Overcoming Literacy Enigma: A school-based differentiated intervention for elementary learners

Project OLE (Overcoming Literacy Enigma) was a school-based literacy intervention program implemented at Lumban Central Elementary School from September 2024 to March 2025 to address learners' difficulties in word recognition, reading fluency, vocabulary development, and reading comprehension. The project aimed to strengthen foundational literacy through systematic reading assessment, differentiated instruction, intensive remediation, teacher professional development, parental involvement, and continuous progress monitoring. A descriptive-comparative approach was employed using baseline and final reading assessment results of 665 learners, supported by accomplishment records and intervention monitoring reports. The intervention included phonics instruction, guided and repeated reading, vocabulary exercises, individualized remediation, Learning Action Cell sessions, parental engagement, and the development of localized reading materials. Results showed that the number of nonreaders decreased from 85 (12.78%) to 12 (1.80%), while frustration readers declined from 180 (27.07%) to 55 (8.27%), representing reductions of 85.88% and 69.44%, respectively. Meanwhile, instructional and independent readers increased from 400 (60.15%) to 598 (89.92%). Furthermore, 84.91% of identified struggling readers demonstrated improved reading fluency, while 82.41% of learners showed improved reading comprehension. All 665 learners were assessed, all 265 identified struggling readers received intervention plans, and parental participation reached 81.51%. These findings indicate that a comprehensive literacy intervention integrating learner assessment, targeted reading instruction, teacher capacity-building, and family participation can contribute to addressing foundational literacy gaps. Project OLE highlights the importance of sustained, collaborative, and data-informed interventions in improving learners' reading proficiency and strengthening the school's literacy program.