Bridging gaps in reading engagement: the power of literature circles

This study investigated the impact of Literature Circles implementation to the reading engagement of Grade 10 learners from Pangantucan National High School, Pangantucan, Bukidnon. The study employed a quantitative research design. Data were collected using a pre-test/post-test approach with the standardized PHIL-IRI reading assessment tool adopted from Department of Education. A self- structured questionnaire captured the demographic variables such as age, sex, time spent in reading per week, and frequency of reading among 124 respondents through total enumeration. The participants, mostly aged 15 to 16, showed a gender imbalance favoring females. Reading habits varied, with males engaging in 1 to 3 reading sessions weekly, while females read more frequently, ranging from 6 to 8 sessions. Pre-test results demonstrated diverse reading abilities, but post-test assessment result revealed significant improvements in reading skills following the Literature circles implementation. Statistical analysis confirmed that age, sex, and the reading frequency significantly influenced performance, whereas time spent reading had no measurable effect. The pre-test and post-test reading level of grade10 learners were tested based on the hypothesis stated. Findings support the effectiveness of Literature Circles implementation in enhancing reading engagement and abilities among Grade 10 learners, hence, a worksheet on literature circle implementation was developed in order to further improve the reading engagement and reading level of the learners. Thus, the null hypothesis stating that there is no significant difference of the pre –test and post-test of learners before and after the implementation of Literature Circle as a learning strategy is rejected.