TOPIC: ACADEMIC INTERVENTION FOR POOR LEARNERS

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This Chapter presents the literature and studies that were

used to provide important information in the pursuit of this

study.

Foreign Literature

Editorial Projects in Education Research Center explains the

No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 being signed into law by

President Bush on January 8, 2002. This is a reauthorization of

the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the central

federal law in pre-collegiate education. The ESEA, first enacted

in 1965 and last reauthorized in 1994, encompasses Title I, the

federal government's flagship aid program for disadvantaged

students.

As the newest incarnation of the ESEA, the No Child Left

Behind Act has expanded the federal role in education and become

a focal point of education policy. Coming at a time of wide

public concern about the state of education, the legislation sets

in place requirements that reach into virtually every public

school in America. It takes particular aim at improving the

educational lot of disadvantaged students. At the core of the No

Child Left Behind Act are a number of measures designed to drive

broad gains in student achievement and to hold states and schools

more accountable for student progress. They represent significant

changes to the education landscape (U.S. Department of Education,

2001).

In line with these acts, States must bring all students up

to the "proficient" level on state tests by the school year 2013-

2014. Individual schools must meet state "adequate yearly

progress" targets toward this goal (based on a formula spelled

out in the law) for both their student populations as whole and

for certain demographic subgroups. If a school receiving federal

Title I funding fails to meet the target two years in a row, it

must be provided technical assistance and its students must be

offered a choice of other public schools to attend. Students in

schools that fail to make adequate progress three years in a row

must also be offered supplemental educational services, including

private tutoring. For continued failures, a school would be

subject to outside corrective measures, including possible

governance changes.

Report cards. Starting with the 2002-03 school year, states must

furnish annual report cards showing a range of information,

including student-achievement data broken down by subgroup and

information on the performance of school districts. Districts

must provide similar report cards showing school-by-school data.

Teacher qualifications. By the end of the 2005-06 school year,

every teacher in core content areas working in a public school

must be "highly qualified" in each subject he or she teaches.

Under the law, "highly qualified" generally means that a teacher

is certified and demonstrably proficient in his or her subject

matter. Beginning with the 2002-03 school year, all new teachers

hired with federal Title I money must be "highly qualified." By

the end 2005-06 school year, all school paraprofessionals hired

with Title I money must have completed at least two years of

college, obtained an associate's degree or higher, or passed an

evaluation to demonstrate knowledge and teaching ability. That

requirement is already in effect for newly hired

paraprofessionals.

Reading First. The act creates a new competitive-grant program

called Reading First, funded at $1.02 billion in 2004, to help

states and districts set up "scientific, research-based" reading

programs for children in grades K-3 (with priority given to high-

poverty areas). A smaller early-reading program seeks to help

states better prepare 3- to 5-year-olds in disadvantaged areas to

read.

Funding changes. Through an alteration in the Title I funding

formula, the No Child Left Behind Act is expected to better

target resources to school districts with high concentrations of

poor children. The law also includes provisions intended to give

states and districts greater flexibility in how they spend a

portion of their federal allotments.

Given its scope and detail, the No Child Left Behind Act has been

the source of considerable controversy and debate in the

education community. As the law’s effects begin to be felt—

particularly with 11,008 schools identified as needing

improvement in 2004-2005—some educators and policymakers have

questioned the feasibility and fairness of its goals and time

frames.

An opinion poll released in December 2003 found that nearly half

of school principals and superintendents view the federal

legislation as either politically motivated or aimed at

undermining public schools. Likewise, a recent study Policy

Analysis for California suggests that, because of its requirement

to evaluate school progress on the basis of demographic

subgroups, the law may disproportionately penalize schools with

diverse student populations (Public Agenda, 2003; Policy Analysis

for California Education, 2003).

Other education leaders, however, have expressed support for the

law’s stringent accountability mandates, characterizing them as

vital levers of change, inclusiveness, and transparency of

results. The laws’ ultimate effectiveness, some observers have

argued, may depend on how closely states and schools stick to its

principles of "tough accountability”.

A related controversy has swirled around funding for the far-

reaching legislation. Some commentators have argued that federal

support for the law is not commensurate with its demands and that

compliance may place undue financial burdens on states and

schools (Center on Education Policy, 2003; Mathis, 2003).

Opponents have frequently characterized the law as an "unfunded

mandate."

In response, federal officials have pointed to increases in Title

I spending and new money to pay for testing as evidence of the

government’s financial commitment to the law. They have also

charged that the states have not taken full advantage of the

federal funds available to them (Department of Education, 2003).

Others have added that the accountability measures prescribed by

No Child Left Behind Act may themselves help ensure that

education resources are used more efficiently.

Behind the policy debates, the states have been trudging forward

in their efforts to comply with varied requirements the No Child

Left Behind Act. In a survey of the states conducted for Quality

Counts 2004, Education Week found that, while some are struggling
to mesh their existing accountability systems with the federal

law, all of the states now rate schools based on whether they are

making "adequate yearly progress" under the act. In addition, 43

states are publishing report cards showing test results for each

of the student categories required under the law.

One concern highlighted by the survey is whether states will have

the capacity to help all the schools identified as missing

adequate yearly progress targets. For the 2003-04 school year, 36

states planned to provide assistance to such schools, according

to the survey. Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia had

consequences in place for consistently low-performing schools for

2003-04.

States were also struggling to meet the law’s testing

requirements. According to Quality Counts 2004, only 20 states

are testing in English and math in the required grades for 2003-

04, inching up from 19 in 2002-03.

On the teacher quality front, many states have been trying to

develop workable standards for the "highly qualified" teacher

requirement. Thirty-four states and the District of Columbia now

required prospective high school teachers to demonstrate subject-

matter expertise by passing a test in the subject they plan to

teach, up from 29 in 2000.

Knowing the Students

Knowing students and how they learn is important in knowing

how to teach when a teacher integrates technology into an

instructional event This is because having a clear understanding

of learning and the teaching strategies will enable a teacher to

utilize technology effectively resulting to intended knowledge

transfer. Remember that we are not teaching to groups, but to

groups of individuals. In addition, by knowing a little bit about

your learners you can better arrange the environment to increase

the probability of individual student learning. There are many

factors that affect how a person learns from a particular

learning environment. (Lever-Duffy, et.al, 2003).

 Cognitive abilities of the learner

 Previous experiences of the learner

 Motivation

 Personal learning style

 Clarity of the message

 Interaction with the learning environment

 Cultural and Language background

Foreign Studies

Academic intervention program has been successful with

improving student’s grade point averages, developing life changes

and increasing their retention. Based on the results of the

Academic Intervention Program it is important that students who

are not performing to the best of their ability, in regards to

earning a cumulative grade point average above a 2.5 should be

monitored, evaluated, and given personal assistance. (Hood, 2007)

Faced with the prospect of a student population

predominantly academically underprepared, a coordinated effort by

staff and faculty emerged in order to meet the challenges posed

by high-risk students. Aside from the need for sound educational

planning, adequate study skills, and the reduction of basic

skills deficiencies, attention had to be given to other issues

that had an impact on the educational experience of high-risk

students. These issues included the enhancement of self-image,

procurement of day care, transportation to campus, nutrition,

health concerns, familial conflicts, and financial aid, among

others. Though CORE advisors were not expected to deal with

issues that were out of the realm of academic advising, the

inclusion of two professional counselors on the advising team

served as immediate contacts for the coordination and/or delivery

of services for affected students. The development 0f the CORE

Advising Program has had a ripple effect within the campus

community. Faculty have become more aware of the services

provided by the professional staff in terms of personal

counseling, health services, career placement, and financial aid.

Consequently, there has been an increased willingness on the part

of the faculty to refer students to appropriate staff.

Professional staff members have become more sensitive to the

daily realities of the classroom environment that academically

underprepared students must face. This has allowed for the

development of student service programs (study skills workshops,

math anxiety support groups, returning adult student task force)

that reflect this heightened sensitivity. Finally, students

appear to have a renewed confidence that their individual

concerns are being addressed. This is evidenced by the steady

increase, over the past two academic years, in the use of student

services. (Patrick, Furlow, and Donovan, 2002)

Various names have been given the collaborative form of

teaching, and there are some distinctions among these:

cooperative learning, collaborative learning, collective

learning, learning communities, peer teaching, peer learning,

reciprocal learning, team learning, study circles, study groups,

and work groups. But all in all, there are three general types of

group work: informal learning groups, formal learning groups, and

study teams (Johnson, Johnson, and Smith, 1991).

Informal learning groups are ad hoc temporary clusterings of

students within a single class session. Informal learning

groups can be initiated, for example, by asking students to

turn to a neighbor and spend two minutes discussing a

question you have posed. You can also form groups of three
 to five to solve a problem or pose a question. You can

organize informal groups at any time in a class of any size

to check on students' understanding of the material, to give

students an opportunity to apply what they are learning, or

to provide a change of pace.

Formal learning groups are teams established to complete a

specific task, such as perform a lab experiment, write a

report, carry out a project, or prepare a position paper.

These groups may complete their work in a single class

session or over several weeks. Typically, students work

together until the task is finished, and their project is

graded.

Study teams are long-term groups (usually existing over the

course of a semester) with stable membership whose primary

responsibility is to provide members with support,

encouragement, and assistance in completing course

requirements and assignments. Study teams also inform their

members about lectures and assignments when someone has

missed a session. The larger the class and the more complex

the subject matter, the more valuable study teams can be.

Principals and teachers have long thought that student

tardiness was a serious problem. In one study from the 1990’s, 8-

12% of students were absent each day, and more than 40% of

teachers found tardiness to be a significant problem. In fact,

it is considered so serious that a school’s response can go to

extremes: a student in Mount Pleasant, MI, was suspended for

writing and reading a parody of the school’s tardiness policy,

and students in one California high school are fined $165 if they

are tardy more than twice. A Google search on “tardiness” will

yield a lot of high school online handbooks and policies about

tardiness. The question, of course, is not “what are high schools

doing?”, but “what are high schools doing that’s working?” Many

approaches seem to work, but they tend to break into two

categories: the behavior modification approach and the needs-

based approach.(Juvenile Justice Bulletin ,1999)

A problem learner is a learner whose academic performance is

significantly below performance potential because of a specific

affective, cognitive, structural, or interpersonal difficulty.

Problem learners are difficult for the clinical preceptor to

manage. Description: We propose a general problem-solving

process, the S-T-P model, through which unique solutions for

different problem learners can be developed. The S-T-P model is a

process that incorporates feedback and problem solving; it

consists of three steps: (a) specify the problem (S); (b) desired

target state (T); and (c) procedure, plan, or path to get from S

to T (P). Evaluation: We offer suggestions for the evaluation of

the problem learner, including more emphasis on peer and self-

evaluation and insights to teaching and implementing the S-T-P

model, including the use of role play. Conclusions:

Considerations of the problem learner may suggest evaluation,

curricular, and organizational changes in residency programs and

medical schools. (Vaughn, Baker, and DeWitt, 1998)

Providing feedback allows the teacher to praise the learner

for items well done, point out areas of weakness, and give

direction on how the learner can improve. A commonly used

strategy is the “sandwich” technique, where positive feedback is

given at the beginning and again at the end, and negative

feedback is given in the middle. Other aspects of effective

feedback include using descriptive language, making sure that the

learner understands the feedback, and focusing on specific

behaviors that can be changed.”(Lucas & Stallworth)

In an effort to identify the reasons for Poor Academic

Performance Blai (1995) identified several problem areas in the

academic performance of the students namely Not able to

synthesize factual and conceptual principles, Not able to apply

principles in analogous situations, Not able to read college

materials effectively and efficiently, Not able to perform

adequately on major exam, Not able to take good notes submit

assignments late or not at all, Not able to write adequate term

papers, Not able to perform adequately on quizzes, Do not ask

questions in class, Do not consult with teacher, and Have

negative attitude toward subject.

Teaching test-taking strategies helps students understand

the format and conventions of a specific type of test and makes

them feel comfortable in a testing environment. Learning test

-taking strategies actually improves the validity of a test by

making scores reflect more accurately what students know. A test

-wise student will answer a question incorrectly only if he or

she does not know the content, not because the test format is

confusing or intimidating. The goal of the Better test Scores

program from Perfection Learning is to equip students in grades

three through twelve with effective and research-proven test

-taking strategies. Students learn how to answer specific

question formats on reading, language arts, math, and writing

tests. They practice answering multiple-choice and open-ended or

constructed response items in a timed environment. After

completing instruction, students are familiar with types of

questions they will encounter on a standardized or state test and

feel confident that the test will accurately measure their

abilities. (Scruggs & Mastropieri, 1992)

Case studies on Leadership development

According to the study “Improving interaction and

participation: Leadership development in the collaborative

classroom by Morcom and Maccallum (2007) student’s participation

on class discussions maybe improved through leadership

development as shown by the Case of Judy.

Judy’s story

Before leadership

Judy expressed leadership aspirations early in the year (Student

reflection log, 29.4.04),

which were not realised until Tribes 4, term 3, later in the

year, when she was voted

leader by Lindsay, Dean, Wendy, Denis and Joey. She was a

responsible student who did

not participate in anti social or uncooperative behaviour. She

had limited friendships and

lingered on the fringes of her peer group, whose behaviour was

immature and

uncooperative on many occasions. She often chose to disconnect

from this behaviour and

be alone as she stated that it was just ‘too difficult to handle

at times’.

During leadership

Judy had realised that leadership is not about ‘power’ but

responsibility. She stated that

she wanted to experience the ‘responsibility’ of being a leader

and realised that you do

not have much more power than the other people in the tribe

(Student reflection log,

18.11.04). Judy’s leadership coincided with Lindsay requested to

be with Dean because

he was aware of changes he needed to make to align himself with

the positive values

held by the majority of the class. Lindsay and Wendy had not

cooperated in past tribes

together because Lindsay had experienced her ‘annoying

behaviours’; Wendy was also

changing and decided to cooperate and became friends with Judy in

this tribe. At the

point when both Lindsay and Wendy decided to cooperate; Denis

persisted with bullying

behaviours and Judy had the support of her vice leader Joey, who

wanted the tribe to

cooperate. It is interesting to note that Judy did not receive

any nominations from her

peers for Tribes 4 but the other tribe members had at least one

of their three preferences

from the sociogram results, so they had the opportunity to select

friends for leaders, as

opposed to ‘neglected’ students such as Judy. Judy’s peers were

astute enough to
recognise her leadership qualities, such as a caring nature and a

willingness to listen to

others. Judy also reflected that she played the role of a

‘helper’ in groups and tried to

‘listen and think and put it into my words so people will

understand’ (Student reflection

log, 30.11.04).

Judy’s found her leadership role was increasingly challenging, as

she reflected each week

in her reflection log with her tribe and made the following

comments. She persisted and

formed an effective working relationship with Joey, her vice

leader, who was also a low

status student. During weeks 1, 2 & 3 she stated ‘things are

going well’ but as Denis, a

student with a reputation for bullying challenged her, she

reflected in week 4 ‘I am not

doing the best with my group’. She tried to ‘reason’ with Denis

and was perceived by

Lindsay and Daren as being ‘bossy’ and Judy stated in week 5 ‘I

am trying to please

them but I can’t and I don’t know how’. By the end of week 6 Judy

reflected on the
improvements in her tribe and her increase in self-confidence:

‘we don’t talk as much

and our work is good. I think being a leader has made me more

confident’.

After leadership

Judy’s development of leadership skills and confidence are also

reflected in the three

surveys her mother completed throughout the year. There was a

growing trend of

parental interest in the value of their child having the

opportunity to be a leader, to

develop skills which improved their relationships and translated

into harmonious

relationships with their siblings at home. The positive parental

responses increased in

number from ‘22 to 25 to 27’ respectively over the three parent

surveys for their children to be a leader, which was

simultaneously supported by students requesting leadership

opportunities. Parent responses indicated that their children

enjoyed the challenges of

leadership and it gave them insight into how difficult it can be.

Local Literature

This part of the Review includes sample Academic

Intervention Program being implemented Locally and several

articles pertaining to the academic performance of Filipino

students.

Academic Intervention Programs

Project H.E.L.P. (High Expectations Learning Program) aims

to close the achievement gap by ensuring all students have the

opportunities they need to work to their full academic and social

potential, and to ultimately become positive and productive

members of their communities. Founded in 1991 by a classroom

teacher, and supported over the years by an extraordinary

community collaboration consisting of individuals, service clubs,

corporations, and foundations, Project H.E.L.P. is a nonprofit

organization which works in partnership with local school

districts to offer a comprehensive early academic intervention

program that works.  Students in the Project H.E.L.P. program

consistently make significant progress toward grade level

standards and beyond.

Academic Performance

Despite the high 96 mean percentage score of the top twenty

students who took the March 2007 National Achievement Test (NAT),

the Department of Education (DepEd) is focusing its attention in

addressing the causes of poor performance of other students.

According to Dr. Yolanda Quijano, DepEd Director of the

Bureau of Elementary Education (BEE), they have identified

reading problems as the main culprit. "Reading problem is a

concern that has to be addressed as it deters students'

achievement in other learning areas" Quijano explained.

The DepEd said that poor reading comprehension could be a

result of the child's poor nutrition in early years. It can also

be the effect of non-exposure to educational materials. And in

many cases, there is also lack of parental support for the

child's education owing to the many other concerns of parents.

DepEd also said that aside from the cited factors, the

schools and the teachers also affect the academic performance of

the child. Lack of reading materials in the classrooms, lack of

appropriate training for teachers, and lack of supervision of the

teacher by the school principal or supervisor are causes of the

poor NAT performance of the students.

To address these issues, DepEd is carrying out the Every

Child-A- Reader Program or ECARP. Under this scheme, a

comprehensive reading assessment is done in all grade levels

through the PHILIRI or Philippine Informal Reading Inventory in

English and Filipino. Results of this assessment are the bases

for the specific reading programs initiated at the regional,

division and school levels. Other initiatives to improve reading

include the establishment of library hubs and the donation of

books by business and the private sector and local government

units. The National Reading Test for Grade 3 is being implemented

to measure the effectiveness of reading interventions in the

field. "The school is a learning community where reading

mastery is basic to lifelong learning. A child learns when the

teachers are able to teach well because they were given training

and provided all the support they need," Lapus said. DepEd

continuously conducts teacher trainings in Reading English and

Filipino to improve their reading instruction capability even as

it implements mentoring programs for teachers to improve their

English proficiency. It also developed models (or modules) in

integrating reading and writing as tools for learning in the

content areas like Science and Math. In addition, instructional

materials and lesson guides are provided to facilitate teaching.

"With these interventions, we hope to achieve a

higher mean percentage score in the NAT by 2010," Lapus added.

Decline in English Proficiency

THERE IS MUCH TO BE SAID ABOUT THE DECLINE IN English

proficiency in this country. But legislating English as the

medium of instruction—as proposed by the Gullas Bill—is not the

solution. In fact not just English, but also Science and Math

proficiency will decline should this law pass. Rather than

propose that English be the sole medium of learning, we should in

fact promote multi-lingualism: English, Filipino and the local

language or dialect. The Japanese will never forego Nihonggo for

English, nor will the Chinese abandon Mandarin or Cantonese for

the so-called global language. Neither would the Scandinavians,

Germans or (mon Dieu!) the French. Why then are we so quick to

ditch Filipino for English? The

overall concern about the decline in English proficiency is both

correct and misplaced. Many employers speak of job applicants

with appalling spoken and written English skills. They argue that

this deficiency is a “lost comparative advantage” as shown by the

dismal hiring rates of the growing call center industry.

But is poor English proficiency really the cause of our

global uncompetitiveness? Or is it our low productivity and the

inability to deliver consistent quality that hurt us? The

problem is not poor English. It is poor English, Science and Math

skills. Weak English proficiency is not the sole determinant of

poor overall achievement; it is merely a factor.

Unesco findings show that young children learn how to read

and acquire numeracy faster and better when taught in their

mother tongue. Their achievement rates in higher-grade levels are

better than those who are taught in a language other than what

they speak at home.

These findings have been replicated by the Summer Institute

of Linguistics (SIL), which uses the mother tongue for teaching

young children in Bukidnon and in other areas with indigenous

people. These pupils have had relatively high literacy and

numeracy scores in DepEd (Department of Education) tests.

The TIMSS (Trends in Math and Science Survey) test is

administered here in English, making us one of the very few

countries that take the test in a language that is not generally

spoken at home. We do poorly in TIMSS. (The Japanese take TIMSS

in Japanese; the Finns in Finnish.) But would taking the test in

Filipino make for better scores?

The Department of Science and Technology did conduct such a

test in Filipino and the results were equally dismal. Therefore,

it’s not so much language; it is simply that children aren’t

learning Science and Math well enough to solve problems.

On the other hand, “Sine’skwela,” the Science program on

television, is broadcast in Filipino. Dr. Milagros Ibe, then head

of the National Institute of Science and Math Education (Nismed)

at the University of the Philippines wrote: “Testing in English

does not significantly disadvantage pupils who are taught in

‘Sine’skwela’ using Filipino as a medium. Understanding of the

concepts in Filipino appears to facilitate transfer of learning

to English.” These children however are not fluent in English. In

fact, “[they] find it hard to communicate and express themselves

in English during recitations and discussions.”

But clearly, these

children learn Science and Math: “Pupils in Grades 2 and 3 who

watch ‘Sine’skwela’ attain master-level in 50-67 percent of the

concepts learned, while those not exposed to the program master

only 20-33 percent of the same …. Pupils in the lower grades are

capable of responding to 4-option multiple choice questions.

Longer tests (i.e., more than 30 items) can also be used for

them.”

In East Asia, the national or local language is used as the

medium of learning for young children. English is taught as a

subject—not as the medium of learning—and proficiency is seen as

a key to connecting to the world, not as the key to learning.

We, however, seem to want to shortcut learning. We want to

connect to the world to be competitive before we learn the

fundamentals. The current DepEd policy on the medium of

learning set by former Education Secretary Andrew Gonzalez is

sound. Brother Andrew was after all a linguist. The policy says

that the child’s mother tongue shall be the medium of learning in

Grades 1 to 3 because the 3 R’s and fundamental Math and Science

concepts are introduced at these grade levels. Makabayan (Social

Studies) shall be taught in the mother tongue as well. English

and Filipino are to be taught as subjects.

If Mandarin someday became the global language for business,

would you—an English speaker—learn your Science and Math concepts

if it were taught to you in Mandarin? Probably not. The same

would hold true for the young learner anywhere in this

archipelago who does not speak English—or Mandarin—at home.

For Grades 4 to 6, there is a progressive shift to

English as the medium of learning for English, Science and Math

subjects. By this time, the concepts have taken root, and

problem-solving and application are the learning objectives.

Filipino will still be used to teach Filipino and Makabayan

subjects. For high school, the mid-grade policy on language is

expanded.

The Gullas Bill is now in Congress, having been passed at

the House of Representatives. Ironically, it does not deviate

from the current DepEd policy. It is a dangerous bill, however,

because it places a misleading emphasis on English as the medium

of learning. As such, the young learners and their teachers will

concentrate on the language, not on Science and Math and literacy

(that is more fundamental to learning).

The key to better English is better implementation; more

teacher training in grammar, composition, vocabulary; more

mechanisms to expand English usage in schools such as campus

journalism, campus radio, assigned days for English and Filipino

communication and the like, more bilingual reading books and

elocution contests and spelling bees (both in English and

Filipino). English is essential for communication, but Science

and Math are crucial for competitiveness.

The preceding literature serves to highlight the need of the

development for intervention programs that aims to improve the

chances of poor performing students in achieving their goals of

becoming quality graduates that are ready to take on the

challenges of the Professional World.

Local Studies

The multidimensional character of student learning should be

explored, particularly in the college level, where students

prepare for their chosen career. It is important to know what

students bring to their learning and their influences on mastery

and performance goals of the learning process. ( Rodriguez -

Quijano, 2004 ).

Teachers suggested the following teachers handling

mathematics subject should look closely to their students'

performance in mathematics to trace the causes of

difficulties; provide students more exercises in the competencies

they find difficult; make the subject more interesting and to

provide learning experiences that will increase students'

proficiency in mathematics. (Chavez, 2003)

 A study to ascertain whether the teachers' teaching style

and students' learning styles have influence on academic

performance of the students classified as Mathematics, English

and Science a& Technology. The 45 teachers respondents classified

as Mathematics, English and Science teachers and the 2, 411

student-respondents classified as Mathematics, English and

Science students were from Muñoz National High School SY 2006-

2007.

Results revealed that almost equal number of the students

was below 15 (50.60%) and above 15 years old (49.40%), majority

were female, belonging to a household size of 3-13, had low

family income, had parents who were high school graduates, had

fathers with blue-collar job and mostly farmers, and had mothers

which were non-earning, mostly housekeepers.

Most of the students were found to have collaborative

learning styles in Mathematics, English and Science & Technology.

They enjoy working harmoniously with their peers. They usually

feel they can learn by sharing ideas and talents with other

people. They co-operate with teacher and like to work with

others. In classroom activities, they prefer group activities,

group dynamics and discussion where they could interact with

other students while learning.

 The students mostly got an average academics performance,

with mean ranging from 80.09-82.18, in terms of GPA, first

grading grades in Mathematics, English ard Science & Technology.

The academic performance of most students in terms of their

learning styles and their teachers' teaching styles was average.

Students' learning styles differ significantly in terms of

subject area, curriculum, year and sex.

Students' academic performance differed significantly in

terms of their first grading grades in Science and Technology.

Majority of the teacher-respondents were female, young, with

less than 15 years in teaching, permanent, married, with teacher

1 as position, BSED graduates with Major related to the subject

they taught, without MS/MA units and seldom attend in-service

seminars.

Majority of the teachers-respondents were facilitator. They

emphasize personal nature of teacher-student interactions. They

guide and direct students by asking questions, exploring options,

suggesting alternatives, and encouraging them to develop criteria

to make informed choices. Their overall goal is to develop in

students the capacity for independent action, initiative, and

responsibility. They work with students on projects in a

consultative fashion and try to provide as much support and

encouragement as possible.
 Highly significant relationship was found between the

students' academic performance and learning styles.

Correlation analysis revealed a significant relationship

between the teachers teaching styles and the academic performance

of the students in Mathematics. (Velasquez & Tan, 2003)