Undergraduate Thesis
Bachelor of Secondary Education major in English
University of Rizal System, Rodriguez, Rizal
2011

This study was conducted to determine the problems encountered in understanding and appreciating short stories among the fourth year students of Manggahan National High School.

There were 28 males and 32 female high school students who were taken as respondents. The researchers used questionnaires to gather the needed data. The instruments contained twenty possible problems in understanding and appreciating short stories.

Statistical treatment of data included the percentage, frequency distribution, and ranking to present the profile of the respondents. Weighted mean was used to get the problems encountered in understanding and appreciating short stories among the fourth year students of Manggahan National High School. ANOVA was used to find out the problems encountered in understanding and appreciating short stories.

The problems encountered in understanding and appreciating short stories in terms of; "I can't maintain my concentration" with the mean of 3.78 interpreted as Agree which ranked first, followed by "Reading is not my hobby. with the mean of 3.63 interpreted as Agree which ranked second followed by "I'm distracted with the surroundings." with the mean of 3.45 interpreted as Agree which ranked third. While the "I have poor health. With the mean of 2.63 interpreted as Slightly Agree ranked as 18th or last followed by I'm not interested with foreign language text" with the mean of 2.65 interpreted as Slightly Agree which ranked 17th followed by " I read in a slow pace." With the mean of 2.80 interpreted as Slightly Agree which ranked 16th

From the findings obtained, the following conclusions were drawn: majority of the respondents were females. There is no significant difference between the problems in understanding and appreciating short stories and Educational Attainment of their parents. There is no significant difference between the problems in understanding and appreciating short stories and monthly income of their parents. Most of the students cannot maintain their concentration. Most of the students said reading is not their hobby. Most of the students were destructed with their surroundings.

In view of the findings and conclusions withdrawn, the following recommendations were offered. Supervisors/School Administrators should find ways for the students to maintain their concentration in reading short stories. Teachers should take a closer look or evaluate themselves in dealing with pupils to properly motivate them in their studies. Parent should be encouraged to really support and guide their children in their studies at all cost. They should provide the necessary needs of their children rather than entrusting them fully on the children's teachers the instruction and their learning needs.