The Influence of Vocabulary Knowledge, Teachers’ Instructional Practices and Parental Involvement on Grade 7 Students’ Reading Comprehension

Abstract

Reading comprehension was a foundational skill that was key to academic success, however many students in Grade 7 had difficulty as texts became more challenging. Grounded in the Simple View of Reading and Scaffolding Theory, the study investigated the relationship between vocabulary knowledge, teachers’ instructional practices, parental involvement and reading comprehension of Grade 7 students from one district of Cagayan de Oro City. It specifically examined vocabulary knowledge, teachers’ instructional practices, parental involvement and reading comprehension in four subskills: extracting significant information, distinguishing fact from opinion, drawing inferences and analyzing real-world issues. The study used a descriptive–correlational design with 214 students who were selected using simple random sampling. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, correlation and multiple regression analysis. The results indicated that vocabulary knowledge, teacher’s instructional practices and parental involvement were all at high levels. The regression model was significant; however, vocabulary knowledge was the only significant predictor of reading comprehension. Students performed relatively well in drawing inferences and analyzing real-world issues but experienced difficulty in distinguishing fact from opinion. These findings underscore the role of vocabulary knowledge in enhancing reading comprehension and the need for supportive teaching and home environments. Overall, this underscores that while external support is valuable, building strong vocabulary remains the foundational factor for effective reading comprehension. Future researchers are encouraged to examine additional factors influencing reading comprehension, such as reading motivation, metacognitive strategies, and digital literacy, to extend the generalizability of the findings across diverse contexts.