Directions: 

There are two (2) texts provided below. Summarize the given texts. Write the summary on
the space provided below

NOTE: Do not forget to write your name and section

1. Why students have poor reading comprehension

by Neil Romano S. Manaog                       Published: January 23, 2020

Source: The Manila Times

 It’s not fake news; it’s official. In December 2019, Malacañang said the “poor reading comprehension of
Filipino students is a reality.”

 In a 2018 global survey called Program for International Assessment (PISA) among 600,000 students
worldwide, Filipino students around the age of 15 got a rating of 340 points in reading comprehension,
lower than the average of 487 points. Consequently, in the said study, the Philippines ranked last among
79 countries.

 Malacañang has taken this constructively, however, and rather considered it a challenge to otherwise
“make improvements in the state of Philippine education.”

 The news hit us hard, teachers, especially since we consciously and religiously labor six days a week in
teaching our lessons to our students, teaching them with the prescribed materials and even working
longer hours to comply with and submit the needed paperwork.

 I am sure other people will react violently, probably saying the survey might have its margin of error. Be
that as it may, I believe that we elementary teachers can find a way to help remedy this.

 I feel guilty knowing this, even as I work hard for my own school. I feel I need to do something about it
and not just acknowledge it or let it be.

 Meantime, I can identify where this comes from. I attribute the increasing number of slow readers and
non-readers to a string of factors, namely: the lack of study habits among our pupils; the lack of contact
hours in teaching; the effects of technology, internet and the social media; and the effects of even the
Department of Education’s Child Protection Policy (DepEd Order 40, series of 2012).

It is a no-brainer to attribute this to the pupils’ lack of study habits because I observed that some of
them do not anymore develop the habit of studying for the sake of studying.

Should we then go back to how parents would sit with their children just to start to get their notebooks
and books to study? After all, it is habit-forming. Otherwise, if the parents themselves cannot do that, or
have not instilled in their kids this habit, our learners would not be focused on their work.

 How about asking our students to read stories, poems or even longer works? I believe it will help
because it will require them to finish and complete reading the text before they could make sense of it.
That is why some teachers of literature consider their subject indispensable, to which I agree.
 I think that reading snippets or passages from a longer text helps a reader “understand” because more
often than not, there is already a complete thought in them — whatever language they are written in.

 Second, when teachers themselves are not present in their students’ activities — if they just ask them
to read a text by themselves or do it with their peers, we cannot really be sure if they are understanding
or learning, thereby compromising the whole exercise.

 We must already cut the habit of leaving the students to their own devices, while we see to do other
things, including the much-whined-about paperwork, which we need to submit to our principals, school
heads or head teachers. Well, true, the many paperwork required of us teachers also bears on this.

 Next is the presence of computer technology and all the diversions and distractions it offers — gadgets,
internet, online gaming and social media. We must not wonder if we get to know there are some
students today whose are motivated only by these things.

 And finally, there is the Child Protection Policy, which has always been controversial, particularly
because the children are now appearing “not really protected” anymore but rather “pampered if not
spoiled” — which I believe may eventually create a culture of entitlement.

 The author is Principal 1 of the Triangulo Elementary School, Division of Naga City.

2. Study finds the importance of social support in stress management among adolescents

by Philippine Council for Health Research and Development      Published: Unknown

Source: Department of Science and Technology

Mental health concerns no specific life stage. As early as childhood or adolescence, individuals may
already suffer from severe anxiety and depression. In fact, data from the World Health Organization
(WHO) revealed that 10-20% of children and adolescents experience some form of mental illnesses
which are caused by several factors, including lifestyle.

In the recent Mental Health Forum held in line with the National Science and Technology Week (NSTW)
2017, a study entitled “Association between Lifestyle Behaviors and Psychosocial Health Conditions
among Adolescents in the Region” was presented by Dr. Jennifer M. Nailes of the University of the East
Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center (UERMMMC).

The study described the mental health profiles of 21,500 adolescent respondents which include social
support, stress management, degree of self-efficacy and level of perceived social support, and level of
depression, anxiety, and stress.

Results revealed relatively high scores on social support and stress management highlighting that 80-
90% of the respondents have a positive relationship with their parents as well as with their teachers and
peers. According to Dr. Nailes, this indicates a positive social support dimension wherein most of the
adolescents are capable of coping up with stress as they have family and friends to whom they can turn
when experiencing problems.

Majority of the respondents also stated that they have some form of depression. According to Dr.
Nailes, the findings were consistent with the World Health Organization (WHO) study entitled “Health
for the World’s Adolescents” which revealed that depression is the predominant cause of illness and
disability for both boys and girls aged 10 to 19 years old.

“Adolescents need to be treated as a distinct part of our population and it is important to realize and
address their health and lifestyle problems,” Dr. Nailes said. In helping adolescents live a mentally
healthier life, Dr. Nailes emphasized the vital role that families play.

1. Why students have poor reading comprehension

by Neil Romano S. Manaog                       Published: January 23, 2020
Source: The Manila Times

Reading comprehension rates in the Philippines have deteriorated, becoming a certainty

(Malacañang, 2019). According to a global study conducted by the Program for International Assessment
(PISA) in 2018, Filipino children aged 15 had a reading comprehension rating lower than the standard
487 points obtained globally, putting the country last on the list. Educators work hard to teach their
students, utilizing appropriate resources and spending long hours to comply with quality instruction;
thus, the report has been seen as an object to make improvements in the state of Philippine education.
Educators have been obliged to act; rather than just acknowledging the statistics, they too can
contribute to its resurgence.
The absence of study habits and contact hours in the classroom, the impacts of technology, and
the Department of Education's Child Protection Policy (DepEd Order 40, series of 2012) are linked to the
figures of slow readers and non-readers; hence developing strategies to address with the matter
(Manaog, 2020). Emphasizing the notions of Manaog to first, revert to the old-fashioned method of
parents sitting with their children; second, read short stories, poems, or even longer works obliging
pupils to finish reading before comprehending its content, and third, read excerpts from longer texts as
it contains complete ideas although short written. Consequently, when instructors are not present in
their students' activities and leaving children alone is uncertain that they understand or learn what
they're being taught; hence an unsuitable practice. Furthermore, the existence of computer technology
and all of its diversionary features, including gadgets, the internet, online games, and social media,
correspond to distraction; thus, educators must continually check upon their pupils being motivated
only by these devices, not on learning. Finally, aligning the Child Protection Policy is essential since
today's children do not seem safeguarded by it but rather indulged, leading to entitlement.

2. Study finds the importance of social support in stress management among adolescents
by Philippine Council for Health Research and Development      Published: Unknown
Source: Department of Science and Technology

Adolescents need to be regarded as a well-defined part of society, with families helping them
live a psychologically healthy life (Nailes, 2017). Dr. Nailes, a professor at the University of the East
Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center, presented her study, "Association between Lifestyle
Behaviors and Psychosocial Health Conditions among Adolescents in the Region," during the recent
Mental Health Forum held in conjunction with the National Science and Technology Week 2017 defining
adolescents' mental health profiles including social support, stress management, and self-efficacy. Social
support has been extensively researched as a component that mitigates stress, and results have been
rather surprising. The findings showed that, compounding 80-90% of the respondents had excellent
relationships with their parents, teachers, and classmates. Accordingly, Dr. Nailes accentuated that this
demonstrates good social support and stress management, as most adolescents can deal with stress
because they have families and friends to turn to. Comparably, the vast majority of those who partook
in the study also acknowledged having depression of some kind. In Dr. Nailes' report, the results were
consistent with the World Health Organization (WHO) research entitled "Health for the World's
Adolescents," which showed that depression is the most common cause of disease and impairment in
both boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 19. With 10-20% of children and teenagers suffering
from mental illnesses, numerous factors, including lifestyle, are its foremost grounds. Thus, there is no
particular life stage when it comes to declining mental health – as early as adolescence; anyone may
suffer from severe anxiety and depression.