From Struggling to Accelerated Readers: A Pre-Post Evaluation of School-Based Reading Intervention Effectiveness Among Grade 4 Filipino Students

Approximately one in five Filipino elementary students experience significant reading difficulties, necessitating effective intervention strategies. Purpose: This study evaluated a school-based reading program's effectiveness in improving fluency and comprehension among Grade 4 struggling readers. Methods: A quantitative pre-post design involved 24 Grade 4 students (13 males, 11 females) identified as struggling readers through Phil-IRI assessment at Palanan Elementary School, Makati City (2023-2024). Assessments included Dolch's Basic Sight Words for word recognition and comprehension tests measuring four levels of understanding. Results: The intervention achieved remarkable success. Word pronunciation accuracy improved from 12.5% to 100% of students at independent level. Reading speed dramatically increased, with 75% achieving fast reading levels (140+ wpm) versus 4.17% initially. Comprehension levels transformed completely: 58.33% reached independent level and 41.67% instructional level, compared to 100% at frustration level pre-intervention. Most significantly, all 24 struggling readers became accelerated readers, surpassing the program's 80% target. Conclusions: The school-based reading program demonstrated exceptional effectiveness in addressing literacy challenges among Filipino elementary students. Implications: Results support implementing systematic, individualized reading interventions with proper teacher training to enhance literacy outcomes in Philippine elementary education.