Utilizing Localized Materials: A Strategy in Improving the Reading Proficiency Level of Grade 8 Students

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Reading is an essential part of basic education. It is also an important gateway to other disciplines. However, despite various reading strategies that can be used by the teachers, both in grade school and junior high school, reading is still one of the difficulties encountered by the learners. Since the town of Los Banos, Laguna (Philippines) is known for its legendary Mt Makiling, Laguna de Bay, and the crocodile lake. These have stories that local communities have communicated through time and generations. It is the entry point of the researcher to make use of these local stories to significantly develop a literary appreciation and reading skills and proficiency level among learners who were identified under "frustrated" and "slow" readers by the Phil-IRI results.

METHODS

The study was of experimental type i.e. concerned with an examination of the effect of the independent variable on the dependent variable. Pre test Post-test only design was used. Purposive sampling was used in this study since the respondents were selected based on the characteristics of the population and the objective of the study. The study involved the fifty-four (54) students of Grade 8 Calamba, this section was assessed to be having difficulty in reading. The results of the study were based on the Pre-Test and Post-Test which was taken by the experimental group.As to the statistical treatment used, the mean percentage score was used to determine the comparison of the results during the pre-test and post-test administered to the experimental group.

RESULTS

During the pre-test, the experimental group had reached the MPS of 42.93%, while during the post-test, it had reached the MPS of 58.78%. With the data gathered and statistical treatments used, the results revealed that the mean percentage score of the experimental group was increased by 15.85% on the post-test conducted after the intervention program.

DISCUSSIONS

Based on the findings and conclusions drawn from the study, it strongly suggests that conducting intervention programs, engaging the learners in active reading class discussions may help improve their skills. Thus, teachers may allow time in such as they were found effective interventions in enhancing the reading level of the learners. Furthermore, utilizing localized materials is an effective tool to engage the learners in reading since they can make connections with what they read. Thus, devising such a tool not only in reading may help them improve their literacy in all disciplines.