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OPLAN Search for ChiSpeN (Children with Special Needs):

Prerequisite to Open SPED Class in Mansabay Bajo Elementary
School
Mansabay Bajo Elementary School
Lopez Jaena District

Elizer C. Talaboc, P-2

Gitchie Gomee G. Catacutan, T-1
Joie O. Lugatiman, T-1

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Abstract

The desire to ensure that all children should be provided with adequate services and
resources that are necessary for them to succeed within and beyond the educational system
motivates the researchers to do this study, the OPLAN Search for ChiSpeN ( Children with
Special Needs) as a prerequisite to open SPED class in Mansabay Bajo ES. And it has to be
extended miles away from the regular classes, but most definitely to the children with special
needs. But along their way of searching those who are identified children with special needs,
a recent school-scenario diverted the researchers’ focus. And it has something to do with
children with learning disabilities. This might reflect irrelevance to the study at first
judgment but hopefully, it would imply something significant to the department’s vision.
Thus, this study sought to answer the following questions: How does the researcher’s focus
get diverted? What are the interventions initiated to sustain the recent needs? Is there an
evident progress after the interventions are done?

Keywords: SPED, ChisPeN, children with special needs, learning disabilities, OPLAN
Search

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Acknowledgment

In the field of education, research is an indispensable tool towards productivity. In

this endeavor, we the researchers wish to take this opportunity to express our gratitude and

thanks to the following, who in one way or another contributed much in the realization of this

study:

The Schools Division Superintendent, Agustines E. Cepe, PhD.CESSO VI, for

sharing his valuable inputs during our district Coaching & Mentoring session;

To our Public Schools District Supervisor, Luzviminda G. Tactacon, for her untiring

effort, support and encouragement;

To ma’am Catherine G. Malon, SEPS in M & E (Monitoring & Evaluation) who at

the same time the division’s designated Research focal person for her unwavering

commitment & determination in helping the researchers;

To the parents, Purok officials, teachers and pupils of Mansabay Bajo ES, for their

full support & cooperation in the conduct of the study;

And to our families & friends who supported us all the way through with open minds

& hearts in every endeavor we make and in every time spent beyond school hours;

Above all, to the Almighty Creator for giving us the soundness of mind, body and

spirit for us to endure and persevere until this study is finally done.

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Context and Rationale

It is not easy to detect learning disabilities in kids and many times, the condition may

not be diagnosed due to lack of awareness. However, if we know the signs and symptoms of

learning disabilities in them, we will be able to note the problem and find the right solution.

(Pramod Kerkar, MD, FFARCSI)

In line with the Department’s thrust in providing quality education for all Filipino

children and the Global movement led by UNESCO, the Education for All (EFA 2015)

including those children with different cultures, disabilities and those who have special needs

and more, Mansabay Bajo ES wishes to continue to provide the necessary educational

interventions to best aid the department goals specially for learners with special needs

through opening a SPED class.

This initiative aims to cater the children with special needs. A Random Informal

Interview to parents whose children are sent to neighboring SPED centers is religiously done

by the researchers. And also a Community Mapping Form is used. Secondly, a Teacher-made

Referral Checklist is distributed to each teacher in order to get the numerical data of their

pupils who has learning disability symptoms. And lastly, an Online Learning Disability test

is done by advisers in order to validate their perceptions about their pupils’ learning

disability.

Innovation, Intervention, Strategy

In order to give an immediate intervention, the teachers employed a Need-Based

Sectioning System (NBSS) (Lugatiman et.al, 2017) which is anchored by the

Developmentally Appropriate Practice (DAP). The prospected learners with learning

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disability per class are provided by their respective teachers a developmentally- appropriate

reading & instructional materials and aided with remedial sessions. The Phil-IRI results were

also utilized. Secondly, the Mama Ko, Titser Ko program is religiously done from Grade One

to Grade Three. And lastly, a “Merit System” (Magsayo et.al, 2017) is exercised in order to

reward their progress, if any. Here, the teachers closely monitored also the attendance of the

respondents. Whenever they missed classes, the teachers do a home visitation in order to

know the causes of the child’s absenteeism and get acquainted with the parents also.

Research Questions

This study sought to answer the following questions: How does the researcher’s focus

get diverted? What are the interventions initiated to sustain the recent needs? Is there an

evident progress after the interventions are done?

V. Action Research Methods

a. Participants

The respondents of the study are the identified frustration and non-readers in

Mansabay Bajo Elementary School, Lopez Jaena District for the school year 2018-2019.

b. Data Gathering Methods

In order to prevent the occurring of the concept about the discrimination of the pupils,

the researchers called series of GPTA (General Parents Teachers Association) meetings and

orientations prior to the conduct of the study. And also a series of appearances during

barangay Assembly meetings whom the researchers ask help to every Purok officials to help

search and scout the children with specials needs in their area. Here, the parents are

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thoroughly explained how their child is diagnosed by the authorized SPED examiners, and

what are the parameters and or symptoms that there child has special needs or learning

disabilities.

To officially gather the data, the researchers do a Community mapping in which the

accounting of parents who have children with special needs is reflected. A Random Informal

Interview is done to the parents whose children are sent to neighboring SPED centers. And

lastly, a Teacher-made Referral Checklists are given to teachers for them to refer who are

their prospected pupils with learning disability symptoms.

The researchers then collected the Pre-test & Post-test results on Phil-IRI. And every

grading period, the respondents’ Progress Report Card is closely monitored whether a

remarkable progress is evident or not. And a tracking of the respondent’s Form 137-E is also

utilized. All the data gathered is presented through tables and graph with discussions below

on it.

VI. Discussion of Results and Reflection

The following are the results presented in graphs with discussions below in every

figure.

Purok Male Female Total

1 0 0 0
2 0 1 1
3 0 1 1
4 1 2 3
5 0 0 0
6 1 0 1
7 0 0 0
TOTAL 2 4 6

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There are only six (6) identified children with special needs in the barangay. Two (2)

of them are boys and four (4) are girls. All of them are enrolled in a neighboring school

offering SPED class.

Parents' Responses
Willing to transfer at MBES SPED Center 80%
Not Willing to Transfer at MBES SPED Center 20%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Eighty percent (80%) of the parents whose children are sent to neighboring SPED

centers agreed and are willing to transfer their children to Mansabay Bajo SPED class. And

only twenty percent (20%) of them disagreed because of some reasons.

Reflection

The number of identified children with special needs is just minimal. Even though

majority of the parents would allow their children to be transferred if ever SPED class will

formally open, but still, it won’t suffice. The focus of the researchers is then diverted to the

prospected learners with learning disability because it was quite alarming. Thus, the

following results would imply something.

Prospected Learners with

Learning Disability
28
30
20
7 9 8
10 4
0
Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5 TOTAL

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There are seven (7) Grade Two pupils who are prospected to have a learning

disability. There are four (4) in Grade three, nine (9) in Grade four, and there are eight (8) in

Grade five. It has the total of twenty-eight (28) pupils who are prospected to have learning

disabilities.

Reading Level

Grade Level Pre- Post Grade Range

2 Non-Reader Frustration 75-76

3 Non-Reader Frustration 75-77

4 Non-Reader Frustration 75-76

5 Non-Reader Frustration 75-76

Despite the interventions given, the reading levels of the respondents remain
frustrating. And the range of their grades signifies something that they might really have
learning disabilities.
It is not easy to detect learning disabilities in kids and many times, the condition may
not be diagnosed due to lack of awareness. However, if we know the signs and symptoms of
learning disabilities in them, we will be able to note the problem and find the right solution.
(Pramod Kerkar, MD, FFARCSI).
In order to give the benefit of the doubts in the perception of the teachers about their
learners, they underwent an online Learning Disability Test to check if their learners have the
same signs and symptoms of those children with learning disabilities. Some of the symptoms
are trouble in making words by blending sounds, make frequent errors in spelling the words
correctly, seem to tire easily in doing school work, difficulty comparing the relative size of
whole numbers and/or fractions, difficulty in understanding spoken language, and have
difficulty maintaining attention for more than 15 minutes. Those are just some of the

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symptoms among the six (6) areas of Learning Difficulties.

(https://www.lexercise.com/tests/learning-disability-test). And here are the results:

Learning Disabilities Number of Respondents who has Percentage

Learning Disabilities Symptoms
86%
Reading 24
Spelling & Writing 25 89%
Math & Logic 20 71%
Emotion & Self- 19 68%
Control
Listening 15 54%
Attention 19 68%

In Learning Disability symptoms under Reading, there are twenty-four (24) or 86%
out of twenty-eight (28) respondents has the symptoms. Twenty-five (25) or 89% show
learning disability symptoms in Spelling & Writing. In Math & Logic, there are twenty (20)
or 71 %. Nineteen (19) or 68% of the respondents show learning disability symptoms in
Emotion and Self-Control as well as in Attention. And there are only fifteen (15) or 54%
show learning disability symptoms in Listening.

The researchers understood that only an authorized authority can verify the reliability

of the initial results of the test used by this study. However, they wishes to pursue their goal

to initiate a preparatory learning center for the future opening of SPED class and it would be

specializing those children with Learning disabilities.

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VII. Action Plan

Objective Activity Strategy Time Frame Source of

Fund
 To tap the
division’s EPS Focused Group
in SPED & the Benchmarking Discussion April-May 2020 MOOE
nearest SPED Informal Interview
center for SEF
help, guidance
& assistance
 To send
teacher(s) for Seminar-Workshop Self-Experiencing April-May 2020 MOOE
SPED training Training
SEF
 To make a
schedule of Informal class Need-Based
class sessions sessions DAP June-March 2020 MOOE
for children (Developmentally
with learning Appropriate Practice) SEF
disabilities
 To track the PHIL-IRI
pupils’ Monthly Need-Based MOOE
performances Goals DAP June-March 2020
& progress Form 137-E (Developmentally SEF
Monitoring Appropriate Practice)
Post
Learning
Disability
Test

VIII. References

Philippine Informational Reading Inventory ( Phil-IRI) 2018. Department of Education,

Philippines

Lugatiman, et.al, 2017. NBSS (Need-Based Sectioning System): Addressing the Non-
Readers in Grade One. Unpublished Action Research

Chapter II of Title of the Magna Carta for Disable Persons, RA 7277

Education for All (EFA 2015)

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Education for All Handicapped Children Act (1975) External Link

file:///D:/SPED/Special%20Education%20in%20the%20Philippines%20_%20Homeschoolin
g%20_%20Special%20Education.html

Individuals with Disabilities with Education Act of 2004 External Link

1987 Philippine Constitution, Article II, Section 17

https://www.epainassist.com/mental-health/learning-disabilities-in-kids

https://www.learningsuccesssystem.com/micro-skill/child-reading

https://www.lexercise.com/tests/learning-disability-test

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