Project Intensive Care for Unable Readers (Icare4u), an Intervention Program to Improve the Reading Level of Selected Grade I Pupils

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

In teaching children how to read, they must know how to blend isolated sounds into words. First-grade pupils who don't know yet the letter and sounds will need a special catch -up instructions, in addition to such phonemic awareness, beginning readers must know the letters and have the basic understanding of how the words are to be read from left to right.

The main purpose of this study is to enhance the reading skills of the Grade I non-readers and struggling readers of San Gabriel II Elementary School, SY 2016 -2017 and to determine the effectiveness of the Reading Program, Intensive Care for Unable Readers (ICARE4U).

METHODS

The descriptive research method was used in this action research. It was utilized in this research because reading progress of 53 Grade One pupil under this study was being studied and monitored. The experimental method of research following a case study format which is developmental design was also used in this action research.In this study, the reading status was assessed according to the following indicators: "PANTIG, PARIRALA, PANGUNGUSAP, MAIKLING KUWENTO" and classified as: "Nababasa, Bahagyang Nababsa, o Hindi Nababasa" and given reading materials in Filipino on a weekly basis from January until March 2017.

RESULTS

To test the effectiveness of the ICARE4U reading program, the researchers were able to yield the large discrepancies on the values between the first assessment and the second assessment.

The study revealed that from being non-readers before the program, 34 out of 53 pupils were able to reach the highest reading level set in this study which is reading of the short story (MaiklingKwento). This constitutes 63.35% of the respondents.

DISCUSSIONS

Before undergoing the program, 53, identified Grade I pupils were non-readers and cannot even recognize symbols or letters. While undergoing the program, there is a 9.54 or 17.46% average rate of improvement on the reading skills of the children. This means that there are 10 children able to show mark improvement and can be classified to the next level of reading category. After the program, 34 out of 53 pupils were able to reach the highest-level set in the study which is the short story (Maikling Kuwento).

ICare4U Reading Program is effective as an intervention program for non-readers and struggling readers in Grade I. It was recommended that a similar study must be conducted to further validate the findings of this study.