ILOILO – Don’t be too quick to blame the teachers. Early exposure to electronic gadgets such as mobile phones and tablet computers has adverse effects on the reading comprehension ability of learners and this problem starts at home, according to Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) member Jason Gonzales.
The chairperson of the Regional Education Council (Panay Island), Gonzales was reacting to the report that in this province which has almost half a million learners, an estimated 42,000 from kindergarten to high school are “frustration level” readers – they can recognize some words but they lack comprehension.
Gonzales cited multiple studies of the Harvard Medical School on children zero to two years old exposed to modern electronic gadgets such as phones and televisions.
“The researchers found out that these children’s reading comprehension ability suffered,” said Gonzales.
Sadly, he lamented, this problem starts not in the school but at home.
“The brains of these children are conditioned to moving pictures such that by the time they are introduced to books, they find it difficult to read them,” said Gonzales.
He agreed with the step taken by the Schools Division of Iloilo – for schools to hold remedial reading classes – and cited as example the experience of the municipality of Lambunao where he served as mayor prior to becoming a Provincial Board member.
Forty-eight percent of learners were then frustration level readers, Gonzales recalled.
The municipal government pushed for remedial reading classes in schools and after two years, said Gonzales, the number of frustration level readers dropped to 25 percent.
He suggested that children’s access to gadgets be regulated and in this, parents play a very important role.
“Some parents say gadgets keep their children less restless,” said Gonzales, but he dismissed such reasoning.
“I cannot overemphasize how big this reading comprehension problem is, and this cannot be left for teachers to solve alone. Addressing this starts at home and parents have a key role,” said Gonzales.
He also said Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. met with Schools Division of Iloilo superintendent Dr. Roel Bermejo and asked for the breakdown of the 42 000 frustrated level readers.
Defensor wanted to know from which towns these readers are to introduce appropriate interventions, said Gonzales.
The Regional Education Council itself will also make use of the data to design interventions, said Gonzales.
“Our intervention will be systematic and large scale,” he said.
The Regional Education Council is planning to set a Regional Education Summit in March.
Gonzales said it will help local chief executives address concerns on education.
Local chief executives need to be aware of the participation rate of learners in schools; the cohort survival rate or the rate of learners entering the first grade that can make it into the sixth grade; the activation of school governing council; and the establishment of expanded school board which will be needed for budgetary concerns; and the literacy rate, among others, said Gonzales./PN
