THE IMPACT OF PUNCTUATION ISLAND ON REDUCING GRADE 4 STUDENTS COMMON PUNCTUATION MARKS DIFFICULTIES: A QUANTITATIVE STUDY

The purpose of the study is to measure and identify the common punctuation mark difficulties among Grade 4 students. In this study, forty-six students participated in the quantitative phase, while another seven individuals were involved in the qualitative phase through in-depth interviews (IDI). The researchers used purposive sampling, a non-probability sampling technique, to select participants based on specific characteristics relevant to the study (Nikolopoulou, 2023). In the quantitative analysis, students initially scored very low on the pre-test, with an average of 28.87%. After a four-week intervention using the Punctuation Island program, their post-test scores improved significantly to an average of 74.33%. Presented in table 3 of this study was the result of the significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores, t (45) = 21.7, p<.001. Since the probability value (p<.001) is lesser than the level of significance (£=0.05), the null hypothesis is being rejected. Therefore, there is a significant difference between the results of the pre-test and the post-test. As shown in the above tables there is an improvement between before and after the implementation of the intervention, which is the punctuation island, the Cohen’s d result of the study is 3.20 as the standardized result between the two group means. In the qualitative study, key findings revealed various insights from students regarding their struggles with punctuation and their experiences with the intervention. Five central themes emerged: improved use of punctuation through guided instruction, engaging learning through interactive digital tools, applying learned punctuation skills in writing, ease in punctuation usage in writing, and improving digital access for smoother learning. In conclusion, the study affirms the value of integrating educational games like Punctuation Island into the curriculum. Such interventions can play a transformative role in enhancing foundational writing skills, bridging learning gaps, and creating a more engaging and responsive classroom experience for all learners. Keywords: Integration of digital tools or educational game, bridging learning gaps, Quantitative Research Design, Qualitative Research Design, Grade 4 Students, Punctuation Island