An Empirical Evaluation of Reading Skill Hierarchy and Academic Performance in English Among Undergraduate Students in Tamil Nad

Abstract

English reading proficiency is a critical foundation for academic success, cognitive development and cross-disciplinary knowledge in higher education. This study examines the hierarchical structure of English reading skills (Elementary, Inspectional, Analytical and Synoptical) and their empirical relationship with academic performance of first-degree Arts and Science college students affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu. This study used a quantitative descriptive correlational research design with a sample of N=462 undergraduate students from government, government-aided and self-financing institutions via multistage stratified random sampling technique. The standard diagnostic assessment tools were designed, verified and administered to measure the student performance at all the four levels of the reading skills, along with the official marks of the end semester university examinations in General English. Descriptive statistics showed a significant decrease in student competency at each level. Students had high competency at the Elementary Reading level (M = 42.54, SD = 6.12 out of 50), moderate competency at the Inspectional level (M = 31.86, SD = 5.48), low competency at the Analytical level (M = 21.58, SD = 4.82), and very low competency at the Synoptical level (M = 11.72, SD = 3.91). Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) was used for inferential analysis and showed a substantial, statistically significant positive association between overall reading skill competency and academic success (r=0.59, p<0.01). Specifically, Elementary (r=0.50, p<0.01) and Analytical reading skills (r=0.50, p<0.01) identified as the primary drivers of examination results. However, the skills of Synoptical reading showed little correlation with examination marks (r=0.02, p>0.05). This demonstrates a structural mismatch between the cognitive literacy demands of tertiary level study and the traditional university assessment model that rewards single text recall rather than a multi text synthesis. Subgroup analysis of ANOVA and independent samples t-test results demonstrated significant differences in performance among academic disciplines, types of institutions, and educational mediums of teaching. It concludes that present postsecondary training is routinely failing to grow higher-order comparative synthesis, although it successfully cultivates lower-order decoding. Such changes include, for example, explicit strategy training, changing university test rubrics to value synoptical literacy, and institutionalising bridging courses.