Abstract
This research employed a pretest-posttest control group research design to evaluate the efficacy of the Interactive Reading-Aloud Strategy (IRAS) as a reading intervention in enhancing reading literacy skills among Junior High School students. The study focused on comparing pretest and posttest results of the Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (Phil-IRI) administered to students whose reading/english teacher implemented the IRAS.The research involved 150 Junior High School students from a public high school, and the primary findings indicated a significant positive impact of the IRAS on students' reading literacy skills. Specifically, the results revealed that students who underwent the IRAS intervention exhibited higher performance levels in the posttest compared to the pretest Phil-IRI results. Statistical analysis further confirmed a significant difference in scores between the pretest and posttest results of students who received the IRAS intervention. Moreover, the study highlighted a noteworthy improvement in the score gains of students who underwent the IRAS intervention, emphasizing the effectiveness of this strategy in fostering reading literacy skills. Students reported enjoying the reading process facilitated by the IRAS, with no encountered difficulties, and expressed anticipation for continued use of the strategy as a reading intervention. The research concludes with a proposal to integrate the Interactive Reading-Aloud Strategy into reading literacy programs for Junior High School students, emphasizing its potential to enhance their overall reading skills. Recommendations include providing students with adequate time for self-paced learning with the aid of the IRAS, encouraging teachers to develop strategic intervention materials for mastering prerequisite skills, and advocating for training workshops/webinars on crafting and implementing the IRAS. Additionally, parents are encouraged to support teachers in conducting interventions for their children's reading literacy achievement. The study suggests that future research should explore the utilization of the IRAS in other subject areas to address learning poverty on reading.
