TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES USED IN IMPLEMENTING ARAL PROGRAM: AN INPUT FOR LOCALIZED POLICY DEVELOPMENT

Volume-09 Issue 10, October-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/ IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [300] TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES USED IN IMPLEMENTING ARAL PROGRAM: AN INPUT FOR LOCALIZED POLICY DEVELOPMENT Rosalie Ocillos-Walet Master Teacher II, Cabuyoan Elementary School, Philippines Cristie Joy Gialen Teacher III, Juan Sumulong Elementary School, Philippines Alma R. Aranded Principal I, Ampid Elementary School, Philippines ABSTRACT The Philippine government thrives to provide relevant, inclusive and quality-based education for all Filipino learners. In the resurfacing educational landscape, academic success becomes a major concern. As such, the enactment of RA 12028 or otherwise known as “Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) program sees as an immediate response to the academic challenges experienced by learners. This study explored teachers’ techniques and strategies in implementing ARAL program. It used a case study design which was participated by 150 public elementary school teachers in the Philippines. The study also used random sampling in selecting the participation of teachers. Thematic analysis was used through coding-decoding schemes. Results of the study showed that teachers’ instructional strategies used involved guided reading through text selection and small group reading analysis as significant teaching techniques in implementing ARAL program. On the other hand, teachers employed online-based reading activities and gamified reading tasks as impactful teaching techniques. The study further revealed that teachers were highly engaged in the development of creative and innovative teaching techniques and strategies in implementing ARAL program. Hence, the study proposed an input to localized policy development among schools to help teachers and school heads implement ARAL program effectively and efficiently emphasizing relevant and creative instructional techniques and strategies. Thus, the study recommended a deeper qualitative study on actual experiences of teachers handling learners with diverse skills under ARAL program. Keywords: Academic Recovery, Accessible Learning, Program, techniques, strategies, pedagogical intervention INTRODUCTION Holistic development of learners is one of the most pressing educational concerns of Philippine educational system. In this regard, the government ensures that basic education program is effectively delivered among Filipino learners. Provision of quality education is the foremost concern of policymakers, education sector officials, school heads, teachers, parents and stakeholders. The implementation of several instructional programs enables teachers and learners proceed with effective and efficient instruction and significantly hone their abilities and skills specially learners’ essential skills. Apparently, essential skills of learners include reading, writing and solving basic arithmetic. In the Philippines, learners in elementary levels are taught with these essential skills becoming their foundation to learn basic to complex concepts, skills and principles. Diverse skills and abilities of learners are the also apparent in the normal teaching and learning process in Philippine educational system. The diversity of skills and abilities of learners also create significant concern in the development of learners’ essential skills. Not only that, the results of the 2022 Programme for Internal Student Assessment (PISA) shows that the country places at the dismal bottom rank signifying the Filipino learners lag behind in reading, math and science. This causes the national government through its primary organ the Department of Education, to create immediate interventions that may help learners develop their basic skills. Learners’ academic competence within the teaching and learning process is strongly emphasized aside from their abilities of transferring learned concepts into daily practice. In this line, teachers assume greater Volume-09 Issue 10, October-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/ IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [301] responsibilities to take actions that would ensure the total development of learners specifically in building their fundamental skills. Apparently, one of the responsive action that has been crafted for purposes of ensuring that the Filipino learners master the essential learning competencies. The enactment of Republic Act No. 12028 otherwise known as the “Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program provides the department an immediate action to ensure that quality of education at all levels are effected. Under the same law, it provides that ARAL program shall cover the essential learning competences under the K-12 Basic Curriculum covering reading and mathematics for Grades 1 to 10 and science for Grades 3 to 10. In addition, ARAL program is grounded on a systematized tutorial sessions which demonstrate higher achievement gains and well-designed intervention plans and learning resources. Consequently, teachers are expected to perform with highest form of effective and efficient instructional techniques and strategies in the implementation of ARAL program. Since the program is designed based on tutorial sessions, teachers are tasked to design and formulate teaching strategies and techniques that would ensure that the most essential learning competencies are obtained. Formulation of teaching strategies and techniques under ARAL program is a critical fiber to ensure the effective and sound implementation of the program. Within the core of ARAL program, teachers are strongly encouraged to create effective teaching strategies and techniques that would establish highly impactful teaching and learning process. Identifying the antecedent structures and essential practices in education recover provide a more balanced and effective teaching and learning process (Willis et al., 2025). Educational institutions formulate learning recovery interventions which serve as intensive academic support platforms involving creative and innovative teaching approaches (Dixon et al., 2025). Interdisciplinary working teams and collaborative practices among teachers in creating effective teaching strategies are paramount dimension in building creating and inclusive learning programs (Nikolaraizi et al., 2021). Consistent and frequent implementation of effective teaching strategies offer a positive approach to literacy recovery with teachers who understand the importance of creating engaging contexts and providing appropriate support for learners (Pagatpat, 2025). Teachers employ multifaceted approach to bridge the learning gaps and put learning recovery actions through remedial reading, pull-out sessions, integration of basic reading activities in all areas and using of differentiated instruction (Hamoc, 2023). Conditions observed by the researcher involve that teachers find it difficult to create and formulate effective instructional strategies and techniques under the ARAL program. In addition, teachers are merely reliant to the common teaching strategies and techniques employed in a normal teaching and learning process even ARAL program provides more inclusive and highly intricate instructional structure emphasizing comprehensive instruction through tutorial-based instructional processes. Further, teachers under the program serve as tutors to ensure that learners who are academically challenged across essential skills are taught effectively. They the researchers find that most of the teachers assigned under the program are commonly replicating traditional instructional strategies. In view of these foregoing conditions, this study explored teachers’ techniques and strategies used in implementing ARAL program. OBJECTIVES This study explored teachers’ techniques and strategies in implementing ARAL program among selected public elementary school teachers in the Philippines. Further, this study determined instructional strategies and techniques used by teachers assigned under the ARAL program in cultivating learners’ fundamental skills involving basic reading. In addition, the study also explored other creative and innovative techniques and strategies employed by teachers in teaching learners under the ARAL program specifically in developing learners' basic reading and reading comprehension skills. Hence, the study proposed an intervention program that may help teachers enhance their teaching techniques and strategies under ARAL program. METHODOLOGY This study employed a case study design whereas it was participated by randomly selected public elementary school teachers among selected public schools in the Philippines. The researchers used developed guide questions for structured interview. Before the actual data gathering procedure, the researchers sought the guidance of experts specifically professionals who hold Doctorate Degree in Administration and Supervision, to validate the developed guide questions. The same obtained “Excellent” remarks signifying that the developed guide questions are parallel to the research objectives. Further, the researchers carefully selected the participants through a call for participation which was posted on a certain research community platforms. When participants expressed their interests to participate in the study, the researchers reached them through their personal social Volume-09 Issue 10, October-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/ IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [302] media accounts. Thus, short orientation was made in order to discuss the context, scope and parameters of the study. Then a formal letter of request was sent to the participants. Thereafter, the researchers provided them a Google Meet link which was sent to their personal social media accounts. This technological platform served as a mean to gather their responses. Then, the researchers proceeded with the actual structured interview. Structured interview was scheduled based on the availability of the participants. At the onset, the researchers asked permission before the participants that their responses would be recorded for data analysis. Once agreement was perfected, structured interview was made whereas each participant was called individually. After a series of interview, the researchers carefully encoded in verbatim format all the responses of expressed by the participants. The researchers prepared a Table of Qualitative Responses for data analysis. Hence, the researchers used thematic analysis in order to extract the major themes and subthemes of the study. In addition, the researchers observed the strict compliance on ethical standards for research through provision of informed consent and discussion of the rights of the participants, potential risks and benefits in participating in the study. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program is a national government strategic action to address the pressing educational problem surrounding the country’s educational system specially in the development of learners’ essential skills involving reading and reading comprehension. Due importance of providing effective pedagogical measures allow teachers to create and implement effective instructional strategies and techniques that help learners develop their academic competence and skills. Building their foundational skills is tantamount to creating more developmental opportunities that significantly strengthened and ensured their holistic formation. ARAL Program Teachers’ Instructional Strategies. Participants used guided reading through text selection and small group reading analysis as primary instructional strategies in teaching their learners with the basic reading and reading comprehension. The findings show that teachers as tutors under ARAL program craft and design instructional plan that directly emphasize the basic and essential reading skills that are to be developed among their learners. The participants shared that guided reading enabled their learners to consistently practice correct and proper reading. In addition, guided reading through text selection enable teachers to select appropriate reading texts that are parallel to the readiness and interests of their learners. Participants also experienced that when the texts or literary reading materials are not relevant and parallel with learners’ readiness and interests, their motivation to learn specially to read continually decline. On the other hand, as teachers implemented guided reading, they also experienced that enhanced comprehension is gradually obtained because their learners slowly but consistently receive impactful teaching reading process moreso, ARAL program strongly emphasize close and intensive teaching basic reading and reading comprehension. In this line, the results also show that teachers experienced increased engagement from their learners because they perceived that when their learners are taught intensively and under tutorial-designed form of teaching, learners are able to share and express their skills without intimidation. The findings supported the study of Young (2018) which reveals that increased emphasis on guided reading can lead to a greater impact on learners’ reading ability. As shown from the significant responses of the participants, one of them shared that: “As I am an advocate of formal and highly effective reading intervention, guided reading through careful and relevant selection of texts are my techniques which I also applied as ARAL program is implemented.” Also, another participant articulated that: “I am really satisfied as the ARAL program becomes a state policy concerning the development of reading and other essential skills of our learners. With this, techniques such as consistent guidance and careful selection of reading materials are my primary considerations to teach effectively my learners under the program.” In addition, one of the participants made mentioned that: “Even the structure is one-on-one teaching like tutorial session, I also incorporate group reading analysis whereas my learners analyze basically the content of the text they have read. In this way, I am not only honing their reading skills but also expanding or developing their reading comprehension which is also pristine dimension for total development of learners.” Volume-09 Issue 10, October-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/ IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [303] Apparently, another participant shared that: “I use collaborative reading after our individualized session because for me it can also help learners to be engaged consistently in the program. Then, we process what they have read. It is like in the form of building their reading comprehension other than developing their basic reading skills.” Instructional Techniques Used by Teachers. Techniques under the pedagogical principles involve specific methods or procedures used to accomplish educational goals or objectives within the teaching and learning process. The results show that the participants extend their efforts and maximize their creative skills by designing and providing online-based reading activities and gamified reading tasks in teaching reading under ARAL program. While the department has provided different reading resources for learners in different grade levels, participants expressed that as teachers and tutors under the program, provision of highly engaging reading activities are necessary to provide learners effective reading instruction under the program. To dissect, online-based reading activities are used including digital books that can be downloaded among online educational resources. The participants expressed that while they gather relevant online reading materials, they also contextualize these gathered reading materials based on the level, readiness and interests of their learners. In other words, they also modify such gathered reading materials. In using online-based reading materials, teachers perceived that it can help their learners improve their learners’ basic reading skills. Apart from online reading resources, teachers also create their own electronic books based on the standards of the department. Most teachers have prepared their ebooks even before ARAL program is implements. Findings show that participants used ebooks under ARAL program as alternative reading materials which are accessible and timely. On the other hand, findings show that gamified reading tasks are used in ARAL program. With the use of gamified reading tasks, teachers creatively design games and other highly engaging reading tasks which do not only focus on traditional teaching reading strategies. The result shows that participants create their own instructional techniques that best fit to the interests of the learners and motivate them to thrive harder in order to acquire basic reading and reading comprehension skills. Further, under the gamified reading tasks, the participants also device and design simplified themed reading quests that encourage their learners to complete their reading while performing basic reading task. The participants also emphasize that provision of creative and highly engaging reading activities do not supersede nor deviate the primary intent and structure of the program. The results significantly show that participants are able to implement effective instructional techniques under ARAL program and ensure that these techniques are aligned with their learners’ interests and readiness. The results of the study support that study of Lim et al. (2021) which reveals that interactive features of online-based reading activities are designed to elevate the interests and motivate learners to read effectively. Thus, onlinebased reading activities if designed on solely for attaining effective and efficient reading cannot distract learners nor hinder their reading skills and comprehension development. Input for Policy Development. This study proposed significant indicators which may serve as inputs for localized policy development which may be adopted by the schools in implementing ARAL program. These inputs shape the formulation and implementation of sound techniques and strategies that can advance impactful implementation of ARAL program. Teachers and school heads should tailor differentiated instruction emphasizing other creative and innovative teaching reading techniques and strategies other than conventional forms of teaching reading. In addition, teachers and school heads as well as stakeholders should design a contextualized interactive digital platforms through integration of modern application and other educational tools reading skills development. Teachers and school heads should also incorporate the use of scaffolding techniques physically and distantly through the use of other learning modality platform so that reading skills development under ARAL program does not end after school days or formal teaching and learning process. Further, teachers and school heads should design a more reflective and authentic assessment procedures and measures to objectively assess learners’ development under ARAL program. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The researchers express their deepest gratitude to all individuals, groups and institutions who have helped them in completing this scholarly work. Also, they express their overflowing gratitude to GOD who is the fountain of knowledge, love and life. In addition, the researchers extend their gratitude to all of their colleagues in the department for the significant responses which are used to finish this study. Volume-09 Issue 10, October-2025 ISSN: 2456-9348 Impact Factor: 8.232 International Journal of Engineering Technology Research & Management (IJETRM) https://ijetrm.com/ IJETRM (http://ijetrm.com/) [304] CONCLUSION Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) program ensures that no Filipino learners are left behind as they have the right to quality education. ARAL program implementers including the teachers shouldered enormous responsibilities of bringing quality instruction into practice and ensuring that Filipino learners acquire basic and most essential skills that are significant for learners’ total development. Teachers as tutors under the ARAL program used effective and efficient teaching techniques and strategies in teaching basic reading and reading comprehension skills among learners. Proper design and sound implementation of guided reading through text selection and small group reading analysis constituted teachers’ teaching techniques while onlinebased reading activities and gamified reading tasks form part of their instructional strategies that emphasize the provision of creative and innovative instructions in teaching reading under ARAL program. Teachers as tutors under the program were firm that ARAL program would be an effective mechanism to address the learners’ reading and reading comprehension problems. REFERENCES [1] Dixon, A., Caudle, H., Garza, J., Johnson, A., & Brissette Gutiérrez, S. M. (2025). Greater Innovation, greater success: Academic outreach and recovery coaching. Journal of College Academic Support Programs, 7(1), 61–65. https://doi.org/10.58997/7.1pp3 [2] Hamoc, J. (2024). Learning recovery : Teacher’s strategies and challenges. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4833790 [3] Lim, J., Whitehead, G. E. K., & Choi, Y. (2021). 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