Nourishing the Grade I Pupils Reading Comprehension through Transactional Strategy Instruction

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Reading is indeed a complex activity since it involves both perception and thought. This makes it challenging for teachers to impart fair, if not excellent, reading skills to their pupils. For beginners, a good foundation of phonemic awareness and vocabulary skills are necessary to help them develop strong comprehensive skills. In the Philippines, the Department of Education aims to continuously increase the literacy rate of students. To address this challenge, this study tested the effectiveness of transactional strategy instruction (TSI), a method used to teach reading comprehension strategies, in cultivating Grade 1 pupils' reading comprehension skills.

METHODS

In this study, a quasi-experimental, pre-test, post-test design was used. A Grade 1 class of 38 students was used as an experimental group. The control group was made up of 37 Grade 1 students from another class. All students, both in the experimental and control groups, were given a pre-test to track the application of all strategies before teaching began. Students in the control group were taught using the standardized curriculum while the experimental group was taught two strategies based on the method of transactional strategy instruction: how to generate questions and how to observe and think aloud. A post-test was given at the end. The data were collected through quantitative analysis, and the results were calculated.

RESULTS

Data showed that the scores of both groups drastically increased on the post-test. This can be influenced by familiarization or mastery of the material used. However, the experimental group's scores increased more in the ability to generate questions and in thinking aloud when compared to the control group. There was also a noticeable increase in the overall understanding of the students in the experimental group. Effectiveness of TSI on Grade 1 pupils was evidently proven in this study.

DISCUSSIONS

The results demonstrate progress in first grader's reading proficiency and the ability to function autonomously as readers when appropriate transactional strategies are taught and habitually practiced. Consistent implementation of TSI must be followed in order to achieve better results. Encouraging pupils to actively participate in class could help them see clearer pictures of the topic. When executed satisfactory, TSI can be an essential means in helping pupils to develop their imagination, comprehension, and judgment.