Scaffolding reading comprehension: Zone of proximal development in the Filipino context through literature circles

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of Literature Circles as a pedagogical strategyinenhancing students’ comprehension of printed texts and increasing their interest inreadingliterary works. The research employed a Single-Subject Experimental Design (ABAB), whichallows for close observation of academic performance changes during the application, withdrawal, and reapplication of the intervention. The participants were 25 Grade 6-Dutertestudents from Tubod Central Elementary School, selected through convenience sampling, most of whom were identified at the frustration level based on the PHIL-IRI 2023 assessment. Pretest and posttest assessments from the Department of Education were used to measure academicperformance before and after the intervention. Results showed a significant increase inthestudents' mean scores from the Baseline phase (M = 15.9) to the first Intervention phase (M=23.9), a drop during the Withdrawal phase (M = 16.6), and another rise during the secondIntervention phase (M = 25.4). There was also a notable improvement in overall readingcomprehension from pretest (M = 25.2) to posttest (M = 34.3), supported by the resultsofRepeated Measures ANOVA, F(3) = 216, p < .001, η²ₚ = 0.90, and the paired-samples t-test, t(24)= -11.7, p < .001. The findings recommend the integration of Literature Circles into the literaturecurriculum to enhance students’ literacy within the context of Filipino education.