DEVELOPMENT OF PHONETIC ASSESSMENT TOOL IN IMPROVING
READING SKILLS OF LESS COMPETENT GRADE _ PUPILS
Action Research
Submitted to
______________________
School Principal
__________ Elementary School
____________________ City
Submitted by:
______________________
June ___
Abstract
The study on a research-based phonetic assessment tool to improve the reading
skills of less competent Grade __ pupils was developed using the research and
development design.
There were substantial numbers of promoted grade __ pupils who were
struggling in reading. The study was conducted to determine the pupils’ phonetic
awareness of the 26 letters of the English alphabet, as a basis for the development
of an assessment tool. Direct observation was used to gather the numerical data
using the survey method. The respondents were thirty-five (35) grade __ pupils
enrolled for the school-year ______, and were selected using the complete
enumeration sampling. Data gathered were then analyzed using mean and
percentage as statistical tools.
In the light of the findings, it was concluded that the phonetic awareness of
the grade I pupils was Less Competent. The pupils’ level of academic awareness
was described as poor. The result of the study served as a basis for the
development of the phonetic assessment tool. Included in the assessment tool is
the 26 letters of the English alphabet arranged in a quadrant form. It was
recommended that the use of the assessment tool by the teacher in determining
struggling readers in the classroom may help the effectiveness of the teachinglearning process in the classroom.
Chapter 1
The Problem and Its Setting
Introduction
Reading is the foundation of learning and is the top priority in elementary
level because school success is evaluated by its proficiency in reading (Boiser,
2010). However, the Department of Education revealed that the current quality of
education in the country is continuously deteriorating as shown by the declining
achievement rates.
In Grade ___ of ____ Elementary School 12 pupils representing almost 34%
of the total population were less competent readers at the beginning of the school
year. To address the reading problem of the pupils specifically the less competent
readers, the researcher developed an assessment tool in determining and
improved the phonetic awareness skills of the pupils.
Statement of the Problem
The study was conducted to determine the pupils’ phonetic awareness skills
as a basis for the development of an assessment tool in determining less
competent pupils of Grade ___ of __ Elementary School for the school year _____.
Specifically, it sought to find answers to the following questions:
1. What is the level of the pupils’ phonetic awareness when analyzed based on
the letters of the alphabet?
2. Based on the findings of the study, what assessment tool can be developed to
determine the less competent pupils of Grade __?
Conceptual Framework
Input
Concepts of Phonetic
Awareness
Processes
Phonetic Awareness Skills
-Letter sound production.
Figure 1: Conceptual Framework
Chapter 2
Output
Phonetic
Assessment Tool for
Less
competent
Readers
Methodology and Research Design
Research Design
Research and Development (R & D) was the design used in the conduct of
the study. It availed the survey method in determining the phonetic awareness of
the grade __ pupils.
Pupils Phonetic Awareness Skills
Locale of the Study
Reading Skills
________ E/S
Alphabet
Vowel Sounds
Consonant Sounds
Respondents of the Study
Grade ______ Pupils
Instrumentation and Data
Gathering
Pupils Problems
Phonetic Awareness Skills
Vowel Sounds
Survey Method
Statistical Treatment
Consonant Sounds
Development of Assessment Tool
Weighted
Mean
Percentage
Frequency Distribution
Improved Reading Skills of Less Competent Readers
RESPONDENTS OF THE STUDY
Figure 2: Research Design
The respondents of this study were ___ (__) pupils of Grade ____ enrolled
in _____ Elementary School, District of ____, Division of __________ during the
school-year _____.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
Table 1.
Level of Pupils Phonetic Awareness Skills
Alphabet
A B C D E
F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U
V
W
X
Y
No. of Pupils
42 42 41 40 32 31 34 28 28 28 32 28 30 28 41 34 31 38 37 34 32 29 35 40 38
Mean Percentage 100 100 97 94 77 74 80 66 66 66 77 66 71 66 97 80 74 91 89 80 77 69 83 94 91
Alphabet
BE EC ED HCE LC F LC GMCH LC ILC JLC LC
K LCL LCM LCN EO MCP LC QHC RC MC
S TLC ULC V HC W HCX HCY
Description A
No. of Pupils
Mean Percentage
Description
Alphabet
Z
30
71
Z
LC
35 35 34 33 27 26 28 23 23 23 27 23 25 23 34 28 26 32 31 28 27 24 29 33 32 25
100 100 97 94 77 74 80 66 66 66 77 66 71 66 97 80 74 91 89 80 77 69 83 94 91 71
E
E E
HC LC LC MC LC LC LC LC LC LC LC E MC LC HC C MC LC LC HC HC HC LC
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z
Numeric
Equivalent
Points of Level Descriptive Interpretation
No. of Pupils
35 35 34 33 27 26 28 23 23 23 27 23 25 23 34 28 26 32 31 28 27 24 29 33 32 25
Mean Percentage
66 71 66 97 80 74 91 89 80 77 69 83 94 91 71
95-100100 100 97 94 77 1 74 80 66 66 66 77
Excellent
Description
LC LC LC LC E
90-94 E E E HC LC 2LC MC LC LC LCHighly
Competent MC LC HC C MC LC LC HC HC HC LC
85-89
3 Descriptive Interpretation
Competent
Numeric
Equivalent
Points of Level
95-100
1
Excellent
80-84
4
Moderately Competent
90-94
2
Highly Competent
60-79
5
Less Competent
85-89
3
Competent
80-84
60-79
4
5
Moderately Competent
Less Competent
Table 1 presents the evaluation of the pupils’ phonetic awareness skills.
Data revealed that the Grade _ pupils are described as Less Competent in 13
letters of the English alphabet: 3 vowels (e, i, u) and 10 consonant letters (f, h, j, k,
l, m, n, q, v, and z). As rated over-all the pupils’ skills was found out and described
as moderately competent with an average mean of 80.70.
CONCLUSIONS
In the light of the findings of the study, the researcher concluded that:
1. The level of pupils’ phonetic awareness skills is 80. 70 which described that
the pupils were “Moderately Competent”.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on its findings and conclusions, the recommendations are drawn.
1. Profiling of pupils phonetic awareness must be done before the start of the
school year to prepare teachers of appropriate assessment tools to address the
less competent pupils in their reading skills.
2. Further researches be conducted to determine, update and propose effective
assessment tools for effective remediation program for less competent pupils.
3. Used of the assessment tool develop by the researcher to determine the
phonetic awareness of their pupils.
REFERENCES
Abu, R (2007) “Integrating Phonetic Analysis for Effective Teaching”
Aldeguer, B. (2006) Noting Details of the Story Read, Trainers Guide p. 3
Anderson, P. Elloumi G. (2007) Phonetics: theory, evidence, and application.
2007;80:165–70.
Baack, P. (2000) “Portfolio Development and Introduction”. English Teaching
Forum. Volume XXIII (3) pp. 42-43
Bacon, RD. (2008) An examination of phonetics measures and their association
with
learning. J Educ Business. 2008;79:205–8.
Badruddin, O. (2008) Learning Preferences and Pupils Academic Performance
Boiser, D. (2008) Teaching Made Easy: Strategies and Styles pp. 25-34