IE-BOOKLAT advances literacy, community engagement

FEU Institute of Education (IE) students led a literacy outreach program that engaged community children through storytelling, learning activities, and culturally grounded instruction. 

Rooted in the shared mission of accessible and inclusive education, IE-BOOKLAT highlights the importance of nurturing foundational literacy while fostering meaningful community engagement. Initiatives like this underscore the role of education in empowering learners and preparing future teachers to respond to diverse and real-world learning environments. 

Implemented in strong partnership with the IE Student Council (IESC), the program was designed to ignite a love for reading, nurture curiosity, and empower young learners through engaging and learner-centered experiences. Through interactive storytelling sessions, the distribution of essential school materials, and shared moments over meals, the initiative created a safe and inspiring environment where children were encouraged to explore, imagine, and grow. 

“This community extension project of [IE] aims to promote initiatives that help improve the basic literacy skills of children in the community. It also seeks to promote Filipino culture by creating big storytelling books designed to teach learners about sustainability and Filipino identity. Through this initiative, IE pre-service teachers and students engage in service learning, while also learning from the children in the community through pakikipagkapwa,” said IE faculty Ian Magallano, emphasizing the program’s dual purpose of literacy development and cultural formation. 

More than an outreach activity, IE-BOOKLAT also served as an authentic training ground for aspiring educators. By actively participating in the planning and implementation of the program, IESC leaders and student volunteers were able to bridge theory and practice—applying pedagogical concepts such as student-centered learning, empathy-driven instruction, and community engagement in real-world contexts. The experience strengthened their instructional skills while cultivating essential values such as compassion, adaptability, and ethical responsibility. 

The IE extended its gratitude to its faculty, student leaders, and volunteers whose passion and collaboration brought the initiative to actuality, reflecting a shared vision of developing educators who teach with purpose, heart, and a deep sense of responsibility to the communities they serve. 

Through initiatives like IE-BOOKLAT, FEU reinforces its role in advancing educational empowerment and community engagement, shaping future educators who are not only competent in their craft but also committed to using education as a tool for social transformation. 

Faculty members Ma. Charinna Jumel Lee, Ian Magallano, Samantha Fabellon, Angelica Alano and Maria Sofia Amparo Jimenez-Santiago with members of the IE Student Council and children in a community. FEU IE 

To learn more about the Institute of Education undergraduate programs, please visit: https://www.feu.edu.ph/institute-of-education/