Republic of the Philippines

Region III – Central Luzon

Department of Education
Tarlac City Schools Division
Tarlac Central District

Project SMART: Start Making a Reader Today

SCHOOL READING PROGRAM
PREPARED BY:
JOAN A. BUGTONG
T-III

CHRISTOPHER D. ESTEBAN, Ph.D

Principal I
 Reading is more than just
recognizing written words on a
page. It is a process that involves
several skills that are utilized at
one time. These skills are
classified under five main
categories: phonics, phonemic
awareness, vocabulary, fluency
and comprehension. Effective
reading programs will address
each of these components and
will determine the method for
classroom instruction.
• Phonemic Awareness

Phonemic awareness refers to

the recognition that words are
made of separate sounds
(phonemes) combined together.
Phonemic skills are entirely based in
the sound of a word. When children
can hear a word and produce the
sounds in isolation, they are
mastering phonemic skills. Reading
programs address phonemic
awareness with rhyming activities
and deleting or substituting
phonemes to make new words.
• Phonics

Phonics is the integration of

phonemic awareness with the printed
word. It is a method of teaching reading
built on a letter to sound
correspondence. Instruction in phonics
begins with letter naming and
recognition and progresses to learning
the sounds that letters make. Eventually
children will learn to look at a word, say
the sound for each letter and then blend
them to make the word. Phonics is
essential for decoding (sounding out)
words and spelling. If readers do not
have phonological awareness, they may
spend an inordinate amount of time on
pronunciation instead of remembering
what they are reading.
• Vocabulary

Vocabulary development is
another important component of a
reading program. Sounding out words is
not enough. Students must understand
the meaning of the words in order to
comprehend what they are reading.
Vocabulary is taught in two ways:
explicitly and implicitly. Teachers use
vocabulary lists and give direct
instruction on the meaning and usage
of each word in explicit instruction.
Implicit instruction occurs during
reading when children are able to figure
out the meanings of words by looking at
context clues from pictures or other
words in the same sentence or
paragraph.
• Fluency

Fluency is the ability to read

accurately and smoothly with
expression and at a rate that
enables readers to comprehend
what they are reading. Fluency
should become stronger as a
student is exposed to more books
and has frequent opportunities to
read. Reading programs stress
fluency through the use of
activities like echo and choral
reading, which give students an
opportunity to practice good
reading skills and emulate the
teacher who acts as a fluency
model.
• Comprehension

Comprehension is the culmination of

reading skills learned in the other four
components of mastering reading. Simply
stated, comprehension is the ability to
understand what's being read. A student
who can decode words, understand their
meanings and read fluently will be able to
comprehend a story. Comprehension can
be assessed with questions that ask readers
to identify basic story components like
characters, setting and plot. Advanced
comprehension, including predicting,
summarizing and critical thinking, are
introduced in more advanced grade levels
after students have a firm grasp of the
basics.
 I. What is Project SMART?
Project Smart is an intensive reading
program of Sto. Cristo Integrated School designed
to help the non-readers, slow readers, and fast
readers who are identified through the Phil-IRI
Pre-Test Assessment. It provides support and
reinforcement on reading skills and strategies
taught in the general education inside the
classroom. Project SMART focuses in providing
pupils with additional support in remedial and
enhanced reading. It works on:
• phonemic awareness
• phonics
• fluency
• comprehension
• vocabulary
II. INSTRUCTIONAL FORMAT

Pupils attend the remedial and

enhanced reading for small group and
individualized instruction during the
remedial class which is a 20-minute
teaching class. Each group of readers
has their own schedule from Mondays
to Fridays. Teachers provide multiple
opportunities to learn and apply skills
and strategies through guided reading,
leveled text, and other hands-on
activities to address different learning
styles. It is a supplemental program to
help each pupil progress toward year
end goals.
  FOR NON-READERS
Pupils who are classified under this
category are scheduled every Mondays and
Tuesdays. Phonemic awareness and Phonics
are basically the components being
emphasized. From Grades 1-6 the following
interventions can be done to the pupils:
1. Teachers motivate pupils through phonetic
singing of the alphabets.
2. Teachers use phonetic video lessons so
pupils gain interest in reading.
3. Teachers can also used the Marungko
Approach expecially those in the primary
level.
4. Blending of sounds of a consonant and a
vowel grouping set of letters within a word,
with picture clues or modeling and rote
memorization.
5. Individualized instruction is encouraged in
this level so that individual sound of letters
can be mastered to prepare the pupils to
read.
 FOR SLOW-READERS
Pupils under this group are taught every
Wednesdays and Thursdays. Phonemic
awareness and Phonics can still be given
emphasis, however, vocabulary must also be
introduced. The following
strategies/interventions can be done:

1. Use flashcards of word families and word

building.
2. Phonics reading with short and long vowel
sounds.
3. Making body actions, picture clues, and
spelling patterns.
4. Total Physical Response Method can be
used in which pupils can follow simple
word instructions.
5. Using audio-video materials for reading C-
V-C words.
6. Expose them with short story books.
Teacher can read the story to them. Then
provide opportunity for re-reading or
choral reading.
 FOR FAST-READERS
This is an enhanced reading activity
for those who can already read with and
without comprehension. They are taught
every Fridays. Vocabulary, Fluency, and
Comprehension are the components being
emphasized here. The following
strategy/intervention can be used by the
teachers:
1. Printed reading materials, books with
colorful illustrations, big books can be
used by the teacher.
2. Use of computer programs and other
technology resources to support word
analysis and comprehensions.
3. Exposure on short stories with follow-up
questions and activities that could
enhance their interest to read and
compehend.
4. Use of different graphic organizers to
organize events in the story read.
5. Discussion of vocabulary with the use of
pictures or by modeling and explaining.
6. Use of oral reading
III. READING INDICATOR

The Non-Readers and Slow-

Readers are assessed using the
Phil-Iri Post Test by the end of
the school year to check if there
is an improvement in phonemic
awareness, phonics, fluency,
vocabulary, and comprehension.
For the Fast Readers, they
are assessed after each
enhancement teaching since
they are not already categorized
under those who will take the
Phil-Iri Post Test.
 IV. ADDITIONAL
SUPPORT FOR PUPILS
1. Reading Corners provide a
variety of reading materials
that could enhance pupils love
for reading.

2. Teachers are able to create Self-

Learning Kits and Big Books
through the Learning Resources
Management Development
System (LRMDS) to provide
pupils supplementary learning
materials that could improve
and develop the learners’ skill
and ability in reading.