I.
INTRODUCTION
Reading is an important skill needed in academic learning. Basically, one can
acquire knowledge and information through reading. Readers relate and create meaning in a text based
on their experiences and prior knowledge. However, reading alone is not effective without
comprehension. To be able to relate an experience and create a new experience, they need to have
comprehension first. It is the key to construct new ideas. In order for learners to comprehend written
text, vocabulary knowledge is necessary. Vocabulary knowledge is the single most important factor
contributing to reading comprehension- Laflamme, 1997.
Comprehension is more challenging for English language learners. The reason is that the
language used by English language learners is not firmly established in their minds so reading
comprehension is more complex for them than for first language learners. Their vocabulary word is in
the developing stage. Vocabulary knowledge is the single most important
Moreover, students are unaware of the role of metacognition in the reading process.
Metacognition in reading is the awareness of one’s own cognitive processes. Metacognition in the
context of reading consist of (1) a reader’s knowledge of strategies for learning from texts, and (2) the
control readers have of their own actions while reading for different purposes (Brown, 1980). If readers
are unaware of these metacognitive strategies, they cannot monitor their own comprehension resulting
to lack of understanding of the text being read.
To develop students’ reading comprehension, teachers should teach students reading strategies
that can be applied in reading situations. According to Cohen (1986), reading strategies refer to those
mental processes that readers consciously choose to use in accomplishing reading tasks. Several studies
prove that efficient readers are those who use strategies in reading comprehension. These reading
strategies aid students to make their reading successful. There is a wide range of reading strategies and
one strategy does not apply to all reading situations and learner’s needs. It is necessary for them to
practice variety of reading strategies so they can have options of a specific strategy to be used in
classroom reading situation.
For learners to acquire different reading strategies, teachers should provide discussions and
trainings through Explicit Strategy Instruction. It refers to the instruction of reading strategies in an
explicit way which involves (1) describing the strategy and its purpose- why it is important, when it can
be used, and how to use it, (2) modelling its use and explaining to the students how to perform it, (3)
providing ample assisted practice time- monitoring, providing clues, and giving feedback, (4) promoting
student’s self-monitoring and evaluation of their strategy use, and (5) encouraging continued use and
generalization of the strategy in other independent learning situations (Beckman, 2002).
Hence, this research study aims to determine the reading comprehension level of Grade 8
students of Gumaca National High School through Explicit Strategy Instruction. Specifically, this study
sought to answer the following research questions:
1. What is the reading comprehension level of Grade students of Gumaca National High School
before using the Explicit Strategy Instruction?
2. What is the reading comprehension level of Grade students of Gumaca National High School
after using the Explicit Strategy Instruction?
3. Is there a significant difference in the reading comprehension level of Grade 8 students of
Gumaca National High School before and after using the Explicit Strategy Instruction?
4. Based on the findings of this research, what other reading strategies can be applied in reading
through Explicit Strategy Instruction?
5. What are the implications of this research in the enhancement of the English reading program
in Gumaca National High School?
II.
BRIEF REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Traditional definitions of reading states that learning to read means learning to pronounce
words, to identify words and get their meaning and to bring meaning to a text in order to get meaning
from it. However, as time goes on, many proposes more comprehensive definitions of reading since
most of us feel that reading is just a very simple and passive process.
Reading is actually a very complex process that requires a great deal of active participation on
the part of the reader. It is also an interactive process among the reader, the writer and the text. It is a
human act and a worthwhile endeavour in which a reader communicates with the writers, the text and
their imagined or real personas, phenomena, circumstances or events.
Today, there is much advancement on concepts about reading comprehension.
 The schemata theory states that as we read, we are influenced by the knowledge
previously stored in our memory.
 The schemata (store the past experiences) influence us in interpreting new textual
information.
 There are four level of comprehension, namely; literal level, inferential level,
interpretative level, and creative level.
Reading Strategy which is defined varies from researcher to researcher. According to Cohen
(1986), reading strategies refer to those mental processes that readers consciously choose to use in
accomplishing reading task. As Block (1986) defined, reading strategies are techniques and methods
readers use to make their reading successful. The methods include how to conceive a task, what textual
cues they attend to, how readers makes senses of what they read, and what they do when they do not
understand. Just as Anderson (2003a) explained, to achieve success, readers should take the active role
in strategic reading, learning how to use a range of reading strategies that serve their purposes.
Often, the term skill and strategy are used interchangeably, but there is still difference between
both of them. An important distinction can be made between strategies and skills (McDonough, 1995).
Strategies can be defined as conscious actions that learner takes to achieve desired objectives, but a skill
is a strategy that has become automatic, this characterization underscores the active role that readers
paly in strategic reading. Anderson (2003a) emphasized that as learners consciously learn and practice
specific reading strategies that strategies move from conscious to unconscious, also from strategy to
skill. The goal of Explicit Strategy Instruction is to move readers from conscious control of reading
strategies to unconscious use of reading skills.
III.
METHODOLOGY AND RESEARCH DESIGN
This section presents the methodology of the study which aims to determine the reading
comprehension level of Grade 8 students of Gumaca National High School through Explicit Strategy
Instruction. This includes the research design, respondents of the study, data analysis, and research
instrument.
A. RESEARCH DESIGN
This research will use the Classroom Action Research. It is a systematic method of
determining the best teaching-learning strategy in your classroom so that you can improve
students learning. Specifically, the researcher will analyse the problem in the reading
comprehension of Grade 8 students along with an action which is the Explicit Instruction
Strategy.
In this research, the respondents will undergo reading sessions without the use of
Explicit Strategy Instruction. Then, the researcher will determine the reading comprehension of
the Grade 8 students using a teacher made pre-test. Afterwards, the respondents will undergo a
reading session again with the use of Explicit Strategy Instruction and determine the reading
comprehension level of Grade 8 students using a Post-test.
To analyse the collected data from the pre-test and post-test, the researcher will use
quantitative method of research. After the data is gathered, the researcher will perform
statistical analysis using Mean, Standard deviation, and T-Test from the scores of the Pre-test and
the Post-test.
B. RESPONDENTS OF THE STUDY
The study will be employing the Grade 8 students of Gumaca National High School. The
number of respondents is 25 students. The researcher will apply random sampling in choosing
the participants.
C. DATA ANALYSIS
The responses will be tabulated, analyzed and evaluated by the researcher in order to
determine the reading comprehension level of Grade 8 students of Gumaca National High
School. The results of the evaluation will be analyzed using necessary statistical treatment. The
results of the respondents’ pre-test will be compared with the post test in order to determine if
the comprehension level of the Grade 8 students without the use of Explicit Strategy Instruction
is significantly different with the comprehension level with the use of Explicit Strategy
Instruction.
D. RESEARCH INSTRUMENT
The researcher will use 4 sets of reading selection which will have 10 questions each.
Therefore, the questions are composed of 40 items. In each reading selection, the readers will
use one reading strategy through Explicit Strategy Instruction.
For the purpose of this research, the researcher will only use 4 reading strategies
including; Predicting outcomes, Self-Monitoring, Making Inferences, and Guessing the meaning
of unfamiliar words. Reading strategies are not learned in one sitting. Hence, it will take a lot of
time for them to practice each strategy. Also, the researcher will limit the utilization of reading
strategy so that the type of questions from pre-test and post-test would only focus from those
four strategies.
References
Villanueva, Aida S. & Delos Santos Rogelio L.2008.Developmental Reading I. Lorimar Publishing Inc.
Barge, John D.,”Explicit Strategy Instruction: A Model for Developing Independent Learnerrs”10 April.
www.gadoe.org. June 2012
Republic of the Philippines
Department of Education
Region IV-A CALABARZON
Division of Quezon
GUMACA NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Gumaca, Quezon
Action Research
Enhancing Grade 8 Students’ Reading
Comprehension Level through
Explicit Strategy
Instruction
(A classroom based action research for Grade 8 Students in Gumaca National
High School, 2017-2018)
Proposed by:
RICHALLE ANN. P LIM
SST-III, English
Noted:
MEDELENIA A ALBAO
HT-III, English