Improving the Reading Performance of Grade I Pupils Through Special

Reading Class
Lucena S. Babanto,T - I
Hubangon Elementary School

Abstract
This research was designed to investigate and improve pupils’ performance in

reading. It is a qualitative and quantitative study to address the pupils’ low performance in

reading assessment. This study was done in Hubangon Elementary School , Grade I-Rose

who were identified as non-readers. The instrument used was an EGRA reading assessment

tools to evaluate pupils’ performance through oral reading test with the used of Phil-IRI

Oral Reading Criteria.

This is done first in pretest then in post test. The data gathered was analyzed and the

results revealed that the pupils read better when special reading class always used as an

intervention. From the above findings, the researcher recommends for the utilization of the said

programs an intervention and technique. The research shows that what the families do makes

the difference, what the teachers do makes the difference and what the community do makes a

difference. It’s time for all those who work with children to work together to ensure that every

child learns to read. It is our shared responsibility.

I. Introduction:

Reading is a basic life skill. It is a cornerstone for a child’s success in school and indeed

throughout life. Without the ability to read well, opportunities for personal fulfillment and

job success inevitably will be lost. – Becoming a Nation Readers: The Report of the

Commission on Reading.

Difficulties in decoding and word recognition are the core of most reading difficulties.

Poor readers have differently understanding that sounds in words are linked to certain letters

and letter patterns. This is called “Alphabetic Principle”.

 The reason why poor readers don’t attain the alphabetic principle is because they haven’t

developed phonemic awareness,(Lyon,1997) thus resulting in an even poorer attitude toward

reading ,causing them to evade reading activities. Failure in reading can lead to failure in school

and a low self-confidence.

This action research faced in class problem with children who have difficulties in reading. The

study aims to answer the following question:

1. What is the profile and level of pupils’ performance in reading?

2. How does special reading class influence pupils’ performance in reading?
3. Is there a significant difference of pupils’ performance in reading before and
after implementation of the program?

II. Literature Review

Manilyn Adams (1990) compares the operation of the reading system to the operation of

a car. Unlike drivers, though readers also need to: Build the car (develop the mechanical system

for identifying words). Maintain the car (fuel it with print, fix up problems along the way and

make sure it runs smoothly and most importantly drive the car (which requires us to be

motivated ,strategic and mindful of the route were taking).Cars are built by assembling the

parts separately and fastening them together. In contrast, the parts of the reading system are

not discrete. We cannot proceed by completing each individual sub- system and then fastening

it to one another. Rather the parts of the reading system must grow together. They must grow to

one another and from one another.(Adams et al,1990,pp.20-21).

The ultimate goal of reading is to make meaning from print, and a vehicle in good

working order is required to help us reach that goal. Teaching kids to read is a team effort.

Parents, teachers and members of the community must recognize the important role they can

play in helping children to read. Instructional research on reading has indicated that children

develop these abilities best when provided with systematic and explicit instruction. When

exposed to rich language and literacy environments ,and when exposed to appropriate

developmental opportunities and environments at the earliest ages.

III. Method of the Study

The researcher used reading materials based on EGRA reading materials. The Phil IRI

Oral reading criteria were used to determine the reading level of the learners as shown in figure
I.

Figure1. Phil –IRI Oral Reading Test Criteria

Reading Level Word Recognition Comprehension

Independent 97-100 % 80-100 %

Instructional 90- 96 % 59-79 %
Frustration 89-50 % 58-40 %
Non- Reader 49 below 39 below

Pupils in non-reader level can only recognized few syllables and simple words with

hesitation .Others will attempt to pronounce the word but produces a nonsense word, rather than

a real word and the worst is others cannot even sound out letters or cannot read at all . The

pupils score 49% and below in word recognition and 39% and below in comprehension. In

frustration level learners got errors in reading such a mispronunciation, substitution, refusal

to pronounce, insertion, omission, repetition and reversal. The pupils score 50%-89% in word

in recognition and 40%-59 in comprehension .In instructional level pupils got only few errors

in reading with the score of 90%-96% in word recognition and 59%-79% in comprehension.

Whereas in Independent Level pupils can read independently without help of the teacher.

The pupils score 97%-100% in word recognition and 80% - 100% in comprehension

After getting the result, it was found out that 10 pupils in Grade I-Rose out of 25 pupils

were non-readers. These pupils belong to non-reader level in both word recognition and

comprehension. They were given remedial during special reading class 20 minutes in the

morning and 20 minutes in the afternoon or even vacant time before going home is utilized for

this purpose for a period of 15 weeks. In the implementation of the said study varied strategies

were being introduced such as Beginning Reading Approach , Cartilla ,Marungko and

CAM-READ Approach .
Materials used were flashcards, video tapes; flip charts big and small books .Pupils also given

xerox reading materials for them to read at home during weekends.

After the implementation of the program, post test was administered to determine pupils’

progress in word recognition and in comprehension instrument used as shown in figure 2.

Figure 2. An Example of EGRA reading test.

SI BAKI’ UG SI PISO’

Si Piso’ nahulog sa suba.Tabang! tabang! Singgit ni Piso’. Nakadungog si Baki’ og

niduol apan nahulog usab kini.”Unsay atong buhaton Piso’ ?”pangutana ni Baki’.Tan-awa!

Adunay dakong kahoy nga mahimong makaluwas nato Baki’ ,ang tubag ni Piso’.Nikapyot

dayon silang duha sa dakong kahoy.”Naluwas kami” singgit nila.

This instrument was used both in pretest and post test. The results were consistent whom

Anderson’s claim that teaching pupils only letter names causes problem in later stage. When

pupils start to decode print without realizing that letter names always differ from the sound they

typically stand for (Anderson,2006). However after teaching the correct sounds of the letters as

drill letter sounds were gradually improves until they could read syllables ,words ,phrases and

even sentences in the story. Then, they began to develop an ability to read unfamiliar words.

IV. Results and Discussion

The study made use of descriptive research designed to find out the techniques and

strategies that would improve the reading performance of the pupils.

Pretest Table I

Comparison of the Results in Reading of Grade I- Rose Pupils.

WORD RECOGNITION COMPREHENSION

Pupil Score % Reading Level Score % Reading Level
1 10 22.73 Non - reader 1 20 Frustration
2 8 18.18 Non - reader 2 40 Frustration
3 4 9.091 Non - reader 0 0 Frustration
4 15 34.09 Non - reader 3 60 Frustration
5 5 11.36 Non - reader 1 20 Frustration
6 13 29.55 Non - reader 2 40 Frustration
7 0 0 Non - reader 0 0 Frustration
8 7 15.91 Non - reader 1 20 Frustration
9 0 0 Non - reader 0 0 Frustration
10 2 4.55 Non - reader 0 0 Frustration

Post test Table II

WORD RECOGNITION COMPREHENSION

Pupil Score % Reading Level Score % Reading Level
1 39 87 Frustration 5 100 Independent
2 40 91 Instructional 5 100 Independent
3 34 77 Frustration 4 80 Independent
4 44 100 Independent 5 100 Independent
5 40 91 Independent 3 60 Instructional
6 44 100 Independent 5 100 Independent
7 20 45.46 Frustration 3 60 Instructional
8 41 93.18 Instructional 5 100 Independent
9 25 56.82 Frustration 2 40 Frustration
10 40 91 Instructional 3 60 Instructional

The Table I and Table II present the comparison of the results in reading performance of

Grade I- Rose pupils in pretest and post test. It is clearly shown that table in pretest all pupils

were non-readers in word recognition and frustration in comprehension. Whereas in table for

post test, showed big improvement in word recognition and in comprehension wherein 3

pupils belonged in independent level , 3 pupils in instructional level and 4 pupils in

frustration level in the word recognition level. In comprehension level 6 pupils belonged in
independent level , 3 pupils in instructional level and only 1 in frustration level. The teacher’s

effort in preparing activities, interventions, challenges such as drills utilization of appropriate

instructional materials during reading lesson ,exposure to interesting reading materials ,seeking

cooperation of the parents in guiding their children at home determine the progress in reading.

The results proved the hypothesis that better instruction and intervention showed

significant improvement in reading.

V.Conclusions and Recommendations:

The purpose of the study was to investigate pupils’ performance in reading .It also

attempts to investigate the cause of pupils’ low performance in reading in word recognition

and comprehension through analysis of the levels of their abilities. The finding showed that my

intervention in special reading class using the Beginning Reading, Cartilla , Marungko and

reading stories in Small Books and Big Books significantly improve pupils’ reading

performance.
References:

Becoming a Nation Readers: The Report of the Commission on Reading

Anderson. (2005) .Getting a head in literacy: The importance of

phonemic awareness, Classroom Connections 1 (2),pp.15-18.

Lyon, 1997
Manilyn Adams (1990)

Adam et al. 1990,pp.20-21

Brown.R. (2000). Extensive Reading in the EFL Class Retrieved September 14,2005,from
http://www.extensivereading.net/er/rbrown.html

Tonjes,et al. (1990) ,as citied in http://cps.uswp.edu./courses/EDU310/textstruct/narrative.asp