Assessing the Relationship of Multilingual Competence and Peer Collaboration Dynamics in Reading and Writing Literacy Classroom Settings Among Liberal Arts and Sciences Students at Universidad de Zamboanga: Basis for Curriculum Development Plan

Abstract

As higher education institutions continue to serve increasingly multilingual student populations, understanding how linguistic diversity contributes to academic literacy and collaborative learning has become a critical concern. This study investigated the relationship between multilingual competence and peer collaboration dynamics in reading and writing literacy settings among students of the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Universidad de Zamboanga. Grounded in Sociocultural Theory and Social Interdependence Theory, the study examined the levels of multilingual competence and peer collaboration dynamics, determined whether significant differences existed across selected demographic variables, and assessed the relationship between the two constructs. A quantitative descriptive-correlational research design was employed, involving 100 undergraduate students selected from various academic programs. Data were gathered through a validated researcher-developed questionnaire and analyzed using weighted mean, independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation. The findings revealed that the respondents demonstrated high levels of multilingual competence (M = 4.40) and peer collaboration dynamics (M = 4.41), indicating that multilingual language practices and collaborative learning behaviors were widely manifested in literacy-related activities. No statistically significant differences were found when respondents were grouped according to sex, age, ethnicity, and academic program. Moreover, a strong positive and statistically significant relationship was identified between multilingual competence and peer collaboration dynamics (r = .768, p < .05), suggesting that students who effectively utilized their multilingual resources were more likely to engage in meaningful collaborative literacy practices. The findings underscore the complementary roles of multilingual competence and peer collaboration in supporting literacy development. The study advocates for the integration of translanguaging strategies and collaborative learning approaches into higher education literacy instruction and proposes a curriculum intervention framework that promotes inclusive, responsive, and academically enriching multilingual learning environments.