Evaluating the Impact of a Structured Reading Enhancement Initiative on the Literacy Performance of Learners

Persistent gaps between foundational reading skills and text comprehension continue to challenge literacy instruction in early grades. This study evaluated the implementation level of the Structured Reading Enhancement Initiative. It examined its relationship with the literacy performance of Grade III learners at Union Elementary School, Dapa East District, Schools Division of Siargao, Philippines, during School Year 2025-2026. Using a descriptive-correlational research design and purposive sampling, the study involved 10 teacher-respondents and 90 learners. The study collected data through an adapted, expert-validated questionnaire and reading assessment results covering phonemic awareness, word recognition and decoding skills, oral reading fluency, and reading comprehension. Descriptive statistics summarized program implementation and competency classifications, while correlation analysis examined the relationship between implementation and literacy performance. Findings showed that the initiative was implemented very highly overall (grand mean = 4.29), with monitoring and assessment of learners' reading progress receiving the highest rating (M = 4.32), followed by instructional strategies (M = 4.30) and the availability and use of reading materials (M = 4.26). Among the learners, 46 were classified as advanced in phonemic awareness, 38 in word recognition and decoding skills, and 26 in oral reading fluency. In contrast, 29 learners were classified at the beginning level and another 29 at the emerging level in reading comprehension, indicating a substantial disparity between foundational skills and understanding written texts. The study reported a positive correlation between implementation and literacy performance (r = 0.68, p = 0.021). Regular progress monitoring, structured instructional strategies, and accessible reading materials emerged as prominent implementation practices. The findings emphasize the need to sustain foundational reading instruction while strengthening differentiated, comprehension-focused activities and teacher support to promote more balanced literacy development.