English Language Learners’ Experience of Phonemic Awareness Activities for the Development

This study explored the experience of structured phonemic awareness activities on the reading skill development of selected Grade 11 learners identified as frustrated readers. Anchored on Constructivist Learning Theory, it examined how learners construct meaning through sound-based interaction and guided practice.Using a qualitative case study design, the research described the experiences of teachers and learners in implementing structured phonemic awareness activities aimed at improving reading fluency and comprehension. The case study approach was selected for its capacity to provide an in-depth understanding of real classroom practices (Creswell, 2013; Yin, 2018).Ten senior high school students, aged sixteen to eighteen, were identified as frustrated readers through the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI). The intervention utilized the Heggerty Phonemic Awareness Program, implemented for ten minutes per English class over twelve weeks. Data were gathered through classroom observations, semi-structured teacher interviews, and student feedback.Findings revealed that consistent phonemic instruction enhanced students’ decoding, fluency, and confidence, with most learners progressing from the Frustration Level (below 89%) to the Instructional Level (90–96%) in the Phil-IRI post-assessment. The study underscores the effectiveness of short, structured, and daily phonemic awareness instruction in fostering foundational reading skills among struggling learners.