LEARNING STYLES AND READING COMPREHENSION STRATEGIES OF GRADE VI

PUPILS OF ECHAGUE WEST DISTRICT, ECHAGUE, ISABELA,

S.Y. 2019-2020: A BASIS FOR AN INTERVENTION PROGRAM

A Research
Presented to
the Faculty of College of Education
Our Lady of the Pillar College- Cauyan,Inc.
Cauayan City, Isabela

In Partial Fulfilment
of the Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF ARTS IN EDUCATION
Major in Educational Management

KATHLENE JOY J. SAET

March 2020
 CHAPTER I

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

Introduction

“Reading proficiency is essential for a wide variety of human activities - from

following instructions in a manual; to finding out the who, what, when, where, and why

of an event; to communicating with others for a specific purpose or transaction,”

Among 79 participating countries and economies, the Philippines scored the lowest in
reading comprehension in the 2018 Programme for International Student Assessment
(PISA), according to the results released Tuesday.

PISA is a worldwide study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and

Development that examines students’ knowledge in reading, mathematics, and science.

According to the PISA 2018 profile of the Philippines, socio-economic status accounts
for 18% of the variance in reading performance in the country, compared to the OECD
average of 12%.

The country has the largest percentage of low performers in reading among socio-
economically disadvantaged students.

The profile noted that average class sizes of 15-year olds in the Philippines are the
largest, and the ratio of students to teaching staff in socio-economically disadvantaged
schools is the highest.

The Philippines also had the highest percentage of students reporting being bullied at
least a few times a month.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones said they did not expect high marks based on
National Achievement Test results, according to a report by The STAR.

Not only is reading comprehension a valuable skill for

learning in school, but in order to successfully interact in

everyday life, individuals need reading skills to read and

understand labels, directions, job application forms, and

newspapers (Chatman, 2015). Also, individuals need reading skills

in order to be able to have and maintain a job and successfully

engage in different daily activities (Hoeh, 2015; Mahdavi, &

Tensfeldt, 2013), and live independently (Hoeh, 2015).

In contrast, not being able to successfully comprehend can

prevent students from learning, retaining information that they

read, and graduating from school, which will negatively impact

different aspects of their lives later on (Hoeh, 2015). Reading

difficulties negatively impact different aspects of students,

including their educational progress, self-esteem, attitudes

about reading and learning, motivation to read, career choices,

social-economic status and expectation for future reading success

(Woolley, 2011). For instance, not being able to read and

comprehend dosage directions on a bottle of medicine or caution

on a container of dangerous chemicals may put the individuals in

a very dangerous situation that threaten their safety and lives

(Marshall, n.d.).

Also, difficulties with reading comprehension is one of the

most major problems that students with learning disabilities

have, which threatens their academic success (Woolley, 2011). The

reading problems that negatively impact students’ comprehension

could include one or more of the following: inappropriately use

of prior knowledge, lack of vocabulary, difficulty of reading

fluency, limited knowledge of common text structures, difficulty

making inferences (Hall, & Barnes, 2017; Jiménez-Fernández,

2015), and unfamiliarity with the appropriate strategy needed to

gain meaning from a text. Having one or more of these problems

may prevent students with learning disabilities from

comprehending what they are reading and from being successful at

the school.

Although different ways for teaching reading comprehension

to students have been investigated by researchers (Ruiz, 2015),

Taylor, Pearson, Clark, and Warpole found that traditional

classroom instruction in reading usually does not include many

instructions or activities that directly focus on reading

comprehension. Some teacher just might not fully use English

during English class especially in reading a particular text.

This is just because the teacher intended to suit her level with

the pupil and as a result a lot of code switching is used. This

early exposure to the lack of using reading comprehension

strategies causes a serious impact when they further their study

in a higher education level. To them reading comprehension is not

something important. Even if it does, they still can code switch

as what their teacher did during their schooling period.

 Therefore, exploring strategies to enhance reading

comprehension may help teachers to produce new lessons that can

be added to the reading curriculum at different grade levels.

Additionally, helping students through teaching them how to

effectively interact with written passages, through interactive

strategies, allows them to easily recall what they read and

obtain meaning from the passage (Ruiz, 2015).

Improving all students’ reading skills in order to narrow

the reading achievement gap is one of the essential goals of the

No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and Every Student Succeed Act

(ESSA). Closing the gap can be done through requiring and

encouraging schools to integrate high standards, high quality

instruction, and teaching with research-based material and

assessments (International Literacy Association 2016; Richburg-

Burgess, 2012). Teaching reading comprehension can be done

through explicitly teaching students how to utilize particular

strategies in order to improve their reading comprehension skills

(Stetter & Hughes, 2014). Several reading comprehension

strategies have been administrated as effective tools for

improving students’ understanding of written materials. These

strategies include, but not limited to graphic organizers

,collaborative strategic reading , peer-assisted learning

strategy (, story-mapping (Zahoor & Janjua, 2013), and self-

questioning (Rouse, Alber-Morgan, Cullen, & Sawyer, 2014).

Also, numerous classroom-based reading comprehension

assessments have been used by teachers to measure the students’

reading understanding of academic material as well as measure the

effectiveness of a particular instructional method or teaching

strategy. That data collected by classroom assessment provide

teachers with an opportunity to (a) develop the most appropriate

instruction for students, (b) make a better determination about

what lesson would be more effective to teach, (c) determent what

supportive material to use during their lessons, and what

challenges the students may have.

For language teachers seeking to integrate reading

comprehension strategies into the language curriculum,

identifying and understanding significant individual differences

between learner’s strategy usages is also an essential factor to

provide the most effective instructions possible. Among the most

salient individual factors- which include learning aptitude,

gender, culture, age, affective variables and the way in which

pupils learn, therefore, it is a fundamental element in reading

comprehension instructions.

When we say learning styles, these are simply different

approaches or ways of learning. They are mental processes and

instructional settings a student uses more effectively while

learning. The mental processes involve organizing, perceiving,

coding, remembering, and reasoning

(www4.ncsu.edu/unity/lockers/users/f/felder/public/learning-

styles.html).

Learning styles might be thought of as “cognitive,

affective, and physiological traits that are relatively stable

indicators of how learners perceive, interact with, and respond

to the learning environment. It speaks to the understanding that

every student learns differently. Technically, an individual’s

learning style refers to the preferential way in which the

student absorbs, processes, comprehends and retains information.

For example, when learning how to build a clock, some students

understand the process by following verbal instructions, while

others have to physically manipulate the clock themselves. This

notion of individualized learning styles has gained widespread

recognition in education theory and classroom management

strategy. Individual learning styles depend on cognitive,

emotional and environmental factors, as well as one’s prior

experience. In other words: everyone is different. It is

important for educators to understand the differences in their

students’ learning styles, so that they can implement best

practice strategies into their daily activities, curriculum and

assessments.

Learning styles also refer to a range of competing and

contested theories that aim to account for differences in

individuals' learning. These theories propose that all people can

be classified according to their style of learning, although the

various theories present differing views on how the styles should

be defined and categorized. A common concept is that individuals

differ in how they learn.

“Theories of learning styles suggest that individuals think

and learn best in different ways. These are not differences of

ability but rather preferences for processing certain types of

information or for processing information in certain types of

way. If accurate, learning styles theories could have important

implications for instruction because student achievement would be

a product of the interaction of instruction and the student’s

style. There is reason to think that people view learning styles

theories as broadly accurate, but, in fact, scientific support

for these theories is lacking. We suggest that educators’ time

and energy are better spent on other theories that might aid

instruction.” (Willingham et al., 2015).

According to Willingham et al. (2015), quotation belief in

learning styles theories is widespread. A recent review (Howard-

Jones, 2014) showed that over 90% of teachers in five countries

(the United Kingdom, the Nether-lands, Turkey, Greece, and China)

agreed that individuals learn better when they receive

information tailored to their preferred learning styles. For

learning styles play a significant role in the lives of learners.

When pupils recognize their own learning style, they will be able

to integrate it into their learning processes. As a result,

learning process will be easier, faster, and more successful.

Furthermore, understanding learning styles help learners in

learning how to learn. Thereby, learners become more autonomous

and accountable for their own learning. Consequently, learners’

confidence will increase and teachers control over learners will

lessen. At this point, learners become the center of the learning

process and control their learning while teachers act as

facilitators.

In light of this observation, the researcher is motivated to

conduct a study to determine the individual learning style

preferences of learners and the reading comprehension strategies

thatthey prefer to use.

Theoretical Framework

The present study is related to the lens of

Rosenblatt’s transactional theory. Rosenblatt’s efforts have

significantly impacted the field of reading comprehension. Her

transactional theory has emerged as a challenge to the idea that

objective meaning exists only within the print itself (Marhaeni,

2016). Thus, Rosenblatt’s theory stresses that meaning cannot be

created in isolation from the reader. According to Rosenblatt,

“reading is a transaction, a two-way process, involving a reader

and a text at a particular time under particular circumstances”.

Her description of the reading process is harmonious with the

definition of reading comprehension, which is the process in

which readers involve in to gain meaning through particular

interaction with a text. Both descriptions emphasize the

importance of both reader and text in order to gain meaning of a

particular passage. Thus, based on the transactional theory, the

process of reading comprehension requires an active transaction

between readers, as the heart of the reading process, and the

text at a particular time in a specific context in order to

obtain meaning of the reading materials (Alvermann, 2013).

With this new theory, Rosenblatt contributed to a major

philosophical shift in which reading comprehension is looked at

as an interactive, constructive, and comprehensive process that

readers engage in while reading rather than viewing the reading

process as a product of learning that is measured by teachers.

 Thus, Rosenblatt’s theory encourages teachers provide

instructional supports that smooth the transaction between pupils

and text, as well as supply instructional assistance while pupils

attempt to understand text. When pupils construct their own

meaning of a particular text, the transactional process occurs

independently of their teachers and they link to only the passage

and the students’ previous knowledge and experience. According to

Rosenblatt, even though teachers are not a part of that

transactional process, they can still provide students with

various methods to look at the passage in order to gain meaning,

monitor the students’ individual responses to the passage, and

exchange and discuss ideas of the passages with the students

through a way that improve the students’ comprehension .

The increased interest in this topic is evidenced by a

rapidly expanding body of experimental studies and pedagogical

material, most of which addresses several key questions of

particular interest for language teachers. For example, what does

it mean to know about reading comprehension? Which reading

comprehension strategies do learners need to know? How will they

learn them? These questions lead in understanding the learner’s

preference in obtaining the knowledge of learning styles.

Learning styles refer to an individual’s natural and

preferred ways of absorbing, processing, and retaining new

information and skills which persist regardless of teaching

methods or content area. When an individual left to his own

devices, and if not encouraged by the teacher or forced by the

lesson he uses learning strategies that reflect his basic

learning styles. (Kinsella cited by Aquino, 2016)

When the learner consciously chooses strategies that fit his

or her learning style and the reading comprehension strategies,

these strategies become useful toolkit for active, conscious, and

purposeful self- regulation of learning.

In the light of the foregoing, the teachers can implement

the findings of this study to support and to help teachers gain a

deeper understanding of their pupils’ learning styles and reading

comprehension strategies which might lead to more appropriate

teaching to enhance their reading comprehension and independent

learning.
 Paradigm of the Study

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT OUTCOME

Respondent’s Design the Learning Improved/

Profile Intervention Styles and Enhanced
Program Reading Learning
Age
Comprehension styles and
Identification Strategies Reading
Sex
of the least Intervention Comprehension
Parent’s preferred Program Strategies
Educational Learning towards
Attainment Styles and independent
Reading learning
Occupation Comprehension
Strategies Integration of
Monthly income the
intervention
Educational
program in
facilities at daily teaching
home

FEEDBACK

Figure 1

Paradigm of the study

The figure shows the research paradigm that governs around

this study. The input includes the respondent’s profile in terms

of age, sex, parent’s educational attainment, occupation, monthly

income, educational facilities at home. The process shows that

the input data will be critically gathered, analyzed and

interpreted to identify the least preferred learning styles

reading comprehension strategies of grade VI pupils of Echague

West District to design an intervention program. The output shows

possible support and development plans and strategies through

proposing an intervention program to come up an improved learning

styles and reading comprehension strategies towards independent

learning.

Statement of the Problem

This study was conducted to determine the learning styles

and reading comprehension strategies of Grade VI pupils of

Echague West District S.Y.2019-2020.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:

1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 Sex,

1.2 Age;

1.3 Father’s Educational Attainment

1.4 Father’s Occupation

1.5 Father’s Monthly income

1.6 Mother’s Educational Attainment

1.7 Mother’s Occupation

1.8 Mother’s Monthly income

1.9 Educational facilities at home

2. What is the learning style preference of the learners?

 2.1 Visual Learning Style Preference

2.2 Auditory Learning Style Preference

2.3 Kinesthetic Learning Style Preference

2.4 Group Learning Style Preference

2.5 Individual Learning Style Preference

3. What is the most useful reading comprehension strategy of

the learners for a narrative text?

3.1 Story maps

3.2 Retelling

3.3 Predicting

3.4 Answering comprehension questions

4. What remedial intervention program could be design or

propose to improve the reading learning styles and reading

comprehension strategies of grade VI pupils of Echague West

District?

Assumptions

This study is guided in its conduct through the following

assumptions:

1.

2. Quality education is achieved when there is an improved

learning styles and reading comprehension strategies of learners.

3.
Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be beneficial to the following

group of people.

To the curriculum planners of the Department of Education.

This will serve as a basis in improving the program that will

suit to the learning styles of diverse pupils and in enhancing

the reading comprehension skills of the learners.

To the administrators. The result of the study can be used as

a basis for an intervention program for reading enhancement and

as a basis for monitoring the progress of the learners towards

independent learning.

To the teachers. This study will give them an insight into the

needs of the pupils, a guide in identifying the strengths and

weaknesses of the learners. It may also help them determine

suitable teaching style, approaches, methods and strategies in

developing the reading skills and study habits of the learners.

To the Pupils. This will help the grade VI learners appreciate

the need to familiarize them with the learning styles and reading

comprehension strategies to enhance their study habit and reading

comprehension skills in order for them to become an effective

reader and an independent learner.

 To the future researches. The findings of this study will

serve as feedbacks for them who would want to conduct a similar

study utilizing other variables.

This study is timely and relevant because of the kind of

pupils that educators are dealing with inside the classroom.

Another is, the latest rank of the Philippines in terms of

comprehending reading passages. Through this study, teachers will

be given an idea on how to improve the teaching- learning

process.

Scope and Delimitation

The study is limited to the learning styles and reading

comprehension strategies of 208 grade VI pupils who were enrolled

at the Echague West District in the School Year 2019-2020.

Definition of Terms

For a clearer understanding of the study, the following

terms are hereby operationally defined:

Answering questions. It encourages pupils to learn how to

answer questions better. Pupils are asked to indicate whether the

information they used to answer questions about the text was

textually explicit information, textually implicit information,

or information entirely from the student’s own background

knowledge.
 Auditory Learning Style. It refers to the learning style of

the students who tend to retain information more thoroughly when

the information is reinforced through sound. Learners best learn

best through verbal lecture, discussions and listening to others.

Comprehension. It comprises of complex process involving

knowledge, experience, thinking, and teaching. Effective

comprehension instruction is necessary to help pupils understand,

remember and communicate with others about what is read to them

and what they read.

Generating questions. It helps the readers to become aware

of whether they can answer the questions and if they understand

what they are reading. Pupils learn to ask themselves questions

that require them to combine information from different segments

of text.

Graphic organizers. These are visual display that

demonstrates relationships between facts, concepts or ideas.

Group Learning Style. It refers to the learning style of the

students who enjoy learning in groups or with other people and

aim to work with others.

Individual Learning Style. It refers to the learning style

of the students who prefer independent study, self-paced

instruction and would prefer to work alone on projects than with

others students.
 Kinesthetic Learning Style. It refers to the learning style

of the students who tend to learn through moving, doing,

touching. Learners have skills demonstrated in physical

coordination, using body language, crafts, acting, using their

hands to create or build, dancing and expressing emotions through

the body.

Learning Strategy. It refers to the technique or learning

process that students use to support their language learning.

Learning Styles. It refers to the learning style of the

students’ way of acquiring and obtaining knowledge: whether

visual, auditory, kinaesthetic, individual or group learning

style.

Metacognition. It refers to awareness of one’s own

knowledge- what one does and doesn’t know- and one’s ability to

understand, control, and manipulate one’s cognitive processes.

Reading. It is a process in which information from the text

and the knowledge possessed by the reader joined together to

produce meaning.

Reading Comprehension Strategies. These are set of tools

that readers use to make sense of what they read. These

strategies enable the reader to stay focused and become actively

engaged in the text which improves understanding.

 Summarizing. It is writing a summary or a brief of the

passage -or writing the synopsis which includes the main points

in a certain passage.

Strategy. Consists of a set of decisions to achieve an

objective that results in a plan and its wise implementation.

DEFINITION OF PREDICTING, RETELLING AND STORY MAPPING