Strategic Intervention in English for High School Students
STRATEGIC INTERVENTION: VENUE for ENHANCEMENT

I. Introduction

Every year, more Grade VI non-readers are promoted to first year. Every year, the class size increases. In 2002, the Basic Education Curriculum was implemented with the hope that it will remedy the deep-rooted problem in the educational system – the continuous decline in achievement in the basic subjects. Teachers believe they do their part in the instruction of their students faithfully but gain mostly frustration and worst of all gets the blame for the poor achievement of students.

Drawings and illustrations have been proven effective to draw interest in any learning activity. It is successful in encouraging small children to read. High school students are equally excited when introduced to illustrations.

II. Objective

It is the intention of this action research to follow – up on the remedial instruction program carried out during the previous school year to second year students. In its humblest effort, it aims to enhance whatever the students have absorbed from the remedial instruction they have received.

This research aims to prove that strategic intervention materials is beneficial to enhance reading comprehension of the third year students at Las Piñas Golden Acres National High School.

III. Strategies

With the construction of six (6) additional classrooms, class population has been deflated and the school terminated its three-shift scheme. Along with the remedial class in reading for first year non-readers, the English Department intends to inject strategic intervention materials involving six (6) activities which are expected to help the third year students their mastery of least mastered skills.

The strategic intervention materials are made as additional activities for the students. The teacher records their performance to be included in the computation of their periodic grade. It is expected that with the instruction received using strategic intervention materials, the students’ performance will gradually improve.

IV. Learning Materials

The package is composed of six (6) sets of materials. Each set begins with a Guide which gives direction how the reader will use the material and what the material is all about. This is followed by 3 to 5 Activities to help development of skill in focus. The Assessment measures how much learning the student attained. Other activities to further apply the skill developed are provided in the Enrichment. The References offers some important points to remember and a list of books to read for more information about the skill in focus.

1. Synonyms and Antonyms. Knowing a variety of synonyms and antonyms can add color and variety to the student’s working vocabulary.

2. Using definitions, examples and illustrations as context clues. Clues provided by the words that surround them will help the reader to understand words he does not understand.

3. Defining a word through logic and contrast. There are times when the meaning of the difficult word is not directly stated. In those cases, it is calls for logical analysis and background knowledge.

4. Predicting outcome. Provides exercises in different ways: First, completing series of a set of figures. Also, predicting outcomes based on a given set of comic cartoon strips. Finally, predicting outcomes based on given situations.

5. Drawing conclusions though pictures and situations. Exercises provided will show the reader how to make conclusions that are valid or based on evidence.

6. Interpreting and paraphrasing lines. The Reader will choose which interpretation suits a message to make its meaning simpler but clearer.

V. Result and Interpretation

The concluding phase of the project was affected by the preparation of NCR NAT mock test for second year, NCAE for fourth year. The fourth quarter was shortened due to the changes in the timetable. In addition to the extensive review, regular classes shifted to checking of answer sheets, and doing frequency of errors. However, the result of the post test based on the 2007 Division Achievement Test is an indication that the strategic intervention materials improved the performance level in English of the third year students.

Year & Section Diagnostic Test Division Achievement Test
III-Rizal 45.27 50.71
III-Bonifacio 29.31 38.28
III-Del Pilar 22.81 32.29
III-Jacinto 23.41 30.86

The table above shows a positive development: The students garnered an average of 7.8 increase in the Division Achievement as compared to their achievement in the Diagnostic Test.

Students from the last two (2) sections were given a post test using 60 parallel items without illustrations/drawings. The primary motive is to check the extent of learning of the examinees. The following is the result of tests administered to measure the performance of the students:

Mean MPS

III-Del Pilar 34.45 57.42
III-Jacinto 32.12 53.52

The above result shows that the students answered correctly more than half of the total number of items. This can be interpreted as near mastery of the skills learned using strategic intervention materials.

VI. Recommendations

Based from the result of the study, this researcher suggests the following to sustain and hopefully improve the performance of the students in all levels of Las Piñas Golden Acres National High School:

1. Teachers in English should painstakingly prepare learning devices using illustrations/drawings, pictures and other graphic presentations;

2. The strategic intervention materials should be used in all levels as supplement to the regular exercises taken from the textbook.; and

3. The use of strategic intervention materials should start right after the diagnostic test and end on the third quarter before the conduct of series of year-end achievement tests; and

4. The school should support the endeavor in the printing of activity cards so as not to encourage teachers to sell xerox copies to students.

It is quite difficult to introduce someone who is very noted in a community. What else will I have to say that you dear town-mates do not know about our commencement speaker: But for the sake of the graduates and for some few who are not familiar with our guest, let me base to you his personal circumstances.
Our honored guest was born in our town on that lucky day at the lives of the deceased spouses Mifuel and Esperlita Catral, September 13, 1962.
He finished his elementary grade at the Camalaniugan Central School, the place of the employment of both his deceased parents. He graduated in the year 1975, and was awarded an academic excellence award. For his high school he enrolled at our dear alma mater, the Lyceum of Camalaniugan and graduated in the year 1979 garnering honors of 2nd Honorable Mention. He then moved to Manila for his college where he enrolled at the premier catholic school – The University of Sto. Tomas where he earned the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Behavioral Science in the year 1985.
Right after graduation, he joined a multi-national firm – Mead Johnson Philippines and was appointed as Territory Manager. Because of his dedication to his work, 9 years thereafter or in 1994 he became a District Manager of the same firm. And in 1998 he was promoted as District Manage II. Only last year, particularly on October, he was promoted to Regional Sales Manager, where is is tasked to over see the nationwide economy business of Mead Johnson Philippines. He goes place to place. As a matter of fact, he just arrived this morning because he came from down the City of Davao and General Santos and he had to rush all his reports in order that he can be with us tonight as our honored guest. Our guest really love his work and as a manifestation thereof he was consecutively chosen, among the many awards he garnered, for 3 years as Mead Johnson’s Best District Manager. He holds also the District Record as the only District Manager of Mead Johnson to be promoted to District II Level. Out guest is member of the Couples for Christ and a lifetime member of the Philippine Council of Management. He earned 18 of Business Administration Units at the International Academy for Management and Economics and he is also a trainor of Mead Johnson ASIA Pacific Associates on Brain-Mapping and Time Management and I heard that he is due to leave for Malaysia to conduct a training thereto.
Our guest is married to Carla Jeanne Catral and their marriage is blessed with 5 children, Maika, Miggo, Mikee, Mikka, and Miggy.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct privilege to introduce to you a person who is the pride of the Lyceum of Camalaniugan and the pride of the town of Camalaniugan, Regional Sales Manager Miguel Abad Catral.
===has been tradition at Trinity for the Senior Class to select the graduation speaker. The class of 2011 has chosen a teacher who has had an impact on most of us sitting here today======================