Personal Growth and Development of Students’ Literary Appreciation

This study aims to determine the personal growth and development of Grade 7 students in St. Paul College of Ilocos Sur on literary appreciation based on their prior knowledge, experiences, and feelings in valuing literary texts, and understanding of personal reading progress and outcome through a thematic approach.Results analyzed through reflections, interviews, and focused group discussions revealed that students have a background on the flow of text, content, readiness, and analysis.In previous experiences, reading literary works, accomplishing activities or assessments, using modern technology, and having parental guidance emerged.On prior feelings, they find reading pleasurable as a recreation activity while feeling the emotions dominating the text, sympathizing, and empathizing with the characters.In linking prior new knowledge, integration helps them develop proficiency, comprehension, and appreciation.Expanded knowledge leads to a satisfactory score evident in improved reading comprehension, appreciation, and enthusiasm.On comprehension based on outcome, showing good interpersonal relationships, maintaining enthusiasm, seeking more literary texts, being critical in life, and adapting to the environment emerged.This leads to a developed personal growth by seeing reading as bringing personal happiness and development, selffulfillment, a challenge in learning, eagerness, hobby or passion, expanded knowledge, developed maturity, careful speech, and influencing others to read.