The Birth of Reading Enrichment Advocacy (REAd)...

REAd Management Plan

(Reading Enrichment Advocacy) 

 BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN GRADES 1 & 2 PUPILS’ READING DIFFICULTY AND THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE

MARIA FE B. GONZALES

Advocate

SCHOOL:  STO. NIÑO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

TITLE:   “BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN GRADE 1 & 2 PUPILS’ READING DIFFICULTY AND THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE.”

Rationale: 

            Reading is a basic skill that is taught in Elementary particularly in Grades 1 and 2. Learning to read serves as the foundation for the pupils to understand other subjects like Math, English, Filipino, Science and other subjects in the curriculum.

In some educational institutions, some teachers express their dream of not having non readers and slow readers in their class.  However, it is a reality that still, there are pupils who have difficulty in reading and even pupils who cannot really read.  Even with the teacher’s effort and with the use of strong instructional program, like the use of new methodologies and strategies, some pupils will still require additional support, a one on one tutorial for them to be able to read and ultimately become good readers.

Basically, learning to read typically begins with a focus on decodingsymbols; however, there are some pupils who do not also develop large vocabularies and the ability to understand what they have read.  As a result, these pupils have difficulty in learning their lessons and performing the tasks required by their teachers in their subjects. There is therefore a need for an intervention like the tutorial sessions that will bridge the gap between the difficulty of the learner in reading and his or her academic performance. 

This designed intervention will help the children develop their abilities best by providing them regular, systematic and explicit instruction.  The REAd (Reading Enrichment Advocacy) of Community Extension and Development Office aims to helpstruggling Grade 1 and 2 readers not to be behind their peers and will serve as an additional support for these children to become good readers. Furthermore, this designed intervention will help the learners develop best their abilities by providing them systematic and explicit instruction.  Through this program, the learners will develop confidence and love for reading. 

OBJECTIVES:

1.  To cut down the number of non-readers in Grades 1 and 2 in Sto. Nino

Elementary School.

2.  To inculcate and develop  love of reading to the young minds of Grades 1 and 2

3.  To introduce new strategies in teaching reading  and comprehension to the pupils. 

4.  Tocintroduce new and effective instructional materials in reading.

5.  To improve the academic performance of Grades 1 and 2.

METHODOLOGY:

1.  Introduce and implement a remedial reading class. The Reading Enrichment

      Advocacy (REAd)

2.  Individual tutoring of volunteers to each pupil.

3.  Provision of new and interesting materials in reading. Children who

are exposed to and who have access to attractive, interesting,

well written books  are more likely to practice reading to achieve

mastery of the alphabetic principle.

4.  Encouragement of the teachers and the parents to support and assist

in the REAd program.

5.  Giving of incentives to the most improved tutee.

RISKS:

1.  Failure on the child to become interested in learning. Pupil’s lack of interest.

2.  Lack of funding. No transportation provided for the volunteers

3.  Non participation of the parents in the program. No parental involvement

4.  Calamities.  Flooding of classrooms which may result for classes to be cancelled

or suspended.

SOLUTIONS:

1.  Donations of books

2.  Outsourcing of other schools effective strategy (Benchmarking)

3.  Meeting with the parents. Engage the parents of slow and non-readers in helping their child read.

4.  Improve the set-up in classrooms to make it a comfortable place to read

effectively.

Strategy on Outsourcing:

1.  Invite speakers and conduct a Free Seminar on Reading. RAP and IRAP

2.  Ask donations of reading materials from stakeholders. 

I was actually inspired with our desire to help the slow readers in Sto. Nino Elementary school, so I just thought of coming up with this advocacy...I had the intention to institutionalize the program and so I attended the Reading Association of the Philippines' Demofest last September 12 to 15, 2013 in Dynasty Hotel in Cagayan de Oro City to update myself with the new trends and strategies in teaching Reading.  I am glad that I am now also a registered member of the organization which is called the Reading Association of the Philippines.  

REAd is now an institutionalized program of the Community Development and Extension Office of Mary the Queen College Pampanga.   I am also  happy to tell our readers that PaCEF is one of our partners in implementing this program because of its scholars.  

I know that with our joint effort we will can help in the Literacy of the Filipino children.