Advisers

Rica Mae Berja

Discipline

Languages & Linguistics

Abstract

‎In the modern educational landscape, English has become a vital language for academic achievement and global communication. Despite the widespread dedication to learning English, mastering it remains a challenge due to its vast vocabulary, complicated grammar, and pronunciation difficulties. Students frequently struggle with issues such as limited vocabulary, inadequate reading skills, and challenges in understanding texts. Furthermore, research indicates that factors like environmental conditions, reading comprehension difficulties, and second-language acquisition contribute significantly to these reading challenges. This study used an evaluative quantitative research approach and applied cluster sampling alongside Slovin’s formula to select 126 Humanities and Social Sciences students from Bestlink College of the Philippines as respondents. A survey questionnaire was employed as the primary data collection tool to address the research objectives. The results indicated that environmental factors, including noise and the absence of a proper study environment, which distract students and impair text comprehension, received a weighted mean of 3.22, corresponding to “Agree.” In terms of reading comprehension, challenges such as limited vocabulary and inadequate exposure to English yielded a weighted mean of 2.96, also described as “Agree.” Finally, regarding second-language difficulties, issues like unfamiliarity with vocabulary, sentence structure, and idiomatic expressions affecting reading fluency had a weighted mean of 3.17, which likewise reflects agreement. It is recommended that schools and educators offer greater support to students struggling with limited resources and opportunities. They should encourage students to practice note-taking and summarizing important information during reading to improve comprehension. Furthermore, facilitating interactions with native speakers or language partners can boost students’ confidence in both reading and oral communication skills.

Keywords

environmental factors, reading comprehension, reading difficulties, humanities and social sciences students, english language learning, bestlink college of the philippines