Factors Affecting Reading Difficulties in English Language of Grade 11 Humanities and Social Sciences Students in Bestlink College of the Philippines

Abstract

Reading is defined as the complex cognitive process of decoding symbols to derive meaning. It is an important skill to help people learn from human knowledge and experience. If one does not know how to read, then he is derived from the chance to discover truths—of discerning what is believable from not—and understanding everything around him. Through reading, knowledge has greatly contributed to the growth of mankind. Parents have taught their children to read in the hopes of securing them a better future. However, as our systems have been modernized, certain issues have surfaced, which led to the reading difficulty of a large number of students, particularly in this generation. Difficulty in reading is a deficiency in a person's fluent use and comprehension of written language. It does not only torment children but also adults. It is not only a problem for students but also their parents, their teachers, and the community they belong to. Newly developed programs and advanced systems made it easier for us to detect if one experiences reading difficulty. However, the increase in reported cases shows that the system needs improvement. For ages, reading difficulty has always been a problem. Although the silent minority has remained discreet, the increasing number of students who have difficulty in reading is alarming. Hence, in this study, the researchers evaluated the causes of difficulty in reading among students. The researchers used qualitative and descriptive research methods as the research design. The researchers also utilized purposive sampling to gather respondents who assessed the factors affecting difficulties in reading English. This study used a survey questionnaire to gather data from the respondents. The results of the study showed how difficulties in reading affect the daily living and academic performance of the students. Based on the profile of the respondents, in terms of age, 17 years old is the age of respondents that have difficulties in reading. In terms of gender, female is the most affected by difficulties in reading.