Republic of the Philippines Department of Education National Capital Region

DIVISION OF MALABON CITY

Ninoy Aquino Elementary School Compound Maya-maya St., Kaunlaran Village, Longos Malabon City

LONGOS NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

ACTION RESEARCH

I. Problem

Based on personal observations as a classroom teacher for 13 years, Filipino students nowadays find it difficult to absorb English lessons because of the following problems; Most students in high school can read but very few of them can thoroughly digest what they have read. Most students like to talk in English but they are apprehensive to do so because they are afraid to commit mistakes In recitation and writing activities, most students know the word in Filipino but they cant simply find its appropriate English word counterpart. Most students can identify the different part of speech and rules in grammar but when it comes to actual sentence construction or analysis, most students cant identify what is Standard English and what is not. Although the use of English is being emphasized in English subject, other subject areas except Filipino and Social Studies do not have strict rules in using English as their medium of instruction. Most students find English subject dull and boring

II. Problem Analysis Most students in high school can read but very few of them can thoroughly digest what they have read simply because they have poor comprehension skills, they were not exposed to different reading materials, they find reading as a boring activity resulting with lack of genuine love for it. Thus theres a need to device a procedure that will make reading activity in the classroom more challenging and enjoyable for the students. Most students like to talk in English but they are apprehensive to do so because they are afraid to commit mistakes due to their past experiences with mentors who are more concerned with their grammar rather than the ideas they would like to share. Thus, theres a need to give students free opportunities to express themselves free from the fear of committing errors but still open for constructive suggestions.

In recitation and writing activities, most students know the word in Filipino but they cant simply find its appropriate English word counterpart. Thus, theres really a need to widen students vocabulary bank through English Tagalog vocabulary translation drill. Most students can identify the different part of speech and rules in grammar but when it comes to actual sentence construction or analysis, most students cant identify what is Standard English and what is not. Thus, theres a need for the students to obtain skills in identifying common errors in English and retaining it. Although the use of English is being emphasized in English subject, other subject areas except Filipino and Social Studies do not have strict rules in using English as their medium of instruction. After their English class, students converse in the Tagalog with their peers and with their neighbors and family members. They love to watch Tagalog T.V. series, Tagalized movies and chat using their mother tongue. Thus, theres a need to come up with creative ways to enforce students to speak in English most of the time in school and at home and watch English T.V. or movie shows because the best way to learn the language is to use the language. Most students find English subject dull and boring which limits their growth in learning more and loving the subject. Thus theres a great need for every English teachers to present and share creative ways and interesting techniques to make English lessons enticing for the students.

III. Action Hypothesis Based on personal observation, students learn best under the following circumstances;

If they clearly see why theres need to learn a particular topic If the learning process is simple yet functional and applicable If the difficulty of lessons increases gradually If theres a healthy competition and interesting games throughout the classroom discussion. If students are not forced to learn advanced concepts without mastering the basics. If they are given freedom to speak their mind without fear of committing grammatical errors. If they work as a group If they are they are inspired to learn If they can clearly see how they can apply what they are learning in life outside the classroom.
If the activities and experiences are based on the real needs of the pupils and the people of the community. If the activities and experiences must have elements found in the situations of everyday living.

IV. Experimentation and Action Bases on my problem analysis and action hypothesis, I have designed a program that might help in minimizing the problems of students in studying English as secondary language. I call this program as English Skills Enhancement Program (ESEP). A. Identifying Common Errors in English (ICEE or I see) A sentence with common error in English grammar and usage will be placed on the board. Students will be given time to analyze the sentence and try to locate the error/s in it. The teacher will call three students to go to the board and encircle what they think is wrong in the sentence then explain why did they believe it is wrong. The teacher will then give the correct answer and give further explanations. Other students will give other sentences following the rules they have learned for the day. Then copy it in their notebook. Ex. One of the apple in the table is missing. One of the apple in the table is missing. The rule: The phrase one of the is always followed by plural nouns/pronouns. Then other students give other sentence examples. Note: Only one sentence and one basic rule in grammar per session should be used. Students find it hard to retain grammar rules when it is given to them in great number. B. Vocabulary Development Exercise (VODE) Act. 1 An assigned group of students will write four to five difficult but commonly used and interesting terms beginning with a particular letter on the board with its meaning in English and in Tagalog together with its part of speech. (Teaching English terms using Tagalog words? This seems unorthodox but based on personal observation, a difficult English term is easily absorbed and retained in the memory of the students if they know the counter part of that word in Filipino and they can easily use that particular term in their own sentences. We have to keep in mind that we are Filipinos trying to learn and master a foreign language. This procedure is similar to the steps that we do in learning a particular dialect when we go to province. First, we will ask for a particular dialectical word and its translation in Tagalog then we use it in a sentence then thats the time we understand and absorb it in our memory.) Act. 2 After all the words were written on the board, the teacher will double check its spelling and meaning. Then he will lead the class in the proper pronunciation of the words given. Thus, the students learned not only the meaning of a new word but also its pronunciation,spelling and part of speech. Act.3 Four to five students will be called to write a sentence on the board using the terms given. Then the teacher will check each sentence in terms of punctuation, capitalization and other grammatical errors. Act.4 All the words written on the board will then be erased. The students will write all the words they have learned for the day in their tickler complete its meaning and parts of speech. Their tickler can serve as their personal dictionary in the future.

Note: If students will learn just two new words each day, imagine how many new words they will learn in a week and in a school year. We have to keep in mind that reading comprehension greatly depends on vocabulary knowledge and word recognition. Increase the vocabulary knowledge: Increase the comprehension skills. C. Reading Skills and Comprehension Upgrading Exercise (RESCUE) Act.1 Students will be given few minutes to read a short paragraph from a reading material aside from their textbooks like newspapers (broad sheet),readers digest or magazines. (The materials to be used should be authentic and varied to expose them to reading materials they will most of the time after school). They will encircle the paragraph they will read and write their name and the date. (They will be exchanging reading materials from time to time to avoid cheating and memorization. The number of paragraph to be read should be increased every grading period but it is necessary to begin with one short paragraph only so that students will gain momentum and see their own gradual improvement. When they have established their confidence in reading they will continue reading more on their own.) I am using different strategies to develop different type of reading skills among my students Strategy 1 Act. 2 They will pass their reading materials among themselves or exchange with the other group. The students will be instructed to create three Higher-Order-Thinking questions about the paragraph read by their classmates. Act.3 Then some students will be called to ask questions to be answered by the one who read the reading material. Points will be given to the group of the students who can get all the correct answers and punishment like dancing, singing, etc. to the group of the one who could not answer or got mistakes Note : It is observed that a student seems to focus more intently in reading if there will be challenging tasks afterwards and the result of how well they have read will affect not only him but his friends and group mates. Teenagers are social individuals, they are more concerned with their peers view of them than their teachers and parents. Teachers should use this fact into their advantage with the mission to help the students. Strategy 2 SQ3R Method but one step only for every session for the first grading then two steps in the second and so on until they are really acquainted with this strategy and they will not forget it when they will read on their own. This time they will be using their books or learning guides.

Step 1: SURVEY Students look over material critically. Skim through the book and read topical and subtopical headings and sentences. Read the summaries at the end of chapters and books. Try to anticipate what the author is going to say.

Students write these notes on paper, in sequence; then look over the jottings to get an overall idea or picture. This will enable them to see where they are going.

Step 2: QUESTIONS Instead of reading paragraph headings such as "Basic Concepts of Reading," change to read, "What are the Basic Concepts of Reading?" These questions will become "hooks" on which to hang the reading material. Students write these questions out; look over the questions to see the emphasis and direction; then attempt to give plausible answers before further reading.

Step 3: READ Students read with smoothness and alertness to answer the questions they have made. Students write notes, in their own words, under each question. They take a minimum number of notes and use these notes as a structure of their understanding.

Step 4: RECALL** Without looking at their book or notes, students mentally visualize and sketch, in their own words, the high points of the material immediately upon completing the reading. a. This forces them to check understanding. b. This channels the material into a natural and usable form. c. This points up what they do not understand. d. This forces them to think.

Step 5: REVIEW Students look at their questions, answers, notes and book to see how well did they recall. Observe carefully the points stated incorrectly or omitted. Fix carefully in mind the logical sequence of the entire idea, concepts, or problem. Finish up with a mental picture of the WHOLE.

Strategy 3 Fun reading Students were just given free time to read comics, pocketbooks, entertainment pages of newspapers or novels. No need for them to answer any questions. They just read. Thats it.

Note in evaluating reading skills:

Effective reading comprehension requires analysis and synthesis. Students need to understand the overall meaning of a text, identify important details and apply what they have read. To effectively evaluate reading comprehension through written tests, teachers should find or design tests and worksheets that require all of these skills. Include questions about the main idea as well as about specific details; also, have students apply higher-order thinking by requiring them to draw conclusions, make predictions or filling up diagrams. Use a variety of question types such as fill-in-the-blanks, multiple -choice, short-answer and long-answer to make sure students can refer to specific wording from the text and explain main concepts in their own words.

D. Listening Enhancement Exercise (LEE) Act. 1 Students will be given time to listen to a short a recorded audio presentation for a short time period. Note: The audio material should be authentic. The idea is to develop the different listening skills of the students while using varied real-life audio presentations. Students listening skills are hard to develop if they are exposed only to filtered textbook-based listening material read or recorded carefully by the teacher or by the best reader in class. Not all people are born orators in the world outside of the classroom. Act. 2 After listening, the class will be divided into two and they will compete in answering literal, inferential, critical and evaluative questions. The teacher can inject games while conducting this activity.

E. Capsulated Grammar Exercise (CAGE) Here, the teacher will present a grammar lesson in a condensed capsulated format or in a small cage. He will do his best to simplify one broad grammar lesson into to a fashion that students can easily grasp with minimal rules to be remembered and drills to be accomplished. The teacher should also emphasize the importance and the application of that particular lesson to the students daily lives. Note: It is observed that students absorb more in grammar lesson if it was presented to them in a concise and simple format. We cannot expect students to master complicated Grammar lessons without mastering the basic ones. Ex. Instead of discussing all the kinds of conjunction in just one session, just deal with the identification of coordinating conjunctions in few sentences using the acronym FANBOYS. (for, and, or, but, or, yet and so.) F. Speak-up Your Mind (S.Y.M) Act 1.The teacher will give an interesting fact or anything that students can relate to. Act.2 The students are given opportunity to express their views and sentiments the given issue without teachers intervention in correcting their grammars. They are free to refute, agree and add more about each others point of view. The teacher will serve only as facilitator of the discussion and try to rephrase erroneous questions or statements made by the students without directly pointing out that they are wrong. Note: It is observed that it is easier to elicit opinions and make the students talk if a topic is within their level of interest and they have no fear in committing grammatical mistakes. The problem why its difficult for students to speak in English because they are used to think first of the grammar rules before they open their mouth and say what they want to say thus doubling their task so more often tan not they will not speak at all. They became like this because of their past mentors who are very strict in Grammar every time they speak in class. If students are chance to speak freely we will surprised that they have plenty of bright ideas that most of them are just keeping in to themselves.

G. Life Instruction Act. 1 A quotation or statement with great moral value will be presented. Students will be asked to elaborate it either orally or written. Some students will be called share their thoughts and experiences about it. Then the teacher will share additional inputs. Note: This part of the program serves as value formation for the students. The Philippine school
must not only be concerned with the perpetuation of democratic ideals and ways of living in a New Society and dissemination of facts of the subject matter to be remembered but also with the general improvement of the individual and of society.

V. Personal Evaluation of the Program This program does not only benefit the students but also the teacher because it put the teacher in constant learning process everyday. The lessons being taught are no longer monotonous both for the teacher and students. The teacher will be exposed to different vocabulary terms each day from all the sections he is handling. Thus, his own vocabulary bank continually improves. The teacher will be forced to conduct personal research abut common errors in English and trivia for SYM activities. Thus his proficiency in teaching his subject and knowledge in other learning areas also increases. The teacher is also continuously challenged to modify a broad grammar lesson to a simpler one which will enhance his efficiency level in teaching. This intervention program requires no visuals aids. It is applicable to any sections at any year levels.

VI. Conclusion and Generalization This intervention program is subject to intensive review and further study. But it works for me, most of my students love I and it helped us in our performance in the NAT for the past years. I wish I could share this to my fellow English teachers and learn about their intervention programs as well. Division of Malabon being in the bottom in the NAT throughout all the divisions in NCR, every teacher teaching in our city should be alarmed and concerned not just point accusing fingers to one another. Right now, Malabon has nothing to lose; we must be open to any possible means and suggestions because our conventional methods in teaching clearly no longer works for the type of learners we have nowadays. We cant blame our present standing to the lack of facilities, lack of references, big class size and poor attention span of our students. In the end, when everything is considered, it is always teacher factor. Empower ourselves and we can empower our students. Our students mastery in English affects all other subject areas thats why it is imperative for all English teachers in the Division of Malabon to keep our best foot forward at all times and continuously research and try any effective techniques we can think of and then share it to others so that we can figure out how to really help our beloved students.
Francis Joshua R. Chua English Teacher I, LNHS uanito H. Gayola O.I.C./Principal,LNHS