Emerging Practices of School Heads in Improving the Literacy Skills of Grades 1-3 Learners in the Digital Age

This study examined the numerous practices employed by the school heads in enhancing the literacy skills of Grades 1-3 learners in today’s educational setting. It aimed to answer the questions about the existing problems of Grades 1-3 learners in literacy skills, methods and approaches used by teachers to address these problems and the emerging practices of school heads to improve the literacy skills of Grades 1-3 learners. Using quantitative research design, data were gathered among 40 school heads and 40 Grades 1-3 teachers of the 3rd congressional district of Masbate province. It utilized two surveys: the methods and approaches used by teachers to address these problems and the emerging practices of school heads to improve the literacy skills of Grades 1-3 learners and analyzed the results using the Five-Point Likert scale. This tool evaluated teachers’ methods and approaches used in addressing the literacy problems and emerging practices and approaches used by the school heads to improve the literacy skills of the early-grade learners. The results revealed that reading comprehension and spelling are identified as the most significant challenges among learners, meanwhile, alphabet knowledge is the least encountered problem. To solve this, school heads implemented strategies which include leading effective practices in school and providing regular and constructive feedback wherein both were perceived as highly effective. The study concluded that instructional leadership and professional collaboration play a crucial role to address the challenges in literacy and recommended to foster these mentioned practices to assist early-grade learners to develop their literacy skills.