The document describes a study that aimed to improve the reading skills of Grade 7 students through a strategy called SPEAK UP (Sharing Proactive Events and Knowledge for Understanding and Progress). A pre-test was administered to two sections, with one serving as the experimental group that underwent the 4-week SPEAK UP intervention and the other as the control group with traditional reading instruction. Both groups took a post-test after. Results showed both groups improved but the experimental group improved slightly more. However, statistical analysis found no significant difference between the groups, suggesting the SPEAK UP strategy was not conclusively better at improving reading skills. The study highlights the need for more effective interventions to address students' reading difficulties.

1. How can I improve the reading skills of Grade 7 students through
SPEAK UP?
(Sharing Proactive events and knowledge for Understanding and Progress)
Aimee Amor C. Porto
Rodel R. Sienes
Soong National High School
DepEd – Digos City Division
February 2023

2. Abstract
Reading becomes a rampant problem to every school nowadays. This study aims
to improve the reading skills of grade 7 students of Soong National High School through
SPEAK UP. The study employed action research design, in which quasi-experimental was
also applied to determine if there is a significant effect on the intervention program. The
study administered a pre-test to 2 sections in Grade 7. Classes were split into two as
experimental group (1 class, 15 students) and a control group (1 class, 15 students),
according to pre-test results. Only the experimental group was involved in SPEAK UP for
4 weeks. There are series of activity that every learners need to undergo. Participants were
carefully observed during the intervention program. There is a showed evidences of
learning improvements by the participants. Moreover, the result of this showed that SPEAK
UP innovation strategy has a positive effect on the educational value of teaching and
learning especially in English classes.

3. This research entitled “How can I improve the reading skills of Grade 7 students
through SPEAK UP? (Sharing Proactive events and knowledge for Understanding and
Progress), prepared and submitted by Aimee Amor C. Porto and Rodel R. Sienes, is
hereby recommended for approval.
Recommending Approval:
AIMEE AMOR C. PORTO
Principal - II
Soong National High School
Approved:
CRISTY C. EPE
Schools Division Superintendent
iii

4. Abstract ii
Approval Sheet iii
Table of Contents iv
List of Tables v
List of Figures vi
Acknowledgement vii
Introduction 8
Context and Rationale 8
Research Questions 10
Proposed Innovation / Intervention / Strategy 10
Method 11
Participants and/or other Sources of Data and Information 11
Data Gathering Methods 11
Data Analysis Plan 12
Discussion of Results and Reflection 13
Plans for Dissemination and Utilization 15
References 17
ANNEXES 18
Time Table/Gantt Chart 18
Cost Estimates / Financial Report 19
iv

5. No table of figures entries found.
v

6. No table of figures entries found.
vi

7. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The researchers would like to extend their deepest gratitude to the following
individuals who have contributed and paved the way in the completion of our endeavor.
To our beloved family who never fail to extend the support and giving us the
knowledge of the study and for the unending prayers for the success of our work. Thank
you for the patience, love, financial, and moral support given to achieve this study.
Dr. Tito M. Endrina, for patiently give the corrections of our paper and for the
continuous support he offered. Thank you for the immense knowledge he imparted to us.
For the valuable time and effort, he shared that encouraged us to surmount the difficulty
of this research. Thank you for the trust and believing that we can do this study.
Denevieve P. Gerona who became part of this study as well as sharing her
knowledge about reading skills and materials needed required in the study.
Above all, to our Lord Jesus Christ for the inner strength that He gave us. For the
wisdom that we need throughout the study. Thank you, Lord, for the good health, guidance
and protection. Praise the Lord for His mercy endures forever.
vii

8. viii

9. Introduction
Context and Rationale
As the coronavirus pandemic shuttered the schools, education has been tough and
challenging to the teachers. It has been observed that student’s reading skills is immensely
a constant battle in our school. Students at junior high school level are expected to read
and comprehend. However, we cannot the fact that our students struggle vastly with
reading. Our concern now is how to engaged the students into a more fun and enjoyable
learning journey that in the long run they still remember and acknowledge the skills they
just have acquired.
In relation to education, we teachers were demanded to be innovative and creative
in teaching and learning. In fact, English lessons especially reading skills are very low
mastered by our students today. With this we are challenged and opted to make reading
interesting to them. In my class, I really observed that most of my students when being
called to read an English text they are in fear of reading, especially reading aloud certain
words or sentences. Moreover, student become so starkly when they read in front of their
classmates. He/she is not confident and did not want to read. This kind of stigma must be
cut off. This condition made the students feel insecure in learning and tend to drop off
their participation and engagement to learn. With this issues and concerns. We teachers
innovate something new and introduce to our students a new way to improve reading skills
which is through SPEAK UP. According to (George Lucas Educational Foundation, 2023)
incantation or speaking aloud helps students improve their reading skills. Moreover,
students get motivated to come to school for they are given special or extra support to
learn reading in a more engaging way. This activity will help boost their confidence and
increase their level of engagement in school or class activities.

10. Research Questions
This study aimed to find out the answer of the following research questions:
1. How does the SPEAK UP help improve the reading skills of grade 7
students?
2. Will there be a significant difference between the traditional way of
improving student’s reading skills (done under control group) and the
SPEAK UP innovative strategy (experimental group)?
Proposed Innovation / Intervention / Strategy
The SPEAK UP strategy is a proposed innovation to be utilized as an experimental
approach for learners in enhancing their ability to improve reading skills while reading
aloud for grade 7 learners. Through the use of statistical treatment the researchers will
determine if there is a significant difference between traditional way in teaching reading
skills and through SPEAK UP strategy. Moreover, the researchers will be able to find out
the conclusions and recommendations in improving the aforesaid innovation.
The proposed intervention and strategy would be defined by IPO. During input, the
researchers will apply the SPEAK UP strategy to the grade 7 students. In the process, students
will be carefully observed. Participants will undergo two successions of activity where they cannot
proceed to other phase if they cannot successfully finish the task given to them. Finally, the output
will be determined from the results, conclusions and recommendations of the researchers. On the
other hand, the researchers will add some improvisations if there is a need to improve the aforesaid
strategy.

11. Chapter II
Method
Participants and/or other Sources of Data and Information
The study will utilize a quasi-experimental method to determine the effectiveness of
SPEAK UP innovation in improving the reading skills of grade 7 students of Soong National
High School. The study will carry out 2 sections of Grade 7 enrolled this school year 2021-
2022. The respondents consist of 30 Grade 7 students drawn from 2 sections. The 2
sections were drawn purposively. The first section will serve as the experimental group,
where the SPEAK UP is introduced and the other section will be the control group. To
gather the necessary data and information the researcher will choose specific competency
in English 7 to test the effectiveness of SPEAK UP in improving reading. The grades and
the performance of both sections will be evaluated if there is a difference between the 2
groups. In addition, students were given pre-test after which they were subjected to
treatment which lasted for about a month. The lesson was taught for four weeks. Afterward,
a post-test was given. Moreover, mean and standard deviation were tested using t-test
and analysis of co-variance (ANOVA).
Data Gathering Methods
The researcher will make self – made assessments in assessing students’
enhancements and enrichments in their confidence of reading skills while speaking it
aloud. The self – made assessment tools will be for two – fold justifications: one is for the
T-Test of Independent Means for experimental and control group, and the other one is for
the T – Test of Dependent Means for pre – test and post – test.

12. 12
Data Analysis Plan
As the basis for interpretation, the following statistical analyses will be utilized as
follow:
1. The mean and standard deviation of academic scores of pre – test and post-test of the
learners in before and after the implementations of SPEAK UP.
2. The Cronbach’s Alpha for Pilot Test will be used to determine if there is a reliable or
valid internal consistency in the test questionnaires.
3. The Pearson R will be utilized to determine if there is a significant relationship
between the pre – test and post – test scores on the pupils before and after the SPEAK
UP implementations.
4. The T – Test of Dependent Means/Paired T – Test will be utilized if there is a
significant difference between the pre – test and post test scores.
5. The T-Test of Independent Means/Unequal Variance will be utilized if there is a
significant difference between the experimental and control group.
Ethical Considerations
The confidentiality of the primary and secondary data of the students – respondents
will be religiously kept by the researcher in response of the Data Privacy Act. There will be
no side comments when it comes of the responses of the participants held from the survey
proper. The School – Based Management will also be informed regarding the said study.

13. Chapter III
Discussion of Results and Reflection
This chapter presents the result of the study and the discussion of the
findings about the SPEAK UP strategy conducted by the researchers.
Moreover, this section would also determine on how SPEAK UP strategy help
improves the reading skills of grade 7 students of Soong National High
School.
SHARING PROACTIVE EVENTS AND KNOWLEDGE FOR UNDERSTANDING AND
PROGRESS (S.P.E.A.K. U.P.)
One of the objectives of this study is to improve the reading skills of
grade 7 students through SPEAK UP. As for the data, there are 72 grade 7
students enrolled in this school year 2021-2022. On the note, only 30 students
were selected to undergo the SPEAK UP. The selection of 30 students is based
on the scores of their pre-test. With the intervention program of SPEAK UP
strategy it is found out that there is a remarkable progress among the students
who were part of the study.
According to (Brown, 2004) reading skills consist of micro skills and
these are the 3Rs. First, recognizing a main of word and able to interpret the
word in order; second, recognizing grammatical words such as noun, verb and
etc. and the last one is recognizing a particular meaning express in different
grammatical forms. Thus, these skills are also focused by SPEAK UP strategy
which greatly helps to improve the reading skills of grade 7 students. Moreover,
reading aloud plays a significant part in project SPEAK UP where students must
able to correctly spell and pronounce the word. This also corroborated by the
study of (Richard, 2002) which stated that having students read silently and
aloud will help them send a strong message. He added that, to do these
materials being used should be interesting to the students so that they achieve

14. the message of the texts in a high level of engagement.
COMPARISON OF CONTROL GROUP AND EXPERIMENTAL GROUP
There are two groups that are involved in the study. The traditional way of improving
student’s reading skills (done under control group) and the SPEAK UP innovative strategy
(experimental group). The graph below shows the pre-test and post-test for control group.
PRE-TEST POST-TEST
MEAN: 87.85 MEAN: 88.81
STANDARD DEVIATION: 5.65 STANDARD DEVIATION: 5.81
Based on the graph and the figures above, there is a difference of +0.96
percent which means there is a little progress on the students reading skills under the
traditional way of teaching reading.

15. The graph below shows the pre-test and post-test for experimental group.
PRE-TEST POST-TEST
MEAN: 88.48 MEAN: 89.96
STANDARD DEVIATION: 5.47 STANDARD DEVIATION: 5.75
Based on the mean and standard deviation of pre – test and post – test of both
control and experimental group, they gained remarkable increase, however, when it comes
to the results of T – Test of Dependent Means for pre – test and post-test, there were no
significant differences of pre – tests and post tests for both control and experimental
groups, causing each test to accept the null hypothesis. Thus, there were no remarkable
improvements of reading ability while doing the read aloud as far as the SPEAK UP
innovation is concerned.
Though there were increases in the means and standard deviations of the pre –
tests and post – tests on both control and experimental groups of junior high school
learners who experienced the SPEAK UP innovation, there were no significant
improvements in their reading skills or remarkable enhancements in their reading aloud as
far as the innovation was concerned on how to implement it throughout the school setting,
so also to the comparison was neglected between control and experimental groups since
there were still no remarkable advantages of doing the SPEAK UP strategy.

16. Chapter IV
Plans for Dissemination and Utilization
The findings of this study will be disseminated, presented and utilized.
Dissemination and utilization will be done first in the researcher’s school where the
researches are assigned through School-Based in- Service Training (INSET), then, in the
whole district or even in the entire Division, if given a chance.

17. REFERENCES
 Brown, H. (2004). Pearson Education. Retrieved from Language Assessment:
Principles and Classroom Practices.
 Chang, Y., Chen, C. et.al., Enhancing English – Learning Performance through a
Simulation Classroom for EFL Students Using Augmented Reality – Junior High
School Case Study, November 2020
 Christie, L. Listyani, Teachers’ Strategy to Improve Students’ Self – Confidence in
Speaking, Register Journal, 2018
 Chang, Y., Chen, C. et.al., Enhancing English – Learning Performance through a
Simulation Classroom for EFL Students Using Augmented Reality – Junior High
School Case Study, November 2020
 Dewi, R., Kultsum, U., et.al., Using Communicative Games in Improving Students’
Speaking Skills, Canadian Center of Science and Education, Volume 10, Number
1, 2017
 George Lucas Educational Foundation. (2023). edutopia. Retrieved from
https://www.edutopia.org/: https://www.edutopia.org/article/improving-reading-
skills-through-speaking
 Minero,E. (2019). Elementary Reading Strategies That Really Work. George Lucas
Educational Foundation
 Pack, S. (2021). Enduring Practices in Remote Teaching. George Lucas
Educational Foundation.
 Richard, J. &. (2002). Cambridge University Press. Retrieved from Methodology in
Language Teaching: An Anthology of Current Practice/.
 Turner, F. D. (2010). Evaluating the Effectiveness of Fluency-Oriented Reading
Instruction with Increasing Black and Latino Reading Fluency, As Compared to
Asian and White Second-Grade Students' Reading Fluency

18. ANNEXES
Time Table/Gantt Chart
W1 W2 W3 W4 W5 W6 W7 W8 W9
1. Pre-Test
2. Presenting the
reading materials
3. Pre – action on the
selected activity
4. Presenting the
Phoneme Substitution
cup
5. Presenting Pass the
Plate
6. Meeting of the
first group
7. Meeting of the
second group
8. Tabulation of Data
9. Analysis of Data
10. Interpretation of
Data

19. Cost Estimates / Financial Report
How can I improve the reading skills of Grade 7 students through SPEAK
UP?
(Sharing Proactive events and knowledge for Understanding and Progress)
Aimee Amor C. Porto
Rodel R. Sienes
Soong National High School
ACTION PLAN & COST ESTIMATES
Activities Time/Date
Persons
Involved
Expected Outputs Budgets
1
Conceptualization September
2021
Adviser,
School
Administrator
Researcher,
Guidance
Counselor
Initial Plan of the
Implementation of
the Intervention
Program
Food
Expenses =
1,000.00
2
Writing of the
Action Research
Proposal
September
2021
Researcher
Action Research
Proposal
Printing
Materials
and
Communicat
ion
=2,000.00
3
Presentation of
the Proposal to
the School Admin
September
2021
Researcher
and School
Admin
Refinement of the
Proposal
Food
Expenses
=1,000.00
4
Finalization of the
Proposal/Project
October
2021
Researcher Final Project Printing
Materials
=1,000.00
5
Orientation on the
Project
October
2021
Adviser,
Guidance
Counselor,
Researcher
Common
Understanding on
the Intervention
Program
Food and
Printing
Materials
=2,000.00
6
Identification of
Participants
October
2021
Adviser, and
Researcher
List of Students
7
Individual
Conference
Participants and
Parents of
Informants
November
2021
Adviser,
Guidance
Counselor
Agreement and
Implementation
Food and
Communicat
ion
=3,000.00
8
Implementation of
the Intervention
Program and Key
Participants
Interviews
November
2021-
March
2022
Researcher,
Students,
Adviser,
School
Personnel
Research Data Food,
Printing
Materials,
Storage
Devices and
Communicat
ion
=10,000.00

20. 9
Data Analysis and
Interpretation of
Data
March
2022
Researchers Analyzed and
Interpreted Data
Food and
Printing
Materials
=2,000.00
10
Writing of the
Manuscript
March
2022
Researcher Initial Manuscript Food and
Printing
Materials
=2,000.00
11
Research
Dissemination
March
2023
Researcher,
School
Personnel
Research
Dissemination
Food,
Printing
Materials
and Fare
=3,000.00
12
Submission of
Final Report to
DepEd
March
2023 Researcher
Final Output Manuscript
Packaging
=3,000.00
Total 33,000.00
Prepared by:
AIMEE AMOR C. PORTO
Researcher
RODEL R. SIENES
Researcher

21. DOCUMENTATION DURING THE ACTIVITY