The Lived Experiences of Teachers in Handling the Learning Gaps of Grade 4 Learners

Authors

  • Lovella Jean D. Bade Department of Education Region XII, Division of South Cotabato, Polonuling Central Elementary School, Philippines
  • Francisco M. Espinosa, EdD Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Colleges image/svg+xml

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63671/ijeir.v2i3.128

Keywords:

educational management, teachers, learning gaps, Grade 4 learners, phenomenology, Philippines

Abstract

This study explored the experiences of Grade 4 teachers in addressing the learning gaps of learners and examined how they navigated the challenges associated with supporting diverse academic needs. Employing a qualitative phenomenological research design, the study investigated teachers’ lived experiences and the meanings they attributed to their instructional practices. Thirteen Grade 4 teachers were purposively selected as participants, with six participating in in-depth individual interviews and seven in a focus group discussion. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis. The findings generated three clustered themes: challenges, coping mechanisms, and lessons learned. Teachers’ experiences revealed challenges related to teaching struggles, the lingering effects of the pandemic, learners’ academic difficulties, and limitations in instructional strategies. To address these learning gaps, teachers employed flexible instructional approaches, provided instructional support, implemented remedial interventions, adjusted teaching practices to learner needs, and fostered learner motivation and engagement. The experiences further highlighted the importance of compassionate teaching, continuous refinement of instructional strategies, and patience in supporting learners with varying levels of academic readiness. This study contributes to the growing body of research on learning recovery by providing insights into teachers lived experiences and adaptive practices in addressing learning gaps. The findings underscore the need for sustained professional support, evidence-based intervention programs, and inclusive teaching approaches to strengthen learning recovery efforts and improve educational outcomes among elementary learners.

References

Agyapong, B., Obuobi-Donkor, G., Burback, L., & Wei, Y. (2022). Stress, burnout, anxiety and depression among teachers: A scoping review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(17), 10706. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph191710706

Al-Labadi, L., Bataineh, M., Siddiqui, N., Sun, M., & Yu, X. (2025). Resilience in education: Understanding learning gaps during COVID-19. Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education. https://doi.org/10.1108/JARHE-11-2024-0605

Allbright, T. N., Marsh, J. A., Kennedy, K. E., Hough, H. J., & McKibben, S. (2019). Social-emotional learning practices: Insights from outlier schools. Journal of Research in Innovative Teaching & Learning, 12(1), 35-52. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIT-02-2019-0020

Attard, C., & Holmes, K. (2022). An exploration of teacher and student perceptions of blended learning in four secondary mathematics classrooms. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 34(4), 719-740. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-020-00359-2

Azorín, C. (2020). Beyond COVID-19 supernova. Is another education coming?. Journal of Professional Capital and Community, 5(3-4), 381-390. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPCC-05-2020-0019

Batubara, B. M. (2021). The problems of the world of education in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic. Budapest International Research and Critics Institute (BIRCI-Journal): Humanities and Social Sciences, 4(1), 450-457. https://doi.org/10.33258/birci.v4i1.1626

Biswas, B., Roy, S. K., & Roy, F. (2020). Students perception of mobile learning during COVID-19 in Bangladesh: University student perspective. https://doi.org/10.29333/aquademia/8443

Cardichon, J., Darling-Hammond, L., Yang, M., Scott, C., Shields, P. M., & Burns, D. (2020). Inequitable opportunity to learn: Student access to certified and experienced teachers. Learning Policy Institute. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED603398

Carroll, A., Forrest, K., Sanders-O’Connor, E., Flynn, L., Bower, J. M., Fynes-Clinton, S., & Ziaei, M. (2022). Teacher stress and burnout in Australia: Examining the role of intrapersonal and environmental factors. Social Psychology of Education, 25(2), 441-469. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-022-09686-7

Chin, M. J., Quinn, D. M., Dhaliwal, T. K., & Lovison, V. S. (2020). Bias in the air: A nationwide exploration of teachers’ implicit racial attitudes, aggregate bias, and student outcomes. Educational Researcher, 49(8), 566-578. https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X20937240

Elangovan, S., Mahrous, A., & Marchini, L. (2020). Disruptions during a pandemic: Gaps identified and lessons learned. Journal of Dental Education, 84(11), 1270-1274. https://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.12236

Elumalai, K. V., Sankar, J. P., Kalaichelvi, R., John, J. A., Menon, N., Alqahtani, M. S. M., & Abumelha, M. A. (2021). Factors affecting the quality of e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic from the perspective of higher education students. COVID-19 and Education: Learning and Teaching in a Pandemic-Constrained Environment, 189(3), 169. https://doi.org/10.28945/4628

Esteve-Mon, F., Llopis, M., & Adell-Segura, J. (2020). Digital competence and computational thinking of student teachers. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (IJET), 15(2), 29-41. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v15i02.11588

Fabbro, A., Fabbro, F., Capurso, V., D’Antoni, F., & Crescentini, C. (2020). Effects of mindfulness training on school teachers’ self-reported personality traits as well as stress and burnout levels. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 127(3), 515-532. https://doi.org/10.1177/003151252090870

Galanakis, M., Alexandri, E., Kika, K., Lelekanou, X., Papantonopoulou, M., Stougiannou, D., & Tzani, M. (2020). What is the source of occupational stress and burnout?. Psychology, 11(05), 647. https://doi.org/10.4236/psych.2020.115044

Gamage, S. H., Ayres, J. R., & Behrend, M. B. (2022). A systematic review on trends in using Moodle for teaching and learning. International Journal of STEM Education, 9(1), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-021-00323-x

Heilporn, G., Lakhal, S., & Bélisle, M. (2021). An examination of teachers’ strategies to foster student engagement in blended learning in higher education. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 18(1), 1-25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-021-00260-3

Huck, C., & Zhang, J. (2021). Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on K-12 education: A systematic literature review. New Waves-Educational Research and Development Journal, 24(1), 53-84. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1308731

Maatuk, A. M., Elberkawi, E. K., Aljawarneh, S., Rashaideh, H., & Alharbi, H. (2022). The COVID-19 pandemic and e-learning: Challenges and opportunities from the perspective of students and instructors. Journal of Computing in Higher Education, 34(1), 21-38. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12528-021-09274-2

Montacute, R., & Cullinane, C. (2021). Learning in lockdown. Research Brief. Sutton Trust. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED613179

Pokhrel, S., & Chhetri, R. (2021). A literature review on impact of COVID-19 pandemic on teaching and learning. Higher Education for the Future, 8(1), 133-141. https://doi.org/10.1177/2347631120983481

Quines, L. A., & Relacion, M. C. D. (2022). The mediating effect of school climate on the relationship between teacher communication behavior and student engagement. European Journal of Education Studies, 9(11). https://oapub.org/edu/index.php/ejes/article/view/4521

Raes, A., Detienne, L., Windey, I., & Depaepe, F. (2020). A systematic literature review on synchronous hybrid learning: Gaps identified. Learning Environments Research, 23(3), 269-290. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10984-019-09303-z

Sanusi, I. T., Oyelere, S. S., & Omidiora, J. O. (2022). Exploring teachers' preconceptions of teaching machine learning in high school: A preliminary insight from Africa. Computers and Education Open, 3, 100072. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeo.2021.100072

Taghizadeh, M., & Hasani Yourdshahi, Z. (2020). Integrating technology into young learners' classes: language teachers' perceptions. Computer Assisted Language Learning, 33(8), 982-1006. https://doi.org/10.1080/09588221.2019.1618876

Tarkar, P. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on education system. International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology, 29(9), 3812-3814. https://doi.org/10.58578/ajstea.v3i2.5255

Turner, K., & Theilking, M. (2019). Teacher wellbeing: Its effects on teaching practice and student learning. Issues in Educational Research, 29(3), 938-960. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1222678

Vargas Rubilar, N., & Oros, L. B. (2021). Stress and burnout in teachers during times of pandemic. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 756007. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.756007

Westphal, A., Kalinowski, E., Hoferichter, C. J., & Vock, M. (2022). K− 12 teachers' stress and burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 920326. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.920326

Yu, L., Yazici, V. O., Liu, X., Weijer, J. V. D., Cheng, Y., & Ramisa, A. (2019). Learning metrics from teachers: Compact networks for image embedding. In Proceedings of the IEEE/CVF Conference on Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition (pp. 2907-2916). https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.1904.03624

Zhu, X., & Liu, J. (2020). Education in and after Covid-19: Immediate responses and long-term visions. Postdigital Science and Education, 2(3), 695-699. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42438-020-00126-3

Downloads

Published

2026-07-03

Issue

Vol. 2 No. 3: July-September 2026

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Educational Innovations and Research

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

D. Bade, L. J., & Espinosa, F. M. (2026). The Lived Experiences of Teachers in Handling the Learning Gaps of Grade 4 Learners. International Journal of Educational Innovations and Research, 2(3), 13-22. https://doi.org/10.63671/ijeir.v2i3.128

Similar Articles

21-30 of 50

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.

Most read articles by the same author(s)