Abstract
This study determined the readability of selected literary texts in English and the level of mastery in comprehension skills of Grade 7 students in Domingo Yu Chu National High School as basis for an enhanced reading program in English. Results of the analyses indicate the following findings: Four of the five selected literary texts The Centipede, The Mats, The Wedding Dance, Bread of Salt and How My Brother Leon Brought Home A Wife were found to be suitable for sixth graders aged 11 and 12 described as easy. Only ‘Bread of Salt’, however, was found to be appropriate for the 7th graders aged 12 – 13 with its Flesch Reading Ease Score of 77.05. Results revealed that out of 138 student-respondents, majority have mastered noting details in the selections: The Centipede, The Mats, Wedding Dance, Bread of Salt and How My Brother Leon Brought Home A Wife. For identifying meaning through context clues only few have gained mastery of the stories. As regards sequencing of events, majority of the respondents were on nearly mastered level only except in the selection ‘The Mats’ where they scored well, while only few of the respondents have mastered making inference.
