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CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Do people easily understand the texts they are reading? What

language/s of a certain text do they find the hardest to comprehend? Do they

still encounter the struggle with job application forms, school policies, recipes,

newspapers, contractual agreements, and advertisements when they lack the

proficiency level of reading comprehension?

According to the conducted global survey on 2018 by Programme for

International Student Assessment (PISA), the Philippines scored the lowest in

reading comprehension among 79 participating countries. Over 600,000

students around the age of 15 joined the reading assessment of the PISA.

Filipino students got a rating of 340 points in the survey which was lower than

the average 487 points. (Luna, 2019; Merez, 2019).

Reading is one of the most important language skills for academic

success and professional development that needs focus and attention to

improve your level of reading comprehension. According to (Rutzler, 2017),

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reading comprehension involves various effects such as the enhancement of

one’s happiness, it helps you to improve your reading skills and helps not only

academically but professionally, and it tends to help infer and understand the

information in the text. Rutzler explained that “without reading comprehension

skills, children will struggle determining what is actually being asked and

said.”

On November 25, 2019, at the Philippine International Convection

Center (PICC), the Department of Education (DepEd) intensified its campaign

on reading proficiency through unveiling the Hamon: Bawat Bata Bumabasa

(3Bs) on. The DepEd’s 3Bs encourages offices from the central to division level

and schools to intensify their advocacies for reading to make every learner a

reader at their grade level and capacitate teachers to become effective reading

instructors, according to the DepEd Memorandum No. 173, s2019.

San Francisco National High School implemented the SFNHS’

Developmental Reading Enhances Active Minds and Skills (DREAMS) Program

under the Happy Schools Movement on June 24, 2019. This is a localized and

contextualized program adaption of the Reading is power program (Dominno,

2019). The program introduced a wonder wall situated in the open building of

the school. It is a board that contains literature texts (short story, poem, etc).

There are also featured quotations and some vocabularies posted on the board

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for the students to read. Also, reading corners were encouraged in every

classroom. The program determined that 49 learners of SFNHS are under the

frustration level of reading competency. Because of this, the program also

conducts a once-a-week reading remedial to the grade nine and grade ten

learners (alternate schedule) which is managed by the editorial board members

and advisers.

The researchers conduct this study to further investigate the reading

comprehension level of the SFNHS students. Also, to identify the students’

reading level whether they belong to frustration, instructional or independent

by utilizing an informal reading inventory called Burns and Roe (2005).

Theoretical Framework

To gain credibility on this research study, the researchers read,

interpreted and discussed three (3) theories that would explain why reading

comprehension level should be identified.

Rumelhart’s Schema Theory

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Rumelhart (1980) elaborated that schema theory is an explanation on

how readers use prior knowledge to comprehend and learn from text. The

fundamental principle of the schema theory assumes that written text does not

carry meaning by itself. The readers try to familiarize the text by using some

context clues to decipher its meaning.

With this theory, reading comprehension level could be determined

through the prior knowledge of the readers in order to completely understand a

certain text.

The Bottom-Up Theory of Reading

Forstall (2019) explained that theory relies on direct and explicit

instruction of the components of reading throughout early childhood education

like phonics, spelling and the alphabet. This involves a step-by-step mastery of

reading components so that the student eventually becomes literate. This

theory suggests that “reading is basically a process of translating graphic

symbols into speech during oral or silent reading.”

Bottom-Up theory could justify the fact that people should know the

primary steps before they could comprehend the texts they are reading.

The Top-down Reading Model Theory

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Friedman (2019) elaborated that the goal of this reading model theory is

to make students become active readers with rich vocabularies and

comprehension skills. This posits that “it is the connection between what a

reader’s unique brain perceives when reading and the words on the page that

produces meaning.” It is also about the readers’ interpretation about the texts

they are reading whether it differs from the author/writer.

This theory could prove the truth that reading comprehension could also

be identified on how readers interpret the texts they are reading.

Conceptual Framework

Reading is one of the fundamental skills that a person should acquire in

order to internalize information and develop a better understanding in various

fields. One factor on poor academic learning of students is the lack of reading

skills with possible factors such as the quality of instruction, lack of reading

materials, the student themselves and their backgrounds and due to their

inability to read English with comprehension students learn least on subject

areas; English, Mathematics, and Science (Sun Star Pampanga, 2016).

Learning starts with reading. Being able to understand and know what is the

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meaning of each word, it already makes something easier to comprehend and

by that, it influences how students develop their ideas and interests towards

any topics they encounter.

Reading comprehension is a skill that allows people to easily find job,

policies, and regulations. Glenberg (2011) stated that it is the ability to take

effective action on the basis of affordances related to the body, the physical

world, personal goals and cultural norms. Reading encompasses

comprehension, fluency and word recognition. Many of the students should

have the ability to decipher the meaning of a certain text in order to use in

their daily lives. It could help them in enriching their vocabularies, knowledge

and a wider view about the world.

Students who can read well will most likely understand any topic more

than students who possesses poor reading skills. In the study of Cayubit

(2012), “it is given that any Filipino child with sufficient reading skills would

have greater chances of success in school compared to a child whose reading

skills are poor and more often than not those with poor reading skills when

assessed properly are diagnosed with reading disability”. Bookworm and

students who have sufficient reading skills also depicts that they are more

interested in learning things but also, it’s significant to know what factors

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contributes on having poor reading skill to determine and help students to

prosper.

Having the skill of reading a certain text with understanding is

considered to be an important ability on the present society. It mobilizes

students to move beyond knowing individual vocabulary and statements to

create a solid understanding of the passage (Woolley, 2011). However, there are

still a substantial number of people who are below the proficiency level of

reading comprehension. This is an indication that people should conduct

further study on developing the reading comprehension skill of the students.

Without adequate reading comprehension skill, most of the students will find it

difficult to deal with many subject areas in the school.

There are three possible strategies that could be considered as beneficial

to the development of the SFNHS students’ reading comprehension skill:

Peer-assisted Learning Strategy is another evidence-based strategy that

is beneficial for increasing reading comprehension for all students. It is a

commonly known instructional method used to enhance students’ reading

comprehension through engaging in a peer-tutoring activity. In this method,

teachers pair a skilled reader with an unskilled reader and allow them to

cooperatively engage in different activities that are designed to improve reading

comprehension (Rafdal et al., 2011). It was considered to be an effective

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instructional method designed by Doug Fuchs, Lynn Fuchs and Debbie

Simmon as a collaboration project.

Informal Reading Inventories (IRIs) are individually administered

diagnostic assessments designed to evaluate a number of different aspects of

students’ reading performance. In Burns-Roe Informal Reading Inventory

(Turner, 2018), students are tested with a running record of their word

recognition, comprehension, and reading rate made while they read a grade-

level book. Independent reading level is the highest level at which a reader has

adequate background knowledge for the topic, and can access text very quickly

and with very few errors. Instructional reading level is a high level at which a

reader is not independent, but has adequate background knowledge for a topic,

and can access text quickly and with no or few errors. Frustration reading

level includes text for which a reader does not have adequate background level

for a topic and/or cannot meet criteria for instructional levels of accuracy and

rate.

Independent Reading Level Relatively easy for the students to read 99% of

the words correctly with 90% comprehension

Instructional Reading Level Challenging but manageable for the readers

with 85% correct word recognition with at least

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75% comprehension

Frustration Reading Level Difficult text for the students to read who

reached less than 85%-word recognition and fell

below 50% comprehension

Cloze Assessment is a classroom reading technique used to measure

students’ reading comprehension level. It is a cognitive task that measures

reading comprehension by providing students with a written passage in which

certain vocabulary is missing at fixed intervals in the passage. The students’

job is to supply the words that have been deleted from the passage (Gellert &

Elbro, 2013). It can also be a helpful tool in determining whether or not the

reading material developed for a particular grade level is appropriate for the

students’ reading ability (Spinelli, 2012).

1. DEMOGRAPHIC Analysis on:

PROCESS
INPUT OUTPUT
PROFILE
1.1 Age - Reading
1.2 Sex competence level
Reading
1.3 Strategies:
Grade level of the SFNHS
& Section students
Peer-assisted - Homogeneity of
2. Reading
Learning
Comprehension rating
Strategy,
LevelInformal
of the
Students of San Utilized:
Reading - Pre-survey,
Francisco
Inventory, and
National Burns-Roe tally
ClozeHigh sheet, Frequency
School
Assessment count,9 averaging
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Figure 1. Research Paradigm

On the figure shown above, it presented the Input-Process-Output model

to illustrate the relationships of variables. Under the inputs of the research,

demographic profile of the students when grouped according to age, sex, and

grade level & section in SFNHS and their reading comprehension level were

included. The processes to be followed were analysis on reading competence

level of the SFNHS students and homogeneity of rating. Then, the data will be

tabulated to find out the result of the study. Pre-survey, frequency count,

Burns and Roe tally sheet, and averaging will be utilized. The output or result

will be the recommendation of reading strategies such as Peer-assisted

Learning Strategy, Story Mapping, Self-questioning, and Cloze Assessment.

Statement of the Problem

Generally, this research study aimed to determine the level of reading

comprehension of the San Francisco National High School students.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following questions:

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1. What is the reading comprehension level of the SFNHS students when

grouped according to:

1.1 Age

1.2 Sex

1.3 Grade level & Section

2. What is the reading comprehension level of the students of SFNHS?

3. Where do their reading level belong? Is it frustration, instructional or

independent?

Scope and Delimitation

This study was only delimited to the officially enrolled students of San

Francisco National High School, San Francisco Sur, Sudipen, La Union school

year 2019-2020. This is delimited only to the selected respondents of this study

from the students of Grade 7 – Molave, Grade 7 – Eucalyptus, Grade 8 –

Mahogany, Grade 8 – Gmelina, Grade 9 – Yakal, Grade 9 – Acacia, Grade 10 –

Narra, Grade 10 – Tanguile, Grade 11 – Cypress and Grade 12 – Catmon. The

participants were from San Francisco Sur, San Francisco Norte, San Jose and

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Bigbiga. However, on the conduct of the study, students who were absent were

not included. The focus of this study is to thoroughly determine the level of

reading comprehension of the students in SFNHS. This is not intended to

mainly identify and assess the reading comprehension levels of the students in

other mediums like Filipino, Iloko, etc.

Objectives of the Study

The two main objectives of the study were primarily focused on enabling

the students to know their level of reading comprehension whether it is

independent, instructional or frustration.

1. To be able to investigate further on the reading comprehension level of

the SFNHS students.

2. To identify the students’ reading level whether they belong to frustration,

instructional or independent.

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Significance of the Study

This study will be undertaken to find out the level of reading

comprehension of the students in San Francisco National High School and to

know whether they belong to frustration, instructional or independent reading

level.

Vital results of the study could be highly significant and beneficial

specifically to the following:

The Students. This study will benefit the students in knowing their own level

of reading comprehension. For them to be aware on their strengths and

weaknesses, they should look forward on the different stages of

developmental reading. This could serve as an instrument to discern the

importance of reading comprehension in their lives.

The Teachers/Instructors. They will be gaining insights as to what measures

are appropriate to help the students in improving their reading

competence. This research study could be an instrument to give them

additional information about reading comprehension.

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The Parents. This study will be of great significance since they can assist their

children in the developmental reading strategies. They could have better

understanding on the importance of reading comprehension skills to the

future works of their children.

The Future Researchers. This research study will make them aware and

knowledgeable of the reading levels involved in reading comprehension.

They will gain adequate information to those who will undergo

developmental strategies in reading and how it benefited the

respondents.

Definition of Terms

Reading – multifaceted process involving word recognition, comprehension,

fluency, and motivation.

Comprehension - the action or capability of understanding something.

SFNHS – San Francisco National High School

Reading comprehension - an interactive process that occurs before, during

and after a person reads a particular piece of writing.

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Fluency - defined as the ability to read with speed, accuracy, and proper

expression.

IRI – Informal Reading Inventory

REFERENCE

Sanford, K. (2015). Factors that affect the reading comprehension of secondary

students with disabilities. Retrieved from

https://repository.usfca.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?

article=1125&content=diss

Rutzler, S. (2017). Importance of reading comprehension. Retrieved from

https://www.mathgenie.com/blog/importance-of-reading-

comprehension

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Reading Levels (2019). Retrieved from

https://uurc.utah.edu/General/ReadingLevels.php

Friedman, A. (2019). The top-down-reading model theory. Retrieved from

https://www.theclassroom.com/top-down-reading-model-theory-13028

A critical analysis of eight informal reading inventories. (2014). Retrieved from

https://www.readingrockets.org/article/critical-analysis-eight-informal-

reading-inventories

Almutairi, N.R. (2018). Effective reading strategies for increasing the reading

comprehension level of third-grade students with learning disabilities.

Retrieved from https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/dissertations/3247

White, B. (2012). Understanding reading comprehension performance in high

school students. Retrieved from

Estremera, M.L. (2017). Factors affecting the reading comprehension of grade

six pupils in the city division of Sorsogon, Philippines as basis for the

development of instructional materials. Retrieved from

https://www.apjeas.apjmr.com

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Hartley, C. (2015). Teacher attitudes of the effectiveness of reading

comprehension strategies and interventions. Retrieved from

https://mds.marshall.edu/etd

Seymour, K. (2017). Schema theory and reading comprehension. Retrieved

from https://wehavekids.com/education/Read

Turner, K. (2018). Frustration level materials increase reading achievement.

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increase-reading-achievement

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