The Reading Level of Grade 7 Students in Puro National High School

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Project DEAR (Drop Everything And Read) was also launched to encourage teachers and students to devote at least fifteen minutes every day to read something such as books, magazines, and newspapers. The goal of the program is to prompt people to make reading a regular part of their routine. In relation, this study aimed to determine the reading level of Grade Seven students in Puro National High School, Puro, Aroroy, Masbate based on the Phil-IRI for the school year 2017-2018and to develop a reading intervention program for Grade Seven students based on their reading profile.

METHODS

Descriptive method was used in this study to investigate on the respondents' level of word recognition and reading comprehension and to find out their reading profile in order to design a reading intervention program. The research instrument used was the Phil-IRI passages dealing with word recognition in terms of pronunciation and miscues and with comprehension questions. Percentage, frequency distribution, and mean were also utilized to show the results in the tests.

RESULTS

Results showed that there was a decrease in the number of non-readers and those who were at frustration level, while there was an increase in the instructional and independent levels. In terms of word recognition, phonemic awareness exercises, reading enrichment and intervention are needed by those who committed errors in pronunciation. In terms of reading comprehension, the students can do quite well in their literal ability but they perform very low in interpretative, critical, and applied abilities. The product of this study was the reading profile of the students and the reading program designed based on the mentioned profile must be used in order to address the reading gaps of those students diagnosed with reading deficiencies and at the same time, enhance the reading abilities of those who were already at the independent level.

DISCUSSIONS

This study was anchored on the theories of motivation by Stipek, diagnosis and assessment in reading by Otto, and Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development. This study also based its conceptual underpinnings on pretest and posttest results to arrive at an enhanced/ improved reading intervention program. Among the conclusions of this study were: reading enrichment and intervention are needed by those who committed errors in pronunciation. Exposure to varied reading materials that match the reading levels and interests of the students is also necessary.