ABSTRACT
This study determined the efficacy of the reading buddies peer-assisted learning strategy in enhancing the reading performance of Grade 2 struggling learners in public elementary schools. The findings served as a basis for the preparation of supplementary material to improve reading performance. The study was conducted in school year 2025-2026, employing the experimental method of research, utilizing a pretest-post-test control group design. The subjects included 60 Grade 2 learners: 30 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group, alongside five jurors who evaluated the output of this study.
In the process, a pre-test was administered prior to the learning intervention to the two groups, wherein their results fall under average mastery: 40.30 for experimental and 43.03 for control. Experimental group was treated with Reading Buddies peer-assisted learning, and the control group was provided with structured activities. A post-test parallel to the pre-test was administered after the treatment and revealed that both groups have average mastery: 56.87 for experimental and 47.53 for control. Test on the significant difference of the post-test results were conducted using a t-test for correlated samples. The computed t-values of 0.630, 1.002, and 0.174 for Phonological Awareness, Grammar Awareness and Oral Language Fluency, respectively, were all less than the tabular t-value of 2.002 at the 0.05 level of significance with 58 degrees of freedom. The null hypotheses were accepted. Along with Vocabulary Development, the computed t-value of 2.807 is greater than the tabular t-value of 2.002 at the same level of significance and degrees of freedom. The null hypothesis along this variable is rejected. Therefore, there is a significant difference in the post-test performance level of the grade 2 pupils in the experimental and control groups. The reading buddies peer-assisted learning had improved the reading performance of the learners on the Vocabulary Development only. The supplementary material was also prepared to assist the learners in developing their reading ability. Jurors evaluated and determined its age-appropriateness and relevance as a useful tool in teaching and learning.
Based on these findings and conclusions, this study recommends that teachers should provide daily explicit phonics instruction using decodable texts, paired with small-group repeated oral reading practice and weekly progress monitoring to tailor support and to address the lack of proficiency identified in the pre-test data. Professional development workshops on structured literacy can also help teachers of Grade 2 learners deepen their skills in explicit phonics instruction, guided reading groups, and data-driven differentiation strategies tailored to the learners’ individual needs. Further research on the same topic is suggested with a longer period of implementation.
Keywords: reading buddies, struggling, enhance/enhancing grade 2, strategy
INTRODUCTION
Reading is a critical foundation of learning and a vital tool for acquiring new knowledge. It reinforces all other forms of learning and is essential for success in life. The capacity for reading and comprehension is of great consequence for cognitive, affective, and social development (Kirsh 2019).
The Philippines currently faces challenges with literacy rates. In the 2018 and 2022 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), scores of Filipino learners were below the world average. In 2022, just 24 percent of students aged 15 were able to read at Level 2 or better—evidence that there are serious problems with this education system. The Department of Education has launched several targeted programs such as the Every Child a Reader Program (ECARP), Catch-Up Fridays, Brigada Pagbasa, and the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program under Republic Act No. 12028 (Republic of the Philippines, 2023).
The Reading Buddies Peer-Assisted Learning Strategy provides opportunities for learners of differing reading levels to interact and assist each other in achieving a common learning goal. This methodology is rooted in Vygotsky's theory of social development, which emphasizes the role that interactions with others play in learning (Vygotsky, 1978). According to Bandura (1960), people learn social behaviors by watching, copying, and modeling what others do and respond to. Evidence from Biemiller (2019) and Elbaum et al. (2019) suggests that peer-assisted learning can also have a positive impact on reading fluency and comprehension in this context.
This study assessed the effect of the Reading Buddies Peer-Assisted Learning Strategy on both reading fluency and comprehension skills. The research sought to determine whether the implementation of paired learners’ reading sessions, conducted in a structured manner, results in significant improvements in oral fluency, comprehension capabilities, and essential language proficiencies.
In addition, this study aimed to provide practical and adaptable strategies for Key Stage 1 classrooms, focusing on pre- and post-test reading performance, peer-assisted learning activities, group differences, and supplementary materials to address common literacy challenges among Filipino Grade 2 learners. Ultimately, it seeks to help address the persistent literacy difficulties faced by many Filipino children.
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