Effectiveness of Graphic Organisers in Developing Character Sketch Writing Skills among Fifth-Grade Students: A Comparative Analysis with Traditional Learning Methods

This action research study investigated the effectiveness of graphic organisers compared to traditional instructional methods in developing character sketch writing skills among fifth-grade students. Sixty-eight students from two grade 5 classes (5F and 5D) participated in a pre-test and post-test assessment design. The study implemented character sketch writing instruction using graphic organisers as the experimental intervention, while comparing results with baseline performance using traditional methods. Quantitative data analysis revealed significant improvement in students' writing performance when using graphic organisers, with an average score increase of 1.68 points (30.2%) compared to pre-test scores. Lower-performing students showed the most substantial gains (75.5% improvement). The findings suggest that graphic organisers provide effective scaffolding for elementary students developing character analysis and descriptive writing skills, offering educators a practical and evidence-based instructional strategy to enhance writing instruction. This study contributes to the growing body of research supporting visual learning tools in literacy development for young learners.