Enhancing the Reading Capabilities of Grade 8 Zamora Students through

Reading Activities

A Completed Action Research

With the Theme: Teaching and Learning

A Partial Fulfillment for the Subject Requirement

in Educ 145 (Teaching Internship)
Bachelor of Technology and Livelihood Education-Home Economics
Davao Oriental State University

Andrea Albo

Jenny M. Basiao

Robelen Barcelo

Jemay Basog

Alexa Balanay

Rea Manulat

May 2023
 Abstract

ALBO, ANDREA, BASIAO, JENNY M., BARCELO, ROBELEN, BASOG,

JEMAY, BALANAY, ALEXA, MANULAT, REA. Badas National High School,

Schools Division of the City of Mati, ENHANCING THE READING

CAPABILITIES OF GRADE 8 ZAMORA STUDENTS THROUGH READING

ACTIVITIES

This action research was conducted to investigate the effect of “Reading

Activities,” a strategic intervention, on the reading capability. Reading is a
fundamental activity that plays a crucial role in education, personal
development, and cognitive growth. This research explores the different
aspects of reading activities, including their benefits, challenges, and
strategies for improving reading skills. The benefits of reading include
improved vocabulary, enhanced comprehension skills, and increased
knowledge of various subjects. However, reading also presents challenges
such as difficulties in decoding text, lack of motivation, and comprehension
barriers. To address these challenges, various strategies such as improving
phonemic awareness, setting reading goals, and engaging in active reading
techniques can be employed. Overall, reading activities provide a vital
foundation for lifelong learning and personal growth. The identification of
the respondents were used by Phil-Iri, an assessment tool that measures
and describes students' reading performance, pre-survey, post survey, post-
test, and interview were administered. This research utilized both qualitative
and quantitative research design.

Keywords: Phil-IRI, research design, action research, intervention, strategic

 Approval Sheet

This research entitled “Enhancing the Reading Capabilities of Grade 8

Zamora through Reading Activities”, prepared and submitted by Andrea

Albo, Jenny M. Basiao, Robelen Barcelo, Jemay Basog, Alexa Balanay, and

Rea Manulat, is hereby recommended for approval.

Approved:

MARIA GLORIA R. LUGO

Student-Teacher Supervisor
TABLE OF CONTENTS
 List of Tables and Figures

Table 1 Level of Accuracy Among Grade 8 Zamora Students

Table 2 Total Percentage of Grade 8 Zamora Learners Pretest

Table 3 Total Percentage of the Identified Struggling Readers of Grade 8

Zamora Posttest

Table 4 Post Survey Questionnaire

Table 5 Action Plan

Table 6 Time Table/Gannt Chart

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the equally

remarkable and important individuals who, in one way or another, have

given and extended their support in order to make this action research

possible and successful.

To the Almighty Father, who is the Divine source of inspiration, for

rewarding our efforts with success and for continuously showering us with

all of life's favors in an extraordinarily and abundantly generous manner. All

honor, praise, and glory be to God.

To Ma’am Hidah Agbas, we are very grateful for giving us her valuable

time to assist us with this action research and for her encouragement.

Thank you, ma’am!

To Ma'am Jean M. Francisquete, the Badas National High School

principal, as well as our cooperating teachers and coordinator, for allowing

us to undertake this action research in their school and for their support

and understanding all throughout.

To Grade 8 Zamora students of Badas National High School, we

appreciate your time and constant effort. We also thank your parents for

letting their sons or daughters participate. Thank you very much!

To our family, thank you for your unwavering support, patience, and

encouragement as we completed our study. We love you all!

Above all, we want to say thank you to ourselves for persevering and

getting this far. May we always fight bravely in all the challenges we will face

in life. Fighting!
 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Context and Rationale

Reading is one of the reading skills that every student needs to

develop. There are still some students who fall below the proficiency level

despite the reading advice and strategies teachers have offered their

students to help them improve their reading. (Mica Elaine M. Bilbao et al.,

2016)

Learning poverty in the Philippines reached a record level of 90% this

year, according to a new World Bank (WB) report, as a result of students

being compelled by the pandemic to stay at home and struggle with remote

learning. Reading is a key skill that is required for both academic success

and lifelong learning. Unfortunately, many students struggle with reading,

particularly in the Philippines where reading comprehension abilities are

generally below average. This problem is most obvious in remote regions

where there is limited access to resources and excellent reading material.

The School of Badas National High School is a town-run public

institution that accepts students from several barangays. The Grade 8

students at Zamora come from a variety of backgrounds and reading

abilities. Many children still have trouble with comprehension, fluency, and

vocabulary despite efforts to improve their reading abilities through

conventional instructional approaches. As a result, students could have

trouble reading academic literature and do poorly on tests.

 This action research aims to improve the reading skills of Grade 8

Zamora students in order to address this problem. It aims to find out how

well reading activities help students become more motivated, engaged, and

skilled readers. It also attempts to improve students' reading comprehension

and critical thinking abilities by giving them a variety of reading materials

and exercises.

Research Question

The major goal of this study is to determine how effective the suggested

strategy is at enhancing the reading capabilities of students. Consequently,

this attempted to respond to the following questions:

1. What is the current reading level of grade 8 students in Zamora?

2. What is the impact of reading activities on the reading capabilities of

Grade 8 students in Zamora?

3. What is the impact of reading activities on the motivation and

engagement of Grade 8 students in Zamora?

Innovation/Intervention/Strategy

This action research will implement various reading activities to

enhance the students' reading capabilities, motivation, and engagement.

These activities include:

Shared Reading:

Sabayang Pagbasa: The students will form a group and will altogether

read the story.

Silent Reading: Students will be given time to read silently during

class hours. This activity aims to improve their reading comprehension

skills and focus. Shared Reading: Students will read aloud as a group, and

the teacher will guide them through the reading. This activity aims to

improve their oral reading skills and comprehension.

Guided Reading: Students will be divided into small groups, and each

group will read a different book. The teacher will guide each group and

facilitate discussions. This activity aims to improve their reading

comprehension and critical thinking skills.

The effectiveness of these reading activities will be evaluated through

pre- and post-reading comprehension tests, surveys, and focus group

discussions. The results of this research will be used to develop a reading

program that can be implemented in schools with limited resources.

 CHAPTER II

METHOD

Participants

The participants in this action research were the 35 identified

struggling readers of Grade 8 students of Badas National High School. The

total number of participants is 35 students, consisting of 18 male and 17

female students. The students were selected based on their reading level,

with a range from low to high achievers. These students were chosen based

on their result during the pre-assessment using the Phil-Iri and the

administration of the self-assessment survey to get the percentage of the

students who are less engaged in reading. The students were identified and

underwent intervention through the aid of various reading activities every

afternoon 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

Sources of Data and Information

The date for this action research was gathered and analyzed in a

series of processes. This research was carried out in the third quarter of the

2022-2023 school year. The consent was properly discussed with the

students, and they were informed that the participation in this study is

voluntary, free of coercion, undue influence, or incentive. Through parent’s

consent letter, the parents were inform about the said activity and it was

distributed to the parents.

The sources of data and information for this study are as follows:
Phil-Iri, pre-survey, and post-survey and interview: The Phil-iri was used to

assess the students' reading level before the implementation of the

intervention. A pre-survey was conducted to assess the students' reading

level before the implementation of reading activities. A post-test was

administered to determine the effectiveness of the reading activities in

enhancing the students' reading capabilities.

The next phase was to conduct an interview

Data Gathering Methods

The following methods were used to gather data and information for

this study:

Reading assessment: A pretest and post-test were administered to

measure the students' reading level. The pretest was conducted before the

implementation of reading activities, while the post-test was administered

after the completion of reading activities.

Surveys: A survey was conducted to gather information on the

students' reading habits and preferences. The survey also assessed the

students' attitudes towards reading.

Observation: The researcher observed the students' engagement and

participation in the reading activities. The observation notes were recorded

and analyzed.

Reading logs: The students were asked to keep a reading log to track

their progress in reading and to reflect on their reading experiences. The

logs were collected and analyzed to determine the students' reading

progress.
 In summary, this action research study aimed to enhance the reading

capabilities of grade 8 Zamora students of Badas National High School

through reading activities. The participants in the study were grade 8

students from Zamora, with a total of 35 students. The sources of data and

information included pretest and post-test assessments, observations,

surveys, and reading logs. These data gathering methods were utilized to

collect relevant data and information for the study.

Data Analysis Plan

This study was analyzed and treated in quantitative and qualitative

form using statistical tool to provide an interpretation of data. On the

quantitative side, in order to find out the significant difference when

enhancing reading capabilities of grade 8 Zamora students of Badas

National High School was introduced before and after, the researcher

utilized a pair difference test as statistical tool in order to assess the

differences between the average scores of single sample of individuals who

were evaluated at two different times like before the introduction of reading

activities and after. Also, a mean statistical tool was used in finding the level

of accuracy among students when reading activities after it was introduced.

On the other design of the Participatory Action Research (PAR) method

since it focuses more on the opinions, emotional state and patterns of every

participant that was revealed without control of manipulation of the

researcher.
 CHAPTER III

DISCUSSION OF RESULTS AND REFLECTION

Presented in this part were the results of the study. Quantitative

results were discussed first followed by the qualitative and quantitative

result. On the quantitative part, the data where derived from the attained

questionnaire given to the respondents. On the quantitative side, the themes

were discussed.

Quantitative Discussion

Level of Accuracy

Items Mean Descriptive

Equivalent
1. Do you practice reading?
Often
3.65
2. Do you have an interest in reading?
Sometimes
3.31
3. Do you engage in reading activities during your Sometimes
free time?
3.08
4. Do you search for the meaning of the difficult 2.97 Sometimes
words you encounter when reading?
5. Do you comprehend what you read? 2.88 Sometimes
6. Do you read different genres of literature (e.g., Sometimes
fiction, non-fiction, poetry, etc.)? 2.51

7. Do you engage in reading activities that involve

technology (e.g., e-books, audiobooks, online 2.71 Sometimes

reading resources, etc.)?

8. Do you receive guidance or feedback from
teachers or other educators on your reading ability? 3.37 Sometimes
9. Do group reading activities help you become a
better reader? 2.94 Sometimes

10. Do you feel the effectiveness of the teacher’s

guidance and feedback in becoming a better reader? 3.68 Often

Range Scale
1.00-1.50 Never
1.51-2.50 Rarely
2.51-3.50 Sometimes
3.51-4.50 Often
4.51-5.00 Always

Table 1 shows the level of accuracy among Grade 8 Zamora, students

of Badas National High School in terms of often in practice reading.

The statements: Do you practice reading; and do you feel the

effectiveness of the teacher’s guidance and feedback in becoming a better

reader got mean scores of 3.65 and 3.68, respectively and all are described

as Often. Meanwhile, statements: Do you have an interest in reading; Do

you engage in reading activities during your free time; Do you search for the

meaning of the difficult words you encounter when reading; Do you

comprehend what you read; Do you read different genres of literature (e.g.,

fiction, non-fiction, poetry, etc.); Do you engage in reading activities that

involve technology (e.g., e-books, audio books, online reading resources,

etc.); Do you receive guidance or feedback from teachers or other educators

on your reading ability; and Do group reading activities help you become a

better reader got mean scores of 3.31, 3.08, 2.97, 2.88, 2.51, 2.71, 3.37 and
2.94 and they are described as Sometimes. Generally, the students’ level of

accuracy in terms of practice reading a total means score of 3.68 and

described as Sometimes.

Analysis of the Phil-Iri

Pretest

Pre test
60.00%

50.00%

40.00%

30.00%

20.00%

10.00%

0.00%
Total Number of Grade 8 Zamora Leaners Pretest

Frustration Instructional Independent

Table 2

Post test

Post Test
60.00%

50.00%

40.00%

30.00%

20.00%

10.00%

0.00%
Total Percentage of The Identified Struggling Readers of Grade 8 Zamora Posttest

Frustration Instructional Independent

 Table 3

Table 2 and table 3 show the pretest and post test result for school

year 2022-2023. The Phil-IRI scale is categorized into three levels:

Frustration, instructional and independent.

22 out of 43 students or 14.29% of the total students were in the

frustration level, 13 out of 43 students or 30.23% of the total enrollees

belongs to instructional level, 8 out of 43 students or 18.60% of the total

enrollees belongs to independent level under the three levels.

During the post test, 5 out of 35 students or 14.29% of the total

identified struggling readers belongs too frustration level, 17 out of 35

students or 48.57% of the total enrollees were in instructional level, and 13

out of 35 students or 37.14% of the total identified struggling readers are

independent level.

The result of the posttest reveals a significant improvement on the oral

reading ability of the students. In which there was a decrease on the

number of students on the frustration level and increase on the number of

students under the instructional and independent level.

Post Survey Questionnaire

Items Mean Descriptive
Equivalent
1. How would you rate reading
comprehension after participating in Above Average
the reading activities? 4.31
2. How would you rate your reading
speed after participating in the reading
activities? 3.97 Above Average
3. How would you rate your ability to
analyze and interpret written text? 3.74 Above Average
 4. How would you rate your ability to
retain information from what you 3.88 Above Average
read?
5. How would you rate the results of your
reading activities? 3.83 Above Average
6. How has reading affected your overall
well-being and mental health? 4.11
Above Average
7. How likely are you to recommend
reading activities to others? 3.74 Above Average
8. How has reading enhanced your
ability to concentrate and focus? 3.97 Above Average
9. How has reading impacted your
critical thinking skills? 4.03 Above Average
10. How did the reading activities
improve your vocabulary and language 3.91 Above Average
skills?

Range Scale
1.00-1.50 Poor
1.51-2.50 Below Average
2.51-3.50 Average
3.51-4.50 Above Average
4.51-5.00 Excellent
Table 4

Table 4 illustrate the level of accuracy among Grade 8-Zamora

students of Badas National High School in terms of post-survey
questionnaire in practice reading.
The statements: How would you rate reading comprehension after
participating in the reading activities; How would you rate your reading
speed after participating in the reading activities; How would you rate your
ability to analyse and interpret written text; How would you rate your ability
to retain information from what you read; How would you rate the results of
your reading activities; How has reading affected your overall well-being and
mental health; How likely are you to recommend reading activities to others;
How has reading enhanced your ability to concentrate and focus; How has
reading impacted your critical thinking skills; and How did the reading
activities improved your vocabulary and language skills, got mean scores of
4.31, 3.97, 3.74; 3.88, 3.83, 4.11, 3.74, 3.97, 4.03 and 3.91, respectively
all described as Above Average.

Qualitative Discussion

Administering in-depth interview to respondents, the qualitative

results were thematically presented as follows: accuracy in enhancing the

reading capabilities using reading activities.

Acquired Key Points from Reading

Commonly, they had answered that in terms of reading, compared

before and after the reading activities was conducted, it changed their

reading skills a lot, As respondent 1 answered that:

“For me, the main key point I’ve got from reading is that it widened my

understanding and my imagination.”

Respondent 3 added:

“The main points that I got from reading is to improve my reading

skills, and to understand the other words that I didn’t know, and to learn

more about reading.”

Respondent 4 affirmed that:

“Para makatabang ug maka dugang sa knowledge sa tao ug para sad

ma aware ug matudluan, maong importante and reading kay daghan kag

maatun-an.”

(Reading is important since we have a lot to learn and it can help a

person become more knowledgeable and aware.)

The Accuracy of Reading Activities

The accuracy of utilizing the various reading activities was generally

evident. They found it very useful and effective as Respondent 4 shared:

“Tungod sa reading activities, mas naka tabang sa ako kay mas

matudluan ko ug ma aware labi na sa mga warning or instruction nga dapat

atong mahibal-an para dili ta magpataka.”

(Reading activities benefited me more since I learned more and became

more informed, especially about the directions or warnings I need to be aware

of so we won't confuse ourselves.)

Responded 5 said that:

“By constantly reading through reading activities for every minute or

every hour, we greatly enhanced our understanding of reading because it

sharpened our minds and helped us discover a lot of things.”

Contribution of Reading Activities

Unanimously, respondents responded that their experiences during

the reading activities was different before and after. As respondent 1

highlighted:

“Sa pamamagitan ng pagbasa, malaki and maitutulong sa aking

personal na pag-unlad dahil may komprehensyon sa mga pagbasa at pag-

unlad ng kakayahan sa pagbasa na mapadali.”

(Through reading, it has been a very big help in my personal growth

because I have acquired comprehension for what I read and developed skills

in reading.)

Respondent 4 connoted that:

 “Dahil sa reading natutuhan ang maraming bagay katulad ng mga

katutuhanan, dahil mas malalaman natin ang katotohanan gamit ang

pagbabasa.”

(I gained a lot of knowledge through reading since reading helps us to

learn.)

Thinking and Behavior are Impacted by Reading

All respondents agreed that their reading activities experiences before

and after were distinct. As respondent 1 pointed out:

“For me, yes because it helps develop my level of focus and

concentration.”

Respondent 4 added:

“Oo, dahil natutunan ko ang marammming bagay sa pamamagitan ng

pagbabasa lalo na sa mga patungkol sa pagiging matatag na tao,”

(Yes, because I learned a lot of things through reading especially

about being a brave person.)

They frequently stated that the reading activities significantly

improved their insights from the reading activity. For example, respondent

3 stated:

“Yes, because so far in every reading activity there’s always new

insights gained and I discover new things.”

Respondent 1 connoted that:

“Ang bagong natuklasan sa pagbasa ay tamang pagbigkas ng mga

salita ayon sa tamang pagkabigkas.”

(My reading has given me new insight, including the proper

pronunciation.)
 REFLECTION

Nowadays, many people are arguing about the importance of reading.

In every action that we take, reading is always needed in us in order to be a

well-equipped individual. There are some cases and circumstances that

“reading” help us to know what our purpose in this world is. Reading is a

fundamental in helping us find and convey information. It’s essential skill

that’s developed at a very young age. Many benefits of reading but it’s a skill

that even a lot of adults don’t use enough. The action conduct about to

firmness and minimize the problem in reading. Although problems

encountered, each student is allowed to be educated and prepare accurate

as what the main essence of this study, is to process the students to

enhance reading capabilities. Students now is commonly practice reading.

Recognizing from the issue inside the classroom and in school, this

plan is very useful in enhancing the reading capabilities of every learners.

Apart from the necessity of reading to get by in today’s world, let’s look some

other benefits of reading and how these can contribute positively to the

child’s development. It’s a gateway to learning anything. It helps to discover

new things and educate yourself in any area of life you are interested.

Learning new concepts, discovering exciting places understanding others

perspective is key to building a well-rounded self-image to boost their self-

esteem being able to read well. Reading also has a social benefit. Learners

can discuss stories with others and form friendships over shared interest.

For readers struggling with fluency, the techniques which are most helpful

are ones that build vocabulary and allow to monitor student progress
through the reading activities they taken. Teaching reading can be an

arduous task it’s difficult to know how to improve students’ skills but by the

help of the intervention plan they can fast enhance the reading skills

through the activities.

The fulfillment of reading is very good habit that one needs to develop

in life. Good books can inform you, enlighten you in the right direction.

There is no better companion than a good reader its important because it is

good for overall well-being. To enhance reading use a variety of strategies

depending to read efficiently also to improve their vocabulary and

background knowledge through discussion and activities with their friends.

The good readers read with a purpose, learners should read texts that meet

their needs and interesting. Always texts, or let the learners choose texts

that are relevant learners’ lives. Without a doubt, reading is essential

because it provides us with knowledge and teach us to think critically and

analyze information objectively, and it promotes thirst for knowledge.

 REFERENCE

Ben O. de Vera. (2021, November 20). WB: 9 out of 10 PH kids age 10 can’t

read. [Link]. [Link]
out-of-10-ph-kids-age-10-cant-read
Level of Reading Comprehension of the Education Students | KITE E-
Learning Solutions. (n.d.). Level of reading comprehension of the
education students. Philippine EJournals|
Home. [Link]
Ben O. de Vera. (2021, November 20). WB: 9 out of 10 PH kids age 10 can’t
read. [Link]. [Link]
out-of-10-ph-kids-age-10-cant-read
Level of Reading Comprehension of the Education Students | KITE E-
Learning Solutions. (n.d.). Level of reading comprehension of the
education students. Philippine EJournals| Home.
[Link]
Assessing reading comprehension:
[Link]
comprehension
Strategies for motivating students to read:
[Link]
read
 ANNEXES

Time Table/ Gannt Chart

Cost Estimates/ Financial Report

Activities Cost Quantity Total

Resources

Bond paper 157.00 3 471.00

Stapeler 30.00 1 30.00

Research Dissemination

Printing Cost for the Reading 24.00 210 5,040.00

Materials

Meals (Duration of Research)

Snacks for the Participants 20 35 700

Others

Internet Connection 5.00 25 125.00

Grand Total 6,366.00

Pesos
Approval to Conduct Study
Plans for Dissemination and Advocacy

Action Plan

ACTIONS/STEPS PERSON/ TIMELINE RESOURCES

RESPONSIBLE STARTED NEED
1. Assessing the February 22-  Researchers
issues  Researchers March 3, 2023  Cooperating
concerning the teachers
struggle of  Students
reading and
comprehension
ability of the
Zamora students
2. Planning the  Researchers March 6-12,  Grade 8
action plan 2023 Zamora
students

3. Researching and  Researchers March 13- 19,  Internet

Constructing of 2023  Bond paper
Reading  Stapeler
Materials and  Laptop
Self-Made  Printer
Survey
Questionnaire
4. Requesting a  Researchers March 20, 2023  Permission
permission to  Principal request letter
the principal
5. Coordinating to  Researcher March 20, 2023 
the adviser and  Adviser
to language  Language
teachers teachers

6. Identification of  Researchers March 21, 2023 

the respondents  Students
7. Implementing  Researchers March 01-31,  Survey
the planned 2023 questionnair
strategy es
 Parent’s
Consent
 Reading
materials
8. Monitoring and  Researchers May 2- 10, 2023  Interview
evaluation of the  Respondent questionnair
output. s es

Raw Data
Activity Design

Title Action Research Preparation, Implementation, And

Dissemination Plan

Date February 2023 - May 2023

Venue Badas National High School- Division of the City of

Mati

Modality Synchronous and Asynchronous

Fund Source Personal Savings

Rationale The proponent will carry out an action research

project titled "Enhancing Reading Capabilities of

Grade 8 Zamora Students through Reading Activities"

in relation to the advocacy to improve the reading

abilities of research. The researchers themselves

provided the funding for this study. Accordingly, the

proponent created an Action Research Preparation,

Implementation, and Dissemination Plan that

outlines the sequence of steps that will be done

during the study's execution.

Objectives Construct an intervention plan for the conduct of an

action research

Expected Output Action Plan showing the preparation, implementation,

and dissemination of the conduct of the study.

Methodology The proponent prepares the deliverables needed for

the conduct of the activity

 STUDENTS SELF-ASSESSMENT ON READING CAPABILITIES

Name: (Optional) __________________________________ Date: _______________

Dear participants,

Thank you for agreeing to take part in our survey about

enhancing the reading capabilities of Grade 8 Zamora students through

reading activities. Your responses will help us understand the current

reading levels of students and the effectiveness of different reading

activities in improving their skills.

 Please rate your experience with the following statements using

the scale provided:

1- Never 2- Rarely 3- Sometimes 4- Often 5- Always

5 4 3 2 1
11. Do you practice reading?
12. Do you have an interest in reading?
13. Do you engage in reading activities
during your free time?
14. Do you search for the meaning of the
difficult words you encounter when
reading?
15. Do you comprehend what you read?
16. Do you read different genres of
literature (e.g., fiction, non-fiction, poetry,
etc.)?
17. Do you engage in reading activities
that involve technology (e.g., e-books,
audiobooks, online reading resources, etc.)?
18. Do you receive guidance or feedback
from teachers or other educators on your
reading ability?
19. Do group reading activities help you
become a better reader?
20. Do you feel the effectiveness of the
teacher’s guidance and feedback in
becoming a better reader?
Parent’s Consent to Participate in the Intervention Plan
Documentation