Reading performance of College of Education freshman students and its correlates

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the reading performance on vocabulary and comprehension of College of Education freshman students in four universities in Iloilo City. The study further aimed to determine the relationship between education students’ reading habits, reading interests, motivation to read, parental motivational practices and their vocabulary and comprehension skills. To answer the objectives of the study, a one-shot survey was conducted and reading tests were given to a sample of 269 Freshman Education students in the four schools who were drawn using stratified random sampling. The test-retest method was used to test the reliability of the instruments. The data were collected, coded, encoded, and analyzed using the SPSS Version 10 for Windows 2000. Frequency Distribution, Computation of Means, Eta, Pearson Moment Coefficient of Correlation and Multiple Regression Analysis were the main statistical tools used in data analysis. Hypotheses of the Study 1. There is a significant relationship between the respondents’ sex and their reading habits, reading interests, motivation to read, parental motivational practices, vocabulary skills and comprehension skills. 2. The respondents’ reading habits are significantly related with their vocabulary and comprehension skills. 3. The respondents’ reading interests are significantly related with their vocabulary skills and comprehension skills. 4. There is a significant relationship between the respondents’ motivation to read and their vocabulary skills and comprehension skills. 5. There is a significant relationship between the respondents’ parental motivational practices and their vocabulary and comprehension skills. 6. There is a significant relationship between the respondents’ vocabulary and comprehension skills. MAJOR FINDINGS OF THE STUDY 1. Slightly less than two-thirds (62.8 percent) of the respondents had “fair” readings habits. The mean score of 33.4 percent shows that respondents have “fair” reading habits. 2. Slightly less than half (48.7 percent) of the respondents belonged to the “sometimes” category of reading interests. Almost the same proportion (44.6 percent) belonged to the “often” category. On the average, respondents belonged to the “sometimes” category of reading interest as shown by the mean score of 71.94 percent. 3. More than four-fifth (82.8 percent) of the respondents had “average” motivation to read as shown by the mean score of 22.2 percent. 4. Slightly less than two-fifth (37.9 percent) of the respondents had “average” and more than one-fourth (27.9 percent) had “high” parental motivational practices. The mean score of 11.47 percent shows that respondents had “average” parental motivational practices. 5. Results of the correlation had shown that sex is significantly correlated with reading habits. On the other hand, no significant relationship exists between sex and the following variables, namely: reading interest, motivation to read, parental motivational practices, vocabulary skills, and comprehension skills. 6. The respondents’ reading habits and reading interests were found to be significantly correlated with their vocabulary skills and comprehension skills. However, the magnitude of correlation is in different or negligible. 7. The respondents’ motivation to read and parental motivational practices were found to be not significantly correlated with their vocabulary skills and comprehension skills. 8. The respondents’ vocabulary skills was significantly correlated with their comprehension skills. However, the degree of relationship is in different or negligible. 9. The multiple regression analysis shows that three of the four independent variables, namely: reading habits, reading interests, and parental motivational practices were found to be significantly correlated with vocabulary skills. On the other hand, only reading habits and parental motivational practices were found to be significantly correlated with comprehension skills. CONCLUSIONS 1. Students have “good” reading habits. It maybe because they enjoy reading books, magazines, and other reading materials during their free time both in the library and in school. 2. Students have a reading interest level of “sometimes”. Perhaps, if students’ reading preferences or choices are taken into consideration, they will read more. Exposing them to a wide variety of reading materials will widen their interest and love for reading. 3. Students have “average” motivation to read. Perhaps, if students are made to understand the values and benefits they will derive from reading, they will be motivated to read. Such activity furthers their growth and enriches their knowledge. Soon they will find reading very meaningful, interesting, and profitable. 4. Students have “average” parental motivational practices. It can be inferred that if parents provide parental support and wholesome home literary environment to their children, their children will find reading a pleasurable and enjoyable experience. 5. Female students have better reading habits than their male counterparts. Since girls are more homely as compared to boys, it can be implied that they tend to read more often at home as part of their leisure time activity. 6. Students’ reading habits is significantly correlated with their vocabulary skills and comprehension skills. It can be surmised that students who read extensively due to appropriate reading habits improve their level of vocabulary skills. Likewise, students with good reading habits have a tendency to have better comprehension skills. 7. Students’ vocabulary skills is significantly correlated with their comprehension skills. The clear association between vocabulary skills and comprehension skills implies that students with wide range of vocabulary can easily understand the text or the selection that they read Students can understand what they read or bring meaning to any printed page when they know the meaning of the words. 8. Reading Habits, Reading Interests, and Parental Motivational Practices are the best predictors of Vocabulary Skills. However, Motivation to Read is a significantly negative predictor. 9. 9. Reading Habits and Parental Motivational Practices are the best predictors of Comprehension Skills. On the other hand, Reading Interest and Motivation to Read are significantly negative predictors. RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Since students have “average” reading habits, there’s a need for reading teachers to encourage students to read more by providing reading activities that will enhance their reading skills. 2. Institutions of higher learning should have a Reading Center which is provided with copies of trade books, articles, magazines, newspapers, and a variety of printed materials making students familiar with a wide range of genre and higher quality literature. Reading coordinators should help the readers choose books of their choice and interest. This will help widen students’ reading interests and will create intrinsically motivated readers. 3. Teachers can help improve students’ level of motivation to read by providing more educational experiences and reading opportunities in school. Instructional materials should make provisions for, and adjustments to the reading skills, tastes, purposes, interests, and needs of the different types of readers. This will make reading more enjoyable, interesting, and meaningful. 4. Parents should frequently encourage their children to read by providing them at home with newspapers, magazines and other reading materials. Dictionary and Thesaurus may also be used in doing assignments at home. As a secondary reinforcer, books may be rewarded to children if they perform well in school. 5. Both parents and teachers should work together to encourage students to improve their reading habits and widen their reading interest. Children should be made to understand that the wider the vocabulary, the better the comprehension will be. Acquisition of these skills will lead to higher level of reading competence. 6. To ensure substantial improvement in college students’ vocabulary and comprehension performance, another study maybe made using other correlates such as the teachers’ teaching styles that are activity-based, the students’ learning styles, mass media exposure, and the use of films on students’ vocabulary and comprehension. The study may be replicated on a wider scale using other subjects, other research designs and more precise research tools, and statistical instruments to correlate the present findings. To further strengthen the findings of this investigation, parallel studies are encouraged to be conducted among college students in public institutions as well as in state colleges and universities.