Contextual Determinants of Reading Comprehension: Basis for An Enhanced Strategic Reading Program

Authors

Divine Grace S. Batoy

Abstract

This study investigated the contextual determinants of reading comprehension among Key Stage 2 pupils in a public elementary school in the Philippines, with the aim of developing evidence-based strategic interventions. Employing a descriptive-correlational design, data were collected from 49 purposively selected pupils using a validated questionnaire assessing three domains: Home Literacy Environment (HLE), School Learning Environment (SLE), and Digital Access and Media Environment (DAME). Descriptive and inferential statistics (t-tests, ANOVA) were used for analysis. Results indicated that contextual factors provided moderate support overall (grand mean = 3.22). The SLE was rated highest (mean = 3.31), followed by DAME (mean = 3.29), while the HLE scored lowest (mean = 3.07), revealing a gap between the value placed on reading and active literacy engagement at home. Inferential analysis identified parents’ monthly income (p = .029) and educational attainment (p = .041) as significant socioeconomic predictors of contextual support, whereas age, gender, and parental occupation were non-significant. Grounded in these findings, a multi-component intervention framework, Project READ, was formulated, integrating a structured school-based literacy program, guided home engagement packs, differentiated feedback mechanisms, structured digital literacy modules, and a tiered support system to address socioeconomic disparities. This study underscores the critical role of contextual diagnosis in designing equitable literacy interventions and contributes to the global discourse on learning recovery in low-resource, multilingual educational settings.

Keywords

coping strategies, educational equity, last-mile schools, phenomenological study, teachers' lived experiences