INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN SOCIAL SCIENCE (IJRISS)
ISSN No. 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS | Volume IX Issue X October 2025
The situation became even more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic, when prolonged school closures,
shifting modalities, and unequal access to learning resources strained the capacity of learners, teachers, and
families. Several Filipino scholars have noted that the pandemic magnified pre-existing inequities in reading
readiness, especially among learners from rural communities and economically disadvantaged households
(Dizon, 2022; Reyes & Corpuz, 2021). Teachers, though committed, often faced difficulties differentiating
reading instruction and providing individualized support due to large class sizes, administrative demands, and
limited instructional materials (Pascual & Garcia, 2023). As a result, reading comprehension challenges are not
merely academic issues; they reflect deeper social conditions shaped by environment, language exposure, and
opportunities for learning support.
To respond to this national concern, the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program was
introduced by the Department of Education as a structured intervention aimed at rebuilding foundational literacy
and closing learning gaps. ARAL focuses on small-group instruction, targeted remediation, peer-assisted
activities, and family engagement—all approaches that emphasize guided learning rather than solitary reading.
The design of ARAL aligns closely with Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, which posits that learning takes
place through social interaction and mediated support. According to Vygotsky (1978), learners progress when
they are supported in the Zone of Proximal Development—the space between what they can do alone and what
they can achieve with guidance. Contemporary Filipino researchers highlight similar observations, noting that
children learn best when teachers scaffold tasks, model comprehension strategies, and create purposeful dialogue
around text (Labrador & Medina, 2022; Santos, 2024).
Understanding ARAL through Vygotsky’s lens helps us see reading not just as a technical skill, but as a socially
cultivated practice. When children discuss stories, share interpretations with peers, and receive thoughtful
guidance from teachers and family members, comprehension becomes meaningful and connected to real-life
contexts. Strengthening reading comprehension, therefore, requires more than instructional materials it demands
collaboration among schools, families, local governments, and community organizations. As Philippine schools
continue to navigate learning recovery, grounding literacy programs in sociocultural approaches can help build
resilient, inclusive, and culturally relevant pathways for children to become confident and capable readers.
Theoretical Framework
This study is anchored on Lev Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, which emphasizes that learning is a social
process shaped by interaction, shared experiences, and the cultural environment in which a child grows.
Vygotsky (1978) proposed that children do not learn in isolation; rather, they construct knowledge by engaging
with individuals who guide, encourage, and model ways of making meaning. In the context of reading
comprehension, this means that understanding text is not simply a matter of decoding words, but of participating
in purposeful conversations, asking questions, and making connections with others.
A central concept in Vygotsky’s theory is the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) the space between what a
learner can accomplish independently and what they can accomplish with guided support. When teachers,
parents, or peers provide appropriate assistance, learners are able to perform tasks that they would not manage
alone. Over time, these supports are gradually removed in a process known as scaffolding (Wood, Bruner, &
Ross, 1976). In reading instruction, scaffolding may appear in forms such as guided reading, modeling
comprehension strategies, or discussing unfamiliar vocabulary together.
Filipino scholars affirm the importance of guided interaction in developing literacy. Labrador and Medina (2022)
observed that students in early grades show notable improvement when teachers model how to ask questions
during reading. Similarly, Reyes (2021) found that peer reading circles foster motivation and confidence,
particularly among learners who initially experience difficulty. These findings support Vygotsky’s premise that
learning is strengthened through collaboration and shared dialogue.
The ARAL Program reflects these sociocultural principles. Its emphasis on small-group remediation, peer-
assisted reading, and family involvement aligns with the idea that learning is shaped by social and cultural
contexts rather than by the learner alone. When teachers intentionally structure discussions, guide students
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