ABSTRACT
This qualitative phenomenological study explored factors affecting learners' reading proficiency through the experiences of eight ARAL reading teachers in a public elementary school in Iloilo City. The researcher collected data through in-depth interviews and analyzed them thematically. The findings reveal that teacher-related, learner-specific, environmental, and socio-economic factors shape reading proficiency. These factors affect the reading proficiency of learners, such as Low learner motivation and participation, limited engagement and practice, while limited instructional quality, due to heavy workloads and insufficient training, hindered effective teaching. Lack of individualized support prevented struggling learners from receiving targeted guidance, and limited vocabulary restricted comprehension. Socio-economic challenges, including poverty, minimal parental involvement, and limited access to reading materials, further affected literacy development. The study recommends a diagnostic-based, learner-centered literacy program with targeted interventions, strengthened teacher training, and increased parental support to improve reading outcomes.
Keywords: Factors, Learners', Reading Proficiency, Reading, Literacy Program
INTRODUCTION
Reading proficiency is a fundamental skill that supports academic achievement, lifelong learning, and meaningful participation in society. In the Philippine education system, however, literacy gaps among elementary learners remain a pressing concern. Despite ongoing reforms by the Department of Education, national and international assessments continue to reveal weak reading performance. Results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and the Early Language, Literacy, and Numeracy (ELLN) program highlight persistent deficiencies in comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary development.
Research identifies teacher-related factors as major influences on reading proficiency. Maceda (2024) emphasized that instructional competence, effective teaching strategies, and teacher engagement significantly affect learners’ reading outcomes, particularly in rural schools. However, inadequate training in differentiated reading instruction often limits teachers’ ability to address diverse learning needs (Maceda, 2024). Learner-specific challenges also contribute to poor literacy performance. Tomas et al. (2021) noted that many students struggle with low motivation, weak decoding skills, limited vocabulary, and poor comprehension. These difficulties are compounded by socio-economic barriers such as poverty, minimal parental involvement, and limited access to reading materials (Librea et al., 2023), which reduce exposure to print-rich environments.
In response to these challenges, the Department of Education implemented the Academic Recovery and Acceleration for Learning (ARAL) Program. This initiative uses diagnostic assessments and targeted remediation to strengthen foundational skills in reading. Through explicit phonics-based, and multisensory strategies, as well as small-group instruction, the program aims to improve literacy outcomes. Nevertheless, there remains a strong need for culturally responsive and context-sensitive reading programs that incorporate learners’ identities and local experiences to ensure sustained improvement in reading proficiency.
This study aims to investigate the factors influencing reading proficiency and use these insights to design a literacy program that will enhance reading proficiency. By anchoring the intervention in empirical evidence and local realities, the program seeks to improve reading outcomes and cultivate an inclusive, sustainable, and empowering literacy culture.
see PDF attachment for more information