Campus Journalism Involvement and Language Proficiency among Public High School Students in Escalante City, Philippines

Abstract

Using Krashen’s Input Hypothesis, Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory, and Cummins’ Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills/Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency distinction, this study examined the relationship between campus journalism involvement and English language proficiency among 102 junior high school student-journalists from nine public schools in Escalante City, Philippines. A quantitative descriptive-correlational design employed a validated survey and a standardized proficiency test on grammar, vocabulary, and writing. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and one-way analysis of variance with Tukey’s Honestly Significant Difference post-hoc test. Most students reported over one year of involvement, served primarily as writers, and participated weekly or monthly. Training was sourced mainly from school workshops, motivated by a passion for writing, but constrained by time and a lack of mentorship. Overall proficiency was Nearly Proficient (M = 20.00, SD = 4.68). No significant differences emerged by age, sex, duration, role, frequency, or activity type. Grade level was significant, F(5, 96) = 2.47, p = .035, with Grade 9 outperforming Grade 10. Perceived influence also differed significantly, F(2, 99) = 4.27, p = .017: students who reported moderate improvement outscored those who reported slight improvement. Findings indicate campus journalism is an equitable platform for academic English, but gains depend on sustained engagement, language-intensive roles, mentorship, and metacognitive awareness. Results highlight the need for targeted support in Grade 10 and greater emphasis on reflective practices.