POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

4RS (READ, RETELL, REACT, AND REFLECT) STRATEGY: AN INTERVENTION

PROGRAM FOR ENHANCING READING COMPREHENSION OF GRADE 9

LEARNERS IN MARIA ASUNCION RODRIGUEZ TIÑGA HIGH SCHOOL

Researchers:

Aspero, Myra Fe

Avengoza, Mathew L.

Mapili, Joana May O.

Libarra, Kezziah P.

Regalado, John Vic D.

Tañeca, Mary Joy T.

Tubiano, Franz Joseph L.

Sasi, Alyzza M.

Valtiendaz, Early G.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The researchers would like to express their sincere gratitude and heartfelt

appreciation to the individuals who have extended their assistance, support,

motivation, supervision, and understanding throughout the research endeavor.

First and foremost, we would like to offer our praises and thanks to the Almighty God

for the blessings bestowed upon us during the research process. We acknowledge

and give glory to Him.

We, the researchers, would also like to convey our deepest appreciation to

Assoc. Professor Gina A. Dela Cruz, our professor for the action research and

internship, who has been a true inspiration to us and provided us with this wonderful

opportunity to conduct our research. Her invaluable guidance has been an honor and

privilege for us to work under her supervision.

Secondly, we are grateful to the Principal of MRTHS, Ma’am Jeniffer C.

Versoza, and Ms. Camille C. Mapa for approving our work and granting us permission

to conduct the research.

Thirdly, we would like to express our thanks to the Grade 9 students of MRTHS

S.Y. 2022-2023, particularly those in sections Genesis, Numbers, Joshua, and

Judges, who willingly devoted their time to participate in the implemented strategies

and patiently and kindly responded to our questionnaire.

We are also deeply appreciative of the love, prayers, and unwavering support

from our parents, who have made sacrifices to ensure our education and prepare us

for our future.

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The successful completion of this research would not have been possible

without the dedicated efforts and voluntary assistance of every team member who

worked diligently to fulfill their assigned tasks.

To God be the Glory!

The Researchers
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CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

This chapter explains the brief background of the study. It also covers the

theoretical and conceptual framework, problem statement, the study's significance,

scope and delimitation, and hypothesis.

Introduction

This paper aims to evaluate the reading intervention program used to assess if

the learners gain improvement in reading and comprehending the text through

implementing the 4Rs (Read, Retell, React and Reflect) method. The study involves

conducting both a pretest to assess learners' prior knowledge and a posttest to

compare the outcomes before and after the intervention.

Reading comprehension is an essential skill that holds a significant importance

for both academic achievement and lifelong success. It involves a multifaceted

cognitive process wherein individuals must not only decode and understand written

words but also create mental representations of the text in order to grasp its meaning.

However, many learners were found to encounter difficulties in comprehending texts,

hampering their academic progress and overall educational outcomes.

As reported by Satriani (2018), it has been identified that poor reading ability is

the primary cause of reading comprehension difficulties. The students decried the fact

that they discovered that they had to study hard in order to retain the knowledge they

had just read. Additionally, they need to spend a lot of time reading in order to

overcome their difficulties in understanding the text. Another challenge students have

is having trouble understanding reading assignments that are too difficult to

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comprehend on their own. The students' unfamiliarity with the reading content and the

text's grammatical intricacy are both contributing factors to their failure to grasp it

properly. While reading a manuscript, avoid phrases that are overly lengthy or

complicated. New words and lengthy texts are viewed by the students as a significant

barrier to understanding a reading text, which is related to these issues.

In the latest global survey for reading comprehension conducted by the

Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) of the Organization for

Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Filipinos ranked last among 79

countries with a rating of 340 points compared to the average 487 points. This

alarming result prompted the Department of Education (DepEd) to launch the Sulong

Edukalidad initiative, aiming to address this pressing issue through comprehensive

reforms in key areas, including curriculum reviews, improvements in learning facilities,

upskilling of teachers and school heads, and engaging stakeholders for support and

collaboration.

Despite existing research on the relationship between reading fluency and

comprehension, further studies focusing on adolescents and languages other than

English are needed (Florit et al., 2011; Kendeou et al., 2013). The association

between reading difficulties measured by PISA and reading fluency remains

understudied, despite PISA's widespread recognition and influence in global education

debates and policy decisions. Few studies have explored the links between PISA

reading performance and basic reading skills.

Prior to the implementation of the 4Rs Strategy Intervention, a significant

number of Grade 9 students at Maria Asuncion Rodriguez Tiñga High School were

found to be performing below the expected level of proficiency in reading, as indicated

by the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI) test. This finding underscores
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the urgency of implementing targeted interventions to address reading comprehension

challenges faced by students not only at the study site but also in other parts of the

country, particularly in public schools.

Several authors have proposed that pre-reading activities are significant in

activating students' prior knowledge, developing their vocabulary, and enhancing

overall comprehension of the reading material. Active engagement before, during, and

after reading has been identified as critical for maximum comprehension. Moreover,

previous studies revealed that various pedagogies have been found to be effective in

enhancing students' reading comprehension such as the 4Rs (Read, Retell, React,

Reflect) method. While some studies have explored links between reading fluency and

PISA reading performance, the extent to which these difficulties align remains unclear.

Addressing this research gap, the present study aims to investigate the effect

of the 4Rs (Read, Retell, Reflect, Read) Strategy as an intervention on enhancing the

reading comprehension of Grade 9 students at Maria Asuncion Rodriguez Tiñga High

School. The 4Rs Strategy Intervention involves engaging students in active reading

practices, including reading the text, retelling or summarizing the main ideas,

reflecting on the content, and engaging in further reading. Specifically, the study aims

to know if there is a significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores of

the students who received the intervention (Experimental Group) compared to those

who did not receive any intervention (Control Group). The purpose of this study,

therefore, is to assess and determine if 4Rs Strategy is effective in enhancing the

reading comprehension level of the learners. This research primarily focuses on the

Reading Comprehension of the selected Grade 9 Students of Ma. Asuncion R. Tinga

High School located at Central Bicutan, Taguig City.

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The results of this study will contribute to the body of knowledge on effective

teaching strategies for improving reading comprehension skills and could inform future

interventions designed to support student learning.

Theoretical Framework

Figure 1. Student Engagement Model

The Self-Determination Theory (SDT) framework was developed by Edward L.

Deci and Richard M. Ryan. The theory proposes that humans have three innate

psychological needs that drive behavior and motivation: autonomy, competence, and
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relatedness. SDT suggests that when these needs are satisfied, individuals are more

likely to be intrinsically motivated and engaged in their activities, leading to better

outcomes and well-being. According to Deci et al. (1985), "self-determination theory

proposes that people are motivated to act when they feel their basic psychological

needs for autonomy, competence, and relatedness are being satisfied." In the context

of reading comprehension, autonomy refers to the extent to which students feel they

have control over their own learning, while competence refers to their perceived ability

to successfully engage with and understand the text. Relatedness refers to the sense

of connection and belonging students feel with their teachers, peers, and the subject

matter. For example, providing students with a choice of reading materials can help

satisfy their need for autonomy, while providing opportunities for students to discuss

the text with peers can help satisfy their need for relatedness, whereas providing

feedback that is supportive and acknowledges progress can help satisfy their need for

competence.

Furthermore, the integration of the 4Rs strategy (Read, Reflect, Respond, and

Review) can align with the Self-Determination Theory's proposition of the importance

of fostering intrinsic motivation. By applying the principles of SDT in the study, the

researchers can explore how teaching strategies that support students' autonomy,

competence, and relatedness may increase their engagement in reading

comprehension. In the "Read" step of the 4Rs approach, learners can be given

autonomy over the choice of the reading material or can promote autonomy by giving

students a choice of what they want to focus on during each reading, which can help

fulfill their basic psychological need for autonomy, as proposed by SDT. For example,

students can be given a range of reading materials to choose from, based on their

interests or learning needs. In the "Retell" step, learners can be provided with
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feedback that helps them develop their competence and sense of relatedness. For

example, after retelling what they have read, learners can be given feedback from

their peers or instructors that helps them understand their strengths and areas for

improvement. In this part, teachers can also ask students to apply different

comprehension strategies during each retelling. For example, asking them to

summarize the text, make connections to their own experiences, or generate

questions about the material. This can help students develop a range of skills and

strategies for understanding and analyzing text. In the "Reflect" step, learners can be

encouraged to reflect on their own learning and progress which can promote

relatedness by encouraging students to share their thoughts and insights with others.

For example, having students discuss their reflections with a partner or small group, or

post their reflections in a shared online space. This can create opportunities for

students to connect with others, learn from each other, and build a sense of

community. In the "Read Again" step, learners can be given opportunities to deepen

their engagement and set their own goals for their reading and monitor their progress,

which can promote their sense of competence. For example, learners can be

encouraged to set their own reading goals or challenges, such as reading a certain

number of books or exploring a particular genre.

While this study aims to investigate the effectiveness of teaching strategies in

deepening student engagement in reading comprehension, the SDT framework on the

other hand can provide insights into how different types of strategies may affect

students’ motivation to engage with the material and helps identify which teaching

strategies are most effective in deepening student engagement in reading

comprehension and develop a better understanding of the motivational factors that

drive student behavior. In conclusion, the Self-Determination Theory (SDT) provides a

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framework that can be applied in this study to explore how teaching strategies can

support students’ autonomy, competence, and relatedness, and how this can lead to

increased or deepened engagement in reading comprehension.

Conceptual Framework

Figure 2. Research Paradigm

In the model shown above, the respondents were categorized into two groups:

the Experimental Group and the Control Group. The aim of the study is to assess the

impact of the intervention, and to accomplish this, both groups will undergo a pretest

and posttest assessment. The Control Group will receive no intervention and will
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follow the standard teaching methods employed in the school. Conversely, the

Experimental Group will be exposed to the 4Rs strategy, which entails the

implementation of the Read, Retell, React, and Reflect steps. The pretest will provide

a baseline measurement of students' initial reading comprehension levels, while the

posttest will assess the outcomes after the intervention. A comparison of the pretest

and posttest scores will determine if the intervention significantly enhances reading

comprehension among Grade 9 students.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to investigate the effectiveness of Reading Intervention through

the implementation of the 4Rs (Read, Retell, React, and Reflect) strategy with the

selected Grade 9 students of Ma. Asuncion Tinga High School in reading

comprehension.

Specifically, the study will seek to answer the following questions:

1. What is the reading comprehension level of the two groups in the pretest

assessment??

2. What is the reading comprehension level of the two groups in the posttest

assessment?

3. Is there a significant difference between the reading comprehension level of the

two groups in the pretest and posttest assessments?

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Hypotheses

From the problem stated above, the following hypotheses were formulated:

H 0 1: There is no significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores of the

students in the control group using the conventional way of teaching.

H 1 1 : There is a significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores of the

students in the control group using the conventional way of teaching.

H 0 2: There is no significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores of the

students in the experimental group using the 4Rs (Read, Retell, React, and Reflect)

strategy.

H 1 2: There is a significant difference between the pretest and posttest scores of the

students in the experimental group using the 4Rs (Read, Retell, React, and Reflect)

strategy.

Scope and Limitations

This study mainly focus on evaluating the effectiveness of the 4Rs (Read,

Reflect, Respond, Review) strategy in enhancing the reading comprehension skills of

selected Grade 9 students at Maria Asuncion Rodriguez Tinga High School. The

sample size is limited to the specific school and grade level under investigation. The

researchers aim to identify possible strategies to improve the reading proficiency of

Grade 9 students and explore the factors that influence their reading abilities. While

the Phil-Iri assessment is primarily designed for grade 7 students, the researchers

observed that grade 9 students continue to struggle with reading comprehension,

word pronunciation, and marking miscues. To determine the impact of the 4Rs
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strategy on students' reading abilities, the study will involve a pretest assessment

followed by an intervention program before conducting the posttest assessment.

Significance of the Study

The findings of the study will give benefits to the following:

The Learners. The findings of this study will aid the students by providing

insights into various reading strategies and enabling them to deepen their

engagement in reading comprehension. The data also benefits the students by

providing insights into what factors influence their reading comprehension.

The Teachers. The findings of the study provide teachers with insights into the

factor that affects the learner's reading comprehension and allow them to develop

teaching strategies that engage the students to deepen their reading comprehension.

The School Principal. One of the advantages of being a principal in a school

is, he or she has the power to manage the curriculum of the school, with that, they can

control the lessons and standards that would be given. The school principal can best

possibly choose the best possible curriculum that will deepen the student's

engagement in reading comprehension.

Parents. This will serve as awareness to the parents regarding the factors

affecting their children's reading comprehension. This entails that they will be able to

keep track of their children's reading progress.

The Community. This will serve as an awareness to the community in regard

to the reading comprehension of the learners. A community can range from a single

grade level to a whole school or district, to an entire city or beyond. Builds community

across ages, socioeconomic, levels, and various backgrounds.

Future Researchers. The study findings will guide them on the various factors

affecting the reading comprehension of the learners, and discover strategies that
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deepens the engagement of learners in reading comprehension. It will pave the path

for future extensive investigations on similar studies.

Department of Education. The result of this study allows DepEd to adopt an

evidence-based approach to teaching reading comprehension. This helps DepEd

make informed decisions about instructional practices and resource allocation. By

incorporating the 4Rs strategy into the curriculum, this can result in improved student

engagement, motivation, and ultimately, better reading comprehension outcomes.

Definition of Terms

To make the study understood by the evaluator simply, the following

terminologies used below are conceptually defined.

4Rs Strategy. This refers to a teaching and learning approach that promotes

active reading and engagement with texts. It combines reading approaches to cater to

the essential factors necessary for compelling reading. The 4Rs stand for "Read,

Retell, React, Reflect."

Metacognition. This refers to the processes used to plan, monitor, and assess

one’s understanding and performance. Metacognition includes a critical awareness of

a) one’s thinking and learning and b) oneself as a thinker and learner.

Pedagogical Knowledge. This refers to the specialized knowledge of teachers

for creating effective teaching and learning environments for all students.

Pedagogy. This refers to the method of how teachers teach, in theory and in

practice.

Reading. This refers to the act of decoding written or printed symbols in order

to understand their meaning.

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Reading Comprehension. This refers to the ability of learners to read text,

process it and understand its meaning. It relies on two interconnected abilities: word

reading (decoding the symbols on the page) and language comprehension

(understanding the meaning of the words and sentences).

Relatedness. This refers to the sense of connection and belonging learners

feel with their teachers, peers, and the subject matter.

Read. This refers to scanning words and examining the comprehended

meaning in written and printed material.

Retell. This refers to students activating their knowledge of how stories work

and applying it to the new reading.

React. This refers to narrow personal thoughts about the text's ideas, widen out

from the text into the realm of your experience.

Reflect. This refers to helping students develop knowledge about themselves

as learners, learning tasks (reading), prior knowledge, content, self-monitoring, self-

assessment, and reflection.

Philippine Informal Reading Inventory. This refers to a set of graded

passages administered to the whole class and to individual students, which was

designed to determine a student’s reading level.

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CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES AND STUDIES

Reading Comprehension

According to Peter et al. (2020), reading a text and understanding it are two

distinct things. The comprehension of the text that has been read is what is referred to

as Reading Comprehension. The study by Timario (2020) revealed that in

Mathematics, word problems rely solely on the student's ability to comprehend and

analyze the text to solve the intended goal. However, the challenge for students arises

from their difficulty in understanding the context of the problem. There are instances

where certain words or phrases cannot be translated into mathematical symbols,

especially if the students are not familiar with the technical terms used. Other studies

have shown that complex words used in the problem text have a negative impact on

student's performance in problem-solving.

This was supported by the study of Sabine (2021) which implies that reading

promotion must also play a part in mathematics lessons. Language classes can do

this only to a limited extent since word problems are subject-specific genres with

specific characteristics. It has been revealed that the situation model has a strong

direct effect on the solution of word problems. This effect is even much stronger than

that which indicates that not only mathematical competence but also the construction

of a situation model is crucial for the solution of mathematical word problems. If no

situation model is constructed, as in the “direct translation strategy,” it is usually not

possible to solve the task.

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In the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), the

Philippines ranked last out of 79 countries in reading, despite being the second-largest

English-speaking country in Asia. This is concerning to many, given the country's high

proficiency in the English language. Yet, according to Cabrera (2020), the literacy rate

in the Philippines has improved significantly, with only 12% of the population being

literate in 1820, compared to 86% today. As mentioned by Gonzalez et al. (2022),

while there are many studies on reading comprehension for people who speak English

as their mother tongue and those who are learning English as a foreign language, it

seems that there aren't many published studies that have been conducted in the

Philippine context for people who are learning English as a second language,

particularly when it comes to studying the specific sub-skills that are involved in

reading comprehension.

In contrast, Snow and Sweet (2003) define reading comprehension as the

simultaneous extraction and construction of meaning. Roldan (1993) adds that

comprehension occurs when an individual understands the meaning of printed

symbols in a way that is personally meaningful. Educators around the world have

conducted research studies to find ways to enhance reading comprehension skills due

to the several issues present in reading instruction (Gonzales et al., 2015).

Enhancing Reading Comprehension

The main idea behind reading is for a person to be able to comprehend written

texts. This can only be done if the reader can know or decode written texts and

understand the meaning behind it. Decoding requires an understanding of alphabetic

principles, letter-sound, and correspondence.

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Students Engagement in Reading Comprehension

Hashemi et al. (2016) suggest that reading in a foreign language involves the

active engagement of the reader's prior knowledge of the text. To achieve effective

comprehension, it is said that the activation of the reader's background knowledge is

crucial. The ultimate goal of reading, which is comprehension, can be achieved by

ensuring this interaction between the text and the reader's prior knowledge. In

addition, the study conducted by Minoza et al. (2019) found that adolescents who

struggle with reading comprehension and also lack interest, motivation, and a sense

of the importance of literacy, math, and science by ninth grade may be at a high risk of

dropping out of their education. According to the study conducted by Park et al.

(2016), low engagement in reading comprehension can be caused by a variety of

factors, including the complexity of the materials, the lack of interest in the subject

matter, and a lack of support and feedback from instructors. This can lead to

frustration and disengagement among students, which can further exacerbate the

problem.

It was supported by the study of Wigfield et al. (n.d.) that found that reading

engagement, which includes factors such as interest, enjoyment, and motivation to

read, plays a significant role in mediating the effects of reading comprehension

instruction on reading outcomes. Specifically, the study found that students who were

more engaged in reading comprehension activities were more likely to show

improvements in their reading outcomes, such as reading comprehension and

vocabulary. This was in agreement with the study of Rivera et al. (2022) which notes

that providing students with opportunities to engage in collaborative and interactive

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reading activities can improve their comprehension skills and enhance their overall

learning experience.

Pre-reading activity

A study by Hashemi et al. (2016) which investigated the impact of pre-reading

activities on the reading comprehension of Iranian high school English as a Foreign

Language (EFL) learners concluded that the use of content-based pre-reading

activities positively affected the students' reading comprehension abilities. The

researchers divided the participants into two groups: an experimental group and a

control group. The experimental group received content-based pre-reading activities

before reading a passage, while the control group did not receive any pre-reading

activities. The study found that the experimental group outperformed the control group

in terms of reading comprehension. The researchers concluded that incorporating

content-based pre-reading activities into EFL classes can be an effective way to

improve students' reading comprehension skills. Specifically, the researchers suggest

that these pre-reading activities can help students activate their prior knowledge,

develop their vocabulary, and enhance their overall comprehension of the reading

material.

This was in agreement with the study conducted by Tanchuling et al. (2021)

which delves into the topic of reading comprehension engagement and the strategies

that Filipino senior high school students can use to improve it. Through a mixed-

methods approach, the study explores the factors that influence engagement in

reading comprehension, including students' motivation, interest, and perceived

usefulness of reading materials. The study found that pre-reading activities, graphic

organizers, discussion groups, and digital tools were effective strategies for promoting

engagement in reading comprehension. Students who participated in these activities

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reported higher levels of engagement and motivation to read, as well as improved

comprehension and critical thinking skills.

Metacognition

A study by Cabrera (2020) revealed that students employ various learning

strategies, such as memory, cognitive, and metacognitive, with cognitive strategies

being the most commonly utilized. The research collected data from interviews with

students, indicating that cognitive strategies pertain to the mental processes employed

by students to demonstrate their learning. Students chose strategies that made

learning both more comprehensible and enjoyable.

Similarly, in the study conducted by Park et al. (2016), it was discovered that

students who belonged to the Virtual Tutee System (VTS), a computer-based system

designed to provide interactive reading practice for students, showed a greater level of

cognitive processing as they completed their reading assignments. This resulted in a

higher reading performance compared to students from the Reading Group (RG).

These findings suggest that the use of virtual tutees in teaching and interacting with

students can enhance their engagement in reading activities and promote deeper

learning.

According to the findings of Nguyen et al. (2021), results indicate that

students who received metacognitive strategy instruction demonstrated significant

improvements in both reading comprehension and vocabulary achievement compared

to those who did not receive such instruction.

Teachers' lack of pedagogical knowledge

The study by Ligudon et al. (2023) found that lack of experience and inadequate

professional development are significant challenges for teachers in teaching reading

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comprehension. According to the study, teachers encounter many challenges when

teaching reading. Many of these teachers are inexperienced and have received limited

training on reading instruction. This indicates that teaching reading may not be their

area of expertise. However, the study also suggests that the students' limited

vocabulary and understanding of immersion tactics in reading instruction are

additional challenges that teachers must overcome. Thus, while teachers may face

obstacles in teaching reading, other factors such as student readiness also contribute

to the difficulties in this problem.

Another study by Minoza et al. (2019) concluded that teachers give prime

importance on assessment as an initial step for the teaching of reading. It is found that

teachers place a premium on experience as an essential resource for the effective

teaching of reading with regular students as well as with students at risk

Moreover, as stated by Sabine (2021), inadequate strategies, such as in the

case of the direct translation strategy, might be a student’s attempt to handle the lack

of understanding of a task text.

The use of pedagogies for students' reading comprehension

In the study of Timario (2020) that examined the relationship between reading

comprehension and problem-solving skills of seventh-grade students, it was found

that a student's vocabulary proficiency had an impact on their ability to translate words

or phrases into mathematical symbols. The better their vocabulary skills, the better

they were at this task. However, when it came to solving equations, vocabulary and

understanding of main ideas were not as crucial.

On the contrary, the study of Bernal et al. (2022) that seeks to determine if

there is an improvement in students' reading comprehension after implementing the

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4Rs (Read, Retell, React, Reflect) strategy exhibited that the strategy employed helps

process the reading text, resulting in better comprehension. Moreover, the steps in the

4Rs strategy are proven to develop the reading competency of the learners. This

study also shows that despite the increase in the post-test results after utilizing the

4Rs strategy, there was no movement in the comprehension level of the learners

using the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI) Assessment Tool, thus, the

Phil-Iri set high standards when it comes to reading comprehension level.

In the findings of the study conducted by Medina et al. (2019) on the other

hand, where it aimed to investigate the autonomous learning strategies used by high

school students in the Philippines in enhancing their reading comprehension skills, it

was found that students utilized various autonomous learning strategies such as

summarizing, predicting, visualizing, and questioning, among others. The study also

found that students who utilized more autonomous learning strategies had better

reading comprehension skills than those who used fewer strategies. The findings

suggest that the use of autonomous learning strategies can be an effective way to

improve reading comprehension skills among high school students in the Philippines.

Furthermore, the study conducted by Gonzales et al. (2015) assessed the

effectiveness of Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition (CIRC) in

improving the reading comprehension of 127 Grade 8 Filipino ESL learners

particularly in recalling details, summarizing, identifying the main idea, making

inferences, and determining fact vs. opinion within three sessions in a span of two

weeks. The results of the study showed that the experimental group who received the

CIRC intervention had a significant improvement in their reading comprehension

scores compared to the control group. The study concluded that CIRC can be an
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effective teaching strategy in improving the reading comprehension of Filipino ESL

learners.

The study of Rivera et al. (2019) which aimed to investigate the effectiveness of

reciprocal reading in improving the reading comprehension of high school students at

Canitoan National High School in the Philippines concluded that reciprocal reading

can be an effective teaching strategy for improving the reading comprehension of high

school students. Reciprocal reading is a teaching strategy that involves students

taking turns leading discussions about a text, with each student assuming the role of

predictor, clarifier, questioner, or summarizer. The study used a quasi-experimental

research design and involved a pretest-posttest control group design to compare the

reading comprehension scores of the experimental group (who received reciprocal

reading intervention) and the control group (who did not receive the intervention). The

results showed that the experimental group who received the reciprocal reading

intervention had a significant improvement in their reading comprehension scores

compared to the control group.

Meanwhile, the study by Wigfield et al. (n.d.) that aimed to investigate the role

of reading engagement in mediating the effects of reading comprehension instruction

on reading outcomes among middle school students used a quasi-experimental

research design and involved a pretest-posttest control group design to compare the

reading outcomes of the experimental group (who received reading comprehension

instruction and reading engagement support) and the control group (who received

only reading comprehension instruction). The results showed that the experimental

group had significantly higher reading engagement and reading comprehension

scores compared to the control group. The study also found that reading engagement

played a mediating role in the effects of reading comprehension instruction on reading

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outcomes, suggesting that fostering reading engagement can enhance the

effectiveness of reading comprehension instruction.

4Rs Strategies: Read, Retell, React, Reflect

According to Jung-Ah Han, he suggests that the retelling as a reading strategy

did aid literacy growth, particularly reading, as well as their confidence in reading for

English language learners in the same way the technique has been shown to be

effective for mainstream English speaking students. At the same time, retelling

seemed to encourage the English language learners to move forward in their literacy

learning by enhancing their language performance.

Based on the study the ‘read and retell’ strategy supports readers in

comprehending various genres, language structures within these, and interpretation of

these as readers capture key information and understandings in written, visual, and/or

oral forms. It is a strategy that encourages responsive and reflective reading as the

child uses technology to represent their developing ability to predict, hypothesize,

retell, and internalize as they share their expanded knowledge and understandings.

According to the study of Rudiawan & Jupri (2020), the retelling strategy can

improve the students’ reading comprehension in SMAN 1 Jonggat, Praya, Central

Lombok. The inferential statistical analysis shows that it is significantly different to

teach English by using a retelling strategy to improve the student’s reading

comprehension. The sig. (2-tailed) is 0.000, which is lower than the significant level

(0.05). Thus, the retelling strategy can improve the students’ reading comprehension

in SMAN 1, Jonggat, Praya, and Central Lombok.

Impact of 4Rs Strategies and Reading Comprehension

 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
According to Bernal, and et al. teaching students to read with combined reading

comprehension strategies has significantly improved the learners’ reading proficiency.

The findings exhibited that the strategy employed helps process the reading text,

resulting in better comprehension. All the steps in the 4Rs strategy are proven to

develop the reading competency of the learners. Based on the results of this study,

4Rs strategy is effective in improving and enhancing students' reading comprehension

According to the study of Deluao et al. (2022), the findings revealed significant

differences between students' pre-test and post-test reading comprehension levels

using the 4Rs. strategy. The study concludes that adopting the 4Rs strategy improves

the learner's reading comprehension in Grade 8. This study also shows that despite

the increase in post-test results after utilizing the 4Rs strategy, there was no

movement in the comprehension level of the learners using the Philippine Informal

Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI) Assessment Tool, thus, the Phil-Iri sets high standards

when it comes to reading comprehension level (Deluao et al., 2022).

Niatu and Puji (2018) stressed that teachers should be able to determine what

type of learning media to use based on the cognitive level of their students. They also

added that when students get engaged in reading, they will become more involved in

their learning. In response to this, the researchers innovated a strategy that caters not

only to students’ phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic, and discourse

levels but also embraces a premium on how students engage in the interpretation and

analysis of texts to enhance students' comprehension, namely: Read-Retell-React-

Reflect, or 4Rs.

Synthesis
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
It was clear from the aforementioned literature and studies that the student's

engagement in reading comprehension is closely linked to academic success,

particularly in subjects such as English and Mathematics. Comprehension problems

result from a poor grasp of understanding. It also happens when the text reading by

the learners is complex and unfamiliar. Other reasons are difficulties recognizing and

decoding words and limited vocabulary. Low achievement levels in these subjects are

often attributed to gaps in students' reading comprehension. Studies emphasized that

pre-reading activities can be used to help activate students' prior knowledge, develop

their vocabulary, and enhance overall comprehension of the reading material. For

maximum comprehension of a text, it's important to fully engage before, during, and

after reading. Post-reading strategies help readers summarize their learning, check for

understanding, and organize their thoughts and ideas. Post-reading activities assess

the improvement of the learners in their prior knowledge before, enhancing their skills

in understanding the text and evaluating their learning pedagogical in the present.

Teachers focus on enhancing learners’ skills in reading is an important engagement

for their development, according to studies. Hence, teachers must give importance to

assessing learners as an initial step for the teaching of reading. It is found that

teachers' approach in handling the learning welfare of the students has a great impact

on improving their skills in reading. Through this pretest and posttest activity teachers

must assess the level of reading capacity of the learner, whether they are categories

as a literal reader wherein they can read and give the literal meaning of the words or a

inferential reader where they can now give ideas to the reading passage and last if

they are now a critical reader where they now understand and can evaluate the

passage. In the learning strategies, students employ various methods, including

memory, cognitive, and metacognitive strategies, with cognitive strategies being the
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
most commonly utilized. Moreover, previous studies revealed that various

pedagogies have been found to be effective in enhancing students' reading

comprehension such as the 4Rs (Read, Retell, React, Reflect) method. Teachers can

use different pedagogies based on their student's needs and the specific reading

material being studied. In sum, it suggests that deepening students' engagement in

reading comprehension requires a multifaceted approach that includes pre-reading

activities, the use of learning strategies, effective assessment, and the application of

appropriate pedagogies. These were supported by various research on reading

comprehension in the field of education and strength by the research about the

importance of deepening students' engagement in reading comprehension. The effect

of pretest and posttest assessment to the readers give a great impact to assess their

literal, inferential and critical reading capacity.

 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

CHAPTER 3

METHODOLOGY

Research Method Used

This study employed a quantitative method and used true-experimental

research design to determine the effectiveness of the 4Rs (Read, Retell, React,

Reflect) method as an intervention in enhancing the reading comprehension level of

the students. The experimental method formally surfaced in educational psychology

around the turn of the century, with the classic studies by Thorndike and Woodworth

on transfer (Cronbach, 1957). The experimenter’s interest in the effect of

environmental change, referred to as “treatments,” demanded designs using

standardized procedures to hold all conditions constant except the independent

(experimental) variable. This standardization ensured high internal validity

(experimental control) in comparing the experimental group to the control group on the

dependent or “outcome” variable. When internal validity was high, differences

between groups could be confidently attributed to the treatment, thus ruling out rival

hypotheses attributing effects to extraneous factors. Traditionally, experimenters have

given less emphasis to external validity, which concerns the generalizability of findings

to other settings, remarkably realistic ones.

The design will allow the researchers to accurately describe and interpret the

data gathered and provide a comprehensive and holistic view of the impact of the 4Rs
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
strategy in enhancing the reading comprehension of the selected Grade 9 students at

Ma. Asuncion Rodriguez Tiñga High School with the use of statistical analysis

methods, as well as shed light on the underlying factors that may affect their learning.

This study was composed of students from Grade 9 students at Maria Asuncion

Rodriguez Tiñga High School and will be set as the population where the sample size

is taken. To take the respondents, the researchers will use stratified sampling

technique since it involves dividing the population into subgroups or strata based on

their specific characteristics. The researchers will begin by defining the population and

selecting the class section as the group or strata. Next, the researchers have to list

the population according to the chosen strata by contacting the teachers of the

respondents to collect their master lists. Afterward, the researchers will proceed in

computing the exact sample size for each class section and randomly select the

respondents that are needed in the study. The researchers utilized Cochran's Formula

to determine how big the sample should be.

Population, Sample size, and Sampling Technique

In this study, students from Grade 9 students at Maria Asuncion Rodriguez

Tiñga Memorial High School were set as the population where the sample size was

taken. To take the respondents, the researchers used the stratified sampling

technique since it involves dividing the population into subgroups or strata based on

their specific characteristics. The researchers begin by defining the population and

selecting the class section as the group or strata. Next, the researchers are able to list

the population according to the chosen strata by contacting the teachers of the

respondents to collect their master lists. Afterwards, the researchers proceed to

compute the exact sample size for each class section and randomly select the
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
respondents that are needed in the study. The researchers utilized Cochran's Formula

to determine how big the sample should be.

Cochran's Formula

n0
n=
(n −1)
1+ 0
N

Where:

n = sample size

n 0= Cochran’s sample size recommendation (385)

N = Population

Solution:

385
n=
(385−1)
1+
141

n = 103.4

n= 103 respondents

Modification for Sample / Respondents per Section

Formula:

n
n n= (N )
N n

Where:

n n = 𝑆𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 / 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑠e

𝑛 = 𝑆𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝑠𝑖𝑧𝑒

𝑁 = 𝑃𝑜𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
N n = 𝑁𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑜𝑓 𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑟se

Solution:

Genesis (N 1 )

103
n1 = (40)
141

n1=29.22

n1=29

Numbers (N 2 )

103
n 4= (33)
141

n 4=24.11

n 4=24

Joshua(N 3 )

103
n6 = (34 )
141

n6 =24.84

n6 =25

Judges(N 4)

103
n7 = (34 )
141

n7 =24.84

n7 =25
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Table 1

Population and Sample of the Study

Population Sample
Class Section
Male Female Tota Male Female Total

Genesis 20 20 40 15 14 29

Numbers 20 13 33 15 9 24

Joshua 21 13 34 15 10 25

Judges 19 15 34 14 11 25

Total 80 61 141 59 44 103

Respondents of the Study

A total of 103 students, consisting of 59 males and 44 females, from Maria

Asuncion Rodriguez Tiñga High School (MRTHS) are the respondents for this study.

The respondents were chosen as they are the population of interest of the study and

are expected to be impacted by the intervention being implemented. Prior to the start

of the second quarter at MRTHS, a significant number of Grade 9 students were found

to be performing below the expected level of proficiency in the Philippine Informal

Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI) test. This problem is not only limited to the locale of the

study but a similar challenge is confronting all other parts of the country, especially in

public schools. The decision to focus on Grade 9 as the target grade level for this
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
study is motivated by several key factors. The Grade 9 students participating in this

research have experienced a unique educational landscape due to the COVID-19

pandemic. They have encountered disruptions and adaptations brought about by the

pandemic, such as starting their middle school education through remote learning and

later transitioning to a hybrid or face-to-face set-up when they reached Grade 9. This

phase is accompanied by significant changes and challenges, including a more

rigorous curriculum, heightened academic expectations, and the need to adapt to a

new social environment. The detrimental effects of low reading proficiency on a

student's academic performance and future prospects cannot be emphasized enough,

underscoring the critical need for targeted interventions to address this issue. The

current action research being conducted at MRTHS is a significant step towards

improving the reading abilities of students and helping them achieve better academic

outcomes.

Research Instruments

In this study, the researchers employed the Philippine Informal Reading

Inventory (Phil-IRI) as both a pretest and posttest assessment tool. The Phil-IRI is a

widely used standardized reading assessment in educational research for evaluating

students' reading skills and comprehension. The purpose of the pretest was to

establish a baseline measurement of the grade 9 students' initial reading abilities and

identify any areas requiring improvement or additional support. The posttest was

conducted to assess the effectiveness of the intervention in improving the students'

reading skills and comprehension. By comparing the results of the pretest and

posttest, the researcher could determine the extent to which the intervention had

influenced the students' reading abilities. The data from the Phil-IRI exam will assist
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
school administrators in planning suitable school reading initiatives or programs for

better student learning results (Llego, 2021).

The present study was conducted for two purposes: (1) to compare the

learners' comprehension ability before and after the implementation of pre-reading

and post-reading activities. The reading content from asking pre-reading questions to

assess the knowledge of learners, (2) to investigate the learners’ attitude towards the

changes of results in the implementation of two pre-reading activities.

Data Gathering Procedure

Data collection was carried out once the researchers identified the

respondents. The researchers first formulated a formal letter asking permission to the

Principal of the school and the Reading Coordinator were consulted to request

permission to conduct research as part of the protocol for research ethics. The

respondents were divided into two groups, a control group, and a treatment group.

Data were collected through various methods, including administering a pretest from

the 8-item test material of the PHIL-IRI tool (Philippine Learning Inventory) to assess

the respondents’ entry reading comprehension level. After the pretest, the 4Rs

strategy was introduced and was then followed by a one-week intervention

implementation, conducting the 4Rs strategy to respondents in the treatment group

and a standard procedure to respondents in the control group. The researchers then

conducted a posttest using the same tool to examine the difference between pretest

and posttest scores between the treatment group and control group, and assess

whether the reading comprehension level of the respondents have improved after

using and not using the strategy. The researchers conducted the data gathering on

May 15 to May 24, 2023 among the selected Grade 9 students of Ma. Asuncion R.
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Tiñga High School. Since the threat of the Pandemic has lessened and schools have

opened, the intervention was done through a face-to-face setup. The researcher’s

data collection adhered strictly to the Data Privacy Act.

Statistical Treatment of Data

The scores from the pretest and posttest were tabulated and analyzed. The

following statistical tools were used in the analysis of data.

1. Sample Mean and Sample Standard Deviation. These tools were used to

determine the comprehension level of the students during pretest and posttest, and

to determine how dispersed the scores were.

Sample Mean

Formula: x =
∑x
n

Where:

x = Individual values in sample

n = Number of sample

Sample Standard Deviation

Formula: S=
√ ∑ ( xi −x)2
n−1

Where:

x = Sample mean

x = Individual values in sample

n = Number of sample
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
2. Paired Sample t-test. This tool was used to determine the significant difference

between the pretest and posttest scores.

Formula: t=¿
∑d
√ n¿ ¿ ¿ ¿
Where:

d = Difference per paired value

n = Number of samples
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

CHAPTER 4

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter presents the results and discussion of the experimental

instruments used in identifying the effectiveness of 4Rs in reading comprehension of

selected grade 9 students.

The obtained score percentage was interpreted as follows (as adapted from

Johnson, Kress, and Pikulski, 1987): International Journal of Humanities, Art and

Social Studies (IJHAS), Vol. 7, No.1/2, May 2022.

Table 2

(As adapted from Johnson, Kress, and Pikulski, 1987)

Student’s Score Comprehension Meaning

Percentage Level

The level at which readers function on their

100% - 80% Independent own with almost perfect oral reading and

excellent comprehension (Flippo, 2014).

The level at which readers profit the most from

79% - 59% Instructional teacher-directed instruction in reading (Flippo,

2014).

The level at which readers find reading

materials so difficult that they cannot

 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
58% - below Frustration successfully respond to them (Flippo, 2014).

Table 3

Pretest Scores and Posttest Scores of Students in Control Group

Student Pretest Score Posttest Score

1 5 3

2 4 2

3 5 4

4 1 2

5 4 6

6 3 2

7 4 1

8 0 3

9 4 4

10 0 3

11 3 2

12 2 2

13 2 2

14 3 2

15 1 3

16 1 1

17 2 3

18 0 2

19 3 4
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
20 3 2

21 4 3

22 2 3

23 4 1

24 1 4

25 3 2

26 0 1

27 4 2

28 2 1

29 2 0

30 2 2

31 4 1

32 1 3

33 1 1

34 3 2

35 5 2

36 0 1

37 4 3

38 2 1

39 3 2

40 4 4

41 3 4

42 3 3

43 1 3

44 5 4

45 4 2
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
46 5 6

47 3 1

48 2 2

49 2 1

50 1 3

Mean = 2.60 = 2.42

Std. Deviation = 1.498 = 1.263

Table 3 shows that before the intervention was employed on the students, they

were on the frustration level. Therefore, the students' reading comprehension is low.

On the other hand, the average of the posttest of the students is equal to 2.42 with a

standard deviation of 0.154. This means that after the implementation of conventional

ways of teaching, the students were still at a frustration level. However, relative to

their performance during the pretest, there was a decrease in their level of

comprehension.

Although the comprehension level of the students remained at frustration, the

results implied that there is no improvement in the mean performance of the students

when no intervention is applied. Moreover, the analysis further revealed that all 17

students got higher scores, 24 students got lower scores, and 9 students got ties in

their posttest compared to their pretest as shown in the sign test analysis.
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

Table 4

Sign Test Analysis of the Pretest and Posttest Scores of Students in

Control Group

Posttest - Pretest Negative Ranks 24

Positive Ranks 17

Ties 9

Total 50

As seen in Table 4, it can be observed that out of the total number of students,

the majority (24 out of 50) achieved a negative difference between their posttest and

pretest scores, indicating a decrease in performance. Conversely, a smaller number of

students (17 out of 50) achieved a positive difference, indicating an improvement in

their reading comprehension after implementing the conventional way of teaching.

Additionally, 9 students had a tie, suggesting no significant change in their scores.

These results highlight that a significant portion of the students experienced a decline

in performance, while a smaller proportion demonstrated improvement. It is important

to note the need for further analysis and consideration of instructional adjustments to

address the challenges faced by the majority of students.

Table 5

Pretest Scores and Posttest Scores of Students in Experimental Group

Student Pretest Score Posttest Score

1 2 8
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

2 2 8

3 2 7

4 3 7

5 1 5

6 4 6

7 3 7

8 3 6

9 2 7

10 5 7

11 4 6

12 2 5

13 1 6

14 3 6

15 3 6

16 3 6

17 2 7

18 4 6

19 3 5

20 3 6

21 4 8

22 4 8

23 3 5

24 2 6

25 4 6

26 3 7
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
27 4 7

28 5 6

29 4 5

30 2 4

31 2 5

32 6 6

33 3 7

34 3 7

35 1 7

36 4 8

37 2 6

38 3 5

39 5 4

40 0 5

41 3 4

42 4 4

43 2 5

44 2 5

45 3 6

46 7 6

47 4 5

48 3 7

49 4 5

50 3 5

51 3 8

52 3 7
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

53 1 5

Mean = 3.04 = 6.06

Std. Deviation = 1.285 = 1.134

Table 5 indicates that before the intervention was employed on the students,

their scores were on the frustration level. Therefore, their reading comprehension is

low. On the other hand, the average of the post- test of the students is equal to 6.06

with a standard deviation of 1.134. This means that after the implementation of the

4Rs Strategy, the student's scores are at instructional level. Hence, relative to their

performance during the pretest, there was an increase in their level of comprehension.

While the students' comprehension level initially at a frustration level, the data

indicates a significant improvement in their overall performance after implementing the

4Rs strategy. Upon analyzing the results, it was evident that 49 students got higher

scores, 2 students got lower scores, and 2 students got ties in their posttest compared

to their pretest as shown in the sign test analysis. This suggests that the

implementation of the 4Rs strategy effectively enhanced the students' understanding

and learning outcomes.

Table 6
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Sign Test Analysis of the Pretest and Posttest Scores of Students in

Experimental Group

Posttest - Pretest Negative Ranks 2

Positive Ranks 49

Ties 2

Total 53

The findings from Table 6 revealed that the majority of students (49 out of 53)

demonstrated improved reading comprehension as indicated by positive differences

between their posttest and pretest scores after implementing the 4Rs strategy. This

indicates a significant positive impact of the strategy on their learning outcomes. Only

a small proportion of students (2 out of 53) experienced a decline in performance,

while 2 students had no significant change in their scores (ties). These results

underscore the effectiveness of the 4Rs strategy in enhancing students' reading

comprehension, with the majority benefiting from its implementation.

Table 7
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Significant Difference in the Reading Comprehension of Students between

Pretest and Posttest

Pair t-value p-value Decision Remarks

Pair 1 Pretest for Control .777 .441 Failed to Not

Group – Posttest for Reject the Significant

Control Group H0 1

Pair 2 Pretest for -13.162 .000 Reject the Significant

Experimental Group – H0 2

Posttest for Experimental

Group

Note: “If p-value is less than or equal to the level of significance (0.05) reject the H 0, otherwise failed to

reject the H 0.”

According to the findings in Table 6, the p-value obtained is lower than our

predetermined significance level of α = 0.05. Therefore, we can confidently reject the

null hypothesis. The data provides strong evidence indicating that there is a significant

difference in the average scores of students before and after their participation in the

4Rs strategy.

The results presented above indicate a significant improvement in the

performance of the experimental group after the implementation of the 4Rs Strategy,

shifting them from the frustration level to the instructional level in reading

comprehension. This finding supports the effectiveness of the Read, Retell, React,

Reflect Strategy as an intervention in enhancing students' reading comprehension

skills. In contrast, the control group, which received conventional teaching methods

before and after the intervention, remained at the frustration level.

 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
The outcomes of the study highlight the notable impact of the 4Rs strategy in

improving students' reading comprehension, even though the students initially

struggled at the frustration level. The findings suggest that the implementation of the

4Rs Strategy over a span of two weeks yielded positive results. It is important to note

that with regular implementation, the 4Rs Strategy has the potential to effectively

promote students from the frustration level to the instructional level and eventually to

the independent level.

These findings provide strong evidence supporting the efficacy of the 4Rs

strategy as an effective intervention for enhancing students' reading comprehension.

By employing this strategy consistently and incorporating it into regular teaching

practices, educators can facilitate significant improvements in students' reading

comprehension skills, enabling them to achieve higher levels of independent learning.

 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

CHAPTER 5

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

This chapter contains the findings of the study, conclusions, and the

recommendations presented by the researchers. The purpose of this study is to

evaluate the Reading strategies through the use of 4R to the selected grade 9

students at Maria Asuncion Rodriguez Tinga High School.

Summary of Findings

The findings have provided answers to the key questions of this study, which

the researchers sought to find out.

1. Pretest Scores and Posttest Scores of Students in Control Group

Fifty students in the control group were observed with the frustration level on

the pretest scores. Out of eight questions from Phil-IRI, the highest that the

students got was five (5) and five (5) of the students was able to reach that score,

eleven (11) students were able to score four (4), eleven (11) students were able to

score three (3), ten (10) students were able to score two (2), eight (8) students

were able to score one (1) and five (5) students were able to score zero (0) in the

pretest totaling at fifty students (50).

In continuation to this, the students from the control group that took the posttest

after the intervention still got the frustration level. Out of 8 questions, 2 students

were able to score 6, 7 students were able to score 4, 12 students were able to

score 3, 17 students were able to score 2, 11 students were able to score 1 and 1

student were able to score 0 in the posttest totaling 50 students.

 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Before the intervention was applied to the students, data showed that the

average pretest scores of the students is 2.60. To get the score percentage of the

students, the average score of the students should be divided into the total score of

the assessment and multiplied by 100. The pretest percentage of the student that

is in the control group is 32.5% which put them in the frustration level. Same

equation will be applied to the posttest result of the control group. The average

score of the students is 2.42 and their percentage score is 30.25% which puts

them in the frustration level.

In conclusion, students from the control group that took the pretest without any

intervention and the students that took the posttest with the intervention of

conventional ways of teaching showed that no significant improvement happened.

2. Sign Test Analysis of the Pretest and Posttest Scores of the Students in the

Control Group

After the researchers were able to gather data from the control group and found

out that students who took the pretest and posttest from the control group that both

got frustration level, it can be observed that the total number of students, majority

of them achieved a negative difference between the two assessment with 24 out of

50, indicating decrease in performance. In relation to this, a small portion of the

students got a positive difference with 17 out of 50 students that indicates an

improvement in their ability to understand and comprehend the text they are

reading. And lastly, 9 out of 50 students had a tie. This suggests there is no

significant change in the scores of the assessment.

 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
The results showed that most of the students had a decline in performance

after the conventional way of teaching intervention while a small portion of the

students showed improvements.

3. Pretest Scores and Posttest Scores of Students in Experimental Group

Fifty students in the control group were observed with the frustration level on

the pretest scores. Out of eight questions from Phil-IRI, the highest that the student

got was 7 and only 1 out of 50 students got it, 1 student got 6, 2 out of 50 students

got 5, 13 students got 4 out of 8 questions, 19 students got 3 out of 8 questions, 12

students got 2 out of 8 questions, 4 students got 1 out of 8 questions, and 1

student got 0 out of 8 questions. The data provided by the students showed that

they are at that frustration level with the general average of 3.04 and that is

converted to 38% in the percentage score of the students.

After undergoing with the 4Rs strategy intervention, the students once again

took the posttest and the results is as follows: 6 out of 50 students got the perfect

score which is 8 correct answers out of 8 questions, 13 students got 7 out of 8

questions, 16 students got 6 out of questions, 14 students got 5 correct answers

out of 8 questions and 4 students got 4 out of 8 questions. Data shows that

students had some major improvements on their reading comprehension ability

with the mean average of 6.06 and that is converted to 75.75% percentage score.

From frustration level, students leveled up to instructional level using the

intervention 4Rs strategy.

4. Sign Test Analysis of the Pretest and Posttest Scores of the Students in the

Experimental Group
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
After the researchers were able to gather data from the control group and found

out that students who took the pretest and posttest from the experimental group

performed a major difference from the two assessment tools given to them. For the

pretest, the group scored a frustration level. But after undergoing the intervention

4Rs strategy, the students showed improvements for they leveled up from

frustration level to instructional level.

From the data gathered, only 3.77% (2 out of 53 students) showed negative

ranks after undergoing the intervention and taking the posttest, while 92.45% (49

out of 53 students) showed a positive rank after the intervention. While another

3.77% (2 out of 53 students) tied out and showed no improvements after the

intervention. These results showed that the 4Rs strategy in enhancing students’

ability to understand and comprehend texts is effective.

5. Significant Difference in the Reading Comprehension of Students between

Pretest and Posttest

The overall result of the study showed significant improvements in the

performance of the experimental group after undergoing the implementation of the

4Rs strategy. Coming from the frustration level, leveling up to the instructional level

in the students’ ability to understand and comprehend given texts. This supports

the effectiveness of the Read, Retell, React and Reflect strategy, a strategy in

enhancing students’ reading comprehension skills. On the other hand, the control

group that received no changes in strategies and intervention and stayed on the

standard ways of teaching remained on the frustration level. For the first pair, the

Control group failed to reject the null hypothesis with the remarks of not significant.
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
For the second pair, the Experimental group rejected the null hypothesis with the

remarks of significance.

The findings of the study showed that the implementation of the intervention

4Rs strategy over the duration of two weeks generated positive results.

Findings on the experimental research done among the grade 9 students of

MRTHS showed that there are significant differences and improvements on the

strategies applied. The researchers divided the students into two groups and each

group had their own strategies. The first group is called the control group wherein

no intervention was applied and the mode of teaching is the standard way. On the

other hand, the second group is the experimental group wherein in this group, the

4Rs strategy was applied to the students.

The data gathered from the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI)

showed that most of the students were in the “Frustration Level''. This means,

grade 9 students of MRTHS are having trouble when it comes to their reading

comprehension. The researchers then divided the two groups and applied the

strategies to them. In the control group, the pretest results showed that they are on

the frustration level and after the implementation of the conventional ways of

teaching, the posttest results said that students were still at the frustration level.

This utterly means that there were no changes on their reading comprehension.

On the other hand, the group of students in the experimental group undergo a

different strategy. The 4Rs strategy was applied to the students. The pretest data

showed, just like on the control group, that the students are on the frustration level

and they have problems on their reading comprehension. But after the

implementation of the 4Rs strategy on the students, students showed

improvements after taking the posttest. This suggests that the implementation of
 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
the 4Rs strategy effectively enhanced the students’ reading comprehension and

the ability to understand texts.

Conclusions

1. The findings from this research study, as presented in Table 3 and Table 5,

indicate that both the control group and experimental group initially exhibited a

reading comprehension level in the frustration level. The control group had an

average pretest score of 2.60 (SD = 1.498), while the experimental group had an

average score of 3.04 (SD = 1.285).

2. Upon analyzing the posttest results, it is evident that the control group's reading

comprehension level remained in the frustration level, as reflected by their average

posttest score of 2.42 (SD = 1.263), as shown in Table 3. In contrast, the

experimental group demonstrated a notable improvement, with their reading

comprehension level reaching the instructional level. This improvement is

evidenced by their average posttest score of 6.06 (SD = 1.134), as presented in

Table 5.

3. The study showed that there is a significant difference in the experimental group in

assessing the pretest and posttest of the learners to get their prior knowledge and

later on observed their growth in terms of comprehension and evaluating the text

they read after conducting the 4Rs strategy. In contrast, it is seen that there is no

significant difference in the control group in assessing the pretest and posttest of

the learners to get their prior knowledge and later on observed the growth of

learners in terms of comprehension before the implementation of 4Rs strategy.

 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES
Recommendation

Based on the study, the 4Rs (Read, Retell, React, and Reflect) strategy

intervention has shown a significant positive effect on students' reading

comprehension. By applying this strategy, students can improve their understanding

and comprehension of reading materials such as texts, passages, and stories.

Implementing the 4Rs strategy can lead to higher test scores and academic

development.

Moreover, the study found that the 4Rs strategy intervention had a significant

impact on reading comprehension of the experimental group or those who received

the intervention. These findings suggest that the 4Rs strategy is effective when

implemented.

Therefore, the researchers recommend that school principals provide additional

training and seminars for teachers and implement programs to help them develop and

improve their teaching approaches to enhance students' reading comprehension.

Teachers should be encouraged to incorporate the 4Rs strategy into their

instruction, particularly before assessments, as it can help students comprehend texts

more carefully and effectively, leading to academic success. In addition, parents play

a crucial role in their children's learning, and it is important for them to recognize that

reading should not be limited to the classroom. Parents are advised to monitor their

children's reading development and encourage reading as a habitual activity at home.

For future researchers, it is recommended to explore other strategies, such as

the SQ3R (Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review) method and KWL (Know-

Want to Know-Learned) charts, as interventions to enhance students' reading

comprehension. Additionally, researchers should consider incorporating other

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variables that may affect reading comprehension, such as motivation, interest, and

engagement.

To further strengthen the study, replication with a larger sample size is

suggested. This will allow for a more comprehensive investigation of the effectiveness

of reading interventions on high school students' level of comprehension. Additionally,

it is important to update and expand upon this research to account for any new

developments or changes in educational practices and resources.

 POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

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POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

APPENDICES
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APPENDIX 1

A Letter of Permission to Conduct the Study

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APPENDIX 2

8-item Test Material from the PHIL-IRI Assessment Tool

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POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES