Factors Influencing the Instructional Competence of Teachers in Teaching Reading Comprehension among Grades 4–6 Learners in Pinamungajan District I

Abstract

Teachers play a crucial role in cultivating reading comprehension as a skill, especially among elementary learners. This study investigated the factors influencing the instructional competence of Grades 4–6 teachers in teaching reading comprehension among elementary learners in Pinamungajan District I, Cebu. This study was motivated by the persistent literacy challenges in the Philippine context and aimed to identify how materials and resources, professional development, learner-related factors, and school support affected teachers’ capabilities. A convergent mixed-method design was adopted, drawing from a purposive sample of 81 teachers across 15 public elementary schools in the district. Data were collected using a self-constructed survey instrument, supplemented by open-ended interview responses. Quantitative data were analyzed using frequency counts, percentages, and weighted means. Thematic analysis was performed on qualitative data to identify major instructional challenges. Results revealed that respondents were predominantly female (88.9%), mostly aged 30–39 (38.3%), and held Master’s units (67.9%). Teachers reported generally favorable access to teaching aids and resources (3.89, “Agree”), strong engagement in professional development (4.00, “Agree”), pronounced awareness of learner diversity (4.04, “Agree”), and positive perceptions of school support (4.07, “Agree”). However, teachers noted limitations in technological resources and persistent difficulties related to learner motivation, varying reading abilities, decoding skills, and vocabulary gaps. Qualitative findings underscored teachers’ need for differentiated instructional approaches and highlighted major obstacles: learner disengagement, heterogeneous reading abilities, decoding weaknesses, and limited vocabulary. It is concluded that instructional competence in reading comprehension is shaped by individual teacher characteristics and systemic factors, emphasizing the need for targeted professional development, increased digital resource investment, structured phonics and vocabulary programs, and adaptive school support. While the study provides context-specific insights, its generalizability is limited by its single-district scope and reliance on self-reported data. Recommendations include continued research across broader contexts, along with stakeholder attention to differentiated support and resource allocation for sustainable literacy improvement.