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Republic of the Philippines

Region X-Northern Mindanao
Division of Iligan City
North III-District
Santiago National High School
Santiago, Iligan City

Project ELSA (Engagement of Learning Support Assistants): A School-

based Intervention Program in the New Normal Education

Action Research
SANTIAGO NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
North III District
Division of Iligan City

Proponents:
Jenilyn V. Derramas
Kresha Lluisma
Jun Tumampil

February 2022
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I. CONTEXT AND RATIONALE

Learners who have special educational needs are currently

described in terms of learning difficulties. These learners should be educated in

ordinary schools and for integration to be effective, learners with difficulties must

engaged in all or most of the activities of the school. Learning support assistants

(LSAs) often provide this “extra help’ which makes it possible for children to

attend schools. In the particular context of learners with difficulties, teachers are

responsible for the overall success of the teaching programmes; they plan the

programmes, monitor their success, plan review meeting and liaise with parents.

Meanwhile, LSA are seen as being responsible for implementing the

programmes under the teachers’ guidance. LSAs tend to support learners in

classes by keeping regular contact with those who may need help but they do

not sit with a learner throughout a lesson.

Research on the effect of the use of classroom support assistants on

achievement has so far been limited. Early studies produced mixed results- the

earliest study, conducted in the mid-1950s in Michigan, found that use of

learning assistants did not improve achievement compared to classes in which

no assistants were employed. Learning assistants were largely used to help with

administrative tasks, rather than intervening educationally, however (Park,

1956). A small-scale (nine classes) study conducted in Minneapolis in the late

1960s did find positive effects of using learning assistants on pupils’ reading

readiness, students in classes having either one or five assistants making more

progress over the year than those in classes with no assistants (Bennett and

Falk, 1970). Davidson, Beckett and Peddicord (1994) analysed data from an
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early 1980s reform effort in Mississippi that had introduced learning assistants

into schools. Comparing the achievement of pupils who had and those who had

not been in classes receiving support, they found no long-term positive effects

and some negative effects for learners in classes with support assistants.

Recent policy pronouncements point to an extension of the use of

learning support assistants. The Department of Education issues the enclosed

Guidelines on the Engagement of Services of Learning Support Aides to

Reinforce the Implementation of the Basic Education-Learning Continuity

Plan in Time of the Covid-19 Pandemic. It is the policy of the Department to

ensure continued delivery of basic education services amidst the COVID-19

Pandemic through the provision of additional human resource to reinforce and

render assistance to learners, teachers, and parents and/ or guardians in the

implementation of distance learning delivery modalities at home (DepEd Order

No. 032, s.2020).

These study use of learning support assistants in school for learners who

cannot manage independent learning, including learners with disabilities and

special need; learners who do not have a household member or any responsible

adult available to provide instructional support and facilitate distance learning

delivery modalities (DLDM); and households with parents and/or guardians with

full-time jobs who may not be able to monitor and guide the child’s learning at

home.
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II. INNOVATION, INTERVENTION AND STRATEGY

This section provides the innovation, intervention and strategy that are

made by the researchers.

This study will investigate the effectiveness of the intervention program

called ELSA(Engagement of Learning Support Assistants) in addressing the

challenges of teachers and parents in the delivery of various modalities in the

new normal education of Santiago National High School.This is 3-month

intervention program from December 2021 to March 2022 involving the school,

teachers, parents, learners and community stakeholders. This intervention

program is a researcher’s initiative to mitigate major problems particularly in the

modular approach of learning for the school year 2021-2022. In this intervention

program, the involvement of parents with their children and the community has

become more intense in school as they take on the role of teachers in the

learning process. The school will identify Purok Facilitators who will serve as

Learning Support Assistants to reinforce teachers in facilitating learning in the

new normal education and build a stronger relationship to longer-term resilience

of the intervention program.

The researchers believe that parents play a vital role in the learning and

development of their children than they have done traditional because learners

will study at home. Even though teachers were doing their best to assist the

parents and learners like home visitations and provisions of supplementary

materials, efforts were not that enough due to some internal and external
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factorsat home. Therefore, in this time of pandemic, collaboration will be much

needed among the school, teachers and community.

Communication and feedback served as an initial step in the identification

of some major challenges experienced by the teachers for this school year.

Based on the modular monitoring tools from the advisers, SWOT Analysisand in-

depth interviews, late submission of modules and how the parents will manage

or assist their children’s learningwere the major challenges of the advisers.

To address these challenges, Project ELSA has been initiated to mitigate

those weaknesses through various strategies such as:

i. Track the learner’s distribution and retrieval of Module and Answer

Sheets through the SaNHS Module Tracking Slip (SMTS);

ii. Group the learners according to their purokin the distribution and

retrieval of modules

iii. Coordinate with the Barangay Council in the identification of the

Learning Support Assistants to reinforce withthe teachers for facilitating

and assisting student’s learning;

iv. Conduct monthly Purok Learning Support Assistants (LSA) Assembly

and give recognitions to strengthen and sustainability of the program.

III. ACTION RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The main objective of this action research is to provide a school-based

intervention program in the new normal education.

Specifically, the researchers seeks to answer the following questions:

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1. What are the challenges encountered by the select grade 7 parents in

the new normal education?

2. What initiated strategies implemented by the school to support Project

ELSA (Engagement of Learning Support Assistants) in the new

normal?

3. To what extent does the Project ELSA (Engagement of Learning

Support Assistants)intervention program address the challenges

encountered by the parents in the new normal education?

IV. ACTION RESEARCH METHODS

a. Participants and/or other Sources of Data and Information

The researcherswill utilize descriptive-survey method design. In

determining the participants of the study, the researchers used purposive

sampling. The respondents of the studywill be the selectGrade 7 parents of

Santiago National High School for the school year 2021-2022.

The questionnaireswere researcher-made and validated by

experts. The survey questionnaire consisted of 3 parts, Part I, in-depth questions

designed to explore the challenges and feedback of parents on their concerns in

the new normal education, Part II, the initiated strategies implemented by each

adviser to support the Project ELSA interventionj program, Part III,Level of

Effectiveness of the Program.

b. Data gathering Methods

The following procedures will be followed in gathering the needed data of

this study.
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First, seeking permission from the school principal stating the main

purpose and objectives of the study. All the communications should be signed

and approved by the concerned personalities including the District Supervisor of

North III. When the research consent is approved, consent letters will be given to

the respondents.Parents were asked for their voluntary participation during

stakeholder’s forum held in school prior to the conduct of the study. The

researchers will then conduct survey to the participants.

Survey questionnaires will be gathered one week after the distribution for

interpretation and subsequently analyzed a general and specific view of the level

of effectiveness of the parent on the Intervention Program. Confidentiality of their

answers was assured by the researchers.

c. Data Analysis

In terms of statistical tools, the following were used during the entire

research process.

1. Frequency Distribution and Percentage

This tool was used in determining the top three challenges

encountered by the parents in the new normal education.

2. Mean Rating

This was used in determining the level of effectiveness of the Project

ELSA Intervention Program and in determining the distribution of the initiated

activities/ strategies implemented by the teachers to support the program.The

following scale was used in interpreting the data.

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a. Description of Project ELSA implemented strategies/activities

Scale Interval QualitativeDescription

4 3.5 – 4.0 Highly Observed
3 2.5 – 3.4 Observed
2 1.5 – 2.4 Rarely Observed
1 1.0 – 1.4 Not Observed

b. Level of Effectiveness after the implementation of Project ELSA

intervention program

Scale Interval Qualitative Description

4 3.5 – 4.0 Full Extent

3 2.5 – 3.4 Moderate Extent
2 1.5 – 2.4 Least Extent
1 1.0 – 1.4 No Extent
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V. ACTION RESEARCH WORKPLAN AND TIMELINES

Project ELSA (Engagement of Learning Support Assistants): A School-

based Intervention Program in the New Normal Education

Persons Time
Objectives Activities/Strategies Outputs
Involved Frame
1. To identify
School Parents’
the challenges
 Weekly Parent's Head, Consultation
encountered December
Consultation and Teachers Logbook,
by the parents 2021
Feedbacking and Documentation
in the new
Parents , Attendance
normal
2. To track
Tracking Slip,
learners’  School’s
Modular Class
progress in Modules December
Advisers, Monitoring
the Tracking Slip 2021-March
Parents Tool filled in
distribution  Modular Class 2022
and updatedby
and retrieval Monitoring Tool advisers
of modules
 Learners
grouping by
purok
 Organizing
Purok Learning School
3. To assist Minutes of
Support Head, December
parents in meeting,
Assistants Teachers 2021-March
lesson Documentation
 Monthly meeting and 2022
facilitating , Attendance
with the Parents
community
learning
facilitators

VI.COST ESTIMATES

The table below shows the activities and the financial report of the study.

Activities Materials Used Cost

1.Reproduction of Bon paper Printing

Survey Questionnaires d 1 ream x 220 = 220.00
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for Respondents and 1 set Black and 1 set ink x 1300 = 1300.00
SaNHS Module Colored Ink Total: 1520.00
Tracking Slip Activity
sheets (SMTS)
Tracking Slip;

2. Monthly meeting Snacks P50.00 per person x 10

with the community facilitators=P500.00
learning facilitators

3. Reproduction of Bond paper First Reproduction

Action Research Printing (Black and White)
manuscripts P1.00 x 15 pages= P15.00
P15.00 x 50 parents= P750.00

Final Reproduction
Printing (Colored)
P4.00 x 15 pages= P60.00
P60.00 x 50 copies= P3,000.00

Total: P 5,770.00

VII.PLANS FOR DISSEMINATION AND UTILIZATION

The program serves as a pilot to determine the effectiveness of the

Project ELSA Intervention Program in addressing challenges of parents in the

new normal education.

Information taken from the output of this research will be utilized and

disseminated among teachers through School Level Learning Action Cells

(LACs) and Stakeholders’ Forum.

Moreover, for sustainability of the program, In-service Training (INSeT)

will be initiated to strengthen parent-teacher partnership together with the School

Governing Council (SGC) wherein various interventions will be introduced to

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mitigate chalenges met by parents in the new normal education. In addition,

research results and interventions will be also incorporated in the Enhanced

School Improvement Plan (eSIP) and School Report Card. The cost for

dissemination will be taken from the proposed budget to be approved by this

division.

Lastly, the published output of the action research will be distributed to the

teachers, select parents, external stakeholders and other schools and a copy to

the DepEd division of Iligan City. The study will serve as basis for further study

or be reference to similar research in literature.

VII. REFERENCES

Brago, Pia L. (2021). ‘COVID-19 affects 363 million students worldwide’.

Retrieved January 20, 2021
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2020/03/12/2000138/covid-19-affects-
363-million-students-worldwide

Cheng, Albert (2019). New Frontiers in Research and Practice on

Homeschooling. Retrieved January 27, 2021 from
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/0161956X.2019.1617576

CNN Philippines (2020. DepEd official: Close to 4 million learners did not enroll
for next school year due to COVID-19 crisisRetrieved February 2,
2021https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/8/12/4-million-out-of-school-
youth-covid-crisis.html

Molina, S. (2013). Family, school, community engagement, and partnerships: an

area of continued inquiry and growth. Retrieved November 30,
2021.https://www.researchgate.net/publication/263424157_Family_school
_community_engagement_and_partnerships_an_area_of_continued_inqu
iry_and_growth

Philippine Commission on Women (2021) Presidential Decree No. 603: The

Child and Youth Welfare Code Retrieved January 27, 2021
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https://pcw.gov.ph/presidential-decree-no-603-the-child-and-youth-
welfare-code/

APPENDICES
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Appendix A

SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRES

Name (optional): _________________________________________________

I. What are the challenges you encountered in the new normal education?
Answer:______________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

_____

___________________________________________________________________

II. Initiated Activities/Strategies implemented to support Project ELSA

(Engagement of Learning Support Assistants)

Direction: For each statement please put a check mark in one of the boxes on
the 4-pt scale the observed initiated activities/strategies/innovations
implemented in the new normal educational setting in school.

Highly Rarely Not

Observed
INDICATORS Observed Observed Observed
(3)
(4) (2) (1)

1. Tracking slip is provided to

each learner to monitor the
module distribution and
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retrieval.

2. The school encourages

each parent to create a
learning space at home.

3. The school conducts

monthly Learning Support
Assistants Assembly

4. Teachers provide feedbacks

to the learner’s performances
through phone calls/text
messaging, fb messenger.

5. The school organizes purok

facilitators who will assist
learners within their purok

6.Learning Support Assistants

by purok helped parents who
are not capable of monitoring
and guiding their children.

7. The school tapped the brgy

council in the identification of
Learning Support Assistants

8. All purok Learning Support

Assistants attended monthly
assembly in support to the
intervention program

9. The advisers grouped the

learners according to their
purok in the distribution and
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retrieval of modules.

10. Survey questionnaires

were given to parents to
identify the challenges they
experienced in the modular
approach.

III.Level of Effectiveness of Project ELSA

Direction: For each statement please put a check mark in one of the boxes on
the 4-pt scale that best describe the level of effectiveness of the TRAP
Program.

Full Moderate Least No

Extent Extent Extent Extent

INDICATORS
(4) (3) (2) (1)

1. Project ELSA encourage

parents/community to talk about their
concerns
2. Through Project ELSA, I
understand the effective parent
involvement
3. Project Elsa offer opportunities for
parents/community to share in setting
program goals
4. The school encourage
parents/community to work together
as partners for children’s learning at
home
5. The school treated
parents/community with respect and
dignity
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6. I understand the positive impact of

school-parent-community
partnerships in children’s education
during pandemic
7. Project ELSA helps in monitoring
my child progress in school amidst
COVID-19.
8. Learning Support Assistants
reinforced teachers in facilitating
learning during pandemic
9. The program addresses the
challenges we are facing in the new
normal
10. The TRAP program creates
channels of communication between
home and school for learning to
continue