Aral Reading Program and Reading Skills Development Among Elementary Learners

This study examined reading skills development among elementary learners participating in the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Reading Program in Lasam West District, Schools Division of Cagayan, Philippines. Specifically, it assessed changes in reading fluency, word recognition, and reading comprehension following an eight-week intervention period. A quantitative descriptive research design involving paired pre-test and post-test assessments was employed among 67 learners from Grades 1 to 6. Reading assessments were personally administered by the researcher using Department of Education reading materials. Reading fluency was measured through correct words per minute, while word recognition and reading comprehension were assessed using 10-item and five-item measures, respectively. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired-samples t-tests, and supplementary Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results revealed increases in mean reading fluency from 50.09 to 57.78 correct words per minute, word recognition from 4.87 to 6.00, and reading comprehension from 2.22 to 2.78. Statistically significant differences were observed across all three reading dimensions (p < .001). Individual progress analysis showed improvements in reading fluency among 79.1% of learners, word recognition among 70.1%, and reading comprehension among 49.3%. Although overall performance improved, variations in individual progress indicated continuing instructional needs, particularly in reading comprehension. The absence of a comparison group limits causal attribution of these improvements to the program. The findings provide localized evidence to support differentiated reading instruction, systematic progress monitoring, and targeted intervention enhancement to address learners' varying reading needs.