Project KINDER (Kindergarten pupils in Developing Early Reading): An Educational Initiative Fostering Parental Involvement and Participation in Promoting Learners' Early Reading Competence

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Reading is deemed to be the mother of all literacy skills. It is the foundation of all the other academic competencies that children need to develop and master to pave way for early learning achievements. The establishment of beginning reading skills serves as the springboard of the development of other emergent literacy skills vital towards children's academic growth and progress. Beginning reading skills like phonemic awareness and alphabet recognition are essential towards the first steps of developing children's early language, literacy and communication skills. Children who are well-exposed to beginning reading instruction at the earliest stage are more likely to benefit from instruction and the reading process.

METHODS

The study used the experimental design in analyzing data about Project Kinder. The study was utilized to analyze the level of the reading readiness of the pupils before and after the implementation of the Project KINDER, the factors that affect the early reading competence of the learners, the reading interventions and the level of improvement in the reading readiness.

RESULTS

Based on the result of the pre-test, it showed that a huge percentage of pupils among the four sections failed to reach the standard and targeted positive performance level in Kindergarten reading during the pre-test. The unsatisfactory level got the highest percentage that caught the attention of the researchers to make an intervention to raise the reading level of the Kinder pupils. There was a big difference in the number of pupils after taking the Project KINDER from 49% it went up to 84% which fell on reading readiness of Kinder pupils. There was a big difference in the percentage of pupils after taking the Project KINDER. It was shown that the level of reading readiness of the Kinder pupils increased. Based on the positive post-test results, it was found that Project KINDER was effective in improving the reading readiness of the pupils.

DISCUSSIONS

There is a significant difference between the pre-test scores and post-test scores in terms of reading readiness of Kinder pupils with the Project Kinder. Project KINDER was effective in improving the reading readiness of the pupils as attested by the improved post-test scores of the respondents. Based on the findings of the study, the used of Project Kinder is highly recommended.