Effectiveness of Project DEAR (Develop and Enhance Ability in Reading) to Reading Skills of Grade II Pupils of Isidro Cuadra Elementary School

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Students should develop their four macro skills which are reading, writing, listening and speaking. Based on the studies from different researches, reading is the most important skill a student should improve because it can help the student to expand their imagination. According to Andeson, Scott, Hiebert and Wilkinson (1985), reading is a basic life skill. It is base for child's success in school and throughout life. Winn (2006) findings confirmed that paired reading engage students in collaborative growth monitoring while fluency develop. Project DEAR (Develop and Enhance Ability in Reading) is one of the strategies that this research wants to study, its effectiveness and capability to uplift the reading comprehension of the pupils. It was developed to decrease and to fully eliminate the number of pupils who are non-reader.

METHODS

This study employs the use of the descriptive comparative design. The researcher conducted and focuses on the Grade II pupils thatfall under the frustration level as result in the PHIL-IRI pre-test conducted last July 2018. 26 of 35 pupils were given pre-test used as a basis on what materials and other strategies will be given during the intervention. The teacher observation checklist was used by the researcher to gather data throughout the intervention. This tool provides information of changes on how Grade II pupils understand and used reading comprehension over the time.

RESULTS

From August to March 2018, 26 Grade two pupils participated in project DEAR (Develop and Enhance Ability in Reading) based intervention designed to improve reading comprehension through the use of active and cooperative learning. There are 20 out of 26 pupils or 76.92% who can now read independently after 8 months of monitoring and giving instruction. The number of pupils under frustration decreased by 23.08%.

DISCUSSIONS

Throughout the months of intervention, students under the program participated enthusiastically in individual, group and peer activities. There were positive responses to the 8 months of cooperative learning that convince us that many activities warrant continued implementation of the program. Paired/Peer reading proved most effective when it was closely link to the curriculum rather than as an isolated fluency activity.