“Fixing the Fox’ Tail ….!” – To Learn and Practice, ‘Question Tags’ at the Secondary Level

In the present study effectiveness of games in teaching and learning English Grammar Proficiency was in- vestigated. Pre-test post-test equivalent groups design was adopted to a sample of 60 secondary school students. It is found that the experimental group shows significant difference in their English grammar Proficiency while learning through games. Introduction Many learners do make comments that grammar classes are boring and monotonous. To bring a shift to this, the investigator self- developed an innovative and creative game which can be implemented on any kind of platform. These games can be conducted by using few models which are made out of


Introduction
Many learners do make comments that grammar classes are boring and monotonous. To bring a shift to this, the investigator self-developed an innovative and creative game which can be implemented on any kind of platform. These games can be conducted by using few models which are made out of few low cost materials like: pen, paper, chart papers, markers, etc. Normally for practicing, we include different types of exercises that are found back of each grammar lesson. And here, on this platform, we have games to practise grammar after each grammar lesson. By doing this, the children are with an impression that they are made to learn grammar thoroughly in the exam point of view than to develop any extra interest for learning the grammar items. Games may relieve children from the boredom of routine types of exercises which are out rightly pedantic. Language games, like other physical games, would create a healthy competitive spirit. Riedel (2008) emphasises the advantage of games in improving learners' achievement, "we are teaching a new generation of students, which requires unconventional teaching strategy be put into practice in the classroom. And when schools use the games, the student benefits, to speak for themselves-a greater desire to learn and higher test scores." 2. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY  To prepare instructional materials which consists of language games such as 'FIXING THE FOX' TAIL' to enhance learning grammar of the secondary level pupils in 'Question tags'  To implement the instructional materials for the experimental group.  To find out the significant difference in the English grammar proficiency of the experimental and control group in the pre stage with respect to Question Tags..  To find out the significant difference in the English gram-mar proficiency of the experimental and control group in the post stage with respect to Question Tags..  To find out the significant difference in the English grammar proficiency of the experimental group in the pre and post stage with respect to Question Tags..  To find out the significant difference in the English grammar proficiency of the control group in the pre and post stage with respect to Question Tags..

Hypotheses of the Study
 "there is no effectiveness in games for grammar learning over conventional grammar teaching and learning method"  "There is no significant difference in English grammar proficiency between the experimental group and control group in the pre-stage with respect to 'Question Tags'. "  "There is significant difference in English grammar proficiency of the experimental group Versus the control group in the post stage with respect to 'Question Tags'. "  "There is a significant difference in the English grammar proficiency of the experimental group in pre and post stage with respect to 'Question Tags'."  "There is a significant difference in the English Grammar Proficiency of the control group in the pre and post stage with respect to 'Question Tags'. "

METHODOLOGY
Pre-test-Post Test Equivalent Groups Design is adopted in the study  SAMPLE The 8th standard pupils in a Government Higher Secondary School, Mettupalayam, Coimbatore district of Tamil Nadu was selected based on the 'Convenience Sampling Technique'. This is due to the invigilator's convenience to go to this school in order to make a frequent visit to handle and to give remedial change for the selected experimental group. The total strength belongs to sections A, B, C & D (n=60) and were divided as A & B (n=30) sections for experimental group, and C & D (n=30) sections for control group. The samples were divided randomly as control and experimental group by numbering 1 and 2.

TOOL
The main objective of the investigation is to enhance the learning of English grammar through games and for which the following tools were employed.

Module Preparation:
The self-developed, low cost materials were used for executing the Intervention strategy with eye-catching models that were used for the intervention programme to be conducted for the Experimental group

ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE
The investigator selected the grammar entity, 'Question Tags' from the prescribed Tamil Nadu Text Book Society. Specially designed activity focused on language games were prepared by the investigator as an interventional strategy. Low cost materials were used for the interventional programme to promote learning grammar. Initially, Pre-test was administered to the total sample (Control and Experimental group) by using the achievement test as a tool for assessment. POST -TEST Last one period of the 10 th day INTERVENTION PROGRAMME Periods for Intervention: 10 periods in the Afternoon sessions.
Total hours: 900 minutes (9 periods for games and 1 period for the post -test) Practicing Grammar (Tags) Through Games Game: "Fixing the Fox' Tail …" Instruction Given: The game for the Question Tags starts in order to practice or recapitulate the previous knowledge. For this the game named as, "Fixing the Fox' Tail" was conducted.. The sample for the study was 30 who were divided as 15 for each team. The investigator used a big picture of a tail-less fox fixed on a flannel board. Using pink colour chart paper, a number of tails were finely cut and kept in a basket beside the board on the table. The tail-less fox was labelled with the statement which is the question for the right tag was inserted on its torso-ventral side within the two slits. The student who represents the team comes forward, reads the labelled statement and searches for the exact tag (tail) from the tag basket. Like this , the student scores a point if he fix' the right tail (tag) for the tail-less fox within the time allotted (60 seconds) failing, the player was out of game with zero scoring. The investigator stood as a referee of the game to decide the winner. The pupils enjoy while fixing the tail to the fox. This goes on till a team completes 10-15 sentences alternatively. The team won was appreciated with a big applause. From the table 1, it was inferred that the obtained 't' values 1.72 of 'Question Tags', respectively are found to be not significant. It means that there was no significant difference between both groups at the pre stage. Thus the hypothesis stated, "there is no significant difference in English grammar proficiency between the experimental group and control group in the pre-stage with respect to Question Tags", is accepted. The result shows that there is no significant difference between both the groups at the pre stage level. From the table 2, it was inferred that the obtained 't' value, 9.48** of 'Question Tags' is found to be significant at 0.01 level. It means that there was significant difference between the mean scores of the two groups at the poststage level. Thus the hypothesis stated, "there is significant difference in English grammar proficiency of the experimental group Vs the control group in the post stage with respect to Question Tags" is accepted. Resulting that there was a vast significant difference between both the groups at the post stage level and it can be concluded that the Game method of learning and practicing the grammar units is more effective. It was statistically proved to be the best method to learn grammar than the traditional way of teaching and learning. From the table 6, It was learnt that the obtained't' value of 'Question Tags' is 9.97, which is found to be significant at 0.01 level. It means that there was significant difference between the pre-test and the post-test scores of the experimental group. Thus the stated hypothesis, "there is a significant difference in the English grammar proficiency of the experimental group in pre and post stage with respect to Question Tags" is accepted. As a result, it was statistically concluded that the post test scores of the experimental group have risen very high when compared with the pre-test scores. This proves that learning and practicing English grammar through game method is effective statistically.    There was no significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in the pre stage and it was proved statistically that both the groups are equivalent in the English grammar proficiency before treatment. Thus, this shows that the game method of learning and practicing the grammar units (5 units) as a whole was statistically significant and much effective  No significant difference in English grammar proficiency was found between the experimental group and control group in the pre-stage with respect to the grammar unit, 'Question Tags'.  There was a vast significant difference between both the groups at the post stage level and it can be concluded that the grammar learning games for learning and practicing the grammar units such as 'Question tags' was more effective. It was statistically proved to be the best method to learn grammar than the traditional way of teaching and learning  The post test scores of the Experimental group have risen very high when compared with the pre-test scores. This proves that learning and practicing English grammar through grammar learning games was effective statistically.  There was a meagre raise in the mean scores of the Control group, it was not statistically significant. Thus the traditional method of teaching and learning are statistically insignificant.