The Effectiveness Of Project Read, Enjoy, And Discover (R.E.A.D): Basis For An Enhance Reading Program

Abstract

Observations within the academic setting revealed a significant concern regarding the low reading performance of graduates from Taguntungan Elementary School and Sta. Margarita West Elementary School as they transition to Grade 7. Feedback from neighboring secondary schools, namely Baggao National Agricultural School and Sta. Margarita National High School, indicated that many learners experience difficulties in reading comprehension, fluency, and overall literacy skills, which adversely affect their academic performance. These concerns prompted the researcher to implement Project Read, Enjoy, and Discover (Project R.E.A.D.), an enhanced reading intervention program aimed at improving learners’ oral reading abilities and literacy skills.

The study focused on learners’ difficulties in word recognition, reading fluency, and comprehension. Participants often struggled to understand reading passages, read with limited expression, and demonstrated slow reading pace with frequent pauses on unfamiliar words. The enhanced Project R.E.A.D. program incorporated guided reading sessions, vocabulary enrichment activities, oral reading exercises, storytelling, peer-assisted learning, remedial instruction, and continuous reading assessment. It also encouraged collaboration among teachers, parents, and stakeholders in promoting a supportive reading environment.

The study involved 75 Grades 4–6 pupils from the two participating schools in Baggao North District during School Year 2025–2026. Participants identified as frustration-level readers through the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI) pretest that were included in the study. A quasi-experimental two-group pretest-posttest design was utilized. Data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, paired sample t-test, independent t-test, Pearson’s r, and Chi-square.

Findings revealed significant improvement in oral reading performance, with mean scores increasing from 40.54 to 55.06. The computed t-value of -4.872 and p-value of .000 indicated a significant difference between pretest and posttest scores. Results confirmed that the enhanced Project R.E.A.D. program effectively improved learners’ oral reading skills, fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary development.