Teachers’ Context-Responsive Strategies for Addressing Absenteeism and Behavioral Disengagement in Inclusive Junior High School Classrooms at Benigno Ninoy Aquino High School: A Case Study

This qualitative case study examined teachers’ context-responsive strategies for addressing absenteeism and behavioral disengagement in inclusive junior high school classrooms at Benigno Ninoy Aquino High School. Eight de-identified teacher interview transcripts were interpreted through Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. Bronfenbrenner’s Bioecological Theory provided a contextual lens, with Self-Determination Theory informing selected engagement interpretations. Five themes concerned reconnecting learners with missed learning; understanding difficulties behind withdrawal; making participation manageable while maintaining expectations; providing support within relationships, resources, and classroom responsibilities; and revising support when progress was uneven or difficult to sustain. Teachers described learning recovery, demonstrations, gradual participation, supportive communication, and adjustments to guidance. Attendance, task completion, practical performance, participation, and independence did not always improve together. Some initial responses produced limited or unfavorable changes. Findings informed a proposed seven-component Context-Responsive Attendance and Behavioral Engagement Support Framework. The framework remained untested, and reported professional judgments did not establish intervention effects. The study recommended context-sensitive instructional support, appropriate coordination, multidimensional monitoring, and local review before framework implementation.