The Reading Readiness Skills of Selected Kindergarten Pupils in Ibaan Central School

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The development of literacy among preschoolers is an advocacy in the Philippine education. Children's reading success requires significant use of children’s knowledge on sound structure specifically phonemic awareness and knowledge of the symbol-sound. Kindergarten school years are critical period of growth for students' emergent literacy skills (MacDonald & Figueredo) In today's society, it is absolutely critical that every child has the fullest opportunities to become an accomplished reader. Anyone unable to read and write proficiently faces enormous social, personal, and economic limitations in today's complex, information-flooded world. To function successfully, readers must be able to construct complex understandings, make critical comparisons, draw inventive conclusions, and carefully evaluate the materials they read. In addition, to fully capitalize on the power of reading, readers must also be able to appreciate the artistry of an accomplished author.

METHODS

Based on the analysis of the study conducted, the following intervention activities were seen to be effective practices to improve and develop the reading readiness skills of kindergarten pupils in Ibaan Central School.

1. InterventionPlans
2. Sounds and Sound BlendsDrill
3. Word Bank
4. Reading remediation
5. Extensive readingpractices
6. Repeated reading exercises

RESULTS

In view of the research findings, the following recommendations were addressed;

1. The teacher should encourage and introduce reading to kindergarten pupils. This will help them gain more information and knowledge, and at the same time, improve their decoding skills.
2. A school reading program must be designed and implemented in order for pupils to gain more exposure to the early stage of beginning reading.
3. Further researches related to reading readiness skills of kindergarten pupils in similar settings are highly recommended. The conduct of such researches would certainly shed light on the experiences of kindergarten children in literacy instruction.

DISCUSSIONS

This proposed action plan must be explained and set up in the school so that pupils' reading readiness skill and ability will significantly improve through accurate assessments. Decoding ability should be applied to letter-sound relationships, including knowledge of letter patterns and correctly pronounce written words. Understanding these relationships gives children the ability to recognize familiar words quickly and to figure out words they haven't seen before.