Developing the Phonemic Ability through "Sign Ko, Sound Mo "("My Sign, Your Sound" )

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

A lot of innovations have been known to have tried in classroom instructions yet, there are still pupils who failed to identify the letters in the alphabet and its sound. Out of 21 enrolled, 13 pupils cannot identify the letter name and letter sound during the conduct of the Oral Reading Proficiency Test (Diagnostic) last June 7, 2017, using the EGRA -ARATA toolkit (Component 1-A and 1-B). This sad reality made the researcher apply different techniques, and among them, the "Sign Ko, Sound Mo" surfaced. An intervention of which teacher aided her instruction with signs aided with mouthing and hand and body movements to develop their phonemic ability, thus pupils be able to identify the letter and produced its sound.

METHODS

Various activities were provided during classroom instruction. The teacher mouthed the letter name aided with a sign using hand and body movement will give pupils the hint of what letter was introduced thus led them to identify and produce the sound. Prior knowledge of letter name and it's sound led pupils to read as other letters blended in.

RESULTS

Developing the Phonemic Ability through Sign ko, Sound Mo is an intervention where learners learned and enjoyed every letter introduced, though they laughed yet they imitate and learned with ease. Anas reinforcement activities, repetitive singing of the sound of a letter, letter hopping and body movement, storytelling emphasizing the letter name and its sound. Videos on the alphabet, alphabet flashcards, puzzles, and identifying letters by cutting, coloring, circling, alphabet rhymes, jingles, and games like "Guess what", "Where is my Partner" were provided. As pupils developed their knowledge in identifying letter name and sound, the introduction of vowel and consonant sounds followed, blending of letters that produced a word were given and pupils been able to read CVC, phrases, sentences, and a short story. The pupils have shown and exceptional results in their ability to identifying letter name and sound. During the conduct of Oral Reading Test last January 2018, pupils can already blend the sound of the letters and can read CV, VC, CVC and CVCV pattern, they can even read phrases, sentences, and short stories. Pupils were all promoted to the next level.

DISCUSSIONS

The result showed that the classroom intervention used by the teacher was effective and that, the sign/s given through mouthing or hand and body movement by the teacher of a particular letter or word should be consistent.