Impact of Parental Involvement in Improving Reading Skills of Grade 1 Learners

Reading proficiency is fundamental skill that supports academic success.This study examined the impact of parental involvement on the reading skills of Grade 1 learners in selected elementary schools in Kadingilan District II, Bukidnon. Specifically, it assessed the level of parental involvement in terms of participating in school activities, access to reading materials, modeling reading behavior, supporting reading assignments, and reading aloud. It also determined the reading proficiency of Grade 1 learners and analyzed the relationship between parental involvement and literacy development. Descriptive-correlational research design was used, and data were gathered from 120 Grade 1 learners and their parents using a structured survey questionnaire. Descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation measured parental involvement levels, while Pearson’s correlation coefficient analyzed the relationship between parental involvement and reading proficiency. Findings revealed that parental involvement was moderate in most areas, with the highest participation observed in attending school meetings and the lowest in volunteering for school reading programs. Learners demonstrated basic reading proficiency, excelling in letter recognition and word reading, but struggling with reading comprehension and fluency. Statistical analysis confirmed a significant positive relationship between parental involvement and reading proficiency, indicating that greater parental engagement leads to stronger literacy skills. Study concludes that parental involvement plays a vital role in early literacy development. Parents who actively engage in their child’s reading activities, positively influence their child’s reading proficiency. Schools should implement programs that actively engage parents in reading activities, while parents should adopt strategies that foster a literacy-rich home environment.