Enhancing English Speaking Skills of ALS Learners in

Ising Community Learning Center Through Implementing

Socratic Seminar in class
I. Context and Rationale

Lack of financial and motivation brought a sudden impact to one’s

educational rights. It brings challenges to the teachers to redesign and realign

its instructional delivery. Sometimes teachers in any subject and year level

tends to seek Alternative Delivery Mode (ADM) to cater the needs of the

students.

Indeed, that Alternative Delivery Mode is the last resort and most

common among ALS learners. Many ALS Community Learning Center and

schools across the country uses Alternative Delivery Mode.

Acknowledging the need of the students to continue learning even they

are working or transitioning from their problem, ADM learning is seen to be

viable way for continuing education which also helps them to work effectively

in their jobs. Weighing the benefit of ADM learning for students to be

independent and collaborative (Chan, 2009, Candila,2021), and another

severe outcome of the existing ADM education that has received little

attention is declined opportunity for the learners to improved their English

speaking proficiency (Tanian and James, 2002, Candila, 2021). As an ADM

Itinerant Teacher in different schools in Carmen District, Davao del Norte, the

researcher has observed this existing problem during a class in ALS

Community Learning Center in Ising, Camen, Davao del Norte. During in their

class the students are reluctant to share their thoughts and opinions during

discussions. It is also observed that when the teacher is asking them, the

thoughts are unclear and not coherent to the question. The ideas being
expressed are likely unstructured to what is being asked to them. Some of

them are just shy and would not say a word due to the difficulty of using

appropriate English words. Others are transliguaging using the Cebuano or

Filipino Language when they are answering and questioning during their

class.

Although these setbacks in speaking may be caused to some reasons,

the present study seeks to develop the students’ speaking skills through

Socratic seminar in ADM learning. The objective, therefore, is to introduce

Socratic seminar as an approach to teaching, aiming not to strike fear in the

hearts of the learners so that they may articulate intelligibly their thoughts

guided with their beliefs that do not hold examination.

II. Action Research Question

How does Socratic Seminar approach improve English Speaking Skills

of the ten (10) ALS Learners in Ising Community Learning Center?

III. Proposed Innovation, Intervention, and Strategy

Socratic Seminar it is a formal discussion, based on a text, in which the

leader asks open-ended questions. Within the context of the discussion,

students listen closely to the comments of others, thinking critically for

themselves, and articulate their own thoughts and their responses to the

thoughts of others. In this approach students are free to express their opinion

in any questions that is related to the topic and widening their perspective

towards other and their vocabulary.

Socratic Seminar is an individualized and grouped to support ALS non-

speaker/ slow speaker learners in Ising CLC. The intervention focuses on

adapting the approach to each learner's pace, providing personalized support,

and celebrating individual achievements. This could be started by conducting

an initial assessment to understand each learner's current literacy level,

preferences, and potential challenges. This approach will engage students to

open up their thoughts and express their different opinion regarding to the

assigned topic. As the discussion got deeper emotion will also grow affecting

their pronunciation, fluency, grammar, comprehension and grammar, thus,

challenge will arise to everyone. Facilitator will enter to provide individualized

and group intervention and support

Planning and Preparation Phase. At first, we should understand the

current literacy levels, interests, and challenges of each ALS learner. Conduct

individual assessments, including basic English speaking assessments and

discussions to gauge interests and preferences. Then read more articles for

their Socratic seminar and considering personal and local experiences in the

discussion. Provide dedicated support through one-on-one learning circles to

address individual challenges and reinforce positive experiences. Schedule

regular one-on-one sessions to discuss progress, address concerns, and set

individualized goals. Enhanced support and a personalized learning

experience for each learner. Introduce new topics that regarding to socio-

cultural so that everyone can share their thoughts. Provide learners with

personalized progress journals to track achievements, set goals, and reflect

on their learning journey.

Implementation Phase. The Implementation Phase is where the

carefully planned strategies are put into action. Ensure all materials are ready,

including personalized learning stations, and progress journals. Arrange

learning stations, seating, and materials in a way that facilitates a smooth and
interactive learning environment. Begin with an icebreaker or warm-up activity

to create a positive and comfortable atmosphere. Welcome the learners,

introduce the session objectives, and reiterate the individualized and

interactive nature of the learning experience. Engage in informal

conversations to gauge learner interests, preferences, and any challenges

they may be facing.Guide learners through rotations at learning stations,

allowing them to focus on specific literacy skills based on their individual

needs. Provide individualized support and guidance at each station.

Facilitators adapt activities based on observed progress and engagement.

Evaluation Phase. Review the results of initial assessments to

understand the baseline and progress of each learner. Evaluate the individual

progress of each learner based on their achievements, challenges, and

participation levels. Compare the initial assessment results with ongoing

observations and feedback to identify trends and areas of improvement.

Facilitators provide input on each learner's response to the personalized

strategies, identifying success stories and areas for refinement. Evaluate how

well the intervention plan adapted to the individual needs and progress of

each learner. Evaluate the effectiveness of learning stations in addressing

individual learning needs and preferences. Assess the impact of the rotational

approach on learner engagement and skill development. Evaluate the

effectiveness of one-on-one learning circles in providing personalized support

and addressing individual challenges. Assess how well the feedback loop was

utilized to make real-time adjustments to support mechanisms. Document the

specific adjustments made to the intervention plan and the rationale behind
each change. Conduct a final assessment at the end of the intervention to

measure overall success, individual growth, and community impact.

IV. Action Research Method

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

These are the primary participants—the ten ALS learners with learning

difficulties in Ising CLC. They actively engage in the Socratic Seminar and

participate in learning activities tailored to their individual needs. Professionals

involved in the ALS program may provide additional insights and support.

They can share expertise, offer guidance, and contribute to the assessment of

the intervention's alignment with educational goals. External observers or

evaluators may be invited to provide an unbiased perspective on the

effectiveness of the individualized approach. They can offer valuable insights

based on their experience and expertise.

B. Data Gathering Methods

There are two types of methods that could be used in this research to

obtain the desired data for accurate result.

Qualitative data gathering methods: Facilitators observe learners

during Socratic Seminar sessions, noting engagement levels, participation,

and individual learning styles. Conduct individual interviews with each learner

to discuss their experiences, challenges, and goals. Facilitators provide

written reflections on their experiences, challenges faced, and observations

during the intervention.

Quantitative data gathering methods: Administer pre- and

postassessments to measure changes in learners' speaking abilities over the

course of the intervention. Analyze entries in learners' progress journals,

focusing on goal attainment, reflections, and self-assessment. Administer

structured feedback surveys to learners, facilitators, and community

members.

C. Data Analysis Plan

Check for completeness and accuracy of data. Address any missing or

inconsistent information. Organize data systematically, grouping it by

participant and session. For qualitative data analysis, first of all, review

observational notes and categorize them by themes such as engagement,

participation, and learning styles. Then Identify patterns to gain insights into

individualized needs. Summarize facilitator’s reflections, identifying common

challenges and successful strategies, and for quantitative data gathering, you

need to calculate pre-post changes in literacy scores for each

learner.Combine results to measure overall improvement.

V. Action Research Work Plan and Timelines

 Resources
Activities Timeline
Persons Involve Output
Drafting and 2nd week of
Validation of September 2023 to Submitted Research
Researcher
Research 3rd week of Proposal
November 2023
3rd week of
Request to conduct
November Researcher and Request Letter
Study School Head
2023 to 4th of week School Head
November 2023
4th week of
Preparation of Researcher Reading materials
November
learning materials and activity sheets
2023
Conduct Pre - test
1st week of Checklist and
Implementation of Researcher,
December observation
the strategy Learners
2023 note
Conduct Post- test
Conduct Post- test 2nd week of
Researcher
December Validated data
Data Validation Validator
2023
Writing of results,
2nd to 3rd week of Results, conclusion,
conclusion, and Researcher
January 2024 recommendation
recommendation
Compilation of the
4th week of January Completed
completed research Researcher
2024 manuscript
with appendices
Evaluation of the Researcher
1st week of February Evaluated
Completed Evaluator
2024 manuscript
manuscript
3rd week of February Beneficiaries
Public forum
2024 Researcher

VI. Plans for Dissemination and Utilization

After the study, the dissemination and utilization of the findings of the

research will be through:

Division Learning Action Cell (LAC)/ Midyear Program Review and

Evaluation (MPRE): Attending this gathering will give way to sharing or

introduce the action. research to my fellow ALS Implementers, explaining its

operation and effectiveness and usefulness in teaching-learning. We will urge

them to adopt this strategy/intervention in their CLCs/SBLCs for the

continuous retention and learning of our ALS Learners.

Public Forum: Presentations will be given to school administrators, ALS

teachers, parents of ALS learners, and other interested stakeholders. The

presentations will provide an overview of the study's findings and discuss the

implications of the results for practice.

Research Congress: I will present the action research at a research congress,

where we look forward to engaging with fellow researchers, scholars, and

enthusiasts from diverse fields, exchanging ideas, and contributing to the

collective knowledge and advancement of our shared academic and

professional community. The research congress promises to be an exciting

platform for collaboration, discussion, and learning, and we are excited to

participate in this intellectually stimulating event.

Publication: The study findings will be submitted for publication in an

academic journal. This will make the results available to a broader audience

of researchers and practitioners.