THE IMPLEMENTATION OF REVISED PHIL-IRI IN SECONDARY LEVEL

PRECILLA C. CHICO

Reading is one of the macro skills needed to be developed in a learner starting the age of six. It is also consider as foundation for all academic learning. Learning to read, as well as learning to write and count, is crucial to a child’s success in school and in later life. However, teaching and developing reading skill is not a breeze for there are certain barriers that hinder in learning and developing this skill.

Ideally speaking, it is expected that high school students are already readers and should have develop reading comprehension as well. Yet, it is alarming to note that during reading assessments, there are still students who are assessed to be slow readers and even non readers.

The Department of Education has established different programs like Every Child is a Reader Program (ECARP) and the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI) to name a few. This addressed the issues concerning literacy improvement.

This year, the Revised Phil-IRI was introduced to the secondary level, specifically in the Grade 7, as an answer to decrease the growing statistics of non-readers both in Filipino and English. As reflected in DepEd Order no. 14, s.2018, the policy aims to measure and describe the learner’s reading performance in both English and Filipino languages in oral reading, silent reading and listening comprehension. These assessment aims to determine the learner’s independent, instructional and frustration level. In addition, this policy will also serves as one of the bases in planning, designing/ redesigning the reading instruction of the teachers and the school’s reading programs to improve the overall school’s reading performance.

Before conducting the Phil-IRI, concerned are advised to download the manual. Furthermore, schools are advised to use the MOOE funds for the reproduction and distribution of the materials to teachers.

As stated in the Phil-IRI manual, Phil-IRI may be used to for the following purpose: determine Group Reading Level and Individual Reading Level, monitor Growth and Response to Intervention and describe Reading Behaviors.

There are four stages in the administration of the Phil-IRI. Stage 1 refers to Initial Screening Using the Phil-IRI Group Screening Test (GST). Stage 2 is the Administration of the Phil-IRI Graded Passages (Pre-test) for those who scored below 14 in the GST. The third stage is the Provision of Specialized Instruction/ Intervention and the final Stage is the Administration of the PhilIRI Graded Passages (Post Test).

Since the Phil-IRI is administered at the start and at the end of the school year, it can also tell teachers about the growth and changes in students’ reading skills and levels.

Teachers in the secondary level were somehow reluctant in the implementation of this policy. There are still questions, hesitations, and anticipations on the effectiveness of the program knowing that if this was already used in the elementary why is that their graduates are still assess as slow or nonreaders when they transfer to the secondary. Let this question be answered by careful investigation and compelling research findings. Until this question remains unanswered, teachers must have the will and dedication to take action in making this program a successful one. For their work is not for themselves for the benefits of the students.

— oOo—

The author is SST-III at Balucuc High School