Chapter I

THE PROBLEM

Introduction
Reading is an adventure that never ends. The ability to read
well is said to be the best achievement in ones life. Individuals
are not born with a natural aversion to reading. We know that.
Every time we hand books to them, students seem to be
frustrated. Reading aloud with children is an essential component
to language development and is one of the most important
activities for preparing them to success as readers. Why, then, is
reading such a problem for so many elementary and secondary
students? What turns so many little book lovers into adamant
book haters? In each succeeding years, reading requires skills
until eventually the act of reading becomes a tool that will be
used throughout life. Success in reading is success in school, and
success in future life.
According to Ornos, et al., (2004) reading is a very vital
instrument to communication in learning. Knowledge can be
acquired through reading. A person who cannot read is deprived
of the beauty and meaning of the literary pieces written by
famous writers. This is because reading involves the use of code,
to get a meaning of something written or printed, and the
interpretation of its characteristics or signs. A person who knows

how to read learns fast. He learns much, and therefore, he is

ready to solve whatever problem or problems that may come to
life.
Reading, especially reading performance can be enhance
through instructional materials. The pupils can improve their
reading by asking themselves what they want to get out of it,
then striving to achieve that end.
Gayeta (2003) conducted a study on oral reading skills of
the pupils and found out that in terms of pronunciation, majority
of the respondents had high and average level of performance.
Her study revealed weaknesses of students respondents such as
mispronunciation,
hesitation,

stammering,

repetition,

rejection,

syllabication
substitution,

word

by

omission,

word,
and

addition/insertion.
Reading is an essential part of ones daily life. At home,
reading is pleasure and relaxation. Almost all professions and jobs
require the ability to read quickly and intelligently. In fact, modern
life would exist without the printed word and the ability to read it.
A good reading habit will serve as their vehicle in the near future.
This is the reason why the researchers come up with this study.
We the researchers want to give importance on how reading
made us intelligent in many ways.

Statement of the problem

The study aims to find out the factors that influence the
decision of the students from Itlugan National High School to
read outside of school.
Specifically, this study sought to answer the following
questions:
1. What is the profile of the respondents in terms of:
1.1 age
1.4 family status
1.2 gender
1.5 location
1.3 interest
1.6 available
reading materials
2. What are the reading materials that the student read?
3. What are the factors that influence the students to read in
terms of:
3.1 academic books
3.2 inspirational books
3.3 journals, magazines, and newspapers
3.4 fictional and non fictional books
3.5 entertainment books
4. Is there any significant relationship between the profile and the
factors that influence their reading outside the school?
5. Based on the findings, what reading program can be
conceptualized to encourage students to read outside the school.

Scope, Delimination and Limitation of the Study

This study covers the factors that influence the students

decision to read outside the school. This covered the profile of the
students such as age, gender, interest, family status, location and
reading materials available. This also discussed some significant
relationship between the profile and the factors that influence
their reading outside the school.
This study was limited to the resources gathered by the
researcher. This was also limited to the high school students of
Itlugan National High School.
However, this study is delimited to other students of
different public high schools.
Significance of the Study
It is a fact that every research is done only for the reason
that a problem exist, but also the researchers behind it take into
the significance it would bring into a particular setting.
The study will benefit the following:
Administrators. The study can serve as basis of evaluation
of the reading performance of the public high school students in
the institution and can easily remedy through the solution.
Teachers. Through knowing the result they can be aware of
what instructional materials can be used to arouse and maintain
students interest in reading.

Students. The study will help them to understand the real

importance of reading. This will pursue their interest in nurturing
and developing themselves in the world of reading.
Parents. The study will help them on observing their
children to be able to provide instructional materials and also to
develop their reading habits.
Researchers. The study will serve as the fulfillment of the
requirement for their chosen field.
Future Researchers. The study will provide them a
background for their future sudy.

Chapter II
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
This chapter presents the relevant ideas gleaned from
related sources such as conceptual and research literature
concerning the factors that affect the students decision to read
outside of school. They formed the background and provided
information conceptualizing the framework of this study.
Conceptual Literature

This section includes the conceptual literature used by the

researchers in order to come up with the concepts and ideas
related to the study.
Reading. Reading is the mother of all study skills according
to Ron Frys How to Study Program. It is one of the most valuable
skills a person can acquire. Reading is not merely an ability to
recognize written or printed words, but also refers to putting
meaning to what you read and drawing a unified though of what
are read.
Just about everyone in the Philippines knows how to read.
As a nation, we enjoy a high rate of literacy. Unfortunately,
however, not every Filipino is a good reader.
Reading is a multifaceted process

involving

word

recognition, comprehension, fluency and motivation. It is the way

a person gets information from written letters and words. It is
where people analyze, understand and comprehend different
perception of the different person. It is a kind of communication
where understanding the message was through the way you
percept what you read. (Tiempo,2003)
Reading is the process of getting meaning from the book
and bringing meaning into it. The reader must first use his prior
knowledge or background experiences to understand the authors
viewpoint.

According

to

Reksten

(2000), the

requisite

skills

for

technology are process skills that include reading, writing,

listening, thinking and computing. These process skills differ
significantly from content skills in that they develop internally
within each student.
Reading is a process that must be learned. It helps an
individual to attain understanding and ability to decode symbols.
It helps an individual to be aware of the different symbols around
him.

Reading is one of the most familiar activities that is always

being love by most of the people and can be always observed

especially in schools be it silently or orally.
Reading is another important skill in communication. It is a
way a person gets information from written letters and words.
Reading approach is also based on the philosophy and theories
concerning the meaning, nature and structure of reading. Further,
it consists of a set of decisions to carry out an objective that
result in a plan and its wise implementation. Many people think of
reading as a skill that is taught once and for all in the first few
years of school. Reading enables men to ponder the mysteries of
the world, explore accumulated knowledge, and contemplate the
unknown. All the enigmatic symbols will be divulged through
reading. No one can question it because it gives emphasis to the

importance of global communication. In the past, books and

newspapers were the most commonly read items; now emails
and text messages form a lot of normal days communication
activities. (Tiempo, 2003)
According to Smith and Dechant, reading is the key to
success in school, to the development of out-of-school interests,
to the enjoyment of leisure time and to personal and social
development and adjustment.
Reading is the key that unlocks the door to the world of
enlightenment and enjoyment and the basic tool for learning in
the content field according to Villamin (2012).
In reading, according to the finding of the study by Georgia
Dennis (2013), a student attempting to read a piece while in a
hectic or unorganized environment will find it more difficult to
understand the piece that readers in quiet and controlled space.
Safety is also another factor. If the students are in an unsafe
home environment, he may find it difficult to concentrate in
homework or reading, when placed in safe environment, his
reading comprehension skills may improve. Loud noises such as
televisions or radios or loud conversations can also serve as
distraction for readers.
To know the essentials of reading, one must know the
tangible and intangible factors affecting reading. These are:
1. Tangible factors

a. Good eyesight, good hearing, good general health

b. Physical environment
c. Legibility, format and readability of the materials
2. Intangible Factors
a. Proper frame of mind
b. Will to learn from ones reading
Research Literature
The following studies reviewed were found related and
significant to the present study.
In the study made by Reyes et. al. (2012), the problems
encountered by the respondents in the given oral reading
diagnostic

tests

is

literal

items

were

identifying

and

understanding; in inferential were explaining, determining, and

making

connection.

Moreover,

in

critical

items,

problems

encountered were making an educative guess, summarizing and

judging. Proposed oral reading exercises were those that could
enhance their oral reading comprehension with follow up
questions in each of different levels.
In the study of Cassura et. al. (2003), the factors that affect
the reading skills of pupils are: in physiological factors it was
perceived by the teacher-respondent that the students sickness
affects them; in psychological factors are the lack of parental
guidance, laziness and fear to do things that affects them; and in
environmental factors were the inadequate number of books at
home is the factor. And the relationship between the factors that

affects reading skills and instructional materials used was

obtained.
The findings in the study about reading comprehension
levels conducted by Aonuevo et. al. (2012) revealed that the
student-respondents of Dr. Juan A. Pastor Memorial National High
School have an average level of performance in English subject.
Out of 157 student-respondents, 109 performed averagely in
English subject.
Marasigan (2007) stated in her study that poor reader must
go back to his present actual reading level because go back will
give him confidence. More on the improvement on reading
instructions should be conducted to help teachers discover
method in teaching reading and that the school must establish a
reading program purposely to assist the poor reader in order to
develop the different types of reading skills and solve reading
difficulties of the students.