ABSTRACT
The descriptive-qualitative study determined the remedial reading teachers’ strategies such as personalized instruction, diagnostic and formative assessments, scaffolding and gradual release of responsibility, explicit instruction in phonics and decoding, building vocabulary and comprehension, reading engagement and motivation, collaborative learning, culturally responsive teaching, and use of technology and multimedia resources. Teachers used the reading strategies by following organized and research-based remedial reading program, assessing learners’ reading ability first, using engaging activities, activating prior knowledge, modelled or shared reading, incorporating technology, involving parents, providing encouraging environment with sufficient reading materials. Challenges were time constraints, diverse learners’ needs, assessment and progress monitoring result, professional development, learners’ behavior and engagement, integration of technology, and parental involvement. Teachers managed challenges through differentiated instruction, collaboration and teamwork, professional support, resources, and effective time management.
Keywords: Remedial Reading Teachers’ Strategies, Public Secondary Schools, Reading Enhancement Program
INTRODUCTION
Reading suggests fundamental abilities that, when combined, become crucial for developing competent and high-caliber students who can handle both academic assignments and extracurricular activities.
Learners' success then lies in their capacity to read fluently and comprehend what is read with their teacher as their model or guide. Teachers' ability to teach reading and effectively support learners' continued reading development is a complex and multifaceted process (Fraser, 2021).
The Department of Education reiterated through DepEd Memorandum No. 143, s.2012, it was stated that reading is the foundation for all academic learning (Philstar.com). This memorandum is further supported by the country's 10–point agenda that stresses every Child a Reader Program (ECARP) by Grade 1, the policy that all children should be able to read by the third grade and that no student will be promoted to a higher grade level unless they demonstrate a mastery of the fundamental literacy skills (DepEd Memorandum 244, s. 2011).
Given this, every institution has to design a school-based reading program with assessments of student reading competency, identification of those needing more reading instruction, and application of successful techniques to improve reading comprehension (DepEd, 2011).
With DepEd Order No. 6 s. in 2018, the K-12 Basic Education Program seeks to provide every Filipino child with the knowledge she or he requires to compete internationally. The curriculum aims to provide Filipino students sufficient time to become proficient in ideas and abilities. Teachers then have to apply creative ideas to make sure their lessons center on getting students ready for the challenges of the contemporary society.
Furthermore, the spiral curriculum and K–12 Basic Education Curriculum have made reading more difficult, which presents current challenges for reading educators. Should the youngster find reading difficult, it will impede his capacity for learning in other areas (Dacalos et al., 2016).
In an education summit hosted by the Provincial Government of Iloilo and the Synergeia Foundation Inc., President Milwida Guevara presented the performance data of essential education learners in Iloilo. Data revealed that in Iloilo Province, 73.67 percent of 191,495 learners from Grade 4 to Grade 11 of the school year 2022-2023 were performing below average as frustrated learners and non-readers.
According to a survey, at least one in five students has great trouble acquiring reading skills (Therrien, 2004).
In response, the Department of Education, Schools Division of Iloilo, pointed out the need for the entire community to address learners' learning gaps, highlight the importance of interventions, and intensify the provincial government's banner program to improve the quality of basic education (Philippine Information Agency Region VI, 2023).
As a result, the way reading intervention programs are implemented in schools is lacking. This significantly affects students who move up a grade level without increasing their reading skills. Furthermore, it can be inferred that the reading instruction methods that seek to improve beginning and struggling readers' word identification and comprehension abilities have not received enough attention or monitoring.
Thus, the researcher determined remedial teachers' different reading strategies to provide critical perspective, contextually situated, and practical approaches to more responsive professional development.
The researcher hoped that the study would also be a potent tool for providing the most objective basis for creating a proposed reading enhancement program, particularly in the place of study.
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