ABSTRACT
This study examined teachers' experiences in coastal areas in implementing the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program in Dumangas I District, providing a foundation for an enhancement program in School Year 2025–2026. Using a phenomenological qualitative design, data were collected through in-depth interviews with ten elementary teachers and were analyzed thematically. Results highlighted teachers’ emphasis on systematic learner identification, differentiated instruction, continuous monitoring, and the use of contextually relevant, multisensory materials. Challenges included absenteeism, reduced instructional depth, limited individualized support, teacher fatigue, and issues with parental involvement and learner motivation. Coping strategies involved workload regulation, resource improvisation, socio-emotional support, collaboration with parents and colleagues, and targeted instructional practices. The study recommends developing an enhancement program to strengthen literacy and numeracy interventions, ensuring sustainability through a supportive, responsive learning environment.
Keywords: Teachers, Coastal Areas, ARAL Program, Enhancement Program
INTRODUCTION
Academic recovery at the elementary level is especially critical because this stage forms the foundation of pupils’ future learning. Unaddressed learning gaps in the early grades may persist and widen over time, affecting learners’ academic performance in higher grade levels (Engzell & Verhagen, 2021). The ARAL Program addresses these concerns by promoting remediation, differentiated instruction, and developmentally appropriate pacing that respond to the diverse learning needs of elementary pupils (DepEd, 2025). Central to this initiative is the principle of accessible learning, which ensures that instructional materials, teaching strategies, and assessments are designed to accommodate pupils’ varied abilities, socio-economic contexts, and learning environments, consistent with the Universal Design for Learning framework (Priyadhrsini & Sahaya Mary, 2024).
However, implementing ARAL in elementary schools often poses challenges. Limited instructional time, curriculum congestion, large class sizes, and insufficient learning resources have been identified as persistent constraints that affect teachers’ ability to provide individualized and sustained remediation (Reimers & Schleicher, 2020).
While the existing literature underscores the significance of professional development, collaboration, and institutional support in enhancing academic recovery programs, limited research has examined how elementary teachers experience ARAL implementation in their actual classroom contexts. Research focusing on teachers’ experiences is essential to capture the meanings they attach to their practices, challenges, and successes in implementing academic recovery interventions (Salazar, 2020).
Schools situated along the seashore or in coastal communities often face distinct educational challenges that set them apart from schools in inland or urban areas. Teachers working in these settings may encounter logistical, socio-environmental, and community-specific factors that shape how programs like the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) are implemented.
Research on Filipino teachers in coastal villages shows that these educators report higher teaching challenges due to factors closely tied to their geographic and community contexts, such as transportation difficulties, limited access to instructional and support services, and fluctuating conditions that may disrupt school operations. These geographic and resource constraints influence not only teacher workload but also the adaptation of learning interventions to local realities. Because coastal schools are often located in geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas, teachers need to navigate unpredictable weather, transport limitations, and resource shortages that can affect both attendance and consistent delivery of instructional programs such as ARAL. This context requires innovative scheduling, flexible instruction, and stronger community engagement than might be typical in more accessible areas (Pangilinan, 2025).
This study employs a phenomenological research design to examine elementary teachers’ lived experiences in implementing the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program, with particular attention to schools situated along coastal areas during the School Year 2025–2026. By examining how teachers plan, carry out, and reflect on ARAL-related instructional practices, the study seeks to uncover common themes that characterize their experiences. The findings of this study aimed to provide empirical insights that may serve as the basis for developing a context-specific enhancement program to support elementary teachers and strengthen the implementation of academic recovery initiatives.
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