Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region I
Schools Division of Ilocos Norte
SUYO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Dingras, Ilocos Norte

THE USE OF DIRECTED READING THINKING ACTIVITY (DRTA)

IN ENHANCING STUDENTS’ READING COMPREHENSION SKILL
WITH CONTEXTUALIZED READING TEXTS

AN ACTION RESEARCH PROPOSAL

OSCAR R. GAMIAO, JR
Head Teacher III
Researcher
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region I
Schools Division of Ilocos Norte
SUYO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Dingras, Ilocos Norte

January 2022

I. Context and Rationale

Reading is an active process in which the reader constructs meaning from a text. Inherent

in constructing meaning is the reader’s ability to activate prior knowledge, use reading strategies

and adapt to the reading situation (Awal, 2020). There are different nature of reading like reading

as a skill, process, strategy, development, and comprehension. In a journal titled “On the Nature

of Reading” published by Wolfe and Nevilles (2004), it is stated that, if a person cannot read, a

potent effect in other areas will be done in his/her life. Surveys of adolescents and young adults

with criminal records indicate that at least half from them have reading difficulties or belong to

frustration level. Through this scenario, reading is essential to every learners, hence, it is a skill

that needs extra care and outmost attention. But learning how to read alone is not enough, instead

comprehending the text is also important.

Comprehension skill is the ability of a reader to summarize, make generalization, note

details, get main idea, sequencing of events and the like. Through these, the reader could

comprehend and understand the text thoroughly because he/she will have the ability to

understand the written words (Goddiess, 2021). Dorothy Brandom (2021) stressed that

recognizing words but not knowing and understanding the meaning into it does not fulfill the

purpose and goal of reading. Interestingly, The Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) is a

comprehension strategy that is used during reading to guide students in asking questions about a

text and making predictions. They then keep reading to figure out if their prediction was correct
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region I
Schools Division of Ilocos Norte
SUYO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Dingras, Ilocos Norte

or not. This can be done individually, in a small group, or as a whole class. "The DRTA process

encourages students to be active and thoughtful readers, enhancing their comprehension" (Lee,

M., Bottem D., Sanvik, M., ND). Typically the teacher will read students the passage and have

them do the thinking and predicting part. "These predictions, and confirmations (or revisions)

guide she students' understanding of the story (Lee, M., Bottem D., Sanvik, M., ND). 

In addition, according to Gavilan College (ND), engaging students into active learning

and assisting them to obtain meaning out from what they have learned is the meaning of

contextualized teaching and learning. On the other hand, contextualization means linking the

lesson in an occupational content and focus the teaching and learning on concrete applications in

a specific context within the interest of the students. Through this, the researcher believed that

contextualization of reading materials will be a great help to students because they will be

reading a material that is within the context and real life situation is being employed.

Meanwhile, the Department of Education (DepEd) issued a Deped Order no. 14 series of

2018 or also known as the “Policy Guidelines on the Administration of Philippine Reading

Inventory” that supports Every Child a Reader Program. This intervention aims to make every

Filipino child a reader and a writer at his/her grade level. Through the Bureau of Learning

Delivery-Teaching and Learning Division (BLD-TLD) shall continue to administer the Revised

Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI) assessment to learners in public elementary

schools nationwide effective School Year 2018-2019. In addition, DepEd Order no. 18, series of
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region I
Schools Division of Ilocos Norte
SUYO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Dingras, Ilocos Norte

2017 or also known as Guidelines on the Utilization of the 2017 Every Child A Reader Program

Funds for the Early Language Literacy and Numeracy Program: Professional Development

Component” states that with the K to 12 Program and the goal of making every child should be a

reader, the Department of Education (DepEd) is strengthening its reading program through the

implementation of the Early Language, Literacy, and Numeracy Program. Meanwhile, DepEd

also launched the Hamon: Bawat  Bata Bumabasa  (3Bs Initiatives), in order to intensify the

advocacy for reading and by pledging commitment to make every learner a reader at his/her

grade level (DepEd Memo No.173 series of 2019 )

Despite of these DepEd Orders and Programs of the Department of Education, and

considering the different interventions or reform made by the department, some Filipino

Learners are still struggling to read and comprehend texts that caused low performance and

standing of the Philippines in local and international assessment. Hence, the Programme for

International Student Assessment (PISA) Results from PISA 2018 stated that reading is among

the areas that fifteen-year-old students in the Philippines scored lower than those in majority of

the countries and economies that participated in PISA 2018 (Programme for International

Student Assessment, 2018) The Philippines scored 340 points, on a par with that of the

Dominican Republic. No country scored lower than the Philippines and the Dominican Republic.

This is a manifestation that Reading must be given an out most attention in the education sector

especially in the grass root level.

 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region I
Schools Division of Ilocos Norte
SUYO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Dingras, Ilocos Norte

In the grass root level particularly at Suyo National High School, Dingras Ilocos Norte,

the reading program of the school I love to read program (English), Nakababasa na si Juan

(Filipino), the teachers made a collaboration and thorough planning to address the reading

difficulties of the Grade 7 learners. Hence, the teachers were grouped together, and each group

went to their assigned barangay to conduct reading session among Grade 7 learners. Each learner

were assessed on their reading ability based on the following reading level – Beginning,

Developing, and Advanced. The teachers prepared a reading text and assessment sheet to be

utilized for the reading session. There are 52 Grade 7 learners in the school. After the conduct of

the reading test, the reading teachers consolidated and tallied the results following the

aforementioned reading level. It was found out that 13 Grade 7 learners belong to the beginning

level (25%), 22 Grade 7 learners belong to the developing level (42%), and 17 Grade 7 learners

were in the advanced level (33%). Based on the results of the reading test, the Grade 7 learners

need assistance to improve their reading skills. The target is to lessen the number or percentage

of the beginning level and increase the number or percentage of the advanced level up to 80% by

the third quarter and hoping for a more positive results by the end of the school year. In order to

achieve the desired number or percentage, we encouraged the learners to make use of their free

time reading passages, selections, or poems to enhance their reading abilities. The teachers also

talked to their parents/home facilitators and request them to assist their children improve their

reading skills. Aside from that, all subject teachers especially language teachers are encouraged

to integrate reading in their online classes.

 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region I
Schools Division of Ilocos Norte
SUYO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Dingras, Ilocos Norte

Since, Direct Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) is one of the strategies to improve

comprehension skill towards reading, the researcher will use this as intervention to improve the

reading skill of the Grade 7 learners with contextualized reading texts evaluated by experts to

employ real life situation.

II. ACTION RESEARCH QUESTIONS

This study will be conducted to address the poor reading comprehension skill of Grade 7

Students of Suyo National High School using Contextualized Reading Texts with Directed

Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) as a strategy for School Year 2021-2022.

Specifically, it will answer the following questions:

1. How valid are the developed Contextualized Reading texts in terms of:

1.1 content; and

1.2 instructional characteristics

2. What is the students’ level of comprehension skill in the experimental and control groups

before and after exposure to the treatments?

3. How effective is the Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) in improving the

reading comprehension skill of the of Grade 7 students of Suyo National High School?

3.1 Is there a significant difference between the student’s level of comprehension

skill in the experimental and control groups after exposure to the treatment?
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region I
Schools Division of Ilocos Norte
SUYO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Dingras, Ilocos Norte

3.2. Is there a significant difference between the pre and post assessment of

students’ level of reading comprehension skill in the experimental group?

III. PROPOSED INNOVATION, INTERVENTION AND STRATEGY

This action research is coined on the effectiveness of the Contextualized Reading Texts

with Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) as a strategy to address the low reading

comprehension skill of the Grade 7 students of Suyo National High School.

A quasi-experimental research design shall be employed on this study since the end

product which the researcher will develop will be tried out into 2 two sections of Grade 7 Topaz

and Opal learners. These two sections with different needs and learning styles are heterogeneous

and equal in number. Only the treatment of incorporating the Contextualized Reading Texts with

Direct Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) as a strategy, will be manipulated in this study.

Hence, it will be represented as control and experimental groups. On the other hand, the control

group will read the same reading texts but with the traditional approach, characterized by a

traditional-driven developmental reading.

 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region I
Schools Division of Ilocos Norte
SUYO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Dingras, Ilocos Norte

IV. ACTION RESEARCH METHOD

A. SOURCES OF DATA

The study will be conducted at Suyo Ntional High School, Dingras Ilocos Norte. The

respondents on this study will be the Grade 7 learners, sections Topaz and Opal, School Year

2021-2022.

B. DATA GATHERING METHOD

Two (2) different data gathering instruments shall be used in this study, namely: 1)

Validation Tool for the Contextualized Reading Texts using Direct Reading Thinking Activity as

a strategy; and 2) assessment of the learners on the level of comprehensionl for the experimental

group compared to the controlled group assessment result.

In the Validation of Contextualized Reading Texts using Direct Reading Thinking

Activity as a strategy, a validation instrument adopted from the Department of Education

(DepEd) Learning Resource Management and Development System (LRMDS) Evaluation

Rating Sheet for Print Resources that consists of a checklist prompting the experts to validate the

material will be used. This checklist will use the following criteria like: content and instructional

characteristics. Each criterion contains a set of items which will serve as guide for evaluators in

rating the material. Comments and suggestions from the experts will also be included in the tool.

Inputs from their validation will be the bases for redesigning the material. Meanwhile, the
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region I
Schools Division of Ilocos Norte
SUYO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Dingras, Ilocos Norte

criteria will be rated through a four-point scale adopted from Avila (2020) with their

corresponding descriptive interpretations and qualitative descriptions written below:

Scale Descriptive Interpretation
5 Excellent (E)
Qualitative Description
The Contextualized Reading Texts using
Direct Reading Thinking Activity as a
strategy:
embody total applicability of the criterion
requirement

4 Very Satisfactory (VS) embody substantial/considerable applicability

of the criterion requirement

3 Satisfactory (S) embody some applicability of the criterion

requirement.

2 Fair (F) embody limited applicability of the criterion

requirement.

1 Poor (P) fail to address the criterion requirement.

C. DATA ANALYSIS PLAN

There will be two instruments that will be used in this study. The first instrument is the

Validation Tool for the Contextualized Reading texts using Direct Reading Thinking Activity

(DRTA) as a strategy is a modified validation instrument adopted from Department of Education

(DepEd) Learning Resources Management and Development System (LRMDS) Evaluation

Rating Sheet for Print Resources that consists of a checklist prompting the experts to validate the

material along the following criteria: content and instructional characteristics. Each criterion
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region I
Schools Division of Ilocos Norte
SUYO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Dingras, Ilocos Norte

contains a set of items which will serve as guide for evaluators in rating the material. Comments

and suggestions from the experts will also be included in the tool. Inputs from their validation

will be the bases for redesigning the material. Meanwhile, the criteria will be rated through a

four-point scale adopted from Avila (2020) with their corresponding descriptive interpretations

and qualitative descriptions written below:

Scale Descriptive Interpretation
5 Excellent (E)
Qualitative Description
The Contextualized Reading Texts using
Direct Reading Thinking Activity as a
strategy:
embody total applicability of the criterion
requirement

4 Very Satisfactory (VS) embody substantial/considerable applicability

of the criterion requirement

3 Satisfactory (S) embody some applicability of the criterion

requirement.

2 Fair (F) embody limited applicability of the criterion

requirement.

1 Poor (P) fail to address the criterion requirement.

The second instrument for the pretest and posttest, reading stories given and answering

questions based from the story read. The test will be in a form of multiple choice test or

giving/writing answers of the given questions.

 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region I
Schools Division of Ilocos Norte
SUYO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Dingras, Ilocos Norte

Statistical tools that will be used in the analysis of the data are frequency count,

percentage and mean.

The scores will be interpreted using the following range of interval point scores:

Interval of Scores Descriptive Interpretation

24-30 Outstanding

18-23 Very satisfactory

12-17 Satisfactory

6-11 Good

0-5 Poor

To interpret the mean score of the group of learners in each school, the following scale will be
used:

Mean of Scores Descriptive Interpretation

23.50 - 30.00 Outstanding

17.50 – 23.49 Very satisfactory

11.50 – 17.49 Satisfactory

5.50 – 11.49 Good

0 - 5.49 Poor
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region I
Schools Division of Ilocos Norte
SUYO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Dingras, Ilocos Norte

V. ACTION RESEARCH WORK PLAN AND TIMELINES

Activity/Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May June

Submission of Research Proposal

Revision of Research Proposal
Validation of the Material
Conduct of Pretest
Implementation of the Intervention
Conduct of Posttest
Analysis of Data
Final Defense, Finalization, and
Revision of the Paper
Submission for Approval
Dissemination and Advocacy

VI. PLANS FOR DISSEMINATION AND UTILIZATION

Target Time Intended Success

Activity Resources
Clientele Frame Results Indicator
1.Result School Year None Informed 100% of the
Dissemination heads, Round teachers about teachers in the
during LAC teachers (once a the developed school will be
Session month) material oriented with the
use of the
intervention.

2. Demonstration Filipino and INSET None Equipped All teachers

Teaching using English teachers on the should have
the Developed Teachers of teaching reading developed a
Intervention Suyo NHS comprehension learning plan in
Material Teachers reading
comprehension
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region I
Schools Division of Ilocos Norte
SUYO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Dingras, Ilocos Norte

using the
intervention.
3. Monitoring School Year None Demonstrated All teachers
and Evaluation Head and round the intervention should have
Lead in class and utilized the
Researcher classroom developed
observation. material in
developing
reading
comprehension
of grade 7
learners using
Contextualized
Reading Texts
using Direct
Reading
Thinking
Activity
(DRTA).

VII. REFERRENCES

Awal, A (2020) “Reasons Why is Reading Considered an Active Process” Retrieve from
https://www.campuscareerclub.com/why-is-reading-considered-an-active-process/
Department of Education, (2019) DepEd Memorandum No.173 series of 2019 “Hamon: Bawat
Bata Bumabasa” Retrieved from
https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/DM_s2019_173-1.pdf
Department of Education, (2018). DepEd Order no. 14 series of 2018 or also known as the
“Policy Guidelines on the Administration of Philippine Reading Inventory” Retrieve from
https://www.deped.gov.ph/2018/03/26/do-14-s-2018-policy-guidelines-on-the-
administration-of-the-revised-philippine-informal-reading-inventory/

Department of Education, (2017). DepEd Order no. 18, series of 2017 “Guidelines on the
Utilization of the 2017 Every Child A Reader Program Funds for the Early Language
 Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region I
Schools Division of Ilocos Norte
SUYO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Dingras, Ilocos Norte

Literacy and Numeracy Program: Professional Development Component” Retrieve from

https://www.deped.gov.ph/2017/04/19/do-18-s-2017-guidelines-on-the-utilization-of-the-
2017-every-child-a-reader-program-funds-for-the-early-language-literacy-and-numeracy-
program-professional-development-component/

Goddiess S. (2021) “What are Reading Comprehension Skill” Retrieve from

https://www.zippia.com/advice/reading-comprehension/

Gavilan College (ND) “Contextualized Teaching and Learning” Retrieve from

https://www.gavilan.edu/staff/context_teach.php

Lee, M., Bottem D., Sanvik, M. (ND) “Directed Reading Thinking Activity (DRTA) Retrieve
from https://strategiesforspecialinterventions.weebly.com/directed-reading-thinking-
activity-drta.html

Programme for International Student Assessment (2018) “PISA Result 2018” Retrieved from
https://www.oecd.org/pisa/

Wolf, P., Nevils, P. (2004) “Ón the Nature of Reading” Retrieve from
https://www.sagepub.com/sites/default/files/upm-binaries/7086_wolfe_ch_1.pdf