Reading Proficiency Assessment and Influencing Factors Among Junior High School Learners in T-LNHS

Jomar B. Lesino(Benguet State University)

Abstract

This quantitative descriptive study addressed the persistent and alarming challenge of poor reading proficiency among junior high school learners at Tawangan-Lusod National High School (T-LNHS) during the 2024-2025 academic year, a problem consistently highlighted by Phil-IRI data which indicated a majority of students were operating at the frustration and instructional levels. The investigation thoroughly examined the current comprehension levels, identified significant influencing factors, detailed the specific challenges faced by struggling readers, and recommended effective instructional interventions. Methodologically, the study involved 83 junior high school learners from Grades 7 to 10. Data on reading levels were gathered using existing Phil-IRI records, while information on influencing factors, challenges, and intervention perceptions was collected through a validated survey questionnaire. Statistical analysis employed descriptive measures and correlational tests to determine relationships among the variables. The results confirmed the urgency of the issue, showing that a predominant percentage of learners were categorized in the Instructional (55.42%) and Frustration (24.10%) reading levels. Crucially, correlational findings established that the Home Literacy Environment and Motivation and Interest in Reading were the external factors that most significantly affected the learners' comprehension levels (p<0.05). Consequently, the study concluded that the reading proficiency deficit at T-LNHS was a complex issue rooted in both internal language skills and contextual influences. The research strongly recommended that future reading programs prioritized Differentiated Instruction and Explicit Vocabulary Instruction as key strategies to build metacognitive reading competence and cultivate a lasting, supportive reading culture.

Keywords

Pearl S. Buck; life and works; Doctrine of the Mean; dynamic equilibrium

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12345/jetm.v9i4.33805