CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A. Background of the Study

Vocabulary knowledge is widely recognized as a cornerstone of

language proficiency and academic success. It is an essential

component for learners to master a language enabling them to express

concept effectively in speaking, writing and reading. According to

nation (2022) vocabulary serves as the foundation of communication

and is necessary for learners to comprehend texts successfully.

Reading often described as the window of the world is a

fundamental skill through which individual gain information, assimilate

knowledge and broaden their understanding of various subject. The

process of reading exposes learners to new words and repeated

encounters with vocabulary help improve comprehension. Ricketts et al

(2020) found that reading comprehension and vocabulary develop

together during adolescence, showing that frequent reading supports

long-term vocabulary growth and strengthens students overall reading

ability.

Several studies have consistently shown that a high density of an

unfamiliar words in a text can hinder comprehension. As explain by

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Schmitt (2020) learners must understand at least 95%of the words in a

text to achieve smooth of and effective comprehension.

International research has also highlighted that many learners

face difficulties in acquiring sufficient English vocabulary. Feng and

Webb (2020) reported that vocabulary learning through reading is

effective but learners with limited vocabulary struggle more when

encountering unfamiliar texts. Similarly, Liu (2021) found that Asian

EFL students often experience challenges in understanding academic

readings due to insufficient vocabulary.

In western educational contexts, background knowledge and

vocabulary are considered crucial for comprehension [Link] and

Oakhill (2020) emphasized that vocabulary is one of the strongest

predictors of reading comprehension among upper-grade learners.

These studies collectively show that vocabulary knowledge plays

a vital role in reading comprehension across different learning

contexts.

For grade 11 HUMSS students in Sibuco National High School

strengthening English reading habits may help enhance vocabulary

mastery. Which in turn improves comprehension and academic

performance.
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B. Statement of the Problem

This study aims to investigate the influence of reading English

on the vocabulary skills of grade 11 HUMSS students in Sibuco National

High School.

This study also seeks to answer the following questions:

1. What is the demographic profile on the respondents in terms of:

1.1 Sex

1.2 Dialect

1.3 Reading preference

2. To what extent does the influence of reading English has on the

vocabulary skills of grade 11 HUMSS students in terms of:

2.1 Word recognition

2.2 Spelling skills

2.3 Vocabulary usage

3. Is there significance influence of reading English to the vocabulary

skills among grade 11 HUMSS students?

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C. Objectives of the study

The main objective of this study is to investigate the influence of

reading English on the vocabulary skills of grade 11 HUMSS students in

Sibuco National High School.

D. Scope and Delimitation

This study aims to the investigate the influence of reading

English on the vocabulary skills among grade 11 HUMSS students

School year 2025-2026 this research primarily focusses on the

vocabulary skills assess through the frequency and types of English

reading materials. The study will involve (30) respondent from grade

11 HUMSS students and it will be conducted at Sibuco National High

School, located in Sibuco Zamboanga Del Norte. The data gathered

from the respondent were analyzed using frequency and percentage to

describe the profile of the respondents and their reading habits mean

(Average) is to determine the level of vocabulary skills of the students.

Survey questionnaire used to collect data on the frequency and types

of English reading materials read by the students. Vocabulary test word

identification test used to assess the student’s ability in reading and

identifying English words.

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E. Significance of the study

The main objectives of this study is to investigate the influence

of reading English on the vocabulary skills of grade 11 HUMSS students

in Sibuco National High School. This study will benefit the students,

teachers, parents, school administrators and future researchers.

Students

They may understand how reading English helps improve their

vocabulary skills, encouraging them to develop better reading habits,

which can lead to improved academic performance increased

confidence on communication, and help them become more

empathetic and critical thinkers.

Teachers

The results can help teachers design reading activities and

choose that enhance vocabulary development and cater to diverse

needs of their students through vocabulary skills.

Parents

They will become aware of the importance of encourage their

children to read English at home by understanding that reading is the

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foundation of success and discover that reading is not just a school

task.

School Administrators

The findings may serve as basis of improving reading programs

the results could highlight gaps in current strategies such as low

access to engaging materials in English curriculum in Sibuco National

High School.

English teachers

This study helps English teachers understand how reading

English materials can improve students’ vocabulary skills and guides

them in designing effective lessons and selecting appropriate reading

materials.

English coordinators

This study provides English coordinators with information to

improve reading programs, support teacher development and

implement strategies that enhance students’ language skills.

Department of Education (DepEd)

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This study offers DepEd evidence on the importance of reading in

developing vocabulary which can inform curriculum planning, resource

allocation and strategies to strengthen English proficiency among

Senior High School students.

Future Researchers

The study may serve as the references for future researchers for

future researchers related to the reading habits, vocabulary skills and

English proficiency, providing base line data on the current state of this

factors in Sibuco National High school.

F. Conceptual framework

Independent variable Dependent Variable

Reading English Vocabulary Skills

Figure 1. Conceptual Paradigm

Figure 1 Shows the identity between the independent variable

and dependent variable. The reading English is the independent

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variable (as shown in the left) greatly influences the vocabulary skills

as the dependent variable (as shown in the right).

G. Hypotheses of the study

Using the 0.05 level of significant error, the following are the

hypotheses use in the study:

Ho: There is a significant influence of reading English in vocabulary

skills of grade 11 HUMSS Students.

Ha: There is a significant influence of reading English in vocabulary

skills of grade 11 HUMSS students.

H. Definition of Terms

To better understand this study, the following terms are defined

operationally:

English. Is a language used the communication in speaking, reading

and writing. It is one of the most widely used languages in the word

and is often taught in school to help students express ideas,

understand texts and communicate effectively with others.

Reading. Is the process of interpreting and understanding written or

printed text. It involves the recognition of symbols, comprehension of

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meaning, and interpretation of the writer’s intent. It is a fundamental

language skill that includes decoding, fluency and vocabulary

knowledge to extract meaning from written materials.

Sibuco National High School. Is a specific high school in Sibuco,

which provides education to students, typically in Grades 7-12,

following the K to 12 curriculums set by the Department of Education

(DepEd).

Influence. Refers to the capacity to affect someone’s thoughts, feeling

or actions often in a subtle or indirect way.

Vocabulary skills. Refer to the ability to recognize understand and

use words effectively in communication. This encompasses both

receptive (understanding) and productive (using) knowledge of words.

A strong vocabulary is a fundamental aspects of languages proficiency

and forms the foundation for abilities such as speaking, reading and

writing.

Word recognition. Refer to the student’s ability to identify the correct

meaning of underlined words. This was measure through a multiple-

choice test where students selected the correct definition of

vocabulary world used in the sentence. The total number of correct

answers represented the student’s level of word recognition.

Spelling skills. Refer to the student’s is ability to identify and choose

the correctly spelled word. This was measured using a multiple-choice

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spelling test where the students selected the correctly spelled word to

complete each sentence. The total number of correct responses

indicate their spelling proficiency.

Vocabulary usage. Refer to the students ability to appropriately

apply newly learned English words in writing, speaking and real-life

situations. It was operationally measured through the respondents self-

reported ratings in the researcher-made questionnaire using a five-

point Likert scale.

CHAPTER II

REVIEW Of RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Vocabulary knowledge is a central component of reading

comprehension, especially for learners who study English as a second

language. For senior high school students, particularly those in the

Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) strand, the ability to

understand and use a wide range of vocabulary is crucial for academic

performance. Recent empirical work shows a robust relationship

between reading and vocabulary development in adolescence and

highlights important moderating factors. Ricketts (2020) used

longitudinal latent-variable modelling with a sample of adolescents and

found that reading comprehension and oral vocabulary develop

together across early adolescence, indicating a common language

construct and ongoing growth in secondary schooling.

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Feng and Webb (2020) experimentally compared incidental

vocabulary learning across reading, listening and viewing and reported

that all three modes produced measurable vocabulary gains that were

retained after a delay. However, gains defended on prior vocabulary

knowledge, frequency of occurrence, and alignment between input and

testing mode.

Foreign Studies

Smith and Jones (2020, 45-50) Conducted an empirical study in

the United States on high school students reading habits and

vocabulary scores. They discovered that students who employed

interactive reading strategies, such as predicting, summarizing and

questioning, achieved high vocabulary test results compared to peers

who practiced passive reading.

Cain and Oakhill (2020) Conducted a study examining how

vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension influence one

another among learners in English-speaking countries. Their research

found that students with a stronger vocabulary were more capable of

understanding complex texts, while students who frequently engaged

in reading developed better word knowledge over time.

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Feng and Webb (2020) examined how students learn vocabulary

through reading, listening and viewing English materials. Their study

found that reading is the most effective mode because written texts

provide richer and more varied word forms.

Liu (2021) examined the impact of extensive reading on

vocabulary development among second-language learners. The study

found that students who read English regularly experience significant

improvement in vocabulary size, word recognition and understanding

of words meanings in context.

Nation (2022) examined how vocabulary learning occurs through

different types of language input, emphasizing the importance of

repeated exposure and meaning-focuses reading. The study also

emphasizes the importance of teaching high-frequency words as this

form the foundation of effective reading and comprehension.

Ricketts, Cervag, Dawson, Taylor, and Hulme (2020) conducted

the study investigating the relationship between reading

comprehension and vocabulary development among adolescence

learners. Their findings that’s students with stronger reading

comprehension skills tend to develop larger and more accurate

vocabularies over time.

Local Studies
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Marcelo (2019,22) examined reading habits among Senior High

School students and found that those who frequently read English

online articles or stories achieve higher vocabulary scores.

Rivera and Santos (2020,11) studied Grade 11 students from a

public school in Quezon city and found a significant association

between reading engagement and vocabulary proficiency.

Valdez (2021,14) discovered that students with strong English

reading habits showed better vocabulary use in both spoken and

written tasks.

Cruz and Valdez (2022) explored the relationship between

reading frequency and vocabulary skills among Senior High School

student in Zamboanga Peninsula. Their findings indicated that students

who read English materials regularly, even outside school

requirements, had stronger vocabulary performance than those with

limited reading habits.

Delacruz (2020) investigated HUMSS student in Zamboanga Del

Norte focusing on the effect of guided reading activities on vocabulary

skills. The study revealed that students who participated in structure

reading season including pre-reading discussion and paused-reading

exercise, demonstrated higher retention of new words.

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CHAPTER III

RESEARH METHOLOGY

Reasearch methodology is a plan that contains the specificity of

the research method. This chapter presents the method and procedure

used in conducting the study. It briefly discusses the methods

employed in this study which includes the research design, research

locale, population and sampling technique, instrument of the study,

and data gathering procedure. The different statistical measures used

in the treatment of data are likewise discussed in this chapter.

Research Design

This study utilized a descriptive-correlation research design. This

design was chosen because the study aimed to describe the level of

English reading related vocabulary skills of the respondents and to

determine whether reading English has a significant influence on their

vocabulary skills.

The descriptive method is suitable because it describes the

existing condition of the respondent’s vocabulary skills, while the

correlational method is appropriate because it determines the

relationship between reading English and vocabulary skill without

manipulating any variables. According to

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(Creswell, 2014) descriptive-correlational research is appropriate when

the researcher seeks to describe variables and examine their

relationship as they naturally occur. This design fits the procedure of

the study since data were collected using tests and questionnaires and

analyzed using statistical tools.

Research Locale

The study was conducted at Sibuco National High School located

in Sibuco Zamboanga Del Norte Philippines. The school was selected as

the research locale because it offers the Senior High School program,

particularly the HUMSS strand where students are regularly exposed to

English reading materials as part of their academic subjects which

made the locale suitable for conducting the study.

Population and Sampling Techniques

This study consisted (30) Grade 11 HUMSS students enrolled at

Sibuco National High School during the School Year 2025-2026. The

respondents were selected using simple random sampling. In this

technique, every member of the population had an equal chance of

being chosen to participate in the study.

Simple random sampling was selected based on the researcher’s

decision because it minimize bias and ensured that the sample fairly

represented the population. According to Creswell (2014), simple

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random sampling was a probability sampling method in which each

Individual

Instrument of the Study

Survey questionnaire was use as the main data gathering

instrument of this study.

The survey questionnaire was made of three (3) parts. Part I

gathered the demographic profile of the respondent in terms of

gender, dialect and reading preference. Part II measured the

respondent’s vocabulary skills using objective test question. Part III is

the respondent’s self-perceived vocabulary skills related to reading

English using a 5-point Likert scale. The responses were analyzed using

weighted mean to determine the overall level of vocabulary skills.

A five-point Likert scale was used in this instrument where the

descriptive scale applied were Strongly Agree (SA) = 5, Agree (A)= 4,

Moderately agree (MA) = 3, Disagree (D) = 2, and Strongly Disagree

(SD) =

1.

Data Gathering Procedure

The research followed proper ethical procedures in conducting

the study. First a formal letter requesting permission to conduct the

research was submitted to the school principal. Upon approval, the

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respondents were informed about the purpose of the study and

assured that their participation was voluntary and their responses

would be kept confidential.

The questionnaire were administered during the respondent

vacant time. Clear instructions were given before answering the

instrument. After completion the instrument were collected, checked

and organize for data analysis.

Statistical Treatment of Data

To facilitate statistical analysis, the following statistical tools were

employed in this study.

1. Percentage

was used to determine the proportion of respondents who gave

specific responses. This statistical tool was appropriate when data were

classified into distinct categories. It was used to describe the

demographic profile of the respondents in term of sex, dialect, reading

preference. According to (Creswell 2014), percentage was used in

quantitative research to describe and summarize data by showing how

part of the data related to the whole, especially in presenting

demographic information.

Percentage (%) =f/N×100%

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Where:

f = Frequency in the category

N = Total number of respondents

2. Mean and Weighted Mean

The weighted because it considered the assigned weights of

responses and provide an overall measure of central tendency.

mean was used to determine the level of English reading practices and

vocabulary skills of the respondents. Fraenkel, Wallen, and Hyun (2019)

explained that the weighted mean was appropriate for analyzing Likert-

scale data.

(∑ ( f × x ))
Weighted Mean (WM)=
N

Where: f = Frequency

X= value of respondents

N= total respondents

Weighted Mean Verbal Verbal

Interpretation Interpretation

4.21 – 5.00 Strongly agree Excellent

3.41 – 4.20 Agree Above average

2.61 – 3.40 Moderately agree Average

1.81 – 2.60 Disagree Below average

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1.00 – 1.80 Strongly disagree Poor

3. Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient

This used to determine the significant influence of reading

English on the vocabulary skills of Grade 11 HUMSS students.

According to Garrett (2011), Pearson r was appropriate because both

variables were measured at the interval level, and the study aimed to

determine the strength and direction of a linear relationship between

the two continuous variables. The formula used for computing pearson

r was expressed as:

r =N ∑ XY −¿ ¿ ¿

Where:

r= correlation coefficient

X= time management

Y= academic performance

N= number of respondents
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