KINDERGARTEN TEACHERS' INSTRUCTIONAL PRACTICES AND PUPILS' LITERACY LEVEL IN THE THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT OF QUEZON: BASIS FOR A PROPOSED FACULTY DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK

This study assessed the instructional practices of kindergarten teachers and the literacy levels of kindergarten pupils in the Third Congressional District of Quezon as a basis for developing a faculty development framework. Employing a descriptive-correlational research design, the study examined teachers’ instructional practices in terms of knowledge of Early Childhood Education (ECE) principles, teaching strategies, classroom management, utilization of instructional materials, assessment practices, and use of visual aids and real-life examples, alongside pupils’ literacy skills in oral language, print awareness, book knowledge, alphabet knowledge, and phonological awareness. A total of 161 kindergarten teachers and school heads participated, while 388 pupils were selected through stratified random sampling. Data were gathered using a validated and pilot-tested survey questionnaire, with strict adherence to ethical standards. Descriptive statistics, including frequency counts, percentages, and weighted means, were used to determine levels of instructional practices and literacy skills, while inferential statistics were employed to examine significant relationships between variables. Findings revealed that teachers demonstrated very highly practiced instructional strategies, particularly in applying ECE principles, classroom management, and assessment methods. Pupils exhibited slightly advanced literacy skills, with strengths in oral language, print awareness, alphabet knowledge, and phonological awareness, although book knowledge emerged as an area needing improvement. A significant positive relationship was found between teachers’ instructional practices and pupils’ literacy outcomes. Based on the findings, a faculty development framework was proposed to enhance teacher competencies and improve kindergarten literacy outcomes across the district.