by Alili A. De Castro
Teacher III
Stmo. Rosario Elementary School
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“No read, No move Policy” (DepEd Memorandum No. 324, series 2004). A policy under which no learners could be promoted unless they could read. One of the scenarios faced by most elementary teachers is that some learners suffer from low academic performance since almost one-fourth of the class are non-readers. DepEd finds ways to assist teachers in their strategies and learning styles in modern education to combat learners’ challenges in schooling. What can a teacher and a learner do to eradicate every learner’s reading crisis to achieve quality education?
DepEd implements guidelines regarding the conduct of Reading Intervention Programs as remedial instruction in every school to target difficulties in learners’ literacy skills. Remediation in reading is designed to reduce the number of struggling learners to improve their skills in literacy. Different strategies and localized resources are produced by the teachers to support learners in their progress. Teacher-made instructional materials serve as one of their resources, some multimedia and online platforms that resolve the plan. Mentoring learners to nurture their potential in addressing their needs towards their reading improvement must be prioritized. Directing learners through remediation cultivates their interest in learning their everyday lessons to get rid of academic issues. These things will possibly alleviate learners’ competence towards their high academic performance in school.
Furthermore, public school teachers conduct remedial sessions after class hours for struggling learners in reading and those who did not master the subject matter due to their different levels of understanding. A remedial session after classes that lasts for one to two hours is implemented wherein teachers already assessed the learners who need reading intervention and assistance in other subjects. The teacher-learner approach in decoding strategies and reading comprehension addresses the poor literacy of a learner. An extra effort of the teachers is exerted wherein the lessons are simplified to the extent of their understanding. Interesting activities that boost their interest are designed to easily catch up on the topic before they move to the next lesson. Teachers extend their time beyond their class hours just to make sure that learners adopt the given tasks, and they make their best effort to devise effective teaching strategies that foster learners’ interest in the topic. Peer tutoring can also be done while the teacher has a one-on-one session until all the learners have gone through it. This program of DepEd certainly facilitates the success of their educational endeavors geared toward the high academic performance of learners. An intervention that strongly resolves the reading crisis of struggling learners in school.
Indeed, teachers must be reminded that remediation is not a burden nor a waste of time but an expression of love and concern to the learners because through Reading with them, Mentoring, and Directing them, teachers are capable of Alleviating their high academic performance.