ENVIRONMENTAL STATUS AND ENGLISH PERFORMANCE OF GRADE

10 STUDENTS IN EMA EMITS COLLEGE PHILIPPINES FOR THE S.Y.

2020-2021

An Research presented to
EMA EMITS COLLEGPHILIPPINES
Mh. Del Pilar St. Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro

In partial fullfilment of the requirements

fo the subject Practical Research

Mendros, Jomar S.

2022
 Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Environment is one variable which affects how a person reacts or

performs activities. Since the human brain requires an optimal place for

processing, the best surroundings should be free of compromise. Nowadays,

students do not have the luxury to choose their environment; hence, they

make the best out of the situation. According to a survey, teens reported their

stress levels during the school year far exceeded what they believed to be

healthy (Bethune, 2014). Meanwhile, Filipinos remain to be as one of the most

popularly-known English users in the world; therefore, it is just normal to

assume that they are adept when it comes to the language. This is true as

Philippines scored above global and Asia averages in the 2019 English

Proficiency Index, which measures the average level of English language

skills among economies based on the results of the Standard English Test.

Although it is higher than average, the 2019 iteration of the index showed

60.14 out of 100 which is lower than its 2018 score of 61.84, suggesting a

deterioration in proficiency. As students, the researchers want to confirm the

relationship between the environmental status and the performance of the

students to help uplift the on-going deterioration in the proficiency in English.

In order to set the scope for the variable environmental status, the

researchers has broken it down to several factors, mainly into two

dimensions: physical and psychological

 School environment’s physical structure is a critical variable in affecting

student morale and learning (Phillips, 2014). The physical environment of the

school is important as it fosters an atmosphere conducive to learning.

Availability of technology and instructional materials helps in a more efficient

absorption of knowledge, and even lighting and ventilation greatly affects the

comfortability of students. Home environment is also a vital factor of a

student’s environment. Unstable, noisy, chaotic home environments have

negative effects on children’s health and development (Schmeer and Yoon,

2016) The home’s physical environment is important as some school works

are carried out at home; thus, having reliable technological devices as well as

a sufficient study place is significant in learning. Family, on the other hand,

are the ones who provide most of the physical needs of a student. Also, they

can also affect other dimensions of wellbeing of a student such as the mental

and emotional aspect. Studies have shown that social relationships,

particularly family relationships, can have both long- and short-term effects on

one’s mental health (Mental Health Center, 2016). The family’s support

evidently influences their motivation in learning. Friends also play an

important role in the educational process. They provide support and resources

and can both encourage and discourage academic achievement (Flashman,

2015). They can influence a person psychologically as behaviors may

possibly be adapted and in turn influence a person’s thinking. Friends

comprise a significant share of a person’s social life; therefore, it is a vital

aspect of the psychological wellbeing of students. Peer relationships is

another significant factor to be considered in a student’s environment.

Students socialize with other people even without having as deep as the
bonda of friends. Students, for one, are acquainted with most of their

classmates but does not necessarily shares friendship with each other, yet

still participates with social activities as a group. Peer influence can dictate

students’ decision-making, the risky behavior they engage in, and their

academic achievement (Preez, 2021). Hence, collection of data regarding

these indicators to show its relationship with students’ academic performance

is seemingly important. However, these five factors have been evidently

inconsistent as it may show drastic changes in a short period of time, making

it hard to collect accurate data especially for the researchers of the present

study. Also, other variables such as internal factors may also affect how these

external factors influence a person which may also impact the reliability of the

collected data. This research reports how environment, regarding its physical

and psychological dimensions, affects students’ performance in the subject

English. Globally, researches regarding the effects of the environmental

status are growing. However, given the fact that the problem remains

unsolved suggests that there is still a deficiency of knowledge regarding this

subject, especially in the researchers’ locality wherein various issues

regarding the environment still constantly arises. Thus, this study shall help

supply the lack of data and aid in future decisions regarding educational

changes in the local area. Problems regarding the aforementioned factors still

prove to be prominent especially in the researchers’ locality. Although school

facilities have been evidently improving year-by-year, the ability to provide a

perfect school environment still seems to be out-of-reach due to the

insufficient financing especially on the researchers’ local private schools,

same as the physical home environment in some areas in the locality which
are clearly substandard. On the other hand, friends and peers continue to

influence students both positively and negatively. Friends receive the major

share of a student’s social life and in turn, greatly affect one’s life, while peers

can indirectly influence students as a part of their social group. Lastly,

emotional support from some families also shows to be lacking, affecting

students’ motivation. Choosing the target respondents for this study required

the researchers to take into account the year level, population, grades in the

English subject, and lastly, personal experiences taking the most

considerations. Junior High School students were seen as the potential

department to be examined since each level provides a more controlled

scenario due to their subjects being identical. Out of the four year levels,

Grade 10 students were chosen as the respondents because of their

adequate population and their grades in the English subject having a wide

range. Also, the researchers believe that Grade 10 students would prove to

be the most reliable source of data as it has the highest difficulty among all

the levels in Junior High School, making external factors to be more impactful.

With the recent continuous decline in English proficiency among Filipinos, it is

crucial to investigate the instigators behind it. As English-Major Education

students, the researchers view the issue as concerning and relevant.

Cultivating the said language is a part of the researchers’ mission, which shall

assist in strengthening the foundation of English in the country. Hence, the

researchers are motivated to study the possible effects of the environmental

status on the English performance of students.

Statement of the Problem

This study was geared towards determining whether or not the students’

environment plays a role in learning English. Thus, this research discussed

the influence of students’ environment on the academic performance of Grade

10 students in English during the School Year 2020-2021. To guide this study,

the following questions were formulated.

1. What is the perceived status of students’ environment in terms of:

1.1 Physical;

1.2 School Environment;

1.3 Home Environment;

1.4 Psychological

1.5 Family;

1.6 Friends; and

1.7 Peers?

2. What is the level of English performance of Grade 10 students?

3. Is there a significant relationship between students’ environment and the

English performance? Statement of the Hypothesis There is no significant

relationship between enivironmental status and English performance of Grade

10 students for the S.Y. 2020-2021

Significance of the Study

 The result of the study would be significant to the following:

Administration. This study shall provide significant data within the locale,

which shall assist in future decisions of the administration regarding

educational changes and improvements. Teachers. This research shall serve

as a guiding tool on what problems students are facing today. It shall help

teachers provide assistance to students in various compromises in the

environment, most especially in the school. This research may also help in

improving the critical pedagogy as they familiarize factors needed for better

learning of their students. Parents. This research shall help parents in proper

guidance of their children towards academic excellence as it may offer

insights of the factors influencing students’ performance, especially problems

arising in the home environment. Students. This study will provide information

on how the environment of a student affects his/her productivity in the subject

English. This will in turn help to mitigate problems regarding the factors stated

by this research; thus, it shall assist in getting better grades and, more

importantly, better mental health. Future Researchers. This study shall

provide an essential significance to other similar studies as well as serve as a

stepping-stone for future researchers who shall study a similar subject as this

research. 7 Scope and Limitation of the Study This research focused only on

environmental status and the English perfromance of 136 Grade 10 students

for the S.Y. 2020-2021. Environmental status only covered school

environment, home environment, family, friends, and peers while English

performance only covered the grade of Grade 10 students in the subject

English for S.Y. 2019-2020. This study did not cover social media and the

school administration as these factors are already given significant attention.

This study aimed to expose other possible and less considered factors which

may affect students’ performance. Definition of Terms To maintain a

consistent understanding of terms, the following definitions were used

throughout the study. The words used in this study are defined conceptually

and operationally. English Performance. It refers to students’ ability to use

English to make and communicate meaning verbally and in writing during their

program of study (University of Southern Queensland, 2020). It is referred in

this study as the average rating of the Grade 10 students in the subject

English for S.Y. 2020-2021. Environmental Status. It is defined as the

physical, psychological and social circumstances that affect a person’s

wellbeing as a student and how one experiences their studies (University of

Gothenburg, 2020). In this study, it is referred as the physical and

psychological factors that can radiate influence of students’ performance such

as school environment, home environment, family, friends, and peers. 8

Family. It is defined as two or more people who share goals and values, have

longterm commitments to one another and reside usually in the same dwelling

(Blessing, 2019). In this study, it refers to the mental and emotional support

between students and their family members. Friends. It refers to someone

other than one’s family or partner that they share close affection with (Marie

Miguel, 2021). In this study, it is referred to as the social interaction between

students and people they share a deep bond with that affects their

psychological wellbeing. Home Environment. It is defined as the presence of

emotional warmth and support displayed by parents while interacting with

their children and among siblings, provision of stimulating and learning

experiences in the home; and physical surroundings (Bradley and Kao, 2011).
In this study, it refers to the physical environment where students are brought

up. Peers. It is a social group whose members have interests, social

positions, and age in common (Social Science LibreTexts, 2020). It is referred

in this study as a social interaction between students and other people they

are acquainted with that can bring influence with one another. School

Environment. It refers to the set of relationships that occur among members of

a school community that are determined by structural, personal, and

functional factors of the institution (Frontiers, 2020). In this study, it is referred

to as the diverse physical locations, cultures that may have direct or indirect

influence on student learning.

Theoretical Framework

According to Herbert J. Walberg’s Theory of Educational Productivity

(1981), students who became more confident regarding their learning abilities,

who were more motivated, and who were organized in their approach to work

performed better in school. Students’ performances vary depending on what

environment he/she is in, as the theory suggests that it affects them

psychologically, and therefore affecting mental processing. Significant

influential domains include classroom management, parental support,

studentteacher interactions, social-behavioral attributes, motivational-effective

attributes, the peer group, school culture, and classroom climate, all of which

are environmental factors contributing to productivity of students. In parallel to

the previous theory, Watson’s Behaviorism Theory (1924) explains that all

behavior is no more than a response to external stimuli. This suggests that

mental processing and productivity may also vary depending on what

environment a student is in. It also states that any task can be taught with the

right conditioning, or in other words, an optimal environment for learning.

Walberg’s Theory of Educational Productivity provides the foundation of this

study as it serves as the basis of the subject of this research. The present

study focuses on how the environment affects performance and Walberg’s

Theory strengthens this research’s idea, as the theory states that influential

domains in the environment are significant in productivity of students. Factors

used by the researchers in this study which are hypothesized as influential to

students’ academic performance are greatly aligned with the influential

domains mentioned by Walberg. Also, these domains served as a guide of

what specific data are required to be collected, reflected on the researchers’

set of questionnaires. 10 On the other hand, Watson’s Behaviorism Theory

serves as a support on this study’s hypothesis that people’s minds react

differently based on what environment humans are exposed to. School

environment, peer relationships, and the home environment instigates

different behaviors on students. Depending on its conditions, it may be proven

positively or negatively influencing students’ academic performance. Thus,

Watson’s theory shall help backup the idea that the performance of students

is based on their environment. As indicated by Locke’s Tabula Rasa Theory

(1690), all people are born a blank slate and all knowledge comes from

outside through sensory experience. Locke believes that there is no innate

knowledge. Through input, people are able to gather data and one’s output

solely depends on what knowledge passed through the brain. Hence, a

person’s overall makeup is the product of what environment he/she was

exposed to, since there is said to be no “internal” knowledge. Locke’s Theory

assisted the researchers to better understand the influence of one’s

environment on a person as it emphasizes its effects on the utmost level.

Tabula Rasa Theory explains that a person can be compared to a blank slate

and that all knowledge or experience comes from the environment. Locke’s

Theory further supports the present study’s idea regarding the significance of

the learning environment and its essentiality on students’ academic

performance. The Tabula Rasa Theory helped the researchers formulate the

hypothesis that the environment affects how students think, and therefore

affects their performance

Conceptual Framework Figure

Environmental Status in terms

of:
1. Physical
1.1 School Environment English Performance of
1.2 HomeEnvironment Grade 10 Students for the
S.Y. 2020-2021
2. Psychological
2.1 Family
2.2 Friends
2.3 Peer

Hypothesized relationship between variables The independent variable

“Environmental Status” consists of two indicators which are physical and

psychological wherein “physical” consists of school environment and home

environment while “psychological” consists of family, friends, and peers;

whereas the dependent variable is “English Performance of Grade 10

Students for the S.Y. 2020- 2021, measured through their grades. The single-
headed arrow represents the hypothetical relationship between the two

variables.

Chapter II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter presents the related literature and studies from both local

and foreign references to further explain and point out essential ideas in the

study being conducted. Related Literature Foreign Learning environment

remains an important area that should be studied and well managed to

enhance students’ academic performance for it provides the foundation for

learning and is an element of the student life that can affect grades.

Environment can also be considered as a complex set of physical and

psychological conditions that surrounds an individual and determines his

performance. Lippman (2010) stated that the environment shapes the learner,

and that learners influence their environment in the education attainment.

Such school, peer, and home environment play a large role in molding the

children to be successful member of the society starting on his/her academic

achievement. Still, an individual is the one who holds control on how to be

affected by his/her environment. Within schools, it is vital to make provision of

resources that can be utilized to enhance the academic performance of

students. The textbooks, notes, learning materials, hand-outs, technology,

and library facilities in any subject should include the essential materials.
When students will be provided the necessary tools and equipment, they will

be able to acquire a better understanding regarding the academic subject. In

some cases, especially the students belonging to deprived, marginalized and

socio-economically 13 backward sections of the society cannot afford books

and materials require for learning. Hence, they are dependent upon the library

facilities and fellow students to obtain the books and other materials (Mania,

2010). Abebe and Davidson (2012) also make this point that students are

eager to learn vocabulary with the assistance of visual materials and the use

of visual materials enhances the students’ ability and opportunity to express

idea and feelings. The use of audio-visual aids helps students to understand

lessons more and improves their English language skills such as

pronunciation or conversational skills through listening to native speakers

(Mathew and Alidmat, 2014). On the other hand, Souriyavongsa, et. al (2013)

is of the view that uninteresting teaching style, insufficient for communicative

activities, unclear instructions, large class size, teachers’ limited ability and

lack of teaching aids or technology were the causes of problems of learner’s

learning competence. Meaning to say, learning environment that gives

student freedom to make choices will encourage them to be physically,

emotionally and mentally involved in the learning process so that it could bring

up a creative and productive activities. Teachers’ teaching style and strategies

are being used to encourage a conducive learning climate. Relevant to the

present study, the ideas presented above support the claim that school

environment can greatly affect the academic performance of students. School

promotes an environment in which students are more likely to excel in

academics, specifically in the subject English. As the school neglects the

needs of students’ in having a healthy learning environment, then it can

possibly fall on their academic achievement. 14 Meanwhile, according to

Kudari (2016), home is referred to as the place from where the foundation of

learning and education take place. In order to produce good academic

outcomes, it is vital for the parents, children and other family members to

encourage a learning atmosphere within homes. For instance, when students

experience problems in certain subject, then parents are responsible for

providing help. This help may be in the form of private tuitions or they

themselves may teach their children. Parents play an important role in leading

to operative growth and development of their children. In schools, whatever

problems that the children go through regarding academics and other areas

they normally communicate with their parents. Supportive to the statement

above, Kapur (2018) asserted that home environment should be amiable and

pleasant in order to generate appropriate academic outcomes in certain

subject. Within home, among the family members, it is vital to initiate

measures to form effective terms and relationships. They should

communicate with each other in an appropriate manner and minimize the

occurrence of conflicts so that children would be able to open up on them

about his/her concern in certain subject. It would probably be of great help

that parents know what the child needed; hence, it is vital for parents to

ensure that all children are provided with necessary materials to enhance their

learning. The availability of materials and amiable environment conditions with

the home are essential for the students to focus upon studies and generate

the desired academic outcomes. The above assertions hold a support on the

role of home environment in the holistic development of children such as

making them achieve the desirable goals. It creates a role on how the student

come up with their academic performance. A child grows motivated, active,

inclined to be successful and outspoken when trained at home. It calls for

strict 15 parental involvement or awareness on the obligations towards

children’s academic, linguistic and non-academic development. The amount

of motivation and encouragement a person has for himself and he receives

from others are enough for him/her to aim high. No matter how difficult for an

individual to acquire and master a specific task or subject, English for

example, if he/she feels that someone, may it be from the family, friends and

mentors, believes in him, a magnetic and positive response will automatically

come out its way to make things amazingly beautiful. According to Olalekan

(2016), it is generally observed that peer group has a lot of influence on

students. This is seen from the role played by the peer group in the life and

learning of a child; it is believed that students feel more comfortable and

relaxed among fellow students. A child who is brilliant and surrounded by dull

friends would lose interest in learning. On the other hand, a peer group which

inclined to study would have positive effect on a dull member towards learning

and stimulate his/ her interest in learning. Peers can have negative influence;

they can encourage each other to skip classes, steal, cheat, use drugs or

alcohol, or become involved in other risky behavior. It may also lead to

decision to have boyfriend or girlfriend or indulge an individual into loitering

about in the streets, watching films and attending parties during school hours

(Aries, 2011). In addition, peers may take on a particularly heightened

significance for adolescence. It is developmentally on their peer group (and to

be attuned to their peer group) as opposed to their family of origin as they

progress through middle and high school (Rodkin and Tipsord, 2011)

Peer influence appears to be a powerful force affecting educational choices

and whether students undertake important investments that could improve

academic performance or outcomes. There is every tendency that the kinds of

friends adolescents keep in school shaped their appreciation for their

academic and academic achievement. The above assertions deliberately

explain that an individual may at and be develop according to his/her peer

group in which it can be linked to the present study on how peer environment

takes a great part towards a child’s academic performance. Local Learning is

not an easy task for students. It is essential for them to have a healthy

learning environment. In the other hand, factors such as school, home and

peer environment prove to have a vivid connection within the course of their

academic achievement. Evidence from around the world has shown that

improving school infrastructure leads to better learning outcomes. For

example, a 2011 review of the economic literature over the last 20 years

showed that the availability of basic school infrastructure (such as classroom,

desk, and chairs) and facilities (such as electricity, libraries and blackboards)

is frequently associated with better student learning achievement (World

Bank, 2016). In addition, Muyong, et. al. (2014) asserted that the classroom

climate influences the students’ achievement, self-esteem and their

participation in class. In some parts, the most important aspect of classroom

climate is the relationship between teacher and student. An effective

classroom climate can be characterized from the effective utilization of

teacher’s authority to manage and organize the class. 17 Having the

conviction that schools can make the difference in the life of learners, school

must determine different factors that support student to attain human

flourishing. The school must have an internal environment consisting of its

physical set-up, management, quality of teachers, effective teaching methods,

positive and social learning conditions, and strong home-school link which

constitute everything about the school as an idea learning environment. (Asia

Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 2017). School environment

cannot be ignored. The statement above creates an impact towards school

environment as it can be a source of students’ performance like for example

in the subject English. School should provide a favorable learning

environment for it can create a dramatic effect to academic success and

wellbeing. According to Nuqui, et. al (2017), home environment which affects

the academic performance of students is another factor. Parents do their

responsibility to provide such environment that suits best for the academic

success of their children. It is also important that parents can better

communicate with their children regarding school works, activities and other

information being taught in school. This solidifies the idea that home

environment and the English performance of students is associated with one

another. When children have concerns in academics, parents do their part as

motivator, sources of security and encouragement. In home environment,

parents should be aware of their role in the education of their children and

they should not unnecessarily pressurize their children for good performance.

Rather, they have to set achievable target within their children’s capability.

According to Ibanez, et. al (2017), peers have direct influence to every

adolescent, which makes them a model for each member. Students are being
encouraged to follow 18 them and be accepted by them. This desire to be

accepted will be a source of motivation for students to imitate and to choose

to do something that would not do otherwise. It may be a good or bad,

acceptable or not which may affect not only on their personal life but also on

their academic performances. Similarly, Gonzales, et. al (2013) points to the

idea that peer influence has been more commonly conceptualized an

encouragement from friends to engage in delinquent behaviors, pressure to

hold undesirable values and attitudes, or discouragement from participating in

class activities. Indeed, peer influence is present in having strong connection

in education. It has been observed that a group which the child belongs to

could influence his/her learning. It is therefore necessary to let students

realize the reason why they have to be careful in choosing their friends so that

their attitude towards learning would be improved as the peers they have can

affect their learning negatively and positively. The review of related literatures

presented justifies the relevance of the present study. Through the context of

the different existing literature, the present study is deeply analyzed and

somehow makes a case for why further study is needed. It also helps the

authors for better understanding about the context and be familiarized on it.

Moreover, the review of related literature creates a foundation of knowledge

and strengthens the claim of the present study.

Related Studies Foreign Education is an integral part of society’s success,

which prompts educational sectors from various countries to study ways of

improving its quality such as identifying variables that may influence it

positively and negatively. Environmental status, being one of those variables,

has a continuously-growing body of knowledge. The following foreign studies

shall support the claim of this study that the environmental status has a

significant relationship with students’ academic achievement. In the study

“Learning Environment and Academic Performance of Secondary

School Students in External Examinations: A Study of Selected Schools

in Ota” by Duruji, et. al. (2010), Nigeria suffers on poor academic

performance of students as it shows that very little attention has been given to

problems regarding the learning environment. Findings concluded that the

learning environment and performance showed a significant relationship. It

states that school infrastructures such as classrooms, furniture, and the

building itself contribute to a positive learning environment for the students.

Furthermore, a positive effect can be seen on the quality of teaching and

activities due to the quality of facilities within the institution which results to

students’ good performance, whereas inadequate learning and teaching

facilities bear a negative effect on students’ performance. In relation to the

previous study, Blair, et. al. (2018), in their study “Poverty, Stress, and

Brain Development: New Directions for Prevention and Intervention”,

indicate that effects of poverty on physiologic and neurobiologic development

are likely central to poverty-related gaps in academic achievement. Poverty is

characterized by an overabundance of types of stimulation that negatively

affect development. Key 20 mechanisms include presence of chronic

stressors such as noise and household chaos. These variables contributed in

the slow development of the brain within infants, as well as school-age

children. Duruji and Blair’s studies indicate the effects of the physical

environment on children’s learning. Duruji mentions the significance of the

school environment while Blair’s study shares insight on the effects of poor
physical home environment. As the school and home are places for learning,

its environment is required to be optimal for learning. The present study

investigates how the school and home environment affects academic

performance as the indicators of the physical environmental status. Same as

Duruji’s research, this study also examines secondary students, whereas in

this study, particularly Grade 10 students in one specific school. However, the

researchers specifically investigated the effects of the environment on the

performance of students in the subject English. On the other hand,

psychological factors within the environment shows positive correlation with

academic performance. Kamuti (2015), in his study “Influence of Home

Environment on Academic Performance of Students in Public

Secondary Schools in Kitui County, Kenya”, sought to determine the

influence of parent’s economic status, parent/family involvement, and the

parenting style on student’s academic performance. Home serves as the

primary agent of education in the child. Therefore, the type of family system

the child is exposed to could impact his/her academic achievement. Kamuti’s

(2015) research reveals that the parents’ economic status significantly

influences students’ academic performance as they are able to pay school

fees in time and provide learning materials. Secondly, it also concludes that

parent/family involvement affects students’ 21 academic achievement as it

motivates the student. Lastly, parenting style shows significant relationship

with students’ academic performance, suggesting authoritative parenting was

positively associated with academic performance. Similar to Kamuti’s

research, the researchers of this present study investigated home

environment as one of the indicators of students’ environment. It tackled

similar factors within a home as Kamuti’s study such as financial support, and

moral and emotional support. It also discussed the space at home, availability

of study materials and technological devices, and lighting; which are linked to

the family’s economic status. However, this study did not tackle how parenting

style affects students’ performance. Also, Kamuti’s study examines randomly

mixed public secondary student while the present study focuses on Grade 10

students only. Meanwhile, studies suggested friends and peers affect the

psychological wellbeing of students. Schmidt (2020) on “The importance of

friendships for academic success” states that friends are more likely to be

study partners or study groups than any other people, which augment and

strengthen the learning process. Its findings show that friends are a great

forum for them to discuss, ask questions, and provide feedback about the

material. Also, friends contributed in cutting down procrastination and provide

motivation. On the other hand, Filade, et. al. (2019), in the study “Peer group

influence on academic performance of undergraduate students in

Babcock University, Ogun State”, states that peer groups play a

predominant role in the social, emotional, and academic development, which

is why understanding the prospects and challenges of this variable is

essential for the productivity and organizational design of school systems in

order to improve students’ performance. The results of the research show that

peer group has a 22 significant influence on the academic performance of

students and can affect both positively and negatively due to the nature of

peer relationships. Friends and peers constitute a significant portion of a

person’s social life, which also cause internal changes in students. Therefore,

the present study investigated how friends and peers affect the academic
achievement of students. While Filade’s study provided insights on the effects

of peer groups in its role in social, emotional, and academic development of

students, this study, on the other hand, measures factors such as their

relationship and camaraderie, emotional and moral support, as well as

competency in English and their grades. Also, instead of random

undergraduate students, this study used Grade 10 students as its target

population specifically.

Local

Problems regarding the environmental status in relation to the academic

achievement of students also continuously arises within the locality. The

following local studies support the claim of this study that the environmental

status does have a relationship with students’ academic achievement. The

physical environment indicates its effects on the locality through the school

and home environment. According to Defe, et. al. (2017), in the study

“Classroom Environment and Academic Performance”, the classroom is

the best venue for students to attain their full potential in academic

performance, as providing a positive classroom climate is when student’s

learning is maximized. Defe’s indicates factors in the school environment such

as acoustics, light, color, temperature, and seating arrangement. In alignment,

M. A. Alajid’s (2014) study “Socio-economic status of parents and home

environment in relation to pupils’ academic performance” states children

from 23 low economic households develop academic skills more slowly

compared with the children from higher economic groups. Low literacy

environments and chronic stress adversely affects their wellbeing, which in

turn influences the child’s academic skills. The researchers of the present

study also believed the physical environment plays an important role on

students’ achievement of their optimal performance as an indicator of

environmental status. Similar to Defe’s study, it investigates similar factors

within the classroom such as classroom atmosphere, lighting and ventilation,

and seating arrangement. Aside from the aforementioned, the present study

also took into account the classroom atmosphere. Also, the present study

examined the significance of the economic status of the household, similar to

Alajid’s study. Furthermore, instead of the overall academic performance of

Senior High School Humanities students, this study focused on Grade 10

students and their academic performance in English. Regarding the

psychological aspect of the environment, the study “Influence of Family and

Peers on the Academic Performance of Bachelor of Secondary

Education Students in Cavite State University SY 2013-2014” by Bayot,

et. al. states that family plays a pivotal role in forming a child’s style of life and

behavior. It added that most of the successful and well-adjusted children

came from homes where a wholesome relationship existed, whereas children

who were discouraged and rejected at home lacked concentration in school

work. The study shows significant relationship between parental attachment

and students’ academic performance, suggesting students whose parents are

actively involved with their children performs well in school. Similar to the

study of Bayot, et. al., the present study also investigated family as a factor of

home environment, as family comprises a significant chunk of the meaning of

24 home. On the other hand, unlike Bayot’s study, this research examined

junior high school students, particularly Grade 10 students, rather than college
students. In relation with Bayot’s study, friends encourage students towards

reaching academic success. In the study “Pag-aaral sa Epekto ng

Impluwensiya ng mga Kaibigan sa Baitang 11 ng University of Saint

Anthony, 1st Semestre”, Evangelista (2018) states that friends provide

positive opportunities even on negative circumstances. It concluded that

friends help motivate students to study and lessens tardiness. 70.08% of its

respondents agreed that having friends reinforce better attitudes in school

compared to 27.78% who did not agree. Similar to Bayot’s study, “Students,

Peer Pressure and their Academic Performance in School” by Moldes,

et. al. (2019), states that peer group is crucial in the social context that plays a

vital role in society and to determine the academic achievement that affect

during development relatively with each other. It explained that peer pressure

is clustered in four categories such as social belongingness, curiosity,

cultural-parenting orientation, and education. According to its findings,

students are likely to seek attention from peers and agree that they should

belong to a particular group in school in whom they could associate and share

their thoughts and opinions regarding school. Nevertheless, it suggests that

its effects are based on their approach towards their peers. Similar to Bayot

and Moldes’ studies, this research also investigates the effects of friends and

peer relationships on the academic achievement of students. Factors similar

to their study was covered such as relationship among friends and peers,

emotional and moral support, as well as their grades. However, this study

focuses on the academic performance 25 in the English subject and did not

tackle students’ curiosity as an indicator. Thus, it only study external factors.

Overall, these related studies serve as support for the present study in its
identification of problems on students’ performance as similar factors from

these various researches are tackled within this study. However, this study

focuses only on the effects of physical and psychological factors within the

environment solely on the English performance of Grade 10 students. Also,

contrary to the results of the aforementioned studies, the present research

concluded that there is only negligible to slight relationship between the

environmental status and the English performance of students in the locality.

Still, the researchers recommend that the environmental status be considered

as an essential factor in students’ performance.

 Chapter III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter includes the research methods, respondents of the study,

sampling technique used, instruments that were used in concluding the study,

reliability of the research, data gathering procedure and statistical treatment of

data.

Research Design

The researchers utilized the descriptive survey and correlation of

research. According to Calmorin (2002), the aforementioned method is

valuable in proving facts in which scientific judgement may be used. It

provides essential knowledge about the nature of objects and persons. The

descriptive survey design aims to accurately and systematically describe a

population while correlation survey design measures the linear relationship

between two variables. These designs were utilized as they fit to describe the

Grade 10 students’ population regarding their English performances and its

linear relationship with their environmental status. Data on environmental

status were obtained through a survey questionnaire while the English

performance was based on the average rating of Grade 10 students in the

English subject for the S.Y. 2020-2021.

Research Locale

Considered as a veteran institution which aims to produce highly skilled and

competitive students, EMA EMITS College Philippines continuously moves

forward regarding the improvement of the performance level of the school,

students and personnel. 27 With its more than seven decades of existence as

a private school that provides quality and relevant educational training for

Elementary, High School, College and to all persons, regardless of social

status, religious affiliations and political creed from any place who shall qualify

to enroll in this institution in Pinamalayan, EMA EMITS College Philippines

has proven that free quality education is its primary concern. To bring about

its mission of producing highly skilled, exceptionally and morally upright

learners, the school has been constantly providing a positive learning

atmosphere to further enhance the students’ performance; hence, to meet the

realization of the vision and mission for the betterment of the school in the

succeeding years ahead. The researchers, as students of EMA EMITS

College Philippines, also desire for the achievement of its vision and mission.

To contribute to its realization, the researchers wish to address suspected

problems in the environment. EMA EMITS College Philippines was seen fit as

the locale to select the target respondents for the present study. It was

chosen based on the following criteria: population; socio-economic status of

the students; school facilities; and range of grades in English.

Respondents of the Study

The respondents of the study were the 136 Grade 10 students at EMA

EMITS College Philippines, School Year 2020-2021, out of 207 students from

the four sections.

Sampling Technique Used

The researchers used Stratified Random Sampling (SRS) technique used

to determine the number of student-respondents from Grade 10 to be

included in the study. To determine the sample size, they used the Slovin’s

Formula, wherein the computation is presented below.

n = N 1+Ne 2

Where: n = sample size

N = total population e = margin of error at 5%

1 = constant n = 207 1+(207)(0.05) 2 = 136

After determining the sample size, the sample per section was determined

through the formula shown below.

Section = Group Population Total Population x sample size Section

SC = 49 207 x 136 = 32

Section A = 54 207 x 136 = 36

Section B = 52 207 x 136 = 34

Section C = 52 207 x 136 = 34 29

 Instrumentation

The researchers used an adapted questionnaire checklist as an

instrument in gathering data; however, modifications were made to fit the

context. They constructed the rate scale to determine the perception of the

student-respondents on the environmental status. The questionnaire

consisted of two parts: the first part contained items about the physical

environmental status and the second part focused on items about the

psychological environmental status.

Scaling and Quantification

The influence of the students’ environment on their English performance

was measured using a 5-point scale presented as follows.

Validity of the Research Instrument

The primary tool that was used in this study was validated in the following

manner: a) It was presented to the thesis adviser and other experts for

corrections and suggestions; b) The questionnaire was presented to the

panelists for final evaluation; c) This instrument was rewritten based on the

corrections and suggestions provided by the thesis adviser and panelists; and
d) The questionnaire was finalized confirming the adviser and panelists’

corrections and suggestions. The instrument was considered valid in its

content as well as in its format.

Reliability of the Research Instrument

The reliability of the data in the research was determined using the Test-

Retest method. Ten students of Grade 10 who were not included in the study

were asked to answer the questionnaire over a week interval. Pearson

Moment of Correlation was used in the computation for the reliability

coefficient. High relationship Reliable Data Gathering Procedure Permit to

conduct the study and to gather the necessary data from the students in EMA

EMITS College Philippines was requested from the principal of the said

institution. After the approval for the conduct of the study, the request was

then presented to teachers 31 involved in each class. Then, the questionnaire

was distributed to the respondents. A letter was attached at the beginning of

the questionnaire to guide the respondents in answering. Then, the retrieval of

the questionnaire was made. Finally, the data gathered were collected,

analyzed and interpreted.

Statistical Treatment of Data

The collected data were treated very carefully, classified and statistically

organized according to the criteria established in the instrument. The following

statistical tools were utilized. Frequency and Percentage Distribution was

used to determine the distribution of the Grade 10 students’ average rating in

each category on the scale of measurement, as well as its equivalent

percentage. Arithmetic Mean was used to provide the average weighted

opinion of the students in EMA EMITS College Philippines on the status of

students’ environment and their level of English performance. The following

formula was applied: x̅= Σx n

Where: x̅ = arithmetic mean

x = score per item

Σx = sum of all scores

n = number of sumple 32

Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient was used to determine the

relationship between the environmental status and the English performance of

Grade 10 students at EMA EMITS College Philippines, School Year 2020-

2021.

rxy =N ∑ xy − ¿ ¿¿

Kung saan: rxy = ugnayan sa pagitan ng x at y.

∑ x =¿ ¿ kabuuang bilang ng x.
∑ y=¿ ¿kabuuang bilang ng y.
∑ xy =¿ ¿kabuuang bilang ng pinagsamang x at y.
N = bilang ng mga respondente

∑ x 2=¿ ¿ kabuuang x 2 na marka

∑ y 2=¿¿kabuuang y 2 marka

Interpretasyon ng Correlation

±1.00 Perpektong Kaugnayan

±0.91 to ±0.99 Napakataas na Kaugnayan

±0.71 to ±0.90 Mataas na Kaugnayan

±0.41 to ±0.70 Katamtamang Kaugnayan

±0.21 to ±0.40 Mababang Kaugnayan

±0.0 to ±0.20 Napakababang Kaugnayan

0.0 Walang Ugnayan