1

EFFECTS OF DROP EVERYTHING AND

READ (DEAR) ON PUPILS READING
ABILITY AND COMPREHENSION
(An Action Research)

An In partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in

EDL 231 Teaching Reading and Literary in Bilingual Context

Submitted by:

MRS. NAIDA R. QUINTO

MAED Educational Management

Submitted to:

JULIETA L. GO, PH. D

Subject Professor

I. INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Reading is a fundamental ability for higher learning. The best opportunity to
teach children the skills of reading is in the early grades or earlier if possible. If this
window is missed, then children who have not begun to read and understand what
they read will continue to fall behind unless swift action is taken.
According to Wolf (2007) the point of reading is comprehension; and the point
of comprehension is learning. Children who fail to learn to read in the first few grades
of school are handicapped in later grades as they must absorb increasing amounts of
instructional content in print form. Poor readers cannot develop proper writing skills
and become self-guided learners in other subject areas. The basic reading skills
necessary to become literate do not develop naturally; we have to learn to adapt the
part of our brain that recognizes images to be able to recognize written letters and
words.
Children must read fluently to comprehend what they are reading. As students
weave together the many strands of reading, including background knowledge,
vocabulary, language structures (syntax, semantics), and literary knowledge (print
concepts and genres) with knowledge of print-sound relationships and decoding, they
get closer to skilled reading and comprehension (Scarborough, 2002). A critical strand
in this process is oral reading fluency, as measured by the number of words read
correctly per minute (Fuchs et al., 2001).
In the contemporary classroom, literacy instruction is one of the most
important disciplines used to prepare students for higher education and adult life.
Through teaching children how to read, educators equip their students with the tools
necessary not only to succeed throughout their education and careers, but also in
everyday activities such as reading a menu or checking the weather forecast. While
there are multiple aspects to literacy education, one of the most important components
is reading comprehension. All reading instruction, including phonics, fluency, and
vocabulary development, leads to the ultimate goal of comprehension.

As Opitz and Eldridge, Jr. (2004) noted in their article Remembering

Comprehension: Delving into the Mysteries of Teaching Reading Comprehension
that Reading comprehension skills are frequently left untaught. How important it is to
remember that comprehension is the essence of reading and that it has to be taught
and cannot be left to chance. While many students receive adequate instruction in
phonics and vocabulary at an early age, many do not begin the process of
understanding how to comprehend text until later.
Understanding the nature of education production and identifying viable
strategies for increasing educational quality in resource-constrained settings are
therefore crucial.
Furthermore, effective improvements in reading instruction may be
particularly important because existing research suggests reading at an early age lays
a necessary foundation for subsequent skill development (Scarborough, 2001).
A large number of programs in the United States have focused on providing
children with one-on-one or small group tutoring in reading, specifically those
children identified as requiring remedial attention. Overall, there is some evidence
from randomized evaluations that such programs can be effective in improving
students reading skills. Scarborough (2001) randomly assign poor readers to early
one-on-one tutoring. The intervention proved effective, and while one-on-one tutoring
of all children may prove too costly, the results demonstrate that reading interventions
can be effective.
Philippine program has then sought to improve childrens reading skills by
encouraging reading amongst elementary pupils. Using a randomized controlled trial
set in Tarlac province of the Philippines, research analyzed the impact of an
educational intervention that provides schools with age-appropriate reading material
and then incentivizes reading through a 31-day reading marathon. The reading
marathon encourages students to read as many books as possible through daily, inschool reading activities such as storytelling sessions, reading games, and posters that
display each classs progress.

Educators continually look for strategies to enhance and improve the reading
practices of pupils. The Department of Education is doing its best to address the
reading problems among elementary pupils in the Philippine public schools. The
department adopted and implemented the ECARP of Every Child A Reader Program.
It also implemented different reading intervention activities among which are, Drop
Everything and Read (DEAR), Three Words A Day, Read A Thon and the Directed
Reading-Thinking Activities as strategy to the reading intervention programs.
As it was published in Manila Bulletin of March 9, 2011, Department of
Education says that more students will benefit from a new early reading intervention
program that will help young readers improve their literacy skills from Primary to
Grade 3. The program will be rolled out in September and will replace Reading
Recovery, a program designed to serve a small percentage of struggling Grade 1
readers needing intensive support. The programs can helping students learn and excel
in reading and writing is critical to their lifelong success. This will be an example of
what is meant when one says putting children and learning first.
The new program will also make closer links between board literacy
specialists and classroom teachers, meaning fewer students will be taken out of the
classroom. Like Reading Recovery, there will some one-on-one support, but the focus
will be on small groups within the classroom
In support of the program, the Bureau of Elementary Education (BEE)
developed the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil IRI). The Phil IRI will
be administered to all public elementary schools to assess the progress and levels of
reading ability and comprehension of the pupils after the intervention programs.
However, in spite of the reading interventions, the reading comprehensions of
the many of pupils even those who are in the higher grades and in high school are still
poor. Many of them cannot understand what they have read

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Thus, educators continually look for strategies to enhance and improve the
reading practices of their student. The Department of Education is doing its best to
address the reading problems among elementary pupils in the Philippine public
schools. The department adopted and implemented the ECARP of Every Child A
Reader Program. In support of the program, the Bureau of Elementary Education
(BEE) developed the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil IRI). The Phil
IRI will be administered to all public elementary schools.
In line with the objectives of the Phil IRI, the DepEd gave and implemented
specific remedial intervention for the program one of these is the Drop Everything
and Read, which is guided by the DRTA strategy or Directed Reading-Thinking
Activities.
A daily DEAR program (Drop Everything and Read) provides students with
much more than a just-sit-there-and-read experience. It gives the teacher a structured
time to touch base with each student over a period of time, assess progress, and target
instruction. Even more important, it gives students time to read what they want to
read, share what they've read, and receive the support they need for further reading
explorations and reflections. Daily reading sessions last between twenty and thirty
minutes and are followed by fifteen minutes in which students can write in their
reading response logs. When a student completes a book, he or she conferences with
the teacher to discuss the book and share his or her reading log.
This research was then undertaken to determine the effect of Drop Everything
and Read (DEAR) as an intervention program to enhance the reading ability and
comprehension of the grade six pupils in Tapian Elementary School.
B. Statement of the Problem
This research was conducted to determine the effect of Drop Everything and
Read (DEAR) program on the reading ability and comprehension of the grade 6
pupils in their English subject.

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Specifically, it sought to answer the questions:
1. What is the reading ability and comprehension of the Grade 6 pupils at
the beginning of the school year 2011-2012?
2. What is the reading ability and comprehension of the Grade 6 pupils at
the end of the school year 2011-2012 after DEAR program was
integrated in teaching?
3. Is there a significant difference of DEAR program on the reading ability
and comprehension among pupils at the beginning and at the end of the
school year?

C. Scope and Delimitation

This research studied the effect of Drop Everything and Read Program
(DEAR) on reading ability and comprehension of the Grade 6 pupils in Tapian
Elementary School for the entire grading periods from June to March 2012.
It delimited itself on the grade six pupils as subject of this study. This research did
not cover other aspects of English class like listening, speaking, and writing.
D. Significance of the Study
The result of this study will give significant to the following:

For the educational policy makers and planners, the result of this study will
make them think of ways to enhance more the reading ability and
comprehension of the learners if found negative. Likewise, to think of the best
way to improve the pupils ability to read and to comprehend, since both are
requirements for the learners to understand other learning areas of the

curriculum.
For the administrators, to be more aware of the issues related to pupils
reading profile and for them to conduct strict monitoring on the
implementation of the reading enhancement program.

For the Elementary Teachers handling English subject, the findings would be
their bases for upgrading their teaching strategies and making necessary

adjustments to the needs to the needs of the learners if found negative;

For the future researchers, for their use of the results of this investigation if
they could conduct a study similar to the subject treated herein.

E. Review of Related Literature

This presents selected literature and related studies pertinent to the study to
give additional insights and information for better understanding of the problem
presented for investigation.
Reading
If one considers the typical classroom in the modem school it is clear that
written text is used significantly. Although other mediums of instruction are used,
much of the learning takes place in the form of reading - whether it can be reading
from the chalkboard, from a text book or from one's own written work. Reading plays
a pivotal role in the conveying of information and new knowledge.

The reading process

According to Fisher (1981) A variety of cognitive skills are required for
reading involves sequencing of eye movements, decoding, encoding, and utilizing
linguistic awareness. It demands knowledge of orthographic regularity and
irregularity. It integrates letters, words, sentences, and passages with past experience.
Surely reading is one of our most complex daily activities". Consideration will now be
given to some of these cognitive processes.
Comprehension
Without comprehension, reading is reduced to a mechanistic and meaningless
skill. The reader must be able to attach meaning to what he is reading and he will do this
largely as a function of his experience, context, knowledge and language proficiency. As
pointed out by Pretorius (2000) decoding skill does not necessarily lead to or imply
comprehension skill. There are readers who are able to decode text but who do not always

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understand what it is that they have read. It is on the basis of comprehension then, that
one can begin to distinguish between a good reader and a poor reader. A reader who has
good decoding skills but poor comprehension skills is essentially a poor reader because
he is unable to find meaning in the written word. He will be unable to gain insight or
knowledge from the text, he will be unable to add the new knowledge to his existing
knowledge base and he will be hindered in reaching his full intellectual potential. As
stated by Beckett (2005) if a child is deemed as unable to acquire functional
comprehension of oral language and its associated pragmatics, and of written language
and its different communicative conventions, that child will be effectively locked out of
the benefits of education.

Remedial reading instruction

For many children experiencing difficulty with reading, reading remediation or a
reading program might become an option. According to Wolf (2007) in every classroom
there will be some children with reading problems. They believe that children with minor
reading problems can receive corrective instruction from the class teacher but when the
reading problems are of a more serious nature, the child should receive remedial aid
outside of the classroom situation. The earlier such intervention takes place, the better.
Gardner (1986) describes remedial teaching as differing from normal teaching in
that the emphasis is firstly on the background of the child and on underlying causes of the
specific problem. The resulting remedial program needs to be specific, realistic and
attainable. It should concentrate on one or two areas at a time as opposed to many, as
this is more likely to ensure success.
Foorman and Torgesen (2001) state that children at risk for reading failure acquire
reading skills more slowly than other children but they need to acquire the same set of
skills in order to become good readers. They describe the difference between remedial
instruction and classroom instruction as lying in the manner in which the instruction is
given, stating that "specifically, instruction for children who have difficulties learning to
read must be more explicit, and comprehensive, more intensive, and more supportive than
the instruction required by the majority of children.

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Effectiveness of remedial reading instruction
Much research has been conducted in the area of remedial reading programs and,
in general, findings seem to indicate that if carried out effectively, remedial intervention
can have a positive effect on a child's reading ability. Kokong (1991) found that different
strategies and styles can improve the reading ability of pupils and it is believed that
improved reading ability will improve pupils' academic achievement. Foorman and
Torgesen (2001) show that research with children at risk for reading failure provides
evidence that phonemica1ly explicit interventions are more effective than interventions
that are less phonemically explicit. They emphasize that effective interventions should
contain strongly explicit instruction in the knowledge and skills needed to read words
accurately and fluently.

Foorman and Torgesen (2001) describe a finding that one-to-one interventions

in reading have not been shown to be more effective than small group interventions.
Both methods are a means of increasing instructional intensity for struggling readers
and that seems to be a key element.
Pretorius (2001) conducted research focusing on oral reading instruction
contrasting the effects of a specific oral reading strategy with generic encouragement to
do well. Results showed that all students improved but students who used the specific
reading strategy made significantly greater progress in reading.

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II. METHODOLOGY
This presents the research design, research locale, the sample, the research
instrument, data collection procedure and the data analysis procedure.
Research Design
This research study utilized the descriptive type of research. As cited by
Calmorin (2004), the descriptive type of research aims to gather information about the
past and present conditions and describes the nature of the variables. This type of
research is suited in this type of research, since it attempted to describe the
improvement of the pupils reading ability and comprehension after the DEAR
program as reading intervention program. In a big concept, it describes the effects of
the intervention program on pupils reading profile as it presented the existing
relationship between the two variables.
Research Locale
The study was conducted in Tapian Elementary School, a non-central school
in Santa Cruz South District, Division of Marinduque.
The choice of the research locale is due to the researchers deep concern
enhancing the quality of English reading instruction in the said school.
The Sample
The subjects of this study were the 14 grade six pupils .
Research Instruments
This research adopted the Phil IRI form 1, the test materials. For oral reading
test, the test materials are consist of 2 reading passages of 73 words for pre test and
post test respectively followed by seven prompt questions. For silent reading test, it is
consist of one reading passage of 201 words for pre test followed by eight item
questions and another reading passage of 208 words for post test, followed by eight
item questions.

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Data Collection Procedure

Pre tests were administered at the beginning of the school year to the grade
six pupils to assess the oral and silent reading abilities. Test materials for pre test for
(oral reading ability) consist of one reading passage of 73 words which was
immediately followed by a prompt consist of seven questions. The prompt activates
the pupils motivation to reading. For silent or reading comprehension test, pupils
were given one passage consist of 201 words and immediately followed by eight item
questions. During the administration of the pre test, pupils oral reading miscues were
recorded as well the result of the prompt questions. The results were then interpreted
as frustration, instructional and independent. After the pre test, pupils were given the
Drop Everything and Read (DEAR) program to enhance the reading ability and
comprehension. This program made use of DRTA strategy.
Post tests were administered at the end of the school year, to determine the
improvement difference of the grade six pupils in their oral and silent reading
abilities. Pupils were given one reading passage of 73 words and seven item questions
for post oral test; one reading passage of 208 words and eight item questions for post
silent test. Miscues and answers were recorded and interpreted as frustration,
instructional and independent.
Data Analysis
Results of pre and post tests in both oral and silent readings were compared
and computed to get the improvement difference using descriptive statistics like
percentage.
To get the effects of reading intervention on pupils reading ability and
comprehension, Chi square was employed.

The Chi square tested the research null hypothesis.

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Table1. Results of the Phil-IRI

SY 2011-2012
Grade VI English Oral Test (Number and Percentage of Pupils per Reading Levels)
Total

Frustration

Instruction

Independent

Number of

Level

al Level

Level

Total

Enrolment

Pre-Test

Male

N
3

%
75

N
0

%
0

N
1

%
25

N
4

%
10

Femal

10

60

20

20

10

10

e
Total

14

64.29

14.2

21.43

14

10

9
Post Test

Male

50

50

10

Femal

10

10

60

30

10

10

e
Total

14

7.14

57.1

35.71

14

10

Total

Male

4
50

Improve

Femal

10

40

10

ment of

e
Total

14

57.15 6

42.8

14.29

Pre test
and Post
test

25

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Pre-Test

Total Number

Frustratio

Instructiona

Independe

of Enrolment

n Level

l Level

nt Level

Male

N
2

%
50

N
2

%
50

N
0

%
0

N
4

%
10

Female

10

40

60

10

10

Total

14

42.8

57.1

14

10

6
Post Test

Male

75

25

10

Female

10

60

40

10

10

Total

14

64.2

35.71

14

10

Total

Male

9
25

Improve

Female

10

40

Total

14

7.14

35.71

ment of

Total

25

Pre test
and Post
test
Table 2. English Silent Reading Test (Number and Percentage per Reading

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III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

This presents the data gathered, the analysis made and interpreted data to
obtain information that would answer the stated problems.
For organization purposes, tables were arranged according to the statement of
the problem. Each immediately followed by analysis, interpretation and discussion
based on the concept, principles and theories discussed in the review of related
literature.
Table 3. Results of the Phil-IRI SY 2011-2012
Grade VI English Oral Test
Total

Frustration

Instruction

Independent

Number of

Level

al Level

Level

Total

Enrolment

Pre-Test

Male

N
3

%
75

N
0

%
0

N
1

%
25

N
4

%
10

Femal

10

60

20

20

10

10

e
Total

14

64.29

14.2

21.43

14

10

9
Post Test

Male

50

50

10

Femal

10

10

60

30

10

10

e
Total

14

7.14

57.1

35.71

14

10

Total

Male

4
50

25

Improve

Femal

10

40

10

ment of

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Pre test

Total

14

57.15 6

42.8

and Post

14.29

test

Table 3 shows the result of the English Oral reading test. The findings
revealed a decrease of 57.15 percent on pupils belonging to frustration level, further,
an increase of 42.86 percent of instructional readers and 14.29 of independent readers.
Findings implied that the decrease of frustration and increase of instructional and
independent readers are attributed to the integration of DEAR program in between
teaching of English for the entire school year. Findings also implied that pupils oral
and silent (comprehension) abilities have improved after the DEAR program.

Pre-Test

Total Number

Frustratio

Instructiona

Independe

of Enrolment

n Level

l Level

nt Level

Male

N
2

%
50

N
2

%
50

N
0

%
0

N
4

%
10

Female

10

40

60

10

10

Total

14

42.8

57.1

14

10

6
Post Test

Male

75

25

10

Female

10

60

40

10

10

Total

14

64.2

35.71

14

10

Total

Male

9
25

Improve

Female

10

40

Total

14

7.14

35.71

ment of
Pre test
and Post
test

Total

25

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Table 4. Results of the Phil-IRI SY 2011-2012
Grade VI English Silent Test

Table 4 presents, the results of English Silent Reading test, the findings
revealed a total decrease of frustration readers and an increase of 7.14 percent of
instructional readers and 35.71 percent of independent readers. The findings implied
that the smaller the number of frustration and instructional readers, the bigger the
numbers of the independent readers. The increase number of the independent readers
is attributed to DEAR program. Thus the DEAR intervention program has significant
effect to pupils reading ability and comprehension.

Pre
Tes
t

Table 5. Effects of DEAR Intervention Program

on Pupils Oral Reading Ability
Frustration Instructional Independent Total
Interpretation
Level
Level
Level
Male
3
0
1
4
df = 6 at 0.05
Significant
Female
6
2
2
10
= 12.592
X2 = 70.30

Male
Pos
Female
t
Tes
t
Total

-3

+2

+1

-5

+4

+1

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Tables 5 reveals the significant effect of 70.30 set at 6 at 0.05 levels of

significance of DEAR reading intervention on pupils reading ability.

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Table 6. Effects of DEAR Intervention Program

on Pupils Silent Reading Ability (Comprehension)

Male
Pr
e - Female
Tes
t
Male
Po
st Female
Tes
t
Total

Frustration
Level
2

Instructiona
l Level
2

Independent
Level
0

Total

10

-2

+1

+1

-4

+4

Interpretation
df = 6 at
0.05 =
12.592
X2= 5.155

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Table 6 reveals that DEAR reading intervention has no significant effect on pupils
reading comprehension skill. The level of measurement was set at 0.05 with df of 6,
the significant level is below the set degree of frequency. Data suggest for another
intervention program to enhance the reading comprehension of the pupils.

not significant

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IV. CONCLUSION
This intends to present the conclusions that have been drawn from the
findings.
This particular study attempted to describe the effects of DEAR intervention
program on pupils reading ability and comprehension and to find the relationship
between the two variables.
This descriptive type of research utilized test materials such as reading
passages, prompts and reading comprehension tests.
The researcher made us of 14 grade six pupils in Tapian Elementary School.
Descriptive statistic like percentage was employed. To test the effect, chi
square was utilized.
This study attempted to answer the following questions:
Specifically, it sought to answer the questions:
1. What is the reading ability and comprehension of the Grade 6 pupils at
the beginning of the school year 2011-2012?

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2. What is the reading ability and comprehension of the Grade 6 pupils at
the end of the school year 2011-2012 after DEAR program was
integrated in teaching?
3. Is there a significant difference of DEAR program on the reading ability
and comprehension among pupils at the beginning and at the end of the
school year?

Findings of study showed the following results

1. The oral reading ability of the grade six pupils in Tapian Elementary
School is described to be instructional. Majority of the pupils belong to
instructional level in spite of the DEAR reading intervention program.
2. The silent reading ability (comprehension) of the grade six pupils in
Tapian Elementary is described to be instructional. Majority of the pupils
still lack the needed comprehension skills. They can read but some could
not understand what they have read.
3. The result of the chi-square showed that there is a significant effect of
DEAR on pupils oral reading skill while there is no significant effect on
pupils comprehension skill (silent).

Conclusion
Based on the findings, this study concludes that:

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1. There is a significant effect of DEAR on pupils oral reading ability.
Likewise, there is an existing relationship between these variables.
Therefore, the null hypothesis is hereby affirmed.
2. There is no significant effect of DEAR on pupils reading comprehension
(silent) skill. Therefore, there is no existing relationship between these
variables, thus, the null hypothesis is rejected.

V. RECOMMENDATION
In the light of the findings, the following recommendations are offered:

Continues implementation and monitoring of DEAR program on pupils

belonging to Instructional levels to make them independent readers;

DepEd other reading intervention programs are also offered:

National English Proficiency Program
a. Peer teaching
b. Mentoring
c. Buddy-buddy /teach one-each-one
Read A Thon
One on one small group tutoring
Use of ABRC materials to develop comprehension of pupils belong to

instruction levels.
Provide individualize education plan with regards to reading to
enhance pupils reading ability and comprehension.

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VI. Literature Cited

A. Books
Gardner, K. 1986. Reading in today's schools. Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd. pp. 212225.
Kokong, M.M. 1991. The relationship between reading ability and achievement in
English as a second language and other subjects at matric level.
Potchefstroom: University of Potchefstroom for Christian Higher Education.
pp. 123-130.
B. Periodicals/Journals/Unpublished Materials
Beckett, G. 2005. Perspectives on reading and listening comprehension. SAALED
News 25: 2-2
Fisher, D.F. 1981. In the beginning was the word. Basic processes in reading. Journal
of Experimental Psychology : Human Perception and Performance. (7): 489494.

Foorman, R and R. Torgesen. 2001. Critical elements of classroom and small-group

instruction promote reading success in all children. Learning Disabilities
Research and Practice 16 (4):203-212.
Opitz, M.F. and R. G. Eldridge. 2004. Remembering comprehension: Delving into the
mysteries of teaching reading comprehension. Reading Teacher 57 (8): 772-

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773.
Pretorius, E.J. 2002. Reading ability and academic performance in South Africa : are we
fiddling while Rome is burning? Language matJers, Issue 33: 169-196.

Scarborough, H.S. 2001. Connecting Early Language and Literacy to Later Reading
(Dis)Abilities: Evidence, Theory, and Practice, In S.B. Neuman and D.K.
Dickinson (Eds.), Handbook of Early Literacy Research. New York, NY:
Guilford Press. 1:97-110.
Wolf, K. M. 2007. Accountable talk in reading comprehension instruction. (CSE
Technical Report 670.) Los Angeles, CA: National Center for Research on
Evaluation, Standards, and Student Testing (CRESST). (Retrieved from:
http://www.google.com/#hl=en&output=search&sclient=psyab&q=Vellutino+and+Scanlon+(2001&oq=Vellutino+and+Scanlon+(2001&a
q=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_l=hp On August10, 2012).

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