Beyond Alphabet Recognition: Lived Experiences of Early Grade Learners at Bukig Elementary School in Developing Foundational Reading Literacy

Abstract

Foundational reading literacy is a critical determinant of children's academic success and lifelong learning. In the early grades, reading instruction extends beyond recognizing letters and sounds to developing comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, phonemic awareness, and meaningful engagement with texts. As literacy serves as the cornerstone of learning across all subject areas, understanding how young learners experience the process of becoming readers is essential for improving instructional practices and literacy interventions. Despite the implementation of various reading programs in Philippine elementary schools, limited qualitative studies have explored the lived experiences of early grade learners in developing foundational reading literacy, particularly in geographically isolated and culturally diverse communities. This study explored the lived experiences of Kindergarten to Grade 2 learners at Bukig Elementary School, Asipulo, Ifugao, in developing foundational reading literacy. Guided by a descriptive phenomenological research design, the study involved five (5) purposively selected learners who actively participated in school-based reading activities. Data were collected through child-friendly semi-structured interviews, classroom observations, and reading conversations and were analyzed using Colaizzi's Seven-Step Phenomenological Method. The analysis generated five essential themes: (1) Discovering the Joy of Reading Through Meaningful Experiences; (2) Building Reading Confidence Through Teacher and Family Support; (3) Overcoming Reading Difficulties Through Persistence and Practice; (4) Connecting Reading to Everyday Life and Indigenous Culture; and (5) Growing as Independent and Motivated Readers. The findings revealed that meaningful teacher guidance, family involvement, contextualized reading materials, and supportive literacy environments significantly influenced children's foundational reading development. Based on these findings, the study proposes a Foundational Reading Literacy Development Framework to strengthen literacy instruction, reading interventions, and learner-centered practices in the primary grades. The study contributes to the growing body of knowledge in early literacy, reading education, and qualitative research within the Philippine basic education context.