READING COMPREHENSION LEVEL AND STUDY SKILLS
COMPETENCE OF THE ALTERNATIVE LEARNING SYSTEM
(ALS) CLIENTELE
Rufo A. Labarrete
Faculty, College of Education, Leyte Normal University, Tacloban City, Leyte, Philippines
The Alternative Learning System (ALS) is the Philippine government’s resolute response
to its various international pledges to deliver and make quality education accessible to all
Filipino learners who for various reasons were unable to attend or complete the formal schooling
track it provides. As defined in EO 365 s. 2004, ALS is a community-based learning system
comparable to the formal basic education system. It encompasses three major programs: Basic
Literacy Program (BLP) Accreditation and Equivalency (A&E) Education and Skills Training
(EST). BLP’s main thrust is to eradicate illiteracy while A&E is designed to award diplomas
commensurate to either elementary or secondary grade levels. Upon completion of the required
number of hours, A&E completers are subjected to the A&E examinations. Equivalent diplomas
such as junior or senior high school and post-secondary levels are then given granted to
successful examinees.
Assessment plays a vital role in the teaching learning process. According to the Department of
Education (DepEd) Secretary, Leonor M. Briones there is a scope in which the validity and the
integrity of the program is in question due to the findings of the passing rate. Then, an analysis of
the various assessment tools utilized for conducting purposes. According to the results, amongst
of the concern affected by the low register passing rate is in language issue. Reading competence
is regarded as a vital skill for academic survival and success. According to Villamin (1994)
reading is a four-step process: word perception, comprehension, meaning reaction in prior
knowledge and idea integration into one’s background experience
This study aimed to assess the reading and study skills competence of the Alternative
Learning System-Accreditation and Equivalency (ALS-A&E) clientele with the end view of
developing an enhanced session guide. Specifically, it sought answers to the following questions:
What is the level of comprehension of the ALS-A&E clientele in terms of the four reading on:
1.1 literal
1.2 inferential
1.3 evaluative
1.4 creative
2. What is the level of comprehension of the ALS-A&E clientele in the study skills
competencies on:
2.1 preparing for a sentence outline
2.2 drawing semantic map
2.3 locating thesis and supporting details
2.4 familiarizing book parts
3. Based on the data gathered, and analyses made, how may a session guide be enhanced to
address their concerns in reading?
This study was conducted in an ALS Learning Center located in Barugo, Leyte, Philippines. This
study involved 15 A&E clientele. The participants’ ages ranged from sixteen to twenty-one. All
of them were under the tutelage of singe ALS implementer. Most of the male respondents were
engaged in farm related chores and are engaged in various income generating activities available
in the locality. Similarly, the female respondents are also engaged in multifarious income
generating activities such as being a part-time household help, manicurists, among others. Most
of them dropped either in the 7th or 8th grades in their junior high school. Both the clientele and
their implementer were informed about the study and its purpose and participation was on
voluntary basis.
The result shows the reading comprehension level in the four dimensions: literal, interpretative,
applicative and creative of the 15 clientele-respondents. It can be gleaned from the data
contained in the table that the clientele were good in the literal reading dimension. This means all
that of them were able to locate the answers from the given text. Same table likewise showed that
the informants poorly performed in inferring, applicative and creative dimensions.
The clientele’s poor performance in the inferential dimension can be attributed to the fact that
only skilful and efficient readers can easily draw logical inference from the text read. Cabardo
(2015) posited that reading between the lines requires the readers to gather facts and ideas of the
writer and combine them with his or her personal experience and knowledge to be able to arrive
at a logical conclusion. As Brown (2001) puts it, a text does not by itself carry meaning instead
the readers are expected to bring information, knowledge, emotion experience, and culture
(schemata) to the printed word. Reading skill is highly dependent on the efficient interaction
between linguistic knowledge and knowledge of the world. In this study, the items provided in
the assessment tool for this dimension compel the respondents for factual analysis as mechanism
to create evaluative ideas. It was highly observed though that the clientele resorted to guessing in
answering this phase of the assessment. This is so as they all considered the options given as best
answer. Undoubtedly, this proved that they were inexperienced enough to fully comprehend the
hidden meanings in the passage read.
