From Pages to Pictures: Using Motivation, Differentiation and Drawing to Deepen Comprehension
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.67167/vertex.719Keywords:
salary increase, teaching and learning focused, performance-based promotion, Teaching Excellence Framework, state universities, faculty ranking, faculty promotion, education, political economyAbstract
This classroom action research responds to the alarming decline in Filipino students’ literacy, as highlighted in the EDCOM II report (2026), which shows a steep drop in proficiency from 30.52% in Grade 3 to only 0.47% by Grade 12. Complementary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (2025) further indicate that only 70.8% of Filipinos aged 10–64 are functionally literate, revealing persistent challenges in comprehension despite basic reading skills. These findings underscore the need for instructional interventions that address both reading competence and motivation. Drawing on theories of reading motivation and metacognition, this study examines how learner engagement in text selection and differentiated reading tasks can enhance comprehension and reflective thinking. Reading motivation is framed as a multidimensional construct involving affective, cognitive, and intentional components, while metacognition emphasizes learners’ awareness and regulation of their own thinking processes. The intervention integrates student choice and structured, differentiated activities that guide learners from literal understanding to critical application. By encouraging students to monitor their comprehension, adjust strategies, and reflect on their interpretations, the study promotes “constructively responsive reading.” Findings suggest that when learners actively participate in the reading process, they develop deeper textual engagement, improved comprehension, and heightened awareness of their learning strategies over time.
Downloads
References
Action research. (n.d.). Oregon State University Center for Teaching & Learning. https://ctl.oregonstate.edu/sites/ctl.oregonstate.edu/files/action-research.pdf
Cherry, K. (2025, July 8). Intrinsic motivation: How internal rewards drive behavior. Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-intrinsic-motivation-2795385
Denzin, N. K. (1978). The research act: A theoretical introduction to sociological methods (2nd ed.). McGrawHill.
DGP Bookstore. (n.d.). For better reading comprehension, try drawing. https://www.dgppublishing.com/blogs/dgp-blogs/for-better-reading-comprehension-try-drawing
Gidon, Y., & Rajuan, M. (n.d.). The use of drawing tasks as a creative strategy for pupils in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classroom. Journal of Second Language Teaching and Research, 6.
Hernando-Malipot, M. (2023, August 27). Senior high school graduates are employable—advocacy group. Manila Bulletin.
Hernando-Malipot, M. (2026, January 16). Filipino students’ proficiency plummets to near zero by senior high school, study finds. Manila Bulletin. https://mb.com.ph/2026/01/16/filipino-students-proficiencyplummets-to-near-zero-by-senior-high-school-study-finds
Hibbing, A. N., & Rankin-Erickson, J. L. (2003). A picture is worth a thousand words: Using visual images to improve comprehension for middle school struggling readers. The Reading Teacher, 56(8), 758–770.
Hopperstad, M. H. (2008). The expressiveness of the drawings of young children. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 8(3), 249–272.
Hoyt, L. (1992). Many ways of knowing: Using drama, oral interaction, and the visual arts to enhance reading comprehension. The Reading Teacher, 45(8), 580–584.
Landmark Outreach. (2025, January 23). Metacognition and reading comprehension. https://www.landmarkoutreach.org/strategies/metacognition/
Locher, F. M., Becker, S., & Pfost, M. (2019). The relation between students’ intrinsic reading motivation and book reading in recreational and school contexts. AERA Open, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858419852041
Miyamoto, A., Murayama, K., & Lechner, C. M. (2020). The developmental trajectory of intrinsic reading motivation: Measurement invariance, group variations, and implications for reading proficiency.
Contemporary Educational Psychology. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0361476X20300862 Mugabi, T. (2024, August 12).
Homogeneous vs. heterogeneous groups in education. HMH. https://www.hmhco.com/blog/advantages-disadvantages-of-homogeneous-vs-heterogeneous-groups-ineducation
National Science Teaching Association. (n.d.). Summarizing with drawings: A reading-comprehension strategy. https://www.nsta.org/summarizing-drawings-reading-comprehension-strategy
Pressley, M. (1977). Imagery and children’s learning: Putting the picture in picture memory. Review of Educational Research, 47(4), 585–622.
Rawat, K., et al. (2012). The developmental significance of children's creative expressions and drawing habits. Journal of Childhood Development and Literacy Practice, 14(2), 105–118.
Seglem, R., & Witte, S. (2009). You gotta see it to believe it: Teaching visual literacy in the English classroom. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 53(3), 216–226.
Scribd. (n.d.). Rubric assessment reading. https://www.scribd.com/document/278126068/Rubric-AssessmentReading
Trolldenier, H.-P., Lenhard, W., Marx, P., & Schneider, W. (2010). Brennpunkte der Gedächtnisforschung: Entwicklungs- und pädagogisch-psychologische Perspektiven. Hogrefe.
Untalan, S., & GMA News. (2025, July 31). PSA: Only 70.8% of Filipinos aged 10–64 functionally literate. GMA News Online. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/topstories/nation/954393/psa-only-70-8-offilipinos-aged-10-64-functionally-literate/story/
Vaughn, S., Hughes, M. T., Moody, S. W., & Elbaum, B. (2001). Instructional grouping for reading for students with LD. Intervention in School and Clinic, 36(3), 131–137. https://doi.org/10.1177/105345120103600301
Wang, X., Jia, L., & Jin, Y. (2020). Reading amount and reading strategy as mediators of the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic reading motivation on reading achievement. Frontiers in Psychology. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.586346/full
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 The International Review of Multidisciplinary Research
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
