From Simple to Complex: An Analysis on Word Preference Among Secondary

Education English Major Students

MONICA ALIBUGHA
ELNA GADIAN
LAVLYN GALVEZ
JOAN HOMBREBUENO
FRINCESS SIMPAS

A Research Paper Presented

in Partial Fulfilment of the Course Requirements for the Degree of
Bachelor in Secondary Education Major in English
College of Education
PHINMA University of Iloilo
Iloilo City, Philippines
March 2016
Chapter 1

Introduction
Background of the Study
Vocabulary plays an important role for individuals in acquiring and learning
the language (Cameron, 2001). It is central to English language for without
sufficient vocabulary individuals cannot understand others or convey/express
their ideas, and as Wilkins (1972) wrote, while without grammar very little can be
conveyed but without vocabulary nothing can be conveyed.
In English as a second language (ESL) and English as a foreign language
(EFL) vocabulary plays a vital role in all language skills; listening, speaking,
reading and writing (Nation, 2001). On choosing words to be used in speaking
and writing, individuals rely on their vocabulary that supplies them the words they
think that are appropriate on the context given. When one's vocabulary is limited,
ones choice of words to be used is also limited. Ones choice of words depends
on one's vocabulary rate (words individual have stored or know where meanings
and use are determined), the fewer the words one knows, the lesser choices
he/she have.
Different factors may affect language development thus it affects the
individuals vocabulary that is manifested through the words he/she produces.
These factors may be intrinsic or extrinsic in nature that either can develop or
hinder the individuals vocabulary development.
Some researches discussed that one factor which affects the childs
language development is the socio-economic status of the family of the child with
connection to parents educational attainment. Age can also be a significant
2

factor that may affect the childs language development. Furthermore, this study
aims to support and further discuss the possible effects or relationship of age,
socio-economic status and parents educational attainment of the child to their
word preference that depends on their vocabulary.

Research Objectives
The primary aim of the proposed research is to determine:
a. the words preferred by college students
b. the complexity or the simplicity of words used by college students
c. if there is a significant relationship between age, socio-economic status
and parents educational attainment of the students to words preferred by
students.

Statement of the Problem

The above aim was further analyzed into three research questions:
1. What is the level of words preferred by college students when taken as a
whole and when grouped according to students age, socio-economic
status and parents educational attainment?
2. Is there a significant difference in the level of words preferred by the
college students when they are classified according to year level, socioeconomic status and parents highest educational attainment?
3. What are the complex and simple words preferred by the college
students?
4. Are there any significant relationship between students age, socioeconomic status and parents educational attainment to the level of
3

complexity or simplicity of words preferred by the students?

Statement of Hypothesis
There is no significant relationship in the preferred words of students to
their age, socio-economic status and parents educational attainment.

Definition of Terms
The following terms were defined conceptually and operationally to set the scope
of the study and how these terminologies were used.
Age. It is defined as the number of years a person has lived (Kowalczyk,
2015). While in this study, age refers to the length of time or years of the
respondent from the day he/she was born up to this time the study was
conducted. Age refers to 16-20 years old of the respondents.
Word. According to Minimal Free Form (Bloomfield, 1926), a word is a
minimum free form, thus a form which may be uttered alone (with meaning) but
cannot be analyzed into parts (all of them) that may be uttered alone (with
meaning). While in this study, word refers to a linguistic unit with meaning
specifically adjectives used by the respondents; adjective words which are either
simple or complex word.
Vocabulary. It is defined as the stock of words which is used by an
individual, class or profession (Burns, 1972).In addition, Diamond and Gutlohn
(2006) stated that, vocabulary is the knowledge of words and word with
meanings. In this study, vocabulary is defined as the depth of the words the
respondents have.
4

Socio-Economic Status. It indicates ones access to collectively desired

resources, be they material goods, money, power, friendship networks,
healthcare, leisure time, or educational opportunities. And it is access to such
resources that enable individuals and/or groups to prosper in the social world
(Oakes and Rossi, 2003). In this study, socio- economic status refers on
students parents jobs and estimated parents annual income.
Educational Attainment. Educational attainment refers to an important
direct outcome of education (Jenkins and Sabates, 2007), as opposed to the
input (e.g. cognitive ability; effort), process (e.g. educational pathway taken, full
time or parttime study) or indirect outcomes of education (e.g. income). In this
study, educational attainment is defined as the highest level of education an
individual has successfully completed.

Significance of the Study

As Thornbury (2002) stated that the crucial aspect in learning a language
is teaching the words for languages are based on words. It is almost impossible
for us to learn a certain language without words for even communication between
humans is based on words. In any educational institution particularly on the
aspect of language learning, both teachers and students agree that acquisition
and learning of the vocabulary is a central factor in teaching a language (Walters,
2004.
In this study, teachers are the direct beneficiaries because they are the
ones who deal much and give off more time with the students. As they have their
5

daily or even weekly conferences with their students, they are at the same time
monitoring the progress of their students in terms of their performance. Teachers
are obliged to check whether their students have their learning increased or they
are still stuck on their current level of knowledge or language development.
Through this study, teachers can adjust their language teaching techniques and
strategies to cater the language learning needs of their students. Teachers will be
able to recognize different lapses in terms of the students' language development
status and search for appropriate series of solutions to lift the language abilities
of their students. Due to some factors mentioned in this study affecting the
language learning of the students, the teacher will then be able to bridge the gap
between certain hindrances to the students' capability to learn and improve their
language skills. By this study, teachers can adopt other possible teaching
techniques which can suffice appropriate language experience for students with
different age regardless of their socio-economic status as well as their parents'
educational attainment.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study investigates the level of complexity or simplicity of the preferred
words of the students, ages 16-20 years old, also, to distinguish if respondents
age, socioeconomic status and their parents highest educational attainment
have any significant effect to the complexity and simplicity of their preferred
words.
This is an investigation conducted through gathering of data from
6

sampled participants; students at the age of 16-20 years old, preferably Bachelor
of Secondary Education Major in English students from PHINMA-University of
Iloilo.
Chosen respondents are given a cloze test. A cloze test is an objective
type of test, where respondents are tested to supply the missing word/s which
has been systematically deleted from the text.
With regard to the level of complexity or simplicity of words of an individual
based on their age at the range of 16-20 years old, socioeconomic status and
parents highest educational attainment, a cloze test was used as an instrument
to come up with certain data and information.
Respondents will provide any word specifically adjective in each blank that
are appropriate and coherent to the context of a given short story. Through this,
respondents are intended to answer by their preferred words in a certain
sentence or even based on situations.
In doing so, this cloze test will serve as an evaluation to determine the
respondents level of complexity or simplicity of their preferred words with relation
to their respective age, socioeconomic status and parents highest educational
attainment. After gathering the instruments, researchers analyze the results.
Then, the results of the cloze test are the basis in justifying the assumptions.

Chapter 2
Review of Related Literature
A number of studies have been carried out that gave some points in
relation to the effect of age, socioeconomic status and parents educational
attainment to the level of simplicity or complexity of the words preferred by
8

students, studies from different parts of the world, local to international

frameworks that discuss some salient points about on those factors mentioned.
First to be discussed is the possible effect of age, followed by the effect of
socioeconomic status and lastly, the effect of parents educational attainment.

Factors That May Affect Students Preferred Words

Language connects us all. Through language we can communicate
explicitly our ideas, thoughts and opinions, by either writing or speaking.
However, language can be more than conveying ideas (Marttinen, 2010).
Moreover, according to Marttinen (2010), many social factors affect language use
and these factors seem to determine or to have influence on either one's speech
or writings that expose one's social class.

Age
In determining how long or how much one individual was exposed to
language, age is one of the significant factors that affect language use. According
to Maturation Theory of Gesell (1925) age symbolizes maturity with which a
specific development in a persons speaking, listening, writing, reading and
thinking skills. As a result, it creates a gap between individuals in terms of the
way he/she thinks, speaks, writes, reads and listens.
M. Marttinen (2010) on her study about social factors and word choices in
contemporary British English gave insights about the relationship of age to lexical
or word choice of an individual in contemporary British English. On this study,
9

one's age may influence his/her lexical choice and vocabulary, for example,
young people use forms that are new and innovated than of old people, while old
people tend to use forms and words that are diminishing and old-fashioned,
Martinnen (2010).
In terms of cognitive abilities, adults have superior cognitive abilities than
that of teens. With their superior aspects of acquisition, they can learn and retain
a larger vocabulary compare to children and teens and also, they are utilizing
various deductive and abstract processes to shortcut the learning of grammatical
and other linguistics concept. Their superior intellect helps them learn fast than a
child but the children's fluency and naturalness are often the envy of adults for
they are struggling in acquiring and learning second languages. But in the case
of the children, the content of classroom might introduce some difficulties to
children in learning a second language (Brown, 2000).
For teens or teenagers, they are in the age of what we've called
transition, where they experience confusion, self-consciousness, growing, and
changing bodies and minds. They are becoming increasingly adult like with their
ability to make diversions on a non-static situations in the immediate
communicative context that test or practice their language use, especially on a
grammar point or vocabulary item (Douglas Brown, 2000).

Socio- Economic Status and Educational Attainment of Parents

Family socio-economic status (SES) is a powerful predictor of many
aspects of child development. Research shows that socio-economic status (SES)
10

is associated with a wide array of health, cognitive, and socio emotional

outcomes in children, effects beginning prior to birth and continuing into
adulthood. A variety of mechanisms associating SES to child well-being have
been proposed that involves differences on the access of material and social
resources or reactions to stress-inducing conditions by both the children and their
parents. For children, SES affects well-being at multiple levels, including both
family and neighbourhood. SES effects are moderated by childrens own
characteristics, family characteristics, and external support systems (Bradley and
Corwyn, 2002).
Socioeconomic status (SES) remains a topic of great interest to those who
study childrens development, interest that derives from a belief that high SES
families afford their children to an variety of services, goods, parental actions,
and social connections that potentially resulted to the benefit of children and a
concern that many low SES children lack access to those same resources and
experiences, thus putting them at risk for developmental problems (Brooks-Gunn
and Duncan 1997).
For many years of accumulating findings on the relationship between SES
and intellectual/ academic competence, McCall (1981) presented evidence that
the association between SES and cognitive performance of an individual begins
at infancy. Numerous studies have documented that poverty and low parental
educations are associated with lower levels of school achievement and IQ later in
childhood (Alexander et al. 1993, Bloom 1964, Duncan et al. 1994, Escalona

11

1982, Hess et al. 1982, Pianta et al. 1990, Walberg and Marjoribanks 1976, Zill et
al. 1995).
In a recent study of DeGarmo and colleagues (1999), they found that each
SES indicator (income, education and occupation) was associated with better
parenting, which in return affected the school achievement via skill-building
activities and school behaviour of the students. Parcel and Menaghan (1990)
found that mothers who worked in occupations with a variety of tasks and
problem solving opportunities provided more warmth and support and a greater
number of stimulating materials for their children that result for children to gain
more advanced verbal competence, and these findings are seen on the
argument of Kohn and Schooler (1982) that parents experience at their work,
they incorporate it into their style of parenting. Major differences in the language
proficiency of the children who came from high SES and low SES families were
also found by Hart and Risley (1995) and supported by Hoff-Ginsberg (1991) that
stated, beginning early in life there were evident differences in language
performance of children based on their SES.
Researchers have argued that low-SES children lack access to cognitively
stimulating learning materials and experiences, which not only limits their
cognitive growth but reduces their chances of benefiting and excelling from
school (Bloom 1964, Hunt 1961), evident on data from the National Longitudinal
Survey of Youth and the National Household Education Survey (Bradley et al.
2001a, Corwyn and Bradley 2000) which indicate that children from families with
low SES have less access to a wide variety of different recreational and learning
12

materials from infancy through adolescence. They are less likely to go on trips,
visit libraries or museums, attend a theatrical or stage performances, or be given
lessons directed at enhancing and developing their skills. Access to such
materials and cultural resources mediates the relation between SES and
childrens intellectual and academic achievements and performances from
infancy through adolescence (Bradley 1994, Bradley and Corwyn 2001, BrooksGunn et al. 1995, Entwisle et al. 1994, Guo and Harris 2000).
Part of the observed connection between SES, cognitively stimulating
learning experiences, and a child well-being probably reflects parental attitudes,
expectations, and styles of interacting with children. In 1998, Adams identified
eight major differences in patterns of socialization of parents to their children
from different social classes: among them are; the emphasis given to verbal
skills, independence, achievement, and creativity. Parents with high SES engage
their children in more conversations, read to them more and provide more
teaching experiences that help the childs development (Shonkoff and Phillips,
2000). These conversations between parents and their children are richer,
contain more responsiveness and interactions, and include more efforts to
produce and develop child speech (Hoff-Ginsberg and Tardif 1995, Hart and
Risley, 1995). Parents teaching style includes more scaffolding and complex
verbal strategies (Borduin and Henggeler 1981). Bradley and Corwyn (1999), in
their review of research on the home observation for measurement of the
environment (HOME) inventory, found that these effects of parents teaching
styles applied to their children from infancy through adolescence and generally
13

hold for children from diverse ethnic backgrounds and such differences in
parenting practice are strongly implicated in the relation between familys SES
and childrens intellectual and academic performance (Hoff-Ginsberg and Tardif
1995, Walberg and Marjoribanks, 1976).
On the other hand, parents with low SES are less likely to purchase
reading and learning materials for their children that is more meaningful and
stimulating, less likely to take their children to educational, cultural events and
school trips, and less likely to regulate the amount of TV their children watch for
exposure to different viewing learning experiences (Bradley et al. 2001a, Hess et
al. 1982). As a result, low-SES children more frequently experience low
academic achievement and performance, which moves them on a trajectory of
either conduct problems or withdrawal behaviours (Battin-Pearson et al. 2000).

Theoretical Framework
All researches must have theories that shall support the given concepts. In
this study, various theories or rather learning theories are discussed to support
the assumption that age, socio-economic status and parents educational
attainment affect the childs word preference that relies on childs vocabulary.

Age
Humans are designed to develop; physically from baby to an adult,
mentally from a tabula rasa (Locke, 1960) to a colourful canvass, emotionally in
14

handling respective emotions, socially in dealing with other people and their
selves and spiritually with their faiths and beliefs.
John Locke (1960), described the brain of the human as a blank slate,
wherein from the day an individual was born his/her brain has no attachment to
learning at all. While an individual's exposure to the world increases, his/her
learning just follow then forming limitless connections. And so, this implicate that
the age of an individual influences his/her learning especially in using appropriate
word/s in a certain situation.
The development of an individual in their vocabulary does not only acquire
from their natural environment, thus, instructions and learning from formal
settings also plays a vital role. The term acquisition and learning are two terms
used interchangeably but in the case of language acquisition and language
learning, linguists made an important distinction between these two terms.
Acquisition is the act of acquiring or gaining something and learning is the activity
or process of gaining knowledge or skill by studying, practicing, being taught or
experiencing something. Linguists made an important distinction particularly,
Stephen Krashen, between language acquisition and language learning.
Language acquisition refers to the gradual development of ability in a language
by using it naturally in communicative situations with others who knows the
language, while, language learning refers to more conscious process of
accumulating knowledge of the features, such as vocabulary and grammar, of a
language, typically in an institutional setting.
So, as an individual grows, it is expected that his/her knowledge increases
15

as well as his/her experiences that contribute in developing his/her maturity. It is

the same in acquiring and learning the language where series of development
occurs from simple structures that evolve to complex ones. Levels of acquisition
and learning of the language increases as an individual ages not only in uttering
words but his/her linguistic components which is made up of: vocabulary,
grammar, semantics, pragmatics and discourse also increase.(Krashen,1981)
In the Cognitive Development Theory of Jean Piaget, each individual
undergoes a series of stage development on the mental aspect as well as on the
aspect of language use. These stages namely; sensorimotor : 0-2 years old, preoperational: 2-7 years old, concrete operational: 7-11 years old and formal
operational: 11- up years old. This theory illustrates how the child acquires and
learns knowledge as well as the language as he/she grows; from simple to
complex ways of conveying and comprehending ideas.

Socio-Economic Status and Educational Attainment

Education is one of the keys to development. Interactions have been
demonstrated with most development dimensions that includes human rights,
health, democracy, culture, economic growth, etc. (Sen 1999; Collier and Hoeffler
2000).
According Bandura (1977) on his Social Learning Theory, people learn
from one another via observation, imitation and modelling. Parents with high
educational attainment would likely shared a greater knowledge input than those
parents with low educational attainment with association to scaffolding which in
16

parents with high educational attainment are likely to build strong foundation of
schema on their children. This input of parents can be acquired by the children in
such a way like imitation of ideas of coming from the parents, observation of such
behaviour of parents and modelling or application. In this process parents are
known to be the more knowledgeable others (MKO) which build the scaffold of
the child in learning.

Conceptual Framework
Parents Educational
Attainment
(Independent Variable)

Preferred Words of
Students
VOCABULARY
(Dependent Variable)

Age
Year Level
(Independent Variable)

Socio-economic Status
(Independent Variable)

Figure 1 (Schematic Diagram), a Conceptual Model Showing the Relationship of Age,

Socio-economic Status and Parents Educational Attainment to the Level of Simplicity or
Complexity of the Preferred Words of the Students.

Following the above framework, the three independent variables are the
educational attainments of parents, age of the student and socio-economic status
while the dependent variable is the words preferred by the students that may be
simple or complex. This study investigates how age, socio-economic status and
17

parents educational attainment affects the word preference of the Bachelor of

secondary Education students of University of Iloilo- PEN.

Age
Vocabulary, a dependent variable that depends on Age where an
individual ages his/her language acquisition and learning increases due to his/her
length of exposure to the language. John Locke emphasizes individual is born as
tabula rasa but due to exposure to the environment, individual gradually acquire
and learn knowledge, the same in the case of language acquisition and learning
that if an individual is exposed, he/she gradually acquire and learn the language.
Through series of interaction and communication, individual not just learned to
utter words but his/her linguistic components like the grammar, semantics,
pragmatics, discourse and vocabulary develops as he/she grows and continues
hi/her exposure to the language.
In the case of the Word Preference, it is dependent on vocabulary and
age. It is dependent on vocabulary for vocabulary is the individuals stock of
words and that reason, it is the source of words for an individual to be able to
have a different choices of words. Also, Word Preference is dependent on age
the same dependency of vocabulary on age.
Age is independent variable for it is the length of exposure where we can
able to determine the acquired vocabulary words to be used.

Socio-Economic Status and Educational Attainment of Parents

18

Socio-economic status and parents educational attainment are two

associated independent variables that may affect the word preference of the
students via vocabulary.
Many factors affect ones language development, it may be intrinsic or
extrinsic factors that can help or hinder ones learning and acquiring the
language. The SES and the childs parents educational attainment considered as
external factors which influence the child not only as a guide to learning and
acquiring but it act as foundations of the child learning and acquiring processes.
With high SES (socio-economic status) and educational attainment of
parents, an array of resources is given to the child compared to a child with low
SES and parents educational attainment. Parents with a higher degree of
education possess a higher amount of knowledge to be passed on unto their
child or a higher capability in guiding their child. Primary inputs of knowledge
came from the parents also the input in the aspect of language learning. Parents
are considered as one of the more knowledgeable others (MKO) and the primary
model of the children in all aspects of learning. Parents with high educational
attainment are more conscious about their child academic performance for they
have higher expectations towards their child.
In terms of SES, materials for language development and vocabulary
development for high SES families are likely to be more stimulating enough to
give an adept and meaningful language experience to the child, unlike to the
families with low SES that give the child with more limited stimulating materials
for a meaningful language experience.
19

SES and Parents Educational Attainment may have effect to childs word
preference in terms of availability of learning materials, and knowledge and
language support to the child.

Chapter 3
Research Methodology

Research Design
20

This research is a descriptive study that shows how age, socioeconomic

status and parents educational attainment affects the word choice of the group of
students at the age 16-20 years old. This study is design to determine the level of
complexity or simplicity of words used by the particular respondents, the
Bachelor IN Secondary Education Major in English students from College of
Education PHINMA-University of Iloilo.
In addition, this study will also determine the depth of vocabulary of the
respondents with prior considerations to their age, socioeconomic status and
parents educational attainment
This concept was anchored to the theory of Jean Piaget, the Cognitive
Development Theory. This theory said that each individual undergoes different
stages of development in the mental process as well as in the language use. The
different stages of development are sensorimotor, which a child utters simple
words to communicate. The pre-operational stage which a child can already
express some ideas about a topic. Next, is the concrete operational stage where
a child involves himself/herself on decision making and formulate his/her
perception and lastly, formal operational stage where he/she already use the
language in different context. And so, the cognitive development theory says that
as an individual grows his/her vocabulary as well as his/her word preference
increases.
On the other hand, some of the students which are qualified on the age of
16-20 years old also use complex words. Those at the age of 31-35 years old
which are professionals specifically teachers, in some instances of delivering a
21

lesson, are also using simple words to express their knowledge and expressions.
Therefore, using the descriptive study we will describe and see the different word
choices of each group of respondents with consideration to their age.

Respondents of the Study

This study intends to determine if the age, socio-economic status and
parents educational attainment of the respondents, have a significant
relationship on an individuals level of complexity and simplicity of his/her choice
of words.
The researchers decided to have respondents, which were identified
according to their age. The lists of respondents are the students who are taking
up Bachelor in Secondary Education from the College of Education of PHINMAUniversity of Iloilo, whose age belongs to 16-20 years old.
After the computations, this study has a total of 100 respondents
whose age belongs to 16-20 years old at the same time are presently studying at
PHINMA-University of Iloilo.

The Research Instruments

In determining whether the respondents preferred, simple or complex
words, they will be given a test, a cloze test. This test is also known as supply
type of test. The cloze test requires the respondents to supply appropriate and
related adjectives in the blanks.
The cloze test will determine the preferred words of each respondent
22

without losing the sense or the thought of the short story. Through this
instrument, the researchers can determine the effects of age, socio-economic
status and parents highest educational attainment of respondents to the level of
complexity or simplicity of words they used.
The cloze test given to the respondents is a short story entitled, The Ant
and The Grasshopper. Researchers have systematically deleted some of the
adjectives in the short story to make it a supply type of test.
Then, the possible adjectives which the respondents supply in the cloze
test are the basis of the level of complexity or simplicity of their preferred words.
The researchers have the list of characteristics to determine whether a certain
word belongs to simple or complex words.

The Procedure
The 100 qualified respondents from PHINMA-University of Iloilo will be
given a test randomly. The content of the instrument is a short story wherein they
are going to provide different adjectives which they think are appropriate and can
suffice the thought and coherence of the sentences of the short story.
After all the respondents finished answering the cloze test, the
researchers gather the instruments. The researchers are going to assess the
adjectives the respondents preferred to use in the cloze test by referring it to the
lists of simple and complex words.
In checking the cloze test of the respondents where researcher would
determine the words provided by the respondents whether they are simple or
23

complex, the following characteristics are being considered:

-

If the word syllables are 3 or more than 3, the word is considered as a

complex word.
If the word has affix/es, it is considered as a complex word.

Chapter 4
Data Presentation, Interpretation and Analysis
24

This chapter deals with the presentation of the descriptive and inferential
data regarding the analysis of word preference among Secondary Education
English Major Students when they are classified according to year level, socioeconomic status and parents highest educational attainment with respective
analysis and interpretation.
These are supported with the summary of the findings after conducting a
cloze test.
The following specific questions are the focus of this chapter:
1. What are the (a) complex and (b) simple words preferred by the college
students?
2. What is the level of words preferred by college students when taken as a
whole and when grouped according to (a) students year level, (b) socioeconomic status and (c) parents highest educational attainment?
3. Is there a significant difference in the level of words preferred by the
college students when they are classified according to (a) year level, (b)
socio-economic status and (c) parents highest educational attainment?

Table 1
List of Simple and Complex Words used by the students
Common Simple Words Used
Strong
Good

Common Complex Words Used

Hardest
Delicious

25

Nice
Wide
Hard
Hot
Tough
Big
Lazy
Tall
Warm
Hot
Weak
Heavy
Thick
Busy
Small
Poor
Huge
Sad
Safe

Wonderful
Abundant
Melancholic
Magical
Nutritious
Slothful
Joyful
Unproductive
Sufficient
Pleasant
Industrious
Beautiful
Intelligent
Gigantic
Bountiful
Hard working
Marvelous
Magnificent
Chaotic

In table 1, these are the list of common words used by the students in the
cloze test given.

Table 2.0
Case Processing Summary
Cases
Included
N
Preferred Words * Year Level
Preferred Words * Socioeconomic Status
Preferred Words * Parents'
Highest Educational Attainment

Excluded

Percent

Total

Percent

Percent

100

100.0%

0.0%

100

100.0%

100

100.0%

0.0%

100

100.0%

100

100.0%

0.0%

100

100.0%

In Table 2.0, it represents the totality of the respondents who have taken up the
cloze test which is 100%.
Table 2.1
Level of words preferred by the students according to year level
Year Level

Mean

Std. Deviation

26

Second Year

2.1834

67

.21509

Third Year

2.1705

31

.19836

Fourth Year

2.1071

.05051

Total

2.1779

100

.20719

Table 2.2
Level of words preferred by students according to socio-economic status

Socio-economic Status

Mean

Std. Deviation

Both Parents are Unemployed

2.0989

13

.16115

Only Mother is Employed

2.1369

12

.21202

Only Father is Employed

2.1599

42

.18112

Both Parents are Employed

2.2468

33

.23897

Total

2.1779

100

.20719

Table 2.3
Level of words preferred by students according to parents highest
educational attainment
Parents' Highest Educational

Mean

Std. Deviation

Attainment
Elementary

2.0536

.12199

high School

2.1544

31

.19613

College

2.1967

65

.21467

Total

2.1779

100

.20719

Table 3.1
Level of Preferred Words * Year Level
27

Crosstab

Year Level
Second Year
Wrong Answer
Words Preferred

Total

Third Year

Fourth Year

Simple

48

23

73

Complex

17

25

67

31

100

Total

Chi-Square Tests
Value

df

Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)

.787

2.815

.589

Linear-by-Linear Association

.000

.984

N of Valid Cases

100

Pearson Chi-Square
Likelihood Ratio

1.720

Table 3.2
Level of Preferred Words * Socio-economic Status
Crosstab

Socio-economic Status

Total

Both Parents

Only Mother is

Only Father is

Both Parents

are

Employed

Employed

are Employed

Unemployed
Wrong Answer
Words Preferred

Simple
Complex

Total

12

10

35

16

73

15

25

13

12

42

33

100

Chi-Square Tests
Value
Pearson Chi-Square
Likelihood Ratio

df

Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)

16.812a

.010

17.166

.009

28

Linear-by-Linear Association

4.856

N of Valid Cases

.028

100

Table 3.3
Level of Preferred Words * Parents' Highest Educational Attainment
Crosstab

Parents' Highest Educational Attainment

Elementary

Words Preferred

high School

Total

College

Wrong Answer

Simple

24

45

73

Complex

18

25

31

65

100

Total

Chi-Square Tests
Value

df

Asymp. Sig. (2-sided)

.567

4.548

.337

Linear-by-Linear Association

.557

.456

N of Valid Cases

100

Pearson Chi-Square
Likelihood Ratio

2.947

DATA INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS

LEGEND:
2.33 3.0 = Complex
1.67 2.32 = Simple
1.0 1.66 = Wrong Answer

Using the value of mean and base on the legend given to identify the level
of words preferred by the students, Table 2.1 the level of words preferred by the
students according to year level is simple. In Table 2.2, the level of words
29

preferred by students according to socio-economic status is also simple, which is

also the same in Table 2.3 the level of words preferred by students according to
parents highest educational attainment.
In determining if there is any significant difference in the level of words
preferred by the students when they are classified according to (a) year level, (b)
socio-economic status and (c) parents highest educational attainment, ChiSquare Test was used. Chi-Square Test, states that, if the significant value is less
than 0.05, there is significant difference across variables. In Table 3.1, since the
significant value is 0.787, it was interpreted that the year level of the student has
no significant difference to their level of words preferred. Table 3.2 presented that
the significant value is 0.010. Therefore, the socio-economic status has a
significant difference to the level of words preferred. Lastly, the 0.567 significant
value in Table 3.3 means that parents highest educational attainment has no
significant difference in the level of words preferred by the English Major
students.

Chapter 5
Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations
This chapter presents the summary of the research study, the conclusions
drawn from the test given and the date gathered and also the recommendations
arrived by the researchers.
30

This study is conducted to determine the level of the words preferred by

the English Major students with regards to their (a) year level, (b) socio-economic
status and (c) parents highest educational attainment.
The respondents of the study were English Major Students of PHINMAUniversity of Iloilo from 2nd- 4th year and chosen using convenience sampling.
The research methods used this study were qualitative and at the same
time descriptive method under descriptive studies. The study utilized descriptive
research design.
The instrument used to gather data was a cloze test adopted by the
researchers from a certain reference. Computations, analysis and interpretations
of the data were done by the statistician.
In general, the average level of words preferred by the English Major
students based on three variables, (a) year level, (b) socio-economic status and
(c) parents highest educational attainment is simple. Moreover, the variables
such as the students year level and parents highest educational attainment have
no significant difference in the level of words preferred by the students.
However, the socio-economic status has reflected a significant difference in the
level of words preferred by the English Major students.
This study wants to suggest especially to the teachers and parents that
whatever socio-economic status a child or a learner has, they should see to it
that the language facilities and foundations of the learners are fairly handed to
them. For the reason that vocabulary is very vital to the language development of
the learner it must be delivered to them. Furthermore, the learners must be
31

exposed through various language experiences so that their language facility

especially their vocabulary foundations are strongly molded. For the teachers,
they should create a syllabus or course program that corporate with the idea of
spiral progression that the learner must learn from simple to complex ideas.
Lastly, it is best for both parents and teachers to collaborate in developing the
childs language facility because a child learns not only in the four corner of a
classroom but also outside of it.

REFERENCES:
-

http://blog.udemy.com>child-development-theories
http://www.history.com/topics/john-locke
Holmes (2001:167)
Holmes (2001: 170-171)
Webster's Encyclopaedic Unabridged Dictionary)New Edition
(Marttinen M. May 2010. U or Non-U?:A Study on Social Factors and

Word Choices in Contemporary British English)

Brown, Douglas.2nd Edition Teaching by Principles An Interactive
32

Approach to Language Pedagogy. Chapter 6: 87-90

MOFAREH ALQAHTANI (2015). The importance of vocabulary in
language learning and how to be taught. International Journal of Teaching

and Education, Vol. III (3), pp. 21-34.

Erika Hoff (2003). The Specificity of Environmental Influence:
Socioeconomic Status Affects Early Vocabulary Development via Maternal
Speech. Child Development, September/October 2003, Volume 74,

Number 5, Pages 13681378.

Silke Schneider (2011). MEASURING EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT.

SURVEY QUESTION BANK: Topic Overview 6 (September 2011).

Geert Booij. The Grammar of Words: An Introduction to Linguistic

Morphology, pages 51- 56.

Laurie Beth Feldman. Morphological Aspects of Language Processing,
pages 121- 130.

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