Reading Motivation Vs Reading Comprehension of Filipino ESL Learners in the Public Schools: Its Correlation to Phi-IRI Reading Results

Abstract

A considerable number of studies concerning topics on reading comprehension were conducted significantly; however, less attention was focused on metacognitive motivation of students, particularly among the public secondary schools in the Philippines, whose primary language for communication is Filipino or Tagalog, but are being taught in English as the medium of instruction in most of their basic core subjects. These students are in a crucial transition period from junior high school to senior high school. The present study aims to investigate the current reading level of Filipino ESL learners in the Junior High School who took the Grade 7 Phil-IRI test and how it relates to their metacognitive reading motivation. A total of 229 participants were randomly selected from junior high schools in the Schools Division of Manila. Results reveal that the majority of high school students belong to the instructional level. This explains that, with follow-up on high-quality instructions, students can achieve optimal performance in their studies. Interestingly, data yielded a very significant relationship between the results of the Phil-IRI reading test and the Metacognitive Awareness Reading Strategies Inventory (MARSI). This means that students who perform well in the Phil-IRI are likely to be highly motivated in their metacognitive strategies when reading academic materials. The pedagogical implications of the study suggest that language teachers should offer more than just reading instruction; learners must be strongly motivated to read, and the teachers should ensure this motivation.