Republic of the Philippines

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Region X
Division of El Salvador City
District: II

An Action Research on “Improving Pupils Reading Comprehension Through effective Reading

Strategies”

Submitted by:

JEZIEL A. MACAHILOS
Teacher I
I. Situation

In the mid-elementary school years, emphasis shifts from reading stories with known content to

reading more difficult materials that teach the child new ideas and opinions. At this stage, silent readings

for comprehension and study skills are emphasized. This shift from learning to read to reading to learn is

especially important because the student must now begin to use reading skills to learn facts and

concepts in social studies, science and other subjects. Making this shift is difficult for some pupils and

their reading scores may increase at a lower pace than in the primary grades. Reading proficiency is the

most fundamental skill for academic learning and success in school. According to the study done in the

United States, the ability to read proficiently is significantly related to how much a person can achieve in

his or her personal life (Block Israel, 2005). Various studies have shown the importance of good teaching

and of effective school leadershipin promoting reading achievement. Pupils seem to learn to read better if

the principal is a strong leader with high expectations about reading achievement. The amount of direct

instruction in reading and the amount of time pupils spend in reading-related activities also affect reading

development.

II. Findings/Intervention

The main aim of this research is to find solutions to the real problem faced in school and searching

ways to improve the pupils reading comprehension.

To find out the reading awareness level of the pupils and improve reading comprehensions the

researcher introduced or used six strategies, predicting, making connections, visualizing, inferring,

questioning and summarizing. The strategies were introduced to the pupils for 4 weeks and the pupils

were given “Reading Awareness Survey” in order to find out the pupils awareness of the strategies. The

strategies were modeled by the researcher and were practiced by the whole class, then it is used in

small groups activities and finally it was practices independently.

Metacomprehension Strategy Index (MSI) was used to know if the six different strategies introduced

to the pupils have changed pupils understanding in readings. The MSI is a tool which measures pupils

understanding about reading strategies used before, during and after reading.
 In the beginning of the study the result of the reading awareness scale showed that there was lack of

knowledge in the area of reading comprehension. And the pupils barely comprehend the text or the story

they read however after using or introducing the six different reading strategies such as predicting,

making connections, visualizing, inferring, questioning and summarizing their ability in comprehending

the text or stories they read had improved.

To make it more effective the researcher guide and monitor the pupils in every step of the strategies

especially for the questioning, inferring and summarizing strategies.

III. Summary

In the mid-elementary school years silent reading for comprehension and study skills are emphasized.

Reading activity characterized by the translation of symbol, or letters into words and sentence that have

meaning to the individual. The ultimate goal of reading is to be able to understand written material, to

evaluate it, and to use it for one’s needs. To reach maturity in reading, an individual goes through a

series of stages, from readiness to adult reading ability. Various studies have shown the importance of

good teaching and of effective school leadership in promoting reading achievement thus the researcher

decides to introduce the six different strategies in reading such as predicting, making connections,

visualizing, inferring, questioning and summarizing to help thus pupils who have difficulty in

comprehending the text or stories they read. Before the six strategies in reading were introduced many

pupils have difficulty and lack of knowledge in the area of reading comprehension. The six strategies

were effective through the effort of the researcher in guiding and monitoring each pupil in every step of

the strategies. Therefore to improve the pupils reading comprehension the researcher recommend the

use of the six different reading strategies such as predicting, making connections, visualizing, inferring,

questioning and summarizing strategy.