Department of Education

Region IV-B MIMAROPA

Division of Oriental Mindoro
Alternative Learning System
PINAMALAYAN EAST DISTRICT
Pinamalayan

An Educational Research
C.Y. 2014 – 2015

Analysis on the Level of Essay Writing Skills of Selected ALS A&E

Learners in Pinamalayan East District: Basis for an Educational
Intervention in the A&E Program

Conducted by:

Virgilio M. Mandia Jr.

ALS Mobile Teacher III
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I. ABSTRACT

ALS Learners’ Level on Essay Writing

Learning to write is uniquely challenging. Writing requires

the mastery and concurrent use of a complex array of language
skills, from vocabulary and spelling to the ability to organize
and convey ideas. Indeed, the complexities of writing make it one
of the highest forms of human expression.

Essay writings skills of an Alternative Learning System

learner are one of the abilities being measured during the
Accreditation and Equivalency Test. This skill is included as one
of the major indicators of functionally literate in the ALS
Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Curriculum Framework. Within
this framework are the five interrelated learning strands such as
communication skills, problem solving and critical thinking,
sustainable use of resources, development of self and sense of
community and expanding one’s world vision.

Focusing on the communication skills, this strand composes

listening, speaking, reading, and writing from print and
electronic media. A learner must; clearly express ideas and
feelings orally and non-verbally, read, comprehend and respond to
ideas presented, and ability to access, process and utilize
available information.

Based on assessment, the primary reason of ALS learners in

failing A&E test is the inability to write an essay. The
capability to express ideas through writing seems to be the most
difficult problem of an out-of-school youth or adult. Learners
prefer to communicate through speaking rather than written. This
issue must be addressed gradually to achieve the desirable
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percentage of passing rate on the ALS A&E test in the district

and division level.

II. INTRODUCTION

Writing is one of the basic skills needed to be developed to

an individual to become functionally literate. The difficulty
faced by some learners has in mastering the technical skill of
proper referencing is often rooted in weak essay-writing skills.
Learners who lack confidence (or who have poor essay-writing
skills) may find the expectations of proper referencing
frightening when applied to their writing process. They
experience a credibility gap, finding it hard to believe you
expect them to acknowledge every source -- that would mean
everything in their paper would be referenced. This attribute is
premised on a profound lack of self-confidence and bewilderment
as to how to develop their ideas in an essay. Most of them were
distressed when pointed out that they had to acknowledge their
sources. Lack of confidence and the skills to develop their own
analysis or argument deliberately retreat to plagiarism in the
desperate and naive belief that other people's ideas will be
mistaken for their own argument.

ALS learners are adults. They have fruitful experiences

which are usually express in verbal conversations. They have
doubts of writing these experiences because of the anxiety of
having misspelled words, grammatically incorrect sentences and
unrelated ideas. In most crucial consequence, the lack of self –
confidence and inability to write can lead to fear of writing
(graphophobia).

Empathizing the out-of-school youth and adult (OSYA) who

left school for several years, it would be very difficult for
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them to immediately cope up with the teaching and learning

environment. OSYA learners are not the same as school-based
students. They differ in many significant ways. Differences such
as adults: (a) bring a wealth of experiences to their learning,
(b) needs to know the relevance of the learning before
undertaking to learn it, (c) have a developed self-concept, (d)
are life-centered in their orientation to learning, (e) have
their own individual learning styles,(f) the most powerful
motivators for adults are personal.

Every learner has distinctive way of learning how to write

an essay. An effective learning support system that allows for
different learning styles and provide a wide range of
opportunities and learning methods so that everyone has access to
the type of learning that suits them.

It is in the context of this action research was undertaken,

that is, to identify the level of essay writing skills of ALS
learners. Elaborate the factors affecting the writing skills of
the respondents. It also intends to gather strategies and best
practices in improving their ability to write.

III. RESEARCH PROBLEM

Low level essay writing skills of ALS learners is the major

reason of failing the ALS Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E)
Test. The test measures a test taker’s knowledge and competence
in life skills and functional literacy. It is consisted of five
subtests congruent to the learning strands of ALS curriculum
framework. The scores on the test are reported as follows:
Percent Correct (PC), Standard Score (SS), Percentile Rank (PR),
and Essay Rating.
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Rating for essay is indicated in scale of one (1) to five

(5). A test taker is considered to have passed if the Standard
Score (SS) is at least 100 and the rating for Essay is at least 2
(or) the SS is 95 – 99 and the rating for Essay is 3 or 4. Based
on this interpretation of scores, it is therefore indeed that the
level of essay writing skill of a learner who will take the exam
or the test taker must be developed/ enhanced to be able to pass
the test and be recognized of having the competencies comparable
to that of a high school graduate in the formal school system.

Possible Causes of Poor Writing Skill of Selected ALS Learner in

Pinamalayan East District for the Calendar Year 2014-2015.

Poor essay writing skills is considered as one of the

problems of an individual. A formal school student, drop-out or
OSYA, ALS learner encounters this difficulty.

Referring on ALS learners’ portfolio of assessment, we can

clearly identify the factors affecting and some hindering aspects
of their personal and living lifestyle.

Based on interviews and researches conducted by the Bureau

of Alternative Learning System, it was identified that the
complex web of social relationships learners experience with
peers, adults in the school, and family members—exerts a much
greater influence on their behaviour than researchers had
previously assumed. This process starts with learners' core
relationships with parents or primary caregivers in their lives,
which form a personality that is either secure and attached or
insecure and unattached. Securely attached children typically
behave better in school (Blair et al., 2008). Once learners are
in school, the dual factors of socialization and social status
contribute significantly to behaviour. The school socialization
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process typically pressures learners to be like their peers or

risk social rejection, whereas the quest for high social status
drives learners to attempt to differentiate themselves in some
areas—sports, personal style, sense of humour, or street skills,
for example.

Socioeconomic status forms a huge part of this equation.

Children raised in poverty rarely choose to behave differently,
but they are faced daily with overwhelming challenges that
affluent children never have to confront, and their brains have
adapted to suboptimal conditions in ways that undermine good
school performance. Let's revisit the most significant risk
factors affecting children raised in poverty, which is discussed
in Chapter 1 of Teaching with Poverty in Mind by Eric Jensen(the
word EACH is a handy mnemonic): Emotional and Social Challenges,
Acute and Chronic Stressors, Cognitive Lags, and Health and
Safety Issues.

Combined, these factors present an extraordinary challenge

to academic and social success. This reality does not mean that
success in school or life is impossible. On the contrary, a
better understanding of these challenges points to actions
educators can take to help their less-advantaged students
succeed.

IV. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

This action research aims to identify the level of essay

writing skills of ALS learners in Pinamalayan East District in
particular. Elaborate the factors affecting the writing skills of
the respondents. One of the objectives is to gather strategies
and best practices as well as formulate interventions in order to
enhance the writing skills of selected ALS learners in
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Pinamalayan East District to become functionally literate and be

able to pass the 2015-2016 A&E test.

1. Using a rubric, the level of essay writing skill of ALS

learner was assessed.

2. What are the factors affecting the level of essay writing

skill of ALS Learner?
a. Emotional and Social Challenges
a.1. I am poor, I am not capable of doing things.
a.2. My parents don’t care with my studies.
a.3. I feel nervous during essay writing.
a.4. I have problem on my penmanship.
a.5. I am intimidated with my intelligent co-learner.

a. Acute and Chronic Stressors

b.1. Family
b.2. Peers
b.3. Poverty
b.4. Traumatic Experience in School
b.5. Community

b. Cognitive Lags
c.1. I can memorize word, phrase and sentence.
c.2. I find difficulties in using some Tagalog words.
c.3. I can read in Pilipino and English.
c.4. I can express my ideas and opinions.
c.5. I can write sentences in Pilipino and English.

c. Health and Safety Issues

d.1. I am a Person With Disability (PWD.
d.2. I take meals regularly.
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d.3. I am born premature.

d.4. I always feel dizzy and tardy.
d.5. I smoke and drink liquor.

3. What strategies can be proposed to improve level of essay

writing skill among ALS learners?

V. SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study was limited to the level of essay writing skill

of selected ALS Learners for calendar year 2014. Five (5)
learners each from four (4) ALS Community Learning Centers (CLC)
respectively from; Wawa CLC, Cacawan CLC, Zone I CLC and
Lumambayan ES CLC, are the respondents of this research. All in
all, 20 respondents were asked to accomplish a questionnaire for
the purpose.

VI. METHODOLOGY

This study used the descriptive survey method. A

questionnaire was used to determine the level of essay writing
skills where they rated using rubric and questionnaire.

All the data gathered from the respondents were organized,

tallied, tabulated and presented in a series of tables and
graphs. Frequency counts, percentage weight values and weighted
mean were used in the analysis and interpretation of data.

The respondents were asked to write an essay based on the

titles they randomly chosen. The essay was scored using the
rubric. While the responses of the learners on the questionnaire
were analyzed using a 5-point Likert Scale with the following
equivalent:
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1 -Never
2 -Rarely
3 -Sometimes
4 -Very Often
5 -Always

It is be to be noted that the questionnaire given to the

respondents were explained well in order for them to understand
better what they were answering, thus, giving more chances of
accurate responses.

The rounding of figures was done to signify classification

of responses. The measure of central tendency specifically the
mean was used to determine the average value of response or
response average of the pupils.

VII. FINDINGS
1. Level of Essay Writing Skill of ALS Learners

Table 1
SUMMARY OF ESSAY RUBRIC SCORES
LEARNER 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Total Average Description
CONTENT
1. Relevance 3 2 2 4 3 3 4 2 3 4 3 2 3 3 4 3 3 3 2 2 58 2.9 Fair
2. Unity 2 2 2 4 2 2 3 2 4 4 2 2 2 2 3 2 4 2 2 2 50 2.5 Fair
3. Evidence 2 1 1 3 2 2 3 1 4 3 2 1 2 2 3 2 4 2 1 1 42 2.1 Needs Improvement
4. Organization 1 2 2 3 2 1 2 2 4 3 1 2 2 1 2 1 4 2 2 2 41 2.05 Needs Improvement
5. Balance 1 2 2 3 3 1 3 2 3 3 1 2 3 1 3 1 3 3 2 2 44 2.2 Needs Improvement
6. Originality 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 3 2 2 2 2 3 2 3 3 47 2.35 Needs Improvement
MECHANICS
1. Fluency 2 2 3 3 2 2 3 2 3 3 2 2 2 2 3 2 3 2 2 3 48 2.4 Needs Improvement
2. Grammar 2 2 3 2 3 2 3 2 3 3 2 2 3 2 2 2 2 2 2 3 47 2.35 Needs Improvement
3. Spelling 3 1 4 4 3 2 4 1 4 4 3 1 3 2 4 3 4 4 1 4 59 2.95 Fair
4. Capitalization 5 5 4 4 3 3 4 5 4 4 5 5 3 3 4 5 4 4 5 4 83 4.15 Good
5. Punctuation 5 4 3 4 3 3 3 4 3 4 5 4 3 3 3 5 3 3 4 3 72 3.6 Good
6. Format 4 2 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 4 3 3 2 3 58 2.9 Fair
7. Length 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 3 2 2 3 3 3 2 3 47 2.35 Needs Improvement
TOTAL 34 29 33 42 34 28 39 29 44 43 33 30 34 28 38 35 43 35 30 35
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Graph 1

CONTENT

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2.5 2.35
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Graph 2

MECHANICS

2.4 2.35 2.95 4.15 3.6 2.9 2.35

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Table 1 is the tabulation of the scores of essays

written by the respondents. It is consisted of two main
areas being measured in scoring an essay: content and
mechanics.
Graph 1 represents the graphical presentation of the
contents of the respondent’s essay. Organization with a
mean of 2.05 (needs improvement) indicates that the
learners cannot logically organized the ideas. Evidence
with 2.1 (needs improvement) shows that the learners do
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not have adequate supporting details on the topic. Balance

with 2.2 (needs improvement) sections of the paragraph is
imbalance, missing one of these parts: introductory,
middle and concluding sections. Originality with 2.35
(needs improvement) specifies that the essay does not show
originality. Unity with 2.5 (fair) implies that all the
ideas contribute to one central theme/topic. Relevance
with 2.9 illustrates that the essay specifies the topic.
Graph 2 represents the graphical presentation of the
mechanics of the respondent’s essay. Grammar and length
same mean as 2.35 (needs improvement) indicates that the
learners have problems on composing grammatically correct
sentence and do not meet the quantity of
sentences/paragraph prescribed. Fluency with 2.4 (needs
improvement) shows that the learners find difficulties in
stating clear and complete sentences. Format with 2.9
(fair) symbolizes that the most of the learners have
knowledge on the proper use of margins, indentions and
spacing. Spelling with 2.95 (fair) denotes that only few
learners have misspelled words. Punctuation with 3.6
(good) specifies that the learners used use punctuation
marks appropriately. Capitalization with 4.15 (good)
implies that the learners know the proper usage of
capitalization.

2. Factors affecting the level (needs improvement, fair,

good) of essay writing skill of ALS Learners:
Table 2

Factors Affecting Level (needs improvement, fair, good)of

Essay Writing Skill of selected ALS Learners
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A. Emotional and Social Challenges

1. I am poor I am not capable of doing 2.50 Sometimes

things.

2. My parents don’t care with my 1.98 Rarely

studies.

3. I feel nervous during essay writing. 3.7 Very Often

4. I have problem on my penmanship. 2 Rarely

5. I am intimidated with my intelligent 2 Rarely

co-learner.

B. Acute and Chronic Stressors

1. Family 2.6 Sometimes

2. Peers 2.6 Sometimes

3. Poverty 3.9 Very Often

4. Traumatic Experience in School 4.6 Always

5. Community 3.75 Very Often

C. Cognitive Lags

1. I can memorize word, phrase and 3.1 Sometimes

sentence.

2. I find difficulties in using some 3 Sometimes

Tagalog words.

3. I can read in Pilipino and English. 2.4 Rarely

4. I can express my ideas and opinions 2.4 Rarely

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in written.

5. I can express my ideas and opinions 2.7 Sometimes

in verbal.

D. Health and Safety Issues

1. I am a Person With Disability (PWD. 1 Never

2. I take meals regularly. 3.2 Sometimes

3. I am sick. 3.75 Very Often

4. I always feel dizzy and tardy. 3.75 Very Often

5. I smoke and drink liquor. 2.75 Sometimes

Emotional and Social Challenges

Lack of confidence is the major reason of ALS learners

that affects them in writing quality as expressed in Table
2. The learners feel nervous while writing essay as implied
with a mean of 3.7 or very often. They are also distress
with poverty saying that being a poor they were incapable of
doing things. On the other hand only few, agreed that their
parents don’t care with their studies with mean of 1.98.
Same as, they are not intimidated with their intelligent co-
learners and are not affected of their penmanship problems
having similar mean of 2 or rarely.

Acute and Chronic Stressors

Most of the learners expressed that the common
stressors that always affects them is the traumatic
experience in school 4.6, very often the community and
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poverty upset them while sometimes their family and peers

followed by family and peers with same mean of 2.6,

Cognitive Lags

Learners identified themselves that sometimes they have

cognitive lags in memorizing word, phrase, and sentences
with mean of 3.1; troubles in expressing ideas and opinions
through written format. While they rarely experience
complications in expressing ideas verbally with mean of 2.7,
same as problems in reading Filipino, specifically English.

Health and Safety Issues

None of the learners belongs to Persons With Disability
(PWD) with a mean of 1. They sometimes experience irregular
meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) with a mean of 3.2. Some of
them smokes and drinks liquor. Most of the time, learners
were sick, dizzy and tardy with a mean of 3.75.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the data gathered, the level of essay writing

skills of selected ALS Learners in Pinamalayan East District is
below average. As manifested on the result, most of them need
improvement in conceptualizing content of an essay specifically
in categories of evidence, organization, balance and originality.
On the other hand, fluency, grammar and length are the common
loop holes in following essay mechanics.
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Contributing factors were also identified. Emotional and

Social Challenges, Acute and Chronic Stressors, Cognitive Lags,
and Health and Safety Issues, these influence the ability and
focus of the respondents in writing an essay (hardly stressed on
the traumatic experience in school).

The proper way to deal with such a deficit is first to

understand learners' behavior and then to lay out clear
behavioural expectations without sarcasm or resentment.
Understand that they were raised in poverty are more likely to
display

 "Acting-out” behaviors.
 Impatience and impulsivity.
 Gaps in politeness and social graces.
 A more limited range of behavioral responses.
 Inappropriate emotional responses.
 Less empathy for others' misfortunes.

What all learners do bring to school are three strong

"relational” forces that drive their school behaviors (Harris,
2006):

1. The drive for reliable relationships. Learners want the

safety of a primary safe and reliable relationship. Students
would prefer parents, positive friends, and teachers, but
they'd take an "iffy” friend if no one else were available.
The relationships that Implementers build with learners form
the single strongest access to learner goals, socialization,
motivation, and academic performance. For your school to
foster high achievement, every learner will need a reliable
partner or mentor.
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2. The strengthening of peer socialization. Socialization is

the drive for acceptance that encourages learners to imitate
their peers and join groups, from clubs to cliques to gangs.
Learners want to belong somewhere. Evidence suggests that it
is peers, not parents, who have the greatest influence on
school-age learners (Harris, 1998). If the school aims to
improve learners’ achievement, academic success must be
culturally acceptable among them.
3. The quest for importance and social status. This is the
quest to feel special. Learners compete for attention and
social elevation by choosing roles that will distinguish
them (e.g., athlete, comedian, storyteller, gang leader,
scholar, or style maverick). Every learner will need to feel
like the "status hunt” can just as well lead to better
performance as better behaviors.

Each of these forces shapes behaviors in significant

ways. Schools that succeed use a combination of formal and
informal strategies to influence these three domains.
Informally, implementers can incorporate classroom
strategies that build relationships and strengthen peer
acceptance and social skills in class. This is a fair
warning to all administrators: do not dismiss the so-called
"soft side” of learners' lives, the social side. It runs
their brains, their feelings, and their behaviors—and those
three run cognition! There is a complex interplay between
cognition and emotions. When learners feel socialized and
accepted, they perform better academically. However, pushing
learners harder and harder into performing well academically
may conflict with social/relational success. It will hit a
test score ceiling until students' emotional and social
lives are include in the school "makeover.” These three of
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the relational forces must be properly addressed for the

benefit of ALS learners.

VIII. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

What strategies can be proposed to improve level of essay

writing skill among ALS learners?

1. Face to face counselling to obliterate the traumatic

experiences suffered by learners in school.
2. Friendly-environment within the community learning centre to
avoid introversion among learners.
3. Trainings and workshop for ALS Implementers on how to teach
writing an essay.
4. Innovations by using supplementary learning materials such
as video clips, radio scripts, magazines, electronic modules
will be adapted to motivate learners and develop their
critical thinking.
5. Successful stories of ALS learners to inspire them.
6. Guardian/Parent-Implementer Association and conduct meetings
for collaborations for better improvement of learners.

IX. PLAN OF ACTIONS

OBJECTIVES
1. To conduct face to face counselling to obliterate the
traumatic experiences suffered by learners in school.
2. To create a friendly-environment within the community
learning centre to avoid introversion among learners.
3. To provide trainings and workshop for ALS Implementers
on how to teach writing an essay.
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4. To use innovative supplementary learning materials by

using video clips, radio scripts, magazines, electronic
modules will be adapted to motivate learners and
develop their critical thinking.
5. To present successful stories of ALS learners to
inspire them.
6. To organize Guardian/Parent-Implementer Association and
to conduct meetings for collaborations for better
improvement of learners.

X. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Since the result of the ALS’ Accreditation and

Equivalency Test is the main focus of the study in

relation to the writing skills of the ALS Learners in

Pinamalayan East District, the researcher wants to

recommend as it is proposed in the study, to at least

have an Intervention to be conducted by the ALS

Implementers in Pinamalayan East District. Its primary

objective is to widen or enrich the capacity, ability and

writing skills of the different group of learners and to

get better results in the annual conduct of the A&E Test.

This would probably be of great value for the Out-of-

School Youths and Adult Learners to develop their

confidence and interest for the ALS Programs which is an

instrument for them to continue their studies in the next

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higher level of their educational career after the

completion of the program.

Meanwhile, in the context of lifelong learning goals,

DepED officials particularly the Curriculum Planners

could have a good perspective about the significance of

the study and probably create plans, and other programs

for quality outputs to be used not only by the ALS

Implementers of Pinamalayan East District but by the

Division as a whole.

Conducted by:

Mr. Virgilio M. Mandia Jr.

ALS Mobile Teacher/Researcher

Noted by:

AMMAFE D. JARABE, Ed. D.

District Supervisor