Abstract

This study examines the impact of teacher professional development practices on reading engagement among elementary school students. It investigates how workshops, seminars, courses, and other learning opportunities enhance teachers’ abilities to engage students in reading and promote literacy development. To assess this relationship, a study was conducted in Central Elementary Schools in the second district of Eastern Samar Division, involving 54 Grade 5 teachers through a descriptive-correlational research design.Findings reveal that teachers consistently employ feedback, reflection, mentoring, and collaboration as strategies to enhance students' reading engagement. These strategies guide students to improve their reading skills while fostering responsibility for their own learning. Mentoring programs build teaching skills and confidence while equipping educators with resources and strategies to support mentees. Among these strategies, collaboration emerged as the most significant, achieving the highest mean score of 4.67.Moreover, the study highlights that teachers engaged in professional development focused on literacy instruction are better equipped to differentiate reading activities for Grade V pupils, increasing overall reading engagement. A weighted mean score of 4.54 for student reading engagement suggests that students excel in reading, largely due to the support provided by teachers’ professional development practices. The consistent use of feedback, reflection, mentoring, and collaboration fosters a supportive learning environment that enhances students' reading progress and engagement.A strong positive correlation was found between teacher professional development practices and students’ reading engagement. Based on these findings, the study recommends providing ongoing training for teachers, regular updates on teaching strategies, and fostering a collaborative classroom environment. Furthermore, students should actively participate in feedback sessions and peer collaboration, while school principals should ensure resources and opportunities for professional development programs.