CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Reading is a way of life. We do reading in our day to day activities, from boarding the bus with the designated signboard to deciphering warning signs in the roads, business letters, and correspondence in the offices schools and even in our own homes. We need reading skills in cooking, reading the labels and instructions and even following directions in using our household gadgets. Reading is a complex process between a reader and a text. (Wedgewood J. 2009). It is simple yet difficult task because it is composed of many interconnected sub-skills that once mastered will make reading flow easily as normal as breathing. As Richard Steele had enunciated, “Reading is to the mind as exercise is to the body.”

Another important aspect of Reading is that between the written text and the reader, there should be interaction. This interaction is called comprehension. It is a phase of reading where after decoding the text people react to it. Hence, reading without the concept of understanding is not reading but vocalizing. Putting it simply, reading should have comprehension. Unfortunately, poor comprehension is the prevalent disease of learners today.

Thus, the researcher has initiated this action research to show the importance of encouraging the mastery of reading. Make everyone aware of it as an important tool to be incorporated in all subjects. Through this Reading Remedial Program, development of comprehension will be enhanced with activities focusing on the following five vital reading skills: 1) following directions 2) getting the main idea 3) noting details 4) predicting outcomes and 5) making inferences. These five skills are relevant needs of the students today.

According to Aristotle, we are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then is not an act but a habit. Same goes for reading as long as there is practice, it is not impossible to turn even the worst of readers into purposeful and active readers who are in control of their own application of understanding. (Adler, 2007)

Purpose of the Study The true essence of Reading is being able to grasp, apply and synthesize the meaning of the printed words. Reading is practically incomplete if the pupil can only produce the sound and “vocalize” it but not able to answer, comprehend or even apply what is taught in the books. The skills should be learned from the simplest task of noting details to the most complicated task of following directions. It is a must that students learn the ability to do these things.

Being a teacher for more than twenty years now the researcher is faced with the sad reality that students’ concept of reading is mere recitation of words, sentences and paragraphs. That is the reason why this study aims to support the government thrust in educating students and developing in them the pleasure and enjoyment in books, widens pupils’ vocabulary in the process, and eventually improve the students’ present ability in reading Research Questions This research plans to determine and assess the effectiveness of Reading Remedial Program in teaching Reading Comprehension in English V at San Diego Elementary School, District XI-B, Division of Quezon City during school year 2012-2013.
More specifically it aims to answer the following questions: 1. What are the pre-test mean scores of the pupils before the Remedial Reading Program? 2. What are the post-test mean scores of the pupils after participating in the Remedial Reading Program? 3. Is there an improvement or significant difference in the pre-test scores and post-test scores of the respondents?

Definition of Terms The following terms are defined below for better understanding of this study.
Academic Performance is the total accomplishment and satisfactory output of a student.
Remedial Instruction is the program intended for low performing pupils in their respective classes. Pupils who will enroll in this program should be recommended by the advisers..
Bookworm is a term used for persons who voraciously read and obviously love reading.
Following Direction is a vital skill that shows how an individual can follow any written or oral instruction.
Getting the Main Idea is the aptitude of an individual to get the topic of any written text.
Noting Details is the ability to jot down significant details of a conversation or written article.
Predicting Outcomes is a skill akin to making inferences where a person knows what will happen next based on a character or event given.
Sequencing Events is the capability to arrange events not only in chronological but logical manner as well.
Word Perception is the competence to know the definition, synonym and nature of a particular word.
Assessment Tool is a set of selection given to the pupils to determine their reading level.

Significance of Study The result of this study will be found valuable to the following:

Reading Teachers found this research useful because it aspires to break the two main causes of Filipino poor reading comprehension namely: language problem and foundational skills. Through its application in the remedial program, teachers are welcome to try to utilize the exercises and worksheets if these are proven effective.

Administration can used the findings in this program important for future intervention program in the teaching of Reading. If confirmed useful then the recommendation will be for it to be implemented to other grades as well.

Low performing students can benefit from this since the researcher will see to it that the extra attention and one hour three times a week time with them will be done in an enjoyable and child-friendly manner.

Parents will find this research advantageous as they may decide whether to enroll their kids for this reading remedial program and give inspiration and satisfaction to them.

CHAPTER II
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
This chapter presents the literature and studies that are related to this study.

According to Tanodra, the Filipino must be educated to know, read and be able to filter information critically, uses data and raise his personal and national esteem. He suggested that we as Educators should
1. Choose appropriate books for the age of the children
2. Books should have attraction or appeal to students’ tastes, likes and interest
3. Read to your child, the old practice of reading bedtime imagination, knowledge and curiosity
4. Develop a good reading habit

The Presidential Commission on Education Reform (PCER) in 2003 reported the factors affecting pupils’ achievement in Reading such as follows: 1. Socio-economic level 2. Environment 3. Language(s) used at home 4. Early Reading Experiences 5. Teachers 6. Materials and Teaching Methods used. In Reading, there are two types of process, via decoding and comprehension. Decoding refers to printed symbols into language and involves perceptual and linguistic passing aspect of reading. It is related to letter, sound correspondences, word identification and lexical access. Comprehension refers to the understanding process whereby meaning is assigned to the text as a whole. Both decoding and comprehension are important aspects of reading, and comprehension is not possible without decoding. Knowing how to do the former, however, does not necessarily imply skill on the latter
.
In Foreign Literature Fielding & Pearson (2006) defined reading comprehension as the level of understanding of a writing. Proficient reading depends on the ability to recognize words quickly and effortlessly. If word recognition is difficult, students use too much of their processing capacity to read individual words, which interferes with their ability to comprehend what is read. He further explains that reading involves several component knowledge structures that interact simultaneously during the reading process.

Developmental reading mentioned three processes by which reading happens, they are as follows: Bottom-up, Top-down and Interactive. Bottom-up is one of the most traditional methods employed by behaviorists because of its stimulus-response pattern. The group of letters formed words, stringed together to create sentences and combined in a cohesive order to make a paragraph serves as stimulus which is then analyzed by the reader by which he or she reacts correspondingly to what has been read is then the response. It is a process where the reader is a passive participant of the reading process and due to its name bottom-up, interpretation comes from the book up to the reader’s brain. Opposite of it is Top-Down, it is a process where the reader’s prior knowledge is then connected to what has been recently read. Therefore, the reader is an active participant because reader is linking what he or she knows to the written text he or she is reading. Last but not the least is interactive. A mix of two processes, bottom-up and top-down takes place hence the name interactive.

It is when these three are put into exercise that literacy starts. According to Adler, CR ed (2007), Literacy is the ability to use the symbols of a writing system. To be able to interpret the information symbols represent and to be able to re-create those symbols so that others can derive the same meaning. Sadly, there are those whose literacy is hindered because of physiological problems. Dyslexia, for example, refers to a cognitive difficulty with reading and writing. It is defined as the brain-based type of learning disability that specifically impairs a person’s ability to read. The term dyslexia can refer to two disorders, either developmental dyslexia—which is a learning disability; or alexia, acquired dyslexia which refers to reading difficulties following a brain damage, stroke or progressive illness. These are the major predictors of an individual’s ability to read phonological, awareness, rapid automized naming and verbal IQ.

McCormick, Sandra (2008) explained that Comprehension Strategies are conscious plans- sets of steps that good readers use to make sense of text. Comprehension strategy instruction helps students become purposeful, active readers who are in control of their own reading comprehension. She mentioned three reminders:
1. Know why you are reading
2. Optimize your reading environment
3. Prioritize the books that you need to read

David Bouchard in his book The Gift of Reading (2009) expressed it this way. “Literacy is not for the chosen few. It is the right of every child. Teaching children to read is not the responsibility of the chosen few. It is the responsibility of every teacher, every administrator and every parent” It is very easy to label children who have problems with reading as lazy or slow. This however does not help them get better. What happens is that the parent or teacher becomes less motivated to teach or become indifferent to the child’s learning. Even older children and adults can still be taught how to read with patience and appropriate teaching approaches.

In the book, Strategies in Communication (2010) Farech, Claus and Gabriel Kasper discuss about good communication skills that teachers need to instruct inside the classroom. It is the role of the teachers to promote language and reading development. They mentioned about the best learning environment such as:
1. High challenge but low in stress
2. Teacher behavior that would inspire and influence good performance in students
3. Differentiated structures are necessary for individual differences
4. Environment should support pupils to become independent and active learners
5. Constant and varied exposure to new material encourages quicker and deeper learning
6. Music can be used to improve and do practice of the language by listening, voice tape etc.

One way to establish a purpose of reading is to make a study guide with questions that learner can answer as they read. Show them how to use captions, headings, highlighted words to answer after reading the selection (Ventura 2010). Reading is more than an instructional program. It requires the heart to care and teach these pupils, good modeling and appropriate approach with the students. If there is constant communication of school authorities with parents, the researcher hope that she will succeed in making reading an important part of every child’s life.

Chapter 3
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY, PROCEDURES AND SOURCES OF DATA

Rationalization for Qualitative Research The researcher utilized the descriptive-comparative method where the research itself considers two entities: Pre-test and Post-test of pupils before and after the remedial program. Out of five sections which are approximately two hundred fifty pupils, the researcher will give a diagnostic test to choose the more or less fifty pupils in the bottom rank that will be admitted to the remedial program. By February to March 20113, almost the end of the school year, post test will be administered to measure the increase or difference of pre-test result to post test result. The mean of pre-test and post test will be taken and to apply the T-test in determining if there is a substantial addition to the scores of the pupils before and after the test.

Data Collection Tools In this study, the researcher will gather data through the diagnostic test in Reading Comprehension pre and post test, worksheets and activity tests. Materials will be provided by the researcher to the pupils. The unmastered skills in Reading Comprehension will be the bases in the construction of instructional and test materials. To see the improvement of each and every pupil, the score of each one will be compared to his own pre-test score and notes or observation in the improvement in his Academic Performance.

Site and Participants The venue for the remedial program will be at the San Diego Elementary School covered rooftop. The respondents will be the selected 50 pupils out of the 250 Grade V pupils of the school.

Chapter IV

FINDINGS This chapter will discuss the findings, result and interpretation of the data gathered.
Data on the Pre-Test

The researcher gave a set of 50 item tests which includes the following Reading skills:
1. Noting Details 3. Following Directions
2. Getting the General 4. Making Inferences, Significance of the Selection Identifying Moods/Emotion In Table 1, Pair 1 refers to the Pre-Test, N for the number of respondents meaning there are 50 pupils who took the test with standard deviation of 2.211 and a mean score of 8.74
Pupil’s Performance in their Pre-test

Paired Sample Statistics | | Mean | N | Std. Deviation | Std. Error Mean | Pair 1 | Pre-Test | 8.74 | 50 | 2.211 | .313 | Table 1

Data on the Post-Test The same test was administered to the same respondents after more than several months of Reading Remedial Session. Table 2 shows the same N meaning number of respondents who took the test .The mean score increased from 8.74 to 42.04 in the Post Test. Respondents achieved higher scores in the Post-Test Paired Samples Statistics | | Mean | N | Std. Deviation | Std. Error Mean | Pair 1 | Post-Test | 42.04 | 50 | 3.580 | .506 |
Pupil’s Performance in their Post-Test

Table 2

Restatement of Questions and Discussion of Results This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the developed multimedia instructional materials on selected topics in teaching Science and Health V at San Diego Elementary School, District XI-B, Division of Quezon City during the school year 2012 – 2013. More specifically, it sought answers to the following questions:
1. What are the pre-test mean scores of the pupils who were exposed in the developed multimedia instructional materials in teaching Science and those who were exposed to the traditional way of teaching Science?
2. What are the post-test mean scores of the pupils who were exposed in the developed multimedia instructional materials in teaching Science and those who were exposed to the traditional way of teaching Science?
3. Is there any significant difference in the performance of pupils who were exposed in the use of the developed multimedia instructional materials and those pupils who were taught lessons using the traditional way of teaching Science? The prominent findings revealed in this research are the following:
1. The pre-test results were checked, the mean of the bottom 50% is 4.87 revealing more than 1% of the students who managed to pass the 50 item test.
2. Seven months later, after going through the Reading Remedial Program, the same test was administered to the respondents. It’s satisfying to see their means shoot upwards resulting in a 40.04 showing that at least more than 84% of the respondents managed to pass the test.
3. We can safely assume therefore that the Reading Remedial Program is a huge success just by seeing the difference of mean of pre-test and post-test administered to the lower fifty students out of two hundred fifty. Moreover, since it is proven effective, every teacher should handpicked students who will be a beneficiary of this wonderful program and help them improve their comprehension ability.

Comparing the Pre-Test and Post-Test Scores In Table 3, when the data were placed in the statistical program, a confidence interval of 95% is shown in the difference between pre and post test. The symbol t refers to the t-test as computed in the table. Showing a computed value of t-test as 55.359, to get the tabular value of the t-test, we use the degree of freedom which is n-1, derived from no. of respondents minus one (50-1=49). The corresponding value is located by looking at the chart at 49 degree of freedom showing a 100-95 confidence interval. The 5 remaining difference is then converted to decimal with 0.05 margin of error and so the value in the table is 2.0096.
Comparison of Pupil’s Performance in their Pre-Test and Post-Test
Table 3 Paired Samples Test | | Paired Differences | t | df | Sig. (2-tailed) | Interpretation | | Mean | Std. Deviation | Std. Error Mean | 95% Confidence Interval of the Difference | | | | | | | | | Lower | Upper | | | | | Pair 1 | A1 - A2 | -33.300 | 4.253 | .602 | -34.509 | -32.091 | -55.359 | 49 | .000 | Highly Significant |

T-Test Tabular Value = 2.0096 (see t-test value at 49 degree of freedom)
Computed Value = 55.359

As shown, the computed value of 55.359 is greater than the tabular value of 2.0096 at degree of freedom of 49. Hence, the null hypothesis is rejected at 0.05 margin of error. There is a significant difference in the pre-test and post-test scores of respondents, showing that the Reading Remedial Program using the Developing Reading Power 5 can enhance the comprehension of pupils, and definitely increased their performance in the Reading Comprehension Test.
Chapter V
Discussions
This chapter includes the Conclusions/Implications, Strengths and Limitations and Concluding Statements based in the onset of the study.

Conclusion This study described, interpreted and compared the performance level of students (pre-test mean score/post-test mean score) before and after the Reading Remedial Program. It also determined the effectiveness of the Reading Remedial Program in English Grade V focusing in Reading Comprehension.

Based on the data gathered, the researcher came up with the following summary of findings:
1. The pre-test of 50 students before they undergo the Reading Remedial Program has a mean that indicates that the performance level is low.
2. That the respondents mostly have errors following directions
3. The post-test scores have increased after the Reading Remedial Program
4. Remarkable increase in the mean of the post-score as compared to the pre-test was shown after the mean of two tests were compared.

Strengths and Limitations The strengths of the Reading Remedial Program in Grade V School Year 2012-2013 are the parent support to their child, appropriateness of the selection, commitment and dedication of the Reading Remedial Teacher. This study is limited to the Grade V students only. The other grades should also have a Reading Remedial Program. Another limitation is the rooftop which is the location for the Remedial Program as well as the venue for other practices and activities which could affect the teaching-learning process.
Conclusive Statement The following conclusions were drawn after analyzing the results of the study.
1. That Reading Program is an effective way to develop functional reader among students.
2. That low performing students will have higher confidence in answering the test questions if they have lots of exercises/drills on vocabulary words.
Recommendation
1. Teachers should be encouraged to set up not only Grammar and Language but Reading Program to develop skills in Reading Comprehension.
2. Administrators of different schools should allow and create their own program
3. Provision for special rooms for the readers should be implemented as well as more reading materials that will develop their Reading Comprehension Skills.
4. Conduct a survey on the parent’s response to their child’s achievement after Reading Remedial Program