Education in the Philippines today is faced with the problem of improving the quality of its instruction. High mortality rates in government examination have been evidenced of poor quality of learning. There are many who seemingly can read but cannot comprehend and they resort to memorization of meaningless facts. Some blame the elementary teachers who first ushered the children into the world of book learning.

 

The deterioration of the quality of learning among the present day school children has been the concern of parents, teachers and school officials. The factor responsible for the deterioration  are the ineffective methods of teaching reading in schools, no interest of pupils to read, no comprehensive mastery of the reading skills they need, lack of reading materials in the school and lack of parents guidance at home.

 

To motivate the pupils to read, it is necessary that reading materials suited to the pupils ability and interest. The teacher should be sure that her pupils have already acquired adequate skills in handling word, phrase and sentences meanings that are within the level of child. There should have adequate reading materials suited for the needs of children.

 

It is often stated that oral reading provides an effective means for the diagnosis of reading skills and discovery of pupils reading deficiencies. Oral reading can be effective if the teaching of reading skills such as correct pronunciation, proper phrasing, use of punctuation, reading with expression and conversational tone, fluent reading without hesitation or repetition, substitution , omission and insertion.

 

A careful and thorough analysis of oral reading deficiencies of the pupil will greatly aid the teacher to secure a detailed information on the specific  nature of the deficiencies  and thus will provide a basic formulating a well planned remedial reading program.  

 

 

 

By: Teresa R. Baluyot | Teacher III | Bacong Elem. School | Limay, Bataan