The four pronged

approach in teaching
beginning reading

HISTORY, RATIONALE AND

PHILOSOPHY, OVERVIEW AND
OBJECTIVES
 History of the 4PA
The 4PA is a reading
instruction approach
developed by Dr. Basilisa
Manhit of the U.P. Diliman,
College of Education.
Philosophical foundations
of 4PA
literature-based
holistic
places emphasis on the
process of transfer.
4PA's evolved through the years with the
consistent use by the teachers of the
U.P.I.S., K - 2.

University of the Philippines Integrated

School, Kindergarten - 2
 1. Genuine love for reading

It aims to immerse

children in literature
and develop a deep
and lasting love for
reading.
 1. Genuine love for reading

The first step in this

prong is for the teacher to
find a good interesting
story or poem that is
suitable to the age ,
interest and vocabulary
levels of children.
 The ff should be looked into by the
reading teacher :
The words, phrases, places, and important details
of the story which may hinder the children’s
understanding of the selection should be identified.
Methods of clearing these obstructions should be
planned.
Unlocking of difficulties may be made through a
variety of ways.
 IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO OF THE TEACHER
TO DEVELOP A LOVE FOR READING :

Children must also have a need and desire to read or listen.

The teacher needs to look for an incident in the story/poem
which is familiar to the children.
The teacher can be motivated to share that personal
experience and feelings.
The sharing of personal experience and feelings made by
the children can be linked by the teacher to the story/poem
through appropriate phrased questions to motivate the
children to listen.
 Critical thinking

Teacher ask motive questions.

The manner of asking must lead
the children to discover the events
and beauty of the story.
Teacher should employ the art of
questioning to lead the children to
their own pace of realization.
 Critical thinking

It is stressed by Riaidis Laudiano

that the children are trained to reflect
on the story, after the teacher has to
prepare creative exercise that
enhance children’s critical thinking.
In this level, the children are
expected to interpret the story/poem
on their own.
 MASTERY OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE
FILIPINO OR ENGLISh LANGUAGE
Literature is an excellent source of
examples of good language.
The story or poem gives the children
a common experience which they can
talk about.
Using this shared knowledge, the
teacher will able to eleminate the
burden of listening and speaking about
unrelated topics.
MASTERY OF THE STRUCTURE OF THE
FILIPINO OR ENGLISG LANGUAGE

Using the content of the story in

teaching a particular lesson in grammar,
the teacher will able to lead the children
to practice newly learned language
structures.
As a result the children will gain
mastery of the structures of the target
language Filipino or English.
 TRANSER STAGE

Children who are used to listening a

story/poem want to read on their own.
In this stage we can observed the children
open a book pretend to read.
These are indicators that the children are
ready for beginning reading instruction – “The
transfer stage” .
 MATRIX OF THE FOUR PRONGS
PRONG GOAL
- to develop a lifetime love,
Genuine Love for Reading
habit and enjoyment for
(GLR)
reading
- to develop the habit of
reflecting on what is read
Critical and Creative and exercising decision
Thinking (CT) making, making judgments,
and valuing
Grammar and Oral - to develop competence in
Language Development oral language,
(GOLD) – Filipino and understanding, and correct
English Structures use of syntax
- to develop phonemic
Transfer Stage (TS) awareness, decoding and
encoding skills
MATERIAL
storybooks, poems, trade
books, songs
same story and post-reading
activities that engage
children
still based on the story,
objects, pictures, charts to
facilitate application of
structures learned
worksheets, writing tablets,
charts and other materials of
appropriate level
 RATIONALE OF FOUR-PRONGED
APPROACH

CONTENT-BASED
INSTRUCTION (CBI)

THEMATIC APPROACH
TO TEACHING

CONSTRUCTIVISM
 CONTENT-BASED INSTRUCTION (CBI)

 relating one subject area to another

 teaching method that emphasizes learning about
something rather than learning about language
 incorporation of a particular content with language
teaching aims (synchronized teaching of academic
subject matter and L2 skills)
 integrates the presentation of topics/tasks
form subject (math, social studies, etc.)
within the context of teaching a L2
 THEMATIC APPROACH TO TEACHING

 teaching and learning different subject matters

that are related together and integrated to a
central theme
 vocabulary is linked, spelling and sentence
writing are reinforced, guides connected ideas to
follow on easily
“meaningful learning”, teacher's
role is to initiate the theme
 CONSTRUCTIVISM

constructing meaning from current knowledge

structures
construction of one’s understanding of the
world is through reflection of one’s experiences
reading is a social practice – it affects when one
reads, what one reads, where one reads, who
one reads with, why one reads, and how one
reads (Wilson, 2003)
 Table 8. CBI, Thematic Approach and Constructivism

Thematic Approach Constructivism

Content-Based toTeaching
Instruction
Reading in relation to Different areas in the Understanding the world
subject matter curriculum are related to through reflection of
central theme. one’s experiences

“Learning about Teacher’s role is to initiate Learners engender their own

something the theme. “mental models” to generate
rather than learning about ideas from experiences
the
language”

Development of use- Students will construct Reading is a social

oriented second and their own knowledge. practice.
foreign language skills
“To teach is to love…to share something
precious, something we value and hold
dear. It may be knowledge that broadens
our understanding of people and things.
It may be a skill. It may be an attitude of
mind that nourishes our being.”
by; Professor Basilisa Manhit
LISTENING...