Assessment of Oral Reading Comprehension of Grade Four Pupils: Basis for the Preparation of Oral Reading Exercises

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

It is a burden for the child to find himself not being able to read. With this in mind, the researcher felt a need to improve and enhance the oral reading comprehension of the Grade IV pupils in Itlugan Elementary School. Based on the result of the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (PHIL-IRI), it was found out that Grade IV pupils find it hard to comprehend the text when it is orally read. Maybe because they were not exposed to some oral reading exercises that can enhance their oral reading comprehension in English. It is in the foregoing connections that the researcher decided to determine the Oral Reading Comprehension of the Grade Four Pupils in Itlugan Elementary School.

METHODS

This sought to determine the oral reading performance of the pupil-respondents based on the diagnostic examination with reference to literal, inferential and critical levels. In lieu of this, a follow-up interview was conducted to determine the problems encountered in the given oral reading diagnostic test. This study utilized the descriptive method of research to analyze the oral reading comprehension of the Grade IV pupils. Validated questionnaire and diagnostic test were the main tools in gathering data. To interpret the data, the researcher employed percentage, ranking, and frequency.

RESULTS

The findings revealed that majority of the pupil-respondents obtained a low level of performance in the oral examination. Most of the respondents perceived the critical level as the part of the examination that is difficult to answer. The pupils performed best in the literal level and least on the critical level of reading comprehension. Meanwhile, most of the respondents believed that the major problems that they encountered in the diagnostic test were: identifying the main idea of the selection, understanding confusing words and sentences, explaining the author's purpose, and making educated guesses or prediction.

DISCUSSIONS

As shown by the results of this study, pupils encountered some problems that hinder their oral reading comprehension. In response to these problems, the researcher developed a compilation of oral reading exercises including their different levels of comprehension. The researchers suggested that the proposed oral reading exercises can be tried out by the teachers in the school to enhance the reading comprehension and competence of their pupils.