Reading Difficulties among Grade IV Pupils: Basis for Reading Intervention Program

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONLearning to read is one of the most important skills acquired during a lifetime. With the ability to speak effectively and to write in a variety of forms and for a variety of purposes, reading competency can provide economic opportunity, social status, personal pleasure, and s e l f -r e s p e c t . Through the years, reading experts has regarded reading as a difficult process. Bond and Tinker (2007) amplified the said idea when they noted that reading is a complex process because it involves the recognition of the printed or written symbols which results to be building up of meaning through the reader's experiences.METHODSThis study utilized the descriptive-evaluative method of research. The descriptive method particularly the descriptive-evaluative method was employed because the main intention of the study was to devise a reading program that would help the grade four (4) pupils improve their reading abilities.RESULTSResults showed that 59% of the respondents were on the age for grade four level; 49% were male and 51% were female; 65% had fathers attained secondary level of education; 55% had mothers finished elementary level of education. It was also reflected that the reading difficulties and types of miscues they committed are varied where the most miscues were related to mispronunciation (510 times); followed by substitution (484 times); then refusal to pronounce (360 times); omission (28 times); insertion (22 times) and lastly reversal (11 times). There was nobody who committed repetition as a type of frustration level. In terms of their reading levels of the 75 grade four respondents, 3 or 4% belonged to instructional level of reading ability. Six to eight percent w e r e n o n -r e a d e r s a n d 6 6 o r 8 8 p e r c e n t w e r e o n f r u s t r a t i o n l e v e l . Reading intervention program was developed.

DISCUSSIONS

Grade four pupils were observed during their reading time and it was found out that they were having difficulties in reading. The researchers conducted the study on the profile of the respondents, reading difficulties encountered, reading levels and the intervention program made to bridge the problem. Profile showed that majority of the respondents were females, who were on ages as grade four pupils; whose fathers were on secondary level; and the mothers were on elementary level of education. The most common reading difficulties encountered were mispronunciation, substitution, and refusal to pronounce the words they read. The reading level was frustration and the reading intervention program focused on miscues on mispronunciation, substitution, and refusal to pronounce.