1

Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

In the 21st century pedagogy, teachers encounter

difficult times teaching reading to the pupils. It

challenges their efficacy as the focal person of the

learning process making it more demanding in the field. The

job embodies self-worth and self-reliance but also lead to

frustration when the beset area is not achieved.

With the inclusion of the Mother Tongue Based (MTB) in

the curriculum, some teachers find a strenuous phase on how

to teach the children to read the words they already know

how to speak but do not know how to write in words and read.

Learners with difficulty in reading manifest also difficulty

in understanding. This dilemma is triggered more with the

fact that learners in the contemporary epoch has no habit in

reading.

With this existent threat in the educative arena,

teachers across the country fear that the next generation of

learners become non-readers which will tarnish the pillar of

education in the Philippines. Unmistakably, Laoang, Northern

Samar will suffer the same fate if the existing phenomenon

will not be addressed. Considering the fact that the ability

 2

to read has a direct impact on the lives of the learners, it

is a must that all of the factors that might affect the

reading readiness of the pupils must work together to

enhance their reading literacy.

In every learning institution, language prescriptions

among the educators and the learners have always been the

crux of the issue. The actual impact of MTB-MLE along

instruction has been the subject of interest among

linguistic researches. The Philippines, being a country of

multi- lingual dwellers has been adapting the policy of

the mother tongue based instruction as one of the mandate

of the newly embraced K to 12 curriculum which was

abruptly embraced by the Department of Education last

June, 2012. The curriculum is incessantly bothering the

academe considering that Filipinos in the country has 180

languages including the vernaculars.1

As known by many educators, reading readiness is

considered a crucial factor for learning to read. Teachers

in first grade level need to recognize which pupils/learners

in her/his class are prepared to learn to read when they

enter.2

1
Ma. Theresa, Valerio, (2015). Current perspective on mother – tongue
based instruction in the newly implemented K to 12 curriculum of the
Philippines. Published by European Centre for Research Training and
Development UK. Vol.3, No.9, pp.51-66. www.eajournals.org
2
M. J. Adam & J. Osborn, (1990). Beginning reading Instruction in the
United States Bolt, Bertneck and Newman, Inc., Campbridge, Mass. P. 6-8.
 3

With this prevailing occurrence, the researcher is

prompted to further commence a study on Factors Affecting

the Reading Readiness of Grade I Pupils in Laoang II

District.

Objectives of the Study

This study deems to find out the Factors Affecting the

Reading Readiness of Grade 1 Pupils in Mother Tongue Based

(MTB).

Specifically, this study will attempt to:

1. Determine the level of reading readiness of the

respondents.

2. Determine the factors affecting the reading readiness of

the respondents in terms of:

a. Family factor,

b. Teacher factor, and

c. Environmental factor.

3. Determine the significant relationship between the level

of reading readiness and factors affecting the reading

readiness in terms of:

a. Family factor,

b. Teacher factor, and

c. Environmental factor.

`
 4

Significance of the Study

Studying the Factors Affecting the Reading Readiness of

Grade I Pupils in Mother Tongue Based (MTB) is of crucial

importance to the development of their academic performance

as well as their growth as a person. This study is apt and

pertinent as it tries to augment the awareness of the

researcher to understand the milieu of the respondents.

Therefore, this study is beneficial to the following:

Grade One Pupils. This study is valuable as it tries to

divulge the factors affecting the reading readiness of the

pupils and how they cope with the demand of the century. The

findings likewise will give them assurance that they will be

treated according to their individual diversity with care

and respect.

Teachers. This is another boundless advantage in the

field of teaching and will contribute to the development of

differentiated activities that will enhance the reading

readiness of the pupils. The findings may aid them to

showcase their ability in teaching reading to the learners.

Parents. This study will help them know the reading

readiness of their children and the activities that affect

their academic performance. This will also aid them to find

 5

some time to teach their children to read at home as often

as they can.

English Teachers and Language Teachers. The English

teachers and Language Teachers will take more time to ponder

and make programs which will cater the needs of the pupils.

They can identify the skills where the Grade I pupils are

feeble and stout, so that the teachers can offer the

suitable reading resources for the assessment of the child’s

reading readiness. This will also stimulate them to

implement the colossal task of helping the children

specifically the poor readers and find their deserved place

in school. Thus, making every learner become interested and

even advance in their field of study or interest.

Special Education Teachers (SPED). This study will

serve as their reference point on knowing the diversity of

the learners for them to understand the individual reading

capacity of the learners. The findings may likewise give

them an opportunity to create programs and approaches that

best suit to the needs of the children with diversified

personality.

School Administrators. This study will assist them to

identify the teaching instructions and approaches suited for

these kind of learners. This will also give insights on how

 6

to fashion programs and intervention that will definitely

help the learners to read.

Department of Education. This study will serve as one

of the great endeavor in the field of researches for it will

aid the teachers and administrators alike about the teaching

pedagogies and approaches that will best suit to the need of

the pupils. The findings also will pave the way of making

programs that will enhance the reading ability of the

learners.

Future Researchers. This study is valuable to the

future researchers for it will serve as their future

reference for conducting a similar study.

Scope and Limitation of the Study

This study will cover the Reading Readiness of Grade 1

Pupils in Laoang II District.

The respondents of this study will be 550 pupils

enrolled in the academic school year 2019-2020.

Furthermore, this study sets its limitation on the

factors affecting the reading readiness of Grade 1 Pupils in

Mother Tongue Based (MTB) in terms of: family factor,

teacher factor, and environment factors in Laoang II,

Laoang, Norhtern Samar.

 7

Hypothesis

1. There is no significant relationship between the

level and the factors affecting reading readiness of Grade 1

pupils in Mother Tongue Based (MTB) in terms of: family

factor, teacher factor, and environment factors.

Theoretical Framework

This study will be moored on Piaget’s Conservation and

Reading Readiness Theory which states that the child’s

ability to “conserve” should be developed before reading

instruction begins. It indicates that the ability can be

taught.3

This theory will be used in this study in the sense

that the reading readiness of Grade 1 pupils will depend on

their preparedness to accept learning at their own sake.

This study will also be anchored on Thorndike’s

Connectionism on effectiveness with principal laws of

3
https://www.jstor.org.stable/2019245?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents.
Retrieved October 18, 2019.
 8

learning namely: law of readiness, law of exercise, and law

of effect. The law of readiness states that when an organism

is ready to act, action is satisfying, inaction is annoying.

The reverse is true. When an organism is not ready to act,

action is annoying and inaction is satisfying. The law of

exercise states that in learning, the more frequent a

stimulus and response are associated with each other, the

more likely the particularly response will follow the

stimulus. The law implies that one learns by doing and one

cannot learn a skill, for instance, by watching others. The

law of effects states that learning is strengthened if it

gives satisfaction to the learner. It is weakened if it

gives annoyance to the learners.4

This theory will be used in this study because it

states that learning depends on the preparedness of an

individual. This factor may be considered as the reasons for

the reading readiness of the Grade 1 pupils.

This study will also be anchored on Vygotsky's Zone of

Proximal Development which states that a child can, through

the help of an adult or more capable child, perform at a

higher level than he or she can independently. The process

4
J. F. Calderon, (1998). Foundation of education. Manila: Rex book
store. Inc. p. 47.
 9

of learning to read should thus be supported by a caring and

supportive individual.5

In this study, the reading readiness of the respondents

is triggered through the use of their mother tongue at home.

Conceptual Framework

The researcher will be determining the factors

affecting the reading readiness of Grade 1 pupils in Mother

Tongue Based (MTB).

Furthermore, this study will try to find out the

significant relationship between the level of reading

readiness and the factors affecting the reading readiness of

the respondents.

Paradigm

Factors Affecting the

Reading Readiness of the

Level of Reading
Respondents in terms of:
Readiness of the
a. Family Factor,
Respondents
b. Teacher Factor,

c. Environmental Factor.

5
D. Bower, (2001). Putting knowledge to work. Tips for parents:
creating reading readiness. Retrieved October 24, 2004.
 10

Fig. 1 shows the relationship between the level of academic

performance and the level of reading readiness of the

respondents.

Definitions of Terms

To facilitate better understanding of this work, the

following terms are defined conceptually and operationally.

Reading Readiness. Conceptually, reading readiness is

defined as the point at which a person is ready to learn to

read and the time during which a person transitions from

being a non-reader into a reader. It is characterized as a

recurring theoretical and practical tug between two primary

concepts: readiness to learn and readiness for school. 6

Operationally, it refers to the time that the pupils are

ready to read in the actual teaching situation.

Level of Reading Readiness. Conceptually and

operationally, it refers to the level of reading readiness

of the pupils and to what extent the learning bring them

satisfaction.

6
National institute for literacy. A child becomes a reader: birth
through pre-school, (2003). Retrieved August 27, 2007.
 11

Chapter II

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Reading Readiness

The term "reading readiness" first appeared in

professional literature in the 1920’s.7 The decade was of

special interest because it was characterized by the

beginning of so-called "scientific measurements of human

behavior.8 Survey reports were the craze of this time, and

they indicated that large numbers of children were failing

first grade, most often because of insufficient achievement

in reading.9 Concern about why first graders were having

problems in learning to read led to studies of reading

problems.

A great deal of writing has been devoted to the concept

of reading readiness, and numerous reading readiness

programs in the classrooms, yet the possibility that

7
D. Durkin, (1970). Reading readiness. The reading teacher. pp.528-534.
8
R. L. Thorndike, & E. Hagen, (1961). Measurement and evaluation in
psychology and education. New York: John Wiley and Sons.
9
Ibid.
 12

children may be pushed into reading activities for which

they are not intellectually ready to exists.10

According to Renner, et.al., asking children learn

letters of the alphabet or whole words may be beyond their

intellectual level of functioning and addressed themselves

to this point when they state:

Reading involves basically a set of abstract

sounds represented by a series of abstract signs. The

alphabet is an abstraction, a defined series, and to

really understand it, the child must be able to take

the point of view of those who defined it. This may be

asking too much of a child whose egocentrism is

strong. According to the empirical data upon which the

Piagetian model is based, a pre-operational learner is

not able to perform intellectual operation.11

According to the Ontario Government, the acquisition of

language is natural, but the process of learning to read is

not. It means that reading must be taught. This belief

contradicts basic language philosophy, which states that

children learn to read while they learn to speak. The

Ontario Government, also believes that reading is the

foundation for success, and that those children who struggle

with reading in grades 1–3 are at a disadvantage in terms of

10
https://www.jstor.org.stable/2019245?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents.
Retrieved October 18, 2019.
11
Ibid.
 13

academic success, compared to those children who are not

struggling.12

Pedagogically speaking, upon the implementation of the

new curriculum, Filipino teachers and learners from

different linguistic backgrounds and from varied cultural

communities of the country are continuously facing the

challenges of the Mother Tongue Based Education (MTBE) to

keep in pace with the demands of education on both

countrywide level and international level.13

Initially, the child’s linguistic background is the

fountainhead of his cognitive ability. Usually, as the child

magnifies his years in his academic phases, the pedagogical

transition of learning toward the second language comes in.

The mother tongue based education usually takes place in the

language or dialect by which the learners earned from their

parents and at home. Hence, the learners enter into the

cocoon of bilingualism or multilingualism.14

Because a child's early experience with literacy

-related activities is highly correlated to the child's

success with reading , it is important to consider a child's

developmental level when choosing appropriate activities and

12
Everychildreadytoread.org/literaturereview-2010/Retrieved October 18,
2019.
13
Ibid.
14
Ibid.
 14

goals. Early and enjoyable pre-reading experiences set the

stage for a child's desire to learn. By participating in

developmentally-appropriate activities (activities that are

fun and challenging, but not frustrating), the child gains

knowledge that will serve as the foundation for further

learning as he or she enters the school system.15

But to attain a high level of reading readiness, young

children need opportunities to develop these strands, not in

isolation, but interactively. Meaning, not sounds or

letters, motivates children’s earliest experiences with

print. Given the tremendous attention that early literacy

has received recently in policy circles, and the increasing

diversity of our child population, it is important and

timely to take stock of these critical dimensions as well as

the strengths and gaps in our ability to measure these

skills effectively.16

Mother Tongue Based (MTB)

Despite of the persistent global debates on English as

the international Lingua frança versus the use of mother

tongue as the medium of instruction, the issue along MTB-MLE

(Mother Tongue Based - Multi-lingual Education) has been

pedagogically sweeping across the basic elementary

15
Ibid.
16
Ibid.
 15

curriculum. One major driving force behind this policy is a

common belief that elementary students can learn faster and

better if they are being instructed by their teachers using

their respective dialects which they initially learned at

their respective homes.17

In the Philippines, one mandate in the K to 12 Basic

Education Curriculum is the introduction of the MTB

instruction specifically in the Kindergarten, and grades 1,

2 and 3 to support the goal of every Child – A Reader and A

Writer by grade 1. Since language spoken at home helps

improve the child’s language and strengthen socio-cultural

awareness, teaching materials and assessment shall be in

regional or native languages of the bilingual learners.18

Various studies have identified that children’s overall

educational attainment can be enhanced if they are taught in

their mother tongue in early grades. In contrary to this,

teaching in a dominant language, which is different from

children’s mother tongue, in early grades invites serious

challenges in education e.g. high drop-out rates, low

educational attainment and lack of classroom interaction.19

17
Ma. Theresa B. Valerio, (2015). Current perspective on mother –
tongue based instruction in the newly implemented K to 12 curriculum of
the Philippines. Published by European Centre for Research Training and
Development UK. Vol.3, No.9, pp.51-66. (www.eajournals.org)
18
Ibid.
19
C. J. Benson, (2002). Real and Potential Benefits of Bilingual
Programmes in Developing Countries. International Journal of Bilingual
Education and Bilingualism, Vol. 5, No. 6, pp.303-317.
 16

Due to these problems, as reported by Dutcher, a large

number of indigenous children, who come from different

linguistic groups, are still out of school, and even if they

have joined the school they are marred with the low

performance on the ground of their low competence in

dominant language (s) which is used as the medium of

instruction in schools.20

With MTB-MLE comes the growing apprehension from the

teachers that teaching in a mother tongue-based program

requires a vastly different set of skills, many of which

they apparently do not have at the moment. The teachers are

particularly concerned with practical issues such as

producing home-grown and contextually sensitive teaching and

reading materials, and how to actually develop greater

fluency in their own languages. The broad categories of

materials needed to implement an MTB-MLE curriculum include

early literacy materials in the mother tongue, a variety of

on-grade narrative reading materials using the mother

tongue, possibly subject-area materials in the mother

tongue, materials to transition from the mother tongue into

the second language, and then, of course, materials as

appropriate for the educational system in the second

language.21
20
Ibid.
21
Ibid.
 17

Related Studies

Rush opined in his study that there were significant

differences in first grade reading readiness and first grade

reading achievement among children in relation to the type

of kindergarten program attended, socioeconomic level of the

patrons of the school attended, and in relation to

attendance of children at a school of their opposite socio-

economic level.22

Gunderson stated on his study that, "... children from

culturally disadvantaged backgrounds frequently experience

difficulty in reading. Emphasis should be placed on meeting

the particular needs of these children and supplying the

background essential if a foundation for reading is to be

established. A study might attempt to discover how the needs

of these children might best be met and the period of time

necessary to meet them.23

Valerio revealed on her study that teachers’

perceptions on MTBE have significant differences when they

22
G. S. Rush, (1973). Reading readiness and first grade reading
achievement of selected children in East Baton Rouge Parish. Retrieved
October 23, 2019. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_dissthesis.
23
D. W. Gunderson, (1964). Research in reading readiness. U. S.,
Department of health, education and welfare bulletin No. 8. Washington,
D. C.
 18

were grouped according to their profile. The study also

proved that there is no significant relationship between MTB

instruction and the pupils’ academic performances. Findings

also reveal that one prevailing perception of teachers that

inhibit the implementation of MTB-MLE is the deep – seated

attitudes about indigenous languages and their suitability

along classroom instruction. Hence, this study provides

another evidence of the pedagogical implications of the use

of mother tongue as one of the mandates of the newly

implemented K to 12 curriculum in the Philippine setting.24

In the study conducted by Cruz, it showed that majority

of the instructional objectives in the mother tongue as a

subject are not being met as indicated by the areas where

they are found weak, particularly grammar awareness,

vocabulary development, and reading comprehension are

concerned. Moreover, the Grade I teachers use another

language as accessory to the mother tongue. They, too,

encountered serious problems with the implementation of

MTBMLE such as attendance to relevant trainings and the

provision of evaluation instruments.25

24
Valeio, Ibid.
25
Cruz, Ibid.
 19

Chapter III

METHODOLOGY

Locale of the Study

This study will be conducted in Laoang II District,

Laoang, Northern Samar.

Laoang is one of the 24 municipalities in the province

of Northern Samar. It is a coastal municipality, composed of

56 barangays. According to 2015 census, it has a land area

of 246.94 km2 and population of 61, 359.26

Laoang II district has 17 public elementary school

during the conduct of the study namely; Aguadahan Elementary

School, Aroganga Elementary School; Binaticlan Elementary

school; Cabadiangan Elementary School; Cahayagan Elementary

School; Candawid Elementary School; Gapas-gapas Elementary

School; Inamlan Elementary School; Langob Elementary School;

Magsaysay Elementary School; Marubay Elementary School;

Mualbual Elementary School; Napotiocan Elementary School; PM

Geta Memorial Elementary School; Tan-awan Elementary

School.27

26
https://www.philaths.com/Retrieved October 2019.
27
MPDC, Survey (2016-2017).
 20

Research Design

This study will employ the descriptive correlational

research design.

Descriptive design will be used as it intends to obtain

information which describes the level of reading readiness

of the respondents in Mother Tongue Based (MTB).

Furthermore, correlational will also be utilized in

this study because it aims to find out the significant

relationship between the level of reading readiness and the

factors affecting the reading readiness of the respondents

in Mother Tongue Based (MTB).

Respondents

The respondents that will be involved in this study are

the Grade 1 pupils in Laoang II who are currently enrolled

under the K-12 curriculum for the school year 2019-2020 in

Laoang II District, Laoang, Northern Samar.

The researcher will accomplish a set of questionnaire

regarding the level of reading readiness and the factors

affecting the reading readiness of Grade 1 pupils in Mother

Tongue Based (MTB). The researcher will gather reports from

the office of the principals and their respective advisers

 21

who are handling the Grade 1 pupils. The pupils who will be

identified will be included in the lists of the respondents.

Research Instrument

The research instrument that will be used in this study

is a valid questionnaire which is consisted of two parts.

Part I is about the level of reading readiness of Grade

1 pupils in Mother Tongue Based (MTB).

Part II is about the factors affecting the reading

readiness of Grade 1 pupils in Mother Tongue Based (MTB).

Scoring and Interpretation

The data will be scored and interpreted as follows:

level of reading readiness and the factors affecting the

reading readiness of Grade 1 pupils in Mother Tongue Based

(MTB). The following scales and interpretation will be

utilized:

The mean and scores on the respondents’ level of

reading readiness will be computed and interpreted using the

following scale;

4.20 – 5.00 Very Ready

 22

3.40 – 4.19 Favorably Ready

2.60 – 3.39 Moderately Ready

1.80 – 2.59 Less Ready

1.00 – 1.79 Not Ready

The mean and scores on the factors affecting the

reading readiness in Mother Tongue Based (MTB) will be

computed and interpreted using the following scale;

4.20 - 5.00 Highly Evident

3.40 - 4.19 Very Evident

2.60 - 3.39 Evident

1.80 - 2.59 Less Evident

1.00 - 1.79 Not Evident

Variables

The variables identified in this study are the factors

affecting the reading readiness of the respondents. The

dependent variable is the level reading readiness of Grade 1

pupils in Mother Tongue Based (MTB).

Population and Sampling Technique

 23

The population of this study will be composed of all

Grade 1 pupils in Laoang II District. A complete enumeration

will be used to get the respondents who will be involved in

this study. Thus, the enumerated pupils will be the

respondents of this study.

Data Gathering Procedure

Before the actual conduct of the study, the researcher

will write a letter signed by the Dean of the Graduate

School, asking permission from the School Division

Superintendent and the Principal In-charge for the

researcher to conduct the study. Upon the approval of the

letter, schedule will be set as to when to conduct the

study. The researcher will personally administer and

retrieve the questionnaire from the teacher who are handling

the Grade 1 pupils. The questionnaire that will be retrieved

will be consolidated, tabulated, analyze, and interpreted

using the appropriate statistical tools.

Statistical Treatment of Data

 24

In order to come up with systematic statistical

treatment of data, the following statistics will be

utilized;

Weighted Mean. This will be used for the level of reading

readiness and the factors affecting the reading readiness of

the respondents.

Chi-Square. This will be employed to test the significant

relationship between the level of reading readiness and the

factors affecting the reading readiness of the respondents.

25