FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY

Teacher Education Program

Butuan City

IMPROVING THE BASIC COMPOSITION WRITING SKILLS OF GRADE 5 PUPILS

THROUGH THE FOUR-SQUARE WRITING TECHNIQUE

An Action Research Presented to the Faculty of

Teacher Education Program

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Degree

Bachelor of Elementary Education

by

Madrid, Angelin B.

Otaza, Mary Cres D.

Pareja, Kathy C.

Pelenio, Joel Rei A.

Perejoles, Angelou N.
 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City

I. Context and Rationale

Since writing is one of the most powerful tools for

communicating what a person knows, and because lack of such

efficient skills can cause barriers in education,

employment, and other pursuits in daily life, students who

do not develop effective writing composition skills may

enter classes, and eventually the workplace, with a distinct

disadvantage (Gillespie & Graham, 2020).

Research, though, supports interest, relevance, and

purpose as key elements in elementary school student

academic writing success. Therefore, classroom teachers must

find ways to help students understand that basic composition

writing skills is both meaningful and purposeful, and to

stretch students beyond their current knowledge and comfort

level while using strategies.(Frey & Fisher, 2020)

One such way is through the use of the four-square

graphic organizer. The use of a graphic organizer throughout

the planning, organizing, and writing process has provided

writers with an opportunity to see what they were thinking.

 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
As they plan their composition through the use of a

graphic organizer, students may see the need for greater

depth as a more natural composition process (Li, 2021).

Since writing can appear overwhelming to students,

graphic organizers and illustrations in the planning and

organization processes allow students the opportunity to

break a large piece of writing into smaller, more manageable

sections. This approach makes it easier for students to

focus on one section of writing at a time and makes the need

for revision more obvious from the first stage of the

writing process to the end, instead of waiting to revise an

entire piece upon completion of the rough draft (Norton,

2021)

From the strengths of four square writing method and

the problems of students’ basic composition writing skill,

this research aims to find out the level of basic

composition writing skills of the Grade 5-Generosity pupils

in terms of Organization of Thoughts and whether the use of

four square writing technique may improve the students’

writing skill when it is implemented in the class.

 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
II. Action Research Questions

This action research aims to answer the following

research questions:

1. What is the level of basic composition writing skill of the

selected Grade 5-Generosity pupils in terms of Organization

of Thoughts?

2. What are the perceptions of the pupils towards the

implementation of Four-Square Writing Technique?

III. Innovation, Intervention, and Strategy

In order to find the students’ problem of basic

composition writing, the researchers conducted the strategy

and guided the students on how to use the four square

graphic organizer. This procedure will also aid in assessing

the level of basic composition writing skill in terms of

organization of thoughts.

Considering the problems appearing in the classroom,

four square writing method will be promoted. It is a method

of teaching basic writing skill that is applicable across

grade levels and curriculum areas.

 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
It can be applied when writing narrative, descriptive,

expository or persuasive forms of writing (Gould and Gould,

2007).

As a teaching writing method, four square writing

method have advantages. Gould and Burke (2020) states that

four square writing method will help the writers organize

and brainstorm in a hurry. It allows the writers to have

time and attention in giving detail on writing. Besides, it

boosts students’ confidence when writing and makes them

excited. Thus, it will improve the basic composition skills

of the students.

Four square writing method consists of several stages.

The first stage of four-square writing method is

categorizing each square with the main idea. The second

stage is labeling with summary sentence in the last square.

The next stage is placing a topic sentence in the center of

four square, then writing a sentence in each square based on

the main idea that has been written before. After that, the

students write each sentence on the square into a short

paragraph. It is called an outline. The next step is adding

more detail like writing one sentence more in each square so

that there are two sentences in it.

 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
Then, the sixth stage is adding supporting detail.

Here, the students make a list of related vocabulary in each

square to explore the content of each square. The next stage

is expanding the introduction with some detail information.

The last stage is writing a complete wrap-up sentence

and completing each square with the sentences using the

vocabulary listed before. The students will just re-write

the sentences they made into paragraph from the squares in

the right mechanics.

After the implementation of the four-square writing

technique, a survey questionnaire will be distributed to

assess the pupils’ perceptions towards the said

intervention.

IV. Action Research Methods

a. Participants and/or other Sources of Data and Information

The respondents for this action research are the 20

randomly selected pupils of Grade 5- Generosity from Father

Saturnino Urios University- Morelos Campus. The respondents

are randomly selected depending on their availability

 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
during the conduction of the research. Data will be

collected through assessment with the help of the

researcher-made rubrics and survey.

The researchers will conduct the Four Square Writing

Technique by introducing the Four Square Graphic Organizer

to the class. Then, with the guidance of the researchers,

the level of basic composition writing skills of the pupils

in terms of organization of thoughts will be assessed

through writing a paragraph through the use of the

introduced strategy.

The researchers will then do a survey regarding the

pupils’ perception about the Four-Square Graphic Organizer.

b. Data Gathering Methods

The researchers will write a permission letter for the

conduction of the study and survey to be signed by the

Program Dean and Field Study Instructor. The researchers

will then forward the letter to the principal of Father

Saturnino Urios University-Basic Education to ask permission

to conduct the study and survey the Grade 5- Generosity

pupils, informing them of the study and having them as the

chosen participants.
 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
The participants will be notified that the researchers

will protect their identity, and the result will remain

confidential. In gathering the needed data, the researchers

will analyze and interpret the result to come up with

answers to the problems that they presented in the study.

The action research utilizes the quantitative method.

Quantitative data are taken from the assessment and survey.

The data collected from the assessment of their level on

basic writing skills will be analyzed by the help of a

researcher-made rubric by getting the percentage for each

criteria.

Meanwhile, the data collected from the survey will be

analyzed by getting the frequency distribution and weighted

mean for every survey question.

c. Data Analysis Utilized

The Likert Scale in the survey, specifically the

agreement type, was used for questionnaire type as this

enables the respondents to answer the survey with ease. This

rating scale allows the researcher to effectively carry out

the quantitative approach using Frequency Distribution and

Weighted Mean.
 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
After introducing the Four Square Writing Technique,

the researchers allowed the respondents to try using the

Four Square Graphic Organizer and compose a paragraph. The

paragraphs will be rated by percentage to assess their level

of basic composition writing skills in terms of organization

of thoughts through the researcher-made rubrics.

The rubrics has the following criteria:topic sentence,

supporting details, organization of sentences, unity and

coherence, and sentence structure.

Table 1. Rubric for the level of basic composition writing skill of

the pupils in terms of Organization of Thoughts

Excellent Satisfactory Needs Improvement Unsatisfactory

Criteria (95%-100%) (85-94%) (75-84%) (65-74%)

Clearly presents a strong Presents a clear topic

and focused topic sentence sentence that
Topic that introduces the main introduces the main The topic sentence is No discernible
Sentence idea idea unclear or weak topic sentence

Provides relevant and well- Provides mostly Supporting details are

developed supporting relevant supporting limited or not well-
Supporting details that effectively details that support the connected to the main No clear
Details enhance the main idea main idea idea supporting details

Well-structured with a Mostly well-organized The organization is Poor

Organization
logical flow of ideas, each with a logical flow of weak, making it organization, and
of Sentences
sentence contributing to ideas, but minor challenging to follow ideas are
 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
the overall coherence of inconsistencies may be the sequence of
the paragraph present ideas disjointed
Demonstrates a high level Shows good unity and
of unity and coherence; coherence, with some Lacks unity and No apparent
Unity and ideas are interconnected connections between coherence; ideas unity or
Coherence seamlessly ideas are disjointed coherence
Sentence structures
Utilizes a variety of Mostly uses varied are repetitive, Poor sentence
Sentence sentence structures sentence structures, with hindering overall structures impact
Structure effectively to convey ideas occasional repetition clarity clarity

After writing a paragraph with the help of the Four

Square Graphic Organizer, a survey questionnaire will be

given to the respondents. The data from the survey will be

used to know their perceptions about the Four Square Graphic

Organizer with indicators (5)strongly agree, (4)agree,

(3)neutral, (2)disagree, and (1)strongly disagree.

Table 2. Mean and Verbal Description for the perceptions of the

students towards the implementation of Four-square Graphic Organizer

 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
Scale Mean Verbal Description

5 4.50-5.00 Strongly Agree

4 3.50- 4.49 Agree

3 2.50-3.49 Neutral

2 1.50-2.49 Disagree

1 1.00-1.49 Strongly Disagree

V. Discussion of Results

A. Findings

Table 3. The level of basic composition writing skills in terms

of organization of thoughts

Criteria Percentage Verbal Description

Topic Sentence 88% Satisfactory

Supporting Details 86.4 % Satisfactory

Organization of Sentences 81.55% Needs Improvement

Unity and Coherence 81.4% Needs Improvement

Sentence Structure 80.6% Needs Improvement

Over all 83.59% Needs Improvement

 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
Table 3 shows that the level of basic composition

writing skills of the Grade 5- Generosity, with an overall

percentage of 83.59% and a verbal description of “Needs

Improvement”, which indicates that the pupils need to work

on their basic composition writing skills in terms of

organization of thoughts.

The criteria in which the pupils got the highest

percentage is the Topic Sentence with a percentage of 88%

and a verbal description of “Satisfactory”. Which means that

the pupils clearly presented their topic sentence.

It is followed by Supporting Details with a percentage

of 86.4% and a verbal description of “Satosfactory”. This

result indicates that the supporting details the pupils

provided in the paragraph was relevant and supported their

main idea.

It is then followed by the criteria, Organization of

Sentences with a percentage of 81.55% and Unity and

Coherence with a percentage of 81.4%. Both criteria has the

verbal description of “Needs Improvement”. This result

implies that the pupils’ Organization of Sentences is weak,

making it harder to follow the sequence of their ideas. On

the other hand, their paragraph lacks Unity and Coherence

which makes their ideas disconnected.

 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
Lastly, the criteria with the lowest percentage is the

Sentence Structure. With a percentage of 80.6% and a verbal

description of “Needs Improvement”. This means that the

structure of their sentences are repetitive which hinders

their ability to effectively convey their thoughts and

ideas.

This outcome supports the related literature of (Frey &

Fisher, 2020),classroom teachers must find ways to help

students understand that basic composition writing skills is

both meaningful and purposeful, and to stretch students

beyond their current knowledge and comfort level while using

strategies.
 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
Table 4. The perceptions of the pupils towards the implementation of

Four Square Writing Technique

Survey Question Mean Verbal Description

1. I feel more confident in my ability to express ideas clearly 3.85 Agree

after using the Four Square graphic organizer.

2. Using the Four Square graphic organizer will improve my 3.70 Agree

ability to structure information in my composition.

3. The Four Square graphic organizer made it easier for me 4.00 Agree

to brainstorm ideas.

4. I find the Four Square graphic organizer helpful in 4.50 Strongly Agree

planning my writing or compositions.

5. The Four Square graphic organizer made it easier for me 3.70 Agree

to remember key points or details and identify the main idea.

6. I believe the Four Square graphic organizer is a useful 3.90 Agree

tool for organizing thoughts in subjects other than writing

(e.g., science, history, mathematics).

7. I find the Four Square graphic organizer user-friendly and 4.30 Agree

easy to use.

8. Overall, using the Four Square graphic organizer 3.85 Agree

positively impacted my learning experience.

Over all 3.97 Agree

 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
Table 4 reveals that the Grade 5-Generosity pupils’

perceptions towards the implementation of the Four Square

Writing Technique through the use of the Four Square Graphic

Organizer is positive, with an overall mean of 3.97 and a

verbal description of “Agree”, which indicates that the

pupils agree that using the Four Square Graphic Organizer

may potentially improve their basic composition writing

skills in terms of organization of thoughts.

The survey question that most of the pupils agreed on

is “I find the Four Square graphic organizer helpful in

planning my writing or compositions”, with a mean of 4.50

and a verbal description of “Strongly Agree”. This result

implies that The Four Square graphic organizer proves to be

highly advantageous for elementary students as it offers a

clear and visually accessible framework for planning and

organizing their writing.

It is followed by the survey question “I find the Four

Square graphic organizer user-friendly and easy to use”,

with a mean of 4.30 and a verbal description of “Agree”.

This result means that the simplicity of the Four Square

makes it an ideal scaffold for elementary writers, guiding

them through the planning process while promoting clarity

and ease of use.

 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
It is then followed by the survey question “The Four

Square graphic organizer made it easier for me to brainstorm

ideas”, with a mean of 4.00 and a verbal description of

“Agree”. Which means that this technique aids in

articulating a clear main idea, encouraging the development

of supporting details as building blocks, and prompting the

inclusion of specific examples.

Next is the survey question “I believe the Four Square

graphic organizer is a useful tool for organizing thoughts

in subjects other than writing (e.g., science, history,

mathematics)”, with a mean of 3.90 and a verbal description

of “Agree”. It indicates that The Four Square graphic

organizer extends its utility beyond writing into various

academic subjects, including science, history, and

mathematics. The Four Square graphic organizer serves as a

versatile tool for organizing thoughts and enhancing clarity

across a spectrum of academic disciplines.

Meanwhile, the survey questions “I feel more confident

in my ability to express ideas clearly after using the Four

Square graphic organizer” and “Overall, using the Four

Square graphic organizer positively impacted my learning

experience”, got the same mean of 3.85 and a verbal

description of “Agree”.
 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
This result implies that The Four Square graphic

organizer plays a pivotal role in boosting the confidence of

elementary students in expressing their ideas clearly by

guiding the students through the planning process, breaking

down the complexities of idea expression into manageable

steps. On the other hand, the utilization of the Four Square

graphic organizer positively impacts the learning experience

by providing a structured and visually engaging tool that

enhances comprehension and organization of information.

Lastly, the survey questions “Using the Four Square

graphic organizer will improve my ability to structure

information in my composition” and “The Four Square graphic

organizer made it easier for me to remember key points or

details and identify the main idea”, also got the same mean

of 3.70 and a verbal description of “Agree”. This means that

the Four Square graphic organizer significantly enhances

students' ability to structure information in their

compositions by providing a systematic and visual framework.

On the other hand, through this systematic approach, the

Four Square not only assists in organizing thoughts for

writing but also cultivates effective memory

 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
recall, empowering students to articulate and remember

key points more confidently in various academic contexts.

This outcome supports the literature of (Li, 2021), he

stated that the use of a graphic organizer throughout the

planning, organizing, and writing process has provided

students with an opportunity to see what they were thinking.

As they plan their composition through the use of a graphic

organizer, students may see the need for greater depth as a

more natural composition process.

Furthermore, (Dredger et al., 2020) emphasized that

this process enables young writers to apply higher level

thinking skills while allowing for organizational thoughts

and linkages in a systematic manner. It also provides an

opportunity to see where information needs to be added,

deleted, or reorganized (revised), which provides more

clarity in the composition stage of the actual writing

process.

B. Reflection

In light of the findings discussed, the Four Square

writing technique will bring a transformative impact on

students' basic composition writing skills, notably in terms

of thought organization.
 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
Breaking down the writing process into four distinct

sections, each designated for a specific purpose, empowers

students to approach composition with a strategic mindset.

The visual nature of the Four Square reinforces the

hierarchical relationships between ideas, fostering a more

profound comprehension of how various components contribute

to the overall structure.

This new-found understanding not only facilitates ease

in the planning stage but also translates into improved

clarity and coherence in their final compositions.

Importantly, the technique imparts valuable organizational

skills that extend beyond writing, as students learn to

structure information systematically, contributing to their

broader academic proficiency.

Witnessing the implementation of this method in the

classroom, it became evident that the systematic structure

it provides plays a crucial role in shaping pupils' ability

to organize their ideas cohesively. However, it was also

found that the level of basic composition writing skills of

the Grade 5-Generosity pupils in terms of organization of

thoughts needs improvement. Nevertheless, the pupils view

the implementation of the Four Square Writing Technique on a

positive sight.
 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
Over all, the Four Square writing technique proves to

be a powerful pedagogical tool, cultivating essential

organizational skills that empower students not only in

composition writing but also in various academic endeavors.

VI.References

Li A. 2021. Writing in a Second Language. Retrieved at

http://www.llas.ac.uk/resourc es/gpg/2175

Gillespie & Graham, 2020. Four Square Writing Method for Grades 1-

3. Ohio: Teaching and Learning Company

Harris, John. 2019. Introducing Writing. London: Penguin Books Ltd.

Dredger E,Gould, Judith S. and Burke, Mary F. 2020. Four Square

Writing Method for Early Learners. Ohio: Teaching and Learning Company

Gould, Judith S. and Burke, Mary F. 2020. Four Square for Writing

Assessment: Elementary. Ohio: Teaching and Learning Company

Calkins B. 2021. Teaching Writing Skill (New Ed). England: Longman Group

Adelstein and Pival, 2020. Writing Difficulties and New Solutions: Blended
 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
VI. Appendixes

A. Permission Letter
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Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
B. Questionnaire

Name (optional): Section:

1. I feel more confident in my ability to express ideas clearly after

using the Four Square graphic organizer.
□ Strongly Agree
□ Agree
□ Neutral
□ Disagree
□ Strongly Disagree

2. Using the Four Square graphic organizer will improve my ability to

structure information in my composition.
□ Strongly Agree
□ Agree
□ Neutral
□ Disagree
□ Strongly Disagree

3. The Four Square graphic organizer made it easier for me to

brainstorm ideas.
□ Strongly Agree
□ Agree
□ Neutral
□ Disagree
□ Strongly Disagree
 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City
4. I find the Four Square graphic organizer helpful in planning my
writing or compositions.
□ Strongly Agree
□ Agree
□ Neutral
□ Disagree
□ Strongly Disagree

5. The Four Square graphic organizer made it easier for me to

remember key points or details and identify the main idea.
□ Strongly Agree
□ Agree
□ Neutral
□ Disagree
□ Strongly Disagree

6. I believe the Four Square graphic organizer is a useful tool for

organizing thoughts in subjects other than writing (e.g., science,
history, mathematics).
□ Strongly Agree
□ Agree
□ Neutral
□ Disagree
□ Strongly Disagree

7. I find the Four Square graphic organizer user-friendly and easy to

use.
□ Strongly Agree
□ Agree
□ Neutral
□ Disagree
□ Strongly Disagree
 FATHER SATURNINO URIOS UNIVERSITY
Teacher Education Program
Butuan City

8. Overall, using the Four Square graphic organizer positively

impacted my learning experience.
□ Strongly Agree
□ Agree
□ Neutral
□ Disagree
□ Strongly Disagree

C. Documentation