Comparisons of the Yalkeys System and Other Styles of Practice Drills

Abstract

This is a report on a comparative studyinvolving four different methods for presenting drillmaterials. The goal was to help junior high school students improve their calculating skills. The first of the four methods involved asking the students to solve a series of questions listed on one or more handouts while sitting at their desks in the usual manner. The second and third systems were variations of the Yalkeys System (developed by Prof. Suetake ; the name being taken from the Japanese equivalent of "willto do" or "yaruki[ga aru]"). Under this system, based upon "learning by doings," the students were given separate question cards listing only one or two short problems. When they thought they had solved the problem(s) they went to an answer desk to check their answers. They could take the next question card only if their previous answer was acceptable. Under the second method the students simply turned over the answer cards laid out on the desk-the answers being printed on the reverse. For the third, however, the answers at the answer desl5;were on audiocards which the students had to play in order to confirm if they had the correct answer or not. Under the fourth method the question and answer cards were distributed to the students at their own desks. The experiments were conducted twice. Results showed that the students enjoyed the Yalkeys System practice the most but that there was actually little difference among the four methods employed. A comparison of the two Yalkeys System methods showed thatthe students tended to favor the Yalkeys System using audiocards since they could confirm their answers and receive further dues by listening to the teacher's actual voice.