Literacy Action Plan for Struggling Readers
Case Study: The Student with
Limited Home Support
Brief overview
Struggling readers are those learners who have
difficulties in reading. It involves a lot of factors that
cannot be prevented and serve as a hindrance to
learning and absorbed knowledge. These struggling
readers may have different difficulties such as trouble
in sounding out words, reading aloud or following
directions. They may also have difficulty in accuracy,
speed and expression.
In this situation, the learner is Juan who is a 12year-old and a grade six learner who has difficulty in
reading particularly in reading fluency, vocabulary
challenges, comprehension, difficulty with text
features, critical thinking and analysis and the most
challenging is the motivation and engagement of the
learners in reading.
The factors affecting literacy development of the
learners is due to lack of home support in which the
parents work long hours and do not provide much
academic support at home. He also had limited
access to books and does not practice reading
outside school.
Statement of the problem
The key literacy difficulties observed are the
following:
 fluency
 vocabulary challenges
 comprehension
 difficulty with text features
 critical thinking and analysis
Statement of the problem
Reading intervention is necessary for learners who are
struggling with reading ability because it will provide early
identification of learners who are late and behind in
reading and intervention also support the learners to
prevent further complications and difficulties. This also
allows the learner to develop essential literacy skills that
could accelerate the reading progress of the learners to
reach grade level expectations that can significantly
impact on their academic success and the overall reading
confidence of the learners.
Reading Assessment Tools Used
In the Philippines, the Department of Education uses the
Phil-IRI as an assessment tool for diagnosing the reading
challenges of the elementary pupils. It is an informal reading
inventory composed of graded passages designed to
determine learners’ performance in oral reading, silent reading
and listening comprehension. These types of assessments
were aimed at finding the learners’ level of reading such as
independent, instructional and frustration levels.
Reading Assessment Tools Used
Before the teacher can design and provide appropriate
reading instruction for their learners, they should be armed
with information about the current reading levels and abilities
of their learners. The diagnostic approach to describing how
children read embraces inclusionary principles that
emphasize the need for education that is learner-oriented,
responsive and culturally sensitive.
In conducting the Phil-IRI, the learner must undergo
with the Group Screening Test (GST) to tell whether the
learners’ reading is at above or below their grade level. Then
administered Graded Passages in oral and silent reading
comprehension and listening comprehension levels.
When used to assess oral reading skills, the Phil-IRI may
be used to describe decoding and word recognition, fluency
and comprehension. When used to assess Silent Reading
Comprehension, Phil-IRI may be used to describe reading
speed and comprehension.
The Phil-IRI may be used in the following ways:
•
Group Reading Level
•
Individual Reading Level
•
Monitor Growth and Response to Intervention
•
Describe Reading Behaviors
The Phil-IRI Oral Reading Test is administered to:
• identify the students’ miscues in oral reading
• record the number of words that a student reads per minute;
and
• find out how well a student understands the passage read.
The Phil-IRI Listening Comprehension is administered when
the student is identified as a nonreader. The purpose is to
find out how well a student understands the selection which
will be read by the test administrator. Then the test
administrator reads the multiple-choice questions, and the
student answers them orally.
Strengths and weaknesses identified
The strength of Phil-IRI tool is that data gathered from
these measures could be used to design or adjust classroom,
small group or individualized instruction to fit the students’
needs and abilities. The data shall also serve as one of the
bases in planning, designing/redesigning the reading
programs or activities in the school to improve the overall
school reading performance of the learners.
Strengths and weaknesses identified
The weakness of Phil-IRI is it only provides an
approximation of the students' abilities and could be used in
combination with other reliable tools of assessment.
Goals and Objectives
By the end of three months.
 Juan will improve his reading fluency to 50 words per minute with 90%
accuracy, as measured by fluency practice that will be integrated into daily
reading activities.
 Juan will learn and correctly use 10 new vocabulary words per week in
written and verbal activities, as assessed through vocabulary quizzes and
simple sentence construction.
 Juan will answer 80% of comprehension questions correctly on grade-level
passages, as evaluated through comprehension quizzes and discussions
using PHIL-IRI as assessment tools
Strategies and Techniques (Choose at least three appropriate
interventions)
Daily Guided Reading and Practice
Reading is a fundamental skill that helps students succeed in all areas of
learning. However, some students, like Juan, face difficulties in reading
fluently and understanding texts due to limited home support. To help
him improve, daily guided reading and practice can be used as an
effective strategy. This method provides structured support, builds
confidence, and enhances reading skills over time.
Guided reading is a teaching approach where a teacher or
mentor works with a student or a small group to develop
reading skills. According to Fountas and Pinnell (2017), guided
reading helps students improve comprehension by providing
them with appropriate-level texts and direct instruction.
During guided reading, the teacher introduces a book,
discusses key vocabulary, and listens to the student read
aloud. This allows the teacher to provide immediate feedback
and correct any mistakes, helping the student gain confidence
and develop better reading strategies. To help Juan improve
fluency, daily practice will include:
1. Repeated Reading – Reading the same passage multiple
times to build speed and accuracy.
2. Echo Reading – The teacher reads a sentence first, and
Juan repeats it, copying the correct pronunciation and tone.
3. Paired Reading – Juan will read with a more fluent reader,
who will model good reading habits and help him with difficult
words.
These strategies will help Juan develop smoother reading skills
and improve his ability to understand what he reads.
Vocabulary-Building Activities
Vocabulary is a crucial part of reading comprehension and
overall academic success. Students with a strong vocabulary
can understand texts better, express themselves clearly, and
engage more effectively in discussions. However, students like
Juan, who have limited exposure to books and reading outside
of school, often struggle with vocabulary development. To help
him improve, structured vocabulary-building activities can be
incorporated into daily instruction. These activities will
introduce new words in engaging ways, helping Juan remember
and use them effectively in reading and writing.
By actively teaching vocabulary, Teachers can help students
make connections between words and meaning, leading to
better reading skills. Stahl and Fairbanks (1986) also
emphasize that direct vocabulary instruction significantly
improves students’ ability to understand and retain new
words.
To help Juan expand his vocabulary, several research-based
strategies can be used:
1. Word of the Day
Each day, Juan will learn a new word, along with its definition,
synonyms, and use it to construct a simple sentence. Visual aids,
such as pictures or real-life examples, will be used to help him
remember the word.
2. Interactive Word Walls
A classroom word wall will display new words that Juan and his
classmates learn each week. Students will be encouraged to use
these words in discussions and writing assignments. This visual
reinforcement helps Juan and his classmates recall and apply new
vocabulary.
3. Vocabulary Games and Activities
Engaging activities such as word matching, crossword puzzles, and
flashcards will make learning fun.
Increased Access to Reading Materials
Reading is a fundamental skill that shapes a student's ability to
learn and succeed in school. However, many students, like Juan,
face challenges in developing strong reading skills because they
have limited access to books and reading materials at home.
Without regular exposure to books, newspapers, and other
reading materials, students struggle with vocabulary
development, fluency, and comprehension.
To support Juan’s literacy growth, it is essential to increase his
access to reading materials through school-based initiatives and
community resources. The availability of reading materials plays
a crucial role in developing literacy skills, as it provides
opportunities for children to practice reading independently
and engage with a variety of passages.
Krashen (2004) emphasizes that free voluntary reading—where
students read books of their choice—significantly improves
vocabulary, reading fluency, and comprehension. Without
access to books, students miss out on this valuable learning
experience. By providing Juan with more reading materials both
at school and at home, he will have the opportunity to
strengthen his literacy skills in an engaging and meaningful way.
Implementation Timeline
WEEK #
DURATION OF THE
INTERVENTION
Week 1
ACTIVITIES
MATERIALS NEEDED
PERSON-IN-CHARGE
Daily, 30-40 mins
Baseline assessment of Juan’s
reading fluency, vocabulary,
and comprehension (using
PHIL-IRI)
PHIL-IRI assessment
tools, grade-level
reading passages
Teacher, Reading
Specialist
Week 2
Daily, 30-40 mins
Introduce guided reading
strategies (Repeated Reading,
Echo Reading, Paired Reading);
Start “Word of the Day”
Leveled reading books,
flashcards, visual aids
Teacher, Mentor/Peer
Tutor
Week 3
Daily, 30-40 mins
Continue guided reading;
Implement interactive word
walls for vocabulary
development
Word Wall materials,
sentence strips, sticky
notes
Teacher
Week 4
Daily, 30-40 mins
Week 5
Daily, 30-40 mins
Week 6
Daily, 30-40 mins
Week 7
Daily, 30-40 mins
Begin comprehension
quizzes and discussions;
Introduce vocabulary
games
Monitor fluency progress
through repeated reading
exercises; Introduce new
reading materials
Midpoint assessment of
fluency, vocabulary, and
comprehension; Adjust
strategies as needed
Encourage independent
reading using increased
access to materials (library
books, take-home reading
program)
Comprehension
passages, quiz
sheets, vocabulary
game materials
Progress tracking
sheets, books at
appropriate reading
level
PHIL-IRI assessment
tools, observation
checklists
Teacher, Reading
Specialist
Classroom library
books, reading logs
Teacher, Parents
Teacher
Teacher, Reading
Specialist
Week 8
Daily, 30-40 mins
Continue guided reading
and vocabulary-building
activities
Word games, reading Teacher
comprehension tasks
Week 9
Daily, 30-40 mins
Implement peer-assisted
reading to support fluency
development
Partner reading
materials, mentor
scripts
Teacher, Peer Tutor
Week 10
Daily, 30-40 mins
Review and reinforce
challenging vocabulary;
Practice comprehension
discussions
Review worksheets,
discussion guides
Teacher
Week 11
Daily, 30-40 min
Week 12
Daily, 30-40 mins
Final practice sessions for
Reading passages,
fluency and comprehension vocabulary
flashcards
Final assessment of fluency, PHIL-IRI assessment
vocabulary, and
tools, student
comprehension; Evaluate
feedback forms
intervention effectiveness
Teacher,
Mentor/Peer Tutor
Teacher, Reading
Specialist
Indicators of Success
The expected outcome of students that are observed by the
teacher is to improve reading proficiency, enhance vocabulary
and increase confidence in reading to better academic
performance.
The teacher will also observe some indicators of success for the
students to improve their reading skills including fluency,
accuracy and comprehension. Through teachers’ feedback and
learners’ self-assessment. Using differentiated assessment tools
in reading like standardized assessment and Phil-IRI the teacher
can evaluate the student’s successful rate.
The teacher also uses various evaluation methods like:
1. Standardized Reading Assessment at the beginning, middle
and end of the program to increase progress.
2. Student Portfolios to collect and review learners’ work such
reading logs and writing samples.
3.Trough Teachers Observation regularly observe students
during reading lessons to assess their engagement,
participation and understanding.
For monitoring and assessment plans, the teachers can use also the
following:
1.Initial Assessment conduct standardized reading assessments and
gather data at the beginning of the program.
2.Progress Monitoring regularly collects students’ work and
conducts teachers’ observations to monitor learners’ progress.
3.Mid Program Evaluation administers standardized reading
assessment and review students’ progress at the mid-point of the
program.
4.The End of Program Evaluation conducts a final evaluation to
measure students’ progress and program effectiveness.
5.Ongoing Feedback and Adjustment provide ongoing feedback to
learners and parents and adjust the program as needed to ensure
support for students with limited support
Insights and reflections from the group
The study highlights several key areas of difficulty in
reading development. Juan demonstrates significant
challenges in reading fluency, low vocabulary, struggles with
comprehension, critical thinking and analysis, and finds it hard
to keep up with grade-level reading expectations. These
challenges affect Juan’s confidence and overall academic
performance, particularly in subjects requiring strong reading
and comprehension. Juan also is having difficulty because
there is no support coming from the parents or even having
limited books and does not practice reading outside school.
Insights and reflections from the group
In this situation, reading interventions are
required to help Juan surpass all the challenges that he
is facing. One intervention is using the Phil-IRI
passages. This program determines the individual
student’s performance of oral reading, silent reading
and listening comprehension. Also, Guided reading
approach is recommended for this learner where
teacher or mentor works with a student or small group
to develop reading skills.
Strategies like Repeated Reading, Echo Reading and Paired
Reading will help Juan develop smoother reading skills and
improve his ability to understand what he reads. Aside
from the approach that a teacher or mentor will make,
she/he can use games like vocabulary-building activities in
developing vocabulary skills. This is by letting the learner
know word day by day along with its definition and
synonyms and other vocabulary games and activities.
In our group, we decided to use Phil-IRI because our
respondent is a 12-year-old learner who is Juan. He
already knows some basic reading, only that the learner
is
struggling
with
reading
fluency,
reading
comprehension and difficulty in vocabulary and the
reading passages can determine the levels of the student
where the teacher will not be having difficulty with what
to give to the learner.
Additional recommendations to the teachers, parents and
school administrators are the following:
1.) Use of differentiated Instruction where teachers should
adopt differentiated instruction strategies to cater to the
learner’s specific needs, providing modified reading
materials, visual aids and hands-on activities that encourage
active engagement.
2.) Regular Monitoring: wherein there will be frequent
progress monitoring using the PHIL-IRI or other formative
assessments that will help track improvements and guide
instructional adjustments.
3.) Family and Community support; wherein engaging
the learner’s family in reading activities at home and
fostering a supportive learning environment can
significantly enhance motivation and reading
development.
4.) Peer Tutoring: this is done in the classroom wherein
the students are paired to do reading (the learner that
knows and the learner that needs reading
improvement). Or can be done outside the classroom to
provide as well as socialization among peers.
5.) Provide Materials for the learner; wherein the teacher
provides hand-outs or printouts of the reading material
that can be brought by the student to read at home since
the learner has no enough reading materials in their
home with this reading material, parents then help the
learner to have collaboration of the teacher and the
parents.
By focusing on these recommendations, it will be
possible to provide the struggling readers with the
support needed to improve reading proficiency.