Factors Affecting Reading Challenge among Intermediate Pupils in a Public School in Bulacan

This study examined the factors that contribute to reading challenges among intermediate learners in a public school in Bulacan. This study explored learner-related, home environment, parental, and teacher-related factors that contribute to reading comprehension. The researchers used a mixed-methods design, combining quantitative and qualitative data collection and regression analysis to gain a comprehensive understanding of the problem. Participants for this study were from three grade levels: grades 4, 5, and 6. Learners based on purposive sampling included 150 learners, one English reading teacher, and five parents. The results showed that the majority of learners responded favorably, indicating that, at least in terms of their perceptions, supportive conditions existed in different contexts that influenced reading. However, inferential statistics showed one important finding using multiple linear regression: relatively speaking, only teacher-related factors in this context made a statistically significant positive contribution to learners' reading comprehension levels (β=0.203,p=0.021). In conclusion, several factors influence students’ reading journey. However, teacher-related factors were the most common factors for intermediate learners' reading comprehension in this study. Finally, the study recommended that new interventions be trialed for any future studies that these researchers should undertake, and the socio-economic and language context of students should be considered, with larger sample sizes undertaken to improve the intervention strategies and research outcomes.