Enhancing Grade 7 Students’ Literary Comprehension Through Role-playing Activities in Philippine Folk Narrative Lessons

Reading comprehension remains a persistent challenge among Filipino students, as reflected in national assessments and classroom performance. This study explores the effectiveness of role-playing activities in enhancing the literary comprehension of Grade 7 students, focusing on the Philippine folk narrative Ibong Adarna. Conducted during the 2024–2025 school year, the research was implemented in a purposively selected Grade 7 class known for low performance in reading comprehension. Employing a classroom-based action research design, the study utilized pre-tests and post-test to collect data. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency, mean, percentage, and standard deviation, alongside using a paired sample t-test. Results revealed that students initially exhibited limited comprehension of the literary text. However, after the integration of role-playing activities, students demonstrated significant improvements in understanding narrative structure, character development, and cultural context. The intervention also increased classroom engagement and student confidence in interpreting literary texts. The findings confirm that role-playing is an effective, interactive, and culturally responsive strategy for teaching literature. The study recommends its integration into literature instruction and further exploration of performance-based strategies in other grade levels and literary forms.