CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM

Introduction

Education is a powerful force for promoting opportunity and growth. It plays a

vital role in every human development and societal transformation. Constantly, it seeks

for relevance by combining the reliability of the past and the innovation of the future.

This continuous demand has been posing challenges and opportunities to every

educational institution worldwide to improve the 21st century learners’ education.

It thus, becomes important that a proper instructional design is set; especially

that in which the learners would be able to find ample opportunity to work, discover

and share knowledge with other learners. This should also entail providing them with

tasks that are meaningful and authentic for them. Such is best given with the inclusion

of learning activities that would equip them with necessary 21 st century skills to make

the most of the constructivist’s opportunity provided them in the new educational

system.

Understandably, teachers nowadays are confronted with varied challenges on

how to maximize and improve their functions as educators to improve the competencies

of the learners and achieve adequate better class performance. Assessing the skills of

every learner is a very important task of the teacher in order to have knowledge about

their strengths and weaknesses in learning the competencies in the subject. Teachers’
knowledge on the application of teaching strategies is better done when there are

instructional materials that would facilitate transfer of learning.

In the case of teaching English, which is a tool subject, the demand for quality

assurance of learning is much, much bigger especially on the macro skill reading

comprehension. Development of reading skills together with comprehension is

important. Performance and success of the students in other subjects are influenced

much by reading competencies where medium of instruction is the English language.

In Jose de Villa National High School, the problem with students’ low

performance in English has crossed through the other subject areas, manifested

through their poor performance in solving worded problems in Mathematics or

understanding complex concepts in Science, for instance. Both subjects are skills

requiring adequate proficiency in English, specifically in reading. This proves more, the

indispensable role of reading comprehension in students’ academic success.

There are of course several circumstances Jose de Villa National High School

teachers could put their fingers on identifying the reason for the problem. One of the

pressing issues is the inadequate supply of learning materials from Grades 7 to 10

English classes. With the aid of the Curriculum Guide, teachers in English innovate

strategies to augment such lack of materials. On this account, the DepEd’s own call for

teachers to “localize” materials to be able to make learning meaningful and can be of

significant use.
 Aside from the inadequate supply of learning materials, there are only 15

teachers handling Grade 10 English classes among English subjects handled in the

lower year level. The teachers’ number of preparation and loads make it difficult for

them to come up with their own supplementary materials/ modules that could serve as

remediation for the difficulties encountered by the learners, specifically in English 10

which is the focus of this study.

With these issues at hand, the necessity of a reading module in addressing the

least learned competencies in reading comprehension is vital. The present study also

targets mastery of their least learned competencies. Using a module in teaching reading

comprehension promotes a self-learning style where reflection is possible to use using

metacognitive skills which lead to the development of themselves or one self. As a

result, teachers should really prepare learning modules to make teaching and learning

active and interesting.

A reading module can be developed to cater individualized learning approach thus

localizing reading texts for their level and be contextual for easy understanding and

remediation of the least mastered skills of the students in reading comprehension. With

the module, the performance of the students increased not only in their English subject

but also in other subjects since their reading comprehension skills were developed.

It is in this light that the researcher ventures to provide modules to address the

most crucial difficulties in reading encountered by Grade 10. Hence, this study was

made.
Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the reading module to address

the least learned competencies in reading comprehension for Grade 10 students at Jose

de Villa National High School, Calabanga, Camarines Sur, School Year 2018-2019.

Specifically, the study sought answers to the following questions:

1. What are the least learned competencies in reading before the utilization of the

reading module along:

a. determining the effect of textual aids;

b. comparing insights with previous learning;

c. transcoding information;

d. reading closely to get the author’s purpose;

e. scanning for information;

f. reading closely to get explicitly and implicitly stated information; and

g. evaluating text content, elements, features, and properties using a set of

criteria.

2. What is the format, content and suggested teaching approaches and techniques

in using the module?

3. What is the level of students’ competencies after using the module?

4. Are there significant differences in the least learned competencies before and

after using the reading module?

 5. What is the effect of the reading module on the least learned competencies?

Assumptions

The study is anchored on the following assumptions:

1. Grade 10 students manifest certain level of reading competencies provided in the

curriculum guide for reading.

2. A reading module can be developed to address reading competencies that are least

learned.

3. Developing a reading module is based on certain formats appropriate to address the

needs it is intended.

Hypothesis

This study was guided by the hypothesis that there are significant differences in

the least learned competencies by the Grade 10 students before and after using the

reading module.

Significance of the Study

Reading is one among the basic tools in learning. A student with good reading

competencies is likely to perform better in class. Thus, the result of this study will be of

significance to the following:

 Students. The results of this study were used to organize a reading module to

enhance students’ competencies in reading comprehension based from the curriculum

guide for reading comprehension. The researcher knows that the students will perform

better not only in their English subject but also in other subjects.

English Teachers. The reading module would help English teachers on how to

improve reading comprehension competencies of the students. As a result, these

teachers with the help of the module will be more productive in developing students’

reading competencies in English.

DepEd Officials. Results that this study will provide DepEd officials with inputs

about the initiative, creativity and innovativeness of teachers to make teaching-learning

activities workable and effective. It will provide them, too, with information that

students’ performance in the different competencies as laid down in the K to 12

curriculum are attained through innovative teaching material and strategies used by the

teachers.

Parents. The results of this study will provide them with information as to the

reading competencies of their children. They will also be able to help their children

overcome the least learned competencies in reading comprehension through their

advise in the use of the intervention in the form of a module. In the end, parents will be

gratified since their children are provided with material that would enhance their

children’s reading competencies.

 School Administrators. The reading module as output of the study may

provide school administrators to initiate strategies in helping the English teachers

through their supervisory function increase students’ and school’s performance. The

increase of the teachers’ performance means increase in means in the performance-

based bonus (PBB) beneficial to everybody in the school.

Other Researchers. The result of this study may serve as a relevant reference

for follow up studies in the field of reading, language and development.

Scope and Delimitation

This study focused on the least learned competencies in reading among Grade

10 students at Jose de Villa National High School in Calabanga, Camarines Sur for

School Year 2018-2019. These reading competencies were based from the curriculum

guide for English in Grade 10. These are (1) determining the effect of textual aids; (2)

comparing insights with previous learning; (3) transcoding information; (4) reading

closely to get the author’s purpose; (5) scanning for information; 6) reading closely to

get explicitly and implicitly stated information; and (7) evaluating text content,

elements, features, and properties using a set of criteria. Lessons in the first and

second quarters of the K to 12 English 10 Learner’s Guide were included. This shows

that lessons allotted for the third and fourth quarter were not included. Furthermore,

students from Grades 7 to 9 and senior high school students were not included in the

study.
 The reading was module organized to address the least learned competencies in

reading. The format of the modules was based from English 10 Learner’s Guide.

Suggested teaching approaches and techniques in the form of exercises were used

instead of tests. These were appropriate to address the least learned competencies

during the first and second quarter of the students.

The evaluators/validators of the module were ten English expert teachers from

public and private schools and a state university. The researcher confidently believed

that the evaluators/validators’ comments and suggestions in the improvement of the

module were relevant and useful to the end users of the study.

Definition of Terms

For clarity and better understanding of the terms used in this study, the following terms

were defined conceptually and operationally:

Reading Modules. In education, it refers to an instructional unit that focuses on

a particular topic. (classroom.synonym.com). In this study, these refer to the materials

that can be used by the English teachers in teaching remediation in English in Grade 10.

In this study, it contains the learning experiences designed to develop the reading

competencies as provided in the curriculum guide in Reading for Grade 10.

Competencies. These are the ability to do something successfully or efficiently.

It is similar to capability, ability, capacity and proficiency (www.google.com). In this

study, they are the different skills embodied in the curriculum guide for reading in

Grade 10 that students should acquire.

 Least Learned Competencies. This is similar to academic underachievement

where Guilles (2008) and cited by de Jesus (2019) as the perceived failure to meet or

reach potentials of learners. In this study, this refers to the specific meaning,

knowledge and skills identified as the items where majority of the students did not get

them correctly through the reading diagnostic test conducted at the beginning of the

school year to Grade 10 students.

Reading Comprehension. It is an intentional, active, interactive process that

occurs before, during and after a person reads a particular piece of writing

(http://www.k12reader.com/what -is-reading -comprehension/). In this study, it refers

to the reading selections and activities contained in the module prepared by the

researcher where students’ skills and understanding will be enhanced. Reading

comprehension provides learning experiences that enable the Grade 10 students to

acquire the competencies in reading comprehension as provided in in the curriculum

guide in reading.

Format of the Module. This refers to the plan for the organization and

arrangement of a specified production (Free Dictionary.com). In this study, it refers to

the chronological development of the module using the following format: Overview,

Objectives, Initial Tasks, text, Comprehension Tasks, and Reflections.

Overview. This is a sort of introduction of the learning

activity. In this study, it, refers to the explanation of the logical

reasons or principles employed in consciously arriving at the

 intervention reading module.

Objectives. In this study, it pertains to the specific aims

expressed through competencies on each section of the module.

Initial Tasks. These refer to the preliminary activities to

prepare the students’ behavior toward the tasks to be done. It is

the application of the law of readiness. They come in varied ways

as survey questions and vocabulary development.

Text. This contains the reading material that the students are

required to read. From these materials, comprehension questions

will be asked enabling the students to acquire the reading

competencies to be developed in them.

Comprehension tasks. This is where the development of the

reading competencies take place. The 4 A’s and 4 I’s methods

were used in this particular part of the instruction.

Reflections. These are activities imbedded in the Application

part of the method that make up the final task about the material

read.
Usability. In this study, the term is used as a criterion for evaluation pertaining

to its quality of being able to provide the learners the ease of becoming familiar with

and competent the specific target set on each section of the module.

Practicability. In this study, this refers to how manageable the use of module is

to the learners in terms of the time that would be allotted in its use and whether such

would entail unreasonable expense to both the learners and the teachers or schools .
 Suitability. In this study, this refers to how the allocated activities and readings

in the learning module highlight the expectednecessary competencies to be studied by

the learner.

Learner’s Guide. In the k to 12 Curriculum Guide (December 2013), this refers

to the modules that guide educators and provide students with art experiences,

concepts, and processes that are presented in the progression of difficulty and depth

knowledge from Kindergarten to Grade 12 Curriculum. In this study, it was the

reference of the topics developed in the module.

 NOTES

Business Dictionary.Com. Retrieved February 2, 2019 from

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition.html#ixzz428KhyPe.

K to 12 Reader. Reading Instruction Resources. Retrieved February 2, 2019 from

http://www.kto12reader.com/what- is- reading-comprehension/.

Free Dictionary.com Retrieved February 2, 2019.

SEAMO INNOTECH K to 12 Tool Kit Resource Guide for Teachers, School

Administrators and Teachers. 2012

DepEd. Order no.31, s.2012

D. Guilles (2008). Educational potentials, underachievement and cultural pluralism.

Education in the North, vol. 6.

Reiner G. de Jesus (2019). Improving the least learned competencies in Science 9

using “Pump it Up!” electronic Intervention Material, DLSU Research Congress, Manila,
June 19-21, 2019.

Classroom.synonymous.com

K to 12 Curriculum Guide. December 2013.