The Level of Reading Ability in English of Grade One Pupils of Gregorio Agoncillo Elementary School and the Need for A Proposed Reading Reinforcement Program

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Basic reading skills include language, concentration, visual processing skills, and auditory processing skills. These are important for developing phonemic awareness, memory and reasoning. Each of these skills needs to be practiced and applied in order for a person to become a proficient reader. The goal is that as a child gets older, he or she is reading at grade level with all the basic skills having been developed at an early age. The researcher has observed that there is a need to enhance the reading skills of Grade One pupils at Gregorio Agoncillo Elementary School.

METHODS

The method used by the researcher in this study was the descriptive design with observation and interviews, as well as journal writing and narration as mode of presentation of data. The respondents were twenty-five (25) Grade One pupils. The profile of the Grade One pupils with regard to gender was treated using the frequency counts and ranking while for the data that were gathered from interviews and through the journal written by the researcher regarding her daily observations were used. The oral reading profile of the pupils was also analyzed.

RESULTS

Twenty-five (25) Grade One pupils were found to have achieved low performance levels in reading as revealed by the pre-test in Oral Reading Test in English for the Second Semester of the School Year 2017-2018. This result could be attributed to the fact that reading in English was only taught during the second semester. Although they can recognize sounds and symbols, reading words was difficult for most of them. Thus, twenty-five (25) out of thirty-five (35) pupils needed assistance and reinforcement to learn to read.

DISCUSSIONS

The results showed that there was a low reading ability level among Grade One pupils. It also showed there have been factors that contributed to the reading abilities of Grade One pupils and that included attitude, school factors, parent participation, and economic factors. Among the factors that contributed to the level of the reading abilities, parent participation was found to be the highest. It is recommended that parents have to participate in their child's education. Creating interesting reading materials may motivate pupils to learn to read. To address all of these, a Reading Reinforcement Program addressing these factors was proposed by the researcher.