Project ARM-attend, Read and Mentor: An Aid for Reading Difficulties of Selected Students in Anuling National High School

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Reading skills, in the context of Junior High School, should be well-developed so the comprehension of the lessons would have a better result. But, in some instances, reading problems in secondary schools arise because of the poor foundation in reading. This context led the researchers to conduct action research. This study dealt with the most reading miscue faced by the selected students of Anuling National High School and the reading scores of students who fall under frustration level before and after the conduct of Project-ARM (Attend, Read, Mentor) as well as its effectivity towards the development of the students' reading difficulties.

METHODS

The participants in the study were twenty-six selected students of Anuling National High School who fall under the frustration level during the pre-assessment in English reading. The researchers employed the weekly mean scores during the process of the Project-ARM and the frequency counts and its mean scores to examine the most reading miscue of the selected students and the effectivity of the Project-ARM.

RESULTS

The findings revealed that the most common reading miscue encountered by the students is substitution based on the mean score of their reading. The reading scores of the student’s insight words and graded passages before the conduct of the Project-ARM are both Frustration level. However, after the conduct of the project, their reading level in sight words and graded passages are Instructional and Instructional/ Frustration respectively. Moreover, Project-ARM is considered to be effective since the weekly mean percentage scores from the first conduct of the study up to the weekly reading process is increasing and interpreted as Instructional.

DISCUSSIONS

In the view of the findings of this study, the students have poor vocabulary knowledge since substitution is their primary miscue while reading. Through the help of the Project-ARM, the independent readers serve as peers who help them improve the reading skills of the slow readers. In addition, the study also recommends that the teachers not only in the English subject but also in different areas that used English as a medium of instruction should also give vocabulary exercises to strengthen the student's vocabulary skills that may help them develop the way they read the graded passages. Also, the idea of having reading time during Fridays or any day depending on the school schedule should also be given attention to far developing the reading skills of the students.