The use of graphic storytelling in enhancing reading comprehension of Grade Seven learners

Abstract

This quantitative study evaluated the impact of graphic storytelling on the reading comprehension skills of Grade Seven learners at a Junior High School in Iloilo City. The pre-experimental design involved a purposive sample of 32 students who participated voluntarily with parental consent. The level of reading comprehension used was two traditional short stories "The Cows and the Lion" and "The Fox and the Goat” for the pretest and two graphic storytelling methods "Friend of the Rabbit" and "Bogart and Friends" for the post-test, measuring reading comprehension at literal, inferential, and evaluative levels. Data collection involved ethical approval and consent, pre-test administration, a graphic storytelling intervention, and post-test evaluation with validated quizzes and rubrics. The findings were analyzed by comparing mean index ranges across five comprehension levels: insufficient, limited, basic, proficient, and excellent. Frequency count, percentage, mean, and standard deviation calculations were utilized as statistical tools for quantitative data analysis. The Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Sum test, a non-parametric statistical method, was utilized to evaluate the data with a significance level set at .025. The pre-test reading comprehension skills were mainly proficient, with most students excelling in the literal level but needing enhancement in inferential and evaluative levels. In the post-test, it was revealed that students’ literal, inferential, and evaluative levels of reading comprehension enhanced, advancing to the proficient level. The mean gain results showed a positive result which indicated that there was an increase from pre-test to post-test results. Overall, there was a significant enhancement in reading comprehension skills across all levels, with p-value of 0.000 indicating the intervention's positive impact on enhancing students' reading comprehension skills. Therefore, the study rejects the null hypothesis, concluding that the intervention had a substantial positive impact on students' reading comprehension abilities.