Journal of Classroom Action Research

The Sukuma Naming System: Exploring the cultural Meaning of Names and Their Reflection of Social Realities Among the Sukuma Community in Tanzania

Simon Sitta Mabula Matondo — 2026-08-30

This study examines the naming system of the Sukuma people, emphasizing how personal names embody social realities and cultural significances. The study is directed by two objectives: (i) to analyze Sukuma names from linguistic and semantic viewpoints, and (ii) to investigate the cultural values that underpin them. The research employs a qualitative ethnolinguistic methodology and contextualizes Sukuma naming within the wider Bantu naming conventions, referencing recent studies from the Mwanza and Simiyu regions. Primary data were obtained using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs). Interviews offered comprehensive personal narratives regarding naming practices, whilst focus group discussions facilitated collective contemplation and comparison of experiences. The analysis of traditional songs, proverbs, and historical records enhanced the data. The findings indicate that names are typically influenced by factors including the child's gender, birth order, birth conditions, parental experiences, and notable sociocultural events. The data were transcribed and thematically processed to discern repeating patterns in linguistic structures, semantic interpretations, and societal significances. Sukuma names frequently demonstrate linguistic processes like affixation, inflection, derivation, and compounding. Names serve as social indicators that encapsulate memory, beliefs, lineage, and spiritual qualities, transcending their language structure. The research indicates evolving naming conventions, especially among younger demographics, who are progressively amalgamating Sukuma, Swahili, and English names as a reaction to globalization. The findings indicate that Sukuma personal names function as cultural symbols and linguistic artifacts that represent both continuity and adaptation within the society.

Keywords: Naming System; Social Reality; Societal Functions, Cultural Symbolism; Semantic Meaning

Improving Grade 10 students’ Mastery of Active-Citizenship Concepts Through Brochure-Supported Remedial Instruction

Denver Josh Baldos — 2026-08-31

This classroom-based action research used a quantitative one-group pretest-posttest design to examine changes in Grade 10 students’ mastery of active-citizenship concepts following participation in a brochure-supported remedial program in Araling Panlipunan (Social Studies). Thirty-three students who scored 50% or below across fourth-quarter formative and summative assessments were selected purposively. The intervention combined brochure-based instructional materials with guided discussion, collaborative tasks, reflection exercises, and practical applications in three 60-minute sessions per week for four weeks. A 40-item curriculum-aligned test was administered before and after the program. The mean score increased from 10.8 (SD = 3.68) to 35.9 (SD = 2.88). The paired-samples comparison indicated a mean gain of 25.1 points, t(32) = 38.00, p < .001, 95% CI [23.76, 26.44], with a very large standardized paired effect, dz = 6.62. These results show a large short-term improvement in test performance among the participating remedial students. Because the study used one group, assessed the same students twice, and delivered several instructional components together, the gain cannot be attributed to the brochure alone and should not be interpreted as evidence of citizenship behavior outside the classroom. The findings support cautious continued use and iterative evaluation of the multicomponent brochure-supported remedial approach, preferably with delayed assessment, broader measures of active citizenship, and a comparison condition in subsequent cycles.

Keywords: active citizenship; Araling Panlipunan; brochure-supported instruction; remedial education

Teacher Pedagogical Competence and Students' Listening Skill: Learning Attitude as an Intervening Variable

Yunita Sari adelina — 2026-07-27

This study aims to analyze the effect of teacher pedagogical competence on students' English listening skill with learning attitude as an intervening variable among Grade XI students of SMK Al-Maksum, Langkat Regency. The type of research used is quantitative associative using the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) method based on Partial Least Square (PLS) with the help of SmartPLS version 3.0 software. The population in this study includes all eleventh-grade students within the SMK Al-Maksum organization, totaling 53 students. Sampling applied a saturated sampling technique (census), so that all 53 population members were involved as active respondents. The results of direct effect hypothesis testing show that teacher pedagogical competence has a positive and significant effect on students' learning attitude (original sample = 0.895; T-statistics = 24.629; P-values = 0.000). Similarly, students' learning attitude recorded a strong positive and significant effect on students' listening skill (original sample = 1.187; T-statistics = 4.814; P-values = 0.000). Conversely, teacher pedagogical competence is proven to have a negative and non-significant direct effect on students' listening skill (original sample = -0.369; T-statistics = 1.358; P-values = 0.180). In mediation effect testing, students' learning attitude is significantly proven to act as a full mediator that bridges the influence of teacher pedagogical competence on students' listening skill (original sample = 1.062; T-statistics = 4.274; P-values = 0.000). The adjusted R-square values indicate that pedagogical competence accounts for 79.6% of the variance in learning attitude , while the model's capability to predict listening skill variance accounts for 75.3%, which falls into a strong category.

Keywords : Pedagogical Competence, Learning Attitude, Listening Skill

Project e-ARAL: Integrating Microsoft Reading Coach to Support Reading Comprehension among Struggling Grade 8 Learners

Thea Czaireena T. Dizon — 2026-08-30

This action research explores the integration of MS Teams Reading Coach as a digital intervention tool to improve the reading comprehension of Grade 8 students under the ARAL program. A Quasi-experimental research design was employed to determine the effectiveness of MS Teams Reading Coach in improving the reading comprehension of struggling learners. Purposive sampling is utilized to select participants currently at the Frustration Level of reading comprehension, although the participants were initially identified through the school’s PHIL-IRI screening as Frustration Level readers, their pre-test mean score during the study fell under the Instructional Level category. Statistical analysis was also conducted to interpret the results, focusing on the growth of reading comprehension over time. The findings showed a significant improvement in the performance of the learners with average scores increasing from 61.33% to 79.33%. However, it also shows that students' performance was inconsistent and had fluctuations. It is recommended that the digital tool should be paired with more localized topics/stories and that teachers provide mini lessons as well. This approach aims to maximise the use of technology and ensures that the learners comprehend the material.

Keywords: MS Teams Reading Coach; Reading Comprehension; Action Research