Action Research Proposal IMPROVING READING COMPREHENSION THROUGH THE USE OF HIGHER ORDER THINKING ACTIVITIES

I - Proponent: Carmelita A. Acorda Master Teacher I Cagayan National High School Tuguegarao City, Cagayan II - Background of the Study: The area of focus for my project is improving Reading Comprehension Through the Use of Higher Order Thinking Skill Activities. Without the solid foundation of reading skill the researcher feels the children will be struggle hard throughout their schooling and adult life. By learning the best comprehension strategies and how to best teach these strategies to the students, the researcher hopes to provide the solid foundation needed to succeed. Although the school's NAT result has met or exceeds its expectation, still the researcher has a thought of a way to improve it. So the researcher concludes that the students score decreases because of the students have very poor higher - order thinking skills to increase reading test scores and develop meaningful reading experience to the pupils.

III - Statement of the Problem: As the researcher of this research, I have found out that many of my pupils in grade 7 are able to read fluently, but still have difficulty in answering the "how" and "why" questions. I am hoping that by incorporating higher order thinking skills my pupils would be able to transfer and make connections to reading. This is important in order for a child to be successful. I feel that incorporating reading strategies and showing students how to reflect about what they have read, would improve their reading comprehension and to become life-long learners. I am looking forward to working on this area of concern, and sharing my findings with my co-teachers.

IV- Significance of the Study: The study will be deemed important for the proper recognition of the improving Reading Comprehension Through the use of higher - order thinking activities on the academic Performance of the grade 7 students, Likewise, the findings of this research may prove useful to the following, to wit;

Students. Having a clearer view and firsthand experience of the teacher's performance, this will further enhance pupil's knowledge of the importance of mastering the basic skills of their competencies so they will make an effort to do best. This may lead to better enthusiasm and develop good study habit.

Teachers. This study may heighten their awareness in identifying the learning tasks that are well developed as well as the least. This may further be a motivating factor to adapt measures and new strategies for the improvement of instructions in reading.

Parents. The result of this study will serve as bird's eye view of the parent to know the needs of their children with regards to improving their reading comprehension.

School Administrator and Supervisors. Results of this investigation may encourage administrators and supervisors help their teachers upgrade their teaching performance in improving reading comprehension through closer supervision and faculty development and training programs.

Department of Education. With the use of the results of the study, any educational upliftment will benefit the city of Tuguegarao as it may improve the quality of working force of the city or the quality of life of their respective constituents.

Curriculum Planners. The findings of this study may assists the planners in the proper selection of methods, techniques, and strategies that need to be reinforced.

Community.The result of this study may benefit the community in as much they know that the teachers of their children are equipped with the necessary tools and competence in teaching them.

Researcher Herself. This may serve as inspiration in teaching her students above and beyond her capacity.

Future Researcher. The information and insights that will be gained from this study may serve as guide for other researcher in framing their conceptual framework and design and at the same time encourage them to conduct lateral studies within their area of preferences.

V- Scope of the Study

The general focus of the present study was on the Improving Reading Comprehension Through the use of Higher Order Thinking Skills Activities of the grade 7 students in Cagayan National HighSchool, Division Of Tuguegarao City. The aspect s in Improving Reading Comprehension that the present study will look into the different reading strategies. Predicting, making connections, visualizing, Inferring, questioning, and summarizing are shown on this research to improve reading comprehension.

VI - Research Design A. Methodology This study will employ the pre-Experimental one shot case study. According to De Jesus the preexperimental one shot case study is a design in which a single group is only studied once, subsequent to a treatment is the instruction of reading strategies. It is important to teach the strategies by naming the strategy and how it should be used, modeling through think aloud process, group practice, partner practice and independent use of the strategy. The teacher observation checklist will be used by the researcher to gather data throughout the intervention. This tool provides information of changes on how well her students understand and use reading comprehension strategies over time.

B. Sampling Design Purposive sampling will be employed in selecting students - respondent of the study. The Students who will be selected must be enrolled in the 7th grade class for the school year 2013-2014..

C. Description of Instrument Data and Gathering Form. The Metacomprehension Strategy Index had a total of 25 questions divided into three parts that asked about the strategies students will used to help them better understand the story. Part I of MSI is consist of statement about the strategies used prior to reading a story, Part II of the MSI consist of statement about the strategies used while reading a story, and the part III of the MSI consist of statement about the strategies used after reading the story.