READING NEEDS OF OUT OF SCHOOL YOUTH

Chapter 1
The Problem

Background and Purpose of the Study

Reading is the process of taking in the sense or meaning of letters, symbols, etc.,

especially by sight or touch. For educators and researchers, reading is a multifaceted

process involving such areas as word recognition, orthography (spelling_, alphabetics,

phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, comprehension, fluency and motivation.

Reading is one of the communication skills which are needed to be developed in

an individual especially the young people, so that they could be able to apply the skill in

day to day living. A child’s reading skill is harnessed in school. In fact as he/she begins

with kindergarten, he is taught to recognize letters of the alphabet, vowels, consonants

and their sounds so that as they go along, they could be able to read words and

sentences by themselves.

Reading may also be paired with writing. Indeed, other types of reading and

writing, such as pictograms (e.g., a hazard symbol and an emoji), are not based on

speech based writing systems. The common link is the interpretation of symbols to

extract the meaning from the visual notations or tactile signals. It is also noticeable that

in school, when the children are in their primary years, the teachers provide various

ways to make them gain mastery of the letters, their sounds and the words. There are

teachers who accompany words with pictures, thus making the learners see the

meaning of a word through the object it represents, or words accompanied by actions.

 It is also noticeable that developing the necessary academic skills are not only

focused among children who are attending formal education. Indeed, out of school

youth especially those who are drop outs from schools are continuously supported by

the government. Truly, it is stipulated in Article XIV, Section 2, Paragraph that:

the State shall establish, maintain and support a

complete, adequate and integrated system of
education relevant to the needs of the people and
society; and paragraph concisely encourages non-
formal, informal and indigenous learning systems as
well as self-learning, independent and out-of-school
study programs particularly those that respond to
community needs.1

This explicates that Filipinos especially the youth who fail to avail formal

education due to different reasons like poverty, transfer of residence and others are

given the opportunity to learn through different means. Learning may be offered through

alternative learning system (ALS) which is spearheaded by public schools in

coordination with TESDA, and even other forms which serve as extension projects of

public schools.

As mentioned earlier, the learners’ basic skills to be developed is reading. This is

so because in all walks of life, one needs to understand things by themselves, when

they grasp messages information through reading. It does not always entail another

person to explain announcements, direction, and other information in a form of writing.

In the present time, it is observed that the learners truly stay at home as they

attend distance learning because of Covid 19 pandemic. They are provided with
Conduct of Reading Remediation for Struggling
learning modules, thus
readers may be conducted, both in English and
Filipino from June 15 to August 14 through
teachers fail to teach them
Distance learning. This program is for non-
readers and frustration level readers both in the
elementary and secondary.
face to face, and monitor strictly their reading progress. There are learners who are up

to this time are identified as struggling readers, hence, the DepEd to help them issued a

Division Order 199, series of 2020, which states that:

With this Division Order, it becomes clear that teachers together with the parents

who will attend to the needs of their children will be looking into different ways on how to

improve the reading skills of the learners, so that they could be able to cope with the

basic necessary skills which can be applied to learning other disciplines.

Reading is a skill in which one is acquiring and practicing to understand the

meaning behind the printed words. For a skilled reader, the act of reading feels simple,

effortless, and automatic.  However, the process of learning to read is complex and

builds on cognitive, linguistic, and social skills developed from a very early age. As one

of the four core language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing), reading is vital

to gaining a command of the written language.

With this it is necessary for every individual to read, and as a matter of fact this is

taught among children who are attending formal school. The problem goes with those

who never experiences attending school and /or drop from school. The opportunity to

develop the skills and become knowledgeable through reading can never materialize.
 The out of school youth for instance who drop from school may lack proficiency

in reading by the end of grade level they left. Thus they may face obstacles for the rest

of their career. 

In the upland barangays where the researchers are residing, many out of school

youth, both belonging from the people from the mainstream and the Dumagats and

Remontados are represented by out of school youth, thus the researchers wish to help

them so that they could be assisted.

As they conceptualized this study, they wished to determine the reading needs of

the out of school youth so that they could be able to propose program that would help

them continue developing their reading skills which are necessary in getting information

from printed words, practicing them in daily activities especially when transacting with

other people and use them even when voting during election period in the future. The

researchers believe that this study would be of great help to the youth in the barangay

as their proposed activity will likewise be supported by the barangay’s LGU.

Theoretical Framework

The present study was anchored on the Schema theory proposed by Barlett as

cited in the book of Villamin (2014). This theory explains that 'Schema' is known as

the existing knowledge that a person has about the people, places, things and

events around them. As such, the schema theory argues that meaning is

made when connections are made between the text and the reader's existing

knowledge.
 The schema theory is found appropriate in the present study

considering that the respondents are out of school youth, the youngsters who

had dropped from school and are characterized to have learned the basic

skills in learning like reading. They learn how to read but inability to practice

reading regularly diminishes their skills, hence once their needs will be

identified in this study, they will be assisted to make connection between the

past acquired reading skills with what are going to learn in the present.

Conceptual Framework

This study was conceptualized using the researcher –designed framework. At the

core is a youth who represents the respondent of the study. The box located beside

him consists of personal characteristics in terms of age, sex, grade level finished,

parents’ educational attainment, monthly family income and reading materials available

at home while the aspects considered as his reading needs are enumerated as

vocabulary, reading text, comprehension, interest and reading rate. These are all

contained in a book which symbolizes the reading skills necessary for an out of school

youth to continuously harnesses.

 Age
Sex
Grade Level Finished
Parents’ Educational
Attainment
Monthly Family Income
Reading materials Available at
Home

interest
Vocabulary

Reading Text
Reading Rate
Comprehension

Figure 1
 Conceptual Framework Showing the Reading Needs of the Out of School Youth in
Barangay Laiban Tanay Rizal

Statement of the Problem

The study aimed to determine the reading needs of the out of school youth in

Barangay Laiban Tanay, Rizal.

Specifically it sought to answer the following sub-problems:

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of :

1.1 age;

1.2 sex;

1.3 grade level finished;

1.4 parents’ educational attainment;

1.5 monthly family income and

1.6 reading materials available at home?

2. What are the reading needs of out of school youth with respect to:

2.1 vocabulary;

2.2 reading texts;

2.3 comprehension;

2.4 interest;

2.5 mixed reading;

2.6 reading rate?

3. What is the extent of reading needs of the respondents with respect to:

3.1 vocabulary;
 3.2 reading text;

3.3 comprehension;

3.4 interest; and

3.5 reading rate?

4. Is there a significant difference on the reading needs of the respondents with

respect to the cited aspects in terms of their profile?

5. What plan of activities may be proposed to help the out of school youth meet

and solve their reading needs?

Hypothesis of the Study

The hypothesis which states that there is no significant difference on the reading

needs of the respondents with respect to the vocabulary, reading text, comprehension,

interest and reading rate in terms of their age, sex, grade level finished, parents’

educational attainment, monthly family income and reading materials available at home.

Scope and Limitation

The study is focused on the reading needs of the out of school youth in Barangay

Laiban, Tanay Rizal. They are purposively selected considering their willingness to be a

part of the study. They are comprised of 22 out of school youth and they are described

in terms of age, sex, grade level finished, parents’ educational attainment, monthly

family income and reading materials available at home.

A questionnaire checklist was used as instrument of the study, it consists of two

parts, in which part 1 deals with the personal profile of the respondents and apart 2
comprises the aspects of reading needs with respect reading needs are enumerated as

vocabulary, reading text, comprehension, interest and reading rate. Face to face was

considered in the distribution of the questionnaire with the assistance of the parents

who serve as enumerators.

Definition of Terms

The researchers defined the following terminologies operationally to give ease to

reading of the conducted study:

Comprehension. This is one of the reading skills which appeal to cognition of

what is read. When a sreader understands what he reads, he could be able to answer

literal level questions, could infer or deduce, can analyze critically or judge what he

reads and applies what he gains from reading in his daily life activities.

Grade Level Finished. This is the elementary or secondary level left by the out

of school youth as he/she leaves school permanently.

Interest. This is the desire or enthusiasm of the respondents to engage himself

in reading. This could be external, if he is given a reward to read, or internal when he

finds joy or happiness and other reasons when he hooks himself to reading

Monthly Family Income. The combined monthly salary of all the members of the

family which ranges from less than P5,000.00 to more than P20,000.00 pesos.

Out –of-School Youth. These are the respondents of the study who are

considered in the undertaking because they drop from school permanently.

Parents’ Educational Attainment. This is the level of education obtained by the

parents. This varies from elementary, secondary and tertiary levels.

 Reading Materials Available at Home. These pertain to printed materials which

can be used in reading by the respondents, These vary from tabloid newspaper,

comics, magazines, books and other forms which can be read.

Reading Needs. The essential competencies needed by the respondents to

comprehend reading materials which are printed in different languages and dialects.

These are enumerated as aspects of reading.

Reading Rate. This means the speed of the respondents in reading the text. It

could be fast, average or slow.

Reading Text. This is the material either a composition, a paragraph a cartoon

illustration or anything that is presented in the book, magazines and other form of

printed materials.

Vocabulary. The language or words which are needed to be mastered by the

respondents so that they could comprehend a reading material which they choose to

read.
 Endnotes
1
Jose Nolledo, 1987 Philippine Constitution. Manila: National Book Store, 2014
2
.DepEd, Division Order 199-Conduct of Reading Remediation for Struggling
readers,” DepEd: Pasig City, 2020

3 Aracelli Villamin, Developmental Reading, Manila Rex Book Store, 2015.

 Chapter 2

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter deals with the research design, setting of the study, subject of the

study, sources of data, procedure of the study and statistical treatment employed in the

current study.

Research Design

Descriptive research design was used in this study. The researchers believe that

since they were dealing with the reading needs of the respondents, they needed to get

a picture of their personality and picture of their needs.

Shutttleworth’s (2017) discussion of descriptive research design is that it is a

scientific method which involves observing and describing the behavior of a subject

without influencing it in any way. It is advantageous in a sense that the subject is being

observed in a completely natural and unchanged natural environment. A good example

of this would be an anthropologist who wanted to study a tribe without affecting their

normal behavior in any way. 

The researchers found this descriptive research design suitable in the current

study considering that they will determine and observe the reading needs of the

respondents without persuading them to return to school. They simply took a picture of

the present status and determine the extent of reading needs so that they could be

provided with the necessary assistance that would answer to their needs.
Setting of the Study

The study was conducted in barangay Laiban Tanay. Rizal It is classified as one

of the upland barangays in the district of Tanay The barangay has one elementary

school which offers complete level from Kindergarten to Grade Six and one secondary

school. These schools are managed by a School Principal. People in this barangay vary

because there is a combination of people from the mainstream, natives of Tanay and

are migrants from different regions of the Philippines, there are also pure natives like

the Dumagats and the offsprings of Dumagats and people from the mainstream who are

classified as Remontados.

Since most of the residents belong to average income earners to low income

earners, there are still learners who drop from school.

Map of Barangay Laiban is shown in the following page, 15.

Subject of the Study

The study evolved on the reading needs of the out of school youth in barangay

Laiban Tanay Rizal. Reading needs pertain to vocabulary or the words/language used

in every reading context, reading text or the reading material itself, which could be a

paragraph, anecdote, short story, news and other forms, comprehension or the

cognition aspect in which a reader shows understanding f what he reads, interest or

desire to scan and read a news, a story, an announcement and others and reading rate

which is the speed of reading.

Subject of the study also includes the respondents, the 20 out of school youth

who were identified and selected purposively because of their willingness to become
part of the study. List of dropouts were also secured from teachers in the elementary

and secondary schools so that the out of school youth could be located. These

respondents were described in terms of age, sex, grade level finished, parents’

educational attainment, monthly family income and reading materials available at home

Sources of Data

The researcher made questionnaire checklist was devised with the help of the

adviser. This questionnaire checklist was consisted of two parts: Part 1 deals with the

profile of the respondents in terms of age, sex, grade level finished, parents’ educational

attainment, monthly family income and reading materials available at home and part II

deals with the aspects of reading needs such as vocabulary, reading text,

comprehension, interest and reading rate. Ten items (10) per aspects were considered,

hence a total of 50 items were obtained and put on record.

Validation of the Instrument

The questionnaire checklist was constructed and presented to the Instructors and

Professors who are knowledgeable of research. All the inputs, corrections and

suggestions provided by the validators were all incorporated to the questionnaire

checklist to make it suitable to the level of the respondents. Hence at the end, a valid

questionnaire was obtained.

Procedure of the Study

 The study was commenced in the second semester of school year 2019-2020,

when researchers were tasked to conceptualize and present a research title. Upon

approval of the research title, they continued their tasks as they drafted the research

proposal and have it corrected by the Professor assigned to them. Then it was followed

by the Proposal presentation. It was during this time that Adviser, Language Critic and

Statistician were all assigned to them to be of their assistance. They completed all the

necessary letter of correspondence to obtain confirmation of their Adviser, Language

Critic and Statistician, then upon the approval of the dean and the acceptance of the

Adviser, drafting and validating of the questionnaire checklist was done. Thereafter,

obtaining a valid questionnaire gave them the signal to distribute the questionnaire

checklist to the respondents, so they first requested for list of dropouts from the schools

so that they could have ease in identifying the out of school youth in their barangay.

Having given the list, and having conducted the pre-survey, they were able to finalize

the list of their respondents.

With the help of their parents who assisted them to act as enumerators, because

of Pandemic 19 which limits their exposure to people, they were able to distribute the

questionnaire checklist which later were all collated. They started tallying the responses,

tabulated them and sent to Statistical Center via email. Analysis and interpretation of

data were done with the help of the statistician with whom they met also via google.

The completed research was presented to the panel of evaluators via google

meet and all the corrections, suggestions and recommendations were considered in the

finalization of the manuscript.

Statistical Treatment

To answer the sub-problems enumerated in chapter 1, the following statistical

tools were employed:

To answer problem no 1 on respondents profile, frequency, percentage and rank

was used.

Formula

P – f_ x 100

To answer problem no. 2 on the presurvey relative to reading needs, frequency,

percentage distribution and rank was also used.

Formula

P – f_ x 100

` To determine the extent of reading needs of the respondents, weighted mean

was used.

To interpret the extent of reading needs, the scale and verbal interpretation

below was likewise employed.

Scale Range Verbal Interpretation Descriptor

5 4.51 - 5.00 Very Much Needed 85% - above lacking, Never Developed
4 3.51 – 4.50 Much Needed 70-84.99% lacking, Never Developed
3 2.51 – 3.50 Needed 51-69.99% lacking, Never Developed
2 1.51 - 2.51 Fairly Needed 26 -50.99% Lacking, Never Developed
1 1.00 - 1.50 Not Needed 1-25.99% lacking, Never Developed
To find out the existing difference on the perceived reading needs of the respondents

with respect to the cited aspects in terms of their profile, One-Way Analysis of Variance

was used.

Formula
 QUESTIONNAIRE CHECKLIST ON THE READING NEEDS OF OUT OF SCHOOL
YOUTH IN BARANGAY LAIBAN TANAY, RIZAL

i. Personal Profile
Name (Optional) ___________________________________

Age Sex Grade Level Finished

( ) 10- below ( ) Male ( ) Grade 3 and below
( ) 11-12 ( ) Female ( ) Grade 4
( ) 13-14 ( ) Grade 5
( ) 15-16 ( ) Grade 6
( ) 17-18 ( ) Grade 7
( ) 19-20 ( ) Grade 8
( ) 21- above ( ) Grade 9
( ) Grade 10

Parents Educational Attainment Monthly Family Income

Father Mother
( ) College ( ) College ( ) P 5,000- Below
( ) College Undergraduate ( ) College Undergraduate ( ) P5,001-P10,1000
( ) High School ( ) High School ( ) P10,001-P15,000
( ) Elementary ( ) Elementary ( ) PP15,0001 – P20,000
( ) P20,0011 – above

Reading Materials Available at Home

( ) Books
( ) Magazines
( ) Newspapers (tabloids)
( ) Comics
( ) Others, please specify _______________

II. Reading Needs:

Directions: Indicated below are the reading needs which may be given answer by the
researchers. Please answer the questionnaire checklist by putting a check mark
(/) on the item that best describes your answer Please be guided by the scale
below(Nakalista sa ibaba ang mga pangangailangan sa pagbasa, pakisagutan
ang mga katanungan sa pamamagitan ng paglalagay ng tsek (/) na
makapaglalarawan ng inyong sagot. Pakigamit ang eskala sa ibaba bilang gabay
sa inyong pagsasagot).
Scale Verbal Interpretation
5 Very Much Needed
4 Much Needed
3 Needed
2 Fairly Needed
1 Not Needed
Reading Needs 5 4 3 2 1
Vocabulary
I… (Ako’y…)
1. lack vocabulary
(may hindi sapat na bokabularyo)
2. am little familiar with words in English
(konting pamilyaridad sa mga salitang
Ingles)
3. use English words (gumagamit ng
salitang Ingles)
4. have interest in English words
(may interes sa mga salitang Ingles)
5. remember difficult words I learn
(nakakaalala ng mga mahirap na salitang
napag aralan ko)
6. appreciate difficult words (nagpapahalaga
sa mahihirap na salita)
7. look for the meaning of unfamiliar words
(naghahanap ng kahulugan ng mga
salitang di pamilyar
8. have self-study of words I encounter
(nag-aaral ngmga salitang napag
aalaman ko)
9. ask my sibling about new words
(nagtatanong sa aking mga kapatid
tungkol sa bagong salita)
10. enjoy words in puzzle (natutuwa sa mga
salita sa puzzle)
Reading Text
I…(Ako’y…)
1. give time reading books of my sibling.
(nagbibigay ng oras sa pagbabasa ng
aklat ng aking mga kapatid)
2. enjoy short stories
(natutuwa sa maakling kwento)
3. read comics when during free time
(nagbabasa ng komiks kapag may oras)
4. enjoy reading news in tabloid
(natutuwang magbasa ng balita sa
tabloid).
5. help my younger siblings in reading their
assignments
(tumutulong sa nakakabatang mga
kapatid sa pagbasa ng kanilang aralin).
6. read tagalog pocketbooks (nagbabasa ng
 tagalog na paketbuk)
7. I spend time reading text messages (may
oras na nailalaan sa pagbasa ng mga
mensahe sa text)
8. prefer reading for pleasure
(pumipiling magbasa upang masiyahan)
9. spend time reading even at night
(naglalaan ng pagbabasa kahit gabi)
10. am very busy and have little time to read
(sobrang dami ng Gawain at napakaliit ng
oras para magbasa)
Comprehension
I…Ako’y…)
1. understand what I read and answer who,
what, where and when
(nakakaunawa sa aking binasa at
akakasagot ng mga katanungang sino,
ano, saan at kalian)
2. infer and conclude based from what I
read
(nakakapagbigay ng konklusyon base sa
aking binasa)
3. judge what I read according to its value
(nakakapagbigay ng puna aon sahalaga
ng aking binasa)
4. apply the content which I rread in actual
life situations (nakapagsasabuhay ng
aking mga binasa ayon sa aking
pagkaunawa)
5. interpret what I read
(nakakapagpaliwanag ayon sa aking
binasa)
6. compare and contrast the reading text
which I read (nakakapagbigay ng
paghahalintulad ng aking mga binasa)
7. illustrate the meaning of what I read
(naipapakita o nasasabi ko ang katuturan
ng aking binasa)
8. discuss the meaning of what I read
independent from notes
(nakakapagpaliwanag ng ibig sabihin ng
aking binasa kahit walang kopyang
binabasa)
9. answer questions that are related to what
I read
(nakakasagot ng mga tanong na may
 relasyon sa aking binasa)
10. value what I understand and apply them
in actual life situations (nagpapahalaga
sa aking naunawaan at ginagamit koi to
sa pang araw araw na Gawain).
Interest
I (Ako’y…)
1. have interest in reading different reading
materials (may interes na magbasa ng
kahit anong babasahin).
2. keep the desire to learn reading (may
itinatagong interes na matututo pa sa
pagbasa).
3. show interest in reading by using comics.
(nagpapakita ng interes sa pagbabasa
kahit man lang ng komiks)
4. am motivated to read by my siblings
(naeengganyong magbasa ng aking mga
kapatid)
5. am encouraged to read pocketbooks
during free time
(naeengganyong magbasa ng paketbuk
kapag may oras)
6. attend to reading remediation class when
there is (dumadalo sa mga klaseng para
sa pagbabasa kapag mayroon)
7. am aware that reading is important
(nagbibigay halaga sa kahalagahan ng
pagbasa).
8. am personally interested to develop my
reading skills even not in school (personal
pa ring interesado na paghusayin pa ang
pagbasa kahit wala na ako sa paaralan)
9. pay attention to reading at home
(nagbibigay ng atensyon sa pagbabasa
kahit sa bahay)
10. am interested to read when someone
asks me to (interesadong magbasa
kapag may nagyaya sa akin na
magbasa).
Reading Rate (I … Ako’y…)
1. read fast 5 words per second
(mabilis umasa, 5 salita kada segundo)
2. am an average reader, 7-10 salita kada
minute (7-10 na salita kada minute)
3. slow reader with 20 or more words per
 minute (mabagal bumasa, may 20 o hight
pang salita kada minute)
4. have so many fixations or pauses
(may maraming ginagawang pagtigil
habang nagbabasa)
5. have difficulty in reading (nahihirapang
magbasa)
6. concentrate in silent reading
(nakakapagpokus sa binabasa ng
tahimik)

7. Repeat the pronunciation of the difficult

words
(nagpapaulit ulit sa pagbigkas ng
mahihirap na salita)
8. Experience regression reading those
which are not clear for me
(nag-uulit ng mga nabasa ng parte na
hindi malinaw)
9. Hardly read because of my eyesight
(bahihirapang bumasa dahil sa problema
sa mata)
10. Change speed in reading according to
the reading material used
(nagpapalit ng bilis sa pagbasa ayon sa
uri ng aking binabasa)

Thank you very much….