Project Report: RCM-RCMFI Reading Literacy Teacher Training Project with Reading Specialists

READING SPECIALISTS x ILUGIN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Snapshot of Training

The recent national conversation revealed the learning challenges of our country where 88% of students entering Grade 7 struggle to read at their level. The Reading Specialists, in partnership with Rotary Club of Manila, Rotary Club of Manila Foundation, Kabisig ng Kalahi Foundation, and Ilugin Elementary School, spent Feb 7 and Feb 23, 2026 in a two-day interactive workshop on the Science of Reading. 60 teachers from Kindergarten to Grade 7 level attended 16 hours of training aimed at equipping them with the tools and knowledge to develop skills in reading and comprehension. This report highlights how partnerships are empowering our teachers to make a real difference in ensuring that all Filipino children are able to read.

Feedback from Participants

❝ The two day training is very informative to us, as a teacher in Kindergarten it gives me more ideas or strategies on how I handle teaching my learners how to read in a fun way.❞

❝ I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to all speakers for sharing your expertise in reading. You have given it all. All I need to do is to choose which strategies fit my learners.❞

Survey Results

For each day of the training, teachers were asked to fill in a survey. The results revealed that 100% of teachers either agreed or strongly agreed that the training content was relevant to their needs as a teacher and was presented in an engaging and effective way.

Looking even further at the survey results, it revealed that the most gain was in the Day 1 topic on the Science of Reading and theoretical models of reading, and the Day 2 topic of using the Frayer Model for teaching vocabulary. This suggests that awareness of the models and concepts of the Science of Reading were training topics that connected the most with the teachers who participated in the training sessions.

In addition, 92% of teachers said “Yes” when asked whether they were able to apply the strategies demonstrated on Day 1. The graph shows the breakdown of the strategies they applied, which shows that strategies on Phonological Awareness (PA) were applied by 73%, followed by spelling, sound cards, and decoding. With these results, follow-up training to strengthen decoding practices can be conducted to further encourage the adoption of a variety of strategies for teaching decoding and comprehension in the classroom.

The two days of interactive training, as supported by the survey results and comments from the participants, helped the teachers of Ilugin Elementary School gain an improved understanding of the Science of Reading, have confidence to apply new strategies in teaching reading in their practice. With the positive results, teachers can be further supported to keep using what they learned in their classrooms every day.

From the teachers of Ilugin Elementary School, Pasig City

❝ I already used the sound cards in my class and also the spelling activities. They enjoyed it. They also enjoyed the rhyming game, phoneme segmentation and blending activities.❞

❝ I will try the magnetic letters/words because I know that it really works for my learners; they can use their fine motor skills, as well as enjoy and have fun while learning.❞

To our friends at the Rotary Club Manila and the Rotary Club Manila Foundation, Inc.,

They say it takes a village, and we are so grateful you are part of ours! Your sponsorship allowed us to bring our teachers together for two Saturdays last February of interactive training, where they are guided to try out different materials and apply the Science of Reading. They learned new strategies that will change the way young Filipino students engage with learning to read and reading to learn. Thank you for recognizing the value of a well-trained teacher and for being a true champion for literacy in our country.

Warmly, The Reading Specialists