CHAPTER I: SITUATION A. National Context of the Problem The diversity of learners is one among the needs that every classroom teacher should address to ensure that appropriate learning goals are attained by everyone. One of the most prevalent concerns of educators these days is the varied learning styles of learners- that learners have different convenient ways of learning that influence their abilities to understand their lessons. Reading is one of the basic skills and abilities the pupils must learn in their early years of learning. As depicted in the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-Iri) results of Bascos Manambong Parte Elementary School, most of their pupils are under frustration levels in both oral and silent reading modes with negative improvements. Thus, the researcher came up with this action research, does parents’ intervention help in the reading abilities of the Grade 3 pupils, to develop tangible proof that parent’s intervention can help improve the reading skills of grade 3 pupils. Reading is a means of language acquisition, of communication, and of sharinginformation and ideas. Like all language, it is a complex interaction between the text and thereader which is shaped by the reader¶s prior knowledge, experiences, attitude, and languagecommunity which is culturally and socially situated. The reading process requires continuous practices, development, and refinement.Reading is an interactive process that goes on between the reader and the text,resulting in comprehension. The text presents letters, words, sentences, and paragraphs thatencode meaning. The reader uses knowledge, skills, and strategies to determine what thatmeaning is.Reading comprehension is the ability to understand what we read -- where wordshave context and texts have meaning. Reading comprehension skills allow us to read proficiently, learn effectively, problem-solve, strategize, conceptualize, and succeed in life.Without reading comprehension skills, many pupils are left behind.Reading comprehension is the heart and goal of reading, since the purpose of allreading is to gather meaning from the printed page. If a student says words in a passagewithout gathering their meaning, one would hesitate to call that reading Parents should find quality time for their children in order to ensure quality education by involving themselves in the formation of their own child as parents and teachers are partners in the nurturing of their minds to be competitive in their reading skills.Parents are the most important partner in a child's education and schools can reap large dividends by capitalizing on their support. To be sure, such relationships require a lot of work by both educators and parents. Although success will not come easy, the rewards are too great for a school not to try. B. School Situation Bascos Manambong Parte Elementary School, a public elementary school situated at Bayambang, Pangasinan is the main concentration of this action research project. Its total population consists of thirty eight (38) pupils of which is consisted by twenty(20) boys and eighteen (18) girls are Grade 3 pupils and 8 teachers who are LET passers. One teacher is assigned per classroom with an average class size of 30 pupils. Books to pupils’ ratio vary from 1:5 to 1:3 as the recent typhoons devastated some of the school’s properties and materials for learning. A newly constructed building was donated by concerned individuals and NGO’s and the school at present has 8 classrooms and a small canteen. A PTCA is highly regarded in the school as a strong arm in the school’s aim to promote quality education and served as strong ties with the school and parents for the welfare of the pupils. Major source of livelihood in this vicinity usually came from farming as this rural community’s income range from low earners to average income earner. Most of the pupils in this barangay walk to and from the school as the only means of transportation here is tricycle, motorcycle and tribike. C. Classroom Situation The focus of the study was the Grade 3 pupils of Bascos Manambong Parte Elementary School whose parents’ interaction is being considered as reinforcement for the enhancement of their reading abilities. It has been noted that due to parent’s busy schedules, some of them are not attending the school’s activities thereby limits their knowledge of their children’s status. Reading test were administered to pupils with parents involvement and positive results were obtained. New strategies such as weekly and monthly meeting with parents had made a significant change in their attitudes as well. Most pupils now are attentive and reading became a habit. Donations of books from parents and concerned individuals made learning fun and exciting. In relation to their parents’ involvement, it improves the classroom situation especially in their reading habits. The researcher wanted to have interaction with parents in order to know better not just the academic performance of the pupils but more so of their behavior in and outside the classroom to modify their habits and include reading in their activities.  CHAPTER II: THE PROBLEM A. Statement of the Problem The research undertaken answers the question “Does parents’ intervention help in the reading abilities of Grade 3 pupils of Basco Manambong Parte Elementary School, of Bayambang, Pangasinan, using thirty eight (38) pupils through the use of pre-test and posttest of grouped subjects” the subjects will be grouped accordingly to whether their parents tend to intervene with school activities and the activities of their child (Group A) and those who do not (Group B). Evidence of the Problem The table below shows the Phil-IRI Summary Sheet for Grade 3 at Basco Manambong Parte Elementary School for the year 2013. TABLE 1 GRADE 3- ENGLISH ORAL (Number and Percentage of pupils per Reading Level) READING LEVELS Non-Reader Frustration Level Instructional Level Independent Level # % # % # % # % PRE-TEST Male 0 0.00 18 75.00 3 15.00 2 10.00 Female 0 0.00 17 68.00 6 24.00 2 8.00 Total 0 0.00 32 71.11 9 20.00 4 8.87 POST-TEST Male 0 0.00 14 70.00 2 10.00 4 20.00 Female 0 0.00 17 68.00 0 0.00 8 32.00 Total 0 0.00 31 68.89 2 4.44 12 26.67 IMPROVEMENT (Difference of Pre-test and Post-test) Male 0 -1 -1 2 Female 0 0 -6 6 Total 0 -1 -7 8 TABLE 2 GRADE 3- ENGLISH SILENT (Number and Percentage of pupils per Reading Level) READING LEVELS Non-Reader Frustration Level Instructional Level Independent Level # % # % # % # % PRE-TEST Male 0 0.00 16 80.00 3 15.00 1 5.00 Female 0 0.00 19 76.00 5 20.00 1 4.00 Total 0 0.00 35 77.78 8 17.78 2 4.44 POST-TEST Male 0 0.00 11 55.00 6 30.00 3 15.00 Female 0 0.00 17 68.00 5 20.00 3 12.00 Total 0 0.00 28 62.22 11 24.44 6 13.33 IMPROVEMENT (Difference of Pre-test and Post-test) Male 0 -5 3 2 Female 0 -2 0 2 Total 0 -7 3 4 Table 1 and table 2 depict the low performance of the Grade 3 pupils in both Oral and Silent Reading. The result show that most pupils (60%) fall under frustration level and only 26.67% and 13.33% fall under Independent level for oral and silent reading respectively. Designing an effective action plan to guide a school wide literacy improvement effort is not easy; however, such a plan is essential for teachers who are serious about addressing the literacy and learning needs of pupils. Parent and teachers can help children separately or they can work together for the greater benefit of the child (Athey, 1990). The level of parent-teacher partnership can range from an information meeting about a literacy initiative (which could facilitate reinforcement of learning at home) to full parental involvement in initiatives. Parents and teachers may have anxieties about working with each other. Teachers may be uncertain about what role parents can play. Some parents may have memories of school which make them uncomfortable relating to teachers. Most such problems are surmountable and are worth overcoming because of the influence that parents can have on the development of their young person’s literacy skills (Hall and Harding, 2003; Sénéchal and LeFerve, 2002; Shaver and Walls, 1998; Persampieri, et al., 2006).Parental involvement leads to positive outcomes for pupils especially so around the ages of 7 or 8 (Miedel and Reynolds, 1999). Shiel, Evers, Perkins and Cosgrove (2005) recommended that schools should make significant efforts to help parents in developing their children’s language and literacy skills. Research shows that there seems to be a consensus that parents want to help their children at school but may not know how best to do this (Weinberger, 1996). One way to increase parent involvement in reading instruction is to train parents to tutor/help their children and implement effective reading interventions. In schools that are situated in areas of economic and social disadvantage, some parents may feel unable to become actively involved due to their own lack of reading confidence and/or reading competence. Parents may need support on how best to support their child with reading; following text, asking questions about the text, noticing letter sound patterns, rhyming words. Teachers/school may need to consider demonstrating to parents some of the above skills. The Department of Education is implementing various intervention programs to provide support to Filipino children falling behind in reading and writing. The Every Child A Reader Program (ECARP) will first measure the reading proficiency level in both English and Filipino of public elementary pupils. The results of the assessment tool will serve as a basis for designing appropriate interventions at the school, division, regional and national levels to enable every child to read and write at his grade level. According to DepEd, ECARP aims to equip elementary pupils in public schools with strategic reading and writing skills to make them independent young readers and writers. The intervention program includes Reading Recovery (RR) which will give pupils who are lagging behind in reading and writing a chance to catch up through specialized one-to-one reading assistance from a teacher trained in RR procedures. The program will also generate a Philippine World List in English, an inventory of frequently used words in English textbooks, for vocabulary development. Recognizing the importance of reading as a foundation of learning, DepEd has allotted P21 million this year to finance the intervention program. ECARP is also part of the ten-point education agenda of President Benigno Aquino III to ensure that the country’s public schools produce graduates who are equipped for further learning. C. Possible Causes of the Problem For many pupils, reading comprehension is a major problem. There are mainly three causes for poor reading comprehension: First is, if the person has a language problem. Language plays a vital role in reading. One cannot read a book in a language unless one knows that particular language. If a child’s knowledge of English is poor, then his reading will also be poor, and naturally also his reading comprehension.Second is, if the foundational skills of reading have not been automized When a person attempts to speak a language in which he has not become automatic yet, he willnecessarily have to divide his attention between the content of his message and the languageitself. He will therefore speak haltingly and with great difficulty. As Yap and Van der Leij explained in the Journal of Learning Disabilities , ³if the skill on the primary task is automatized, it will not be disrupted by concurrent processing on the secondary task because automatic processing does not take up intentional resources. If, on the contrary, the skill is not automatized, it will be disrupted by concurrent processing of a second skill because two skills are then competing for limited attention resources.´ This also applies to the act of reading. The person, in whom the foundational skills of reading have not yet become automatic, will read haltingly and with great difficulty. The poor reader is forced to apply all his concentration to word recognition, and therefore has ³noconcentration left´ to decode the written word, and as a result he will not be able to read with comprehension. Lastly, the reader is unable to decode the written word: The decoding of the written word is a very important aspect of the reading act. Without being able to decode the written word, reading comprehension is impossible. This explains why some children can ³read´without understanding what they are reading. Many pupils don’t realize how important it is to be able to fully comprehend what you read. Being able to completely and accurately comprehend what you read is essential to your ability to learn, perform well on tests and ultimately succeed in school and in a career. Anyone who desires to acquire effective study techniques would do well to improve his reading comprehension skills. Developing reading comprehension techniques is one of the two basic ways of improving reading skill, the other being developing reading speed. However, rapid reading is valueless unless what is read is understood. Thus, comprehension is the vital factor in efficient reading.  CHAPTER III: SOLUTION STRATEGY Description of Intervention Using thirty eight (38) pupils a pre-test was given to the pupils grouped as pupils with parents tend to intervene with school activities (Group A) and those who do not (Group B). The teacher will conduct several weekly meetings with the parents to discuss about the status of their child specifically on their reading abilities. This will be done for 4 weeks, and the attendance and interaction of the parents to the teacher was be noted. A posttest was conducted to reveal differences of the results. B. Literature Review Researchers and educators have long agreed that when parents get involved in education, children try harder and achieve more at school (e.g., Epstein, 1995). Parents who help and encourage their children to learn at home, and who help develop positive attitudes toward school, contribute to the personal growth and academic success of their children. Various approaches have been developed to help schools gain greater parent involvement. These approaches have several features in common: programs that focus on parenting skills and the development of home conditions that support learning; school-to-home and home-to-school communication about school programs and children's progress; the use of volunteers at school or in other locations to support the school and pupils; and participation by families in decision-making, governance, and advocacy (Bauch, 1994; Davies, 1991).A family is the smallest institution that builds and nurtures the personality of the child. This means that the values and beliefs actually start at home. His attitude towards his studies begins at early age. Parents inculcate the importance of such individual and how they motivate their child on the significance of being true affects his thought on the worth of going to school. We are all aware by experience that pupils who have the moral support of their guardians excel in class. If schooling ends in failure on the part of the child, difficulties will rise as he goes out of his shelter and steps onto another stage of his life – going out of school. School is the next home for pupil’s education. Teachers are called to serve as loco parentis, parents who are expected to guide, mold and help our children to have good values in life. Being in school, first and foremost, our role is to train them in proper habits towards education. It is education that will help them to be assets as future generations that will lead our society. Learners come in various age from kindergarten to college, one thing is for sure they all have one thing in common that is they read books. Books are considered to be one of learner’s weapons. By reading and understanding the content, anyone can gain and acquire knowledge on different subjects and areas of learning. A powerful factor in the beginning reading situation is books. Children need to be surrounded with many interesting and easy books. Smith (239) says: a love of reading is one of the greatest gifts which school or home can give to children and love of reading is achieved first of all through finding pleasure in books. Arthur Jersild (1972) regards all teachers as practicing psychologists, whether they accept it or not. What he offers helps children to discover their resources and limitations. He is a central figure in countless situations which can help the learner or bring him humiliation, shame, rejection or self-disparagement. It does not take much time and effort for children to learn how to read and ultimately love reading and become confident and independent readers from the passionate warm gestures from mothers, teachers, and everyone in the Department of Education. Inculcating the love for reading and supporting the ability to read in children takes the whole community. For too long, the responsibility of teaching and encouraging reading has been delegated to primary teachers and teacher librarians. Parents, family members, teachers and all those who work in the Department of Education must embrace their role as mentors to children. Modeling to them is not one way of influencing people – it is the only way. According to David Bouchard in his book, the gift of reading, literacy is not for the chosen few. It is the right of every child. Teaching children to read is not the responsibility of chosen few. It is the responsibility of every teacher, every administrator and every parent. Where should reading begin? It seems appropriate to start at home. After all, no one has more influence on children than their parents or any other member of the family. What we need to do is not complicated. All it takes is time and commitment – commitment to become readers too, to read with children, to create a reading environment in the homes, and provide children with abundant good books. If we can do this, we will send our children off to school ready to learn and read and be readers for life. By reading to children, you contribute to their acquisition of the language and the development of their reading skills. Parents can continue to read aloud to children who already have become independent readers. Children then will have taste of rich reading materials as their own reading improves. Books that interest children should be read by parents. It means a lot to them. All parents, on the other hand, should also encourage their children to read to them. This will enable the children to practice and demonstrate their increasing skill, and to receive positive reinforcement for the activity and the skill itself. Reading aloud to children is the most important thing that can be done, in the same manner that they do so we can help them improve their skill. Reading together at home is not only enjoyable. If stories are read together, a sense of closeness develops a rare type of bonding and sharing experiences. Remember that schools will be more successful in teaching children to read when parents support and augment the efforts of the teacher and school. Parents should also offer to be in the classroom one hour or two a week, if only to make a significant difference in the lives of the children. There are many things that a parent can do in the classroom but the most rewarding is listening to children practice reading, for children enjoy a patient and supportive listener and to share their work on display. Reading is more than an instructional program. It requires heart and soul, good modeling, and an appropriate environment. Interest and cooperation from home are essential if we are to teach children to love reading. If there is constant communication of school authorities with parents, we hope to succeed in making reading an important part of every child’s life.Parents are often reluctant to talk to teachers about their children. However, most teachers look to parents for support and help. Children spend up to six hours a day with their teachers, So the teacher is a very significant person in their life. The following situations are noted to increase reading abilities such as reading aloud to your child and do so on regular basis. Read a wide variety of books, including picture books, novels, non-fiction, poetry, etc. and involve pupils in the choosing of those books. Suggest that your child read to you, take turns reading. When a child reads aloud,do not correct his or her reading. Keep books accessible always, and encourage your child to retell favorite stories. Ask open-ended questions about those stories, show enthusiasm. Provide a special place for your child’s books. An open house is meant to be fun, a time for parents to meet the staff of the school. It also allows pupils to share with their families the work they have accomplished. If you are separated from your child’s other parent, it is important that you put your differences aside for this one event. Your child needs both of you to be part of his education and to attend such function. Volunteer in the classroom; if possible, offer to take a morning or an afternoon off work to help in your child’s classroom. There are many vital roles that you can play there. You can assist a reading group, work one-on-one with a student who may be struggling, or escort pupils to places they need to go. By doing so, you will be sharing with these children the gifts God gave you and showing them that you care enough to help them. Volunteer to chaperon a class or school field trip – Pick a field trip that interests you or one that you know something about. You can share your insights with the class as they experience new things. Consider your place of work as a possible field trip site. Career orientation is very important in the school curriculum these days and children could learn a great deal from your place of employment. Be sure to share with them the story of how and why you are in this line of work and how your job serves God. Pupils respond strongly to such personal testimonies and enjoy learning about what careers are available to them when they get older. Who knows, you may inspire a child for years to come. Trust God that he placed your children with teachers He wants them to have. God places along our journey people who will teach us the lessons we need to learn and just as surely God plans for us adults and your children, too. Do not forget that pupils enrich their teacher’s life as well. Perhaps your child was placed in his class to bless this teacher. Although widespread support for parental involvement is reflected in current educational policies and practices, what this means is not always clear. Parental involvement includes a wide range of behaviors but generally refers to parents' and family members' use and investment of resources in their children's schooling. These investments can take place in or outside of school, with the intention of improving children's learning. Parental involvement at home can include activities such as discussions about school, helping with homework, and reading with children. Involvement at school may include parents volunteering in the classroom, attending workshops, or attending school plays and sporting events. Wendy S. Grolnick and her colleagues, in articles published in 1994 and 1997, conceptualized three dimensions of parental involvement based on how parent–child interactions affect pupils' schooling and motivation. Behavioral involvement refers to parents' public actions representing their interest in their child's education, such as attending an open house or volunteering at the school. Personal involvement includes parent–child interactions that communicate positive attitudes about school and the importance of education to the child. Cognitive/intellectual involvement refers to behaviors that promote children's skill development and knowledge, such as reading books and going to museums. Parental involvement, according to this theory, affects student achievement because these interactions affect pupils' motivation, their sense of competence, and the belief that they have control over their success in school. Kathleen V. Hoover-Dempsey and Howard M. Sandler, in articles published in 1995 and 1997, defined parental involvement broadly to include home-based activities (e.g., helping with homework, discussing school events or courses) and school-based activities (e.g., volunteering at school, coming to school events). They argued that parental involvement is a function of a parent's beliefs about parental roles and responsibilities, a parent's sense that she can help her children succeed in school, and the opportunities for involvement provided by the school or teacher. In this theory, when parents get involved, children's schooling is affected through their acquisition of knowledge, skills, and an increased sense of confidence that they can succeed in school. Joyce L. Epstein, in a 1995 article and a 2001 book titled School, Family, and Community Partnerships, argued that school, family, and community are important "spheres of influence" on children's development and that a child's educational development is enhanced when these three environments work collaboratively toward shared goals. Epstein encouraged schools to create greater "overlap" between the school, home, and community through the implementation of activities across six types of involvement: parenting, communication, volunteering, learning at home, decision-making, and collaboration with the community. By implementing activities across all six types of involvement, educators can help improve student achievement and experiences in school. Research has shown that student and family characteristics affect levels of parental involvement. Working-class families and families in which mothers work full-time tend to be less involved in their children's education. Also, parents of elementary school pupils tend to be more involved in their children's education than parents of older pupils. Other factors, however, have been shown to be more important predictors of parental involvement than family income or structure. Schools play a significant role in getting parents and family members involved in pupils' education. In their study published in the 1993 book Families and Schools in a Pluralistic Society, Susan L. Dauber and Joyce L. Epstein found that school and teacher practices were the strongest predictors of parental involvement. Specific practices that have been shown to predict parental involvement include: assigning homework designed to increase student-parent interactions, holding workshops for families, and communicating to parents about their children's education. Parental beliefs and perceptions have also been shown to be a strong predictor of parental involvement. Parents' educational aspirations and level of comfort with the school and staff have been shown to predict levels of involvement. In addition, parents' beliefs about their responsibilities as a parent, their ability to affect their children's education, and their perceptions of their children's interests in school subjects have been shown to predict their involvement at home and at school. 13