Project E-SPELL (Enhanced Schools' Performance through English Language Literacy)

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

The National Achievement Test is being administered to assess the acquired competence in a given subject area. The NAT is one of the indicators that learners had really acquired the competencies intended for their specific grade level. Yet, many schools in the country failed to achieve a rating of 75% & the district of Ibaan is one of them. Each school in the district administers and give different intervention activities, still, the efforts are not that effective. Learners still lack the required competencies and skills in the English language which really affects the performance and assessment result. With this context, the proponents of this action research came up with a collaborative effort to bring glory not only to individual schools but to the entire district.

METHODS

Using the descriptive method, 16 elementary and 2 secondary public schools were the focus. Each school is asked to give data/information as to the performance of their school in the National Achievement Test for the past 3 and 2 years respectively. To validate the gathered information, small group discussion (SGD) and focus group discussion (FGD) was done.

RESULTS

From SY 2012-2013 the average is already 84.04 (closely approximating mastery) for the elementary but there was a sudden decrease of 15.79 for SY 2013-2014 and another minimal increase of 4.17 for the SY 2014-2015. Not all schools are maintaining or at least increasing their NAT results. With the aforementioned results of the NAT for the past 3 years of each school, the performance of the students is affected which is shown by their poor participation in classroom activities and low grades as perceived during the small group discussion and informal conversation with the school heads, the teachers and the district supervisor likewise.

DISCUSSIONS

Despite the many programs, projects, and interventions being done, these efforts must be collaboratively be done by all concerned individuals not only to improve ones' performance but to help one another as one district. School partnership program efforts can be put into actions by helping one another and adapting other interventions efforts to fully maximize the skills, competencies, and performance of the students and the teachers. The continuous development program for the learners and teachers should be done on a regular basis not only when it is needed so as to have a lasting effect on the learners to fully develop and improve their skills and capabilities as learners of the second language.