Reading Performance and Reading Remediation Practices in the Public Elementary Schools of Tuao West District: Basis for a Proposed Reading Intervention Program

Abstract

Reading is a basic life skill. It is a cornerstone for a child’s success
in school, and, indeed, throughout life. Without the ability to read well,
opportunities for personal fulfillment and job success inevitably will be
lost. This study sought to determine the pupils’ reading performance
and the teachers’ remediation practices in the public elementary
schools of Tuao West. This study utilized the descriptive survey and
the participants were 995 pupils from Grades I to VI and 60 teachers
who were chosen randomly among the 6 schools in Tuao West District
for the school year 2016-2017. The 60 teacher-participants were the
sources of data on reading remediation practices. The interview guide
was used to gather data on the remediation practices of teachers in
the public elementary schools of Tuao West District. To obtain data on
the pupils’ reading performance, the Phil Iri test was conducted to the
pupil-participants. Data on pupils’ reading performance, both on oral
and silent readings, were extracted from the said document. The results
revealed that there is a high proportion of pupils whose reading level fall
within the frustration level which indicates pupils’ poor comprehension
skills. The teachers manifested their commitment to improve pupils’
reading performance by the many reading remediation practices they
explored, however, along the process; there are hindering factors that
affected the successful implementation of the reading remediation
activities.