A study of relationship between some factors and reading comprehension ability

Abstract

The problem of reading is more seriously felt in the Philippines where reading is taught in a foreign language which is also the medium of instruction. Rodil cited the findings of the Swanson Committee that reading is one of the subjects in which much of the weaknesses of the Filipino students are found. She also cited the results of the Bureau of Public Schools Survey of 1960 which found that the reading achievement of Filipino students was two years behind that of 1925. She also cited the results of the studies made by Maria Cid Peralta, Curriculum Coordinator of the Philippine Women's University. The studies found out that the reading ability of the average Filipino high school graduate is behind that of the average American student by two grade levels. In her own study of high school girls in St. Theresa's College, Manila, a group belonging to the upper socio-economic class, Carmen Rodil found that in the fourth year classes, percent were found to be three or more grade levels below that of grade placement. These findings are further supported by a report of the Minister of Education and Culture, Juan Manuel, to some 500 superintendents attending the annual convention at the Teachers' Camp, Baguio City, on April 19, 1979. His report said that at least 45 per cent of Grade Six pupils in the Philippines "public elementary schools can neither read nor compute." He attributed the poor quality of elementary school graduates to incompetent teachers and school officials, the shortage of necessary instructional materials like teaching aids and devices, and the poor socio-economic status of the people. The results of these studies can easily be duplicated in other schools of the country. Conditions could be worse where reading is taught not as a separate subject but incorporated in the teaching of literature or grammar and composition to constitute one subject. No less than Juan Manuel, the former Minister of Education and Culture, lamented the fact that "some products of the elementary level are semi-literates which is one of the tragedies of public education in the Philippines today." Therefore, he issued the directive that pupils should not be allowed to graduate from the elementary course unless he can read with understanding and write to be adequately understood. In school, scholastic failures are often attributed to poor study habits, a major cause of which is poor reading skills. What are the factors related to reading comprehension ability? To what extent are these factors related to reading comprehension ability? Which of these could be developed at least within the power and capacity of the teachers, the school, and the parents? In what reading skills are present students weak? What are the common reading difficulties of the boys? of the girls? of the bright group? of the low mental ability group? These are the problems to which this study aims to find solutions or explanations. Definition and statement of the problem This is a study of the relationships between some factors and reading comprehension ability. The dependent variable is reading comprehension ability, and the independent variables are mental ability, home literary environment, self-concept, authoritarianism of parents, and gender. This study aims to find answers to the following questions: 1. Is mental ability related to reading comprehension ability? 2. Is home literary environment related to reading comprehension ability? 3. Is self-concept related to reading comprehension ability? 4. Is authoritarianism on the part of parents associated with reading comprehension ability of the child? 5. Is mental ability related to reading comprehension ability when self-concept, home literary environment are kept constant? 6. What reading difficulties are common among the boys? among the girls? among the bright group? among the low mental ability group? 7. Is performance in each major type of comprehension skill related to gender? 8. Is performance in each major type of comprehension skill related to mental ability?