Strengthening the Usage of English Language for Grade 7 Students in Linguistic and Socio-Cultural Competencies

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Language, as an essential tool for human expression, comprises a system of rules unconsciously present in the mind of a person, enabling him to relate sounds with meaning. As a system of arbitrary vocal symbols, man communicates with one another through speech. Words, ideas, concepts, moods, and attitudes are communicated through language as a system like voices, sound, gesture, with written symbols. In language, the learners' communication competence play a significant role as indicators of their knowledge of syntax, morphology, phonology, including social knowledge in using utterances, appropriate in authentic, social, school, and environment.

METHODS

The descriptive method of research was employed in this study to gather and interpret data. This was used to determine the levels of language performance of grade 7 students in all public schools of Agoncillo and San Nicolas Districts, Division of Batangas. Language performance deals with linguistic competence in terms of morphology, syntax, semantics, and orthography, while socio-cultural competencies are along with the social contextual, stylistic appropriateness, cultural and non-verbal communicative factors. It used specific data gathering techniques and attempted to produce accurate data that congregate explicit details and information; hence, this is appropriate in the current research to evaluate linguistic competence.

RESULTS

Linguistic Competence of the Student -Respondents shows 1) Morphology divulged the data that the majority of the grade 7 students had an average level of linguistic competence of 36.36 percent; 2) Under Syntax, results showed that the majority of the grade 7 students or 38 percent had an average level in linguistic performance; 3) Semantics manifested that a greater part of the grade 7 students performed moderately as reflected by 35 percent; and 4) Orthography showed a group of 36 percent was in the moderately satisfactory level of linguistic competence. On the other hand, Socio-contextual Factors reflected in the data that the respondents depicted the socio-contextual factors to be at a good level as evidenced by the average weighted mean of 3.38.

DISCUSSIONS

Based on the foregoing findings, the linguistic competence of grade 7 students was Moderate to Satisfactory. Socio-cultural competence of grade 7 students was Good level. The result suggests that the student -respondents possess Average performance. There is a high correlation between the performances of students in English to their socio-cultural competence.