SULTAN KUDARAT STATE UNIVERSITY

GRADUATE SCHOOL
Access, EJC, Montila, Tacurong City

Analysis of Less Successful Filipino Learners in

English as Second Language

A Research Output Submitted to Doreen B. Tampus Professor, Graduate School,

Sultan Kudarat State University, ACCESS Campus, EJC Montilla Tacurong City, as
Major Requirement for the Subject

MTE612: LANGUAGE ACQUISITION THEORY

ERIC JOHN E. VEGAFRIA

MAY 2022
Introduction

The Philippines is known for its bilingualism and multilingual culture. However,

not everyone can successfully learn English as a second language in the country. This

is because not everyone can be taught in a classroom setting. To understand the

several factors that affect the success of learners who are less successful, it is

important that we explore the various aspects of second language learning. Research

on the medium of instruction (MOI) have mostly focused on stakeholders such as

policymakers, instructors, and parents discussing their experiences (Hopkins 2006;

Tam, 2011); there have been few studies on learners themselves having the opportunity

to describe and explain their experiences. Tatzl (2011) conducted a mixed-method

research at Austrian University to examine instructors' and students' opinions, practices,

and problems with the use of second language in English as a medium of instruction

(MOI). At the moment, the medium of teaching is most likely being researched in the

Philippine context. Problems have been constant throughout history. The medium of

instruction (MOI) in the Philippines has undergone various revisions and changes,

beginning with an English as the only language policy during the American colonist

period from 1900-1941, moving to bilingualism of education in 1939 but, being resisted

by nationalist English people in the 1960s, and lastly the application of Bilingual

Education Policy in 1974 and restatement in year 1987. According to Bernardo research

(2004), he studied the history of English in the Philippines, and suggested that there is

definitely a strong preference among Filipino learners and educators on the use of

English in teaching, by the choices that was perceived on the practicality of English as a

tool for learning communication and development. There are also current findings on
English as a medium of instruction, such as Vizconde (2006;2011). There are few

research on the ineffective learning of English in the Philippines that are especially

constructivist in nature.

Methodology

This research paper provides an understanding of English as a second language

learning in which the factor is characterized by the learners themselves using the

Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) a type of technique in which the students ’

learning' influence behavior are managed to capture additional insight on the acquisition

of English as a second language and conceptual understanding on the specific group of

learners. The following questions were addressed in this study: 1. What learning

techniques do the students use when learning in their second language? 2. What are

the learners' aims for studying English as a second language? 3. What challenges do

these students face while they study the L2? Consensual Qualitative Research method

was adopted in this research work to record learners' experiences using English as a

second language. Purposive sampling was used to determine the participants (N=15),

who recruited from Telafas National High School in Columbio, Sultan Kudarat. Teachers

at this school were intended to list students who are struggling to learn English. The

following inclusion criteria were used: a. must be a student of junior or senior in high

school in Telafas National High School b. must have hardly passing on marks ( to all

academic areas) except for Filipino, c. the first language must be a Filipino and English

as a secondary language is required. The CQR team was made up of four (4) English

educators who earned their Masters of Arts in Teaching English. Each member of the
team had prior experience studying English as a second language, either via personal

experience or course work from their graduate school. The CQR team was all interested

in the subject explored since they are all educators who want to discover why and what

causes learners to fail at learning their second language (L2). The team had a solid

working and personal relationship because they had been at the same school for about

5 years. The researcher solely functioned as the study's interviewer, and the data was

processed by four (4) CQR teams. The researcher teams received CQR training, which

included Hill et al. (2005; Hill Thompson, & William, 1997) reading papers, examining

them, and explaining and clarifying Hill's technique. The meeting was a productive

exchange of ideas and viewpoints. Participants were recruited through teacher

classroom adviser referrals at Telafas National High School. Although the questions

were asked in English, participants were informed that their responses would be in

Filipino or English code-switching can also be used if the participant is having difficulty

evaluating and interpreting the questions in the interview. The parents were given a

consent form to fill out before the research began, and they were free to withdraw from

the study at any time. The interview lasted between 35 and 50 minutes. All data were

audiotaped on cellphones and audiotapes, and the four (4) CQR team transcribed them.

The researcher employs the constructivist/interpretive model (Ponterotto, 2005), which

grasps that the reality is socially made in the awareness of every individual, and so, the

purpose of this research proposal is to grasp the (phenomenological) experiences from

the perspective of the participants whom experienced them on a daily basis. (Pontero,

2005) No one, according to the study, is a higher authority on their own realities and

experiences in second language acquisition than the learners themselves. The data
was analyzed using CQR, a method of analysis that relies on the group of researchers

consensus discovery of concepts and classifications. The CQR technique specifies the

framework for finding and classifying the domains, conceptualizing fundamental

perceptions, examining, and cross-analyzing. (Hill et al., 2005). This research only

focuses on the less successful Filipino learners as first language and learning English

as a second language. The research also limited to the strategies, goals of learner, and

difficulties experienced by the learners while learning English as a second language in

Telafas National High School.

Results and Discussion

According to (Gaerlan, 2016), there are seven aspects that impact learners'

learning experiences in English as a second language, with the following emerging as a

consequence of data collection: 1. Use of language at home, 2. 3. domestic life 4.

school language experience 5. School-based learning experiences Learning techniques

and objectives, 6. Finally, there is recreation and sociability. Beliefs regarding one's own

perceptions. She also stated that, despite by the use of English language as L2 in the

medium of classroom instruction, learners exclusively use their first language L1 in

different varied activities beyond of the classroom and in the school. According to

Amanya (2017), the usage of L1, particularly mother tongue, compromises learners'

chances of acquiring English as a second language. In her experimental and

comparison groups, learners score the same English literacy level. However, after two

weeks of intervention, the average results revealed that learners taught in their mother

tongue L1 performed much worse than those taught in purely English as a method of
teaching. The use of English as a second language seems to be viewed by students

simply as a language used by the school teachers in the classroom and not as a

language use for themselves while learning. There have been several studies on

students' attitudes about English learning, but no one on their attitudes regarding the

use of English as a second language as medium of teaching. The relevance of the first

language in utilizing the second language was underlined in the research of Yazici et al.

(2010), but parallel to previous research. The study focused on the function of second

language (L2) in learning a langugae rather than second language (L2) as a modality of

teaching. Although it has been demonstrated that a strong foundation in the first

language (L1) leads to simpler, improved understanding and learning in the second

language (L2), none of the studies have been presented on the learners' viewpoint,

particularly the function of first language (L1) in their learning of the second language

(L2) as well as the reasons behindhand their chosen language while learning. Bautista

(1991) discovered that participants code-switch in schools for the reason that they do it

owing to (understood) the absence of proficiency in English in order to make their

learning simpler and to be understandable to everyone. To Eldrich (1996), teachers

teaching English , particularly those who teach in environment of monolinguals, is a long

concerned in reducing and eliminating learners' use of first language (L1) in the

schoolroom in order to increase the total of time consumed using the language being

learned and to improved learning proficiency. But, another research conducted in a

secondary school of turkey revealed that there is no scientific proof to establish the

problem that limiting first language (L1) in the classroom. It is For the reason that

English is the language of teaching in the Republic of the Philippines, educators may
sense obligated in restricting or even prohibit pupils from code-switching, particularly in

school subjects that need English communication. However, research shows that code-

switching is a resource used to teach and learn (Bernardo 2005A and Gaerlan 2012;

Borlongan Lim and Roxas 2012 and Valdez 2010.) to Kibler (2010) proposed that

learners lack the discipline, primarily in vocabulary, to be useful language agents or

translators, and therefore intermediation does not provide learners with the full

programme or high chances for the acquisition of English language. Current studies are

also not capable to optimize bilingualism since it rely to one another in helping during

active learning without having required vocabulary in the first (L1) and second (L2)

languages, as well as other language abilities. Current studies were also incapable to

optimize bilingualism since it interdependent for help throughout learning task without

having the essential language in both the first (L1) and second (L2) languages, as well

as other language abilities. According to Manaya (2017), the findings of her study

shows that using MTB-MLE (Mother Tongue Based-Multilingual Learning Education) as

first language (L1) negatively affects learners' English literacy and proficiency. Her

findings confirm what many scholars have already concluded: using first language (L1)

negatively affects children's English literacy development. The findings of Manaya's

(2017) research are both concerning and promising. It is concerning that learners who

are trained exclusively in their native language (L1) demonstrated a substantial loss in

English proficiency as little as 14 days. While encouraging for those learners who were

taught in English, they also demonstrated substantial development in their English

proficiency. Adapted from the writings of A. There are psychological challenges in

learning the target language, according to Delbio, R.Abilasha, and M. Ilankumaran

(2018). First, most students study English as a compulsion to pass school and become

graduates. They simply strive for the pass mark. Second, they don't really learn English

as a device for conversation; they just learn it for exams. This lack of interest makes

individuals feel as if they are failing to learn the language. They fail to acquire language

skills in a target language, and these learners lack confidence while talking in English.

When a child is neglected to speak in public or in class, additional attention should be

provided to the children. Otherwise, the child will suffer challenges in the future. These

learners should be given opportunities in class to overcome their fear of speaking in

public. Another issue is that learners and teacher regard English as a topic rather than a

language. Imitation is also crucial in language acquisition since it is how learners know

the parent language. In the past, grammatical translation was employed, to teach the

second language. Using this way. Although the learners understand grammatical

principles, they are unable to communicate smoothly in the target language. The

teacher used to interpret every word in the pupils' mother tongue (L1), resulting in a lack

of proficiency in the second language.

Conclusion

According to the findings and outcomes of the studies, learners are not motivated

to utilize or study English as a second language. They do not regard English as a ticket

to their future, and even if they do, they do not appear to desire to put in a lot of effort to

utilize the language target or English as a second language. According to Gaerlan

(2009), effective learners are intensely eager and driven to use and speak English in the

belief that doing so will assure their future success. The study also indicated that
learners were encouraged to achieve well in English learning by the instructors, they

cited that strong role models, as well as having encouragement from their close

relatives and family members. There are Many studies emphasizing the importance of

the emotional element in education. The Participants in various studies are hesitant

about their feelings, attitudes, and beliefs toward learning English. However, the

awareness and the benefits of using English as a second language and learning

English. The learners must also be aware of the mental stimulation of being bilingual

and how to maximize them, as English will remain to be a medium of instruction (MOI)

in Philippine schools and universities from grades one to three, as stipulated in the

(MTB-MLE) Mother Tongue-based Multilingual Education Policy. Further study on

Filipino learners' attitudes regarding learning English as a second language, as well as

their motivation, is also required. Teachers must also give opportunities for students to

be exposed to a target language, notably English as a second language, by sharing

their methods of thinking, which can help lessen mother tongue impacts. Also, the

classroom environment must be stimulating for students to speak English fluently with

the assistance of their parents at home. The teacher should also give opportunities for

students to interact with natural speakers of the target language. Real language

learning occurs outside of the classroom and outside of books. If one wishes to learn

English, he or she must offer the language the opportunity to speak or learn.

Furthermore, it may be beneficial to evaluate learners not just in English but also in their

mother tongue to indicate the degree to which the mother tongue will enhance second

language learning. Also, the classroom environment must be motivating for learners to

speak English confidently with the support of their parents. Finally, the use of the
mother tongue as a role in code switching or expressing learners ideas should not be

overused; on the other hand, the use of the mother tongue should only be used to

explain the meaning of a certain word for a better understanding, not as a form of self

expression. Teachers must also establish ground rules for the usage of first language in

the classroom.

References.

1. https://www.dlsu.edu.ph/wp-content/uploads/dlsu-research-congress

proceedings/2016/LLI/LLI-II-01.pdf

2. Delbio, A. & Abilasha, R. & Ilankumaran, M.. (2018). Second language acquisition

andmother tongue influence ofenglish language learners -a psycho analytic approach.

International Journal of Engineering and Technology(UAE). 7. 497-500.

10.14419/ijet.v7i4.36.23926.

3. Cummins, Jim. (2001). Bilingual Children's Mother Tongue: Why Is It Important for

Education?. Sprogforum. 19.

4. Jacolynn van Wyk & Maria Louise Mostert | Sammy King Fai Hui (Reviewing Editor)
(2016) The influence of mother tongue and gender on the acquisition of English (L2).
The case of Afrikaans in Windhoek schools, Namibia, Cogent Education, 3:1, DOI:
10.1080/2331186X.2016.1210997.
5. Jacolynn van Wyk & Maria Louise Mostert | Sammy King Fai Hui (Reviewing Editor)
(2016) The influence of mother tongue and gender on the acquisition of English (L2).
The case of Afrikaans in Windhoek schools, Namibia, Cogent Education, 3:1, DOI:
10.1080/2331186X.2016.1210997.
6. Jacolynn van Wyk & Maria Louise Mostert | Sammy King Fai Hui (Reviewing Editor)
(2016) The influence of mother tongue and gender on the acquisition of English (L2).
The case of Afrikaans in Windhoek schools, Namibia, Cogent Education, 3:1, DOI:
10.1080/2331186X.2016.1210997.