2025 IJRSE – Volume 14 Issue 8
Available Online: 2 May 2025
Author/s:
Figuerres, Jovenilda
Ilocos Sur Polytechnic State College, Philippines (jovenilda.figuerres@deped.gov.ph)
Abstract:
Reading is a fundamental skill crucial for academic success and personal development. Despite years of instruction, 106 Grade 7 students at Candon National High School continue to struggle with reading, as evidenced by the Phil-IRI pretest results. The students demonstrated significant difficulties in word recognition, reading fluency, and comprehension. To investigate these challenges and propose potential interventions, the researcher employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were obtained from individualized Phil-IRI posttest assessments, while qualitative data were collected through interview questionnaires. The integration of both data sets provided a comprehensive understanding of the learners’ reading difficulties. Findings revealed that students performed Excellent in word recognition with an overall mean score of 4.77, but scored significantly lower in other areas. Emerging in fluency with an overall mean of 2.25 and Beginning in reading comprehension with an overall mean of 1.75. These results indicate that while learners can recognize words effectively, they struggle with reading smoothly and understanding what they read. In conclusion, Grade 7 learners at Candon National High School face notable literacy challenges, particularly in fluency and comprehension. To address these issues, the study recommends incorporating Pictionary as an intervention strategy to enhance the vocabulary skills of the learners. This interactive visual game approach can engage students actively while expanding their word knowledge and improving reading fluency. Future researchers are encouraged to explore the effectiveness of Pictionary and other interactive strategies for supporting struggling readers.
Keywords: Phil-IRI assessment, reading, word recognition, fluency, reading comprehension
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2025.25080
Cite this article:
Figuerres, J. (2025). Reading performance and difficulties of grade 7 learners: Basis for strategic intervention. International Journal of Research Studies in Education, 14(8), 89-97. https://doi.org/10.5861/ijrse.2025.25080