The Relationship between early reading oppurtunities and the reading performance of college freshmen

Abstract

The significance of reading in today's society cannot be ignored. Simple reading abilities are not anymore adequate to meet the demands of new concepts and new technologies. Other than simply being able to read and write one's name, one should possess functional reading skills corresponding to one's role in society, specifically in the workforce. At their present state, are college students adequately prepared to achieve success in the academe as well as in their chosen fields of study? This paper looks into the status of college reading abilities and skills and hopes to contribute to the understanding of issues in reading comprehension in the tertiary level. The study sought to determine the relationship between early reading opportunities and performance in reading comprehension, working around the premises that comprehension is developed from interrelated factors beginning from early childhood to adult life; and that reading abilities and skills are influenced by various factors. Specifically, it sought to resolve the following: 1. What are the reading opportunities the respondents have along the stages of reading experience? 2. What factors influenced the respondents' reading, experience along factors affecting reading experience; and perceptions about reading and learning. 3. What is the extent of influence of some variables in the respondents' level of performance in comprehension skills tests? 4. How do stages of reading experience; factors affecting reading experience; and perspectives about reading and learning relate to the comprehension skills of the respondents? The study investigated students at the University of the Cordilleras - Baguio Colleges Foundation using original instruments. Data were collated and subjected to statistical analyses. A two-way ANOVA was used to test the null hypothesis with the alpha criterion level set at 0.05 probability level. The salient findings of this study are hereby presented: 1. Freshmen at the. University of the Cordilleras - Baguio Colleges Foundation often experienced early reading experiences and opportunities that reflected construction and reconstruction skills, reading for multiple viewpoints, pre-reading abilities, reading for learning the new, initial reading and decoding skills, and confirmation and fluency. 2. Several factors were noted to have influenced the respondents' reading experience, namely: intrapersonal attitudes; interpersonal attitudes; attitudes towards the printed page; teachers and parents; and print materials and audio-visual aids. Also, the respondents' perceptions about the involvement of the family in their reading experiences were significant in developing reading abilities and skills as well as beliefs about personal attributes, intrinsic motivation, community influence, environment, knowledge of reading and guidance and intelligence were held significant. 3. The respondents' level of performance in the literal comprehension test was high but average in the reorganization, inferential and evaluation comprehension skills tests. However, no significant differences were noted in the mean scores along the variables under study except for degree program, which registered significant differences in the students' mean scores in the comprehension skills tests. 4. There were no significant correlation between the stages of reading experience and the respondents' performance in the reading comprehension skills tests. Personal-related factors, individual-related factors and materials-related factors were not significantly correlated to the reading performance of respondents in the comprehension skills tests. There were no significant correlation between respondents' perceptions about reading and learning and their performance in the reading comprehension skills tests. As gleaned from the foregoing findings, this study concludes that: 1. The reading maturity of college students correspond to recognized stages of reading development. 2. The reading skills and abilities of students at the tertiary level have been influenced by their perceptions about reading and learning and by other variables that include personal, individual and materials - related factors. 3. Exposure to reading opportunities do not influence the reading performance of college freshmen in the comprehension skills tests. On the other hand, their choice of field of study do influence their level of performance in the comprehension skills tests. 4. The level of reading performance of students in the tertiary level are not correlated to their exposure to the stages of reading development; their perceptions about reading and learning; and their exposure to some selected factors. Based on the preceding findings and conclusions, recommendations are hence presented: 1. Further research is recommended to determine the source of the apparent discrepancy between the freshmen's reading experience and their comprehension skills so that appropriate intervention can be designed and employed. 2. Further research is also encouraged to identify effective reading programs and activities that cater to the expressed needs of readers specific to entering college freshmen and college students. Schools, particularly in the lower levels should create cooperative systems for parents and teachers that puts emphasis on the monitoring of students' reading progress. Educators should work with parents to organize opportunities for parent involvement in their children's school activities with particular emphasis on reading development. 3. Further studies should be undertaken to trace and pinpoint, if there are any components from which variables present a departure from their being influential to not being influential along the stages of reading development. interesting to determine how respondents perform in reading 4. Institutions of higher education should create an intensive reading course to be offered to incoming freshmen. Reading is an imperative for success in the academe. Aside from adjusting to their social environment, incoming freshmen generally find the treatment of course offerings different from the styles they were used to in high school. This time, they are given more concepts and problems to pursue on their own. All course work requires a lot of reading but without proper and appropriate guidance, students may fail to comprehend specific course content. The intensive reading program should reinforce the students' abilities and skills in reading and progress from using reading to understand general information to comprehending the language of specific course requirements. Instruction should also give emphasis on understanding the functions of the five levels of comprehension as a tool in finding the right information students need in completing coursework. 5. Proper perspective should be accorded to reading instruction, not only in primary and secondary education but also in the tertiary level. While course offerings in communication arts are limited to specific goals and objectives, language teachers should always put equal emphasis on the development of the four language skills. Reading should not be used merely as springboard to other language concepts and skills, much less as a buffer to teacher incompetence. Teachers should also consider the students' field of specialization in the choice of reading materials to widen the students' exposure to their chosen area of study as well as further arouse their interest and motivation.