Oral Language Confidence and Reading Comprehension Performance Among Grade 6 Learners

Abstract

This study examined oral language confidence and reading comprehension performance among Grade 6 learners of San Antonio Elementary School in the City of Ilagan, Isabela. It employed a predictive explanatory survey design to determine the learners’ level of oral language confidence, their reading comprehension performance, the relationship between the two variables, and the predictive effect of oral language confidence on reading outcomes. Data were gathered using a validated Oral Language Confidence Scale and a Reading Comprehension Performance Test. The Oral Language Confidence Scale obtained a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.91, indicating excellent reliability. The data were analyzed using mean, standard deviation, frequency, percentage, Spearman rho correlation, and ordinal logistic regression. Findings revealed that the learners were moderately confident in oral language activities, particularly in answering questions and reading aloud, but showed lower confidence in asking questions and explaining text meanings. Their reading comprehension performance was generally at the developing level, with greater difficulty in inferential and evaluative comprehension. A moderate positive and significant relationship was found between oral language confidence and reading comprehension performance. Ordinal logistic regression further showed that oral language confidence significantly predicted learners’ reading comprehension level. The study concluded that strengthening learners’ confidence in oral communication may contribute to improved reading comprehension. It recommended structured oral reading, retelling, guided questioning, peer discussion, and vocabulary-building activities to support both oral expression and deeper text understanding.