Basic Reading Literacy Level of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) Learners

Reading is a major component of the literacy crisis; educators must examine the reading process and why so many students are struggling readers. This study highlights the increasing importance of reading literacy in today’s educational landscape. The researchers identified the lack of focused research on the challenges faced by Alternative Learning System (ALS) students when it comes to reading comprehension skills. This study explores the basic reading literacy level of Alternative Learning System (ALS) learners. The study aimed to identify the significant differences between basic reading literacy levels and the demographic profiles of the respondents. This deeper understanding can guide the development of reading activities. These activities are designed to enhance the basic reading literacy skills of ALS learners. The study employed a quantitative research design and utilized a researcher-made questionnaire as the data-gathering instrument, which was distributed to the 66 respondents of the Junior High School Alternative Learning System (ALS) Learner. The data-gathering instrument was distributed across four different schools in Bauan, Batangas, covering the entire population of enrolled Junior High School ALS learners. Furthermore, the focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted to gain deeper insights into the reading literacy levels of ALS learners. The collected data was analyzed using statistical tools such as frequency, weighted mean, percentage, t-value, p-value, standard deviation, and ANOVA to evaluate the findings from both the quantitative research and FGD sessions with the respondents. The findings indicated that the majority of the respondents are in their mid-teenagers. There are also profound significant differences between the sexes where the male performed better in terms of interpreting parts of the documents. Furthermore, those ages 30 and above have a hard time following simple directions. Finally, the researchers proposed reading activities, particularly in interpreting parts of the documents, following simple directions, and interpreting important points in written materials to guide and help them improve their reading literacy