Chapter I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

Foreword learning requires reading. Everyone should

learn it throughout their lives. The ability to read allows

us to learn new information and access different

possibilities, ideas and stories. We can collect a lot of

information and use it properly to perform various tasks in

our lives. Reading books regularly increases your knowledge

and improves your intelligence and judgment. One of the

most beautiful pastimes is reading. By reading books, we

learn a lot about people from different parts of the world,

their cultures, traditions, etc. There is a lot to discover

when reading various novels. They are people's closest

friends and have a wealth of knowledge. We learn about all

subjects and topics by reading books. Reading is essential

to academic success and has a great impact on learning.

Researchers have emphasized the need for teaching young

children to read and the benefits of reading. By the end of

primary school, children with reading difficulties are more

likely to perform poorly in secondary school and earn less

in adulthood than their peers. Therefore, the emphasis is on

motivating students to develop reading habits. It is

fundamentally related to the educational process

1
and academic performance of students. Reading teaches

children how to use language to interpret the written word.

Their vocabulary, ability to process information and

comprehension will improve. In class, reading-related

discussions can be used to motivate students to create

meaning and connect concepts from different books. You can

use their knowledge to dispel their skepticism and gain a

deeper understanding of the topic. A student's writing

skills improve by developing good reading habits and

techniques. In today's digital world, people have easy

access to online reading resources. Reading has become

easier thanks to Internet books and e-books in PDF format.

Therefore, everyone should make a habit of reading every day

and make time for it. You eventually get into the habit of

reading and start liking it.

Background of the Study

An individual's recruiting and employment are directly

impacted by his or her reading level, it may improve the

individual's quality of life if it is increased

(Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

[OECD], 2008). Since there is a strong correlation between

literacy and academic accomplishment, one of the most

important objectives for today's educators should be to

equip people with good literacy who can comprehend and

2
challenge what they read. (Grove & Hauptfleisch, 1982;

Moreillan, 2007).

One of the macro-skills that learners need master in

order to succeed in their literacy and academic activities

is reading. The most crucial ability to perfect in order to

guarantee academic success. (Alderson, 2014 in Schwartz,

2015). The inability of the students to read and comprehend

is thought to be the cause of their failure in all other

academic disciplines. Teachers have created a number of

exercises to aid students in improving their reading

abilities.

A child who fails to develop his or her reading skills

at a certain level of education finds reading boring and

difficult to achieve (Mondero, 2009). Children who are not

independent readers by the 7th grade are unlikely to succeed

in the middle grades and beyond, and they will probably find

it difficult to "catch up" with their peers. The child

becomes unfocused, agitated, and submissive as a result of

this phenomena of reading failure. Failure in this area will

therefore hinder his ability to succeed academically in

other content-area disciplines. This might even result in a

bad attitude toward education.

Students find it quite aggravating when they do not

know what they are reading because of this. Seeing their

3
students struggle with reading makes it even more stressful

for teachers. Teachers should constantly assess students'

comprehension throughout the required readings because when

students struggle with comprehension, they frequently lose

interest in reading further.

The ability to read is crucial for ensuring that

students are literate in many subject areas. It is crucial

that a student comprehends and remembers the material they

are reading. When a teacher notices that one or more of her

students are having difficulties with their reading

abilities, she must come up with and put into practice

solutions to assist them feel less frustrated.

Reading was included among the core subjects of the

basic education curriculum in the Philippine educational

system. Due to pupils' subpar reading abilities both

domestically and internationally, the quality of Philippine

education has been heavily questioned during the past ten

years. A Filipino youngster has to acquire functional

reading and higher order thinking skills. It goes without

saying that any Filipino child with adequate reading

abilities would have a higher chance of succeeding in school

than a youngster with bad reading abilities. Those with weak

reading abilities are frequently diagnosed with reading

disabilities when properly examined.

4
 Republic Act No. 9155 (RA No. 9155), otherwise known as

the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001, mandates the

Department of Education (DepEd) to formulate national

educational policies to improve the delivery of its services

and achieve basic education outcomes. In line with this,

DepEd implemented Republic Act No. 10533 (RA No. 10533)

entitled “Enhanced Basic Education Act”, also known as the K

to 12 Program, which aims to equip Filipino learners with

skills and competencies that address the demands of the 21st

Century. (www.deped.gov.ph)

As part of the Quality Basic Education reform plan and

a move toward internationalizing Philippine basic education,

the Philippines signed up for the Organization for Economic

Co-operation and Development's (OECD) Program for

International Student Assessment (PISA) in 2018. The

Philippines scored 353 in mathematics, 357 in science, and

340 in reading in the 2018 PISA, which was released on

December 3, 2019, falling short of the average of

participating OECD nations. (www.deped.gov.ph)

These kinds of concerns led the researchers to perform

research on improving reading skills. With the help of this

study, it is hoped that curriculum designers,

administrators, and instructors would be able to conduct a

more thorough assessment of the current curriculum, evaluate

5
the reading materials being utilized, and develop techniques

to support

struggling readers.

Conceptual Framework

The researchers primarily intend to improve the reading

skills of the grade 7 students in Sanlibo National High

School using peer tutoring technique. The main problem is

deemed the driving force all throughout this study. The

first step in the research design is the input that will

involve taking information from respondents. There are

different classifications for this information, namely:

respondents’ profile and the current level of their reading

skills.

There will be adequate data collected to move forward

with the project. A pretest will be administered to Grade 7

students at Sanlibo National High School by researchers. The

reading materials were carefully created to adapt to the

information the researchers wanted, and after the pretest,

the researchers will determine whether the students are slow

readers or non-readers. To get at the logical conclusion,

the results will be statistically treated. A variety of

recommendations would be made based on the findings, and

they would all be included in the outcome. The outcome of

6
the study would identify if the slow-readers and non-readers

improved.

7
 To illustrate the framework of the study, the paradigm

below is an elaboration of these concepts.

Input Process Output

A. Respondent’s profile Use of reading materials. Improvement of reading
* Sex Assistance by the skills of the slow readers
researchers/intervention. and non-readers of
* Age Grade 7 students at
Data analysis Sanlibo National High
* Year Level
interpretation. School.
B. The result of the
respondents’ pretest
* A+ * B+ * C+
* A- * B - * C-

Figure 1. Research Paradigm

8
Statement of the Problem

The purpose of this study is to improve the reading

skills of the Grade 7 students in Sanlibo National High

School using peer tutoring technique. It aims to answer the

following questions:

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents

in

terms of:

a. Sex

b. Age

c. Year Level

2. What is the level of reading skills of Grade 7

learners before the intervention?

3. What is the level of reading skills of Grade 7

learners after the intervention?

4. Is there a significant difference in the reading

skills of Grade 7 learners before and after the

intervention?

Hypotheses

1. Null Hypothesis (Ho)

9
 There is no significant difference in the reading skills

of Grade 7 learners before and after the intervention.

2. Alternative Hypothesis (Ha)

There is a significant difference in the reading skills

of Grade 7 learners before and after the intervention.

Significance of the Study

The researchers conducted this study to improve the

reading skills of the Grade 7 students in Sanlibo National

High School. Learning is the aspect of development that

connotes modification of behavior, skills, and knowledge

that results from practice and experience which sought for

quality education.

The generalization of this study be a great

contribution to the vast knowledge in relation to student’s

achievements. Vital results of this investigation could be

high significant and beneficial specifically to the

following.

Students - They are the Grade 7 students and the main

concern in this study who are having reading skills

deficiency and helping to enhance their ability and change

their insight. In this study, the findings of this research

10
will help student realize, get inspired and become

beneficial to the students of Sanlibo National High School.

Teachers - This refers to the teachers of Sanlibo National

High School. In this study, teachers’ benefits through the

development of student’s reading skill. As a positive

result, teachers’ problem regarding students’ reading skills

deficiency will be lessened.

Future Researchers - Will be gaining ideas related to this

study. The researchers conclude that the other inadequacy of

this research data will be answered and drawn on your

possible researches related on this study.

School Administrators - Will be gaining insights as to what

intervention appropriate to help both teachers and students’

problem regarding reading skills deficiency.

Scope and Delimitation

This study is interested on the possible intervention

to lessen students had reading skills deficiency. This

research study is limited only on Grade 7 students of school

year 2022-2023. The result of the study may also be a basis

for other similar study.

Definition of Terms

11
Reading - the action or skill of reading written or printed
matter silently or aloud.
Students - the main focus and beneficiaries of the study.
Reading Materials - Anything produced for the purpose of

being read.

Improvement - the act or process of improving.

Comprehension - the action or capability of understanding

something.

Vocabulary - the words we must understand to communicate

effectively.

12
 CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Foreign Literature

There are a lot of problems encountered by EFL students

in reading text. Most students face difficulty in words

recognition, knowledge of words, phrases, paragraphs and

text (Hamra & Syatriana, 2010), they encounter ambiguous

words, unfamiliar vocabulary, and limited available time to

process the text cognitively (Qarqez & Ab Rashid, 2017) and

they found it difficult to recall the information they just

read (Shehu, 2015). These problems prevent students to

understand the reading text comprehensively. It indicates

that creating mental pictures help them to read and

comprehend the text. Shehu (2015) stated that the

implemented strategies and deep cognitive activities

embedded in the process are able to increase the students'

reading performance. Specifically, students face a great

obstacle to read a text when they are not familiar with the

words or the vocabulary of the passage which prevent them to

13
decode the message in the text. Shehu (2015) also agreed

that one of the problems encountered by students in reading

the text is lack of vocabulary. Rich & Blake (1994) stated

that limited vocabulary prevents students to read abstract

concepts.

Reading is a crucial component of second language

acquisition. As a core part of language learning it is,

obviously, not an effortless process. Students often

complain of not reading a text, therefore they fail in

answering to the comprehensive questions. Unfortunately,

this is a reality evidenced and proven from unsatisfactory

results of students in English Language Matura Exam in

Albanian high schools (as these students have been the

objective of this study). In this context it is very

important to reveal why do students have difficulties in

reading a text. At first, it is necessary to detect the

problems that generally appear along this process. In this

context, focus should be given to questionnaires as their

results are good detectors of problems encountered by

students. This would direct us to a proper strategy for

problem solving and improving the situation.

The basis for the authors who wish to write the

textbooks for bachelor level students. The study focuses

only on exploring the challenge faced by bachelor level

14
students in reading the textbooks ‘Readings for the New

Horizons’ but does not explore the solutions to the

challenges faced by the students. The study was conned to 15

students who are studying English as a major subject in B.

Ed. second year at a constituent campus of Banke district.

The data was collected

using unstructured interview only. Review of Literature In

informal conversations with me, many of my colleagues

expressed that the students neither have the habit of

reading nor do they like to read. My own experience of

reading textbooks was not memorable and pleasant when I was

a student. Due to lack of reading habits, students’ reading

ability and comprehension of the reading text is poor in

Nepal (Tiwari, 2022).

In addition to this, there are many challenges which

students face while reading the textbook. Some of these

challenges, based on my experience, may include weak word

recognition skills, inadequate knowledge sources, gap

between readers’ background knowledge of the reading texts

and application of ineffective reading strategies. As

mentioned by Strong et al. (2014), students often face six

different challenges in academic reading. The first one is

text structure. Regarding the text structure, they write

“Often, the overriding pattern used to arrange the part-to

15
whole or big-idea-to-subtopic relationships is invisible to

students. Lacking a big picture to work from makes it

unlikely that students will be able to extract the essential

information from their reading (p. 55)”. Similarly, the

second challenge in reading the text is information

overload. The textbooks contain various facts, old as well

as new concepts, names,

charts and so on as contents. Students need to remember all

of these things. If these things are not memorized, students

will not be able to pass the exam. It is difficult to

remember

all these things. The third challenge is the “authority” of

the textbook. Almost all the students agree that the

contents or subject matter and writing styles of the reading

texts are really big obstacles for reading. Among many

challenges, one of the challenges is unfamiliarity with the

vocabulary included in the textbooks. Hirsh and Nation

(1992) in this context state, a reader should be familiar

with 95% of the words of the reading texts in order to

understand the texts in detail. But these graduate students

are unfamiliar with many of the words included in the

textbook. So it is difficult for the students to read and

comprehend the reading texts included in the course books.

16
The main reason for their dislike of reading is due to

unfamiliar vocabulary which they encounter while reading the

textbooks. Textbooks contain many words that students do not

know. If there are unfamiliar words in the textbook, it will

be difficult for the student to read and comprehend the

texts. Apart from this, the cultural words used in the

textbook make readers difficult in comprehending the text.

In a similar manner, Shehu (2015) has identified four

general problems faced in reading. The first of the

challenges he mentioned was the challenge of vocabulary.

Readers cannot comprehend the texts if the words used in

texts are unfamiliar and difficult for the student. So,

unfamiliar vocabulary is taken as one of the major

challenges by the students. The second challenge he

mentioned is working memory.

Reading textbooks written in second or foreign language

is considered more challenging than written in reader’s

mother tongue. If the textbooks are written considering the

level of the students, they read and comprehend the texts

without extra effort. With this in mind, the study tries to

explore the challenges faced by the bachelor level second

year students while reading the textbook ‘Readings for the

New Horizons’. The participants of this descriptive

phenomenological study consisted of 15 students studying

17
specialization English in Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.)

second year. I employed purposive sampling to select the

participants and unstructured interview to collect the data.

The collected data was transcribed and findings of the study

were presented and analyzed employing descriptive techniques

of qualitative data analysis. The findings revealed that

students consider unfamiliar words as the major challenge

followed by length of the reading texts, less proficient in

English, sentence structure, content included in the

textbook, number of lessons or reading texts incorporated in

the textbook and lack of reading habits. The teachers need

to involve students in intensive reading to overcome the

challenges and to develop the habit of reading texts written

in second language.

Local Literature

Differentiated instruction has been a buzz word in

Philippine education for many years. Educators utilize

differentiated approach in teaching to maximize and meet the

expected learning outcomes. Previous study pointed out that

students vary in terms of learning style and understanding

the concept. This study aims to identify the role of

differentiated instruction in teaching reading and promoting

18
comprehension in basic education. This paper looked at four

differentiated instructional strategies for teaching guided

reading: Noting details, sequencing events, getting the main

idea and predicting outcomes. Moreover, it seeks to

determine the multiple intelligence profile and the

performance in reading comprehension of the students. It

also determines whether a significant correlation exists

between the profile and the performance of the students.

Data were generated using adapted multiple intelligence

inventory instruments and written passages, prescribed

curriculum by the Department of

Education. The data obtained were analyzed using weighted

mean, standard deviation, and chi-square. The findings

revealed that students learned from all aspects of

intelligence they have, no matter what the situation is.

This was so intriguing because it was known that every

individual has different learning intelligence.

Pedagogically, the findings recommended that educators need

to innovate to help meet the needs of diverse learners,

enriched reading activities, and differentiated instructions

must be integrated to strengthen learner competence in basic

reading comprehension. The surprising finding is that,

though students learn differently, there are also some

learning contexts, which students shared with the same

19
entity. Therefore, teachers must recognize that students

have different versions of learning. Reading skills and

dimension of Comprehensions Reading skills and dimension of

Comprehensions. Multiple Intelligence Profile of the

Respondents Multiple Intelligence Profile of the

Respondents. Performance of the Respondents in Reading

Comprehension Performance of the Respondents in Reading. The

problem of reading is more seriously felt in the Philippines

where reading is taught in a foreign language which is also

the medium of instruction. Rodil cited the findings of the

Swanson

Committee that reading is one of the subjects in which much

of the weaknesses of the Filipino students are found.

Reading is one of the competencies that every student

has to be developed. However, there are still students who

are below the proficiency level of reading despite the

reading instructions and strategies provided by the teachers

for the improvement of students’ reading skills. This

quantitative study employed the descriptive comparative

research design. It aimed to profile the level of reading

comprehension of the 124 Education students enrolled during

the first semester of the academic year 2017-2018 in one of

20
the catholic universities in Davao City. A validated

adapted-but-modified test questionnaire was used to

determine the level of reading comprehension of the

Education students. Moreover, it sought to determine the

significant difference in the level of reading comprehension

of the students when analyzed according to sex and year

level. The mean, t-test, and standard deviation were the

statistical tools used in this study. The results of the

gathered data revealed that the overall reading

comprehension of the Education students is Satisfactory with

a descriptive level of Moderate. This means that the

students can understand difficult reading texts under

literal, interpretive, evaluative, and creative levels with

less supervision. Consequently, the respondents’ year level

bear a significant difference when grouped accordingly.

However, when grouped according to sex, the results show

that it did

not establish any significant difference.

Foreign Studies
This study aims to describe the improvement of

elementary school students’ reading comprehension skills

through blended learning. The population in this study was

all fifth grades students of an international school in

Serpong, Tangerang. Using a purposive sampling technique, in

21
total 20 foreign students were involved as a sample in this

study. Data were collected using tests and observations and

then analyzed using the N-Gain test to see the improvement

of students’ reading comprehension skills. Descriptive

analysis was also performed to see students’ activities

during the learning process. The results showed that the

average students’ scores on pretest and post-test increased

by 28 points with an average gain of n-gain of 0.84 in a

high category. During the learning process, students also

looked happy and enthusiastic in learning Indonesian.

Learning Indonesian through blended learning was shown to

improve the reading comprehension skills of foreign

students. Therefore, blended learning can be used an

alternative for solving the problem of limited time and the

amount of materials that must be learned, thus giving a

positive impact on the reading comprehension skills of

foreign students learning Indonesian.

In the 21st century, students’ literacy skills are

closely related to the demands of reading skills, which lead

to the ability to understand information analytically,

critically, and creatively. However, learning in schools

lacks this realization. The results of policy research

funded by the Ministry of Education and Culture showed that

children's reading skills in Indonesia were relatively low

22
(Faizah et al., 2016). In this case, the results of the

study signified that the Indonesian language proficiency of

elementary school students was placed in a moderate to low

category. On that basis, the students’ achievement on

reading skills was reported to be low (Kurniawan & Slamet,

2016). Even though, reading has an important role in life.

Reading skills are unique, and act as the main communication

tool for human life. Such skills also play an essential role

in the development of science (Iskandarwassid & Sunendar,

2011); (Danče, 2010). On the other hand, reading skills

become unique because not everyone can use the skills to

promote oneself or internalize it as a culture. Not

surprisingly, reading skills function as the main

communication tool and become an effective and efficient

medium of communication. Likewise, reading plays an

important role in the development of science, because the

largest percentage of knowledge transfer comes from reading

(Salaberry, 2001). Over recent decades, the

results of research have shown that someone who has reading

skills will be able to think logically, because reading has

a logical and linguistic element (Murtono, 2015); (Purcell-

Gates, Duke, & Stouffer, 2016). Meanwhile, it is not easy

for elementary school students in general to well understand

the contents of reading. According to Fuzidri (2014), the

three problems that often arise in students’ learning to

23
read are as follows: 1) there is a lack of student interest,

motivation and seriousness; 2) the reading material used by

the teacher is less attractive so it does not foster Olifia

Rombot, Endry Boeriswati, M. Atwi Suparman, Improving

Reading Comprehension Skills… 58 Al Ibtida: Jurnal

Pendidikan Guru MI, Vol. 7 No.1, June 2020 student interest;

3) the learning model used by the teacher is less effective,

less interesting, and does not motivate students to read.

The problems in reading comprehension are also experienced

by students in learning a second language. Foreign students

studying Indonesian, abbreviated as BIPA (Bahasa Indonesia

bagi Penutur Asing), experience the same problems in reading

comprehension. It is because second language learning is not

a simple process. As foreign students learn Indonesian in

Indonesia, the learning situation becomes a second language

learning situation. Whereas if their learning of Indonesian

is done in their own country, the learning situation becomes

a foreign language learning situation (Muliastuti, 2017).

Foreign students who learn Indonesian in Indonesia will

receive various inputs from the Indonesian community. For

them, the native speaker environment is very important for

the development of these language skills (Patricia & Amanto,

2010). Basically, the process of acquiring first language

(L1) and second language (L2) is not substantially

different. It involves three competencies, namely semantic

competence, syntactic competence, and phonological

24
competence. These three competencies are the core of

linguistic competencies (Endorat, 2014). Children who learn

a second language at the age of 6 years get benefit in the

aspect of phonology. They can speak the words of the second

language almost the same to native speakers. However,

grammatical errors still occur when they create sentences

with a more complex structure. While adults tend to get

benefit in morphological and syntactic aspects (Suyitno,

2007). The second language will be complicated to learn if

the learner does not have adequate supporting factors. As

mentioned by Chaer (2009), there are five determinant

factors in second language learning, namely: a) motivation;

b) age; c) formal presentation; d) first language; e)

environment. Children aged two to 13 years will find it

easier to learn a second language than children whose age is

above 13 years. Among those think that children have

advantages in learning because of the theory of CPH

(Critical Period Hypothesis). The argument is that children

are superior to adults in second language learning because

their brains are still flexible (Lenneberg, 1967). On the

other hand, the lack of word recognition and word meaning

also becomes a problem in reading.

Local Studies

25
 Cebu Children of Hope School (CCHS) educates children

of all ages prior to the high school educational level. Our

dedicated approach to academic development is one of the

primary reasons we are able to place older children

successfully in adoptive homes. It allows children to arrive

in new schools at, or closer to, their age-appropriate

level. We have even had children excel at a national testing

level. Our curriculum is English-based and CCHS operates

with three academic levels. Advancement into a new level is

based more around mastery of content than age or peer

cohort. Our students are excited about school and their

relationships with teachers extend beyond the classroom

walls with many teachers attending special life events like

birthday parties. Because of the unique needs of our

children, the student- teacher ratio is about 5:1. The

opportunity for CSC to develop a school is an amazing story

and you can read about it here if you'd like. We are very

blessed to be able to equip our

children with high quality education. CCHS is licensed by

the Philippine Department of Education. School Origin In the

early years of our work we had to rely on public schools to

educate our children. This didn't work well. Class sizes

averaged 50 students and the educational system wasn't

geared to the needs and challenges of the children we serve.

26
We noticed many of our kids slipping through the cracks.

Even just getting everyone to the right school and back home

again was a logistical nightmare. We saw the need for our

own school. Abstract: This study aimed to assess the

listening and reading comprehension proficiency of the

public elementary and high school teachers in Cebu,

Philippines. The descriptive research design, simple

frequency counts and percentage distributions were used in

this research. Four hundred public school teachers in the

Province of Cebu Philippines were the respondents of this

research: two hundred teachers from the elementary and two

hundred from high school. A teacher-made test was used to

assess the listening and reading comprehension proficiency

of the teachers. The highest percentage of scores of

teachers from both elementary and high school belong to the

above average level of proficiency

in the listening comprehension skills. Moreover, in the

reading comprehension skills, the highest percentage of

scores of both elementary and high school teachers fall

under

the above average proficiency. This reveals that the

teachers have the ability to process reading or listening

text, understand its meaning, follow the organization of the

passage, draw inferences, identify the main idea, determine

27
the author’s purpose, recognize literary devices and

understand the situational mood.

According to Madge Kho, in the article “Status of

Philippine Education system - 2013”, students had low scores

in high school reading test, and the Philippine ranked low

in the international mathematics and science study due to

contributing factors, such as national budget, lack of

structural support and malnutrition. The lack of structural

support was inadequacy in the number of books, classrooms,

school materials, educators, and training for teachers.

Malnourished readers. Lastly, in the same article by

Madge Kho, malnutrition of students was seen as a

contributing factor in the poor-quality education in the

Philippines. Children are not learning because of physical

deficiencies caused by lack of food to sustain their health.

CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Methodology
28
 This research paper is a pre-experimental study because

the researchers will attempt to improve the reading skills

of the Grade 7 students in Sanlibo National High School

using peer tutoring technique. In order to collect an

accurate and reliable data, the researchers will get the

official list of all Grade 7 students from their respective

advisers through a letter and also an approval to conduct a

reading pretest that will identify the students’ level of

reading skills.

The instrument utilized by the researchers are reading

materials which is an English and Filipino story. When the

respondents read it, the researchers will identify if the

student is a slow reader or a non-reader.

Research Design

The research design employed in this study is a quasi-

experimental design. Specifically, a pretest-posttest design

was utilized to assess the impact of an intervention program

on the reading skills of Grade 7 students in Sanlibo

National High School during the S.Y. 2022-2023 using peer

reading technique. This design allows for the comparison of

pretest and posttest scores to determine the effectiveness

of the intervention.

Respondents of the Study

29
 The target population for this study comprised all

Grade 7 students in Sanlibo National High School during the

S.Y. 2022-2023. The total population of Grade 7 students was

approximately 93. From this population, a sample of 18

students was selected to participate in the intervention

program and serve as the respondents of the study. These

students were identified based on their initial reading

skills levels and the need for targeted intervention using

peer tutoring technique to improve their reading abilities.

Sampling Design

A purposive sampling technique was utilized to select

the respondents for the study. The selection criteria

included students who exhibited reading difficulties or

lower reading skills levels as determined by a pretest

assessment. From the total population of Grade 7 students,

18 students were purposefully chosen to participate in the

intervention program using peer tutoring technique. This

sampling design ensured that the sample consisted of

students who would benefit the most from the intervention

and aligned with the objectives of the study.

Data Gathering Instruments

The data gathering instruments used in this study

included the following:

30
1. Pretest and Posttest: A standardized reading assessment

tool was administered to measure the reading skills of the

Grade 7 students. The test consisted of passages in both

English and Filipino languages. The scores obtained from the

pretest and posttest were used to assess the progress in

reading skills before and after the intervention using peer

tutoring technique.

2. Questionnaires: Questionnaires were distributed to the

respondents to gather demographic information such as gender

and age. Additionally, the questionnaires included items

related to the students' reading habits and interests about

reading.

Content Validation of Instrument

The content validation of the data gathering

instruments was conducted by the researchers themselves

using statistical analysis software, specifically SPSS

(Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). While the

researchers did not engage external experts for content

validation, they utilized the reliability and validity

analysis features of SPSS to ensure the robustness and

quality of the instruments.

Using SPSS, the researchers conducted various analyses

to assess the content validity of the pretest, posttest, and

questionnaires.
31
 The researchers carefully reviewed the statistical

outputs generated by SPSS, ensuring that the items within

each instrument exhibited acceptable levels of reliability

and validity. Any items that exhibited poor statistical

properties were revised or eliminated to enhance the overall

quality and validity of the instruments.

Although external experts were not involved in the

content validation process, the use of SPSS allowed the

researchers to employ objective statistical analysis to

assess the instruments' content validity. This approach

helped ensure that the instruments accurately measured the

intended constructs and provided reliable data for the

study.

It is important to note that while the researchers

themselves conducted the content validation, their

familiarity with the instruments, research objectives, and

statistical analysis techniques using SPSS contributed to

the overall rigor and validity of the data gathering

instruments.

Data Gathering Procedure

32
 1. Permission and Approval: The researchers initially

sought permission and approval from the principal of Sanlibo

National High School to conduct the research study. A formal

letter explaining the purpose, objectives, and scope of the

study was submitted, outlining the intention to assess and

improve the reading skills of Grade 7 students.

2. Selection of Reading Materials: The researchers

carefully selected reading materials in both English and

Filipino languages to be used during the data gathering

process. These materials consisted of stories and passages

that were appropriate for Grade 7 students. The reading

materials served as the basis for assessing the students'

reading skills and determining their proficiency levels.

3. Pretest Administration: The pretest phase involved

administering the reading materials to the Grade 7 students.

Each student was individually assessed, and the researchers

determined the student's reading proficiency level using a

scale ranging from A+ to C-. The researchers made use of

gadgets such as cellphones to document evidence of the

students' reading skills.

4. Intervention Program: Based on the results of the

pretest, the researchers identified the students who

required

33
targeted intervention to improve their reading skills using

peer tutoring technique. The intervention program involved

providing additional reading materials, conducting guided

reading sessions, and implementing strategies tailored to

the specific needs of each student. The researchers

monitored the progress of the students throughout the

intervention period.

5. Posttest Administration: Throughout the intervention

program, the researchers closely monitored the progress of

each student. Regular assessments, observations, and

interactions were conducted to track their improvement in

reading skills. As students demonstrated significant

progress and reached a desired proficiency level, they were

released from the intervention program.

6. Data Collection: Throughout the data gathering

procedure, the researchers collected both quantitative and

qualitative data. Quantitative data included the students'

pretest and post-test scores, while qualitative data

comprised observations, notes, and recorded evidence from

the gadgets used. These data sources enabled a comprehensive

analysis of the students' reading skills progression and the

effectiveness of the intervention program.

34
Statistical Treatment of Data

A+ (Excellent Reader) = 47 Learners

A- (Good Reader) = 28 Learners

B+ (Moderate Fast Reader) = 5 Learners

B- (Moderate Slow Reader) = 3 Learners

C+ (Non-Reader – English) = 4 Learners

C- (Non-Reader – English & Filipino) = 6 Learners

35
 Chapter IV

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

Table 1.1: Sex Distribution of Respondents

Out of the 93 students who underwent the pretest, a

subset of 18 students was selected for the intervention to

improve their reading skills using peer tutoring technique.

The sex distribution table shows that out of the 18 students

selected for the intervention to improve their reading

skills, 17 are male and only 1 is female. This indicates a

significant gender imbalance in the selected group, with a

majority of male students being identified as needing

intervention compared to the sole female student.

Table 1.2: Age Distribution of Respondents

The age distribution table indicates that among 18

students selected for the intervention to improve their

36
reading skills, 5 students are 12 years old, 12 students are

13 years old, and 1 student is 17 years old. The age of the

respondents is particularly relevant for the study on

improving reading skills, as it allows for examining the

impact of interventions on students at different stages of

their cognitive and linguistic development.

Table 1.3: Year Level Distribution of Respondents

The year level distribution table indicates that all

respondents in the study are Grade 7 students. This suggests

that the research specifically focuses on effectiveness of

peer tutoring in improving reading skills among Grade 7

students at Sanlibo National High School during the S.Y.

2022-2023. The homogeneous year level distribution enables a

targeted examination of interventions and strategies

tailored to this particular grade level, facilitating a

focused analysis of the impact on reading skills

improvement.

37
Table 2: Level of Reading Skills of Grade 7 Learners Before

Intervention

The table provides a breakdown of the reading skills

levels of Grade 7 learners before the intervention using

peer tutoring technique, presenting the frequency and

percentage of students in each category. The pretest results

reveal that among the selected group of students, there is a

diverse range of reading skills levels. Out of the 18

students, 6 students are categorized as Non-Reader - English

& Filipino (C-), 4 students are Non-Reader - English (C+), 3

students are Moderate Slow Reader (B-), and 5 students are

Moderate Fast Reader (B+). These findings emphasize the

importance of targeted interventions to support students who

are non-readers or have lower proficiency levels, to ensure

comprehensive improvement in reading skills for all

students.

38
 Table 3: Level of Reading Skills of Grade 7 Learners in

their POSTTEST

The posttest results reveal the distribution of reading

skills levels among the 18 students who participated in the

intervention program using peer tutoring technique. Among

these students, there has been significant improvement in

their reading skills levels after the intervention. The

posttest results demonstrate the effectiveness of the

intervention program using peer tutoring technique in

fostering growth and development in the reading skills of

the 18 students. The reduction in the number of Non-Readers,

the progression across different reading skills levels, and

the emergence of Good Readers all signify the positive

impact of the intervention.

39
 Table 4: Comparison of Reading Skills Levels Before and

After Intervention

Based on the Paired Samples Test conducted using SPSS,

with a significance level of .000 (p < .001), we obtained a

p-value that is less than the chosen significance level

(typically .05). This indicates that there is a

statistically significant difference in the reading skills

of Grade 7 learners before and after the intervention.

The obtained p-value of .000 (p < .001) is less than

the chosen significance level, providing strong evidence to

reject the null hypothesis. Therefore, we reject the null

hypothesis and we failed to reject the alternative

hypothesis, which suggests that there is a significant

difference in the reading skills of Grade 7 learners before

and after the intervention.

This result indicates that the intervention using peer

tutoring technique has had a significant impact on the

reading skills of the Grade 7 learners. The Paired Samples

Test demonstrates that there is a notable change in the

reading skills of the students from before to after the

intervention.
40
 Chapter V

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary of Findings

This section presents a summary of the findings

obtained from the analysis of the data, addressing the

specific problems stated in the research. The findings are

objective and based on the analyzed data from the previous

chapters, providing direct answers to the statement of the

problem.

1. Gender Distribution

The analysis of the data revealed a significant gender

disparity among the students selected for the intervention.

Out of the 18 students, 17 were male, and only 1 was female.

This highlights the need for gender-specific considerations

in designing and implementing interventions to ensure

41
equitable opportunities and support for both male and female

students.

2. Age Distribution

The age distribution analysis indicated that among the

selected students, 5 were 12 years old, 12 were 13 years

old, and 1 was 17 years old. These findings emphasize the

importance of tailoring intervention to address the specific

developmental stages and individual differences of students

at different age levels.

3. Pretest Reading Skills Levels

The pretest results demonstrated a diverse range of

reading skills levels among the 18 students. The findings

showed that 6 students were classified as Non-Reader -

English & Filipino, 4 students as Non-Reader - English, 3

students as Moderate Slow Reader, and 5 students as Moderate

Fast Reader. These results formed the basis for designing

targeted intervention using peer tutoring technique to

address the specific reading needs of each subgroup.

4. Posttest Reading Skills Levels

42
 Following the intervention, the posttest results

indicated notable improvements in the reading skills levels

of the 18 students. The analysis revealed that the number of

Non-Readers decreased, with only 1 student remaining as a

Non-Reader - English & Filipino and 5 students as Non-Reader

- English. Additionally, 5 students transitioned from

Moderate Slow Reader to Moderate Fast Reader, while 4

students achieved the Moderate Fast Reader level. Notably, 3

students reached high level of reading skills as Good

Readers.

5. Comparison of Pretest and Posttest

Based on the Paired Samples Test conducted using SPSS,

with a significance level of .000 (p < .001), we obtained a

p-value that is less than the chosen significance level.

This

indicates a statistically significant difference in the

reading skills of Grade 7 learners before and after the

intervention. The obtained p-value of .000 (p < .001)

provides strong evidence to reject the null hypothesis and

supports the alternative hypothesis, suggesting a

significant difference in the reading skills of Grade 7

learners before and after the intervention. This result

43
demonstrates that the intervention has had a significant

impact on the reading skills of the Grade 7 learners. The

Paired Samples Test confirms a notable change in the reading

skills of the students from before to after the

intervention.

Conclusions

The conclusions drawn from this study are based on the

findings and evidence gathered throughout the research.

These conclusions are derived from the analysis of the data

and are supported by the outcomes of the study.

1. The Alternative Hypothesis: Significant difference in

reading skills which sought to examine the impact of an

intervention program on the reading skills of Grade 7

Learners. Based on the findings, we fail to reject the

alternative hypothesis, which states that there is a

significant difference in the reading skills of Grade 7

learners before and after the intervention. The evidence

gathered from the analysis supports the conclusion that the

intervention program has positively influenced and improved

the reading skills of the selected students.

2. Effectiveness of the Intervention

44
 The findings of the study demonstrate the effectiveness

of the intervention program in enhancing the reading skills

of the Grade 7 learners. Through targeted and tailored

interventions, the program successfully addressed the

specific needs of the students and facilitated improvements

in their reading abilities. The significant progress

observed in the post-test results compared to the pretest

supports the conclusion that the intervention had a positive

impact on the reading skills of the students.

3. Tailoring Interventions for Individual Needs

The analysis of the data highlighted the importance of

tailoring interventions to address the diverse needs and

abilities of the students. By categorizing the students into

different reading skills levels and targeting their specific

areas of improvement, the intervention program successfully

catered to the individual needs of each student. This

personalized approach allowed for more effective support and

enhanced the overall effectiveness of the intervention in

improving reading skills.

4. Importance of Ongoing Support and Development

The findings of this study emphasize the ongoing support

and development needed to sustain and further enhance the

reading skills of Grade 7 learners. While the intervention

45
program yielded positive results, continued efforts and

strategies are necessary to ensure the long-term improvement

and maintenance of reading proficiency among the students.

Further research and collaboration are recommended to

explore additional interventions and approaches that can

continue to support the reading skills development of Grade

7 learners.

Recommendations

The following recommendations are based on the findings

and conclusions derived from this study. These

recommendations aim to provide guidance for future actions

and improvements in addressing the reading skills of Grade 7

learners.

1. Implement Targeted Intervention Programs:

Based on the effectiveness of the intervention program

implemented in this study, it is recommended to continue and

expand the use of targeted intervention programs. These

programs should be designed to address the specific needs

and reading skills levels of individual learners. The

intervention should include providing ample time for reading

activities and offering a variety of reading materials that

cater to the diverse interests and abilities of the

students.

2. Foster a Supportive Reading Environment:

46
 Create a supportive reading environment within the

school and classroom settings. This can be achieved by

incorporating reading corners, establishing reading clubs,

and promoting a culture of reading. Additionally, providing

access to a wide range of reading materials, such as books,

magazines, and online resources, can encourage students to

engage in independent reading and further develop their

reading skills.

3. Implement Ongoing Assessment and Monitoring:

Establish a system for ongoing assessment and monitoring

of students' reading skills. Regular assessments, such as

benchmark assessments or formative assessments, can provide

valuable data to identify students who may require

additional support. By monitoring the progress of students

and analyzing their reading abilities, educators can tailor

interventions and instructional strategies to meet

individual needs effectively.

4. Encourage Parental Involvement:

Promote active involvement of parents or guardians in

supporting their children's reading development. Educate

parents about the importance of reading and provide guidance

on how they can support their children's reading habits at

47
home. This can include encouraging reading as a family

activity, setting aside dedicated time for reading, and

engaging in discussions about books and reading materials.

5. Continually Evaluate and Improve Interventions:

Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of interventions

and make necessary adjustments based on ongoing assessments

and feedback. Monitor the progress of students and identify

areas where further improvements or modifications to the

intervention program can be made. This iterative process of

evaluation and improvement ensures that interventions remain

responsive to the evolving needs of the students.

48
 QUESTIONNAIRES

NAME(Optional):

AGE:

SEX:

1. How frequently do you engage in reading activities

outside of school?

Never

Rarely

Occasionally

Often

Always

2. How comfortable do you feel when reading aloud in front

of your classmates?

Very uncomfortable

Uncomfortable

Neutral

Comfortable

49
 Very comfortable

3. How often do you encounter unfamiliar words while

reading?

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

4. On average, how many books do you read per month?

None

1-2 books

3-4 books

5-6 books

More than 6 books

5. How confident are you in your ability to comprehend the

main idea of a reading passage?

Not confident at all

50
 Somewhat confident

Moderately confident

Very confident

Extremely confident

6. How frequently do you use dictionary or other reading

aids when encountering difficult words?

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

7. How interested are you in reading materials related to

your hobbies or personal interests?

Not interested at all

Slightly interested

Moderately interested

Very interested

51
 Extremely interested

8. How often do you participate in reading-related

activities, such as book clubs or reading competitions?

Never

Rarely

Occasionally

Often

Always

9. How familiar are you with different reading strategies,

such as skimming, scanning, and predicting?

Not familiar at all

Slightly familiar

Moderately familiar

Very familiar

Extremely familiar

10. How often do you receive guidance or feedback from your

teachers on improving your reading skills?

52
 Never

Rarely

Occasionally

Often

Always

11. How frequently do you read non-fiction texts, such as

informational articles or textbooks?

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

Often

Always

12. How often do you engage in silent reading for pleasure?

Never

Rarely

Sometimes

53
 Often

Always

13. How important do you think reading skills are for your

overall academic performance?

Not important at all

Somewhat important

Moderately important

Very important

Extremely important

14. How likely are you to seek additional reading materials

outside of the assigned readings in class?

Very unlikely

Unlikely

Neutral

Likely

Very likely

54
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and

Medicine. (2017). Evaluation of the achievement levels for

mathematics and reading on the National Assessment of

Educational Progress. National Academies Press.

2. National Research Council. (2012). Improving adult

literacy instruction: Developing reading and writing.

National Academies Press.

3. Strickland, D. (2002). Preparing our teachers:

Opportunities for better reading instruction.

4. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and

Medicine. (2021). Back in School: Addressing the Well-Being

of Students in the Wake of COVID-19: Proceedings of a

Workshop–in Brief.

5. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and

Medicine. (2022). Understanding and Offsetting Financial

Barriers for Black Students in Science, Engineering, and

Medicine: Programs, Partnerships, and Pathways: Proceedings

of a Workshop.

6. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and

Medicine. (2021). Undergraduate and Graduate STEM Students’

55
Experiences During COVID-19: Proceedings of a Virtual

Workshop Series.

Curriculum Vitae
CHARLES EUGENE JUNIO VALDEZ
Inanlorenza, Bayambang, Pangasinan
09760707697

OBJECTIVE
To improve the reading skills of the Grade 7 students at
Sanlibo National High School using peer tutoring technique.
PERSONAL INFORMATION:
Name: Charles Eugene Junio Valdez
Age: 19
Date of Birth: June 5, 2004
Sex: Male
Height: 5’6
Weight: 52 kg
Civil Status: Single
Nationality: Filipino
Religious Affiliation: Roman Catholic
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:
Secondary: Sanlibo National High School
Bayambang, Pangasinan
June 2017
Primary: Idong-Inanlorenza Elementary School
Bayambang, Pangasinan
June 2010

I hereby certify that the above information is true and

correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.
CHARLES EUGENE J. VALDEZ
Leader
56
 ANGEL DESIREE BENITEZ HERMONO
Idong, Bayambang, Pangasinan
09384394036

OBJECTIVE
Enhancing the reading abilities of Grade 7 students at
Sanlibo National High School through the implementation of peer
tutoring methodology.
PERSONAL INFORMATION:
Name: Angel Desiree Benitez Hermono
Age: 19
Date of Birth: December 20, 2003
Sex: Female
Height: 4’11
Weight: 47 kg
Civil Status: Single
Nationality: Filipino
Religious Affiliation: Roman Catholic
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:
Secondary: Sanlibo National High School
Bayambang, Pangasinan
June 2017
Primary: Idong-Inanlorenza Elementary School
Bayambang, Pangasinan
June 2010

I hereby certify that the above information is true and

correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.
ANGEL DESIREE B. HERMONO

57
 Member

BEVERLY DELOS SANTOS CATALAN

Sanlibo, Bayambang, Pangasinan
09516893977

OBJECTIVE
Utilizing peer tutoring as a strategy to enhance the reading
skills of Grade 7 students in Sanlibo National High School.
PERSONAL INFORMATION:
Name: Beverly Delos Santos Catalan
Age: 18
Date of Birth: September 20, 2004
Sex: Female
Height: 4’10
Weight: 45 kg
Civil Status: Single
Nationality: Filipino
Religious Affiliation: Roman Catholic
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:
Secondary: Sanlibo National High School
Bayambang, Pangasinan
June 2017
Primary: Catalino-Castañeda Elementary School
Bayambang, Pangasinan
June 2010

I hereby certify that the above information is true and

correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.

58
 BEVERLY D. CATALAN
Member

ALLAN VILLAGONZA CASTILLO

Sanlibo, Bayambang, Pangasinan
09309438320

OBJECTIVE
Implementing the peer tutoring approach to foster
improvements in reading skills among Grade 7 students enrolled at
Sanlibo National High School.
PERSONAL INFORMATION:
Name: Allan Villagonza Castillo
Age: 19
Date of Birth: December 17, 2003
Sex: Male
Height: 5’6
Weight: 55 kg
Civil Status: Single
Nationality: Filipino
Religious Affiliation: Roman Catholic
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:
Secondary: Sanlibo National High School
Bayambang, Pangasinan
June 2017
Primary: Catalino-Castañeda Elementary School
Bayambang, Pangasinan
June 2010

59
 I hereby certify that the above information is true and
correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.
ALLAN V. CASTILLO
Member

60