.
The problem-solving strategy was seen to permeate the cognitive
architecture of language in such a way that teacher educands could reflect to
a certain extent on the way they conceptualised the possible combination of
language structure.
In order to assess the praxis of the problem-solving strategy in their
day to day classroom interactions, teacher educands were made to give their
independent views regarding the suitability of the strategy through a Strategy
Evaluation Proforma. The details of the observations made are given in Table
5.11.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
247
Table 5.11
Self Evaluation of the Appropriateness of the Problem-Solving
Strategy towards Strengthening Language Competence of
Teacher Educands at Primary Level
Observations
Responses of Teacher Educands in %
To a greater extent
To some extent
Not at all
1. The strategy has helped me to formulate relevant questions.
90 10 -
2. The problem-solving strategy encourages reflection at every stage of discourse preparation and creates an awareness of the social milieu in which the communicative tasks get structured.
87 13 -
3. While structuring language usages I am helped to focus on relevant syntactic features appropriate for reducing the complexity of language formulations.
88 12 -
4. The strategy enables me to think deeply of all possible solutions before selecting the appropriate modality.
82 18 -
5. This strategy encourages me to interact with my peers and teachers in fruitful discussions.
82 18 -
6. This strategy makes me focus on the relevance of sentence connectors and discourse markers used.
76 24 -
7. It provides ample opportunities to consider the viewpoints of others.
74 26 -
8. It equips me to have a diversified vision and move towards creative framework and face challenges in a fruitful manner.
80 20 -
9. It has helped me in identifying classroom problems and solve it accordingly by taking into consideration the several causes and the possible solutions to be adopted.
89 11 -
10. It leads me to make decisions regarding the various formulations appropriately.
89 11 -
The responses of the teacher educands exposed to the problem-
solving strategy indicates that almost all of them (88%) were benefited by the
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
248
strategy to overcome their initial hesitations to inquire into something or give
suggestions in language contexts.
The teacher educands opined that the strategy encouraged reflection
at every stage thereby promoting structured and thoughtful intra and inter
communications in language context. While being engaged in a language
task, this strategy helped them to gain clarity regarding the task demand
because they were compelled to focus on the topic sentences. Unlike their
earlier response to a task, an exposure to the problem-solving strategy
enabled them to think deeply of all possible language formulations before
reaching a final conclusion. A desire to seek for clarifications and
consideration for peer remarks were valued by them greatly. What impressed
them most was the creative thoughts that could be explored in their writings
and communicative modes and the ability to make decisions regarding
language functions, and patterns of their use.
Thus, the problem-solving strategy could account for positive changes
in the communicative outlook of teacher educands and behavioural modes,
enabling them to act strategically.
To conclude, the problem-solving strategy empowered teacher
educands as competent communicators through the phased programming of
perplexing language context. It has enabled them to formulate appropriate
linguistic context through the processing of language elements. The pivotal
role that the problem-solving strategy has played in facilitating the
comprehension process and communication in the language have been
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
249
highlighted in the research findings of Donald & Voss (1988); O’Malley (1990);
and Costelloe, Sherry & Magee (2007). In their opinion, teaching novices
especially in language necessarily calls for good problem-solving skills.
Problem-solving skills are central to developing competency as a language
user and yet these skills are minimal among teacher educands at Primary
Level.
The study has revealed that it is essential for teacher educands to
reflect on their language processing modes and develop their meta-cognitive
and independent learning skills. Fekate et al. (2000) acknowledges the
importance of reflection in assisting students develop meta-cognitive skills.
For problem-solving scenario to emerge, it is essential to embed critical
thinking into the teaching of all the language arts so that teacher educands
will be able to:
state a purpose for all modes of communication, their own as well as
others;
define a problem, given ill-structured, complex, or technical information;
formulate multiple perspectives (at least two) on a given issue;
state assumptions behind a line of reasoning in oral or written form;
apply linguistic and literary concepts appropriately;
provide evidence and data to support a claim or thesis statement;
make inference, based on evidence;
draw implications for enacting the same in their day to day affairs.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
250
5.3.3 Comparison of Test Scores of the Control Group and the
Experimental group (Portfolio)
This section focuses on identifying the effect of the select reflective
teaching strategy (Portfolio) and the prevailing activity-oriented modes in
enhancing the communicative competence in English of teacher educands at
Primary Level. For this purpose, the test of significance of difference between
means of the two groups was computed. The analysis done in this regard is
presented as shown.
Pre test scores of the Control group and the Experimental group
(Portfolio): A Comparison
To find out whether there is any significant difference between the
control group following the prevailing activity-oriented strategies and the
experimental group exposed to portfolio strategy in their pre test scores, the
mean and standard deviation of the pre test scores of teacher educands in the
two groups were found out. The data and results of the test of significance
are given in Table 5.12.
Table 5.12
Results of the Test of Significance of Mean Pre test Scores of
Control Group and Experimental Group (Portfolio)
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Control 50 7.16 3.23
0.43 Experimental
(Portfolio) 50 6.88 3.27
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
251
As given in Table 5.12, the critical ratio is 0.43 (CR = 0.43; p > .05)
which is not significant even at .05 level. This result reveals that there is no
significant difference between the mean pre test scores of teacher educands
in the portfolio group and that of the control group. Hence, the groups do not
differ significantly with respect to their initial level of communicative ability.
Post test scores of the Control group and the Experimental group
(Portfolio): A Comparison
The mean and standard deviation of the post test scores of teacher
educands in the control group exposed to the prevailing activity-oriented
modes and the experimental group exposed to the portfolio strategy were
found out. The data and results of the test of significance are given in Table
5.13.
Table 5.13
Results of the Test of Significance of Mean Post test Scores of
Control Group and Experimental Group (Portfolio)
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Control 50 8.80 3.33
4.47 Experimental
(Portfolio) 50 12.28 4.38
The critical ratio (CR = 4.47; p < .01) is significant at .01 level. This
implies that the mean post test scores of the two study groups differ
significantly.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
252
Here, the mean post test score of the Experimental group exposed to
Portfolio strategy (M = 12.28) is significantly greater than the mean post test
score of the Control group (M = 8.80). The select Reflective teaching
Strategy, namely, Portfolio Writing, has a positive effect on the communicative
competence in English of teacher educands at Primary Level.
The superior performance of teacher educands in the portfolio strategy
may be due to the emphasis that this strategy lays on proper sequencing of
ideas, and on presentation in clear unequivocal terms, and the emphasis laid
on appropriate checking and rechecking of prepared text. Being rooted in the
principles of experiential learning, the portfolio strategy enabled learners to
learn language automatically. This mode was beneficial to them while
constructing language patterns in accordance with the social demands.
Moreover, it was observed by the investigator that the varied phases of
portfolio strategy, namely ‘Theme Generation’, ‘Task Analysis’, and
‘Reflection’, could encourage teacher educands to relate language tasks
conveyed in the course book to their own background knowledge and hence
identify the rhetorical and functional intent.
The initial phase of this reflective teaching strategy – portfolio, could
lead them to develop proper grammatical encoding whereby language tasks
get translated into a series of connected words with a result that the most
prominent task element is assigned the major core theme. As the
aforementioned linkage programme get strengthened, learners are assisted in
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
253
the systematic analysis of the task and in assigning deliberate syntactic
functions to the mental lexicon.
The next stage, namely, ‘Task-analysis’ could enable them to infer the
sequence between events, infer missing details and link sentences and
concepts in a logical order.
The ‘reflection stage’ acted as a monitoring device to check their
predictions and thematize discourses by frequently referring to the
appropriateness of context and genuineness of the discussions. Therefore,
the teacher educands benefited in deriving novel predictions about the
processing and framing of sentences in a creative mode.
As a conclusion to the syntactic version of portfolio it can be stated that
the select reflective teaching strategy has reinforced the importance of
revision and in integrating writing with the teaching of content areas. Such
integration as observed by Joyce, Dana, and Linda (1996) could help learners
develop critical thinking skills which is crucial to effective communication.
Studies by Meadows and Dyal (1999); Brown & Irby (2000, 2001);
Wilkerson & Lang (2003); & Barnes, Clark, & Thull (2005) support the role of
portfolios as identified through the results of the present study.
In order to assess the praxis of the portfolio strategy in their day-today
classroom interaction patterns, the self-evaluation of the appropriateness of
the select strategy was gathered through the Strategy Evaluation Proforma,
the details of which are given in Table 5.14.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
254
Table 5.14
Self-Evaluation of the Appropriateness of the Portfolio Strategy
towards Strengthening Language Competence
of Teacher Educands at Primary Level
Observations
Responses of Teacher Educands in %
To a greater extent
To some extent
Not at all
1. The involvement in the strategy has helped me to communicate ideas more clearly, read materials closely, analyse others’ opinions and note down texts more meticulously.
72 28 -
2. I am helped in revising my prepared discourses and focus attention on relevant sentence patterns and paragraph structuring modes.
67 33 -
3. The strategy has enforced a self-directed learning mode and keeps me focused on the communicative task more seriously.
64 36 -
4. The strategy has helped me to analyse the problem context and to thematize my writings according to the task demand.
88 12 -
5. It has created a sense of self-worthiness and a move towards corrections.
51 49 -
6. My inhibition to open up before others has lessened to a greater degree and I can sense a peak in my personal career.
63 37 -
7. I have gained confidence in developing discourses in various genres.
72 28 -
8. The strategy is an additional strategy that can help me get prepared for the presentation of the task with confidence.
62 38 -
9. It is an effective strategy for future planning of classroom activities.
74 26 -
10. The portfolio preparation is not stressful when accomplished in a set group.
72 28 -
The teacher educands in the third experimental group exposed to the
reflective teaching strategy – Portfolio, perceive the strategy to have helped
them improve their communication skills, revise their work and practise self-
directed learning. The portfolio has helped them to reflect on the theme
(88%) and has encouraged self-reflection (51%). Among the respondents,
most of them agreed that the portfolio was useful as an additional learning
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
255
strategy and has helped them greatly in their personal career (63%). Three
fourths of teacher educands expressed an increase in their confidence level
for preparing discourses and composition pieces. The respondents consider
the strategy a best mode to enhance future planning of the language task
(74%) and admit that the task of preparing portfolio would be less
cumbersome when done as a group work (72%).
Thus, both the quantitative data and their qualitative interpretations
reveal the superiority of the portfolio strategy in strengthening the cognitive
faculties of an individual in relation to constructing meaningful discourses and
in leading learners to greater metacognitive insight with a closer awareness of
the social and affective features of learning a language.
The quantified data formulated through the experimental procedures
and substantiated by qualitative assessment through the administration of the
Strategy Evaluation Proforma and timely classroom observations pave way
for reiterating the superiority of the select reflective teaching strategies over
the prevailing classroom transaction modes. The select strategies have given
a furtherance to the construction of apt discourses and develop metacognitive
insights with a closer awareness of the social milieu and with increasing levels
of systematicity and appropriateness.
In order to gain a bird’s eye view on the performance of teacher
educands in the control and experimental groups, a graphical representation
of the mean pre test scores of the groups are given in Figure 5.2 and the
mean post test scores of the groups in Figure 5.3 respectively.
256
6.10
6.20
6.30
6.40
6.50
6.60
6.70
6.80
6.90
7.00
7.10
7.20
Activity-Oriented Concept Mapping Problem Solving Portfolio
Me
an
Sc
ore
Groups
Figure 5.2 Mean Pre-test Scores of the Experimental Groups and the
Control Group
257
0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.00
12.00
14.00
16.00
Activity-Oriented Concept Mapping
Problem Solving Portfolio
Me
an
Sc
ore
Groups
Figure 5.3 Mean Post-test Scores of the Experimental Groups and the
Control Group
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
258
The graphical representations show that the experimental and control
groups were more or less equal with regard to their pre test performance.
However, marked difference in the levels of communicative competence can
be seen in the post test scores of three experimental groups, namely,
Concept-Mapping, Problem-solving and Portfolio when compared to the
prevailing activity-oriented modes.
Genuineness of the Difference in Performance of Teacher Educands in
the Various Groups
The analysis of the pre test scores of the control group and the three
experimental groups showed that the level of communicative competence in
English of teacher educands in these select groups was more or less
equitable and that the random allotment of teacher educands in the
aforementioned groups could be justified. But after administering the select
reflective teaching strategies namely, Concept-Mapping, Problem-Solving,
and Portfolio to the three experimental groups respectively, and permitting the
control group to proceed with the prevailing activity-oriented strategies, it was
found that all the three experimental groups performed better than the control
group in attaining greater levels of communicative competence. Hence, it can
be tentatively concluded that the select reflective teaching strategies are
superior to the control group treatment. But, it cannot be conclusively stated
that the groups differ significantly by just analysing the pre test and post test
scores of these groups. So the results were substantiated using the
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
259
technique of Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) and other relatable statistics.
The analysis done in this regard is given in the subsequent sections.
5.3.4 Comparison of Communicative Competence in English of the
Total Sample of Teacher Educands in the Experimental Groups
and the Control Group – Analysis using ANCOVA
The total scores of teacher educands in the select experimental groups
exposed to the select reflective teaching strategies, namely, Concept-
Mapping, Problem-Solving, and Portfolio-Writing and that of the control group
subjected to the activity-oriented strategies were analysed using the
technique of Analysis of Covariance. This was done to determine the
effectiveness of the select Reflective Teaching Strategies over the prevailing
activity-oriented modes in enhancing the communicative competence in
English of Teacher Educands at Primary Level. The statistical procedure as
specified in Garrett (1981) is given below:
Summary of Analysis of Variance – ANOVA
Summary of Analysis of Covariance – ANCOVA
Calculation of Adjusted Means
Summary of ANOVA for the Pre test and Post test Scores of the Total
Sample of Teacher Educands in the Experimental Groups and the
Control Group
The sum of squares, mean square variances, and F-ratios for the pre
test and post test scores of the three select Experimental groups and the
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
260
Control group were computed and Table 5.15 presents the details of the
analysis done in this regard.
Table 5.15
Summary of ANOVA of the Pre test and Post test Scores of
Teacher Educands in the Experimental and Control Groups
Source of Variation
df SSx SSy MSx MSy
Among Means 3 11 1012.88 3.7 337.6267
Within Groups 196 191 4187.84 10.2 21.37
Total 199 2001.555 5200.72
Fx = 0.36 From Table F, df 3/196
Fy = 15.80 F at .05 level = 2.65
F at .01 level = 3.88
The F-ratios for the two sets of scores were tested for significance.
Since the table value of F for df 3/196 is 2.65 at .05 level and 3.88 at .01 level,
the obtained Fx (0.36) value is not significant at any level of significance. The
Fx value shows that the random assignment of subjects to the two groups,
namely, Experimental and Control, was quite successful. The Fy value
obtained (Fy = 15.80) is highly significant at .01 level because, the table value
of F for df 3/196 at .01 level of significance is 3.88. The analysis of variance
of the ‘y means’ indicate that, there exists significant difference between the
Experimental groups and the Control group.
For correcting the final y-scores for the difference in the pre test
scores, the adjusted sum of squares and adjusted mean square variance for
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
261
post test scores were computed and F-ratios were calculated. ANCOVA was
used for further computations. The results are given in Table 5.16.
Table 5.16
Analysis of Co-variance (ANCOVA) of the Pre test and Post test Scores
of Teacher Educands in the Experimental and Control Groups
Source of Variation
df SSx SSy SSxy SSyx MSyx SDyx
Among Means
3 11 1012.88 -91.2 1253 418
2.33 Within Groups
195 1991 4188 2494.1 1063 5
Total 198 2001.555 5200.72 2402.86 2316
Fy.x = 76.65
From Table F, df = 3/195 F at .05 level = 2.65
F at .01 level = 3.88
The obtained F ratio (Fy.x = 76.65) is higher than the table value at .01
level, and is thus significant at .01 level. The significant F ratio for the
adjusted post test scores show that the two final scores of the Experimental
and Control groups differ significantly after they have been adjusted for
differences in the pre test scores.
The adjusted means for the post test scores of Teacher Educands in
the Experimental and Control groups were computed using correlation and
regression and are given in Table 5.17.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
262
Table 5.17
Adjusted means for the Post test Scores of the Total Sample of
Teacher Educands in the Experimental and Control Groups
Groups N Mx My My.x (adjusted)
Control 50 7.16 8.80 8.39
Experimental (Concept-Mapping)
50 6.5 14.12 14.54
Experimental (Problem-Solving)
50 6.8 14.48 14.52
Experimental (Portfolio)
50 6.88 12.28 12.22
General Means - 6.84 12.42 12.42
From the results of the adjusted means for the post test scores of the
Total sample of teacher educands in the Experimental and Control groups, it
is seen that the adjusted mean score of the experimental groups are higher
than that of the control group. When considered in their order of ranking, the
adjusted means of Concept-Mapping group (My.x = 14.54) was closely
followed by the Problem-solving group (My.x = 14.52) and then by the
Portfolio group with an adjusted mean score My.x = 12.22. It is observed that
all these adjusted mean scores of the experimental groups were much higher
than that obtained by the control group (My.x = 8.39). So it can be concluded
that among the treatments selected in the present study, instructions based
on the syntactic modes specified for the select reflective teaching strategies
could provide greater opportunities for teacher educands to develop
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
263
conceptual frameworks for subsequent integration of the prominent
componential dimensions of communicative competence, and were superior
to the control group’s treatment.
5.4 ANALYSIS OF TEST SCORES OF THE THREE EXPERIMENTAL
GROUPS: A CROSS COMPARISON
The analysis of the test scores of Experimental and Control groups
have revealed the superiority of the Experimental treatments over the Control
group’s treatment. In order to find out which among the select reflective
teaching strategies could exercise more influence on the communicative
competence in English of Teacher Educands at Primary Level, a cross-
comparison of the test scores of the three experimental groups have been
carried out as shown:
5.4.1 Comparison of test scores of Concept-Mapping Group and Problem-
Solving Group
5.4.2 Comparison of test scores of Concept-Mapping Group and Portfolio
Group
5.4.3 Comparison of test scores of Problem-Solving Group and Portfolio
Group
5.4.1 Analysis of Test Scores of the Concept-Mapping Group and the
Problem-Solving Group
In order to find out whether Concept-Mapping or Problem-Solving
strategies benefited teacher educands most, the mean pre test and post test
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
264
scores of the two experimental groups were computed and analysed in the
order shown below.
Comparison of pre test scores of the Concept-Mapping group and the
Problem-Solving group
Comparison of post test scores of the Concept-Mapping group and the
Problem-Solving group
Comparison of Pre test Scores of Concept-Mapping Group and Problem-
Solving Group
In order to find out whether any significant difference existed between
the pre test scores of the Concept-Mapping group and the Problem-Solving
group, the mean and standard deviation of the pre test scores of teacher
educands in these groups were computed. The critical ratio was also found
out. The details are given in Table 5.18.
Table 5.18
Results of the Test of Significance of Mean Pre test Scores of
the Concept-Mapping Group and the Problem-Solving Group
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Concept-Mapping 50 6.50 3.33 0.48
Problem-Solving 50 6.80 2.89
The critical ratio obtained is 0.48 which is not significant at any level
(CR = 0.48; p > .05). This implies that the mean scores of the two
experimental groups do not differ significantly thereby equating the two
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
265
groups with respect to their initial level of attainment of the set competence in
communication.
Comparison of Post test Scores of Concept-Mapping Group and
Problem-Solving Group
The mean and standard deviation of the post test scores of the
Experimental group exposed to Concept-Mapping strategy and the
Experimental group exposed to Problem-Solving strategy were computed to
find out significant difference, if any, in their performances. The data in this
regard are given in Table 5.19.
Table 5.19
Results of the Test of Significance of Mean Post test Scores of
the Concept-Mapping Group and the Problem-Solving Group
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Concept-Mapping 50 14.12 5.48 0.34
Problem-Solving 50 14.48 5.02
The table shows that the critical ratio (CR = 0.34; p > .05) is not
significant even at .05 level. Therefore, the mean post test scores of teacher
educands from the experimental groups exposed to the select reflective
teaching strategies, namely, Concept-Mapping and Problem-Solving are not
significantly different. Both the experimental treatments could develop an
activation mode that developed connected representation of structured
description and thereby overcome abstractness in lexical representation.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
266
5.4.2 Comparison of Test Scores of the Concept-Mapping Group and
the Portfolio Group
In order to find out whether Concept-Mapping strategy was superior to
the Portfolio strategy in enhancing the communicative competencies of
teacher educands at primary level, their mean pre test scores and the mean
post test scores were found out and subjected to further statistical analysis.
The results have been presented under the following heads:
Comparison of the pre test scores of the Concept-Mapping group and
the Portfolio group
Comparison of the post test scores of the Concept-Mapping group and
the Portfolio group
Comparison of Pre test Scores of the Concept-Mapping Group and the
Portfolio Group
In order to find whether any significant difference existed between the
performance of teacher educands in the Concept-Mapping group and the
Portfolio group in their mean pre test scores, the mean, standard deviation
and critical ratio were computed. The details are given in Table 5.20.
Table 5.20
Results of the Test of Significance of Mean Pre test Scores of
the Concept-Mapping Group and the Portfolio Group
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Concept-Mapping 50 6.50 3.33 0.58
Portfolio 50 6.88 3.27
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
267
The critical, CR = 0.58; p > .05, is not significant even at .05 level.
That is, the mean pre test scores of the two experimental groups are not
significantly different. This finding reveals that the groups exposed to
Concept-Mapping and Portfolio respectively performed equitably in their pre
test performance with regard to their attainment of communicative
competence.
Comparison of Post test Scores of the Concept Mapping Group and the
Portfolio Group
In order to find out if any significant difference exists in the post test
performance of teacher educands in the Concept-Mapping and Portfolio
groups, the mean, standard deviation and critical ratio were computed. Table
5.21 gives details in this regard.
Table 5.21
Results of the Test of Significance of Mean Post test Scores of
the Concept-Mapping Group and the Portfolio Group
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Concept-Mapping 50 14.12 5.48 1.85
Portfolio 50 12.28 4.38
From the table, it is clear that the experimental groups exposed to
Concept-Mapping and Portfolio strategies respectively, do not differ
significantly in their post test performances as the critical ratio (CR =1.85;
p > .05) is not significant even at .05 level.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
268
It can be implied that both the select reflective teaching strategies,
namely, Concept-Mapping and Portfolio could help teacher educands to
thematically formulate discourses, syntactic rules and thereby overcome
abstractness in lexical and semantic representations. A process-oriented
learning ensues which assists teacher educands to structure their writings as
is deemed appropriate in the social context.
5.4.3 Comparison of Test Scores of the Problem-Solving Group and the
Portfolio Group
To find out whether the Problem-Solving had greater influence than the
Portfolio-Writing group on the communicative performance of teacher
educands, the mean pre test and the mean post test scores of the two groups
were computed and analysed in the manner shown:
Comparison of the pre test scores of the Problem-Solving group and
the Portfolio group
Comparison of the post test scores of the Problem-Solving group and
the Portfolio group
Comparison of Pre test Scores of the Problem-Solving Group and the
Portfolio Group
In order to find whether any significant difference exists in the pre test
scores of the Problem-Solving group and the Portfolio group, the mean and
standard deviation of the two experimental groups were computed. The
critical ratio was also found out. Table 5.22 gives details in this regard.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
269
Table 5.22
Results of the Test of Significance of Mean Pre test Scores of
the Problem-Solving Group and Portfolio Group
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Problem Solving 50 6.50 3.33 0.58
Portfolio 50 6.88 3.27
The obtained critical ratio (CR = 0.58; p > .05) is not significant at any
level. That is, the mean pre test score of the Problem-Solving group
(M = 6.50) is not significantly different from the mean pre test score of the
Portfolio group (M = 6.88). This means, the teacher educands in both the
groups were initially equated as far as their level of communicative
competence was concerned.
Comparison of Post test Scores of the Problem-Solving Group and the
Portfolio Group
The mean and standard deviation of the post test scores of the select
sample of teacher educands in the two experimental groups under
consideration were computed to find out significant difference, if any, in their
communicative performances. The critical was also calculated and is given in
Table 5.23.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
270
Table 5.23
Results of the Test of Significance of Mean Post test Scores of
the Problem-Solving Group and the Portfolio Group
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Problem-Solving 50 14.48 5.02 2.34
Portfolio 50 12.28 4.38
It has been found out that the two experimental groups exposed to the
select reflective teaching strategies, namely, Problem-Solving and Portfolio
respectively show a significant variation in their post test scores at the .05
level (CR = 2.34; p < .05). It is noted that the teacher educands exposed to
the Problem-Solving strategy had a greater mean post test score (M = 14.48)
than their counterparts in the Portfolio group (M = 12.28). This difference at
the .05 level suggests that the teacher educands exposed to the select
reflective teaching strategy – Problem-Solving – could build a language
structure with more grammatical, thematic, and syntactic accuracy and
minimise syntactic disambiguation. The fact that the renewed curriculum is
issue-based and project-centred could have made teacher educands most
conversant with the Problem-Solving strategy than with the Portfolio strategy.
But it can be concluded from the analysis done with regard to the
extent of influence that each of the select reflective teaching strategies
exercised on the communicative competence in English of teacher educands
at Primary level that, each strategy exercised marked influence on teacher
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
271
educands exposed to these strategies. Since the strategies did not show
marked difference when their mean pre and post test scores were compared,
except in the case of the comparison between Problem-Solving and the
Portfolio group, all the select strategies seemed to have strengthened a
system of thinking that has helped teacher educands to analyse language
tasks meaningfully and choose appropriate words and grammatical elements
benefiting the communicative context.
5.5 ANALYSIS OF GAIN SCORES OF THE EXPERIMENTAL AND
CONTROL GROUPS ON THE FOUR SELECT COMPONENTS OF
COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
In order to find the impact of the select Reflective Teaching Strategies
on each of the four select components of communicative competence,
namely, grammatical, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic competencies,
a comparative analysis of the gain scores of the teacher educands of the
control and the experimental groups have been considered here. Table 5.24
presents the details of the comparative analysis undertaken.
The graphical representation of the mean pre and post scores of the
control and experimental groups on the four components of communicative
competence is given in Figure 5.4.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
272
Table 5.24
Comparative Analysis of Gain Scores of Performance of the
Control and Experimental Groups on the Select
Components of Communicative Competence
Group Score Total Score
Components of Communicative Competence
Grammatical (Max. 25)
Sociolinguistic (Max.25)
Discourse (Max.25)
Strategic (Max = 25)
Control
Pre score 28.64% 8.2 4.3 6.04 10
Post score 35.21% 10 6 8.2 11
Gain* performance
27.80% 21.95% 53.49% 35.76% 8.9%
Concept-Mapping
Pre score 26% 5 7 6 8
Post score 56.8% 13 16.8 12.0 15
Gain performance
122% 160% 140% 100% 87.5%
Problem-Solving
Pre score 27.2% 7 5 6.7 8
Post score 56.72% 12.3 16 13.4 15
Gain performance
120.8% 75.7% 220% 100% 87.5%
Portfolio-Writing
Pre score 27.52% 6.7 7.02 6 7.8
Post score 49.12% 12 12 13 12
Gain performance
80% 79.1% 70.9% 116.6% 53.8%
Post score – Pre score
*Gain performance (in percentages) = 100 Pre score
273
0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.00
12.00
14.00
16.00
18.00
Pre (28.69%) Post (35.2%) Pre (26%) Post (56.8%) Pre (27.2%) Post (56.72%) Pre (27.52%) Post (49.12%)
Control Concept-Mapping Problem-Solving Portfolio
Mean
Sco
re
Groups
Figure 5.4 Mean of Pre and Post Test Scores of Performance of the Control and Experimental Groups
on the Select Components of Communicative Competence
Grammatical
Sociolinguistic
Discourse
Strategic
*
note: *denote the aggregate percentage of the respective groups
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
274
From the table and the figure, it can be observed that a positive trend
in the gain performance with respect to all the four select components of
communicative competence (grammatical, sociolinguistic, discourse, and
strategic) was evidenced in the three experimental groups, namely, Concept-
Mapping, Problem-Solving, and Portfolio. While considering the Grammatical
component of communicative competence, it can be noted that, Concept-
Mapping group had a higher gain performance (160%) than that of Problem-
Solving group (75.7%) and Portfolio group (79.1%). This increase of gain
performance in the grammatical component of communicative competence
among teacher educands may be because of the unique features of the
phases the teacher educands got exposed to wherein they were led to
analyse sentences into their constituent parts through appropriate interlinks
and lexical linkages. Since their understandings could be visualised, they
could engage in self corrections and self-improvement. Analysis of sentences
into their constituent parts was easily executed through this strategy.
With regard to the Sociolinguistic competence, the table shows that the
Problem-Solving group had a comparatively higher gain performance (220%)
over their counterparts in Concept-Mapping group (140%) and Portfolio group
(70.9%). This increase in gain performance of teacher educands with respect
to the sociolinguistic component could be attributed to the emphasis that
Problem-Solving strategy places on its twin processes of functioning namely,
‘problem raising’ and ‘problem solving’ in a social context and not independent
of the social milieu. This could have ultimately led to the production and
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
275
comprehension of language tasks and resulted in suitable output/input
coordination.
The third component namely, ‘Discourse Competence’ was found to be
slightly higher among teacher educands in the Portfolio group (gain score
160%) than in the Concept-Mapping group with 100% and Problem-Solving
group with 100.4%. The higher performance in the Portfolio group may be
due to the emphasis the strategy lays on selecting relevant matter, organizing
them and connecting them into coherent discourse structure. This has helped
the teacher educands to recognise main ideas, identify supporting materials,
establish explicate relationship between ideas and produce appropriate
information mouldings.
Finally, the opportunities for developing ‘Strategic Competence’ were
found to be equally high in the Concept-Mapping and Problem-Solving group
with gain scores of 87.5% each. More of divergent thinking and searching for
different means to connect speech could have been provided by the Concept-
Mapping and Problem-Solving strategies.
The descriptive analysis of the gain scores of experimental groups
(Concept-Mapping 122%, Problem-Solving 120.8% and Portfolio 80%) and
control group (27.8%) support the general conclusion that the set reflective
teaching strategies could affect the dimensional aspects of communicative
competence and help overcome the processing difficulty with regard to
sentence comprehension, syntactic patterning, morphological processing,
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
276
discourse coherence and inferencing in general, and the consequent
language processing in particular.
ANALYSIS BASED ON THE STRATIFIED VERSION OF THE SAMPLE:
GENDER/TYPE OF MANAGEMENT/LOCALE OF INSTITUTION
While analysing the communicative competence of teacher educands
in general, it was found that the educands were deficient with regard to
articulating important concepts in language with accuracy and precision. And
in such a context, it is usual to think of factors like gender, urban and rural
settings or even the type of management as having a contributory role in
strengthening the language processing modes of teacher educands in
general. Therefore, the investigator deemed it appropriate to find out whether
such stratifications could throw deeper insight into understanding the pertinent
dimensions of the language processing modes of teacher educands at
Primary Level. Three stratification of the sample have been considered and
are detailed in Sections 5.6, 5.7 and 5.8 respectively as under:
- ‘Gender-wise comparison’;
- ‘Management-wise comparison’; and
- Locale-wise comparison
5.6 GENDER-WISE ANALYSIS OF TEST SCORES
In the onset of this section, the investigator firstly analysed gender-wise
differences in the enhancement of communicative competence of teacher
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
277
educands while being exposed to reflective practices. The analysis in this
regard are being presented under four subsections:
5.6.1 Analysis of test scores of Control group based on ‘Gender’;
5.6.2 Analysis of test scores of Concept-Mapping group based on ‘Gender’;
5.6.3 Analysis of test scores of Problem-Solving group based on ‘Gender;
5.6.4 Analysis of test scores of Portfolio group based on ‘Gender’.
5.6.1 Analysis of Test Scores of Control Group based on Gender
The performance of male and female teacher educands in the Control
group with regard to their attainment of communicative competence were
ascertained by comparing the mean pre and post test scores of the two
subsamples. The comparison of scores of teacher educands in this regard is
being presented here:
Comparison of pre test scores of the subsample of teacher educands in
the Control group based on ‘Gender’
The mean and standard deviation of the pre test scores of male and
female teacher educands in the control group were computed to find out
significant differences, if any. The critical ratio was also calculated. Table
5.25 gives details in this regard.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
278
Table 5.25
Results of the Test of Significance of Pre test Scores of Teacher
Educands in the Control Group based on ‘Gender’
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Male 7 7.29 2.93 0.12
Female 43 7.14 3.31
From the table it is evident that as the critical ratio (CR =0.12;
p > .05) is not significant even at .05 level of significance, the two groups do
not differ significantly in their pre test scores. Both male and female teacher
educands were equitable in their attainment of communicative competence.
Comparison of Post test Scores of the Subsample of Teacher Educands
in the Control Group based on ‘Gender’
The mean and standard deviation of the post test scores of the select
sample in the control group were computed to assess significant difference, if
any, in their performance with regard to their attainment of communicative
competence in English. Table 5.26 gives details in this regard.
Table 5.26
Results of the Test of Significance of Post test Scores of Teacher
Educands in the Control Group based on ‘Gender’
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Male 7 9.00 2.94 0.19
Female 43 8.77 3.41
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
279
It is evident from Table 5.26 that the male and female groups show no
significant difference in their post test scores too. The critical ratio was not
significant at any level (CR = 0.19; p > .05). Without any specific treatment, it
was noted that the male and female teacher educands of control group
followed an equitable pattern of language processing modes. The prevailing
activity-oriented strategies have advocated a uniform line-of-action.
5.5.7 Analysis of Test Scores of the Concept-Mapping Group based on
‘Gender’
In order to find whether the select reflective teaching strategy namely,
Concept-Mapping had any significant influence on the male and female
teacher educands exposed to this strategy in enhancing their communicative
competence in English, the mean pre and post test scores of the two
subgroups were computed and analysed as shown:
Comparison of Pre test Scores of the Subsample based on ‘Gender’ of
Teacher Educands in Concept-Mapping Group
The mean pre test scores of male and female teacher educands of the
Concept-Mapping group were computed to ascertain initial differences in their
communicative performance. The critical ratio was also calculated.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
280
Table 5.27
Results of the Test of Significance of Pre test Scores of Teacher
Educands in Concept-Mapping Group based on ‘Gender’
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Male 6 5.67 1.75 1.07
Female 44 6.61 3.49
As the table shows, the critical ratio is not significant at any level (CR =
1.07; p > .05). This implies that the sample of male and female teacher
educands in the Concept-Mapping group were equated with respect to their
attainment of communicative competence in English prior exposure to the set
experimental treatment.
Comparison of Post test Scores of the Subsample based on ‘Gender’ of
Teacher Educands in the Concept-Mapping Group
The mean post test scores of the subsample based on ‘Gender’ of
teacher educands in the Concept-Mapping group were calculated in order to
find out if they differed in their acquisition of communicative competence when
exposed to the select reflective teaching strategy. The critical ratio was also
computed and the details are given in Table 5.28.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
281
Table 5.28
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of
Teacher Educands in the Concept-Mapping Group based on ‘Gender’
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Male 6 10.33 2.16 3.52
Female 44 14.64 5.60
Significant at .01 level
The critical ratio 3.52 (CR = 3.52; p < .01) is observed to be significant
at .01 level. That is, the subgroups based on ‘gender’ differed significantly in
their post test scores. It is seen that the female teacher educands have been
influenced greatly than their male counterparts when exposed to the Concept-
Mapping strategy. It appears that the lexical processing and literal
interpretation was greater among female teacher educands. Their semantic
representations were activated to a great extent.
5.5.8 Analysis of Test Scores of the Problem-Solving Group based on
‘Gender’
In order to find whether the select reflective teaching strategy namely,
Problem-Solving had any significant influence on the subsamples of teacher
educands based on ‘Gender’, the mean and standard deviation of the pre and
post test scores were calculated and the critical ratios computed. The
comparison done in this regard is given in detail here.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
282
Comparison of Pre test Scores of the Subsample of Teacher Educands
of Problem-Solving Group based on ‘Gender’
The mean pre test scores of male and female teacher educands of the
Problem-Solving group were computed to identify significant differences, if
any, in their performances. The critical ratio was also calculated and the
details in this regard are furnished in Table 5.29.
Table 5.29
Results of the Test of Significance of Mean Pre test Scores of Teacher
Educands in the Problem-Solving Group based on ‘Gender’
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Male 7 5.86 2.97 0.91
Female 43 6.95 2.89
The obtained value of critical ratio (CR = 0.91; p > .05) is not
significant. Therefore, the male and female teacher educands in the Problem-
Solving group showed equitable performance with regard to their
communicative ability prior exposure to the experimental treatment.
Comparison of Post test Scores of the Subsamples based on Gender of
Teacher Educands in the Problem-Solving Group
The mean and standard deviation of the post test scores of teacher
educands stratified according to their gender were calculated to identify
significant difference in their performance after exposure to the select
reflective teaching strategy. Critical ratio was also calculated and the details
are given in Table 5.30.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
283
Table 5.30
Results of the Test of Significance of Mean Post test Scores of Teacher
Educands in the Problem-Solving Group based on ‘Gender’
Group No. of Teacher
Educands Mean
Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Male 7 10.57 3.60 2.92
Female 43 15.12 4.95
The table reveals that there exists significant difference in the mean
post test performance of teacher educands of Problem-Solving group
classified according to their gender. The critical ratio (CR = 2.92; p < .01) is
significant at .01 level. As in the previous case, the female teacher educands
seemed to be influenced significantly more than their male counterparts when
exposed to the set strategy. There was enhanced intellectual experience for
female teacher educands and a steady increase in their critical and creative
thinking skills. They showed a greater degree grasp of syntactic arrangement
and word recognition, moving from initial understanding to developing multiple
interpretations.
5.5.9 Analysis of Test Scores of the Portfolio group based on ‘Gender’
In order to find whether the third select reflective teaching strategy
namely Portfolio, had any significant influence on the subsample of teacher
educands based on ‘Gender’, the mean and standard deviation of the pre and
post test scores of the two subgroups were calculated. The critical ratios were
also computed. The comparison done in this regard is given in detail here.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
284
Comparison of Pre test Scores of the Subsamples of Teacher Educands
of Portfolio Group based on Gender
The mean pre test scores of male and female teacher educands of the
Portfolio group were calculated to identify significant difference if any, in their
initial levels of communicative competence. The critical ratio was also
calculated and the details in this regard are given in Table 5.31.
Table 5.31
Results of the Test of Significance of the Pre test Scores of Subsamples
of Teacher Educands of Portfolio Group based on ‘Gender’
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Male 8 5.63 1.77 1.82
Female 42 7.12 3.44
The critical ratio (CR = 1.82; p > .05) was observed to be insignificant
at both levels of significance. The mean scores of male and female are
therefore, not significantly different, implying that, both Male and Female
teacher trainees were equated as far as their level of attainment of
Communicative Competence in English was concerned prior to their exposure
to the experimental treatment.
Comparison of Post test scores of the subsample based on Gender of
Teacher Educands in Portfolio Group
In order to find out whether any significant difference exists between
Male and Female groups after the treatment was given, the mean and
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
285
standard deviation were computed and the results of the test of significance of
difference between means were calculated. The critical ratio was also
computed.
Table 5.32
Results of the Test of Significance of the Post test Scores of
Subsamples of Teacher Educands of Portfolio group based on ‘Gender’
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Male 8 9.50 2.98 2.64
Female 42 12.81 4.44
The critical ratio (CR = 2.64; p < .01) is significant at the .01 level of
significance. That is, the mean post test scores of the two groups differ
significantly. The female group was seen to outperform the male group. The
Portfolio strategy was thus found to be effective for the Female group more
than the Male group in the enhancement of their Communicative Competence
in English.
As in the case of the Concept-Mapping and the Problem-Solving
groups, the Portfolio strategy too seemed to exercise more influence on
female teacher educands than on their male counterparts. The female
teacher educands could explore ideas beyond the constraints of form and
diverge into more creative patterns of thinking. A comparison of pre and post
assessments indicated significant improvement of female teacher educands in
textual analysis and analytical reading skills.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
286
To conclude, the analysis undertaken in this section specifies how
female teacher educands had an enrichment in:
- questioning skills,
- providing supportive evidences from the content area,
- in synthesising a conclusion, and
- in formulating suitable word patterns, syntax, etc., when exposed to
the select reflective teaching strategies.
In order to capture the extent of impact that the set strategies could
exercise on the teacher educands classified according to their ‘gender’, a
graphical representation is presented in Figure 5.5.
287
0.00
2.00
4.00
6.00
8.00
10.00
12.00
14.00
16.00
Control Concept-Mapping
Problem-Solving
Portfolio
Me
an
Sc
ore
Groups
Figure 5.5 Mean Post test Scores of Teacher Educands belonging to
the Four Groups Classified according to 'Gender'
Male
Female
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
288
From the figure, it is clear that female teacher educands could perform
better than male teacher educands when exposed to the select reflective
teaching strategies. Learner characteristics like a positive task-orientation,
goal-orientation, ego-involvement, and need-achievement may have been
greater among the female teacher educands. Female students would have
expressed greater tolerance and patience which a second language learning
generally calls for and were thus emotionally in a better position to cope with
ambiguities that arose, in a Problem-Solving frame of mind. On the basis of
the finding, it can be suggested that female teachers are best suited to build
the foundation of language learning at schools in the primary level. The
primary stage of education does require an atmosphere of trust, patience, and
tolerance to encourage each individual to rise to the expected level.
5.7 MANAGEMENT-WISE ANALYSIS OF TEST SCORES
In order to ascertain if the ‘Type of Management’ from which the select
sample of Teacher Educands hailed has had a pivotal role to play in
enhancing the communicative competence in English of teacher educands, an
analysis of test scores of the experimental and control groups were
undertaken in the manner shown:
5.7.1 Comparison of test scores of the subsamples of teachers educands in
the Control group based on ‘Type of Management’
5.7.2 Comparison of test scores of the subsamples of teachers educands in
the Concept-Mapping group based on ‘Type of Management’
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
289
5.7.3 Comparison of test scores of the subsamples of teachers educands in
the Problem-Solving group based on ‘Type of Management’
5.7.4 Comparison of test scores of the subsamples of teachers educands in
the Portfolio group based on ‘Type of Management’
The detailed analysis of the pre and post test of the experimental and
control groups from Aided, Unaided and Government sectors are presented
through the analysis done under the aforementioned sections.
5.7.1 Comparison of Test Scores of the Subsamples of Teacher
Educands in the Control Group based on ‘Type of Management’
In order to assess the impact that institutions run by aided, unaided
and government sectors could have on teacher educands enrolled therein and
exposed to prevailing classroom transaction modes, the mean, standard
deviation and critical ratio of these subsamples were compared. A detailed
analysis done in this regard is being presented in this section.
Pre test Scores of Teacher Educands in Control Group from Government
and Aided Sector: A Comparison
The mean pre test scores and the standard deviation of the
subsamples of teacher educands from Government and Aided sectors were
calculated to find significant difference, if any. The critical ratio was also
computed. Table 5.33 gives details in this regard.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
290
Table 5.33
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Pre test Scores of
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Control Group from
Government and Aided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Government 20 0.30 3.54 0.00
Aided 20 7.30 3.05
The critical ratio thus obtained (CR = 0.00; p > .05) is not at all
significant. The mean scores of both the groups are the same. Therefore,
there is no significant difference between the teacher educands in the control
group from the government and aided sectors with regard to their level of
communicative competence.
Post test Scores of Teacher Educands in Control Group from
Government and Aided Sectors: A Comparison
The mean, standard deviation and the critical ratio of the post test
scores of teacher educands in the Control group from Government and Aided
sectors were computed to identify significant difference, if any, in their
attainment of communicative competence. The details are furnished in Table
5.34.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
291
Table 5.34
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in Control Group from
Government and Aided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Government 20 8.85 3.70 0.00
Aided 20 8.85 3.05
The critical ratio obtained as an outcome of the analysis undertaken
reveals insignificant difference between the two select groups (CR = 0.00;
p > .05). This implies that there is no significant difference in performance of
teacher educands in the control group from the government and aided
schools.
Pre test Scores of Teacher Educands in the Control Group from
Government and Unaided Sectors: A Comparison
In order to find out the influence of the prevailing classroom modes on
teacher educands of control group hailing from Government and Unaided
sectors, the mean pre test scores and standard deviation of the select
subsamples were computed and the critical ratio found out. Table 5.35 gives
details in this regard.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
292
Table 5.35
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Pre test Scores of
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Control Group from
Government and Unaided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Government 20 7.30 3.54 0.54
Unaided 10 6.60 3.24
The critical ratio (CR = 0.54; p > .05) is not significant even at .05 level
of significance. Therefore, there is no significant difference in the means of
the two select subgroups. The level of communicative competence in English
of student teachers in the Control group from the government and unaided
sectors is the same or is equated.
Post test Scores of Teacher Educands in the Control Group from
Government and Unaided Sectors
In order to find out the influence of the prevailing activity-oriented
modes on the teacher educands hailing from Government and Unaided
sectors, the post test scores of teacher educands in the control group were
compared. The mean, standard deviation and the critical ratio were
calculated and Table 5.36 gives details in this regard.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
293
Table 5.36
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Control Group from
Government and Unaided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Government 20 8.85 3.70 0.18
Unaided 10 8.60 3.14
The critical ratio (CR = 0.18; p > .05) is not significant even at .05 level
of significance. Therefore, there is no significant difference between the
mean post test scores of the two groups. The type of management has had
no positive impact in developing or enhancing the communicative competence
of the select sample from the two groups when exposed to the prevailing
classroom transaction modes.
Pre test Scores of Teacher Educands in the Control Group from Aided
and Unaided Sectors: A Comparison
The impact, if any, of Aided and Unaided sectors on the communicative
competence of teacher educands of Control group was assessed by
analysing the pre test scores of student teachers in the Control group from the
aforementioned sectors. Table 5.37 gives the details.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
294
Table 5.37
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Pre test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Control Group from
Aided and Unaided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Aided 20 7.30 3.05 0.57
Unaided 10 6.60 3.24
The critical ratio (CR = 0.57; p > .05) is not significant. The mean pre
test scores of the two groups do not differ significantly, implying that, the two
groups (Aided and Unaided of Control group) were equated with respect to
their level of communicative competence in English.
Post test Scores of Teacher Educands in the Control Group from Aided
and Unaided Sectors: A Comparison
The mean, standard deviation and test of significance of the mean post
test scores of student teachers of Control group from Aided and Unaided
sectors were computed. Table 5.38 shows the analysis done in this regard.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
295
Table 5.38
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Control Group from
Aided and Unaided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Aided 20 8.85 3.05 0.20
Unaided 10 8.60 3.41
The critical ratio as observed (CR = 0.20; p > .05) is not significant at
.05 level. Therefore, there is no significant difference between the mean post
test scores of student teachers in the two groups. The type of management,
namely, aided or unaided sectors has had no significant impact on the
treatment (prevailing classroom modes) for the enhancement of
communicative competence in English of student teachers at the Teacher
Training Institutes.
The analysis of the scores of teacher educands in the Control group
with regard to the impact of the type of management has shown that the
communicative performance of teacher educands is almost equitable in all the
subgroups irrespective of the type of management they represent.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
296
5.7.2 Comparison of Test Scores of the Subsamples of Teacher
Educands in the Concept-Mapping Group based on ‘Type of Management’
In order to assess the impact of ‘Type of Management’ on teacher
educands exposed to the select reflective teaching strategy, namely,
Concept-Mapping, the pre and post test scores of the subsamples were
computed to find significant differences, if any. The analysis done in this
regard is being presented in this section.
Pre test Scores of Teacher Educands in the Concept-Mapping Group
from Government and Aided Sectors: A Comparison
In order to find out whether the type of management affected the
student teacher when exposed to the reflective teaching treatment, the pre
test scores of student teachers from Government and Aided sectors were
analysed and the critical ratio found out. The data are given in Table 5.39.
Table 5.39
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Pre test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Concept-Mapping
Group from the Government and Aided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Government 20 6.25 3.27 0.24
Aided 20 6.50 3.30
The critical ratio (CR = 0.24; p > .05) is not significant at the .05 level of
significance. Therefore, the mean scores of the two groups are not
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
297
significantly different. Student teachers from both the government and aided
sectors were equated in their attainment of communicative competence in
English, prior administering the Concept-Mapping treatment.
Post test Scores of Teacher Educands in the Concept-Mapping Group
from Government and Aided Sectors: A Comparison
The mean, standard deviation, and test of significance of the difference
between the mean post test scores of twenty student teachers each from
Government and Aided sectors were calculated and are given in Table 5.40.
Table 5.40
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Concept-Mapping
Group from the Government and Aided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Government 20 13.85 5.66 0.06
Aided 20 13.75 5.33
The critical ratio (CR = 0.06; p > .05) is not significant. It means that
there exists no significant difference between the mean post test scores of
student teachers of Concept-Mapping group from the Government and Aided
sectors, indicating that the ‘Type of Management’ has little impact on the
treatment administered in order to enhance communicative competence in
English.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
298
Pre test Scores of Teacher Educands in the Concept Mapping Group
from the Government and Unaided Sectors: A Comparison
In order to find out if any significant difference existed between teacher
educands from the Government and Unaided sectors who were exposed to
the Concept-Mapping strategy, the mean and standard deviation of the pre
test scores were calculated. The critical ratio was also computed. Table 5.41
gives details in this regard.
Table 5.41
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Pre test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Concept-Mapping
Group from the Government and Unaided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Government 20 6.25 3.27 0.53
Unaided 10 7.00 3.80
The critical ratio (CR = 0.53; p > .05) is not significant even at .05 level.
Therefore, the mean pre test scores do not differ significantly. That is, the
communicative competence of the select sample was equated with respect to
‘Type of Management’ prior to the experimental treatment.
Post test Scores of Teacher Educands in the Concept-Mapping Group
from the Government and Unaided Sectors: A Comparison
The mean, standard deviation, and the test of significance of the
scores of the select sample from the Government and Unaided institutions
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
299
were calculated to assess the impact of the Type of Management on their
communicative competence when exposed to the treatment. The results are
given in Table 5.42.
Table 5.42
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Concept-Mapping
Group from the Government and Unaided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Government 20 13.85 5.66 0.70
Unaided 10 15.40 5.80
It is observed that the critical ratio (CR = 0.70; p > .05) is not significant
even at the .05 level of significance. Therefore, there is no significant
difference between the mean post test scores of teacher educands in the two
select groups. This leads to the inference that ‘Type of Management’,
namely, Government and Unaided sectors has had little impact over the
experimental treatment administered for fostering communicative competence
in English of the student teachers of the Teacher Training Institutes.
Pre test Scores of Teacher Educands in the Concept-Mapping Group
from the Aided and Unaided Sectors: A Comparison
In order to assess the impact of ‘Type of Management’ in improving the
communicative competence in English of teacher educands from Aided and
Unaided Teacher Training Institutes, the pre test scores of the select sample
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
300
were analysed for their test of significance. The results are given in Table
5.43.
Table 5.43
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Pre test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Concept-Mapping
Group from the Aided and Unaided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Aided 20 6.50 3.30 0.36
Unaided 10 7.00 3.80
The critical ratio (CR = 0.36; p > 0.05) is not significant. This implies
that the two groups under comparison, namely, Aided and Unaided groups
exposed to Concept-Mapping strategy do not differ in their initial
communicative performance and are therefore equitable.
Post test Scores of Teacher Educands in the Concept-Mapping Group
from the Aided and Unaided Sectors: A Comparison
The mean and standard deviation of the post test scores of teacher
educands of Concept-Mapping group from Aided and Unaided Teacher
training Institutes were calculated and the critical ratio was also found out to
find out if any significant difference existed between them. The details are
given in Table 5.44.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
301
Table 5.44
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Concept-Mapping
Group from the Aided and Unaided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Aided 20 13.75 5.33 0.76
Unaided 10 15.40 5.80
The critical ratio (CR = 0.76; p > .05) is not significant at .05 level. The
mean post test scores of the two groups do not differ significantly implying
that the increase in mean post test scores was equal in both groups hailing
from Teacher Training Institutes belonging to different management.
Therefore, Type of Management has had little impact on the treatment
administered in order to increase the communicative competence in English
of the student teachers in the Concept-Mapping group.
The analysis done in this section points towards the conclusion that
teacher educands at Primary Level, irrespective of the type of institution they
represent, are benefited by the Concept-Mapping strategy to an equal degree.
The strategy has given them a comprehensive picture, not just of the
sentence but of grammar itself.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
302
5.7.3 Comparison of Test Scores of the Problem-Solving Group based
on the ‘Type of Management’
The test scores of the Problem-Solving group have been compared to
ascertain if the teacher educands hailing from different institutions differed in
their attainment of communicative competence. The analysis of test scores
have been executed and presented in this section with comparisons being
made between the subgroups in the manner shown:
Government vs Aided sectors
Government vs Unaided sectors
Aided vs Unaided sectors
Pre test Scores of Teacher Educands of the Problem-Solving Group
from the Government and Aided Sectors
The mean and standard deviation of the subsamples of teacher
educands from the Problem-Solving group were calculated to find significant
difference, if any, in the communicative competence of teacher educands
from the Government and Aided sectors. Table 5.45 gives the details in this
regard.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
303
Table 5.45
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Pre test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Problem-Solving
Group from the Government and Aided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Government 20 7.40 3.15 1.18
Aided 20 6.30 2.74
The critical ratio obtained is not significant at any level (CR = 1.18; p >
.05). This implies that the two groups under consideration do not differ
significantly in their pre test performance and are equitable.
Post test Scores of Teacher Educands of the Problem-Solving Group
from the Government and Aided Schools: A Comparison
In order to find if there existed any significant difference in the mean
post test scores of teacher educands from the Government and Aided sectors
when exposed to the Problem-Solving strategy, the mean and standard
deviation of the two subgroups were calculated. The critical ratio was also
found out. The details are given in Table 5.46.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
304
Table 5.46
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Problem-Solving
Group from the Government and Aided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Government 20 15.20 5.73 0.89
Aided 20 13.75 4.51
The obtained value of critical ratio (CR = 0.89; p > .05) is not
significant. Hence, the teacher educands were not affected by the type of
management (Government or Aided sectors) in imbibing the language
elements through the Problem-Solving strategy.
Pre test Scores of Teacher Educands of the Problem-Solving Group
from the Government and Unaided Sectors: A Comparison
The test of significance between mean pre test scores of teacher
educands of the Problem-Solving group from the Government and Unaided
sectors were computed to find out if any significant difference existed between
the two subgroups. Table 5.47 gives the details in this regard.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
305
Table 5.47
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Pre test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Problem-Solving
Group from the Government and Unaided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Government 20 7.40 3.15 0.72
Unaided 10 6.60 2.72
The critical ratio (CR = 0.72; p > .05) is not significant. Therefore, the
mean pre test scores are not significantly different. The two subgroups of
Problem-Solving group were thus equated with regard to their level of
communicative competence in English prior exposure to the treatment.
Post test Scores of Teacher Educands of the Problem-Solving Group
from the Government and Unaided Sectors: A Comparison
The mean and standard deviation of the post test scores of the select
sample from the Problem-Solving group were computed to find out the effect,
if any, of the ‘Type of Management’ on their level of communicative
competence. The critical ratio was also calculated. The details are given in
Table 5.48.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
306
Table 5.48
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Problem-Solving
Group from the Government and Unaided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Government 20 15.20 5.73 0.36
Unaided 10 14.50 4.74
The critical ratio obtained (CR = 0.36; p > .05) is not significant. The
mean post test scores of teacher educands of the Problem-Solving group and
hailing from the government and unaided Teacher Training Institutes are not
significantly different. This implies that the ‘Type of Management’ has had
little impact on the treatment given for the enhancement of communicative
competence.
Pre test Scores of Teacher Educands in the Problem-Solving Group from
the Aided and Unaided Sectors: A Comparison
The mean, standard deviation, and the test of significance of the pre
test scores of the student teachers from Aided and Unaided Teacher Training
Institutions and belonging to the Problem-Solving group reveal the data given
in Table 5.49.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
307
Table 5.49
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Pre test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Problem-Solving
Group from the Aided and Unaided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Aided 20 6.30 2.74 0.28
Unaided 10 6.60 2.72
It is evident that the critical ratio (CR = 0.28; p > .05) is not significant.
It implies that the two groups, namely, aided and unaided groups of Problem-
Solving strategy were equated in their level of communicative competence
prior exposure to the treatment.
Post test Scores of Teacher Educands of the Problem-Solving Group
from the Aided and Unaided Sectors: A Comparison
The mean, standard deviation, and test of significance of the post test
scores of teacher educands of the Problem-Solving group from the Aided
sector and the Unaided sector were calculated to identify the impact that the
type of management could have on the communicative competence of
teacher educands from these subgroups.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
308
Table 5.50
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Problem-Solving
Group from the Aided and Unaided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Aided 20 13.75 4.51 0.42
Unaided 10 14.50 4.74
The critical ratio (CR = 0.42; p > .05) is not significant. The mean post
test scores are also not significantly different, implying that the Type of
Management, namely, aided and unaided sectors, has had little impact on the
treatment given to the two groups in enhancing their communicative
competence.
Here again it can be noted that the teacher educands are benefited by
the Problem-Solving strategy irrespective of the type of management they
represent. The findings reiterate the fact that the select strategy can be
practised in any type of institution where an enhanced cognitive framework to
address the language task effectively is built.
5.7.4 Comparison of Test Scores of the Portfolio Group based on the
‘Type of Management’
The test scores of teacher educands hailing from different types of
management system were compared to identify significant difference, if any,
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
309
in their pre and post test performances. Two subgroups were compared at a
time in the manner shown:
Comparison between : Government and Aided sectors
Government and Unaided sectors
Aided and Unaided sectors
Pre test Scores of Teacher Educands of the Portfolio Group from the
Government and Aided Sectors: A Comparison
In order to assess the effect of the Government and Aided Teacher
Training Institutes on the communicative competence of teacher educands of
these institutions who represented the Portfolio group, the mean, standard
deviations were calculated and critical ratio was found out. The details are
presented in Table 5.51.
Table 5.51
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Pre test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Portfolio
Group from the Government and Aided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Government 20 6.30 2.94 1.21
Aided 20 7.55 3.56
The critical ratio (CR = 1.21; p > .05) is not significant at .05 level. The
mean pre test scores of the two groups therefore, do not differ significantly,
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
310
implying that the subgroups were equated with regard to their level of
communicative competence prior exposure to the experimental treatment.
Post test Scores of Teacher Educands in the Portfolio Group from the
Government and Aided Sectors: A Comparison
The mean, standard deviation and test of significance of twenty student
teachers from Government sector and twenty student teachers from Aided
sector of the Portfolio group were calculated to ascertain the impact that the
type of management would exercise on the communicative competence of
teacher educands when exposed to the Portfolio strategy.
Table 5.52
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Portfolio
Group from the Government and Aided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Government 20 10.75 3.43 2.38
Aided 20 13.80 4.61
It is observed that the critical ratio (CR = 2.38; p < .05) is significant at
.05 level and not significant at .01 level of significance. The mean post test
score of the subgroups differ significantly. The mean post test scores of
teacher educands from Aided Teacher Training Institutes (M = 13.80) is
higher than that of the mean post test scores of groups from Government
Teacher Training Institutes (M = 10.75) when exposed to the Portfolio
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
311
strategy. This disparity in the post test performance of the two groups points
to the fact that the exposure to activities like camps, exhibitions, club
activities, seminars, interviews with experts and the like, on a regular and
systematic basis has helped the teacher educands representing the Aided
sector to a greater extent in documenting events systematically and in
presenting the same through poster presentations, brochures and similar write
ups. Such collections, selections and presentation of varied artefacts were
accelerated greatly when they were exposed to the Portfolio strategy.
Therefore, the frequent organisation of scholastic activities is strongly
recommended to build a reflective culture and ensure the subsequent
enhancement of one’s communicative skills.
Pre test Scores of Teacher Educands of Portfolio Group from the
Government and Unaided Sectors: A Comparison
The mean and standard deviation of the sample comprising of twenty
student teachers from the Government sector and ten student teachers from
the Unaided sector of the Portfolio group were computed and are presented in
Table 5.53.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
312
Table 5.53
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Pre test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Portfolio
Group from the Government and Unaided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Government 20 6.30 2.94 0.32
Unaided 10 6.70 3.37
The critical ratio (CR = 0.32; p > .05) is not significant. The two
subgroups of teacher educands from Government and Unaided sectors were
equated in their initial performance of communicative competence as their
mean pre test scores have shown no significant difference.
Post test Scores of Teacher Educands of the Portfolio Group from the
Government and Unaided Sectors: A Comparison
The mean and standard deviation of the select sample were computed
to find out the effect, if any, of the Type of Management, namely, Government
and Unaided sectors, on the level of communicative competence of teacher
educands exposed to the Portfolio strategy.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
313
Table 5.54
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Portfolio
Group from the Government and Unaided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Government 20 10.75 3.43 0.89
Unaided 10 12.30 4.97
It is to be noted that the critical ratio (CR = 0.89; p > .05) is not
significant at any level of significance. The mean post test scores of the
subgroups are not significantly different. The type of management has had
little impact on the Portfolio treatment in the enhancement of communicative
competence of teacher educands of these subgroups.
Pre test Scores of Teacher Educands of the Portfolio Group from the
Aided and Unaided Sectors
The mean, standard deviation, and test of significance of the pre test
scores of the aforementioned sample was calculated to find out whether the
subgroups based on type of management were equated in their attainment of
communicative competence prior to the experimental treatment.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
314
Table 5.55
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Pre test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Portfolio
Group from the Aided and Unaided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Aided 20 7.55 3.56 0.64
Unaided 10 6.70 3.37
The critical ratio (CR = 0.64; p > .05) is not significant. Therefore, the
two subgroups of Portfolio group were equated with regard to their level of
communicative competence as their mean pre test scores were not
significantly different.
Post test Scores of Teacher Educands of Portfolio Group from the Aided
and Unaided Sectors: A Comparison
The mean, standard deviation and test of significance of the post test
scores of the teacher educands from the Aided and Unaided Teacher Training
Institutes representing the Portfolio group were calculated to find out if any
significant difference existed in their performances.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
315
Table 5.56
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Portfolio
Group from the Aided and Unaided Sectors
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Aided 20 13.80 4.61 0.80
Unaided 10 12.30 4.97
The critical ratio (CR = 0.80; p > ,05) is not significant, implying that the
mean post test scores of the two groups are significantly different. The type
of management, namely, Aided and Unaided sectors, has had little effect on
the treatment given to the groups with regard to enhancing their
communicative competence in English.
The analysis of test scores of Teacher Educands hailing from
institutions run by different management have revealed that no significant
difference existed between the groups in both the pre test or post test scores
with regard to their attainment of the levels of communicative competence.
Disparity was however observed in the Portfolio group with the Aided stream
excelling the Government stream. It may, however, be concluded that the
select Reflective Teaching Strategies have a positive effect on individuals in
enhancing their communicative competence and the Type of Management
they represent does have some influence in accelerating that skill. Except in
one case all the other groups equally assisted by the Type of Management
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
316
they represented. The activities conducted in these streams of management
were supportive or favourable in assimilating the essence of Concept-
Mapping, Problem-Solving and Portfolio strategies. Though the same type of
activities were being carried out in the same institutions when the comparison
of test scores of the Control group was being made, no such enhancement in
the communicative performance of teacher educands was noticed and this
emphatically points to the fact that a reflective approach can make all the
difference. The type of management that has the essential support system
seems to be benefited more by such practices.
It can be hoped that reflective practices can flourish in any institution
where individuals are willing to understand that change is inevitable if one has
to keep in par with the growing demands of the present era. What institutions
need is a strong networking among teachers and students and a supportive
curriculum that addresses the cognitive demands of second language
requirements.
5.8 LOCALE-WISE ANALYSIS OF TEST SCORES
In the context of the study, it was necessary to find if the type of locale
had a significant role to foster reflective practices leading towards enhanced
communicative competence in English of Teacher Educands at Primary Level.
The analysis of the test scores with this focus is presented under the following
heads:
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
317
5.8.1 Analysis of test scores of the Control group based on Locale of
Institution
5.8.2 Analysis of test scores of the Concept-Mapping group based on
Locale of Institution
5.8.3 Analysis of test scores of the Problem-Solving group based on Locale
of Institution
5.8.4 Analysis of test scores of the Portfolio group based on Locale of
Institution
The detailed analysis of data are being presented in the sections that
follow.
5.8.1 Analysis of Test Scores of the Control Group based on Locale of
Institution
The analysis under this section have been presented as given:
Comparison of pre test scores of subsamples of teacher
educands of control group on ‘Locale of Institution’
Comparison of post test scores of the subsamples of teacher
educands of control group based on ‘Locale of Institution
Pre test Scores of the Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Control
Group based on ‘Locale of Institution’: A Comparison
The mean and standard deviation of the pre test scores of teacher
educands of the Control group from Urban and Rural locale were computed to
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
318
check whether they differed in their attainment of communicative competence
in English.
Table 5.57
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Pre test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Control Group
based on the Locale of Institution
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Urban 20 7.50 3.17 0.12
Rural 30 6.93 3.31
The critical ratio (CR = 0.12; p > .05) is not significant at any level of
significance. It is seen that the mean pre scores of Urban (M = 7.50) and
Rural (M = 6.93) groups do not differ significantly. That is, the two subgroups
were equated prior to ascertaining their impact on the communicative
competence of teacher educands when not exposed to the experimental
treatment.
Comparison of Post test Scores of the Subsample of Teacher Educands
in the Control Group based on ‘Locale of Institution’: A Comparison
The mean and standard deviation of the post test scores of the select
sample in the Control group were computed to assess whether the type of
locale influenced their attainment of communicative abilities.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
319
Table 5.58
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Control Group
based on the Locale of Institution
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Urban 20 8.85 3.12 0.09
Rural 30 8.77 3.51
The critical ratio (CR = 0.08; p > .05) is not significant even at .05 level
of significance. The results show that the type of locale has had no influence
on the enhancement of communicative competence of teacher educands at
primary level as the mean post test scores of the Urban (M = 8.85) and Rural
(M = 8.77) groups did not show any marked difference.
5.8.2 Analysis of the Test Scores of the Concept-Mapping Group based
on ‘Locale of Institution’
The analysis of test scores of the Concept-Mapping group based on
the Locale of Institution have been presented under the following sections:
Comparison of mean pre test scores of the subsamples of teacher
educands from Concept-Mapping group based on the Locale of
Institution
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
320
Comparison of mean post test scores of the subsamples of teacher
educands from Concept-Mapping group based on the Locale of the
Institution
The detailed analysis is given below:
Comparison of Pre test Scores of the Subsamples of Teacher Educands
from the Concept-Mapping Group based on the Locale of Institution
The mean pre test scores of teacher educands in the Concept-Mapping
group from the Urban and Rural areas were computed and are presented in
Table 5.59.
Table 5.59
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Pre test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Concept-Mapping
Group based on the Locale of Institution
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Urban 20 6.80 3.55 0.50
Rural 30 6.30 3.23
The results reveal that there is no significant difference in the pre test
scores of the teacher educands of Concept-Mapping group from the Urban or
Rural areas. The critical ratio obtained (CR = 0.50; p > .05) is not significant
at the two levels of significance. Thus the two subgroups were equated with
respect to their level of communicative competence prior exposure to the
experimental treatment.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
321
Comparison of Mean Post test Scores of the Subsamples of Teacher
Educands from the Concept-Mapping Group based on the Locale of
Institution
The mean post test scores of the subsamples of teacher educands in
the Concept-Mapping group based on the Locale of Institution were computed
to ascertain if the area where the institutions were situated has any impact on
enhancing the communicative competence of teacher educands.
Table 5.60
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Concept-Mapping
Group based on the Locale of Institution
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Urban 20 15.70 5.52 1.68
Rural 30 13.07 5.28
The critical ratio obtained (CR = 1.08; p > .05) is not significant
implying that the mean post test scores of the Urban and Rural groups do not
differ significantly. Thus, it is seen from the table that for the Concept-
Mapping strategy to be effectively implemented in classrooms, the locale of
the institutions has little contribution in this regard.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
322
5.8.3 Analysis of Test Scores of the Problem-Solving Group based on
the Locale of Institution
The analysis of test scores of the Problem-Solving group based on the
Locale of Institution have been presented as shown:
Comparison of pre test scores of the subsamples of teacher educands
of the Problem-Solving group based on the Locale of Institution
Comparison of post test scores of the subsamples of teacher
educands of the Problem-Solving group based on the Locale of
Institution.
The analysed done under these subsections are given in detail below.
Comparison of Pre test Scores of the Subsamples of Teacher Educands
of the Problem-Solving group based on the Locale of Institution
As an initial step to find if teacher educands of the Problem-Solving
group from the Urban and Rural areas differed significantly, the mean pre test
scores were computed and they are presented in Table 5.61.
Table 5.61
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Pre test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Problem-Solving
Group based on the Locale of Institution
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Urban 20 6.80 2.97 0.00
Rural 30 6.80 2.89
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
323
The table data reveal that the Urban and Rural groups classified on the
basis of Locale of Institution show no difference in their mean pre test scores.
The critical (CR = 0.00; p > .05) is thus not significant at any level of
significance. The two groups were equated prior to being exposed to
experimental treatment.
Comparison of Post test Scores of the Subsamples of Teacher
Educands of Problem-Solving Group based on Locale of Institution
An analysis of the mean post test scores of teacher educands from the
Urban and Rural areas reveal the following:
Table 5.62
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Problem-Solving
Group based on Locale of Institution
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Urban 20 14.60 5.09 0.14
Rural 30 14.40 5.05
The table results reveal that the critical ratio obtained (CR = 0.14;
p > .05) is not significant at any level of significance implying that the mean
post test scores of teacher educands in the Problem-Solving group from the
Urban area (M = 14.60) does not differ from their counterparts of the Rural
area (M = 14.40). This is to state that the influence of Problem-Solving
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
324
strategy on teacher educands’ communicative competence in English is
similar irrespective of the area from where the educands hail.
5.8.4 Analysis of Test Scores of the Portfolio Group based on Locale
of Institution
The results of data gathered under the aforementioned criteria have
been presented under the subsections titled:
Comparison of pre test scores of the subsamples of teacher educands
in the Portfolio group based on the Locale of Institution
Comparison of post test scores of the subsamples of teacher
educands in the Portfolio group based on the Locale of Institution
The detailed analysis is given below.
Comparison of Pre test Scores of the Subsamples of Teacher Educands
in the Portfolio Group based on the Locale of Institution
In order to ascertain whether communicative competence of teacher
educands in the Portfolio group hailing from institutions in the Urban and
Rural areas were different, the mean pre test scores were computed and the
critical ratio was tested for significance.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
325
Table 5.63
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Pre test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Portfolio
Group based on the Locale of Institution
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Urban 20 6.60 3.14 0.49
Rural 30 7.07 3.39
The results of data reveal that the mean pre test scores of the Urban
group (M = 6.60) and Rural group (M = 7.07) are not significantly different as
the critical ratio obtained (CR = 0.49; p > .05) is not significant at both levels
of significance. The subgroups based on Locale of Institution were thus
equated prior to the experimental treatment.
Comparison of Mean Post test Scores of Teacher Educands in the
Portfolio group based on the Locale of Institution
The mean post test scores of teacher educands in the Portfolio group
were computed along with the critical ratio and are presented in Table 5.64.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
326
Table 5.64
Results of the Test of Significance of the Mean Post test Scores of the
Subsamples of Teacher Educands in the Portfolio
Group based on the Locale of Institution
Group No. of
Teacher Educands
Mean Standard Deviation
Critical Ratio
Urban 20 12.10 4.06 0.24
Rural 30 12.40 4.65
The critical ratio (CR = 0.24; p > .05) shows that the two subgroups
exposed to Portfolio strategy did not differ significantly which means that the
communicative competence of teacher educands from the Urban area was
not higher than the communicative competence of the teacher educands from
the Rural area.
The locale-wise stratification of the sample was analysed because
there is a common belief that students from institutions in Urban sectors fair
better than students from Rural sectors. But it is interesting and surprising to
note that no such disparity among learner performance was evidenced when
the select reflective teaching strategies were employed with an intention to
enhance the communicative competence of teacher educands. This finding is
justified on the ground that the teacher educands admitted to all the training
institutes are selected on the basis of a centralised allotment scheme whereby
teacher educands representing different institution types and language
background are admitted to any of these training institutions. The result
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
327
points to the fact that it is the culture that is built up in institutions which is
more essential in fostering reflective practice and not the area of the institution.
5.9 ANALYSIS OF THE SELF-WORTHINESS TO ACCOMMODATE THE
COMPONENTIAL ASPECTS OF COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE
BY TEACHER EDUCANDS AT PRIMARY LEVEL THROUGH THE
SELF-ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
In order to find the change in the attainment level of teacher educands
exposed to the select reflective teaching strategies with regard to their
communicative ability, the Communicative Competence Self-Assessment
Rubric was re-administered on the select sample of teacher educands
employed for the experimental study (n = 200). The results obtained formed
the basis for grouping them into the ‘Proficient’, ‘Advanced’, ‘Intermediate’ and
‘Novice’ levels. Table 5.65 gives a bird’s eye view on the percentages of
teacher educands under each category during the pre and post administration
of the Rubric.
Table 5.65
Comparison of the Change in Perception of Teacher Educands
regarding their own Attainment of Communicative Competence
Level of Performance
Components
NOVICE INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED PROFICIENT
Pre- Post Pre- Post Pre- Post Pre- Post
Grammatical 75% 25% 23% 67% 2% 6% Nil 2%
Sociolinguistic 84% 29% 15% 64% 1% 6% Nil 1%
Discourse 86% 27% 13% 64% 1% 8% Nil 1%
Strategic 96% 27% 3% 68% 1% 4% Nil 1%
Total 85% 27% 13.5% 60.7% 1.2% 6% Nil 1.2%
328
0.00
10.00
20.00
30.00
40.00
50.00
60.00
70.00
80.00
90.00
100.00
Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post Pre Post
NOVICE INTERMEDIATE ADVANCED PROFICIENT
Pe
rce
nta
ge
Level of Communicative Competence
Figure 5.6 Change in Perception of Teacher Educands regarding their Own Attainment of Communicative
Competence
Grammatical
Sociolinguistic
Discourse
Strategic
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
329
From Table 5.65 and the graphical representation (Figure 5.6), it
becomes evident that a noticeable change has taken place among the
teacher educands with regard to their attainment of communicative
competence on the four select components, namely grammatical,
sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic competencies.
It is to be noted that a small proportion of teacher educands (27%) got
categorised under the lowest level of communicative competence, namely
‘Novice’ level unlike in the previous case when 85% of the teacher educands
came under this category (vide Section 5.2). The change in percentages
reveal that teacher educands who were initially facing several constraints with
regard to their communication; in conveying ideas, in linking sentences
meaningfully, in stating them unambiguously, have gained sufficient
confidence to make literal interpretations and think more divergently on the
language task. The select reflective teaching strategies seem to have
equipped them for this transition. The small proportion of teacher educands
at the Novice level may be the representatives of the Control group treatment.
What appeared remarkable during the re-administration of the Rubric is
that a greater proportion of teacher educands (65%) could rise beyond their
basic level to the ‘Intermediate Level’. The teacher educands felt greater
confidence in conveying ideas in English though errors crept in frequently.
They felt that they could engage in dialogues effectively and consider the
contextual demands too. If given more assistance these teacher educands
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
330
could move to a higher level where they can independently think of multiple
solutions, give suggestions and develop discourses sequentially.
In comparison to the pre scores on the Rubric, the post scores on the
‘Advanced’ and ‘Proficient’ levels too show the increase in confidence level of
several teacher educands. The teacher educands, even though negligible in
proportion (6% and 1.2% respectively) could use more vocabulary accurately,
search for its lexical meanings effortlessly, use better organizational and
revision strategies and communicate with their teachers and peers, and
receive the vitality to use English in their daily classroom transaction.
The results of such a comparison invariably points to the suitability of
Rubrics as an assessment tool to track the movement of learners towards a
more desirable level of competency. The ease in administering and scoring
the Rubric make it an economical tool capable of yielding deeper insight into
the problem area. With its pre-established indicators, the tool can serve in
classifying teachers’ performances and in spelling out their grade levels so
that enrichment programmes can be provided accordingly.
In order to examine how reflectivity followed through the select
strategies could be internalised by teacher educands, three cases were
closely monitored by the investigator. The analysis of the Case Studies
undertaken is being presented in the next section.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
331
5.10 PRAXIS OF REFLECTIVITY THROUGH CASE STUDIES
The importance of developing reflection among teacher educands so
as to enhance professional competence and communicative competence has
been substantiated through the analysis of the quantitative data gathered in
this regard. But in order to gain a comprehensive vision of the entire process
involved and identify gaps in the acquisition of reflective capabilities, close
observation of certain select cases was felt imperative. To assess them from
their grammatical, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic standpoints and to
find out how well they could integrate theory and practice and experience and
understand the activities undertaken by them to promote reflection, three
specific cases were explored in the manner shown:
5.10.a Analysis of Case 1 exposed to Concept-Mapping
5.10.b. Analysis of Case 2 exposed to Problem-Solving
5.10.c Analysis of Case 3 exposed to Portfolio
In the present study, individual cases representing the lower strata with
regard to their attainment of communicative competence in English were
identified through the administration of the Self-Assessment Rubric, the Test
for English Language Competence and Participation Observation made by the
investigator while the experiment was on the anvil.
The select cases have been referred to as C1, C2 and C3 to keep their
identities hidden. They were monitored by their Principal, teacher educators,
school mentors and the investigator herself in terms of their ability to:
identify the central issue in the lesson;
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
332
arrange events in a hierarchical order;
generate cross links showing correct relationship between episodes;
identify sub-issues and relate them to the current ideas;
prepare and use facilitative aids;
generate discussions on the content area;
emphasise analytical and interpretative reasoning;
establish a purpose, and maintain clear focus;
use varied sentence structures; and
reveal depth and complexity of ideas supported by rich or pertinent
details.
Each of the cases selected were observed teaching a Unit from the VII
standard text. The analysis has been reported in a narrative form here.
5.10.a Analysis of the Case Exposed to the Concept-Mapping Strategy
The first case C1 exposed to the Concept-Mapping strategy was a Plus
two holder with a second class (minimum requirement mentioned by the
authorities) from a Government school in Kayamkulam. As a learner of
English, C1 could not be considered proficient in conceptualising the
intricacies of language processing effectively. She relied heavily on social
guides to help her put together the blueprints of text (or composition or
conversation). But C1 seemed to display commendable fortitude and control
while transacting the lesson ‘Mischief’ to her pupils at school.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
333
The phases of the strategy adopted by her required integrated
knowledge and an active approach to learning that leads to understanding
and the linking of new knowledge to existing knowledge. C1 was seen to
allow her pupils to begin with a concept map of their favourite programme
before embarking on the select unit ‘Mischief’. They were encouraged to think
of all possible dimensions in connection with the programme. This enabled
pupils to identify a simplified model of experience. They were then gradually
shifted to focus on real life situations where mischief by young children led to
a series of subsequent reactions from all corners. C1 was in a way creating
the kind of speech situations in which and through which pupils were
compelled to open themselves to their lived worlds, to one another and to
themselves.
Progression of Lesson
All throughout the interactive session, C1 was observed to pose
thought-provoking questions, probing queries so as to build a climate of
mutual investigation into a problem or idea worthy of attention and thereby
develop reflective abilities in her learners. Prompts like ‘what are the
consequences of mischief’, ‘who are the people involved’ and the like were
asked. Students were thus encouraged to think of appropriate lexical terms
and their suitability in the context of the map structure.
Later, they were made to organise their thinking and plan how the
concepts could be integrated. This phase challenged learners to reach logical
conclusions regarding the syntax to be included and develop their discourse
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
334
skills. Learners gained opportunities to explore the understanding of their
own actions and experience, and the impact of these on themselves.
Learners could maintain critical control over the more intuitive aspect of their
experiences.
While constructing their maps, her pupils were compelled to scan the
passage of the prescribed text and add or delete words, phrases or sentences
that had no direct link with the text. The whole class was thus actively
involved in surveying text, comparing and contrasting information, linking
ideas with joining words, and thereby developing grammatical accuracy and a
love for referencing and resourcing. The teacher educand C1 could slowly
minimise her intervention and scaffold pupils’ understanding as and when
required. She was seen to concentrate in allowing pupils to scan text,
integrate ideas, and develop discourses appropriate to the context.
Statements made by the teacher educand were focused towards leading
pupils to think divergently. The map generated by one group of students is
shown (Figure 5.7).
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
335
7
because
Mischief of Jimmy
Why I think Jimmy is naughty?
Likes sweets
No freedom at home
Feels lonely
Parents are very strict
Parents are given advice
be friendly
Buy things and give Jimmy duty
Give good advice
he is afraid
his parents will scold
asked him what happened
Understood his fear
Somehow helped him
Have no siblings
I am also naughty
It is doing small naughty things
Make parents sad
Common to all children
can be corrected
make people mad
can be forgiven
then people will be happy
Can be solved if
Main reason for the problem
He ‘tiptoed’ to the kitchen
because
Mother called father immediately without telling him
should have
he was hungry
Father who was reading newspaper rushes immediately
Figure 5.7 A Sample Concept Map Generated by C1’s Pupils
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
336
Feedback received
The performance of C1 as assessed by her own teacher educator and
mentors reveal the changes they evidenced in her performance. They
observed that C1 ‘has become focused’, ‘shows confidence’, ‘could make
class lively’, ‘could create interest among pupils’. Her pupils were quick to
give their opinions too. One of them stated, ‘I like it’, ‘I can think’, ‘I
understand well’.
Areas focused by C1:
On analysing the first case study, it is seen that the transacting modes
of C1 (Concept-Mapping strategy) laid emphasis on certain specific language
learning attributes essential for communicative competence, and they are as
given below:
i) the development of linguistic competence in English, with equal
emphasis on grammatical structure;
ii) information-paced processing by the reorganisation of the schematic
representations;
iii) the influence of connectives on sentence comprehension;
iv) syntactic and thematic processing;
v) mental representations of grammatical relationships;
vi) modularity in knowledge representation and natural language
processing;
vii) syntactic persistence in language production;
viii) systematicity in connectionist language learning;
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
337
ix) bootstrapping syntactic categories;
x) selective processing in text understanding whereby learners can
deliberately capitalise on their strengths in social interactions through
changing topics of focus to include words and structures familiar to
them.
Since the Concept-Mapping strategy leads to more structured
processing of ideas, it can be successfully implemented in all the subjects for
transacting curriculum.
5.10.b Analysis of Case C2 exposed to Problem-Solving
The second case C2 represented a strategy that permitted learners to
explore problems or interactions systematically in language classroom and
thereby catalyse deeper insight into their own practices so as to generalise
from one situation to another.
Case C2 too was a Plus two holder from a Government school with a
mere second class, a qualification set for placement. In order to support the
development of reflective thought among her pupils of standard VII, C2
recognised that adopting the linear step of presenting the topic is not
appropriate. So in order to open the thinking of her students to all
possibilities, she made them think of all the possible mischievous acts
committed by a seven-year old child and to rank them in their order of gravity.
Learners were then presented the text and made to identify how grave the
mischief committed by the protagonist – a seven-year old boy, was and
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
338
whether the punishments given to him could be justified or not. C2 was
deliberately leading her pupils to ‘identify the pertinent problem’ by focusing
on their experiences, their perspectives and gain deeper conceptual
understandings regarding their own line-of-thoughts and leading them through
formulation of linguistic-oriented problem.
Towards a Problem Solution Mode
Realising the initial difficulties of her pupils, C2 was seen to provide
extensive initial support and her students were observed to gradually assume
control over a larger portion of the complex task. C2 could tap into their
imaginations to create a richer learning and interactive environment by
making references to several anecdotes familiar to learners. Pupils were
being led through a temporal sequencing of events by focusing more strongly
on linguistic forms unconsciously. Brief exchanges in English were
encouraged. Lower-level processing was seen to unfold automatically in
response to higher-level decisions based on meanings. The identified
problem by students with regard to the protagonist of the story was reworded
so that it could be clear to them. Statements like “To find out ……”, “To help
the boy overcome ….” were used to bring clarity to their thoughts.
Several conjectures by the students were considered and they were
made to think of the solution too – to predict what the outcome should be. To
scaffold their understanding, statements with ‘if’ were introduced like, “If this is
the problem, what ……./ when/ how/where / by whom …..”.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
339
Exploration of the Strategy
Finding a few pupils lost with this phase of Problem-Solving C2
explained, “My problem is that I love sweets just like the hero in the story.
what can I do to stop this? Is eating too many sweets good?” The kind of
stimulus provided by her made her learners express their unique suggestions.
What was remarkable is the way in which the class was being managed with
all students adorning ‘detective’ roles. The case C2 was thus employing
situational thinking to describe the problem and then move to deliberate
thinking. Through this reframing of the problem C2 was led to a better
understanding of her own classroom problem. She could identify the
restlessness and lost look on her pupils’ face, identify the problem as being
their inability to follow her instructions if they were not given examples from
real life. Such a reflection-in-action was seen to make C2 reformulate her own
statements, add enough stress, use gestures so as to drive the point home.
Plan Execution Phase
Through the mode of analogical thinking, the pupils were led to think of
similar situations as depicted in the problem and suggest the solution path-
ways. Pupils were automatically led to infer cause-effect relationship, give
reasons, generalise and move independently and progressively. Scope for
integrating knowledge from different sources come to play. C2 was seen to
employ suitable cues to make learners think of how their solution could have
its effect on society at large, on nature, in the realm of non-academic and the
like. The case C2, was extending pupils’ thoughts so that the learners did not
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
340
come to make quick judgements. More scanning of information, more
inquiries and deeper thoroughness of the task was the purpose behind C2’s
intentional delays in accepting the solutions suggested by students.
Further, learners were asked to think of the possible problems that are
likely to arise if the solution is adopted.
Lessons learnt
It could be evidenced from the classroom practices of C2 that pupils
were led through the stages of problem identification, problem refinement,
collection of evidences, chalking out a plan-of-action, designing discourses in
a meticulous manner under the facilitative supervision of C2. She was fulfilling
her role as an efficient teacher by monitoring discussions, asking questions,
helping the resolution of occasional conflicting situations, enabling the
participation of each group member to classroom discussions, giving
examples when required, preventing scatter of discussion and making
evaluations immediately.
The characteristics of the learning scenario that can be adopted in
language classrooms following a problem-solving approach should thus be:
- learner-centred;
- open towards problem situation;
- focused on a pertinent issue that is helpful;
- personified so as to make students feel as if it were their
problem.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
341
Thus from C2’s classroom performance, it could be noted that the
teacher educand paid close attention to how her pupils intended their
utterances to be taken and to help them become conscious of the force of
their utterances. Questions such as “Is that truly the problem?” and “Are
these sentences meant as evidences for the claims made?” were the modes
of questioning that not only aided the teacher educand in understanding the
thoughts of her pupils but also provided the conceptual categories in terms of
identifying which pupils could come to see their own utterances as valid. C2
was intermittently alluding to what she herself ‘thought, ‘knew’, ‘expected’,
‘remembered’, ‘wondered about’, ‘had decided on’, ‘guessed’, ‘assumed’,
‘inferred’, ‘concluded’ and so on, and encouraged her pupils to do the same.
By consciously introducing and using such language about thinking in the
classroom, C2 could lead pupils to reflect on and articulate their own thinking
and its expressions. And as Phye (1997) has observed, “Teachers who make
more use of meta-cognitive and metalinguistic language will have students do
the same, and these students will be better able to understand their own and
others’ beliefs and intentions.”
Conclusion and Self-evaluation
It can thus be conclusively stated that this systematic handling of a
linguistic text leading from identification of the topic sentences to its
supportive details by hinging on one’s own previous knowledge and
connecting it to the new information so as to generate best modes of solving
problems is an essential feature not only to solve problematic situations in
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
342
language classrooms but also in life. This strategy with its emphasis on
independent thinking and acting can help develop autonomous learners
capable of communicating their ideas cohesively.
The feedback received from C2’s school mentor and teacher educator
too point towards the efficacy of the Problem-Solving strategy. As one
teacher remarked, “If problems are analysed in this manner, then there would
be no problems at all.” The school students however found the initial few
classes difficult to progress with as they were not accustomed to these
modes. But C2’s patient intervention could set the learners on the right track.
When C2 was herself interviewed, she said that planning the lesson
keeping the stages of Problem-Solving in mind enabled her to locate her
students’ difficulty immediately and also to think of solutions immediately. In
her words, “the strategy is very good but not so easy”. All throughout her
teaching session, active feedback sessions were arranged to get her focused
on the prominent elements of classroom transaction.
5.10.c Analysis of the Case Study in Praxis: Portfolio Strategy
The select Reflective Teaching Strategy, namely, Portfolio writing
which is meant for documenting and expressing the professional
competencies and the set professional standards to be acquired by teacher
educands in general was also observed while it was being implemented in
actual classroom practice by a teacher educand from the Portfolio group. She
has been referred to as C3 in this section.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
343
The requirement of the portfolio preparation pivots around specific
phases of ‘collection’, ‘selection’, ‘reflection’ and ‘presentation’ wherein
learners make reasoned choice about the language task and specific linguistic
elements that get attached while developing an in-depth understanding of the
task-at-hand.
The classroom practice mode of the third case C3 representing the
Portfolio group was observed by the investigator both prior to and after the
experimental study procedures culminated. The scores of C3 on specific
pedagogic aspects of planning, executing the task, and evaluating her pupils’
performance were noted. The findings revealed that there were certain
inconsistencies in her transactional modes of curriculum and an apprehension
regarding correcting her pupils’ errors. Moreover, C3 felt less confident in
communicating in English even though her performance in transacting content
in mother tongue was exemplary.
Induction to the Strategy
Noting her problematic zones, the investigator inducted her to the
strategic modes of portfolio preparation that could specifically help her
develop connected speech in context. In order to identify her constraints, the
investigator interviewed C3’s teacher educator, school mentor and the teacher
educand herself. It was learnt from the observations made that C3 needed a
‘confidence punch’ to realise that she was on track.
One among her problem zones was the ‘writing skill’ especially with
regard to developing stories based on a theme.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
344
In order to ground her with the basic principles underlying such
compositions, the investigator adopted a sequence of steps as shown in
Figure 5.8.
Figure 5.8 A Portfolio of thoughts supporting Composition Building
As each section of the portfolio generating process was considered, a
marked difference in the enthusiasm of the case C3 was noted.
Task Execution Phase
What added credibility to the entire process was the class C3 took for
her VII standard pupils at school. C3 was observed to be tactful in introducing
Not appropriate
Select idea/ topic for
story
Determine length/
scope for story
Select main points to be
included
Select an order for
representing major points
Prescribe best
sentence types to convey
meaning
Choose appropriate discourse markers/
punctuation marks
Brainstorming Alluding to examples
Illustrations – outlining
techniques
Collecting work samples
– seeking advice
Brushing of question patterns,
assertions
Repetition of activity and correction of
parallel process
Make modifications
Get peer opinion
Write rough draft
Reflection on the entire process
Setting up a criteria for evaluation
Prioritising
appropriate
proceed
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
345
the lesson. Her personal portfolio revealed the detailed plan she had chalked
out prior to introducing the lessons.
C3 moved at a leisurely pace to accommodate all her learners. Having
provided the essential advance organizer to assist learners link their previous
knowledge to the new context, pupils were provided with the textual passage
and their reading was scaffolded through certain emphatic statements made
by the investigator like, “It was not Jimmy’s fault to be termed mischievous”, “It
is sad that he has to be punished.”
Her pupils were made to collect evidences from the text that either
supported the proposition or rejected them. Pupils were directed to provide
the rationale for each evidence selected and thereby accommodate the
various connections which exist among linguistic features and grammatical
elements. For example, a pupil who supported the proposition said, “Jimmy’s
home was not a cordial one” … “there was fear of eating sweets” … “no open
communication existed.” The pupil picked out the word ‘tiptoed’ from the
passage and asserted, “only a thief tiptoed that none would notice him, why
should a ‘son’ do so?”
The pupils appeared to be expressing their beliefs, and their
experiences in a lively mode.
Very often C3 was observed to identify her pupils’ difficulty through their
facial expressions, and think immediately of possible causes and provide cues
or prompts accordingly.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
346
The arguments generated by pupils were noted under two sections on
the blackboard. Pupils were made to prioritise these statements, combine
them through collaborative work and make their group presentations based on
in-depth analysis of the perplexing situation. Pupils were directed to assess
their peer’s work and give suggestions.
The result
The development of a portfolio encouraged the teacher educands to
shift from playing a passive role in assessment and evaluation to an active
role. She let her pupils engage in more complex thinking and self-evaluation
in choosing appropriate syntactic patterns, and discourse modes of what they
learned from the assigned unit.
It offered the opportunity for attaining language competencies and also
developed positive trends towards the acquisition of language skills. The
phased programmes through which the teacher educand progressed for
internalising the agenda behind the prescribed curriculum framework was
found to be effective in the acquisition of the four select components of
communicative competence.
Discussion on Case Studies Undertaken
The in-depth case study results reveal how the select reflective
teaching strategies namely, Concept-Mapping, Problem-Solving, and Portfolio
Writing facilitated the teaching-learning process of school students and
teacher educands themselves. The phased programme through which the
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
347
teacher educands were led to map linguistic forms onto everyday events and
social relationships enabled them to adjust and simplify their communication
patterns to correspond to their young pupils’ level of linguistic competence.
The analysis of their pattern of handling classes and the debriefing
sessions with teacher educators provided detailed descriptions of the
directions, cues, and activities employed by the select sample of teacher
educands for the case study in training their students to apply suitable
learning strategies in various types of language tasks.
The degree to which direct or embedded instruction was provided, and
the extent to which the specific reflective teaching strategies selected for
instruction assisted in the development of language competencies was
evidenced through the conduct of the case studies. The select strategies
have been noted to create enthusiasm among teacher educands and their
learners. The highlights of the three cases are given below.
Awareness of self, others, and the surrounding context;
Engaging learners and learner’s experience in the construction of
knowledge;
Providing opportunities for exploration and articulation of new ideas,
personal beliefs, knowledge, and experience;
Ongoing analysis of personal theory-in-use;
Designing activities that are collaborative in nature; and
Reflecting on personal practice to maximise student learning.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
348
The select educands were seen to encounter difficulties with ease and
dexterity and to transform routine activities into lively interaction sessions with
systematic planning and implementation of the designed task. Since the
cases belonged to the lower strata of communicative competence the results
can be generalised on the bigger sample to a greater extent.
The conclusion derived from the analysis of the Case studies is that
reflective practices can be implemented in language classrooms and also that
it requires an atmosphere of trust, openness so that thoughts can be
generated and modified. The involvement and interest shown by teachers
reveal that these practices need to be made familiar to the teaching faculty so
that more effective learning and teaching can ensue. Also, teachers should
be encouraged to conduct several action research and case studies so as to
become more reflective in their teaching modes and identify the lacunae in
their students’ understanding.
TENABILITY OF THE HYPOTHESES
The hypotheses formulated for the study are being tested for their
tenability in this section.
Hypothesis 1
“Most of the Teacher Educands at Primary Level are deficient with
regard to their attainment of the expected level of communicative competence
in English.”
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
349
For the purpose of analysis, the above hypothesis was converted into
null hypothesis as:
“The Teacher Educands at Primary Level are not deficient with regard
to their attainment of the expected level of Communicative Competence in
English.”
The assessment of the performance of teacher educands with regard
to their attainment of the set levels of communicative competence in English
was made through the conduct of a semi-structured interview, the
administration of the Self-Assessment Rubric and the English Language Test
of Communicative Competence, and through participant observations.
The select sample of teachers comprising Experts in English language,
Teacher Educators and school practitioners while making an assessment of
the communicative competence of teacher educands (Item No. 1 of Section
5.1) reiterated that the prospective teachers were still novices with regard to
their communicative abilities showing their inability to focus on specific
linguistic components, in organising information according to its semantic
attributes, in analytically integrating language elements, in designing
contextualised discourses within the stipulated time, in applying problem-
solving modes and in conveying meaning with grammatical precision and
accuracy. They revise less often and less extensively, have limited goals and
are mainly concerned with reproducing textual matter as such.
Moreover, through the administration of the Self-Assessment Rubric –
a linguistic tool which was prepared to scale-down the various levels of
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
350
communicative performance on the four prominent componential areas of
communicative competence (vide Table 5.5) – it was revealed that three
fourth of the select sample of teacher educands were at the lowest level
(Novice) with regard to their grammatical competence, 84% were deficient
with respect to their sociolinguistic competence, 86% with regard to their
discourse competence and 96% with respect to their strategic competence.
Comparatively, very few proportion of teacher educands could qualify
for the Intermediate level on the four set competencies.
Just a miniscule of them, around 1%, could qualify for the ‘Advanced’
level. These teacher educands could analyse problems, reflect on the tasks,
and set goals to actively rework thoughts to change both their text and ideas.
None could qualify for the ‘Proficient level. This analysis points towards the
dismal position to which the teacher educands are placed with regard to the
construction and expression of language in clear terms.
It is also found that the pre test scores of teacher educands in the
control and experimental groups vary significantly from their post test scores
(vide Tables 5.6 – 5.19). The mean pre test scores of the various groups are
as shown:
Control group with a score of 6.50; of Concept-Mapping group with
7.16; Problem-Solving group with 6.80; and Portfolio group with 6.88. The
post scores of the experimental groups showed remarkable changes. The
mean post scores of Concept-Mapping being 14.12, of Problem-Solving being
14.18 and of Portfolio being 12.28.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
351
The comparative analysis of gain scores of performance of the select
groups on the set components of communicative competence too reveal that
the pre performance of teacher educands was not up to the expected level
(Table 5.24).
In addition to this, the participant observations made by the investigator
when the experiment was on anvil and on several prior interactions have
revealed that the prospective teachers at Primary Level have difficulty with
regard to: sentence comprehension, syntactic patterning, morphological
processing, discourse coherence and inferring in general.
Therefore, from the above findings, it can be conclusively stated that
the prospective teachers at Primary Level are deficient with regard to the
attainment of the set competencies of communicative competence. Thus the
null hypothesis formulated is not accepted and the study hypothesis which
states that “Most of the Teacher Educands at Primary Level are deficient with
regard to their attainment of the expected level of communicative competence
in English” is sustained.
Hypothesis 2
The select Reflective Teaching Strategies are superior to the prevailing
classroom transaction modes in enhancing the communicative competence in
English of teacher educands at Primary Level.
For the purpose of statistical analysis, the above hypothesis was
converted to null hypothesis as:
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
352
“There is no significant difference between the communicative
performance of Teacher Educands at Primary level taught through the select
Reflective Teaching Strategies and those taught through the prevailing
activity-oriented mode of curriculum transaction.”
The analysis of the test scores of the three select Experimental groups
namely, Concept-Mapping, Problem-Solving, and Portfolio Writing, and the
Control group exposed to the prevailing activity-oriented mode of curriculum
transaction reveal that there is significant difference in the mean post scores
of all the three select experimental groups when compared to the post scores
of the control group.
While considering the results of the comparison of test scores of the
Concept-Mapping group and the Control group, it was revealed that the mean
post test score of the Concept-Mapping group (M = 14.12) was significantly
higher than the mean post test score of the Control group (M = 8.80). The
obtained critical ratio (CR = 5.87; p < .01) vide Table 5.7 established the
superiority of the Concept-Mapping group over the prevailing mode of
curriculum transaction at Teacher Training Institutes in enhancing the
communicative competence in English of teacher educands at Primary Level.
This findings reiterates the premise that, a sequence of generation and
integration of concepts which the Concept-Mapping strategy emphasises can,
to a greater extent help learners to assimilate and accommodate interactive
activation networks useful for both comprehension and production in a
language environment.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
353
Similarly, the results of the comparison of post test scores of the
Problem-Solving group and the Control group too revealed the superiority of
the experimental treatment in enhancing the communicative competence in
English of Teacher Educands at Primary Level. The critical ratio obtained on
the comparison of the mean post test score of the Problem-Solving group
(M = 14.18) and that of the Control group (M = 8.80) was CR = 6.67; p < .01,
vide Table 5.10, is significant at the .01 level of significance leading to
establish the superiority of the experimental strategy (Problem-Solving) which
has contributed to re-evaluation of core linguistic principles and enabled
teacher educands to retain accurate account of the textual information.
A similar development in the communicative competence of teacher
educands was revealed while comparing the test scores of the experimental
group exposed to the reflective teaching strategy, namely, Portfolio Writing,
and the Control group exposed to the prevailing activity-oriented modes of
curriculum transaction (Table 5.13). The mean post test score of the Portfolio
group (M = 12.28) and the mean post test score of the Control group
(M = 8.80) show the positive impact of the experimental treatment in attaining
the desired learner outcome. The critical ratio thereby obtained (CR = 4.47;
p < .01) signals towards the incorporation of a strategy, like Portfolio, that
suppresses inappropriate information and triggers the development of new
language substructures through its phased frames of discourse comprehension
and anaphor resolution.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
354
Moreover, the F ratio obtained in the Analysis of Covariance (Fy.x =
76.65, vide Table 5.16) is higher than the table value at .01 level of
significance thereby pointing towards the superiority of the experimental
treatments over the control group treatment.
Also, the adjusted means for the post test scores of Teacher Educands
in the three select experimental groups and the Control group as observed
through the results presented in Table 5.17 reveal that, the adjusted means
for the post test scores of the experimental groups, namely, Concept-Mapping
group (My.x = 14.54); Problem-Solving Group (My.x = 14.52)and Portfolio
group (My.x = 12.22) were higher than the adjusted means of the Control
group (My.x = 8.39) thereby emphasising the superiority of the experimental
treatments over the prevailing classroom pedagogic modes in enhancing the
communicative competence of teacher educands at Primary Level.
The comparative analysis of the gain scores of performance of the
three experimental and control groups on the four components of
communicative competence namely, grammatical, sociolinguistic, strategic,
and discourse competencies reveal the superiority of the reflective teaching
strategies over the prevailing classroom transacting modes. It was noted
(Table 5.24) that the gain score performance of the Concept-Mapping group
on the four components were greater than the performance of the control
group.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
355
Gain % on Grammatical component – 160%
Gain % on Sociolinguistic component – 140%
Gain % on Discourse component – 100% and,
Gain % on Strategic component – 87.5%
The gain percentage of scores of Problem-Solving group on the four
select components were 75.7%; 220%; 100% and 87.5% respectively, and
the gain percentage of scores of Portfolio group were 79.1%; 70.9%, 116.6%
and 53.8% respectively whereas the gain percentage of scores of Control
group was only 21.95% for grammatical competence, 53.49% for socio-
linguistic competence, 35.76% for discourse competence, and 8.91% for
strategic competence which is much less than that of the experimental
groups.
Several qualitative approaches too proved the efficacy of the select
reflective teaching strategies over the prevailing modes of curriculum
transaction.
Therefore, from the above findings, it can be conclusively stated that
the select Reflective Teaching Strategies namely, Concept-Mapping,
Problem-Solving and Portfolio Writing are effective linguistic frameworks to
episode contextually relevant language structures, and in organising
narratives through critical inquiry and reflective thinking-modes, and are more
effective than the prevailing classroom practices. Thus the null hypothesis
formulated in this context is not accepted.
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
356
Therefore, the study hypothesis which states that “The select
Reflective Teaching Strategies are superior to the prevailing classroom
transaction modes in enhancing the communicative competence in English of
teacher educands at Primary Level” is sustained.
Hypothesis 3
“Significant difference exists between the subsamples of teacher
Educands at Primary Level (Subsamples based on Gender, Locale, and Type
of Management).”
The tenability of hypothesis with regard to the stratification of sample
taken individually are presented below.
Hypothesis 3 (a)
“The Female Teacher Educands at Primary Level will show better
communicative competence in English than their Male counterparts when
exposed to the select reflective Teaching Strategies.”
For the purpose of statistical requirements, the study hypothesis was
converted into null hypothesis as:
“There is no significant difference between the communicative
performance in English of Male and Female Teacher Educands at Primary
Level when taught through the select reflective teaching strategies.”
The analysis of test results that focused on the role of ‘Gender’ of
teacher educands in their attainment of communicative competence reveal
the following findings which have been highlighted in a table format:
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
357
Table 5.66
Summative Vision of the Results of the Performance of Teacher
Educands Classified on the basis of Gender Difference
Group Sex Mean
Post test Score
Critical Ratio
Level of Significance
Table Reference
Concept-Mapping
Male 10.33 3.52 .01 (5.28)
Female 14.64
Problem-Solving
Male 10.57 2.92 .01 (5.30)
Female 15.12
Portfolio Male 9.50
2.64 .01 (5.32) Female 12.81
Control Male 9.00
0.19 Not
Significant (5.26)
Female 8.77
The mean post test scores of the female teacher educands in all the
experimental groups were significantly higher than the male teacher educands
in these groups.
While considering the first experimental group which was exposed to
the Concept-Mapping strategy, it is noted that, the mean post test score of the
female teacher educands M = 14.64 is greater than the mean post test score
of the male teacher educands of the same group (M = 10.33), and the critical
ratio CR = 3.52; p < .01 is significant at the .01 level of significance (vide
Table 5.28) revealing that the female students benefited more in structuring
language elements appropriately by building up a network of language
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
358
associations than the male students when instructed through the Concept-
Mapping reflective teaching strategy.
Likewise, the mean post test scores of the male and female students in
the Problem-Solving experimental group reveal significant difference between
their performance. The male teacher educands of the Problem-Solving group
got a mean post score of 10.57 only whereas, the female group showed a
mean post score of 15.12. The critical CR = 2.92; p < .01 is significant at the
.01 level of significance emphasising the fact that, the female teacher
educands showed greater skill in making decisions and in solving problematic
language tasks while progressing through the specific phases of the Problem-
Solving strategy than the male teacher educands exposed to this select
strategy.
Also, it is to be seen that the female teacher educands in the Portfolio
group outperformed the teacher educands in the male group when exposed to
the Portfolio strategy. The mean post test score of the female group M =
12.81 was greater than the mean post test score of the male group M = 9.50,
and the critical ratio CR = 2.64; p < .01 (vide Table 5.32) is significant at the
.01 level of significance. The results reveal the superior performance of
female students of the experimental group exposed to the Portfolio strategy.
But while analysing the post test scores of the male and female teacher
educands in the Control group, it is noted that there was no significant
difference in their test scores (MMale = 9.00; and MFemale = 8.77) and the critical
ratio thus obtained; CR = 0.19; p > .05 was not seen to be significant at any
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
359
level of significance implying that the superior performance of female students
in the experimental group can be solely attributed to the impact that the select
reflective teaching strategies has had on them than it has had on the male
teacher educands.
From the above research findings, it can be conclusively stated that all
the select reflective teaching strategies namely, Concept-Mapping, Problem-
Solving and Portfolio Writing has had greater impact on female students and
that the communicative competence of female students was at a higher level
than the male teacher educands.
Therefore, the study hypothesis which states that “The Female
Teacher Educands at Primary Level will show better communicative
competence in English than their Male counterparts when exposed to the
select Reflective Teaching Strategies” is sustained and the null hypothesis is
not accepted.
Hypothesis 3 (b)
The second hypothesis formulated for the stratified sample was:
“The Teacher Educands of Government Teacher Training Institutes will
have greater level of communicative attainment in English than their
counterparts in aided and unaided sectors when exposed to the select
reflective teaching strategies.”
For the purpose of statistical analysis, the null hypothesis formulated in
this regard was:
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
360
“There is no significant difference between the communicative
performance of Teacher Educands from a) Government and Aided sectors; b)
Aided and Unaided sectors and c) Government and Unaided sectors taught
through the select reflective teaching strategies.”
The results of the analysis done in this regard are given below.
Table 5.67
A Summary of the Results of the Post test Scores of Teacher
Educands under different Types of Management
Group Managements Mean
Post test Score
Critical Ratio
Level of Significance
Table reference
I. Concept-Mapping
i) Government Aided
13.85 13.75
0.06 Not significant (5.40)
ii) Government Unaided
13.85 15.40
0.70 Not significant (5.42)
iii) Aided Unaided
13.75 15.40
0.76 Not significant (5.44)
II. Problem-Solving
i) Government Aided
15.20 13.75
0.89 Not significant (5.46)
ii) Government Unaided
15.20 14.50
0.36 Not significant (5.48)
iii) Aided Unaided
13.75 14.50
0.42 Not significant (5.50)
III. Portfolio i) Government Aided
10.75 13.80
2.38 .05 (5.52)
ii) Government Unaided
10.75 12.30
0.89 Not significant (5.54)
iii) Aided Unaided
13.80 12.30
0.80 Not significant (5.56)
IV. Control i) Government Aided
8.85 8.85
0.00 Not significant (5.34)
ii) Government Unaided
8.85 8.60
0.18 Not significant (5.36)
iii) Aided Unaided
8.85 8.60
0.20 Not significant (5.38)
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
361
The summarised results reveal that nearly all the test scores of teacher
educands classified under various ‘Type of Management’ show no marked
difference in any of the combinations. Significant difference was however
noted when teacher educands from the Portfolio group were classified under
Government and Aided streams. The critical ratio CR = 2.38; p < .05 shows
significant difference between the mean post test scores of teacher educands
from the Government (M = 10.75) and the Aided (M = 13.80) sectors. This
may be attributed to the opportunities that the Aided stream has provided for
its learners to document their learning systematically. It has been observed
that unlike in the Government stream, the Aided institutions conduct a lot of
programmes like camps, club activities, seminars, field trips, exhibitions and
several interactive forums and each activity is reported in a systematic
manner. Such a trend seemed to be bolstered when the concept of portfolio
was introduced. Therefore, from the above findings, it can be stated that the
study hypothesis stands rejected and the null hypothesis is partially accepted.
That is, except in one combination, there is no difference in the level of
communicative attainment of teacher educands coming under Government,
Aided and Unaided sectors.
Hypothesis 3 (c)
The third hypothesis for the stratified sample formulated was:
“The Teacher Educands of Teacher Training Institutes in urban area
will show better communicative competence in English than their counterparts
in rural area when exposed to the select reflective teaching strategies.”
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
362
For the purpose of statistical analysis, the null hypothesis formulated in
this regard was:
“There is no significant difference in the communicative performance of
teacher educands from institutions in Urban and Rural areas when taught
through the select reflective teaching strategies.”
The results of the analysis of test scores of teacher educands reveal
the following findings:
Table 5.68
A Brief review of Results of the Post test Scores of Teacher
Educands from Institutes in the Urban and Rural Areas
Group Locale Mean
Post test Score
Critical Ratio
Level of Significance
Table reference
Control Urban 8.85
0.08 Not
significant (5.58)
Rural 8.77
Concept-Mapping
Urban 15.70 1.68
Not significant
(5.60) Rural 13.07
Problem-Solving
Urban 14.60 0.14
Not significant
(5.62) Rural 14.40
Portfolio Urban 12.10
0.24 Not
significant (5.64)
Rural 12.40
From the results presented in a nutshell in Table 5.68, it can be seen
that the Locale of institution has very little effect in developing the
communicative competence of teacher educands through the adoption of
reflective modes. No subsamples based on the locale of institutions showed
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
363
significant difference in the critical ratios at any level of significance (at .05
and .01 levels of significance).
Thus, from the results captured in Table 5.68, it can be conclusively
stated that there is no significant difference in the communicative performance
of teacher educands from institutions in the Urban or Rural areas. In the light
of these findings, the study hypothesis formulated is rejected and the null
hypothesis is sustained which states that “There is no significant difference in
the communicative performance of teacher educands from institutions in the
Urban and Rural areas when exposed to the select reflective teaching
strategies.”
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS
The results of the study have revealed that the select reflective
teaching strategies, namely, Concept-Mapping, Problem-Solving and Portfolio
Writing have a positive effect on the teacher educands’ attainment of
communicative competence in English than the prevailing classroom
transaction modes.
Though several innovative practices like ‘shared reading’, and
‘collaborative groupings’ have been introduced in training colleges to make
teacher educands more competent in transacting curriculum, the teacher
educands are found to experience difficulty in wielding the language elements
effectively and appropriately. They are found deficient in internalising the
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
364
essential metacognitive skill for developing appropriate functional planning,
selective attention, and self-evaluation.
The study has proved that even though there did not exist any initial
difference in performance of teacher educands in the experimental and
control groups, the subsequent exposure to reflective practices provided a
framework to build organisational knowledge through sharing, observation
and reflection. Besides, the study has demonstrated that reflective teaching
strategy training can be effective in a natural classroom set up too where their
learners at school were also benefited by an exposure to these select
strategies.
An exposure to the set strategies has proved effective in developing
academic language skills with a promise for improving the ability of teacher
educands as language instructors and learners of the second language.
It is true that teacher educators are familiar with several innovative
practices but often paucity of time and dearth of resources prevent them from
translating their constructive thoughts into fruitful actions. The analyses of the
retrospective interview data revealed that though teachers were receiving
adequate training with regard to the teaching-learning strategies to be
employed in classrooms, they had yet to develop appropriate instructional
designs to promote student use of reflective learning strategies.
The results of the analysis via the use of the self-assessment modes
have revealed that it is time to boost the confidence level of teacher educands
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
365
with regard to their ability to use language grammatically and contextually
well.
The study points towards the efficacy of the select reflective teaching
strategies in encouraging teacher educands to be open-minded, responsible,
and wholehearted about their interactions with the discourse situation and
follow a definite plan-of-action in executing linguistic tasks.
The success of the Concept-Mapping strategy lay on the emphasis it
laid on integrating one’s prior knowledge coherently with new knowledge in a
hierarchical mode and through a wider exploration of connections.
The Problem-Solving strategy developed the teacher educands’ sense
of discovery and conscious, deliberate insight that encourages them to
become students of their own learning.
The interpretation of data with regard to the effect of the Portfolio
strategy on a sample of teacher educands at Primary level reveal that the
introduction of such a reflective approach was successful to the extent that
the teacher educands appeared confident in communicating in English than
their counterparts in the Control group. The entire process of portfolio
construction has proved useful in enhancing their language processing skills
and for the rational acquisition of the components of communicative
competence.
The three select strategies enable teacher educands to link the theory
of linguistic processing of language elements and practices and thereby
empower teacher educands to examine both success and failures in a
Analysis and Interpretation of Data
366
language construction environment and thereby promote self-awareness and
knowledge through personal experience.
On the basis of the findings of the study, it can be emphatically stated
that reflection can be taught although it does require much energy from the
teacher. Once the teacher educands become empowered in their profession
with a good command over the language, there develops in young learning
minds an urge to communicate effectively in a coherent manner.
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