CHAPTER 2

RELATED LITERATURE

An article on microcreative.com,the Philippines has been known as a country that not only

excels in, but also cultivates and has mastered the English language. Various disciplines and

industries in the country have generously profited jobs catering to national and international

businesses that largely depend on communications, whether in oral or written form.

In an English proficiency test conducted by TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) in

2010, the Philippines scored 88 and ranked 35th out of 163 countries worldwide. Among Asian

countries that were included in the list, only Singapore (ranked 3rd with a score of 98) and India

(ranked 19th with a score of 92) ranked higher than the Philippines. Taiwan (score of 76),

Thailand (score of 75), and Vietnam (score of 73) settled in the middle rankings, while other

Asian countries fell on the lower half of the list, with South Korea and North Korea ranking 80th

and 96th respectively. China ranked at the 105th place with a score of 77, while Japan is at the

135th spot with a score of 70.

The scores were based on four test categories: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. The

Philippines’ scores were 21, 22, 23, and 22, respectively, showing only a slight difference among

the four. It also reflects that the Philippines’ aptitude in speaking the English language is the

best in Asia after Singapore (score of 24), along with India and Pakistan.
But according to the article of Tocmo(2018),The Philippines is always referred to as an English-

speaking country. Amidst of the Mother Tongue Based Education Program of Department of

Education, still, some schools implement the English Policy. English as a medium of instruction,

practice in developing a competitive individual being thrown in the land of competition and are

more prioritize in applying a job here and abroad. An institution is in charge of the student’s

additional knowledge and learnings as well as opening a door towards chances. Have we

notice? That a student came from a school, wherein English is the medium of instruction, is

competitive is speaking the language than those who are not? According to Carlos Conde of

Davao City Philippines in his article Erosion of English Skills Threatens Growth in the Philippines,

the deterioration of English proficiency has been linked to an overall decline in Philippine

education. Accordingly, there’s a recent government study that shows only seven (7) percent of

high school graduates can properly read, speak or understand English, and poorly trained

teachers are partly blame. Education is a key to success. We should go with the flow of change

and competence, throwing our best assets; OURSELVES.

In addition by Tocmo(2018),There are various ways that we could take in order to pursue the

improvement of our students English language proficiency. One way is to encourage students to

speak the language regularly especially within the school premises. Schools have been

promoting the ‘English Speaking Campaign’ whereing students are obliged to speak in English

whenever they are inside the classroom. Development always start within oneself, thus,

students are encouraged to do self-study and practice to improve their skills. Interacting with

native speakers of English is also highly encouraged.

improving English communication skills. Students nowadays are highly exposed to music and

films that are using the English language. Although it has been observed that songs of today

have a lot grammatical error (or simply because of the writer’s choice to make the lyrics poetic),

students tend to adopt the way native speakers deliver the language.

Another helpful factor that students are being exposed to is the Internet where sources of all

information the need are always in their reach. Visiting websites, reading different types of

articles, and discussing topics in English help them become confident in using English.

Taking those helpful ways presented above are of great help in developing the student’s

proficiency in English. However, the teacher’s assistance in the classroom setting will further

motivate students to pursue learning and developing their English language skills.

Another article by Runde(2017),Proficiency in English is a critical component of a successful

modern society. English is the third most spoken and most widely taught language on the

planet. Commonly used in over 100 countries by more than 300 million people as a first

language and by over 600 million as a second language, English is a “global language,” the

“lingua franca of the modern era.” English skills are necessary for any country to fully benefit

from global commerce; access the latest science, technology, and innovation; and exert

influence in the world. Over 20 percent of published literature is in English, followed by

approximately 10 percent in Mandarin and German respectively. The United States, in

partnership with other Anglophone countries, should do more to further the use of English
abroad, especially in parts of the world where English proficiency is not currently strong and in

strategic geographies such as the Middle East, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia.

In addition that, there are several strategic benefits to English proficiency. First, English is the

language of business, growth, and economic prosperity. The operating language of Deutsche

Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and even the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure

Investment Bank (AIIB) is English. Multinational corporations in China report exponentially

higher salaries for employees fluent in English, and the elite French National School of

Administration expects graduates to be able to conduct business in English as well as French.

With one out of four people on the planet at least proficient in English, the commercial benefits

are also significant. The ability to communicate with the broadest customer base possible

requires proficiency in English, and cross-language negotiations in a shared third language can

be more successful than relying on either company’s native tongue.

Second, English is the language of education and research. Nearly half of all scholarly journals

are published in English. In 2015–2016, a record number of international students enrolled in

U.S. institutions of higher education — over 1 million — compared to about 300,000 U.S.

students studying abroad. English language skills are required to study in U.S. institutions, as

well as in many highly regarded schools in Europe, Australia, and around the world.

Third, there are geostrategic benefits to English proficiency. Countries that want to orient their

broader relationships toward the West require a broad base of English proficiency. For example,

Ukraine would like to orient itself to the West — away from Russia. At present, nearly 30
percent of Ukrainians speak Russian, while English fluency is less common. A much bigger base

of English speakers would help Ukraine to reorient its international position.

RELATED STUDIES

According to the study of Chandra(A Brief Study of English Language Proficiency :

Employability, 2016), English is a compulsory ingredient of a successful personality. English

proficiency is a key factor for employment success and advancement and also for opening doors

to economic opportunity. Proficiency is best practiced through reading and writing. Non-native

speakers of English have to practice the sounds of English how they are accented or stressed in

their usage. Vocabulary knowledge is the single most important area of language proficiency.

English is as important as the core subjects in the curriculum designed.

In another study of Aila,Ogundele & Olanipekun(Students’ Proficiency in English Language

Relationship with Academic Performance in Science and Technical Education, 2013),The

importance of English language for enhancing educational attainment through improved

communication ability can never be over emphasized. Students who have so much difficulties

with their communication skill in English language may not function effectively, not only in

English language but in their academic and this is no reason than the fact that English language

in Nigeria today is the language of text-books and the language of instruction in schools. When

Students’ Proficiency in English Language is high, it will definitely affect and improve the

academic performance of such students. Nevertheless, where the proficiency in English is

lacking in any academic setting, it will definitely lower the academic performance of such
students. 2 vehemently, revealed that lack of proficiency in English language is one of the

factors contributing to poor performance in Mathematics. In his research, he observed that the

performance of students in Mathematics’ examination at Senior Secondary School Certificate

Examination (SSCE) is poor but further stated that the performance in English is more than that

of Mathematics and this he linked to poor reading ability .He then suggests that there is need to

improve the teaching of English language to improve Mathematics’ education.

English language proficiency could go a long way in affecting students’ academic performance in

both science and technical education courses for English language is the gateway to educational

advancement. The more reason 20 referred to English language as the language of achievers

and that the language counts as far as rising up and being a member of the elite class is

concerned. Students who understand this do strives to do well in English language as this

invariably affect their performance in other subjects.

Some other factor on Andrade's study( The Effects of English Language Proficiency on

Adjustment to University Life, 2009),International students, many of whom are non-native

English speakers (NNES), are challenged by academic language demands and a new culture.

Differences in educational systems and expectations, listening skills, professors' use of humor

and examples, quantity of reading, direct writing styles, critical analyses, class participation, oral

communication, and vocabulary present difficulties (Berman & Cheng, 2001 Berman, R. and

Cheng, L. 2001. English academic language skills: Perceived difficulties by undergraduate and

graduate students, and their academic achievement.

and social lives are well established. Less common are studies examining professors'

experiences with NNES. One study, however, demonstrated that professors judged the majority

of writing samples of NNES to need English support compared to very few of those of native

English speakers (NES; Ramburuth, 2001 Ramburuth, P. 2001. Language diversity and the first-

year experience: Implications for academic achievement and language skills acquisition. Journal

of the First-Year Experience, 13(2): 75–93.).

Interviews uncovered the fact that some professors modified their grading criteria for NNES.

The latter finding raises the question of how professors approach teaching NNES, whether they

modify their pedagogical approaches, simply expect NNES to compete with NES, or make

allowances for English weaknesses.

In some cases, professors feel that international students' difficulties with English skills

negatively impact academic performance and communication, and contribute to segregation

and ineffective group work (Trice, 2003 Trice, A. G. 2003. Faculty perceptions of graduate

international students: The benefits and challenges. Journal of Studies in International

Education, 7: 379–403.).
They express concerns about the appropriateness of the curriculum for international students'

future employment, helping American students feel comfortable with international students,

and are uncertain as to how to address international students' needs. Professors exhibit varying

views about international students from lack of awareness, concern about the extra amount of

time required to work with them, deep appreciation of their value, and considering them a

threat to funding and reputation.