Employing PAL (Peer Assisted Learning)

For Non-readers

By:

Nebuchadnezzar Buggy A. Sayson

Relaine Mae D. Gimena

John Nowen O. Simene

Ferjete M. Ladica
 Employing PAL (Peer Assisted Learning) For Non-readers

Introduction

A class wide peer tutoring assisted program in reading, implemented at grade II to VI

in New Tubigon Elementary School, was evaluated for its effectiveness with two types of

learner: low achievers and learners of average achievement. The learners of New Tubigon

Elementary School (NTES) implemented the peer assisted learning (PAL) program for 3 weeks.

The PAL program involves having pairs of learners engage in three strategic reading activities:

partner reading with retell, paragraph summary, and prediction relay. Pre - and Post test

reading achievement data were collected on three measurements of the comprehensive

reading assessment battery. Findings indicated that, irrespective of type of measure and type

of learner, learners in peer tutoring classrooms demonstrated greater reading progress than

control learners.

Public school are becoming more and more diverse. Because of policy initiatives like

detracting and inclusion, together with demographic changes. Teachers have been encourage

too accommodate such diversity by “decentering” the teaching and learning process; by

reorganizing classrooms so that children may assume a more active role in their own learning.

In a proper classroom setup the teacher teach in front and the students listen and

after the discussion there will be evaluation to measure if the students did really understand

the topic that has been discuss. If 85% of class population got pass the test it’s proven that
 the topic has been successfully delivered. But if the percentage is below the acceptance rate

(85%) then the topic must be re-teach. In this situation there are some students who already

got the topic which if they were to listen again they will be bored and tend to disrupt the

class. In this situation the students who already mastered the topic they can share their idea

with their peers. This method is called peer assisted learning.

Cooperative Learning and Peer Tutoring

Cooperative learning. There are many versions of cooperative learning, such as

jigsaw teaching (e.g., Aronson, Stephan, Sikes, Blaney, &Snaap, 1978), group Investigation (e.g.,

Sharan & Sharan, 1976), and Student teams-Achievement Divisions (e.e.g, Slavin, 1983).

Generally speaking, its purpose are to encourage children to become more active learners; to

provide structure for group collaboration and group, or group and individual, accountability; and

to accommodate students with a rich diversity of gender, race, history of achievement,

socioeconomic status, and characteristics.

Peer tutoring. Like cooperative learning, there are many version of peer tutoring:

same-age, cross-age, class wide, and so forth. Cohen, Kulik, and Kulik (cited in Natriello et al.,

1990) conducted a meta-analysis of 65 peer tutoring studies and found that “the average child in

the tutored group scored at the 66th percentile of the students in the untutored or control group”

(Natriello et. Al., 1990, p.90). Cohen et all. also found academic benefits for tutors, corroborating

prior research (Devin-Sheehan, Feldman, & Allen, 1976; Ehly & Larsen, 1980; Rosenshine & Furst,

1969). Moreover, Levin and colleagues (Levin, Glass, & Meister, 1984; Levin & Meister, 1986)
determined that peer and adult tutoring was most cost effective on comparison with three other

well-known reform strategies – reduced class size, computer-assisted instruction, and a longer

school day.

Statement of the Problem

This study determined the effectiveness of conducting Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) in

Grade II to VI learners of New Tubigon Elementary School. Specifically, it answered the following:

1. What is the level of skill in reading?

2. What is the effect of peer assisted learning (PAL) in the learners activities?

3. How the peer does assisted learning (PAL) improve the reading skill of the learners?

4. Is there a significant difference between the pre-test scores of the experimental

group?

5. Is there a significant difference between the post-test scores of the experimental

group?

6. Is there a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the

experimental group?
Methodology

Peer learning assisted (PAL) is a cooperative learning which peer tutoring is most cost

effective on comparison on other well-known teaching strategies. This study will be conducted

in New Tubigon Elementary School, Sitio New Tubigon, Barangay San Roque, Maramag,

Bukidnon. The respondents of this research will be the learners From Grades II to VI students

who were Average and Below average reader of school year 2019 – 2020. The respondents will

use the Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) for 3 weeks. An observation and evaluation will be

administered before and after the use Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) to check if there is an

improvement in their level of comprehension on reading with the aid of Phil IRI reading

measuring tool. The research will be conduct on the weeks from November 11 – 29 in grade II

to VI learners. For the whole week the learners will be observe their reading skill. Which Peer

Assisted Learning (PAL) is use to enhance the learning of the learners.

Data Gathering

The Two hundred students of new tubigon elementary school served as respondents and

they were administered reading using Phil-IRI. As a result, the respondents were classified as

reader and nonreaders. The readers were paired with the nonreaders and help the nonreaders

to read. After few weeks, posttest is conducted to the nonreaders to evaluate the progress.

The score of the posttest are gathered and recorded. The pretest and posttest score are

being appraised to determine the progress.

Results and Discussion

Based on the results of the data gathered, revealed that the peer assisted learning has

significantly affect the reading performance of nonreaders students. The tab

The following are the results and the analysis done from the data.

Conclusion

Based on the findings, the following are the conclusion.

1. The pre-test scores of the experimental group have higher number of slow reader total

of 200 and 27.5% are non-reader.

 2. The post-test scores of the experimental group have lowered the numbers (none readers)

from 27.5% to 0.05%.

3. There is an improvement of the reading skill of the learner were PAL is applied.

4. Use of PAL is effective considering the higher result of the experimental group.

Recommendation

Based on the above findings and conclusion, the following recommendations are

suggested.

1. PAL should be used in teaching especially in heterogeneous classes because it improved

the learner reading skill.

2. Teacher should be encourage to use PAL as one their teaching strategy for reading

comprehension skill.

3. This action research should be continued.

References:

[1] Fuchs, D., Fuchs, L., Mathes, P., & Simmons, D. (1997). Peerassisted learning strategies:

Making classrooms more responsive to diversity. American Educational Research Journal, 34,

174-206

[2] What Works Clearinghouse • http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/

[3] Doing What Works • http://dww.ed.gov

[4] Rathvon, N. (2008). Effective School Interventions: Evidence-Based Strategies for

Improving Student Outcomes (2nd Ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.

[5] kc.vanderbilt.edu/pals peerassistedlearningstrategies.com

Generalization

According to our action research, Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) is effective on

improving the reading comprehension/skill of the learners in New Tubigon Elementary School

grade II to VI. There is a significant changes of the non-readers which PAL was applied. The

numbers of non-readers from 55 it went down to 1 which is very effective. PAL should be applied

to the learners who have the difficulty in reading. Also it gives the teacher to have time to teach

other learners who needs especial attention on reading. It lessen the burden to the teacher to

teach their Learner in reading because the work were being divided. The PAL gives confidence to

the learners to teach their peer which promotes cooperative learning.