Making First Grader Learn To Read Dialect

Various techniques and methods of teaching reading to grade one pupils like vowel sound, phonetic combination, and correct accent and syllabic blend with appropriate picture could be used.

Ma'm Portia in Post Conference with Ma'm Palanog

And one of them was recently demonstrated by Ma'm Portia M. Mallorca, OIC, schools division superintendent of La Carlota in her unannounced visit to Cubay Elementary School recently.

She handled separately the classes of my two grade one teachers, Mrs. Lelanie Suyo and Mrs. Nona S. Palanog after a 15-minute class observation and a 10-minute post conference with them. She demonstrated a simple technique in making these grade pupils read efficiently and correctly in a mother-tongue class.

Syllabic Reading Introduction

How She Did It

With Mrs. Suyo's 28 pupils and Mrs. Palanog's 26, Ma'm Portia started by motivating the pupils. Then she introduced reading the 3-syllabic dialect words like "kabayo", "karnero", "karabaw", "kuneho", "kamera" and many more by syllables, and then by words or syllabic blend. The pupils enjoyed the reading session and had fun reading with her.

She kept on rehearsing them with more words on the list. She asked one pupil at random, who read it comfortably in a correct reading stress and blend. Most of the pupils were attentive and kept on following her.

Mrs. Suyo and Mrs. Palanog appreciated Ma'm Portia for her indulgence of spending time with their pupils by introducing to them the technique of reading mother-tongue common words.

The school Principal with Ma'm Portia signing
the school visitor's log book

Purpose of Visiting the School

Ma'm Portia was in school to monitor the regular holding of classes and the extent of pupils' attendance. She arrived past 8:00 in the morning alone. All the pupils were inside their classes and teachers were already preoccupied doing their routine teaching job.

She observed the classes of Grade One, section Lily and Rose separately. She evaluated them as to the teachers' skills on class management, teaching methods and strategies. She had a post conference with the teacher and gave constructive criticism by allowing the concerned teachers the freedom to select method or technique on what to do if they be given the same task or skill to teach the pupils.

Happy To See Children in School

After that technical assistance given to the grade one teachers, she took a brief round of the school campus and took notice of the well-maintained surrounding, well-kept school plant and physical facilities. She sincerely expressed appreciation and kept on doing the job well done.

"I'm very happy to see the children in school," she told the school principal (this blogger) along with two grade 5 teacher-advisers, Mrs. Mary Ella Amar and Miss Jema M. Bajala of Venus and Earth sections respectively.

This is the one of the reasons why Ma'm Portia has kept on visiting the schools in the division of La Carlota City.

More power, Ma'm Portia!