Wesleyan Scientific Review

Slang Use Among Generation Z Facebook Users: A Descriptive Qualitative Content Analysis

Rosa Lea Valdez — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0800

Social media has become a primary space for everyday communication, and the language used on these platforms increasingly departs from the conventions of standard written English. Slang, acronyms, and shortened forms circulate rapidly among younger users, raising questions about how these forms are built, why they are used, and what they mean for language learning and teaching. This study analyzed the slang used by Generation Z users on Facebook, the most widely used social media platform in the Philippines. Specifically, it sought to describe the register of the observed posts, identify the types of slang that appeared in public posts and comments, describe the purposes these expressions served, and propose an output based on the findings. A descriptive qualitative design using content analysis was employed. Publicly accessible Facebook posts and comments were purposively selected through non-participant observation and classified using the slang typology of Allan and Burridge (2006) as applied by Yusuf et al. (2022). The observed posts were predominantly informal in register. Five types of slang were identified: acronyms, clipping, flippant phrases, imitative expressions, and fresh and creative expressions, with acronyms being the most frequently used. Users employed slang to greet friends and followers, open conversations casually, express feelings and impressions, and show familiarity with their audience; consistent with earlier studies, slang also served to create humor, keep pace with trends, and save typing time. These findings suggest that social media has become a public space where users build identity and solidarity through informal language, consistent with sociolinguistic, community of practice, and social network perspectives. The study concludes that slang on Facebook is a patterned and purposeful linguistic resource. It proposes a register-awareness guide that helps teachers and learners study online slang and distinguish when informal language is appropriate and when standard forms are expected.

Semantic Analysis of "The Phoenix and the Turtle" by William Shakespeare

John David Longalong — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0800

This study examined the semantic dimensions of William Shakespeare's enigmatic poem "The Phoenix and the Turtle," focusing on the semantic experiences of characters and the multilayered meanings of Shakespearean words. Using content analysis methodology, the research investigated how Shakespeare's language constructs philosophical concepts through symbolic diction and paradoxical expressions. The findings revealed a complex semantic framework where opposing ideas coexist, creating transcendent meanings that challenge conventional understanding. The study concluded that semantic analysis provides valuable insights into how poetry generates meaning beyond literal interpretation, with significant implications for literary analysis, translation, and pedagogical approaches to Renaissance poetry.

Reading Comprehension Performance of Grade 11 Students Before and After Reciprocal Teaching

Jefferson Lumibao — Thu, 10 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0800

When a student reads a book, it shouldn't just be about decoding words on a page. It is about a conversation of a genuine connection with the ideas and stories within the text. Yet, for many Filipino students, this conversation feels one-sided. They struggle to extract meaning, analyze information, and engage critically, a challenge highlighted by international tests like PISA and national assessments. This isn't just a number; it's a silent academic struggle that can hold students back. To address this, a new approach is needed as one that actively teaches them how to have that conversation with the text. This study explored the effectiveness of the Reciprocal Teaching Approach (RTA). The researcher worked with 25 Senior High School students from the STEM section Galileo at Wesleyan University-Philippines. This research used a pretest-posttest design, where the students were introduced to the Reciprocal Teaching Approach's four core strategies: predicting, questioning, clarifying, and summarizing. This approach wasn’t just abstract ideas; it is an active tool the students learned to use. The sessions, guided by the researcher, were structured to foster a dynamic, collaborative environment. The results showed a significant improvement in students’ reading comprehension scores. The pretest mean score was 12.64 (Satisfactory), while the posttest mean increased to 18.88 (Very Good), with a mean gain of 6.24 points. A paired t-test confirmed the significance of this improvement (t = 9.26, p < 0.01), indicating that the observed gains were statistically significant. Beyond the numbers, students demonstrated increased engagement, collaborative learning, and metacognitive awareness. Reciprocal Teaching not only enhanced comprehension scores but also empowered students to actively participate in discussions, clarify difficult concepts, and critically analyze texts. This study confirmed that the use of Reciprocal Teaching Approach immerse value as a tool for bridging persistent literacy gaps. The researcher recommended integrating the Reciprocal Teaching Approach into Senior High School English instruction, turning reading from a chore into a skill for a lifetime.

Mathematics Self-Concept and Performance of Freshman Education Students in an Online Learning Setup

John Robert Peralta, Jemimah Kaye C. Elep — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0800

This study examined the relationship between mathematics self-concept and academic performance in Mathematics in the Modern World among freshman students of the College of Education. Using a descriptive-correlational research design, data were gathered from the respondents and analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, Pearson product-moment correlation, and Spearman’s rank-order correlation. Most respondents were female late adolescents, as defined by the World Health Organization, and belonged to the youth sector under Republic Act No. 8044. Most came from households classified at least as lowermiddle income based on the income classification of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) and received a modest weekly allowance. Most used more than one device with a low-tomoderate Wi-Fi connection for online learning, had a personal study space at home, and had a very good general weighted average (GWA). The respondents’ mathematics self-concept was moderate, and their academic performance in Mathematics in the Modern World was average. No significant relationship was found between the respondents’ profile and either their mathematics self-concept or their mathematics performance. However, mathematics self-concept was significantly and positively related to mathematics performance. Students with higher mathematics self-concept tended to perform better in the course. These findings suggest that strengthening students’ confidence in

Students’ Affective Filter and Their Utilization of the English Language in the 21st-Century Classroom

Noah Mae Tadeo — Sat, 12 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0800

This study was about the student’s affective filter and their utilization of the English language in online learning. It correlates the respondents' profiles towards their affective filter and utilization of the English language. Quantitative research is also used in this study. The researchers used convenient sampling for distributing the questionnaires to respondents. Furthermore, correlation analysis was used to analyze if there was a significant relationship in the following: between the learners' affective filter and utilization of the English language, learners' profile and affective filter, and learners' profile and their utilization of the English language. The respondents of this study were sampled through the use of convenient sampling from Grade 7 to Grade 10 students enrolled at Wesleyan University-Philippines. The researchers used a questionnaire for the respondents' socio-demographic profiles, affective filter, and utilization of the English language. Based on the results of the study, it was reported that the respondents' demographic profile does not affect the learners' affective filter. On the other hand, most of the respondents' demographic profile does not affect their utilization of the English language except their gender affecting their levels of adaptability in using English. Lastly, it was also reported that the affective filter and language utilization in the 21st -century classroom have a significant relationship. Therefore, the results of the study show that the affective filters among junior high school learners are correlated with their utilization of the English language in the 21st -century classroom. Hence, the researcher recommended that teachers may help learners lower their filters by creating classroom environments that intentionally decrease these filters, such as maintaining a safe, collaborative, respectful, supportive, and in-depth classroom in which students were more comfortable participating.