REPEAT (READING PROGRESS ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES IN TEAMS):

INTERVENTION ORIENTED AROUND LEARNERS'

READING LEVELS

An Action Research

Conducted by

( Name of Teacher)

Through the Financial Support Provided by the

BASIC EDUCATION RESEARCH FUND (BERF)

of the Department of Education

(Region Number and Name)

(SDO Name)

September 2021
I. Introduction and Rationale

As teacher researchers for this study, we discovered that many of our high

school learners in the school year 2021-2022 struggle to identify letters by name

and sound, resulting in difficulty with module activities. The results of the Rapid

Literacy Assessment done by the counselors among Grades 7 to 10 at La Union

National High School during the school year S.Y. 2020-2021 substantiated this

concern. Rapid Literacy Evaluation is a form of assessment that approximates

learners' reading abilities, notably their ability to recognize words. This finding

indicates that the students have extremely low levels of phonological awareness,

phonics, and writing skills, all of which are components of the six domains of

literacy and have an effect on their reading abilities.

The researchers adapt the use of a technology to support and track

reading fluency in the class. The researchers hope that by utilizing a free built

tool, the researchers will reinforce abilities and provide learners with a

meaningful experience.

The objective of this study is to determine whether the innovation

presented shall enhance children's reading ability. Without a firm foundation in

reading and understanding, the researcher believes that youngsters would

struggle in school and throughout their life. The researcher attempts to establish

a solid foundation for success by discovering the most successful reading

strategies and the most effective methods for teaching them to learners.
II. Literature Review

Reading is a key language skill. It is a necessary component of education,

whether formal or informal. (Kim, 2021)

Reading is a receptive skill that entails the ability to perceive or decode

written, printed, or graphic symbols of language meaningfully. By definition, it is

an input skill. This means that when students read something, they will gain

knowledge from it. Reading can be taught and developed; but, in order to

become a proficient and successful reader, one must master the reading skill and

its associated methods. The primary goal of reading is to comprehend the

context of the material being read. When students read a passage, they decode

written information, which is then paired with their prior knowledge to achieve

comprehension (“Reading : Interpreting Symbols in Stories—When Everything

Can Meaning,” 2019).

Many students struggle to comprehend what they read. All schools must

give some form of remedial reading instruction to all struggling students. Reading

skills deficiencies have a negative effect on both reading fluency and

comprehension for elementary school students.(Kızıltaş & Yildiz, 2020)

At this age, reading skills are basic building blocks, and the younger kids

with low reading abilities and comprehension receive treatments, the more

positive the influence on the pupils' reading careers will be (“Appendix F Reading

Comprehension 257,” 2021)

 Educators used Reading Progress to support students of all ages and

abilities. We've seen widespread use for beginning readers, middle and high

school fluency testing, special education and dyslexia support, and non-native

English speakers strengthening English abilities. Adult literacy scenarios have

also been popular. The stigma of reading aloud and lack of educator time

previously limited post-elementary fluency practice and monitoring. The

ramifications of a private and frequent practice environment for older learners are

huge. Middletown High School's Unified Arts and ELA Director, Luis Oliviera,

shared:

"Reading Progress has been such a time saver for assessing and

analyzing my high school ELL students’ reading fluency. I am able to give a

passage to the entire class and have them record their responses instead of

having to individually assess the students. Cultural selections for the reading

passages enhance their knowledge of important topics and current events. This

allows more time to work directly with the students in addressing their needs."

(Reading Progress in Microsoft Teams to Improve Student Reading Fluency -

Now Rolled out Globally!, 2021)

.
III. Research Questions

The researchers aim to enhance the reading levels of Junior High School

learners of La Luna National High School through the "Project REPEAT” This

study wants to answer the questions:

1. What is the level of chronological thinking skills of Grade 7 learners before the

implementation of Project REPEAT?

2. What is the level of chronological thinking skills of Grade 7 learners after the

implementation of Project REPEAT?

3. Is there a significant difference between the level of chronological thinking

skills of Grade 7 learners before and after the implementation of Project

REPEAT?

4. What are the lived experiences of Grade 9 learners as they go through Project

REPEAT?
 Innovation, Intervention, and Strategy

Ninety percent of students felt that they were more likely to be

multitasking while reading digitally, while only 1 percent felt that a hardcopy

would make them more likely to multitask. (“Women Entrepreneurs Appear More

Likely to Use Online Tools to Communicate with Customers than Men but Slightly

Less Likely to Use Them for Internal Processes,” 2019)

Thus, making technology a contributory component in the increase of

individual’s reading development. Additionally, running records are critical

evaluative tools. We enjoy having statistics that demonstrates how much our

students have developed, but maintaining Running Records requires a significant

amount of time. Microsoft recognizes their significance, but also recognizes the

value of our time. (Loughlin & Reilly, 2021)

Based on the findings of the study, proponents would like to develop a

technology-enabled intervention known as REPEAT, which stands for REading

Progress Engagement Activities in Teams. REPEAT makes use of the infamous

Microsoft Teams function to accelerate one's reading progress.

Reading Progress is a free tool built into Microsoft Teams designed to

support and track reading fluency in your class. Students record their reading on

camera and submit it to you. As you mark and return their work, data is

automatically collected and organized in Insights, helping you spend more time

with students and less time analyzing data. (Microsoft, 2021)

 Microsoft has rolled out Reading Progress, a free education tool for

Teams that gives teachers artificial intelligence (AI) estimations of student

performance and errors when reading text. (Improving Reading and

Comprehension in K-12: Evidence from a Large-Scale AI Technology

Intervention in India, 2021)

The Teams app aims to help teachers quickly assess students' fluency at

reading through video and audio recordings. It could be a handy online tool for

teachers delivering remote education for the first time, as well as for those who

provided remote learning before the pandemic. (Tung, 2021)

Teachers can upload a single reading fluency passage for the entire class

or multiple passages for students with various reading abilities. Students take

notes and submit them for review to their teacher. (Driggs, 2013)

The Reading Progress app is built into Microsoft Teams Assignments and

is available on the Teams app on Windows, Mac, web, iOS and Android

platforms. (NS, 2020)

Here are the step by step process in the implementaion or use of the Microsoft

Reading Progress.

1. Present letter of consent and the matrix of the reading program to the school

head for approval

2. Introduce Microsoft Reading Progress to educators via LAC sessions, virtual

conferences, and other avenues.

3. Inform Parents about the Microsoft Reading Program and discuss its purpose,

utility, and usefulness.

4. Instruct the child on how to use the Microsoft Reading Progress

properly.Begin the creation of reading passages for Microsoft Reading Progress

5. Implement the intervention following the approved timeline

6. Adhere to the school head's monitoring and evaluation of the aforementioned

program.

7. Create a report on sustainability

The materials and equipment needed are the following:

A. Internet Accessibility among students and teachers

B. Computer/ Laptop or cellphone devices that can connect to the internet and

able to open the app

C. Downloaded Reading Progress app

D. Microsoft Teams Account

E. Ballpen and Paper

One of the drawbacks we've seen is that, while the software is free, it isn't

available on all devices. Fortunately, it was announced lately that it will be

available across all platforms, including desktop, browser, Mac, iOS, and

Android. (Aljedaani et al., 2019)

 Not everyone will have access to a gadget or have a working knowledge

of how to operate one. The teacher should intentionally excuse these students

from class and visit them at home as part of the continuous reading program.

(Spear-Swerling, 2015)

Internet access and load capacity will be another issue for both students

and teachers. Teachers will use the Deped-provided smart connection load

allotment, while students who are financially disadvantaged may receive load

through donations from partners and other stakeholders. (SAGE Books - The

Word Study That Sticks Companion: Classroom-Ready Tools for Teachers and

Students, Grades K-6, 2020)

Scope and Limitation of the Study

The purpose of this research is to examine the efficacy of technology-

mediated instruction, namely the usage of Microsoft Teams Reading Progress,

on the reading level of learners in La Luna National High School's Junior High

School.

This study will focus exclusively on oral reading, silent reading, and

comprehension of spoken language.

Research Methodology

A. Sampling
 The study participants shall be non-randomly selected Grade 7 to 10 bona

fide learners of La Luna National School, officially enrolled in the Learner

Information System for School Year (SY) 2021-2022.

Taking into account a sizable population, as indicated in the table below:

Grade Level Population

7 785
8 901
9 831
10 888
Total 3405
Table 1. Number of Learners in every Grade Level

The researchers chose the cluster sampling strategy in order to reduce the

number of participants while maintaining an adequate level of statistical power.

B. Data Collection

The researchers situate the study within the framework of pre-

experimental research design, namely the one-group pretest-posttest design.

This is a pre-experimental design in which a single case is observed twice before

and after. Additionally, it states that when no control or comparison group is

used, changes in the outcome of interest are believed to be the effect of the

intervention or treatment. Researchers will use PHIL IRI as a data gathering

instrument. The Phil-IRI is an informal reading inventory composed of graded

passages designed to determine the individual student's performance in oral

reading, silent reading and listening comprehension. These three types of

assessments aim to find the student's independent, instructional and frustration

levels. (https://www.teacherph.com/phil-iri-manual-2018/#:~:text=The%20Phil
%2DIRI%20is%20an,independent%2C%20instructional%20and%20frustration

%20levels.)

In the post-test, the researchers will administer the instrument used in the

preparatory phase to the selected sample size. The results will be documented

and examined.

During the same phase, the researchers will conduct a structured

interview using Focal Group Discussion (FGD) to address additional qualitative

study questions regarding Grade 7 learners' lived experiences. The FGD will be

conducted via a LAC (Learning Action Cell) session in which responders will be

divided into strategic distribution centers in accordance with health safety

guidelines. Facilitators shall be researchers. Interview guides shall be developed

with open-ended questions. The discussion will be recorded on the cell phone.

Participants and researchers will have access to interview transcripts. The

responses will be compiled.

C. Ethical Issues

To guarantee that this research adheres to high ethical standards, the

researchers obtain authorization from appropriate authorities, such as the school

principal. A certificate of voluntary participation and informed consent shall also

be obtained from participants and their parents or guardians. All given

information and data, including your identity, will be treated with strict

confidentiality. Additionally, the References section will correctly cite and

acknowledge any relevant literature for this research.

D. Plan for Data Analysis

 The researchers will use different methods of data analysis that include

descriptive statistics and tests of significance.

To determine the significant difference before and after the treatment,

researchers shall use the dependent sample t-test. Therefore, researchers shall

also use statistical tools such as mean, difference, degrees of freedom, standard

deviation, and t- statistics.

The thematic analysis will be used to determine the participants' lived

experiences as they go through the intervention.

VI. RESEARCH WORK PLAN AND TIMELINE

The action research work plan and timelines are shown below during this

study's pre-implementation, implementation, and post-implementation phases.

Table 4. Plan of Action

Objectives Strategies/ Time Persons Output Success

Activities Frame Involved Indicator
Pre-Implementation Phase
Secure Securing 2nd week Researcher Letter of Approved
permission permission of permission letter of
to conduct to conduct October School permission
the study the study 2021 Head
Draft a Drafting a 2nd week Researcher Research The
researcher- researcher- of instrument research
made made October validation instrument
instrument instrument to 2021 Panel of result was
to be be validated experts validated
validated by experts and obtained
by experts
Submit the Administer 3rd week Researcher Established The
instrument the of reliability research
for instrument to October index of the instrument
reliability a group of 2021 Sample instrument obtained a
test participants participants high-
to obtain the reliability
reliability of index
the
instrument
Reproduce Reproducing 3rd week Researcher Reproduced Researcher-
the the of researcher- made
instrument researcher- October made instrument
made 2021 questionnair
questionnair e
e
Implementation Phase
Conduct Conducting 4th week Researcher  An Pre-
pre- the pre- of accomplishe assessment
assessmen assessment October Students d conducted
t to to identified 2021 researcher-
identified participants made
participants instrument
with scores
Gather, Gathering, 4th week Researcher Recorded Pretest
record, and recording, of data result was
interpret and October gathered
the data interpreting 2021 and
the data recorded
Orient Conducting 2nd week Researcher Gathered Written
parents parents’ of parents’ consent from
and secure orientation Novembe Parents consent each parent
informed and securing r 2021 was
consent informed gathered
consent
Prepare or Preparing or 2nd week Researcher Intervention Prepared
obtain obtaining of materials intervention
intervention intervention Novembe Stakeholder materials
materials materials r – the third s
week of
Novembe
r 2021
Administer Administerin 3rd week Researcher  Successful The
the g the of administratio intervention
intervention intervention Novembe Students n of the program was
program program r – the second program administered
week of successfully.
February
2021
Conduct Conducting 3rd week Researcher Accomplishe Post-
post- post- of d post- assessment
assessmen assessment February Students assessment was
t to assess the 2021 on numeracy conducted
level of
numeracy
Collect and Collecting 3rd week Researcher  Recorded Post-
record and of data assessment
results of recording February results were
the post- results of the 2021 gathered
assessmen post- and
t assessment recorded
Analyze Analysis and 3rd week Researcher Analyzed Results were
and interpretation of and analyzed
interpret of data February interpreted and
the data 2021 data interpreted
Post-Implementation Phase
Finalize the Finalization 4th week Researcher Final paper Bounded
paper for of the paper of ready for action paper
binding for binding February binding
2021
Disseminat Disseminatin 4th week Researcher Disseminate Results were
e results g the results of Teacher d research disseminate
February School results d 
2021 Head

VII. Cost Estimates

Shown below are the estimated expenses throughout this action research.

Table 5
Cost Estimates for Supplies and Materials 
Unit Quantity Description Unit Cost Amount
ream 2 Short Bond paper 169 338
ream 2 A4 Bond paper 223 446
 bottle 1 Ink L3110 black 275 275
TOTAL 1059

Table 6
Cost Estimate for Travel expenses for the Submission of Action Research
Proposal to the Division
Purpose of
Destination Transportation Amount
Travel 
La Luna NHS to Division
Tricycle 100
Office
Division Office to La Luna Tricycle 100

      TOTAL 200

Table 7
Cost Estimates for Other Expenses
Unit
Unit Quantity Description Amount
Cost
Bound 1 Binding 350 350

Perso Internet and Communication Load

40 300 1200
n Allowance

Total 1, 550

Table 8
Summary of Expenses
Description Amount
A. Supplies and Material   P1, 059.00
B. Travel Expenses
        B.1  Submission of Action Research Proposal to the          200.00
Division      
       
               
C. Other Expenses       1, 550.00
                                                                                       Grand   P2, 809.00
Total

VIII. PLANS FOR DISSEMINATION AND UTILIZATION

 The study's findings matter to teachers and students. It will be used to

develop methods, build curricula, and arrange instruction in the reading and

English. So it must be carefully shared via:

a. Attend division or district-wide research conferences, research forums, and

policy forums to present and discuss research findings and recommendations.

We can ask our academic peers to review our paper.

b. Publish to research journals and bulletins to inform teachers, researchers, and

practitioners interested in technology integration and training. It will help them

improve their knowledge and skills.

c. Allocate sufficient money in SIP and AIP

d. We can participate in debates through LAC sessions or In-Service Training.

Other IN-service trainings can welcome us to share our knowledge and help

other schools improve their grading practices.

REFERENCES