Chapter 1

The Problem

Introduction

Recently there has been growing interest in the relationship between reading

engagement and reading comprehension has been investigated by many

researchers. Reading engagement is the degree of interest, involvement, and

enjoyment a reader has while reading. When a reader is actively involved in the

process, they are inspired to keep reading because they are motivated to gasp the

information, relate to the people or subject matter, and connect with it. Research has

shown that students who enjoy reading are more likely to succeed academically,

acquire strong reading comprehension abilities, and quickly develop a love with

reading. Reading, according to Kirsch et al., does not only involve the cognitive

dimension. It also “covers non-cognitive aspects, such as reading attitudes and

practices” (Kirsch et al., 2002, p.107). In the same way, the organization for

Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) views reading as not only the

ability to read and write, but as the ability to continuously learn and apply reading

skills in real life settings (OECD, 2003; OECD, 2019).

Reading comprehension is the capacity to comprehend and extrapolate the

meaning of written material. It involves the reader’s capacity to glean information

from the text, draw connections between ideas and concepts, extrapolate meaning

from context, and comprehend the author’s intended meaning in its entirety. The

process of reading comprehension is difficult and needs a variety of abilities, such as

vocabulary knowledge to solve problems, come to conclusions, and draw inferences

are both essential components of effective reading comprehension. Success in

school and practically every aspect of life depends on having strong reading

comprehension skills.

Reading comprehension and reading engagement go hand on hand. Reading

comprehension is improved when a person is actively reading because they are

more likely to comprehend and recall what they have read. Engaged readers are

more likely to put in the effort necessary to comprehend what they are reading

because they are driven to read. Readers are more likely to interact with the content,

pose questions, and draw connections between what they are reading and what they

already know when they are interested in the subject.

Reading engagement and literal comprehension are also tightly related.

Literal comprehension is the capacity to comprehend a text’s literal meaning,

including the storyline, characters, and events. The level of interest, involvement,

and enjoyment a reader feels while reading is referred to as reading engagement.

Strong literal comprehension skills can rise a reader’s reading engagement, and

engaged readers are more likely to understand the literal meaning of the text.

Inferential comprehension refers to the capacity for inference, deduction, and

comprehension of the text’s underlying meaning. The level of interest, involvement,

and enjoyment a reader feels while reading is refers to as reading engagement, on

the other side. A reader is more likely to participate in inferential understanding when

they are actively reading.

While JHCSC has been recognize for its excellence, there remains a

conspicuous gap in the academic research landscape of the institution. Specifically,

there has been no prior investigation into the relationship between reading
engagement and reading comprehension among first year students. Given the

foundational importance of reading skills in academic success and the evolving

landscape of educational methodologies, understanding this relationship could

provide valuable insights. Addressing this gap not only enhances the institution’s

academic discourse but also in forms pedagogical strategies tailored to enhanced

reading outcomes for incoming students at JHCSC.

Theoretical Framework

The core principle of engagement was developed and introduced in 1999 by

Greg Kearsley & Ben Schneiderman, the theory talks about students being

meaningfully engaged in learning activities through interaction with others and

worthwhile tasks. When a student approaches the learning process through an

innovative project that involves them defining things in their way, organizing and

creating something that helps them express what they understood, they can develop

a sense of ownership of their learning. Additionally, Lev Vygotsky's theory suggests

that students learn by connecting what they know to new learning. This is why

teachers need to show the students the connections between what they know and

what they are learning. This can be applied to reading fluency and reading

comprehension.
Conceptual Framework

Reading
Engagement

Program

 BAPoS
 BAELS

Reading
Comprehension

Figure 1. Schematic diagram of the study

Statement of the Problem

The study assessed the Reading Engagement and Reading Comprehension

of the BAELS and BAPoS students of a state college in Zamboanga del Sur in the

academic year 2022 - 2023.

Specifically, it aimed to answer the following queries:

1. What level is the Reading Engagement of the two groups of students?

2. Is there a significant difference in the levels of reading engagement of the

two groups?

3. To what level is the reading comprehension of the two groups in terms of

the following levels:

3.1 literal;

3.2 inferential; and

3.3 critical?

4. Is there a significant difference in the levels of reading comprehension of

the two groups?

5. Is there a significant relationship between reading engagement and reading

comprehension of the first-year BAELS and BAPoS students of the Main

Campus?

6. What action/plan can be developed to improve the reading engagement

and reading comprehension of the students?

Hypotheses

The following hypotheses were tested using the 0.05 level of significance:

1. There is no significant difference in the levels of reading engagement and

reading comprehension between the two groups of students.

2. There is no significant relationship in the levels of reading engagement and

reading comprehension between the two groups of students.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

The scope and limitation of this study involved the following parameters that

are projected to delineate the distinctiveness of this study from other studies in the

field of educational research:

Subject Matter. This study focused on assessing the respondents' Reading

Engagement and Reading Comprehension.

Research Environment and Timeline. This study will be conducted at one of

the state colleges in Zamboanga del Sur during the academic year 2022 - 2023.

Research Subjects. The subjects of this study were regular first-year

students who are taking up Bachelor of Arts and English Study and Bachelor of Arts

in Political Science at one of the state colleges in Zamboanga del Sur during the

academic year 2022-2023.

Research Design. The study used descriptive–correlational research to

assess the students learning on how they engage in reading.

Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will be beneficial to the following groups who are

considered the direct recipients of the results of this study:

Students. The results of this study will provide them information about their

strengths and weakness as learners of English as a second language. They will

surely benefit from this study once the action plan is implemented correctly.

English Teachers. It will provide them a basis for preparing scope and

sequence for reading engagement across year levels. It is hoped that through this

study, language teachers will realize that for them to succeed in teaching a

language, they must give their students activities that reduce their reading anxiety.

School Administrators. The results of this study could be their point of

reference in designing plans and programs that reduce students’ reading anxiety and

improve their reading engagement and reading comprehension.

Other Researchers. The results of this study could serve as one of their

references in conducting studies related to the three variables treated in this study.

Definition of Terms

The following terms were used extensively in this study and should be

understood according to the definition given below:

Reading Engagement. Reading engagement refers to an individual’s actual

involvement in reading, as reflected in behavior, affect, or cognition (Guthrie,

Wigfield, & You, 2012), in accord with domain-general conceptualizations of

academic engagement (e.g., Reeve, 2012). Identified as being totally absorbed in a

text—both intellectually and emotionally. It is a concepts that is frequently brought up

in educational contexts, but whose significance is sometimes taken for granted and

which is easily overshadowed by the numerous other demands on teachers' time

and attention.

Reading Comprehension. Reading comprehension is an active cognitive

process which involves reasoning to construct meaning from a written text and

understanding it effectively and comprehensively (Nakamoto, Lindsey, & Manis,

2008).

Literal. Questions in which the answers are explicitly stated in the text

Inferential. Questions in which the answers are not explicitly stated in the text.

Critical. Questions which require the learner to analyze, synthesize, and make

judgments on the author’s idea.