iii

READING COMPREHENSION OF GRADE VI PUPILS

College of Arts and Sciences

Education Department
University of Negros Occidental – Recoletos
Bacolod City

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to determine the level of reading comprehension

of Grade VI pupils in the English Language Text of Iluminado S.
Nessia, Sr. Elementary School, District VII, and Division of
Bacolod City during the Academic Year 2016-2017. A self-made
questionnaire adapted from Building Better Readers a Remedial
Reading Module by Project Division Team of Bago City, was used
to gather the data analyzed using frequency counts, percentages,
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and Independent sample t-test.
The study revealed that the level of reading comprehension of
Grade 6 pupils living with parents and with a single parent was
high. Pupils living guardians had an average level. Section 1 got
very high level; Section 2, revealed a high level while Section 3
and Section 4, got an average level of reading comprehension.
Boys and girls from the Grade 6 had both high level. Regarding
sex, there was no significant difference in the level of proficiency
of the respondents.When grouped according to sections, there a
was a significant difference in the level of comprehension of the
Grade 6 pupils. Section 4 revealed a lower result than the Section
1. When grouped according to socio-economic status, there was a
significant difference. The reading comprehension of pupils with
poor socio-economic status was lower than those of upper socio-
economic status. When grouped according to monthly family
income, there was a significant difference. The Grade 6 pupils
with family monthly income 0-10,000 pesos was lower than the
pupils with family monthly income of 30,001 and above. There
was no significant difference in the level of comprehension of the
Grade 6 pupils when grouped according to parent's educational
attainment. There was a significant difference in the parent's
educational attainment and the section that affect the level of
reading comprehension of the Grade 6 pupils. There was no
significant difference between the level of the male and female
Grade 6 pupils. The findings served as a basis for the "Let’s Read
Program,” which is a strategy introduced to guide the teachers and
learners in developing their skills.

Keywords: family background, family economic status, family set-
up, level, parents’ educational attainment, pupils, reading
comprehension, section, sex
INTRODUCTION
Reading is one of the
fundamental skills in school that a
child needs to develop or attain
the entire level. It involves
knowledge of vocabulary, syntax,
understanding of sentence
structures, and the ability to
interpret the motives and
intentions of a writer and other
essential comprehension skills for
a student to succeed in other
subjects (aside from English and
Filipino) like science and
technology, social studies,
mathematics and other curricular
matters.
However, without
comprehension,one's reading is a
frustrating and pointless exercise.
Good reading comprehension
helps pupils develop their
knowledge, skills, and
experiences to become
competent, critical and
enthusiastic readers and can
succeed academically until their
college years and employment,
especially in the competitive
Business Process Outsourcing
(BPO) industry.
Thus, teaching pupils
reading with understanding is a
primary goal of early education.
But, National Achievement Tests
(NAT) administered to public
schools by the Department of
Education (DepEd) from 2006-
2009 indicated Grade 3 pupils
who got a mean percentage score
iv
of 54.42% in English Reading
Comprehension. It means that the
pupils were considered only as
average readers and had difficulty
reading a text in English or
Filipino. Also, different English
educators have found pupils
having problems in understanding
English terminologies and
reading comprehension in all
reading levels -- literal,
interpretive, and applied.
Therefore, this national
and local challenge lead the
researchers to conduct a study to
address the low level of reading
comprehension of the elementary
school pupils.
Hence, this research
investigation primarily aimed to
determine the level of reading
comprehension of Grade VI
pupils in the English Language
Text of Iluminado S. Nessia, Sr.
Elementary School, District VII,
and Division of Bacolod City
during the Academic Year 2016-
2017.
This study was on Piaget's
theory of cognitive development
in 1936 which claims that
intelligence is not a fixed trait,
and is a process which occurs
because of biological maturation
and interaction with the
environment. Children create an
understanding of the world in
which they live and experience
discrepancies between what they
already know and what they will
discover in their environment.

It specifically addresses the
level of, and significant difference
in the level of reading
comprehension, and to propose a
Reading Program of the Grade VI
pupils based on the findings of the
study. The different variables
considered in determining the
level of reading comprehension
and significant difference in such
level included sex, section, family
background, and family set-up.
METHODOLOGY
The researchers used a
descriptive method using the
quantitative approach to
determine and describing the
level of reading comprehension of
the Grade VI pupils. The method
used describes the nature of the
situation related to aspects of
factors, to characteristics of
individuals or groups of physical
environments, or conditions, as
they exist at the time of the study,
explores the causes of
phenomena, and find answers to
the questions when, what, where,
and how. The quantitative
approach emphasizes objective
measurements and the statistical,
mathematical, or numerical
analysis of data were collected
through surveys, polls,
questionnaires, or through
manipulating pre-existing
statistical data
using computational techniques.
The subject respondents of this
study were the 113 Grade VI
pupils of Iluminado S. Nessia, Sr.
Elementary School during the
Academic Year 2016-2017. They
were selected using the Raosoft
xiv
online sampling calculator with
the margin of error at 5%,
confidence level at 95%, response
distribution at 60%, and
population size of 158. It
suggested a sample size of 113
from Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6
with the corresponding numbers
of 41, 41, 39, and 37 with the
similar sample sizes of 29, 29, 28
and 27, respectively.
The data were collected
using the self-made questionnaire
(with 15 items) , adapted from
Building Better Readers a
Remedial Reading Module by
Project Division Team of Bago
City, which passed the validity
and reliability tests, 4.458 and
0.7999, respectively. The survey
questionnaire was used to assess
the level of reading
comprehension of the
respondents and classifies the
level as literal, interpretive, and
applied. The reading levels were
based on the scale and range of
scores.
The survey instruments
were administered personally by
the researchers to ensure a clear
understanding of the questions
and honest answers, and the
confidentiality of the participants’
responses or records during the
administration of the instruments.
The researchers explained the
instructions in the questionnaires
to the respondents. The data
collected were analyzed and
treated using the computer-
generated statistical processes
and reflected the demographic
profile of the respondents
according to their sex, section,
family background, and family

set-up. The levels of the reading
comprehension were classified
into literal, interpretive, and
applied based on the average
GWAs of the respondents.
The frequency counts and
percentages were used to
determine the profile of the
respondents based on the
specified variables. The Analysis
of Variance (ANOVA) was used
to determine the level of reading
comprehension of the Grade VI
pupils grouped according to sex,
section, family background, and
family set-up.
Independent sample t-test
was used to determine the
difference in the level of reading
comprehension VI pupils of
Grade when grouped according to
sex, section, family background,
and family set-up.
The set of questionnaires
administered to the respondents
contained Part 1, a set of
questions needed to determine the
sex, section, family background,
and parent's guardians'
educational attainment, and Part
II, the questionnaires on reading
with comprehension
RESULTS, DISCUSSION,
AND IMPLICATIONS
The descriptive results
showed that when taken as a
whole,
The number of students
per section were categorized
based on their average grade
(section 1 (n= 27), section 2 (n=
32), section 3 (n=27) and section
4 (n=27)) and its corresponding
percentage (section 1 (23.9%),
xiii
section 2 (28.3%), section 3
(23.9%) and section 4 (23.9%)).
Section 2 has the highest
percentage (28.3%) then followed
by other sections (tied at 23.9%).
When grouped according
to sex, females have the highest
percentage (67.3%). The results
showed that the majority of the
class were females.
When grouped according
to monthly family income, the
highest percentage is the monthly
income ranging from less-10,000
(n= 88, 77.0%), followed by
20,001-30,000 (n=18, 15.9%) and
30,001 and above (n=7, 6.2%).
The data showed that most
students are poor.
The poor has the highest
percentage (n= 80, 70.0%),
followed by middle (n= 26,
23.0%) and upper (n=7, 6.8%).
Students living with
parents has the highest number
(n=66, 58.4%) followed by
students living with guardians
(n=25, 2.1%) and students living
with single parent (n=22, 19.5%).
When grouped according
to parent's educational attainment,
atleast one of the college graduate
(n=61, 54%) has the highest
number followed by at least one
of their parent's higher
educational attainment is high
school graduate (n=24, 21.3%),
pupils living in their guardians
without references (n=16,
14.2%), at least one of their
parent's higher educational
attainment is master's degree or
doctorate (n=4, 3.5%), at least one
of their parent's higher
educational attainment is an
elementary graduate (n=5, 4.5%),

at least one of their parent's higher
educational attainment is a
vocational graduate (n=3, 2.7%).
When grouped according
to inhabitant shows that living
with parents has a high level with
(M=10.05, SD=3.19) and living
with a single parent has a high
level with (M=10.32, SD=2.64)
compared to Living with
guardians that have an average
level with (M=8.32, SD=3.84).
The level of reading
comprehension of Grade Six
Pupils when they are grouped
according to section was
different. The section one got the
very high level of reading
comprehension with (M=12.37,
SD=1.86) compared to section 2
got a high level of reading
comprehension with
(Mean=10.37, SD=2.94) and
compared also to section 3 who
got the average level of reading
comprehension with (M=8.93,
SD=2.96) and for section 4 who
got the average level with
(M=7.07, SD=2.97).
Result showed that the
level of reading comprehension of
Grade Six Pupils, when grouped
according to gender, was similar.
The boys and the girls of Grade
Six Pupils attained the high
reading. The female, mean score
is high with (M=9.97, SD=3.26)
and compared to male, mean
score is high with (M=9.19,
SD=3.26).
Independent sample T-test
was used to determine the
difference in the level of reading
comprehension of Grade 6 pupils
in the English language text when
grouped according to sex. There
xiv
was no significant difference in
the level of proficiency of the
respondents regarding sex.
Analysis of Variance
(ANOVA) was used to determine
the level of reading
comprehension of Grade 6 pupils
in the English language text when
grouped according to sections.
There was a significant difference
in the level of comprehension of
Grade 6 pupils in the English
language text when they are
grouped according to sections [F
(3, 109)=18.242, p=0.000]. Post
hoc revealed that the reading
comprehension of section 4 is
significantly lower than those of
section 1.
To determine the level of
reading comprehension of Grade
6 pupils in the English language
text when they are grouped
according to parent's educational
attainment, Analysis of Variance
(ANOVA) was used. The result
showed that when they were
grouped according to socio-
economic status. There was a
significant difference in the level
of comprehension of Grade 6
pupils in the English language
text when they are grouped
according to socio-economic
status [F (2, 110) =3.696,
p=0.028]. Post hoc revealed that
the reading comprehension of
pupils with poor socio-economic
status is significantly lower than
those of upper socio-economic
status.
To determine the level of
reading comprehension of Grade
6 pupils in the English language
text when they are grouped
according to parent's educational

attainment, Analysis of Variance
(ANOVA) was used. The result
showed that when grouped
according to monthly family
income. There was a significant
difference in the level of
comprehension of Grade 6 pupils
in the English language text when
grouped according to monthly
family income [F (3, 109) =5.267,
p=0.002]. Post Hoc revealed that
the reading comprehension of
pupils with family monthly
income 0-10,000 pesos is
significantly lowered than those
of pupils with family monthly
income of 30,001 and above.
To determine the level of
reading comprehension of Grade
6 pupils in the English language
text when they are grouped
according to parent's educational
attainment, Analysis of Variance
(ANOVA) was also used. The
result showed that there was no
significant difference on the level
of comprehension of Grade 6
pupils in the English Language
text when they are grouped
according to parent's educational
attainment [F (8, 104)=1.324,
p=0.240].
From the statistical
perspective, the finding of the
study shows that there is a
significant difference in parent's
educational attainment and a
section that affects the level of
reading comprehension of grade
VI pupils.
In this study, we used
independent sample t-test to
determine the significant
difference of the students' level of
reading comprehension when
grouped according to sex and
xiii
family background. The result
shows that there is no significant
difference between the reading
comprehension of male and
female grade VI students in
Iluminado S. Nessia Elementary
School.
According to Solak and
Atlay (2014) there where similar
uses of reading strategies
(regarding frequency and type of
reading strategies) in
understanding reading texts by
both genders. The current
findings also support Tahriri and
Divsar's (2011) conclusions
claiming that gender and
educational level cannot make a
significant difference in students'
reading performance. This in
contrast with (Wardhaugh, 1993)
which states that Boys are more is
inherently less well equipped
when it comes to reading, but it is
the environment that affects
students' level reading
comprehension more than
heredity.
The parents' educational
attainment has a vital role in the
students' academic performance,
especially in the levels of reading
comprehension (Davis- Kean,
2005). Analysis of variance
(ANOVA) was used to determine
the significant difference in the
level of reading comprehension of
students when grouped according
to their parent's educational
achievements. The result showed
that there was a significant
difference between the reading
comprehensions of Grade VI
pupils.
Based on the social-cognitive-
ecological model, we expect

parental education to be one of the
significant factors that can
influence a child's level of reading
comprehension (Huessman,
1998). The data collected in this
study shows that students having
a college graduate parents has the
highest number (n=47, 41.6%)
while students having high school
and elementary level parents has
the least (n=2, 1.8%). Also, there
was no significant difference in
the student's level of
comprehension when grouped
according to their parent's
educational attainment.
Each child has the rights
to school. No matter what's his
background or family income,
they are entitled to a quality
education. Schools must be fair
enough and not judge a child by
his family background or family
income (Beck, 2011).
The family income,
whether it is high or low, can have
its impact on the academic
achievement of the student
including his/her level of reading
comprehension. Families having
high income can provide their
child quality expensive education
during the child's early years. It is
the sad truth; not all family can
afford costly quality education for
their child. Students who have
attended prestigious schools
during their early years may have
a higher level of reading
comprehension than those who
haven't (Humlum, 2011).
In this study, Analysis of
variance (ANOVA) was used to
determine the significant
difference of the students' level of
reading comprehension when
xiv
grouped according to their family
income, and it showed a
significant difference. Post hoc
revealed that the reading
comprehension of pupils with
family monthly income 0-10,000
pesos is significantly lower than
those of pupils with family
monthly income of 30,001 and
above.
It is implied in this study
that students' sex and parents'
educational attainment do not
significantly affect their level of
reading comprehension.
But the monthly income of the
family and section has an impact
on the reading comprehension of
the student.
Family income has a
direct impact on a child's
academic outcomes. The school
where the child attends can
significantly affect students'
school performance including
his/her level of reading
comprehension. Family with high
monthly income can let their child
enter a high-quality school in
which they can assure that their
sons or daughters will be
efficiently and effectively
catered. More-affluent parents
can use their resources to ensure
that their children have access to
the full scope of extracurricular
activities at school and in the
community (Egalite, 2016).
In the study conducted by
Gordon Dahl and Lance Lochner,
exploiting quasi-experimental
variation in the Earned Income
Tax Credit, it shows convincing
evidence that increase in family
income can lift the achievement
levels of students raised in low-

income working families, even
holding another factor constant.
CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
The study revealed that
the level of reading
comprehension of Grade 6 pupils
living with parents and l with a
single parent were high. Pupils
living guardians had an average
level. Section 1 got very high
level; Section 2, got a high level
while Section 3 and Section 4 got
an average level of reading. Boys
and girls from the Grade 6 had
both a high level of reading
comprehension. Regarding sex,
there was no significant
difference in the level of
proficiency of the
respondents.When grouped
according to sections, there was a
significant difference in the level
of comprehension of the Grade 6
pupils. Section 4 was significantly
lowered than Section 1. When
grouped according to socio-
economic status, there was a
significant difference. The
reading comprehension of pupils
with Poor socio-economic status
was lower than those of Upper
socio-economic status. When
grouped according to monthly
family income, there was a
significant difference. The Grade
6 pupils with family monthly
income 0-10,000 pesos was lower
than the pupils with family
monthly income of 30,001 and
above. There was no significant
difference in the level of
comprehension of the Grade 6
pupils when grouped according to
xiii
parent's educational attainment.
There was a significant difference
in the parent's educational
attainment and the section that
affect the level of reading
comprehension of the Grade 6
pupils. Finally, there was no
significant difference between the
level of the male and female
Grade 6 pupils. The findings
served as a basis for the "Let’s
Read Program,” which is a
strategy introduced to guide the
teachers and learners in
developing their skills.
On the other hand, this
study is a requirement for the
degree Bachelor of Science in
Elementary Education of the
three-member group researchers.
This research investigation could
be a basis for more
comprehensive studies relative to
Reading to help the pupils with
their academic performance for
the future researchers, the
teachers with their instructional
methods and strategies, and
school with their curricular
content and development.
The research findings show
that level of reading
comprehension of Grade 6 pupils
living with parents, and with
single parents is high; while those
living with guardians is average.
The Section One pupils have
very high; Section 2, got a high
level; and Sections3 and 4, an
average level of reading
comprehension. Both boys and
girls have a high level of reading
comprehension.
Based on socio-economic
status,the reading comprehension

of pupils with poor is significantly
lower than those of upper.
The level of reading
comprehension of Grade 6 pupils
in the English language text based
on monthly family income is
significantly lower than those
with a monthly salary of 30,001
and above.
There was no significant
difference in the level of reading
comprehension of Grade 6 pupils
in the English language text when
grouped according to parent’s
educational attainment.
The findings, therefore,
support the claims of the
authorities that gender and
educational level have no
significant difference between
students’ reading performance.
The parents' educational
attainment has a vital role in the
students' academic performance,
especially in the levels of reading
comprehension according to
Davis- Kean, 2005.
Based on the social-
cognitive-ecological model,
parental education is one of the
significant factors that can
influence a child's level of reading
comprehension.
The family income, whether
it is high or low, can have its
impact on the academic
achievement of the student
including his/her level of reading
comprehension.
It was implied in this
study that students' sex and
parents' educational attainment do
not significantly affect their level
of reading comprehension.
But the monthly income
of the family and section has an
xiv
impact on the reading
comprehension of the student.
Family income has a
direct impact on a child's
academic outcomes. The school
where the child attends can
significantly affect students'
school performance including
his/her level of reading
comprehension. Increase in
family income can lift the
achievement levels of students
raised in low-income working
families, even holding another
factor constant.As family
background is considered a
critical factor that influences the
quality of life for children, youth,
and families, pupils who have
higher income can read and
comprehend better.
Reading comprehension
in English Language Text was
quite tricky for students
especially those in lower sections.
Parents with high or low
educational background had no
significant effect on the reading
comprehension of the pupils.
Emphatically, as the
variables on section and family
background can influence the
reading comprehension of Grade
VI Pupils in the English Language
text, and these variables could be
affected by the intervention of the
school and home, a proposed
reading program could address
the need.
Therefore, a reading
program is proposed to provide
specific solutions based on the
following arguments:
1. The Grade VI pupils should
be trained well in reading
English with the help of

school administrators,
English teachers and parents.
2. Teachers should use
strategies, methodologies, and
activities that will help them
develop their pupils' reading
ability most particularly their
higher comprehension skills.
3. Pupils should be provided
with adequate opportunity to
read and the appropriate and
varied reading sources.
Lessons should be
incorporated into useful
reading selections, reading
comprehension activities,
effective teaching procedures
and techniques that introduce
exciting topics, stimulate
discussions, excite creative
responses and become the
springboard for well rounded,
interesting lessons.
4. Parents should play a
significant role in improving
the reading comprehension of
the child. There should be a
collaboration between parents
and teachers. Parents should
be encouraged to conduct
follow- up instructions at
home to improve reading
comprehension.
5. A Reading Intervention
Program is adopted to
improve the level of reading
comprehension of Grade VI
pupils.
Thus, from the end of the
school administrators to the
education supervisors in English,
reading skills of the elementary
pupils mainly the Grade VI be
given emphasis.The Grade VI
pupils could be provided reading
materials appropriate to their
xiii
needs, level of ability, interest,
and enjoyment for more effective
teaching-learning processes.
The reading teachers’
reading assessment and the
pupils’ learning style could
complement each other. They
could adopt teaching methods
which could help the learners with
low reading comprehension.
The "Let's Read
Program" is introduced as a
strategy to guide the teachers and
learners in developing the pupils'
reading skills and could stir up
excitement or thrill on the part of
the pupils to develop reading
habits and skills. It aims to
achieve the following:
a. Provide opportunities for
students to enhance reading skills
through various activities
b. Expose students to various
teaching strategies that could aid
them in reading
c. Redefine reading in its
creative and motivating
perspective
d. Increase reading speed and
efficiency of students
e. Develop the students’ love
for reading
This reading program
involves inculcation of the
reading skills on knowledge of
vocabulary, ability to interpret the
motives, understanding of
sentence structures and syntax.
This also involves intentions of a
writer and other important
comprehension skills needed for
the pupils' academic performance
particularly in subjects in English,
Filipino, science and technology,
social studies, mathematics and
other curricular subjects, and

could perform well in group
work. The pupils could also
become competent, critical and
enthusiastic readers. Particularly,
the reading program could
provide opportunities for students
to enhance reading skills through
various activities, expose
students to various teaching
strategies that could aid them in
reading, redefine reading in its
creative and motivating
perspective, increase reading
speed and efficiency of students,
develop the students' love for
reading.
Its strategies and
activities include Reading 101, a
10-minute reading exercise of the
English session which would
recognize new found words. The
first 10 minutes of the instructions
in English begins with a short
reading exercise. The first three
minutes is spent for recognition of
the new-found words of the word
of the day. The last seven minutes
is for actual reading exercises in
the form of silent reading, paired
reading, group reading, small
group discussion, summarization
of the text. The second strategy is
the Instructional Process itself in
which the teacher employs the use
of graphics and semantic
organizers, Question and Answer
Relationship Strategy (QAR),
Generating Questions,
Summarizing. The third is Peer-
Assisted Learning (PAL), used
during short reading activity. In
which in every language class, be
it Filipino or English, students are
divided into pairs based on their
performance. One higher and one
lower- achieving student
xiv
constitute each pair. The more
top-performing student is always
the coach (tutor) first. When a pair
of students completes an activity,
the students switch roles and
repeat the exercise. Partners
change every four (4) weeks. In
which pupils help each other in
vocabulary building, paired-
discussions and other paired
activities given by the teacher in
language. The last is the Home
Reading Program for which each
student will answer the Home
Reading Report (HRR) on the
book title, author, pages read,
characters in the story, summary,
moral of the story, and vocabulary
learned.
With this Home Reading
Program, it is hoped that reading
teachers with the assistance and
support of supervisors, school
administrators, and area heads
could again become instruments
in helping poor readers become
the young critical readers,
thinkers, and movers of our
country.
REFERENCES
Aboy, I. G. (2011).Grammar proficiency
in the communicative
context.Unpublished
Thesis.University of Negros
Occidental - Recoletos, Bacolod City,
Philippines.
Abu-Rabia, S. (2004).Teacher’s role,
learners’ gender differences, and FL
anxiety among grade-seven students
studying English as a FL.Educational
Psychology,24(5),711-721.http://dx.
doi.org/10.1080/0144341
04200026300
 xiii

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