Navigating Reading Instruction for Learners with Disabilities: Lived Experiences of Filipino Special Needs Education Teachers in Selected Public School Settings in New Mexico, United States

This descriptive phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of eight Filipino Special Needs Education teachers navigating reading instruction for learners with disabilities in selected New Mexico public-school settings. In-depth interview accounts were analyzed using Colaizzi’s seven-step method. The analysis organized 120 Formulated Meanings into ten finalized Theme Clusters; seven prospective support-oriented meanings remained separate. Teachers described adjusting reading tasks for decoding, vocabulary, comprehension, language, communication, and participation needs while working within IEP goals, collaborative relationships, documentation, progress monitoring, and differing resources. Professional adjustment involved learning U.S. special education expectations while retaining earlier teaching strengths and values. Teacher-observed learner confidence and participation carried professional meaning but did not establish measured reading outcomes. The Fundamental Structure integrated these dimensions while preserving variation across accounts. All eight participants confirmed that it represented their experiences, with no revision requested. The findings informed a proposed five-area Context-Responsive Support Framework addressing procedural guidance, mentoring, instructional resources, collaborative planning, and professional learning. The framework was not implemented, tested, or validated.