Navigating Reading Challenges: Phenomenological Study of Teachers Supporting Struggling Readers in Philippine Context

Struggling readers are a persistent concern in Philippine elementary education, yet research has largely examined student reading outcomes rather than the professional, emotional, and instructional experiences of the teachers who support these learners in resource-constrained, multilingual classrooms. This study investigated the lived experiences of elementary English teachers in identifying and supporting struggling readers, and how they adapt their pedagogy and negotiate contextual barriers. Transcendental phenomenological design was employed. Fifteen proficient public elementary English teachers in Baguio City, Philippines, were selected through criterion purposive sampling and interviewed using semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. Transcripts were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis, and trustworthiness was supported through member checking. Four themes emerged: (a) diagnostic triage through standardized literacy assessments, (b) pedagogical flexibility and differentiated scaffolded instruction, (c) ecosystemic collaboration via remedial and peer networks, and (d) socio-contextual barriers, including parental illiteracy and resource constraints. The findings suggest that Vygotskian scaffolding must be extended to account for ecological and linguistic barriers in post-colonial multilingual classrooms, because its effectiveness is bounded by the educational and socioeconomic capital of the home. Implications for teacher professional development, curriculum localization, language-in-education policy, and parental partnership are discussed.