Development of English reading comprehension through contextualized graphic novel [manuscript] / Dexter V. Fernandez.

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It is a challenge for practicing language teachers to search for or to create a contextualized reading intervention material that can motivate students to read as they develop their English reading comprehension skill. For this reason, conception, development and application of the contextualized graphic novel were proposed. The development of a novel entitled "The Orphans, the Dog and the Enchanted Pot" was firstly accomplished as an example of a contextualized graphic reading material. The novel featured contextualization by venturing familiar local folktales, myths, stories, beliefs, norms, cultural practices, historical events, landmarks and alike that were known to the projected readers. Within the framework of this quasi-experimental research, effectiveness of novel as a reading intervention material in developing English reading comprehension was examined and established. Thirty (30) respondents from Grade 7 Anthurium students of Lamao Nation High School during the S.Y. 2016-2017 formed the experimental and comparison groups. Total sample size was carefully matched and paired in terms of sex, age and General Weighted Average (GWA) to designate the groupings. Pretest was first conducted to measure the respondents' initial reading comprehension level, then, the novel was distributed to experimental group. They were instructed to read it for four (4) weeks or twenty-eight (28) days on their own free time whether in school during weekdays or at the comfort of their homes. On the other hand, the comparison group was not exposed to contextualized graphic novel but on other materials of their choice. After the experimental period expired, posttest was conducted; 5 vi thus, this was to measure the development occurred in reference to the differences between pretest and posttest groups' test results. Outcomes provided statistical evidences that contextualized graphic novel supported development of English reading comprehension on the following premises: First, it was marked that the experimental group marked with higher posttest result than comparison group after the experimental period. Second, experimental group's posttest reading comprehension result confirmed that there was a gradual increase on the basis of their pretest result while comparison group's posttest result decreased in reference to their pretest result. Lastly, it was determined through the comparison of pretest and posttest results, gradual development was manifested through experimental group's initial comprehension level as frustrated readers to instructional readers after the exposure. The study concluded that the effectiveness of contextualized graphic novel as a reading intervention was partially upheld. It was recommended that language teachers may consider the contextualized graphic novel as reading intervention for readers with reading comprehension difficulty. It was also suggested that language teachers should search or create a similar reading material that will suit to the context and needs of the readers. Further, it was recommended to examine the effectiveness of the contextualized graphic novel to a different locale, to a larger population and to non-readers.