Support ‘Catch-up Fridays’

When I was three years old, my father started teaching me how to read using three-letter Tagalog words. He would point at each letter, guide me to say how each syllable sounds like, and then encourage me to mix the sounds to form a word. Without knowing it, Papa was teaching me the basics of phonemic awareness—one of the crucial skills required for reading well. I became an early reader which eventually led to being a voracious reader—something that proved to be quite helpful in my academic and professional pursuits.

Reading is a foundational skill for school, career, and life success. Studies conducted in the United States show that proficient readers generally have more financially rewarding jobs, and are 2.5 times more likely to earn a high salary compared to basic readers. Ideally, every child should be able to read by age 10, or else it will prevent them from opportunities to acquire further learning. Unfortunately, as the 2022 World Bank report found, the Philippines has one of the highest learning poverty rates in Asean with 90.9 percent of Filipino children aged 10 still unable to read or understand a simple story.

Last Friday, the Department of Education (DepEd) rolled out “Catch-up Fridays,” an initiative aimed at addressing learning gaps among grade school and high school students. Under the new program, the first half of Friday classes (estimated at two hours and 20 minutes) will be allotted for the National Reading Program, which encompasses various reading interventions and skill enhancement activities.

I believe that this move is a step in the right direction. Establishing a designated time, while maintaining adaptability in implementing the program, provides public schools with a balanced framework that allows both structure and flexibility in identifying the best way to proceed. However, the effectiveness of Catch-up Fridays requires the incorporation of diverse tools to ensure the seamless and successful implementation of the program.

Interventions must meet where the students are at. The memorandum indicated that age-appropriate texts will be provided in relation to the program. However, teachers should first be able to understand their students’ current level of phonics, fluency, and comprehension. In many cases, it is not always apparent which skills a student has not been able to grasp yet. Teachers must be given the tools to effectively assess their students. Results from these tests could then be used to inform the development of small-group differentiated instruction that is tailored to the varying skill levels of the class.

If we want to build a generation of lifelong readers, we must inspire students to fall in love with reading. I remember how Papa always chose funny-sounding Tagalog words, so reading felt like a game that made us both laugh. Teachers must infuse reading interventions with play and wonder. For example, a treasure hunt involving finding words and forming short sentences could be used to widen their vocabulary. Asking students to present a creative retelling of the books they had read helps build comprehension and promotes stronger enjoyment of reading. Catch-up Fridays could help more students experience reading as a gateway into new worlds and adventures.

Acquiring a new skill always comes with a set of challenges. For some students, the difficulty they may encounter in strengthening their reading skills may lead to frustration, low self-confidence, and anxiety which could further delay their reading progress. Teachers must be prepared and adept at fostering the needed social and emotional competencies to motivate students and help them persevere.

I imagine that some teachers may also be feeling worried or overwhelmed about how they can successfully carry out these added tasks, especially if they do not have any previous experience in running reading remediation classes. Apart from organizing collaborative planning sessions and training programs with specialists, school administrators must support the work on the ground by committing to understanding and addressing the different roadblocks that the teachers may face during implementation.

According to DepEd, the afternoon sessions of Catch-up Fridays are dedicated to values formation, peace education, health, and the homeroom guidance program. If the intent is to promote responsible citizenship, an excellent reading program actually helps meet that goal. Reading promotes social awareness, critical thinking skills, and civic-mindedness. Skilled readers can better appreciate multiple viewpoints and form their own opinions. The Catch-up Fridays program is an opportunity not just to empower students to read proficiently, but also to help them develop a broader understanding of the values that underpin a just and peaceful society. We must give teachers the resources, support, and encouragement they need to do it well.

eleanor@shetalksasia.com