Promoting Literacy Development in Early Elementary Years: The Case of Maimbung District

Authors

  • NURHIMA A. IBNO Sulu State College Graduate Studies, Jolo, Sulu Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.62596/dsnmr651

Keywords:

Promoting, Literacy, Development, Elementary Years

Abstract

This study explored the level of support for literacy development in the early elementary grades within the Maimbung District of Sulu during the School Year 2024–2025. To structure the data collection process effectively, the research adopted a descriptive-exploratory design, utilizing quantitative methods to assess the extent of literacy promotion. The study was conducted across ten public elementary schools in the district, specifically: Batu Ugis Elementary School, Bualo Elementary School, Ipil Elementary School, Lagasan Elementary School, Langtad Elementary School, Lidung Elementary School, Maimbung Higad Elementary School, Matatal Elementary School, Sultan Mohammad Jamalul Kiram Central School, and Usman Elementary School. A total of 100 elementary school teachers served as participants, selected through purposive sampling, with ten respondents from each school. The study aimed to measure the initiatives in place to advance literacy during the foundational years of education. The findings indicate a strong dedication among teachers to fostering literacy, particularly through the use of educational materials, ongoing professional development, active parental participation, and engagement with the local community. While demographic variables showed minimal influence on these efforts, educational attainment emerged as a factor with a statistically significant impact. Furthermore, the results demonstrated a strong positive correlation among the key factors that support literacy promotion, highlighting the value of collaborative strategies. These outcomes align with sociocultural and ecological learning theories, emphasizing the role of interconnected systems in shaping educational experiences.

References

Abad, A. G. (2021). Barriers to literacy development in the rural areas of the Philippines.

Adalia, H. G., Chavez, J. V., & Hayudini, M. A. A. (2025). Relevance of grammar among Gen Z college students using social learning perspectives. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 7(3), 432–450. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i3.8401. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v7i3.8401

Amil, A. (2019). Challenges in early literacy instruction in rural Philippine schools: A case study of Maimbung District. Journal of Educational Development Studies, 7(2), 45–56.

Andersen, M., & Pedersen, L. (2019). Integrating digital tools to enhance literacy in primary schools in Denmark. Journal of Educational Technology and Literacy, 14(3), 214–230.

Antonio, M. P., & Torres, F. B. (2020). Literacy programs for indigenous children in Mindanao: Challenges and successes.

Bautista, M. L. S. (2017). Mother tongue-based multilingual education in the Philippines: Policy and practice. The Philippine ESL Journal, 18(1), 1–20.

Bautista, T. S., & Santos, L. P. (2021). Community engagement in literacy development programs in Filipino rural schools.

Cabiles, N. V. A., Samilo, P. J. E., Magallanes, M. S. J. S., et al. (2025). Qualitative exploration on the prevalence of swear words in MLBB among Filipino online players. Environment and Social Psychology, 10(2), 3113. https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i2.3113. DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i2.3113

Carter, S. E., & Thomas, A. M. (2018). Exploring the role of instructional materials in early literacy development in United States primary schools. American Journal of Literacy Education, 36(1), 92–107.

Castillo, R. S. (2020). Effectiveness of reading programs in enhancing literacy among elementary school students.

Castro, F. L. T., Ventura, B. L. O., & Estajal, R. S., et al. (2024). Teachers handling multiple subject areas: difficulties and adaptive attributes in the delivery of instructions. Environment and Social Psychology, 9(9), 2520. https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v9i9.2520. DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v9i9.2520

Chan, W. Y., & Lee, M. K. (2018). The role of parental involvement in early literacy development in Singapore. Asian Journal of Early Childhood Education, 10(1), 45–61.

Chavez, J. V., Adalia, H. G., & Alberto, J. P. (2023). Parental support strategies and motivation in aiding their children learn the English language. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 5(2), 1541. http://doi.org/10.59400.fls.v5i2.1541. DOI: https://doi.org/10.59400/fls.v5i2.1541

Chavez, J. V., Anuddin, F. O., & Mansul, H. H., et al. (2024). Analyzing impacts of campus journalism on student’s grammar consciousness and confidence in writing engagements. Environment and Social Psychology, 9(7), 6106. https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v9i7.6106. DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v9i7.6106

Chavez, J. V., & Vicente, M. B. (2024). Halal compliance behaviors of food and accommodation businesses in the Zamboanga Peninsula, Philippines. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 7(5), 2025259. https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2025259. DOI: https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2025259

Comeros, N. A., Cuilan, J. T., & Chavez, J. V. (2024). Parental discretionary influence on their children’s manner of learning English language. Forum for Linguistic Studies, 6(4), 284–299. https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v6i4.6656. DOI: https://doi.org/10.30564/fls.v6i4.6656

Dela Cruz, J. S. (2019). The role of instructional materials in promoting literacy among elementary students in rural areas.

Department of Education (DepEd). (2013). K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum. https://www.deped.gov.ph/k-to-12/about/k-to-12-basic-education-curriculum/.

Department of Education (DepEd). (2020). Early Language, Literacy, and Numeracy Program (ELLN). https://www.deped.gov.ph/2020/elln-program/.

Dizon, F. A., & Garcia, N. T. (2020). Literacy development and the use of local languages in rural Filipino classrooms.

Felix, T. J., & De Guzman, A. D. (2021). Early literacy programs in Mindanao: Challenges and innovations.

Garcia, C. S., Lastam, J. M. P., & Chavez, J. V., et al. (2025). Discourse analysis on learners halting their education due to early marriage. Environment and Social Psychology, 10(1), 2558. https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i1.2558. DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/esp.v10i1.2558

Gomez, P. F. (2018). Parental involvement and its impact on the literacy development of primary school students in the Philippines.

Hsu, C. C., Wang, Y. T., & Lin, S. M. (2019). Impact of climate change education programs in primary schools across Taiwan. Environmental Education Research, 25(6), 923–940.

Huang, Z., & Wang, J. (2021). The impact of parent involvement on early literacy achievement in Chinese primary schools. China Education Review, 29(2), 102–117.

International Literacy Association. (2020). The case for early literacy: Why reading matters. https://www.literacyworldwide.org.

Johnson, L. P., Smith, T. R., & Nguyen, K. (2020). Teacher training and literacy development: A study in Australian primary schools. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 45(5), 75–90.

Johansson, L., & Sörensen, E. (2018). Literacy development in early childhood education: The case of Sweden. Scandinavian Journal of Educational Research, 62(3), 371–387.

Kim, H. J., & Lee, D. S. (2021). Early literacy and the role of teacher-student interaction in South Korea. Korean Journal of Early Childhood Education, 41(1), 22–38.

Lappalainen, H., & Rantala, V. (2021). The influence of interactive learning tools on literacy development in Finland. Nordic Educational Research Journal, 38(4), 289–305.

Li, L., & Lee, C. F. (2017). The influence of cultural literacy on early reading development in China. Chinese Journal of Literacy Research, 23(3), 158–173.

Lopez, V. S. (2019). Enhancing literacy skills of early grade students through interactive learning activities.

Luna, M. J. (2020). Community-based approaches to enhancing literacy in early childhood education in the Philippines.

Lütke, K., & Müller, P. (2020). Teacher professional development and its impact on early literacy instruction in Germany. European Journal of Literacy Education, 12(1), 49–65.

Martinez, C. L., & Sison, P. B. (2020). The influence of parental support on students' literacy outcomes in low-income communities.

Martinez, R. T., & Lopez, J. C. (2020). The role of interactive learning in early literacy development.

McNeil, S. R., Patterson, J., & Howard, L. (2019). Literacy development through project-based learning in Canada. Canadian Journal of Primary Education, 31(2), 134–148.

Mendoza, R. (2020). Community-based approaches to early literacy: Integrating cultural identity in teaching practices. Philippine Journal of Education, 95(4), 22–30.

Murro, R. A., Lobo, J. G., Inso, A. R. C., & Chavez, J. V. (2023). Difficulties of parents with low educational attainment in assisting their children in modular distance learning during pandemic. Environment and Social Psychology, 9(1), 1957. https://doi.org/10.54517/esp.v9i1.1957. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54517/esp.v9i1.1957

National Early Literacy Panel. (2008). Developing early literacy: Report of the National Early Literacy Panel. National Center for Family Literacy. https://lincs.ed.gov/publications/pdf/NELPReport09.pdf.

Novak, E., & Meyer, C. (2021). The effectiveness of multi-sensory approaches in early literacy instruction in the United States. Journal of Multi-Sensory Education, 19(1), 55–70.

Pasi Sahlberg. (2011). Finnish lessons: What can the world learn from educational change in Finland? Teachers College Press.

Perez, D. C., & Ramos, J. S. (2019). Role of school libraries in enhancing literacy in public schools.

Quijano, Y. S. (2018). Early literacy in the Philippine context: Challenges and strategies. Education Quarterly, 76(1), 13–25.

Ramos, V. L., & Hidalgo, R. A. (2020). Teacher training and its impact on early literacy development in remote Filipino communities.

Reyes, L. C., & Domingo, S. P. (2021). Teacher collaboration and its effect on literacy outcomes in the Philippines.

Reyes, M. G., & Bautista, R. A. (2020). The effectiveness of teacher professional development programs in improving literacy instruction in public schools.

Roberts, T., & Spencer, J. (2017). Early literacy and community engagement in rural areas of the United Kingdom. British Journal of Literacy Development, 28(2), 101–116.

Sanchez, R. L., & Ramirez, M. A. (2019). Examining the role of instructional strategies in promoting early literacy in Spain. European Early Literacy Journal, 16(3), 88–103.

Santiago, R. E. (2021). The impact of teacher training on early literacy instruction in public elementary schools in the Philippines.

Santos, G. D. (2019). Instructional materials and literacy achievement: Evidence from rural schools in the Philippines.

Snow, C. E. (2010). Academic language and the challenge of reading for learning about science. Science, 328(5977), 450–452. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1182597. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1182597

Tan, E. R., & De Leon, C. A. (2020). Assessing the impact of early childhood education on literacy development in rural Philippine communities.

Villanueva, A. S., & Cruz, R. M. (2019). Culturally relevant literacy programs in the Philippines: Enhancing engagement and achievement.

Walker, R., & Taylor, P. (2020). The effects of school-community partnerships on literacy development in rural Australia. Australian Literacy Studies, 39(1), 44–60.

Wang, Q., & Zhang, J. (2017). Early literacy intervention programs in China: A comparative study. Asia-Pacific Journal of Early Childhood Education, 12(4), 75–89.

Yamamoto, Y., & Suzuki, K. (2020). The role of cultural literacy in early childhood education in Japan. Japanese Journal of Early Education Studies, 26(2), 142–158.

Downloads

Published

2025-04-26

How to Cite

Promoting Literacy Development in Early Elementary Years: The Case of Maimbung District. (2025). Journal of Education and Academic Settings, 2(1), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.62596/dsnmr651