ABSTRACT
This action research aimed to enhance the reading proficiency of struggling Grade 5 learners at Padre Garcia Central School through the implementation of a QR Code-Based Reading Intervention Program that integrates technology-driven and differentiated reading activities. The School Year 2025–2026 Pre-Oral Reading Assessment, results revealed that out of 169 learners, 85 or 50.29% were identified as struggling readers. Among these learners, 53 or 31.36% were classified as slow readers, while 32 or 18.93% were identified as very slow readers or non-readers. These findings underscored the urgent need for an effective and learner-centered reading intervention.
To address the varied reading levels, differentiated instructional materials were developed. Average-level reading materials were designed for slow readers, while novice-level materials were prepared for very slow readers and non-readers to ensure appropriate scaffolding and gradual skill development. The study evaluated the effectiveness of the QR Code-Based Reading Intervention Program in improving reading fluency, comprehension, and motivation. Data were collected through pre- and post-oral reading assessments, learner reading logs, and systematic teacher observations to provide reliable evidence of progress.
The use of accessible QR-linked reading materials promoted independent reading practice, sustained learner engagement, and positive reading habits. Technology integration also enabled flexible access to learning resources, allowing learners to practice reading both in school and at home. In conclusion, the QR Code-Based Reading Intervention Program proved to be an effective, technology-enhanced approach that fosters literacy development, motivates learners, and supports improved reading outcomes, contributing to the Department of Education’s Every Child a Reader Program (ECARP) and national literacy goals.
Keywords: Proficiency, Struggling Reader, Academic Achievement, QR-Code, Novice
CONTEXT AND RATIONALE
The recent 2018 research conducted by the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) tested around 600,000 students aged 15-year-old over 79 participating countries. The study found out that the Philippines ranked the lowest in terms of Reading Comprehension with 340, which is the lowest score in all countries surveyed.
The 2018 PISA results were disappointing, the Department of Education (DepEd) views them as an opportunity to enhance and assess the current performance of Filipino learners. Despite the implementation of numerous reading programs in public schools, reading difficulties remain a persistent concern among students. Furthermore, limited research has been conducted on the utilization and evaluation of learners’ reading fluency and comprehension skills.
Then the perspectives, as mentioned earlier, are also linked to the initiative of making up a reading intervention that will help alleviate the reading status of these struggling readers. Padre Garcia Central School grade five learners were given the pre oral reading assessment last June 2025 at the beginning of the school year 2025-2026, Mid-oral reading assessment in October 2025, and post oral reading assessment in March 2026. Further, the baseline of this problem is rooted in the result of the Pre-Oral Reading Assessment at the beginning of SY 2025-2026.
Reading is the foundation of learning and a gateway to academic achievement. However, recent Oral Reading Assessment results for the beginning of School Year 2025–2026 at Padre Garcia Central School revealed a significant number of struggling readers among Grade 5 pupils. Out of 169 learners, 85 (50%) were classified as struggling readers, including 53 slow readers and 32 very slow or non-readers. This indicates a need for an intensified reading intervention tailored to their specific levels and learning needs.
To address this challenge, the researcher designed a QR Code-Based Reading Intervention Program, which anchored to the school’s reading intervention program which is QR: CODE stands for Quality Reinforcement: Comprehensive Outstanding Development Experience. The program integrates technology-enhanced reading materials accessible through QR Codes, enabling pupils to engage with interactive reading content at their own pace. By scanning QR Codes, learners receive supplementary reading materials, access comprehension questions, and it is also available in printed materials to cater learners without gadgets.
Differentiation of materials ensures that average-level short selections cater to slow readers while novice-level passages support very slow and non-readers. Through guided reading sessions, parent initiative, peer mentoring, availability of printed reading materials, and interactive digital access, the program aims to foster consistent reading habits, improve fluency, and build confidence among struggling readers.
This initiative aligns with the Department of Education’s Every Child a Reader Program (ECARP) and supports the broader literacy objectives of the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan. It reflects the school’s commitment to ensuring that no learner is left behind in literacy development.
Reading intervention is essential for supporting the academic success of struggling learners. The DepEd Philippines launched an initiative titled "Hamon: Bawat Bata Bumasa" through DepEd Order No. 173, Series of 2019. This program aims to enhance literacy among Filipino learners, specifically targeting learners in Grades 1 to 3 to help them become independent readers. The initiative seeks to address the need for more effective reading programs to improve literacy rates in the country (DepEd, 2019). Moreover, DepEd Order No. 45, Series of 2002, mandates a school-based reading program for elementary schools, focusing on early assessment, diagnosis of reading difficulties, and providing targeted intervention to improve reading comprehension. The Department issues the Supplemental Guidelines on the Implementation of the Literacy Remediation Program (LRP).
Reading Comprehension is one of the most complex cognitive activities in which humans engage, making it difficult to teach, measure and research. Thus, it is the mount or peak of the reading skills and the basis for all reading methods which affect or has impact on the academic performance of the learners (Delos Santos 2022).
The pupils improve their fluency through repeated reading and oral practice. By improving automatic word recognition and prosody, repeated reading and oral practice have been found to dramatically raise reading fluency. Aldhanhani and Abu Ayyash (2020) underlined that consistent text exposure increases decoding efficiency, thereby enhancing fluency and understanding. Oral reading practice with instantaneous feedback, according to Rupley et al. (2020), helps struggling readers create more expressive and smoother reading patterns. Particularly for those with learning difficulties, Mize and Bryant (2020) have discovered that assistive technology mixed with frequent Reading greatly increases pupils' spoken reading fluency. These results highlight how important, controlled reading practice is to fluency development.
Also, in the introduction of their research (Caraig and Quimbo, 2022) stated that reading comprehension is also one of the pillars of reading. It is the ability to define word by word and create a profound idea from the talks given or read. Moreover, reading comprehension also includes the ability of a person to translate the essence of the sentences using his own words. This also consists of applying the text read in one’s life. One aspect of reading comprehension is when a person articulates some of his life experiences and relates them to the text written. It is a sign that a person truly comprehends because some personal emotions are attached to it.
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