Just recently, an estimated 42,000 learners from kindergarten to high school are considered ‘frustration level’ readers, according to Dr. Roel Bermejo, Superintendent of the Iloilo Schools Division. ‘Frustration level’ is defined as a stage in the Philippine Reading Inventory Manual where ‘readers find reading materials so difficult that they cannot successfully respond to them’.
“They can recognize some words but they lack comprehension,” states Dr. Roel Bermejo, Superintendent of the Iloilo Schools Division. Stages included in the Philippine Reading Inventory Manual are independent level, instructional level, and frustration level. According to Bermejo, the majority of the frustration level readers are between grade one and grade six.
However, Bermejo also recognizes some factors that contributed to the ‘frustration level’ assessment. Some learners are special children enrolled in regular classes. Moreover, socioeconomic status may also be a factor. A parent/s lack of interest in how their children were doing in school can also be another factor.
With this, Governor Arthur Defensor shared that the Provincial Government is ready to assist the Iloilo Schools Division in improving the reading and comprehension skills of learners.
