Project Read and Learn (REAL): Probing Its Effectiveness in Enhancing the Academic Performance and Reading Comprehension of Grade 7 Students

Literacy abilities of twenty-first century pupils are directly related to the demands of reading skills, which result in the capacity to comprehend information analytically, critically, and imaginatively. However, the Philippines ranked dead last among 79 nations. (Manila Times, 2020). Based on the 2018 Program for International Assessment (PISA) global survey of 600,000 students, the Philippines scored 340 in reading comprehension, below the global average of 487. This led to the conception of PROJECT READ AND LEARN (REAL), which was implemented at Binakayan National High School to increase reading literacy and comprehension utilizing The Philippine Informal Reading Inventory (PHIL-IRI) among "Frustrated" seventh graders. Following the pre-test, 20 male and 13 female students participated in PROJECT READ AND LEARN (REAL). Both Reading Performance and Comprehension Level have a significant p-value of.000, which can be interpreted as significant, based on the correlation between the variables found in the study. The researcher recommends that PROJECT READ AND LEARN (REAL) be implemented on a larger scale and over a longer period, as it has a positive impact on the participating pupils. It was also suggested that barangays collaborate on the projected satellite reading centers for students from dysfunctional families