SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPLEMENTING CATCH – UP FRIDAYS

SHARON GRACE JOY BUENDIA VALENCIA

Reading skills is one of the important basic literacy skills that a learner must possess and develop. To enhance learners’ reading skills, teachers are mandated to realize the MATATAG Agenda of the Department of Education which focuses on promoting inclusive education to all learners. Another DepEd program also provides learning opportunities for learners to improve their basic literacy skills. This is the Catch – Up Fridays which aim to utilize every Friday for reading opportunities to all learners from elementary to secondary schools.

Why do we need to conduct Catch – Up Fridays? According to DepEd, it is very significant learning mechanism which is intended to strengthen the foundational, social, and other relevant skills necessary to actualize the intent of the basic education curriculum. Every Friday, teachers are encouraged to implement Drop Everything and Read with all the supplementary materials available in the learning environment. Several reading activities will be provided to all learners in order for them to reinforce learning.

Catch – Up Fridays will give learners various learning enhancement activities that will address learning needs especially those who were struggling readers. This program primarily focuses on helping learners to become proficient readers, writers, and critical thinkers. All educators are encouraged to do their part in molding learners to become future leaders someday. This will be attained through the collective efforts of everyone towards developing learners holistically.

-oOoThe author is Teacher III at Calibutbut Elementary School, Bacolor Pampanga Bacolor South District