Chapter 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Introduction
One of the essential abilities that allows people to comprehend and analyze written
material is reading comprehension. Many students struggle greatly with text
comprehension, which affects their academic achievement and language development
in general (Martini, Hasanah, & Riznanda, 2025) Even though reading comprehension
is crucial, an overwhelming majority of students struggle in this domain, which can delay
their entire education and future prospects.
At the broad level, reading comprehension is an important ability for anyone in
any society. It is necessary for learning, critical thinking, and active participation in many
areas of life. Inadequate reading comprehension can restrict people's potential for
personal and professional development, and can be a factor in wider social disparities.
Thus, solving reading comprehension problems is of national and global significance.
At the national level, the Philippines has been doing a lot in enhancing literacy
rates and education achievement. Nevertheless, reading comprehension problems still
exist, especially among learners in public schools. National assessments have also
brought to the limelight the deficit in reading comprehension skills among students,
which affects their performance in other areas and overall academic success. Through
an examination of the reasons for reading comprehension deficits in a given setting, this
research contributes to the overall aim of improving literacy and educational standards
in the nation.
Locally, Moreno Integrated School has targeted reading comprehension as an
area for improvement. The school has also introduced different programs and
interventions to enhance students' reading skills, but there are still discrepancies in
levels of reading comprehension among them. Recognizing the particular factors
influencing students at Moreno Integrated School can assist in individualizing
interventions to their specific needs and developing a more conducive learning
environment.
Specifically, this study focuses on Grade 7 jubilant students at Moreno Integrated
School. The learners have high levels of enthusiasm towards learning but suffer from
different degrees of reading comprehension. Through the exploration of internal and
external factors affecting their reading abilities, this research seeks to determine
effective methods to improve their reading comprehension and academic achievement.
Statement of the Problem
This study aims to Explore the Causes of Reading Comprehension Difficulties
Among Grade 7 Jubilant Students at Moreno Integrated School.
Specifically, it seeks to answer the following questions:
1. What is the profile of students in terms of:
a. age
b. sex
2. What are the difficult factors that encountered of students reading comprehension
in terms of:
a. Lack of Prior Knowledge
b. Poor Vocabulary Skills
c. Weak Inferencing Skills
3. To identify the primary factors affecting the reading comprehension
skills of Grade 7 Jubilant students at Moreno Integrated School?
4. What are the primary cognitive and environmental factors
contributing to these difficulties?
5. What strategies can be implemented to improve the reading
comprehension skills of this?
Theoretical Perspective
Purpose of the study
The purpose of this study is to investigate the factors contributing to
reading comprehension difficulties among Grade 7 students at Jubilant Moreno
Integrated School. (Ibrahim, Abdullah etal. 2024). Understanding these factors is
essential for developing effective interventions to enhance students' reading
comprehension skills and overall academic performance. (Tugo etal.2023)
Significance of the study
This study aims to examine the influences on the Grade 7 Jubilant learners
Reading Comprehension Skills at Moreno Integrated School. The findings of this
research will be beneficial the following:
Elementary school Students. This research will enable students to comprehend the
factors influencing their reading comprehension abilities. By understanding these
challenges, they can develop effective strategies for enhancing their reading and
learning skills, which will lead to their academic success.
Teachers. The research will give teachers an understanding of the particular challenges
students encounter in reading comprehension. This will allow them to create improved
teaching strategies, instructional materials, and intervention programs that are specific
to the needs of their students.
Parents and Guardians. By knowing the reasons for reading comprehension
difficulties, parents and guardians are better able to help their children learn. They can
use home-based interventions to improve their child's reading and foster a reading-
friendly atmosphere.
Future Researchers. This research can act as an asset to upcoming researchers who
need to research further in this regard. It may present baseline findings and
recommendations to serve as baseline information and reference to subsequent reading
comprehension, literacy, and instruction research.
Research Method
In order to investigate the underlying causes of reading comprehension
problems in Moreno Integrated School. This study used an qualitative method.(Almasi,
etal. 2006). For this purpose, in-depth interviews and observations were done with
different stakeholders such as students, teachers, and parents. Semi-structured
interview guides were utilized to make room for open-ended questions and free flow of
conversation so that participants could articulate their experiences and views in-depth.
The interviews sought to reveal individual insights into issues like teaching methods,
classroom atmosphere, and individual student issues that could lead to understanding
problems. Classroom observations were also carried out to obtain contextual
information on teaching styles and student interactions. The qualitative data were
subsequently analyzed through thematic analysis to determine recurring patterns and
themes. This approach offered a detailed and rich understanding of the root causes of
reading comprehension problems, providing useful insights for specific interventions
and support strategies.
Definition of Key Terms
For better clarification and understanding of the terms related to this study, the
following terms are defined conceptually and operationally.
Inadequate. Not sufficient or not sufficient enough for a purpose.
Prospects. Opportunities or chances of something occurring in the future, such as
opportunities.
Limelight. The center of attention or receiving much public attention.
Deficit. Shortage or lack of something, such as money or resources.
Discrepancies. Differences or errors between two items that ought to correspond or be
identical.
Enthusiasm. Great interest or excitement for something.
Delimitations
This study focuses on Exploring the Causes of Reading Comprehension Difficulties
Among Grade 7 Jubilant Students at Moreno Integrated School. This research examine
how the study will mainly look into aspects like instructional strategies, cognitive
abilities, the home environment, and individual motivation. Although they may be
acknowledged, other potential elements like socioeconomic status or outside
community effects won't be the main focus of the study (Villanueva, J. M. 2022).
The main purpose of this study is to identify and understand the factors that contribute
to reading comprehension difficulties faced by Grade 7 Jubilant students at Moreno
Integrated School. The study aims to explore various causes, which could include
cognitive, linguistic, environmental, or instructional factors, that affect students' ability to
comprehend reading materials effectively. Cognitive Factors is the mental processes
related to understanding and interpreting text, such as memory, attention, and
processing speed. Linguistic Factors vocabulary knowledge, and grammar skills, which
affect how well students can understand written material (Alshammari, R. F.
2022).Instructional Factors involve teaching methods, classroom environment, and
resources provided by educators to support reading comprehension. Environmental
Factors is also includes external influences such as the home environment, access to
reading materials ,that may impact students' reading abilities.
Limitations of the Study
This study focuses and is limited to Grade 7 Jubilant students of Moreno
Integrated School during the School Year (2024-2025). As for their learning
behavior, being slow learners and difficulties in reading comprehension. This
study aims to provide insights to support students to get rid of the reading
comprehension difficulties and improve their behavior and memory capacity
Summary
Martini, T., Hasanah, A., & Riznanda, W. A. (2025). Students' Difficulties in Reading
Comprehension. Jadila: Journal of Development and Innovation in Language and Literature
Education, 5(1), 47-60.
Almasi, J. F., Garas-York, K., & Shanahan, L. (2006). Qualitative research on text comprehension and the
report of the National Reading Panel. The Elementary School Journal, 107(1), 37-66.
