Pagkain Ko, Pagkain Mo:

Strategy to Improve Reading

Level of 21 Severely Wasted
Pupils

RESEARCHERS:
JEANETTE S. BALILI, T-III
MERTILITA B. VILLAPANE, T-III
 ABSTRACT

Pagkain Ko, Pagkain Mo: Strategy to improve the Reading

level of 21 Malnourished Pupils of Cortes Central Elementary
School for School Year 2018-2019 was purposely conducted to
determine the significant effect of the school-based feeding
program to the pupils’ reading ability after being diagnosed as
frustration readers in the Phil IRI pretest conducted by the
advisers and after having been challenged to read some reading
materials such as Dolch Basic Sight, CVC Pattern, CVC+e pattern,
Short Stories before feeding for about four (4) months. This
strategy was conceptualized as a response to the flaghip program
of the Department “Every Child A Reader Program” (ECARP) the
goal of which is to enable every Filipino child to communicate.
 Specifically, the study sought to answer the following
questions: What is the reading level of the 21 malnourished
pupils before the intervention ?; What is the reading level of
the 21 malnourished pupils after the intervention ?; Is there a
significant difference in the reading level of the 21
malnourished pupils before and after te intervention?
The study used the posttest standardized Phil-IRI Oral
passages. The questions were categorized into three
dimensions namely: literal, interpretative and applied. The
critical questions are subsumed in the applied dimension.
The study used the descriptive method(Capmbell, 1990)
hence this is a fact finding investigation with sufficient
CONTEXT AND RATIONALE
It is stated that every poor child starves and/or is
malnourished so problems come out more in school settings.
Malnutrition, in turn, occurs when hunger goes on in such
intensity and for such a long period of time that they start to
interfere in the body’s energy supply. To keep its metabolism
working, the body adopts several measures. On the other hand,
children who do not consume adequate amounts of key nutrients
may be unable to work to their full potential at school (Nabarro
et al. 2012). Another research also reports elevated levels of
grade repetition due to poor nutrition (Bray et al., 2010, Duncan
et al., 2008).
 Most schools in Cortes District are beneficiaries of DepEd’s
feeding program. Cortes Central Elementary School is one of
the recipients which has a total population of 403 learners of
which 21 pupils belong to severely wasted .To resolve this
problem, the researcher conducted “Pagkain Ko,Pagkain Mo:
Strategy to improve reading skills of Severely Wasted
Pupils.”
The Department of Education is now putting its support
and promote a child friendly environment and a healthy
school offering quality education. As captured in chapter 1,
sec. 5 of R. A no.9155, Department of Education is mandated
to focus on the educational programs and services which
provide equitable opportunities for all learners in the
commmunity. The present laws mandated by Deped evolved
throughout the year. Most of the school conducted already
School Based Feeding Program since 2010 to the present year.
 The intervention was designed to help improve
the reading skills of the malnourished pupils in
Cortes Central Elementary School. The intervention
aims to promote culture in reading level by level.
The intervention also aimed to inform the parents
on their child’s performance in classes and how its
affect their school performance. It also seek to
strengthen the communication and coordination of
the different advisers of malnourished pupils to help
them increase their reading capabilities.
 II.ACTION RESEARCH QUESTIONS
The study aimed to improve the reading skills of
severely wasted pupils in Cortes Central Elementary
School.
Specifically it sought to answer the following:
1.What is the profile of Malnourished Pupils in Cortes
Central Elementary School in terms of;
 Age

 Weight/Body Mass
 Height

 Parent’s Income
 The data below shows the age profile of the 21
malnourished pupils .

 TABLE 1.1 – AGE PROFILE

GRADE AGE %

GRADE III 9 42.86%

GRADE IV 10 47.62%

GRADE V 11 52.38%

GRADE VI 12 57.14%

TOTAL 21 50%
T
 TABLE 1.2 WEIGHT/BODY MASS
The table shows about the weight/body mass of the 21
severely wasted pupils.

WEIGHT/BODY # OF PUPILS %
MASS
18 – 20 kgs 5 23.81%
21 – 23 kgs 10 47.62%
24 – 26 kgs 5 23.81%
27 – 29 kgs 1 4.76%
TOTAL 21 25%
 TABLE 1.3 HEIGHT OF PUPILS
The data shows about the height of the 21 severely wasted
pupils.
HEIGHT OF PUPILS # OF PUPILS %
9 9 42.86%
10 4 19.05%
11 5 23.81%
12 3 14.26%
TOTAL 21 25%
 TABLE 1.4 PARENT’S INCOME
The table below presents the parent’s income of
the 21 severely wasted pupils.
INCOME OF PARENTS # OF PARENTS %
1,000 – 3,000 11 52.38%
4,000 – 6,000 6 28.57%
7,000 – 9,000 3 14.29%
10,000 1 4.76%
TOTAL 21 25%
 The data above shows the distribution of
parents income of malnourished pupils from
grade III to VI in which it shows the greatest
number of income from parents falls under the
bracket of 1,000- 3,000 pesos only in a month
and the lowest number of parent’s income
belonged to the bracket of 8,000-10,000 which
means most of the parents was poor .This
findings supported by Bray Et.al which stated
the most malnourished pupils have a parent who
are low in income which could not support the
nutrients needed by the child in order not to be
a malnourished child.
2. What is the reading level of the pupils
before the intervention?

3. What is the reading level of the pupils

after the intervention?

4. Is there a significant difference on

their reading ability before and after
the intervention?
III. Proposed Innovation, Intervention, and
Strategy
The research was made to improve the reading
skills of the identified 21 malnourished pupils
Cortes Central Elementary School, Cortes 1 District
who performed low or frustration level in Phil-Iri
Reading Inventory conducted by their adviser.
After the result, the researcher implemented the
study.
 “Pagkain Ko,Pagkain Mo: Strategy to Improve
Reading skills of 21 Severely Wasted Pupils” was
given to the identified malnourished pupils
enrolled in the school.The program was done on
the 18th day of July 2018 up to 12th day of
December 2018. Each day the teachers in each
grade level released the pupils at exactly 11:30 in
the morning and 30 minutes was used by the
researcher to conduct the intervention before the
feeding activity.
 In this 30 minutes alloted time, the
researcher prepared a passage and let the
malnourished pupils to read the passage
suited on their grade level and after reading
the passage the pupils can enter the feeding
area for them to acquire the food prepared
for them.To observe the response of this study
each teacher monitored weekly the identified
pupils regarding on their reading skills.
IV. Action Research Methods
A. Participants and/or Other Sources of Data and
Information
The study utilized the descriptive method in taking into
account of 21 malnourished pupils of Cortes Central Elementary
School. The study focused on the identified 21 malnourished
pupils. These were the pupils from Grade III to Grade VI in which
Grade 3 had 3 pupils, Grade 4 had 6 pupils, Grade 5 had 4 pupils,
and in grade 6 had 8 pupils a total of 21 pupils. The data on the
malnourished pupils came from the Body Mass Index of each pupils
and the daily attendance was from the SF2 or the school register
in each teachers.
B. DATA GATHERING METHODS
The researcher used first the percentage in analyzing the
data of parents income and after collecting the data the pre
weighing was done. Starting 18th day of July the 21 malnourished
pupils underwent the feeding program were challenged to read
the passages intended for them for the whole week in order for
them to eat lunch in feeding room. The intervention was
monitored together with their attendance daily with the help of
the teachers. After 5 months of implementing the intervention ,
a post weighing was done on December 12, 2018 so that the
researcher can compare their weight before and after the
intervention. And last their attendance was collected and
summarized.
C. DATA ANALYSIS PLAN
To answer problem number 1 a percentage from the
parents income will be collected and even the age, and sex
of the recipients, to answer number 2 the researcher will
conduct an a pre and post weighing on the recipients,to
answer number 3 there will be a monitoring of attendance
every end of the week using SF2 and get the rate of their
attendance each month. At the end of 7th month or in
December there will be a post weighing on childs
development after applying the intervention.
DISCUSSION OF RESULTS AND REFLECTION
On the profile of malnourished pupils in Cortes Central
Elementary School.
Below is the tabular data on the profile of the 21 severely wasted
pupils.
INDICATORS GRADE III GRADE IV GRADE V GRADE VI TOTAL
AGE 9 10 11 12 21
WEIGHT/BO (18-20 kgs) (18-23 kgs) (18-26 kgs) (18-29 kgs)
DY MASS 3 6 4 8 21
9 cm 10 11 12 9 cm 10 11 12 9 cm 10 11 12
HEIGHT
9 cm 10 11 12 9 cm 10 11 12
cm cm cm cm cm cm cm cm cm cm cm cm
cm cm cm

1 0 1 1 3 2 1 0 1 1 1 1 4 1 1 2 9 4 4 4
PARENTS
(1,000 (4,00 (7,00 10,000 (1,000 (4,00 (7,00 10,00 (1,000 (4,000 (7,000 10,00 (1,000 (4,000 (7,000 10,00 (1,000 (4,000 (7,000 10,00
-3000) 0- 0- -3,000 0- 0- 0 - - - 0 - - - 0 - - - 0
6,000 9,000 6,000 9,000 3,000) 6,000) 9,000) 3,000) 6,000) 9,000) 3,000) 6,000) 9,000)
) ) ) )

INCOME 2 1 0 0 3 2 1 0 2 2 0 0 4 1 2 1 11 6 3 1
 The table above shows the data on the weight
of pupils from grade III to VI in which the data
expresses most number of cases on Grade VI level.
As this findings supported by Chinyoka and Naidu
that Poor nutrition can be caused by a lack of food
or an unbalanced diet that's missing or
insufficient in one or more nutrients that lead to
poor reading skill.
Table below indicates the result of Phil-Iri Reading Inventory Test on the study before the conduct of intervention.

Table 3

Phil – Iri Result Before the Intervention

25
20
21
15
10
5
0.00% 0 0
0
level Frustration Instructional Independent
before after
The data above shows the distribution of
respondents of malnourished pupils based on their
Phil-Iri result before the intervention. Data
indicated the greatest number were found in the
frustration level where all the 21 malnourished
pupils were under frustration level. Affirm the
study of Misser M., & Beach, J. (2012) which states
that most of pupils encountered malnutrition had
low result in academic activities the same with
reading tests.
Table below indicates the result of Phil-Iri Reading Inventory Test on the study after the conduct of intervention.

Table 4

Phil – Iri Result After the Intervention

13

FRUSTRATION INSTRUCTIONAL INDEPENDENT

 As gleaned on graph 2 the post test result in the Phil-Iri reading
inventory after the conduct of intervention, in which the data were
distributed in different reading performance indicator. The data
shows the greatest number found on the Independent level where
13 malnourished pupils were elevated into the said level while the
data indicated that there is no longer under frustration level. The
data affirm the study of Bos.Et al 2012 in which it stated that pupils
who belonged to low reading mastery must settled with the
teaching methods given by the educators to give remedy of their
performance for better communication skills of the child towards
the challenge of community.
 Table below indicates the result on significant improvement of of Phil-Iri Reading Inventory Test on the study

before and after the after the conduct of intervention.

Table 5

Significant Improvement

25
21

20

15 13

9
10

0 0 0

0
Frustration Instructional Instructional

before after
 The data above shows the significant difference between the level
of reading performance of Malnourished Pupils before and after of
the intervention program, hence the data resulted of increased
number in the frequency after the conduct of the intervention, the
data shows the difference on frustration level the data shows 0
frequency compared to the past data 21 pupils belonged to frustration
level. Another data shows the greatest number of improve d pupils
which can be seen in the independent level from 0 frequency to 13
pupils who are improved through the method or strategy used by the
researcher on conducting the study.This data was intensify by the
study of Davis, M. (2013) stated the emeging of teaching alternatives
or methods to solve the problems of reading performance of the pupils
which it holds strongly to the intervention conducted as an effective
one.
V. ACTION RESEARCH WORK PLAN AND TIMELINES
Objectives Activities Time Frame Persons Involve REMARKS
To identify recieved the 21 To conduct pre and June Pupils Already Identified
malnourished pupils post weighing Malnourished pupils

To know the ratings in reading Conduct Phil-Iri Test July 2018 Parents and Pasages read
skills of the 21 malnourished pupils teachers

To know the personal profile of Getting the July 2018 Pupils, parents and Data Gathered
the malnourished pupils personal data teachers
through survey

To conduct the intervention Pupils recieved the July-December 2018 Pupils, parents and Intervention
intervention teachers conducted

To improve the reading skills of Getting Post Phil-Iri December 2018 Pupils and teachers Grade Gathered
the 21 identified malnourished Result increased
pupils after the conduct of study
 VI. COST ESTIMATES
ACTIVITIES TIME NATURE OF AMOUNT TOTAL
FRAME EXPENSE NEEDED
 School July 2018 Bond Paper
Community Pentilpens 300.00 300.00
Base Meeting Glue
Conduct of the July 2018 1 ream of bond 190.00 190.00
survey/reprodu paper
ce of
questionnaire
on profiling.
Conduct of July – December SBFP 40,000.00 40,000.00
feeding to the 2018
severely wasted
pupils.

TOTAL P40,490.00
VII. PLAN FOR DISSEMINATION AND UTILIZATION
The researchers will ask permission to undergo the research of
the Principal of the said school, after which the researchers will
ask permission to conduct the study on the 4 advisers from grade 3
to grade 6. The researchers will ask permission to the parents of
the children to conduct the study before their feeding time every
morning. They will informed the 21 identified pupils that they will
undergo on assistance while they are feed by the government. The
30 minutes given by the advisers for them will be used in doing the
intervention.
The research designed to improve the reading skills of the
identified 21 malnourished pupils from Grade 3 to Grade 6 in
Cortes Central Elementary School.
Prior to the identified malnourished pupils identified in the
school there will be a Parent-School Based Meeting in which the
school administrator will discuss the purpose of the intervention.
The parents also will be oriented on how to be a responsible
healthy conscious parents in their home so that they can also
assist the administration upon implementing the intervention
on their child. The parents also will be oriented to assist their
child in their respective homes specially in reading passages so
that they can help the adviser of the child and even the
researchers themselves.
The intervention is designed to improve the reading skills
and capabilities of 21 identified pupils from Grade 3 to Grade
6. the intervention will also aims to strengthen unity between
school and parents partnership. And the research aims to have
a healthy pupils and well trained academic achiever pupils in
the said school. The research is not for the recipient Cortes
Central Elementary School, but its addressed to other school
who have the same problems that the researchers met.
VIII. REFERENCES
Misser M., & Beach, J. (2009). Early childhood education and care in
Canada 2004. Toronto: Childcare Resource and Research Unit,
University of Toronto Blackwell.
Rynders M. (2012). A sociocultural approach to learning orientation in
an
Early childhood setting. International Journal for Qualitative Studies
in Education.
Davis, M. (2013). Emerging learning narratives: A perspective from
childhood education. Chapter in Gordon Wells and Guy Claxton
(Ed.s),Learning for life in the 21stcentury: Sociocultural perspectives
on the future of education (pp. 99–111). Oxford.
Bray et al., 2010, Duncan et al., ( 2008) Impact of Nutrition on
Academic Performance, International Journal of Learning &
Development.
Chinyoka and Naidu, (2013) Malnutrition in School and its
Effectiveness, Borgen Magazine .
Moyses & Collares (2014) Confusion between hunger and
malnutrition, Cielo Magazine Pupblication.
Kohn M., & Morrison, F. J. (2008). Pathways to feeding a child :
Thecomplex interplay of child, family, and sociocultural factors.
In R. V. Kail, & H. W. Reese (Eds.), Advances in child development
: Vol. 31, (pp. 411–447). New York, NY: Academic Press
Bulach M. M., Cameron, C. E., Wanless, S. B., & Murray, A. (in
press)(2012) Executive function, self-regulation, and social-
emotional competence:Links to school readiness. In O.N.
Saracho, B. Spodek (Eds.), Contemporary perspectives in early
childhood education: Vol. 7. Social learning in early childhood
education