“EVERY CHILD A READER ADVOCACY PROGRAM”

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Reading as one of the Macro Skills is essential in all aspects of a student’s life. It is

equally important as to that of Speaking. As a child, one learns to speak then to read

and the rest of the macros will follow. Students are frequently exposed to reading in the

academic scene. Whether they are reading selections, reading instructions for an

assignment or test, or even reading an announcement, reading is necessary. A student

who struggles in Reading will have difficulties in other subjects as well.

According to the University of Texas (2010), Reading can be defined as a process

undertaken to reduce uncertainty about meanings a text conveys. Take for example in

reading literature, reading enables the reader to unlock the various underlying

meanings in the text. This process results from a negotiation of meaning between the

text and its reader. Then in contextualizing the meaning, the reader uses the

knowledge, expectations, and strategies to uncover textual meaning.

Thus, even in Graduate Education, Reading is still considered and given utmost

importance. Students continue to immerse themselves in reading for scholastic and

even personal purposes. One can utilize the value of reading in communication with

peers and colleagues and even in ordinary instructions in a simple packet of preserves.
 Reading may be a skill that is supposed to be mastered during a student’s Primary

stages, but nowadays, Secondary school students face an incomplete mastery of the

skill. As a result, both students and teachers encounter problems in their classroom

interactions.

The proponents are planning to implement a program that will help the students of

Rafael B. Lacson Memorial High School to improve their Reading Skills. This program

aims not only to help the students improve but also to develop their passion in reading.

This program aims to make every child a reader in Rafael B. Lacson Memorial High

School.

Review of Related Literature

Reading is an essential part of instruction in all of the subjects in all of the

subjects in high school, thus comprehension is a vital tool in processing the bulk and

complexities of knowledge, information, and skills in various learning activities that

endeavors the learners’ progress.

According to Loreto (2015), it has been noted in the last school years the

prevalent concern among English teachers and other subject teachers who use English

language as medium of instruction is poor reading comprehension. Thus, an action

research was created to enhance the reading comprehension of the students in San

Lorenzo National High School in Guimaras.

In their research, they had selected the Grade 7 students as their student-

respondents and thought of using short selections to increase their comprehension.

They had utilize the pre-test and post-test in order to determine the comprehension

and word recognition skills of the students.

The study had a positive outcome since most of the students had improve their

comprehension skills as shown in the test results.

Another study conducted to the Grade Nine students Negros Occidental High

School utilized the PHIL-IRI module. The Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (PHIL-

IRI) is a complete module with exercises and selections that are aligned to the reading

level of a child. Using this module, selected students were taken as respondents of the

study. The students were given remediation classes using the module as a guide. The

result was the students improved in their overall grades and quizzes (Donesa, 2017).

Reading as a problem in some students is not new in the academic scene.

Various methods have been tried and tested by many researchers. It is only a matter of

implementation and consistency to continue to develop the reading skills of the

students.

Purpose

The objective of this program is to help the students with difficulty in reading in

Rafael B. Lacson Memorial High School. The Every Child a Reader Advocacy Program

will encourage the students to read books, practice their phonetic awareness, enunciate

words properly, and comprehend the text read. These skills will enable the students to

improve their reading level and will help them with their academics. The program aims

to reach these students through peer tutorials, symposiums, and advocacy campaigns.
Project Description

The Every Child a Reader Advocacy Program is focused on improving the

Reading Skills of the students in Rafael B. Lacson Memorial High School. This program

will enable the students to develop their reading skills such as Phonetic Awareness,

Pronunciation, Enunciation, and Comprehension. This program will include Peer

Tutorials conducted by Volunteer Reading Advocates, a Reading Symposium which will

discuss the importance of Reading, and an Advocacy Campaign that will allow the

students of Rafael B. Lacson Memorial High School be aware of the growing cases of

Non-Reader graduates.

Methodology

The proponents will first seek for the approval of the School Head to conduct the

program. After the approval, the proponents will prepare the reading materials for the

reading assessment which will be conducted during the Enrollment Period. This will then

help identify the students with difficulty in reading. The identified students will then be

subjected to a 3-month peer tutorial by the Reading Advocates. Using the PHIL-IRI

modules, the advocates will assist the students to become independent readers.

Throughout the school year, the proponents will disseminate their advocacy of

making every child a reader in Rafael B. Lacson during the morning assemblies, room to

room campaigns, and posters. Students will then be exposed to a reading symposium

to be conducted by the Fr. Gratian Murray Integrated School English Club. This
symposium will be open to all students who are interested in developing their passion

for reading.

After the 3-month peer tutorial, the advocates will conduct a post-assessment

using the PHIL-IRI Module which will determine the success of the program.

Project Affiliates

The proponents will need the aid of the School Head, the Advisers, and the

Parents in order to encourage the students to participate in the said advocacy program.

The Fr. Gratian Murray Integrated School English Club will also be invited to take part in

the Reading Symposium and become advocates of Reading. A select group of Reading

Advocates coming from the Junior and Senior High School Departments will be taken in

as volunteers for the Peer Tutorial.

This Advocacy program will only be a success with the help of the

aforementioned affiliates.

Timeline

Date Activity

March Submission of Letter of Permission to the School Head

April Preparation of Materials for the Reading Assessment

May Reading Assessment and Collation of Data

June (First Flag Launching of Every Child a Reader

Ceremony) (Post Posters of Advocacy Campaign)

 June (2nd Week) Call up Parents of Identified Students for a Meeting

June (3rd Week) Call for Volunteers (Reading Advocates)

July – September Peer Tutorial (Every Friday, 3:00-4:00 PM)

October Post Assessment of Students Reading Level

November (1st Week) Room to Room Campaign of Advocacy

November (2nd Week) Send Letter to Fr. Gratian Murray for the Reading Symposium

November (4th Week) Reading Symposium

December (1st Week) Assessment of the Every Child a Reader Program

Planning for the Next School Year Advocacy Program

References

Concept Paper in EAPP. (2016). Retrieve September 27, 2019, from

https://www/google.com/amp/s/skillsandlivelihoodprograms.wordpress.com/2016/1

0/12/concept-paper-in-eapp/amp/.

Donesa, D.S. (2017). Reading Remediation Action Research. Carlos Hilado Memorial

State College. Talisay City.

Loreto, R. (2015). The Reading Level of Grade 7 Students. University of St. La Salle.

Bacolod City.

University of Texas. (2010). Foreign Language Teaching Methods: Reading. Retrieved

September 27, 2019, from https://coerll.utexas.edu/methods/modules/reading/01/.