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Katapatan Homes, Brgy, Banay Banay City of Cabuyao Laguna
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CHAPTER I
PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Introduction Language is considered as the primary tool in communication. Among the languages of the world, English is said to be the most spoken language. English language serves as pathways in doing businesses and other fields in many countries across the globe. In India, English is associated with modernity and progress sometimes with the ideology of its cultural values. Aside from cultural value, the economic value of English is remarkably high in India as even a layman uses this language in his or her ’native’ communication. It is noticed that even English illiterates give importance to English and want their children to learn English for their bright future. That is why today English is one of the most important and most studied languages in the world. The necessity of English spoken language can be seen everywhere. In fact, in Saudi Arabia, it is the most studied foreign language and many English language courses are offered from primary to advanced levels at many schools, institutions and universities. The same attention to English is given in the Philippines, where English Language plays an important role in the lives of Filipinos. It is noted that the most significant contribution of this language might be in the socio- economic field. Because Filipinos are known to have an excellent command of the English language, several opportunities open for them. Opportunities such as overseas employment, BPO or business Process Outsourcing industry, tourism etc. which greatly contribute to the
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betterment of their way of living. English, in fact, is also widely used in the education field. It is taught as a major subject from grade school to college. In teaching Mathematics, Science and other subjects, English is used as the medium of communication. Students would not understand the Mathematical problems if they are unable to comprehend the language. Besides, most of the teachers prefer reports and researches by the students done in English. Learning English language is however still found to be challenging since the process revalues around complicated tasks that involves psychological as well as social factors. Thus, it has been stressed that affective factors like language anxiety have an effectual role in the language achievement and proficiency (Berowa, 2016). Anxiety has been found to interfere with several types of learning. According to, Horwitz et al. (1986) anxiety can be defined as the subjective feeling of tension, apprehension and worry associated with an arousal of the autonomic nervous system. Psychologists use the term specific anxiety reaction to differentiate people who are generally anxious in a variety of situations from those who are anxious only in specific situations. Many people claim to have a mental block against learning a foreign language although these same people may be good learners in other situations. In many cases, they may have an anxiety reaction which impedes their ability to perform successfully in a foreign language class; they may find learning stressful. Similarly, most of the learners go through anxiety to perform in the second language in the process of language learning. The learners do not feel the type of ease they feel for using L1. Language anxiety attacks influences students’ performance most among the other affective factors.
Katapatan Homes, Brgy, Banay Banay City of Cabuyao Laguna
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Malaysia that were selected to participate in the study. Data were obtained through questionnaires using statistical analysis. The result from the study showed that undergraduates have English language anxiety to a certain level. Philippines is recognized globally as one of the largest English-speaking nation. (Cabigon, 2015). Filipinos are known as prominent in speaking the English language compared to other Asian countries but it is quiet alarming that they have failed to keep the status. It is reported that there was a decreased of competence in their English language oral skills. There was a big drop in the number of Filipinos who could not read, write, speak, and think in English.Orbeta and San Jose (2015) conducted a study to understand the language learning anxiety and how these affect students speaking performance. Data were collected among 150 college freshmen enrolled in a semesterly 6-unit English course at the University of Mindanao, Panabo Campus. The use of Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scales (FLCAS) by Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope (1986) and a standardized telephone conversation activity test to determine the language anxiety and oral performance of the respondents. The researchers found out that language anxiety specifically apprehension influenced oral performance in pronunciation, grammar, comprehension, fluency, and vocabulary while tension impinged grammar. It is quite alarming that most students have experienced difficulties in speaking the English language. Averion et al (2017) observed the certain levels of difficulties in reading, writing, speaking, and listening among Grade 11 students in Public Senior High School in Taytay, Rizal. They focused on the following: a.) the difficulties experienced by grade 11 students b.) the factors that led to such difficulties and c.) the articulated ways to help
Katapatan Homes, Brgy, Banay Banay City of Cabuyao Laguna
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overcome such difficulties in English proficiency. The survey results revealed problematic stages on vocabulary, training and knowledge, self-confidence and self-esteem and interest among the students. Driven by newly introduced Senior High School curriculum, the researchers had chosen the Grade 11 students of Pamantasan ng Cabuyao as their research subjects, because SHS students were required to hone their communication as they have a specific course designed to it, the General Education 1- Oral Communication. Identifying the predictors of English language anxiety manifested among Grade 11 students would be a help to redesign the course based on the needs assessment and framework of assumptions produced by the results of this present study. Generally, language anxiety is not just a simple problem. It must not be ignored since it will have a big effect on the students’ performance in school or even until they get a job in the future. Theoretical Framework The study is anchored on the Foreign Language Anxiety theory as postulated by Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope in 1986 Horwitz and his colleagues (1986) stated that language anxiety is composed of the following components: communication apprehension, test anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation. The first component pertains to the anxiety experienced by the students when they communicate with the use of the target language to others.
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apprehension Theory. He viewed Communication Apprehension (CA) as a broadly based anxiety related to Oral Communication. In the later years, Communication Apprehension (CA) was viewed as a persons’ level of fear or anxiety associated with any form of communication with other people; experienced either as a trait- like, personality type response or as a response to the situation constraints of a given communication transaction. Furthermore, a reconceptualization of (CA) had been developed and identified five types of Communication Apprehension (CA); Trait-like CA; Generalized-Context CA; Person Group CA; Situational CA and Pathological CA. Trait like CA was viewed as a relatively enduring, Personality- type orientation toward a given mode of communication across a wide variety of context. Generalized-context CA was one step farther from pure trait than trait-like CA and that CA from this point was viewed that represents orientations toward communication with generalizable context. In this type of CA, fear of public speaking was highly focused wherein this view recognized that people can be highly apprehensive about communicating in one type of context while having less or even no apprehension about communicating in another type of context. Person-Group CA represented the reaction of an individual to communicating with the given individual of group of individuals across time. In this point, people recognized that some individuals and group may cause a person to be highly apprehensive while other individuals on group can produce the reverse reaction. For some people more apprehension may be stimulated by a peer or group of peers. For others, more apprehension may be stimulated by unfamiliar individuals or group. Moreover, situational CA described the reaction of an individual to communication with a given individual or group of individuals at a given time. It was not viewed as personality-based but rather a response to the situational constraints generated by the other person or group.
Katapatan Homes, Brgy, Banay Banay City of Cabuyao Laguna
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Situational CA was seen as that which is specific to a given context with a given receiver at a given time. Lastly, pathological CA was viewed as the characteristic of an individual where they experienced low CA in the face of real danger and experienced high CA when no real danger is present are both abnormal responses.
Katapatan Homes, Brgy, Banay Banay City of Cabuyao Laguna
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Paradigm of the study The input is composed of the level of English language anxiety and the predictors of English language anxiety among the grade 11 students. The process element of the paradigm illustrated the procedures needed in order to gain the expected outcome of the study. As an end result, the expected output of this study is to recommend language strategies that will lessen the anxiety of the students in learning the English language. Statement of the Problem The study analyzed the predictors and level of English language anxiety among grade 11 students in various oral communicative activities in Pamantasan ng Cabuyao. Specifically, it aims to answer the following:
- What is the level of English language anxiety among the grade 11 students in terms of: 1.1.1. Communication Anxiety; 1.1.2. Evaluation Anxiety; 1.1.3. Test Anxiety; and, 1.1.4. English Classroom Anxiety?
- What are the common predictors of English language anxiety among grade 11students?
- Is there a significant relationship between predictors of English language anxiety and the level of anxiety of the students when they are grouped according to the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale level? (low, moderate, and high)
Katapatan Homes, Brgy, Banay Banay City of Cabuyao Laguna
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- What language strategies can be recommended to lessen the anxiety in language learning? Hypothesis Ho. There is no significant relationship between the predictors and the level of English Language Anxiety of the grade 11 students. Scope and Limitations The study was conducted at the Pamantasan ng Cabuyao Senior High School Department in the City of Cabuyao, Laguna. The respondents of the study were the selected grade 11 students in the above-mentioned school enrolled in school year 2019-2020. This study was mainly concerned on analyzing the predictors and levels of Language Anxiety among Grade 11 students.
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Definition of Terms The following terms were operationally and conceptually defined: Anxiety- This refers to the feeling of worry and nervousness about something with an uncertain outcome. Communication apprehension- This refers to the act of individual who feels reluctant to use the language in communication. Competence- This refers to a person’s skill or ability to act effectively in a particular situation. English Classroom Anxiety- This refers to the general feeling of anxiety that occurs in the classroom most especially when doing performances in an English class Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS)- This refers to a 33 - item questionnaire that was developed by Horwitz et al. (1986) which has three domains namely communication anxiety, evaluation anxiety and test anxiety, later on it was reconstructed by Zhao (2008) into four domains Language Anxiety- This refers the feeling of nervousness by an individual towards learning a language. Language learning strategies- This refers to specific actions and techniques that are used to improve an individual’s progress in learning the English language. Motivation- This refers to the desire of a person to act and move toward a certain goal. Proficiency- This refers to the ability to express oneself productively and accurately
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Oral Communication Activity- This refers to a certain scenario that requires an individual to have a good command of a language. Self-efficacy - This refers to the set of beliefs hold by an individual about his or her ability to complete a particular task. Test anxiety- This refers to the intense feeling of fear or worry of a person when taking formal test.
Katapatan Homes, Brgy, Banay Banay City of Cabuyao Laguna
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Furthermore, there must be a different notation in which one symbol represents only one sound. The symbol is known as International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) symbol can use to transcribe the sound of any language. Phonetic transcription is a universal system for transcribing sounds that occur in spoken language. The articulation of English sounds is a deeply sub-conscious physical habit. In order to produce English phonemes and sound more English, a second language learner has to undo the speech habits of a lifetime and learn to use his speech organs in different ways. The exercise requires awareness of phonological knowledge of English training and extensive practice. (Sekhar Rao 2015). English for Specific Purposes (ESP) can be defined as a teaching and learning as second foreign language for the purpose of using it in the domain. Since 1960s ESP has become a distinctive part of Teaching English as Foreign Language(TEFL) its importance being due to the fact that English has become the contemporary lingua franca. Thus, the growing demand for English as a medium of communication and the introduction of government mass educational programs in which English was the first or even the only language contributed the rapid expansion of English for Academic Purposes(EAP) to which belonged initially. The communicative trend in teaching and learning English has resulted in different reason for acquiring this language proficiency, daily communication, academic or business purposes and English for Specific Purposes was created. To assess the learners’ specific needs, there must be a needs analysis which has been different along the decades. Needs analysis consisted of assessing the communicative needs of the learners and the techniques in achieving specific teaching objectives. In the other words, the result of needs analysis
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helps the teacher identify the students’ prospective professional needs, the students’ needs in terms of language skills and the students’ deficiencies in language skills. Only after analyzing the students’ needs and determining the objectives of the language course, can they select materials that meet the needs of the students. Thus, the needs analysis is the foundation on which we can develop curriculum content, teaching materials and methods that can lead to increase the learners’ motivation and success. Simionet al. (2015). Students’ Difficulties in Language Learning Foreign language has different structure, rules, system etc. What happens is that some children easily cope the language, some need time to develop their skill; and some struggle with it from the beginning. Those who start to have difficulties with learning a foreign language can be either children who have a learning disability or those who do not have any disability, but still show learning difficulties in the foreign language (Hossain, 2018). Learning a foreign language can be regarded as a complicated process which is affected not only by linguistic factors but also by some other non-linguistic ones which may be considered as cognitive, metacognitive, and effective. One of the most important affective factors which influence the students’ academic performance in second language learning anxiety. (Amiri, Ghonsooly, 2015) Nor et al. (2015) found out teaching second language to those who are not exposed to the atmosphere of the target language is challenging. Most of them do not use the language in their daily life and often encounter the use of the target only in school and within the
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However, the varied ways in which English may be used outside the class, can still be viewed as an extension of opportunities to practice English in oral communication, which may help lessen the anxiety. Also, learners should use the comfort and security of their homes to practice using English in their conversations with family members, so they may be comfortable enough to use it when in class, especially since the frequency of using English at home has a positive relationship with language anxiety in class as well. In relation, the major problems of teaching and learning English at the secondary level are lack of teacher’s training course, appropriate teaching materials, proper infrastructure, lack of efficient teachers, teachers’ motivation, lack of proper experience of teaching, lack of scientific teaching method, and lack of ELT research. To provide the learners’ maximum benefit and to make the class effective and enjoyable, teacher should involve the students in a variety of activities, such as group work, pair work, role play, question-answer, discussion, debating etc. Textbook should be followed strictly. Classes should be preparatory and teacher-student-oriented. Task should be interesting and relevant to the learners’ life and environment. (MdAmiri Hossain, 2018) To do this, one had only to live for a considerable time in the country were the language was spoken or have plenty of opportunities of talking with native speakers of the language. This, no doubt, gave a certain facility in the use of language, but has proved, except with specially gifted people who are somewhat rare, to be of little value in obtaining the correct pronunciation. Language differs from each other not only in grammar, idiom vocabulary, but in the productions of the sounds which make up the language, in the way that sounds are linked together to make words and sentences, in the distribution of breath to make words
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andsentences, in the distribution of breath force over words and syllables, and in the way the voice goes up and down in speaking. Contributors to Language Anxiety Several researchers attempted to identify and define the construct of anxiety, a key individual difference in language learning in many years. Yusen (2015) claimed that foreign language anxiety is a unique type of anxiety specific to foreign language learning, in their concept has been buttressed by theories. A great deal of this research has focused on anxiety with respect to the classroom activities such as speaking and listening, that oral classroom activities are most problematic and anxiety-provoking foreign language learners studies have looked at speaking anxiety as a major factor determining the oral performance of ESL Japanese students. Similarly, to (Mamhot, Martin and Masangy, (2013) as cited by (Berowa, 2018) conducted a comparatively study on the language anxiety of Filipino ESL and EFL learners from two (2) institution based in the Philippines. The study aimed to determine the language anxiety as experienced by both groups of learners and to discover the causes and effects of these anxieties. The investigation included a total of 40 respondents where there were 20 ESL and 20 EFL students. The results showed that Filipino Els learners have neutral level of language anxiety while the fear of negative evaluation in the area of low self-perceived linguistic competency was displayed. As regards ELF learners, they reported no level of language anxiety. In the end, both groups expressed they are the one responsible for the language anxiety that they experienced.
