ABSTRACT
This research paper aimed to find the Teachers’ and Parents’ Experiences in Teaching Beginning Reading using the Rainbow Connection Intervention Program: Bases for Enhancement program using a phenomenological approach under the qualitative method. The participants of the study were nine (9) teachers from Grades 1 to 3 and nine (9) parents of learners under the participating teachers of NJ Ingore Elementary School. A face-to-face in-depth interview was conducted following a minimum health protocol. Three interview types were used: open-ended, semi-structured, and structured. One-on-one in-depth interviews were analyzed thematically after categorizing the original transcripts into meaning units. Teachers and parents held differing views on the Rainbow Connection intervention program for beginning reading. Nonetheless, the program significantly impacted the school community by producing competitive and reader-ready learners. While challenging, teachers and parents found fulfillment and happiness in supporting their children's needs.
Keywords: Beginning Reading, Rainbow Connection, Intervention Program
INTRODUCTION
Reading is an invaluable source of information for children, especially those who are facing challenges. Developing a love of reading at a young age is crucial for opening the door to a lifetime of learning, as reading is an essential skill for education. If children develop a love of reading early on, they will have advantages in expanding their vocabulary, becoming independent, and building self-confidence. It is an important skill that can help children develop their imagination and social-emotional skills. By reading, children can learn how to understand and make sense of the world around them, as well as the people in it. Learning to read is crucial for a child's success, both in academic settings and in everyday life in our highly literate society.
Engaging in reading for pleasure can lead to a multitude of positive outcomes for children. From improved social skills and cognitive abilities to enhanced emotional development and mental health, it's clear that reading is a valuable and beneficial activity. Not only does it encourage adult-child social interaction, but it also fosters increased observance of the world around them and helps develop future reading skills.
Technology advancements have expanded the range of reading contexts and formats, placing a greater demand on core reading skills. While such information may appear straightforward and natural to a literate adult, many youngsters worldwide struggle with reading and fail to achieve a high level of proficiency. Studies have shown that over 50% of children who start their schooling have language skills that are below the expected level for their age in certain regions. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, this figure is likely to have worsened as many children have experienced a regression in their language development, which has left them trailing behind their peers(Sword,2021).
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, school closures, and stay-at-home orders, they harmed students' literacy and numeracy skills. In its aim to have learning continuity at home, the Department of Education introduced different interventions and learning modalities, such as modular learning, where modules were sent out to parents who instantly became teachers of their children. With this, various programs and interventions were utilized to fill in this gap one of these is the Rainbow Connection intervention program. It is one of the remediation innovations used in NJ Ingore Elementary School, which aims to increase learners’ literacy and numeracy skills.
Teachers experienced different issues and difficulties teaching beginning reading, especially in primary learners. Reading difficulties harm a student's life, such as academic progress, self-confidence, views on learning and reading, motivation to read, career options, socioeconomic status, and expectations for future reading success.
The outcome inspired and urged the researcher to provide an enhancement program that responds to teachers' and parents’ experiences in teaching beginning reading.
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