Challenges Encountered in Learning Language Proficiency among Freshmen English Majors at B.C.P.

Abstract

In the Philippines, English is the medium of instruction from primary to tertiary levels of Education. It is the Filipinos’ second language of instruction and communication. As such, there is a common notion that students at the tertiary level of education are already very good and fluent in English. However, the figure showed that students had difficulty in expressing themselves more so when they reach the first step towards teaching. It is in this context that this research has been conceived whether or not the freshmen can speak fluently. This study used descriptive method to effectively present and illustrate studies that were connected to the research. The researchers employed the random sampling technique in selecting the respondents. Thirty students were chosen randomly as respondents from three sections of freshmen English majors of the College of Teacher Education of Bestlink College of the Philippines. The questionnaire and focus group discussion was engaged to obtain information from respondents. Freshmen English majors had encountered challenges in the first stage of tertiary education in terms of different areas as in grammar, vocabulary, macro skills, and that there is less challenge in linguistics. Students likewise undergo impediments such as the prevalence of mother-tongue used for speaking the native language rather than English. Other impediments also count such as peer impact, socio-economic status, psychological factor, teacher’s influence, and self-interest. The confirmations from the respondents about their slow learning progress proved the existence of challenges that needed to be addressed to improve the teaching-learning process in reaching the proficiency of the language. It is viewed that the all-out cooperation of the community, parents, teachers, and learners have to be set out to have the desired outcome of their English language education.