Astro (Kalingfon) M. Machang

Dangcol National High School

Completed 2026

ABSTRACT

This action research determined the effectiveness of the Story Mapping Strategy in enhancing the reading comprehension skills of Grade 7 learners at Dangcol National High School. Specifically, it assessed the learners’ reading comprehension levels before and after the implementation of the intervention, determined the significance of the improvement, identified the story elements that showed the greatest gains, and examined the learners’ perceptions of the strategy. The study employed a mixed-methods action research design integrating quantitative and qualitative approaches. Fifty-two (52) Grade 7 learners from Sections Cosmos and Tulips were selected through purposive sampling. Quantitative data were collected using validated researcher-made pretest and posttest reading comprehension tests and a four-point Likert-scale questionnaire, while qualitative data were gathered through open-ended responses and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results revealed that the learners’ mean reading comprehension score increased from 14.42 (MPS = 36.05%) in the pretest to 18.96 (MPS = 47.40%) in the posttest. The paired-samples t-test showed a statistically significant improvement, t(49) = 17.97, p < .001, with a very large effect size (Cohen’s d = 2.54). The greatest improvements were observed in the story elements of Setting, Character, Plot, and Theme, while Conflict showed the least improvement. Learners likewise perceived the Story Mapping Strategy as an effective instructional approach that enhanced comprehension, engagement, and organization of ideas. The findings demonstrate the originality and practical value of the strategy as a learner-centered intervention and provide evidence-based implications for strengthening reading instruction, supporting literacy development, and guiding future classroom-based action research.