IMPROVING THE ORAL FLUENCY OF GRADE III LEARNERS THROUGH THE

TIME REPEATED READING (TRR) GAMES APPROACH

AN ACTION RESEARCH

DENNIS C.RAMIREZ

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF ILOCOS NORTE

November 2021
I.Context and Rationale

Reading is one of the most important skills one should learn and possess. As the

word of Goethe, “Reading maketh a full man.”, it implies that there is a need to learn how to

read.

In reading, it helps someone to discover things that are new as they learn new things

from a new area, their culture, mores, and beliefs. It also helps someone to be more

imaginative and creative as he/she could enhance skills and abilities. Further, as someone

reads, his vocabulary skills are widen and be familiar with the correct spelling of words,

which are necessary ingredient in the spoken and written communication. Finally, reading

plays an important and vital role as someone functions well in today’s ever changing society.

Reading fluency and reading comprehension are two different things, as the reading

fluency implies the knowledge of translating and decoding text into sounds and spoken

words. On the other hand, reading comprehension is what someone gets and derive from

reading. In simple words, reading comprehension is the ability of a person to decode the

text, understand it, process the details, and recall what was read.

Researches shows that there is a strong correlation of oral fluency to reading

comprehension. In the study of Young-Suk, Chea, and Wagner in 2014, it was found out

that there is a need for someone to be fluent orally and master the decoding of text and

translating it to spoken words before someone learns to comprehend what was read. The

same findings were seen in the study conducted by Scott, Nelsestuen, et.al in 2010 that oral

fluency led to the improve performance of pupils in high school in reading comprehension.
 In the Philippines, reading fluency and comprehension are two great concerns of all

teachers. Based on the study conducted by Protacio( 2012), she found that oral performance

is given higher emphasis rather than that of reading comprehension. She found that the

Philippine culture in reading primarily depends on the correct pronunciation and reading

correctly aloud. No other reading engagement was done which led to a poor reading

comprehension among the learners.

Further, in a conference paper entitled, “Reading Fluency, Comprehension, And

Vocabulary Competence of Senior High School Learners: Basis for Reading Enhancement

Program”, it was found out that the pupil-respondents were on frustration level on oral

fluency considering that the respondents were high school Learners in the Visayan region.

As per observation, the primary learners specifically Grade 3 learners find a hard time

identify the words. Though these Learners underwent early childhood education, they still

cannot read simple words, i.e. CVC words, diphthongs, which are commonly referred to as

“sight words”.

With the aforementioned studies internationally and locally and as per observation by

the teacher-researcher, an action research titled, “Improving the Oral Fluency among the

Grade III Learners of Badoc North Central School Through Time Repeated Reading Games”

is hereby proposed.

I. Action Research Questions

The action research seeks to improve the oral fluency among the Primary Grade

Learners of Nagbacalan Elementary School for the school year 2020 – 2021. Specifically, it

seeks to answer the following questions;

 1. What is the level of the Grade III learners in terms of oral fluency before and

after the intervention program?

2. Is there a significant difference in the level of oral fluency among the Grade -III

learners before and after the use of the intervention?

II. Proposed Innovation, Intervention, and Strategy

In the said action research, the researcher wants to propose that the teaching of

oral fluency be taught innovatively by employing games in the delivery of instruction.

Based on the readings done by the researcher, there was a study that oral fluency

performance of the Learner was directly correlated with the academic-related games

employed by the teacher. The use of games in the delivery of instruction significantly

improved the performance of the Learners as they were highly-engaged and highly-

motivated. (Ke, Xie, and Xie 2015).

As an intervention in improving the oral fluency of the Primary Grade Learners,

the researcher wants to use the time repeated reading or simply called the TRR. The time

repeated reading could be done individually and by groups. Based on the readings, the

TRR could be done at least three (3) times a week and up to 5 to 10 minutes per

individual or group.

TRR can be used to increase automaticity on letter sounds, sight words, decodable

words, and finally on connected text. Time repeated reading follows set of procedures.

First, the teacher explains that pupils will be reading a passage multiple times to work on

increasing fluency (fluency is rate and accuracy and expression – not just speed), Then,
the teacher gives copies of passages to Learner. After which, the teacher explains that for

the first reading out-loud, the pupil will read for 1 minute. Further, the teacher says

“Begin” (not “Start”) and starts stop-watch. Learners reads passage out-loud. Moreover,

the teacher marks errors and monitors stopwatch. At one minute, the teacher says “Stop”

and marks the last word read by the Learner. The teacher records number of correct

words per minute and graphs results, showing the graph to the Learner. Then finally, the

teacher provides standard error correction for each word the Learner read in error. (“That

word is _______. What word?” The Learner repeats the word. Interventionist says, “Yes.

That word is _______.” Learner goes back to the beginning of the sentence to begin

again. Additional repetitions may be completed if Learner’s fluency continues to improve

through these readings.

Finally, in terms of the proposed strategy, the teacher will use the echo reading

strategy. The said strategy to boost pupil reading fluency, the teacher selects a text at the

pupil's instructional level. The teacher reads aloud a short section (e.g., one-two sentences

at a time) while the Learner follows along silently. The Learner then reads the same short

section aloud--and the read-aloud activity continues, alternating between teacher and

Learner, until the passage has been completed. Whenever the Learner commits a reading

error or hesitates for 3 seconds or longer, the teacher stops the Learner, points to and says

the error word, has the Learner read the word aloud correctly, has the Learner read the

surrounding phrase that includes the error word, and then continues the reading activity.

Since face to face is not yet allowed, the activities can be done through online

sessions with the assistance from the parents. Directions and materials needed in the
 activity will be given in advance to the pupils for him to prepare during the conduct of

online sessions.

III. Action Research Methods

a. Participants and/or Other Sources of Data and Information

The participants in the study will be the Grade 3 learners who are presently

enrolled at Nagbacalan Elementary School, Paoay District. The researchers will be using

the purposive sampling technique. Since we are experiencing the pandemic due to

COVID 19, the proposed innovation/strategy can be done through online platforms such

as fb messenger, google meet or via zoom .

b. Data Gathering Methods

In order to have data for the said study, a sight word reading material prepared

and established by the researcher will be used. The said sight word reading material is

composed of ten (10) levels in an increasing degree of complexity of words. Each level

is composed of ten (10) words. The said sight word reading material will be using the

following scale to determine the level of oral fluency of the pupils.

Number of Words Read Description

9 – 10 Very Good Reader

6–8 Good Reader
 3–5 Fair Reader
1–2 Slow Reader
0 Non-reader

c. Data Analysis Plan

The data gathered will be tabulated, analyzed and interpreted using the frequency,

mean, percentage and T-test.

Problem 1 will be answered through getting the mean and percentage of

achievement of the learners.

Problem 2 will be answered through the computation of the significant different at

0.5 level of significance.

For better and accurate computations of the data to be gathered, the use of

Microsoft Excel Analysis Tool Pack will be used.

IV. Discussion of Results and Reflection

This part shows the discussion of the collected data. The data are presented in table

for easier understanding.

Level of Oral Fluency before the implementation of the intervention

Table 1 shows the level of oral fluency of Grade III learners before the implementation of

the time- repeated-reading games approach.

Before nov 2before

Table 1. Level of Oral Fluency Before the Implementation of the Intervention

Learner Score Descriptive Interpretation

1 4 Fair Reader
2 3 Fair Reader
3 4 Fair Reader
4 4 Fair Reader
5 3 Fair Reader
6 3 Fair Reader
7 4 Fair Reader
8 4 Fair Reader
9 3 Fair Reader
10 2 Slow Reader
11 3 Fair Reader
12 5 Fair Reader
13 2 Slow Reader
14 3 Fair Reader
15 3 Fair Reader
Mean 3.33 Fair Reader
Number of Words Read Description
9 – 10 Very Good Reader
6–8 Good Reader
3–5 Fair Reader
1–2 Slow Reader
3 Non-reader

It can be clearly gleaned on Table 1 that Grade 3 pupils were classified as fair readers

as shown by the weighted mean of 3.33. Two( 2) out of fifteen (15) or 13.3 % learners were

identified as slow readers. Having a fair or slow readers means that it didn’t meet the

expectations of the DepEd wherein every learner should be a very good reader as implied in the

DepEd Program “Bawat Bata Bumabasa” . This also implies that pupils were really hard up in

reading the sight words given by the teachers. This further means that the identified learners need

reading interventions and guidance from their teachers. The result supports to the study of
Wansek(2010) that slow readers needs reading intervention to help build and expand learners

vocabulary. Reading intervention is a valuable method of increasing learners reading speed.

Level of Oral Fluency after the implementation of the intervention

Table 2 shows the level of oral fluency of Grade III learners after the implementation of

the time- repeated-reading games approach.

Table 2. Level of Oral Fluency After the Implementation of the Intervention

Pupil Score Descriptive Interpretation

1 8 Good Reader
2 9 Very Good Reader
3 9 Very Good Reader
4 10 Very Good Reader
5 7 Good Reader
6 9 Very Good Reader
7 8 Good Reader
8 7 Good Reader
9 7 Good Reader
10 8 Good Reader
11 7 Good Reader
12 7 Good Reader
13 8 Good Reader
14 7 Good Reader
15 9 Very Good Reader
Mean 8.0 Good Reader
Number of Words Read Description
9 – 10 Very Good Reader
6–8 Good Reader
3–5 Fair Reader
1–2 Slow Reader
3 Non-reader

As shown in the table, the Grade 3 pupils were classified as good readers

shown by the weighted mean of 8.0.This implies that pupils have an improved oral

reading fluency after the implementation of the time repeated reading technique. This is
 seen from the difference in their reading level during the pretest. Forever, it can be seen

that some pupils have even reached the highest level which is very good reader because

of the strategy used. It is observed that pupil has imporved a lot in their reading level.

According to (Ke, Xie, and Xie 2015), the use of games in the delivery of instruction

significantly improved the performance of the learners as they were highly-engaged and

highly-motivated

Comparison of the Oral Fluency Level Before and After the Implementation

Table 3 shows the comparison of the oral fluency level of Grade III learners before and

after the implementation of the time- repeated-reading games approach.

Table 3. Comparison of Oral Fluency Before and After the Implementation

Compare Mean Difference t-stat t-critical

Variables
Pre-test 3.33 4.67 14 2.15
Posttest 8.0

The table suggests that the mean performance before the intervention was 3.33, which

denotes below expectations. This means that pupils had a fair reading oral fluency level. On the

other hand, the reading oral fluency rating increased to 8.0. This means that learners perform

better after the intervention. The difference of 4.67 is significant as attested by the t-stat of 14.0

versus the t critical value 2.15 at 0.05 level of significance. This means that the intervention used

was effective.

V. ACTION PLAN
 The results of the action plan can be disseminated to all Grade 3 reading teachers ,school

heads and supervisor in charge of reading. The approached can be discussed among these

people for benchmarking and for possible division wide implementation.

VI. REFERENCES

Ke Fe, Xie Y., Xie, K. (2015). A theory and Data-Driven Exploration, British Journal of
Technology

Protacio, M.S. (2013). A Case Study of Reading Instruction in the Philippines,

University of Nabnraska, United States of America

Scott, C., Nelsestuen, K., Autio, E., Deussen, T., Hanita, M. (2010). Evaluation ofRead
Right in Omaha Middle And High Schools 2009-2010, Education Northwest.

Young-Suk, Chea, Wagner (2014). Is Oral/Text Reading Fluency a Bridge to Reading

Comprehension?

VII. FINANCIAL REPORT

Deliverables Research Activity Item of Expenditures Estimates

Inception Report Printing of paper, Ink,bond 1000.00
pictures paper,internet,loads, folder
Proposal Documentation Ink,bond 2500.00
paper,internet,loads,
folder,fare
Final Printing Ink,bond 3500,00
paper,internet,loads
Total 8,000.00