Factors Influencing the Numerical and Reading Abilities of Grade 3 Learners in Selected Elementary Schools

This study evaluated the numerical and reading abilities of Grade 3 learners in rural and urban schools in Caramoan South District. Specifically, it aimed to (1) determine the numerical and reading abilities of Grade 3 learners across urban and rural school categories; (2) assess the physical learning environment in terms of school buildings, building condition, building materials, room condition, number of makeshift rooms, usable furniture, and other school facilities; (3) determine the social environment in terms of parental involvement and peer influence; (4) describe the socio-economic status of learners in terms of parents’ educational attainment, family income, and family size; and (5) examine the influence of physical learning environment, social environment, socio-economic status, and school location on learners’ numerical and reading abilities. A two-stage sampling design was used, with stratified random sampling to classify schools as urban or rural and simple random sampling to select Grade 3 learners, ensuring proportional representation. Data were gathered with approval from the Public Schools District Supervisor and school heads of six public elementary schools. Secondary data from Google Forms included CRLA, ALNAT, and NSBI for SY 2024–2025, assessing learners’ reading and numeracy abilities and describing the physical learning environment. A structured research questionnaire was developed to gather data on the socio-economic status and social environment of Grade 3 learners. The instrument obtained a Content Validity Index (CVI) of 0.933, indicating high validity. The reliability of the research instrument was determined using Cronbach's Alpha coefficient, with values of 0.70 and above considered acceptable. The computed Cronbach's alpha values ranged from 0.700 to 0.791 for the parental involvement and peer influence scales in literacy and numeracy. Fifteen learners participated in the pilot test. From a population of 427 Grade 3 learners in 17 schools, Yamane’s Formula determined a sample of 207, but 204 respondents (143 urban and 61 rural) were included in the final analysis. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Linear Mixed Models to account for clustering of learners within schools. Results showed that the physical learning environment had a significant negative effect on numeracy, while parental involvement and school location were significant predictors. This may be explained by studies indicating that school facilities alone are not strong predictors of achievement. Hanushek (2003) found that school inputs such as buildings and resources have weak effects on learning, while Hattie (2009) emphasized that teacher quality and instructional practices have a stronger influence on student performance. This means that even in well-equipped schools, learners may still perform poorly if teaching methods and other learning factors are not effective. In addition, family size showed a negative significant relationship with numeracy. For reading abilities, only the physical learning environment emerged as a significant factor, while other variables were not statistically significant. The study concludes that both school-based and home-based factors influence learners’ outcomes and recommends improving physical learning conditions, strengthening parental involvement, and implementing targeted interventions for low-performing learners in numeracy and reading.