ABSTRACT
This qualitative-phenomenological study was conducted to explore the English teachers’ reading strategies as groundwork for a school-based reading program. The study was conducted on eighteen (18) public, Junior High School (JHS) English teachers in the Schools District of Santa Barbara using a duly validated In-depth Interview Guide. Furthermore, the data that was gathered was examined using thematic analysis. The study's conclusion showed that English teachers used the reading-aloud strategy, games, crafts and graphic organizers, dimensional strategy, and code-switching strategy in teaching reading. Further, the emergent teachers’ positive experiences showed that, through their reading strategies, learners develop better comprehension, learners read efficiently the reading text, expand their creativity and higher-order thinking skills, and develop self-confidence. On the other hand, the emergent themes in negative experiences are poor reading foundation, struggling learners, and teaching reading as energy-draining and needs patience. A reading program was proposed as a result of the study.
Keywords: Reading Strategies, Experiences, Groundwork, Reading Program
INTRODUCTION
Reading is one of the most important learning activities that learners must complete. It is very vital to one's existence, especially for a child, as it is a key to wisdom and opens the door to pleasures, creativity, and a view of the outside world. The ability to fully and accurately understand texts is a prerequisite for reading.
Consequently, many reading interventions are still being implemented. Few studies have looked into early reading interventions for English Language Learners (ELLs), and most of them show that word reading improves, but that reading comprehension is more difficult to enhance. Additionally, some researchers have found that most students who are at risk for reading difficulties can learn to read at average levels with well-designed, evidence-based classroom reading training.
Despite the fast-improving school curriculum, children who struggle with reading remain an issue in education. Additionally, teachers find it difficult to help these struggling readers become proficient readers.
The Department of Education's research indicates that a majority of nonreaders in high school are a result of the system's lower levels, particularly elementary schools. Even yet, there is a sizable portion of non-readers in every school.
Students need to read a lot in other academic subjects in addition to the content they study in English studies. The problem that the students face, though, is that they do not always understand what they have read. Their subpar reading results reflect this.
As a teacher for six (6) years, the researcher has observed that every year, teachers are implementing reading programs, yet until now, there are still learners who cannot read words correctly and have poor comprehension.
Further, the COVID-19 pandemic has drastically affected the learners. The distance learning modality deteriorated learners’ reading skills due to limited reading strategies used at home. It was observed that even Grade 10 learners could hardly read words and barely understood what they were reading. This should come to an end and be addressed sooner.
Furthermore, according to a United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) survey published in April 2022 in the Philippines, three (3) out of twenty (20) students, or less than 15% of schoolchildren, could decipher and understand simple texts. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian urged students to improve their reading skills, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic made the issue worse.
Meanwhile, learners are so dependent on their gadgets that they are uninterested in reading books. Also, they are impatient in reading their textbooks and the reading selections needed for the subject.
Based on the sad realities happening in the field and the prevalence of struggling readers, the researcher believed there is a need to delve into the realm of reading and explore the different teachers’ reading strategies as groundwork for formulating a school-based reading program. To attain this goal, this study was conducted.
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