USING OF TEAM-GAME-TOURNAMENT TECHNIQUE IN SPELLING RULES AND PUNCTUATION MARKS EDUCATION

Abstract

Extended Abstract Problem Statement: Using of language arts is an essential tool shaping the human life. Among language arts, verbal expression has a significant role in both daily communication activities and language education or language usage. In acquisition or improving of language arts skills, it should be given importance into that the student's interest and motivations devoted to write are high, the students can evaluate products of verbal expression by themselves and make necessary corrections. The new learning programs, renewed according to student-based education system, have brought with new strategy, method and techniques which are appropriate to constructivist approach and include active participation of students in learning period. In native language teaching, it has been seen educational changes as modern age requires, and started to apply a constructivist teaching strategy which is based on active learning and focuses on products of students. One of the approaches which are appropriate to this teaching comprehension is cooperative learning. In this study, it has been aimed to examine the effect of Team-Game-Tournament technique and conventional learning method on success and durability levels in spelling rules and punctuation marks usage by undergraduate students. Method: The working group consists of 50 first year students studied at Nursery Department of Vocational School of Artvin Coruh University and taken Turkish Language course in academic year of 2009-2010. Experimental group and control group have been randomly selected as having 25 students. The success of the students in verbal expression has been gathered by The Test for Verbal Expression Success (TWES). The data required from pre-test, post-test and durability test of the groups have been analyzed by SPSS 16.0 package program. Findings: In the findings of the study, it has not been seen a considerable difference between pre-test averages of research and comparison groups with significance level of U=269,500 p>0,05, whereas there is a considerable difference between post-test averages of the groups ((Research =22,40 - Comparison =19,84) with significance level of U=147, 000, p<0,05 in favor of experimental group. Results, Discussion and Suggestions: As a result of the findings, it has been seen a considerable difference, in favor of Team-Game-Tournament technique, between comparison group which conventional learning method has been used and experimental group, in terms of pre-test and post-test success and durability level on verbal expression. The findings which are related to academic success have similarities with other related studies in litterateur. With the results of this research, it has been given various suggestions for further researches and applications. Keywords: Verbal Expression, Spelling Rules, Punctuation Marks, Success, Team-Game-Tournament Technique.