Effects of Marungko Approach in Teaching Reading and Literacies of Primary Pupils

Abstract

This study determined the effects of the Marungko Approach in teaching reading and literacies among primary pupils in the District of Morong during School Year 2025–2026. Specifically, it examined the perceived effects of the approach in terms of phonemic awareness, decoding skills, vocabulary development, and reading comprehension, and determined whether significant differences existed in the respondents’ perceptions when grouped according to age, sex, civil status, educational attainment, position title, length of service, and in-service trainings attended. The study employed a descriptive survey research design. Data were gathered from 115 teachers selected through purposive sampling using a researcher-made questionnaire-checklist. The findings revealed that the respondents were predominantly female and married, with most belonging to the age groups of 26–30 and 36–40 years, holding Teacher I positions, possessing master’s degrees, having 11–19 years of teaching experience, and having attended division-level in-service training. Overall, the Marungko Approach was perceived to have a high effect on the reading and literacies of primary pupils across the four areas examined, namely phonemic awareness, decoding skills, vocabulary development, and reading comprehension. Furthermore, the results showed no significant difference in the perceived effects of the Marungko Approach when respondents were grouped according to their demographic and professional characteristics. This indicates that teachers generally shared consistent perceptions regarding the effectiveness of the approach regardless of their personal and professional profiles. The study concluded that the Marungko Approach is perceived as an effective instructional strategy for strengthening foundational reading and literacy skills among primary pupils. It is recommended that school administrators sustain relevant in-service training, teachers employ varied and developmentally appropriate reading strategies, and schools strengthen home-school collaboration and reading interventions. An action plan was proposed to further enhance the implementation and effectiveness of the Marungko Approach.