The Effectiveness of Using Differentiated Education Strategy in Developing the Literacy Skills of the

Seventh Grade Students in English at Public Schools in Jordan

Dr. Mona Smadi
Dr. Amaal Al Masri
Assistant Professor
Princess Alia University College
Al Balqa Applied University
Amman, Jordan

Abstract

The study aimed to identify the effectiveness of differentiated education strategy in the development
of literacy skills of seventh grade students in English at public schools in Jordan. The problem of the
study was identified in the following main question: What is the effectiveness of the differentiated
education strategy in developing the reading and writing skills of seventh grade students in English
Language? In this study, the researchers used the experimental method; the study population
consisted of seventh grade students in the public schools at Wadi AlSeer directorate of education
during the academic year 2016/2017. The study sample consisted of (140) male and female seventh
grade students at Marj Al-Hamam Basic School for Girls and Al Baraa Secondary School for boys ,
distributed to two groups: one experimental (70) students and control (70) students. The study tools
were a test to measure literacy skills and the researchers adjusted the independent variables, then
the reading and writing test was applied to a pilot sample from outside the study sample. After the
experiment was carried out for (5) weeks, with (10) periods weekly, the two groups were subjected
to reading and written tests. The researchers used the T- test for two independent samples to
determine the effect of the differences between the two groups. The results were as follows: There
were statistically significant differences at (α=0.05) between the average of the students of the
experimental group (who are studying through the differentiated education) and the average score
of the students in the control group (who study through regular education), in favor of the
experimental group. The study came out with some recommendations.

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: AN INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE THE READING COMPREHENSION OF

GRADE SEVEN STUDENTS
MELODY C. JASPELA
Teacher II
Nereo R. Joaquin National High School
ABSTRACT

One of the main challenges the researcher is facing as a language teacher in this time of pandemic is
to encounter students who struggle in reading, specifically in their comprehension skills. When
checking the outputs of the learners not just in English class but also in other subject areas, the
researcher and her colleagues find it frustrating that there were students who were not able to
answer the questions in their module and the main reason why is that they cannot comprehend
what they read. The Department of English is continuously finding ways on how to overcome this
challenge. The researcher believes that one of the ways to overcome this it to involve the parents or
the guardians in inculcating the love for reading to their children. Since, we are in pandemic, and the
parents are the ones who serve as the teachers in their homes we really need their support and help.
This study will be of great help to the educators to increase the effectiveness of the teaching and
learning process. The parents together with the researcher attended orientations and meetings
together with the researcher to learn reading strategies. This became a challenge as other parents or
guardians have to work, so the researcher had a video conference with them one by one during their
most convenient time. Another challenge are the parents who do not have internet connection at
home, so when they go to school to submit outputs the researcher explains and shares some reading
strategies to the parents or guardians. This action research aimed to improve the reading
comprehension of the Grade 7 students of Nereo Joaquin National High School. There was a total of
348 enrollees for the Grade 7 students in the school year 2020-2021. 114 learners or 33 % of the
population scored frustrated level in their Phil IRI reading comprehension skills. The researcher
addressed in improving the reading comprehension skills using the Parental Involvement
Intervention. The result of the study showed that there was an increase in the mean of pretest of the
respondents after the involvement of the parents in the respondents’ reading activities. The findings
stressed that the results of the post test of control and experimental group have significant
differences. It is proposed that language teachers should involve parents or guardians in the reading
activities of the students.

ARIES) AUDIO-ASSISTED READING INTERVENTION AND ENHANCEMENT STRATEGY: A STRATEGY IN

IMPROVING READING COMPREHENSION AMONG GRADE 7 STUDENTS OF BIÑAN CITY SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY HIGH SCHOOL

FRANZ ANDREI L. BALTAZAR

Teacher III Lead Proponent
MARK ANTHONY M. CRISOSTOMO
Teacher I Member
ABSTRACT

Among the various issues confronted by the Philippine Educational System nowadays, it has been
noted that problems relative to reading comprehension among young learners are a perennial
concern (Miñoza & Montero, 2019). In a focus group discussion (FGD) conducted consequently after
the 2021 Brigada Pagbasa kick off, it was noted by the researchers together with the invited
storytellers that learners are motivated to read when they can “see” and “hear” the text. In addition,
all learners got perfect score in the 10-item evaluation questions provided by the storytellers albeit
orally and over the course of the virtual session. This study thus developed an audio-assisted reading
intervention and enhancement strategy (ARIES) that scaffolded learners with reading difficulties.
Furthermore, the study determined that this strategy positively impacted the reading
comprehension of grade 7 students of Biñan City Science and Technology High School. A two-tailed t-
test was used to determine the significant difference between the pre and post implementation level
of reading comprehension among students. The result from the pre-test (M=15.68, SD=2.347) and
posttest (M=16.60, SD=1.675) scores in English and the pre-test (M=13.33, SD = 1.955) and posttest
(M=17.68, SD=1.684) scores in Filipino before and after the implementation of ARIES, showed an
increase in the score of the students. This difference is significant because the null hypothesis in
English which is t (149) = -4.687 and p (0.00) < 0.05; and Filipino which is t(149) = -33.784 and p(0.00)
< 0.05; are both rejected. In other words, ARIES resulted in an improvement in the test score of the
students in English and Filipino.
FACEBOOK MESSENGER SYNCHRONOUS (FAMES) INSTRUCTION: A PEDAGOGICAL INTERVENTION IN
IMPROVING MODULAR DISTANCE LEARNING STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH
JOHANNA L. AGAYO

Teacher III

Jacobo Z. Gonzales Memorial National High School

ABSTRACT

Modular Distance Learning had been the most prevalent learning modality in the Philippines during
the Covid19 pandemic. However, as reflected in their test scores and grades, students struggled in
this modality due to the lack of student-teacher interaction which is an essential factor in the
teaching-learning process. Hence, an intervention must be put in place to foster student-teacher
interaction even during distance learning. This study was conducted to explore the efficacy of
utilizing the most widespread and accessible messaging application in the Philippines, Facebook
Messenger, as a learning management platform for synchronous instruction in distance learning
during the Covid19 pandemic. In this study, a quasi-experimental research design was employed to
40 Grade 7 students of Jacobo Z. Gonzales Memorial National High School for the academic year
2021-2022. A pretest was administered before the intervention. After that, a posttest was conducted.
Results revealed that the pretest scores were statistically different from the posttest scores which
means the intervention, Facebook Messenger Synchronous (FaMeS) Instruction, improved the
academic performance of students compared to those that were taught using pure modular
approach. Therefore, the utilization of Facebook Messenger as a synchronous learning platform
instruction during the Covid-19 pandemic is beneficial to learners and teachers.

THE ELOQUENT CLUB: A SPEAKING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR GRADE 10 STUDENTS

JAYSON CARL C. ESMASIN, LPT, MAELT
Teacher II
Mamplasan National High School
ABSTRACT
This research aims to address the speaking fatigue of grade 10 students by improving their
conversational skills through the proposed speaking program, The Eloquent Club. Thus, this program
sought to help the 10 identified students from the pre-speaking test, who had difficulties in terms of
having social interaction to minimize their problems in conversations in terms of content, oral
discourse, and non-verbal cues. After the intervention, the students underwent post-speaking test to
examine their conversational prowess. The results from using Wilcoxon Ranked Sum Test indicate
that the median scores of the students improved as the value of z is -2.803 based on negative ranks.
The value of p is 0.00512. The result is significant at p < .05. Therefore, the result indicates that the
hypothesis is rejected, and there is a significant improvement in the scores of the students. In
subsequence, this illustrates that The Eloquent Club is an effective speaking program to improve the
conversational skills of the students.

**Question 1:**

**Identified problem to be solved in title no. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.**

**Title 1:** The Effectiveness of Using Differentiated Education Strategy in Developing the Literacy
Skills of the Seventh Grade Students in English at Public Schools in Jordan

**Identified problem:** Students are not developing their literacy skills effectively.

**Title 2:** THE ELOQUENT CLUB: A SPEAKING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR GRADE 10 STUDENTS

**Identified problem:** Students need to improve their speaking skills.

**Title 3:** FACEBOOK MESSENGER SYNCHRONOUS (FAMES) INSTRUCTION: A PEDAGOGICAL

INTERVENTION IN IMPROVING MODULAR DISTANCE LEARNING STUDENTS’ ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE IN ENGLISH

**Identified problem:** Students are not performing well in English due to modular distance
learning.

**Title 4:** (ARIES) AUDIO-ASSISTED READING INTERVENTION AND ENHANCEMENT STRATEGY: A

STRATEGY IN IMPROVING READING COMPREHENSION AMONG GRADE 7 STUDENTS OF BIÑAN CITY
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY HIGH SCHOOL

**Identified problem:** Students need to improve their reading comprehension.

**Title 5:** PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT: AN INTERVENTION TO IMPROVE THE READING

COMPREHENSION OF GRADE SEVEN STUDENTS

**Identified problem:** Students need to improve their reading comprehension.

**Question 2:**

**Interpretation:**

All five of the action research titles you have provided address the problem of improving students'
English language skills. The titles suggest that the authors are interested in finding effective teaching
and learning strategies to help students develop their literacy, speaking, reading comprehension, and
academic performance in English.

**Title of the Action Research:**

**A Study on the Effectiveness of Different Teaching and Learning Strategies in Improving Students'
English Language Skills**

**Question 3:**

**Example Title:**

THE ELOQUENT CLUB: A SPEAKING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM FOR GRADE 10 STUDENTS

**Interpretation:**
This study investigates the effectiveness of a speaking improvement program called "The Eloquent
Club" for Grade 10 students. The study aims to determine whether the program can help students
improve their speaking skills in English.

**Question 4:**

**What do you think did the author/s do with the identified problem as presented in their titles?**

I think the authors of the five action research titles you have provided used a variety of methods to
address the identified problems. For example, they may have:

* Conducted a literature review to learn more about the problem and identify potential solutions.
* Developed and implemented a new teaching or learning strategy.
* Collected data on the effectiveness of the strategy.
* Analyzed the data and drew conclusions about the effectiveness of the strategy.
* Made recommendations for improving the strategy or implementing it in other settings.

The specific methods used by the authors would vary depending on the nature of the problem and
the research question being investigated. However, all of the studies would have been conducted in a
rigorous and systematic manner.

**Additional comments:**

I noticed that two of the action research titles (Titles 4 and 5) focus on the role of parental
involvement in improving students' reading comprehension. This is an important area of research, as
parental involvement has been shown to have a significant impact on student achievement.

I also noticed that one of the action research titles (Title 3) focuses on using Facebook Messenger as
a synchronous learning platform for distance learning. This is a timely and relevant topic, as many
schools around the world are still grappling with the challenges of distance learning.

Overall, I am impressed by the quality of the action research titles you have provided. The authors
have identified important problems in the field of English language education and are proposing
innovative solutions. I am interested to learn more about the findings of these studies and how they
can be used to improve the teaching and learning of English language skills.
I've come to understand that action research is a process of inquiry that educators employ to
enhance their teaching methods. It involves identifying an issue or area for improvement, planning
and implementing an intervention to address it, collecting and analyzing data to evaluate the
effectiveness of the intervention, and making adjustments. Action research can be carried out by
educators or teams, fostering collaboration among professionals.

I've come to understand that action research is a process of inquiry that educators employ to
enhance their teaching methods. It involves identifying an issue or area for improvement, planning
and implementing an intervention to address it, collecting and analyzing data to evaluate the
effectiveness of the intervention, and making adjustments. Action research can be carried out by
educators or teams, fostering collaboration among professionals.
Indeed, I've realized the importance of being an action researcher as a teacher. Engaging in action
research can assist me in enhancing my teaching practice, catering better to my students needs, and
contributing to the knowledge base of the teaching profession.

Upon observation, I've noticed that some of my students are encountering difficulties when it comes
to reading and comprehending complex texts. To address this issue, I intend to adopt a differentiated
instruction approach during my reading lessons. This means providing students with tailored support
based on their needs.

Title of the action research study:

Investigating the Effects of Differentiated Instruction on Grade 7 Students Reading Comprehension

I have come to realize that, in order to meet the needs of all my students it is important for me to
tailor my reading instruction accordingly.

One potential solution to address the situation is by implementing reading groups. By organizing my
students into groups based on their reading abilities I can provide targeted instruction that caters to
their needs.

To achieve this, I will divide my students into three groups; high level readers, intermediate level
readers and low-level readers. Each group will then receive instruction that aligns with their reading
levels.

Additionally, I plan on incorporating a range of reading materials such as fiction, nonfiction and
poetry. This variety will not engage my students. Also allow them to explore different genres and
styles of writing. Furthermore, I will encourage reading and foster collaborative opportunities,
among the students.

By implementing these strategies, I aim to create a learning environment where every student can
thrive and enhance their reading skills.