Investigating Factors Contributing to Reading Challenges Among Intermediate Learners of San Rafael-Agpo Elementary School

The transition from learning to read to reading to learn occurs in intermediate grades, necessitating strong foundational reading skills. However, data from the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (2019) and reports from UNICEF (2022) and the World Bank (2022) indicate a significant reading proficiency crisis among Filipino pupils. Specifically, 60 out of 237 intermediate-grade pupils at San Rafael-Agpo Elementary School were non-readers and 120 were at a frustration level in the August 2022 Phil-IRI pretest.

The study is guided by Lev Vygotsky’s Socio-cultural Theory of Cognitive Development, emphasizing the role of social interaction and community in cognitive development, and Bronfenbrenner’s Bio-ecological Systems Theory, which categorizes a child's environment into microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem, all influencing development.

A qualitative case study design was employed, involving 11 intermediate-grade struggling readers from San Rafael-Agpo Elementary School. Participants were identified based on teacher recommendations and Phil-IRI pretest results. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews in their mother tongue, using open-ended questions about their reading experiences. The data was analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase thematic analysis framework.

A significant factor identified was low reading motivation among struggling readers, with many finding reading boring and tedious. This lack of motivation is linked to decreased academic success and a tendency to avoid challenging texts, creating a cycle of failure.

Lack of parental involvement and support emerged as a key issue. Many participants reported insufficient guidance from parents, often due to parents working to make ends meet. Absenteeism caused by household chores, or even parents discouraging school attendance due to poor academic performance, further exacerbates reading difficulties.

School-based bullying negatively impacts academic performance. Victims often struggle with emotional and social issues, leading to lower self-esteem, reduced motivation, poor social skills, and difficulty concentrating in class, directly affecting their reading abilities.

A lack of age-appropriate reading materials at home limits opportunities for practice outside of school. Furthermore, some students find current reading instructions in the classroom uninteresting, particularly in English where they struggle more with longer words, despite some enjoying visually supported stories.

The study recommends that teachers implement more interactive teaching strategies and direct instruction to boost reading motivation. Parents should increase involvement in their child’s progress, attend frequent meetings, and provide supervision. Schools should ensure the availability of age-appropriate reading materials at home, offer guidance counseling for bullying victims, and differentiate instruction to cater to diverse learning needs. A follow-up study is also suggested.