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CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Introduction

English is international language which is spoken and understood by many

people in most countries of the world. It is, in fact, the most important means of

communication among the various countries of the world. Knowledge of new

discoveries and inventions in one country is transmitted to other countries through

English and benefit the world. In this way, English helps to spread knowledge and

progress.

English is the linguistic engine that drives the global economy. If you look at the

most important communications and transportation innovations in the last 150 years,

nearly all of them were invented by English speakers, so their documentation was in

English. English has been the sole linguistic engine driving this process. Therefore, in

order to truly participate in globalization and the global economy, English is absolutely

critical.

English is a foreign language some what difficult to understand. However, it is

easy to learn. As well as it is very useful to us. English is one of the widely used

languages in the world. We use this language to communicate with other countries of

the world. If one knows English very well he or she can get better results in any field of

study and can reach the top ranks of the profession. When we apply a high professional

job we should fill the application in English. As well as when we face to an interview, we

must know how to use the English language in correct way and we can get high marks
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for it. When we have passed the English subject in an examination it is extra

qualification for out job. For us nursing students who take the local nursing examination

soon, we believe that better reading comprehension would give us the chance to pass

the local examination. Now all the subjects in the university are taught in English. Every

student must learn English, for them to pass the examinations and get good job. If we

know English we can read many books because many books are written in English

medium. It is a communicative language knowing English can allow us to go around the

world and exchange our ideas with other country people. Even when we use the

computers we should know English because all the computers programs are written in

English. When we send E-mail and use the internet we use English language. Learning

English helps us enrich our lives in many ways.

Further, as the English language is used by people of different countries and

cultures, it has become very rich. It contains so many words, ideas and thoughts that a

good knowledge of English enriches the mind and enables one to express oneself well.

It also helps one to think better and understand the people of the country and the

perceptions of being intelligent and educated is through communication by using of

English language thus lead to one’s ability to influence others, gain respect and gain

some sort of status.

In this study, we will find out what is the level of English proficiency or third year

nursing students in Arellano University. We are also going to discover the different

factors and teaching strategies that help the students in English proficiency. The result

of this investigation may help us to proposed different suggestions and

recommendations to improve the competence of the students in English.

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Background of the Study

In Arellano University, English subject is part of the Nursing curriculum. However,

the allotted time is not enough to improve the English proficiency of nursing students

because in the eight semesters, only four of them that English subject is included. It

indicates that English in this curriculum is not emphasized.

English subject is important for the nursing students because the researchers

believe that good reading comprehension will help the graduates in taking the board

examination. Most of them wanted to work abroad where English language is the most

important mean to communicate with foreign patients with this the nurse would be able

to effectively provide health care for sick patients. Misunderstanding may be prevented

and promote wellness and fast recovery of the patients.

English competence will help also the students to increase their chance to pass

local and international examinations because as well all know the test items on these

tests are all on English medium. As most flankers share their opinions regarding their

experiences is that they are having difficulty in understanding the questions and that

may lead them to a wrong answer.

Therefore, the results of this investigation may provide a basis for remediation

program of English subject by knowing the level of English proficiency of third year

nursing students. And it may improve the competence of English proficiency of the

students and may improve the percentage of passing in board examination. .

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Theoretical Framework

English is the universal language and one of the most common used languages

in order to communicate with other nations, thus a person who mastered this language

has the capability to communicate easily and may understand other’s culture.

Nowadays, there is a need to learn this language either in school or at home in order to

relate with others especially the nurses who wanted to work abroad. English proficiency

will help them to provide care to the sick of other race.

The theoretical framework for this study includes the linguistic theory of

Chomsky. Chomsky has fundamentally restructured grammatical research. Due to his

work, the central object of study in linguistics is “the language faculty”, a postulated

mental organ which is dedicated to acquiring linguistic knowledge and is involved in

various aspect of language-use, including the production and understanding of

utterances. The aim of linguistic theory is to describe the initial state of this faculty and

how it changes with exposure to linguistic data. Chomsky (1981) characterizes the initial

state of language faculty as a set of principles and parameters. Language acquisition

consists in setting these open parameter values on the basis of linguistics data available

to a child. The initial state of the system is a Universal Grammar (UG); a super-recipe

for concocting language-specific grammars. Grammars constitute the knowledge of

particular languages that result when parametric values are fixed.

Linguistic theory, given these views, has a double mission. First, it aims to

‘adequately’ characterize the grammars (and hence the mental state) attained by native

speakers. Theories are ‘descriptively adequate’ if they attain this goal. In addition,

linguistic theory aims to explain how grammatical competence is attained. Theories are
 5

‘explanatorily adequate’ if they show descriptively adequate grammars can arise on the

basis of exposure to ‘primarily linguistic data (PLD): the data children are exposed to

and use in attaining their native grammars. Explanatory adequacy rest on an articulated

theory of UG, and in particular a detailed theory of the general principles and open

parameters that characterize the initial state of the language faculty (that is, the

biologically endowed mental structures).

This research is premised on view of learning language which explains purely

comprehension and grammatical competence in nature and the knowledge of this things

of an ideal nursing students. According to Chomsky’s linguistic theory, competence and

performance is concerned primarily with an ideal listener in a completely homogenous

speech community who knows his language perfectly and is unaffected by such

irrelevant condition as memory limitation, attention and interest and error in applying his

knowledge of language in actual performance.

Operational Framework

The operational framework of the study was guided by the problems of the study.

INPUT

Factors affecting the student’s interest on

English subject

PROCESS
Information/Data gathered through survey

Interpretation and Analysis of the data

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OUTPUT
Level of English Proficiency among third year
nursing students

Proposed teaching strategies and suggestions to

develop the competence and confidence of the
students in English subject (Remediation).

Fig. 1 Operational Framework

As shown in the diagram, the input is the Level of English Proficiency of Nursing

students at the present. It also includes the factors affecting the student’s interest on

English subject.

Information and feedback about this research shall be gathered from the selected

third year nursing students of Arellano University. Information shall be studied, interpret

and analyzed by the researchers.

From this process, there will be remediation will be include the different proposed

teaching strategies and methods. These suggestions can be given to develop the

competence and confidence of the students in English subject. This shall result to

improved English skills of the nursing students.

Statements of the Problem

This study aimed to discover the level of English proficiency of third year nursing

students in Arellano University.

Specifically, the study sought to answer the following questions.

1. What are the factors that will help the students to be proficient in English?
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2. What teaching strategies do students prefer in enhancing their English

proficiency?

3. What is the level of English proficiency of the respondents as to the ff:

3.1 Comprehension

3.2 Grammar

3.3 Vocabulary

4. What category of English subject, do nursing students have the confidence

most?

5. What suggestions and recommendation, do the student’s can give to improve

the confidence of nursing students in English subject?

Hypotheses

The following are the hypotheses in this study:

1. Personal motivation and interest is one of the factors that will help the

students to be proficient in English subject.

2. Cooperative learning which include activities that will have an active

participation from the students is the teaching strategy that students prefer in enhancing

their English proficiency.

3. There is an average level of English proficiency of nursing students.

4. Comprehension is the category of English subject that the nursing students

have the confidence most.

5. A mandatory English subject in the curriculum of the nursing students that

may improve the confidence of nursing students in English subject.

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Significance of the Study

The researcher wish is to help improve the level of English proficiency of third

year nursing students. Hopefully, this study will be a great help to the following sectors:

To the UNIVERSITY MANAGEMENT, the result of the study will severe as a

guide in the implementation of educational reforms and programs especially in the

English course.

To the UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATORS, the findings of this study may serve as

a basis for whatever remedial program to be implemented for enhancing the student’s

communication skills.

To the PROFESSORS, the result of this study may be able to adjust the teaching

strategies and techniques in teaching English lessons according to the capabilities of

their students, thereby enhancing learning.

To the PARENTS, who are directly concerned with the education of their children

may also be benefit form the findings of their study in terms of improved quality of

education that their children may be getting form the improved English course.

To the STUDENTS, who will know the level of their English proficiency. It would

motivate them to exert more effort in studying English. It would help them to realize the

importance of this subject as the gateway to academic success especially in taking the

board examination.

To the FUTURE RESEARCHERS, the result of this study may be utilized as their

basis for further study on teaching learning processes and academic performance of the

students in English.
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Scope and Delimitation of the Study

This study will be conducted at the Arellano University (Main), Legarda Manila. It

will mainly focus on the level of English proficiency of nursing students and the result

may propose remediation for the given subject. The respondents will be the third year

college students enrolled in the Nursing course. Random sampling will be use to get the

participants. It is focused on some of the factors that could affect the proficiency level in

English particularly in vocabulary, grammar, comprehension and speech and oral

performance of junior nursing students.

Definition of Terms

The following terms are defined as used in the study:

Communication Skills. This refers to the acquisition of skills in learning,

speaking, reading and writing. (Brown, 2003)

Competence. It is having the necessary ability, qualities or skills to a particular

field. (Chapman, 2002)

Comprehension. It’s the ability to understand or grasp a given reading material.

(Webster Dictionary)

Comprehension Skills. These are specific skills in understanding and

discerning a reading material. It is the readiness, ability and capacity of the mind to

grasp or understand a printed materials. (Brown, 2003)

Confidence. A feeling of hope in which one relies/ a state of trust. (Chapman,

2002)
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Cooperative Learning. It is based on the premise that learners work together

and are responsible for not only their own learning but also for the learning of other

group members. (Lindauer and Petrie, 1997)

Curriculum. A list of courses offered at a school, college, or University.

(Chapman, 2002)

Discussion. A teaching strategy in which involves an exchange of ideas

between two parties. (Chapman, 2002)

English Competence. This is the ability of a person to perform listening,

speaking, reading and writing task. (Brown, 2003)

Grammar. The systematic analysis of the classes and structure of words and of

their arrangements and interrelationship in larger construction. (Webster Dictionary)

Grammatical Competence. This comprises knowledge of vocabulary, syntax,

morphology and sentence with appropriate endings, phonology/graphology. (Brown,

2003)

Lectures. It can be an efficient means of introducing learners to new topics.

Listening Skills. This refers to the students ability to identify and understand

what others are saying. (Brown, 2003)

Multimedia. A teaching strategy in which computers are used. (Chapman 2002)

Nursing. It is the attributes, characteristics and actions of the nurse providing

care on the behalf of or in conjunction with the client. (Kozier)

Nursing Students. The people who study nursing (Chapman, 2002)

Oral Language Competence. It refers to one’s capability to communicate in an

eloquent way or impressive way. (Aitchison, 2003)

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Proficiency. It is the competence and skills in both oral and written

communication of junior students of Arellano University. (Brown, 2003)

Remediation. A program in which particular subject was been teach again and

emphasized. (Brown, 2003)

Reading Skills. This refers to the student’s ability to read reading materials and

understand instructors and students. (Brown, 2003)

Speaking Skills. This refers to the students ability to express their ideas,

thoughts and feelings using English language. (Brown, 2003)

Speech. The act of speaking faculty of expressing thought and emotion by

spoken words. (Webster Dictionary)

Teaching Strategies. These are the techniques used by a teacher/instructor to

give information, ideas about a particular subject. (Aitchison, 2003)

Vocabulary. It refers to a set of words known to a person directly or other entity

or that one pat of a specific language. (Aitchison, 2003)

Written Language Competence. It is the ability of a person to write and correct

effective sentence. (Brown, 2003)

Writing Skills. This refers to the student’s ability to express their ideas, thoughts

and feelings in written English. (Brown, 2003

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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter discusses some related literature and studies about motivational

patterns, critical thinking skills and English language competence. It also includes a few

related articles and studies on the influence of gender, mother tongue, school, expose

to the English language in the tri-media and residence on language learning. The

discussion of the related literature and the studies is done according to topic.

Local Related Literature

The World Health Organization (W.H.O) has cited the Philippines as the largest

exporter of Nurses to foreign countries. Part of the reason for such popularity is the

proficiency of the Filipino Nurse in the English language, today’s lingua franca of

hospitals worldwide. The educational system for nurses in the Philippines mandates

English as the medium of instruction. Moreover, the training of nurses features

apprenticeship, laboratory work, experiments, residency and community-based projects

– all lectures and school work being done in English. Nursing programs in the

Philippines have been certified to be equivalent to the education standards in the U.S.

As many students there have been made aware of the vast opportunities in nursing,

both at home and abroad, the Philippines now trains more nurses that she requires.—

(Mercan-Recruit LTD. 2009)

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The Department of Education (DepEd) said that it was seeing improvement from

its efforts to improve English proficiency among public school students if students’

performance in achievement tests are to be considered.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said that the department was also pursuing its

programs to further improve English proficiency by pushing ahead with its National

English Proficiency Program (NEPP) to strengthen its Teachers Mentoring Teachers

program. Under the program, a total of 10,500 teachers and school administrators have

trained on English proficiency for this year.

Lapus noted that there was continuous improve-ment in the performance of

students in the National Achievement Test (NAT) within the five-year analysis

particularly in English subject. “We recognize English proficiency is critical in learning as

other key subjects such as Science and Mathematics use English in textbooks and

other reference materials,” said Lapus.

“Filipinos’ edge in the English language is also vital as more work opportunities

here and abroad place premium on language skills,” Lapus assured.

It will be recalled that Andrew King, country director of IDP Education Philippines,

a group accredited by the Australian government to administer the International English

Language Testing Sys-tem (IELTS) exam to Filipinos who seek to enter Australia as

workers, migrants or students in its universities, recently revealed a seeming drop in

Filipinos’ proficiency in English from the results of Filipino takers of the IELTS they

administered in 2008.

In the IDP Education Pty. Ltd’s review of IELTS results they had administered in
 14

countries all over the world for 2008, he said that the Philippines’ average overall score

was 6.69, which was below the 7 passing score of the Australian government.

In their analysis of the results and the Philippines’ system of English instruction in

schools, King said that the deteriorating level of English proficiency could be attributed

to the deficiencies in the proficiency of the teachers teaching English as well as the poor

quality of resources or textbooks being used in schools. (The Philippine Star 2009)

With catching up in terms of English proficiency skills, there is a need to

continuously improve the country’s competitiveness in English proficiency if it wants to

stay as one of the most attractive areas for business process outsourcing (BPO)

investment, national Economic Development Authority (NEDA) director general Augusto

Santos said Tuesday in press briefing in Malacanang.

He said the country has to remain competitive in terms of English proficiency as

China, which has as advantage in terms of manpower is already catching up. “ It’s a

world of competition, a global community,” Santos said.

The NEDA chief said although there is still no cause for alarm, there should be

continuous improvement in English proficiency to ensure country remains highly

competitive.

Aside from the BPO industry, Filipinos are easily hired abroad because their

English proficiency skills are higher than those from workers in neighboring countries.

English is the number one language in the entire world. If we want to increase

competitiveness, we Filipinos have to continuously improve our proficiency in English:

Santos said. Santos said a recent study showed that China is moving to boost the
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English proficiency of its people. “We have to continue beefing up our English

proficiency skills,” he stressed.

The Phillippines has one of the leading BPO industries in the world aside from

India and China. It is forecast to earn US 11 billion dollars and employ about 900,000

personnel by 2010. The excellent English language skills of the Filipino workforce and

the coutry’s ability to attract investments from leading companies in the world have

made the country one of the leading areas for BPO investments. (Madel Sabater 2009)

English proficiency of Filipinos has recovered and improved in the last two years,

especially in the fields of written and spoken English, a study by research outfit Social

Weather Stations (SWS) said Thursday.

The survey, conducted from March 30 to April 2, 2008, showed that the ability of

Filipinos to write in English improved from 48 percent in March 2006 to 61 percent in

April 2008. Filipinos' proficiency in spoken English also improved from 32 percent in

March 2006 to 46 percent in April 2008.

Filipinos' understanding of spoken and written English also improved in April and

even surpassed previous levels set 15 years ago. The SWS said Filipino adults'

understanding of spoken English was at 75 percent in December 1993, dipped to 65

percent in March 2006 and went back up to 76 percent in April 2008. Filipinos who read

in English also started high at 73 percent in December 1993, dipped to 65 percent in

March 2006 and improved to 75 percent in April 2008.

Filipinos' ability to think in English also improved from 27 percent in March 2006

to 38 percent in April 2008. SWS president Mahar Mangahas said the improvement in
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Filipinos' English proficiency shows a greater awareness among Filipinos to improve

their skills in written and spoken English.

"The most important finding is that there is an improvement in all the expected

properties. This is all age groups, of different classes and sectors. These are the people

actively thinking of improving themselves. They are drawing from their own foundation

and improving themselves first," he told reporters.

He added that the increasing dependence on the Internet is also pushing people

to review their English skills.

The survey said eight percent of the Filipino adults polled claimed they made full

use of the English language; 39 percent said they made fair use of the English

language; 29 percent said they made partial use of the English language, and 17

percent said they made almost no use of the English language.

The SWS interviewed 1,200 respondents nationwide for the survey, which was

conducted for the Promoting English Proficiency Project of the American Chamber of

Commerce in the Philippines and the Makati Business Club (MBC).

MBC President Ramon del Rosario said the move to improve English proficiency

is largely market-driven due to the rise in the business process outsourcing (BPO)

industry in the Philippines.

"I believe this is a response to the perceived deterioration in English proficiency

in the Philippines. After all, the perceived advantage of the Philippines in terms of

English proficiency is not being born out because the recruitment rate in call centers has

been very low," he said.

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He said the business sector is addressing the problem by pushing for the

improvement of the overall quality of education in the country. He added that English

proficiency is advantageous not just to the BPO industry but also to the local tourism

sector especially with more English-speaking tourists going to the Philippines. (DAVID

DIZON [Link]-2008)

According to one of the author from the US, she have read many of the

messages posted here and to be honest and frank with everyone, I think that the quality

of the English classes taught in the Philippine schools has definitely deteriorated and is

reflected in the way of the Filipino nurses expresses their thoughts in English when

posting their message here.

Granted that English is a second language to the vast majority of the Filipinos,

and to the Filipino nurses in particular, in the Philippines English is taught in grade

school, in high school and in college. Therefore, is it fair to expect a college educated

Filipino nurse to be fluent in English, or is it not?

If a Filipino nurse is not fluent in English, should that nurse be required to take

remedial English classes before that nurse can be hired overseas? - (Daly City 2008)

The Business Process Association of the Philippines reported last year that the

country's BPO industry was regarded as a second front runner after India. Today, the

Philippines has overtaken the latter in certain aspects of outsourcing. The country has

also become top destination for American companies for their back office requirements.
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These companies cite Filipinos' cultural inclination towards Americans and their

"proverbial" American accent. But read this:

Russ Sandlin, an American businessman in the Philippines, recently closed his

call center in Manila because he said he could not find enough English proficient

workers. “Not even 3 percent of the students who graduate college here are employable

in call centers,” he complained.

Adding to this, the Department of Education reported that 80 percent of

secondary school teachers in the Philippines failed in an English proficiency test in

2007. So where is the veracity of those claims that the Philippines have a substantial

pool of English-proficient workers?

A friend who works in the HR department for one of the Manila offices of

Canadian telecom, Telus, said that they interview an average of 50 people a day and

only manage to hire two or three applicants.

The proliferation of BPO companies in the country has entailed the setting up of

American-accent training facilities. One of the most important qualifications that a

customer representative must possess is the ability to speak with an American

intonation.

The bureaucracy has made a short-term solution to fill the vacancies in these

burgeoning contact center offices in the country. What the government and the industry

should do is go back to formal education, a step steadily taken through the House Bill

305: mandating the use of English as the medium of instruction in all academic subjects

from Grade 3 onwards and encouraging the use of English as the medium of interaction

outside the classrooms. (Jayr Patron) April 16, 2008)

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Aside from its bountiful natural resources, the other main wealth of the

Philippines is perhaps its people. Despite the poverty and corruption that still pervade in

the country, the current generation of Filipinos has ably demonstrated they can surpass

the achievements of their elders and raise the standard of living in the country.

If not for the youth, the country would not have made a name in the outsourcing

business. Their exposure to global cultures and practices has also pushed them to

apply these yardsticks in their own country, spurring improvement and innovations.

I mean no disrespect to our elders, but I hate it when they say their generation

was better in a lot of things. You know it when someone blurts out the familiar line

"...during our time, it was so and so". If that was the case, then how come the

Philippines didn't come out of the gutter during those years?

One of the issues that our seniors have been harping on about the past is the

declining proficiency of the English language among Filipinos. There's certain ring of

truth in this so I won't argue against that. But. the good news is that today's youth

certainly knows how to bounce back when they recognize a problem is hindering their

growth.

I'm talking about a recent survey conducted by local pollster SWS (Social

Weather Station), that showed Filipinos' self-assessed proficiency in the English

language has recovered in the last two years, after a decline over the previous twelve

years.

The April 2008 survey revealed that, compared to the March 2006 results, more

Filipinos rate themselves proficient in understanding spoken English, reading and

writing, and speaking and thinking in English.

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In the poll, three-fourths of Filipino adults (76 percent) say they understand

spoken English; 75 percent say they read English; three out of five (61 percent) say

they're comfortable writing in English; close to half (46 percent) say they speak English;

about two-fifths (38 percent) say they think in English; while 8 percent say they are not

competent in any way when it comes to the English language.

This is a recovery from the previous survey in March 2006, when about two-

thirds of Filipino adults (65 percent) said they could understand spoken English; another

65 percent said they could read English; about half (48 percent) said they could write

English; about a third (32 percent) said they could speak English; a fourth (27 percent)

said they could think in English; while 14 percent said they were not competent in any

way when it comes to the English language.

The survey was commissioned by an entity called Promoting English Proficiency

(PEP), a project of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (AmCham),

the Makati Business Club (MBC) and IT vendor, Sun Microsystems Philippines.

A statement that accompanied the survey results quoted Ramon del Rosario Jr.,

the MBC president, as having credited market forces, specifically the outsourcing

industry, for prodding Filipinos to boost their English competence.

I certainly agree with Del Rosario. But, more than just market forces, I believe our

youth consciously upgraded their skills knowing fully well that their future depended on

it. (The Pinoy Post by Melvin G. Calimag on Tuesday, June 03 2008)

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Here’s a tangential comment written over at Autono Blogger which I thought

might be interesting to the readers here.

In response to Autono Blogger’s post–which was itself a response to a recent

post over at jarinefl–I stated the following…

I can really relate to your feelings here: my growing awareness of a belief among

Japanese students of English that they can somehow learn English ONLY by being in

the presence of an English-speaking foreigner – “English by osmosis” – and that

practice (alone or with a Japanese partner), drills (both oral and written), learning vocab,

are either irrelevant or can somehow be bypassed when you have a real, live, English-

speaking (and preferably blond(e) and blue-eyed because we all know that those are

the only real foreigners) “gaijin” to yourself, if even for a few minutes;

My recent trip to the Philippines has me raving about the fluency possibilities for

all students in Asia. Some of my students have asked why I think the Filipino people

have been so [much more] successful [than Japanese] in adopting English as their

second language. I’ll leave the historical differences between the two countries alone

this time and simply point out that there are two major differences in their approaches to

English education:

1) In the Philippines, the government took the bold step of making English their second

national language. Effectively, this means that the citizens are receiving a single, unified

message: English proficiency is important for this country and each of its citizens, and

we will all start using English. In Japan, we see something along the lines of ‘English is

important for your class ranking and college admissions, but not so important that we
 22

adults are going to start using it,’ which is the policy equivalent of ‘Do as I say, not as I

do.’

2) Filipinos speak English with each other. Why would they do such a strange thing?

Many reasons, I suppose, but the most important is that knowing both of your country’s

national languages can only be beneficial. Furthermore, as socio-economics are closely

tied to level of education, English ability is seen as a symbol of status. I’m sure there is

an ugly side to this as well, but it drives the younger generations to approach English

proficiency as a tool for communication, and one that will open doorways, even in their

own society. Nothing even close to this happens in Japan, where English is looked at as

a foreign language, to be employed when in foreign lands or in the presence of a foreign

‘visitor.’ ( Autono Blogger, 2007)

Amid all the discussion in the press, academic circles and the political sector, as

to whether or not English should be the primary language for education in this country,

one of the greatest advantages of an English language education for Filipinos is almost

always overlooked. The ability to read and comprehend English makes vast amounts of

Philippine history and heritage, along with East Asian and world history, accessible to

Filipinos. Constantly promoting English, as a means for contract workers to find jobs

abroad or in domestic call centers, perpetuates a colonial mentality and degrades an

important academic discipline.

English should be regarded primarily as an educational tool which enhances a

student's or the general public's knowledge of the Philippines, builds up national

intellectual capabilities and enriches national culture and identity. Books in English also
 23

open up vast reservoirs of collective human knowledge regarding world history, science,

religion, political theory, literature and the arts. Works originally written in English or

translated into modern English over the last several centuries make up the largest

repository of printed information. Despite the marvels of the Internet, I still believe

reading full-length printed books is the best way to absorb complex information

If the Philippines lose its college level English language skills, which seem to be

happening at present, it will be losing access to much of its own indigenous history and

national memory. Some parochial nationalists argue that this is just fine with them; let

the nation build its future on a local Malay-based language such as Tagalog. What they

overlook is that the majority of educated Filipinos have been writing in English or have

been translated into English from Spanish for well over a century.

Today the large majority of Filipino writers, historians, scholars and journalists

are working almost entirely in English. English is very much part and parcel of the

Philippine's national birthright.

Unfortunately for the ardent nationalists, the sheer practicality of trying to acquire

a college graduate level education in the humanities solely in Filipino is not feasible.

Young people in third world countries, especially in the case of the Philippines, can

spurn the serious study of foreign languages in the name of national sovereignty but

ironically they will end up sacrificing a large portion of their own national memory and

individual heritage. A nation that forgets its past identity and place in world history is ill-

prepared for the inevitable challenges of future colonial pressures. Pop culture flooding

the Philippines from other Asian countries is as shallow as anything Hollywood churned

out in the 1950s.

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Filipino regional languages and their many spoken dialects are beautiful and

deeply expressive of local cultures and the modern Philippine nation. They represent

ancient and modern oral and written traditions which capture the finest nuances of the

Filipino character and the Filipino world. However, as is true in all parts of the world,

local languages are dying off or being hybridized at a rapidly increasing rate. Much is

being done to try to record and save these linguistic traditions but the loss is an

inevitable result of high-speed, electronic, global communication. The positive side of

this phenomenon is that greater and greater numbers of people across the globe are

now able to communicate with each other in the remaining international languages and

can share massive amounts of knowledge and information, stored in the collective

libraries and archives of the world.

The current government policy seems to give every poor Filipino a bit of fractured

English and send them on their way abroad, hopefully to earn foreign exchange. No

class of people should be groomed to be overseas workers; they need jobs here at

home, near their families, in the country they love. The high social cost of this public

policy is broken homes, not to mention that intelligent and motivated citizens are being

forced overseas when they should be home mentoring their children. Working the

graveyard shift at call centers catering to foreign clients, is not much more desirable.

Tremendous resources, local and foreign, are now being spent on teaching

English to impoverished elementary school kids. The current mantra being that English

is one's passport out of the Philippines to high-paying jobs. It would be better to strongly

promote English for high school and college students, especially reading and writing

skills, so they can build a strong new nation from within, on their own terms. Rich
 25

Filipinos automatically provide their children with this type of English instruction. It

should be available to all who want it.

High-quality text books, instructional material, libraries and reading centers

should be available in every high school and college with standardized testing and

mandatory reading assignments. Not only English but Chinese and Spanish should be

promoted by the Board of Education. For the evolving Philippine middle class this would

create a new generation of highly articulate readers and writers with excellent abilities to

access information and form critical opinions and thoughtful analysis of their society and

leaders. (Jonathan Best in Business World 2007)

According to the latest Social Weather Stations survey., Results of the March 30-

April 2 survey of the SWS showed an “apparent recovery” -- based on the respondents’

own assessment of themselves -- in the locals’ ability to read and write English,

compared to the results of a similar survey in March 2006.

However, their ability to speak and think in English has not fully recovered,

according to SWS head Mahar Mangahas. About 76 percent of 1,200 voting-age adults

surveyed said they could understand spoken English, 11 percentage points higher than

those polled in March 2006. About three-fourths of respondents, or 75 percent, said

they could read English while 61 percent of respondents said they could write English,

compared to 2006 figures of 65 percent and 48 percent, [Link] than half of

respondents (46 percent) said they could speak English while 38 percent said they

could think in English, clearly an improvement over 2006 survey results of 32 percent

and 27 percent.
 26

The same survey also showed a marked improvement in the English competency

of various occupational groups: non-agricultural/unskilled, 77 percent (from 60 percent

in 2006); non-agricultural/skilled, 80 percent (72 percent); non-agricultural/entrepreneur,

80 percent (72 percent); agricultural/operators, 65 percent (45 percent), clerical/

administrative/sales/community workers, 87 percent (80 percent),

professional/technical/managers, 90 percent (82 percent); and not working, 77 percent

(66 percent). The March 2006 survey showed a decline in all aspects of English

proficiency, most notably in Filipinos’ ability to speak English.

In September 2000, about 77 percent of Filipino adults said they understood

spoken English, another 65 percent said they could read the foreign language, 48

percent said they could write English, 32 percent said they could speak the language,

while 54 percent said they could think in English.

In the latest SWS survey, eight percent of respondents said they were not

competent in any way when it comes to the English language, a decline of six

percentage points over the 2006 figure.

According to SWS, self-assessed English competence was high in the National

Capital Region where almost nine out of 10 adults (86 percent) said they could

understand spoken English; three out of four (77 percent) said they could read English;

two out of three (68 percent) said they could write English; three out of five (62 percent)

said they could speak English; half or 51 percent said they could think in English while a

low two percent they were not competent in the [Link] competence was also

higher in urban compared to rural areas. In urban areas, 81 percent of adults said they

could understand English compared to only 71 percent in rural communities.

 27

Among socio-economic classes ABC, 82 percent of respondents said they could

understand the language compared to 80 percent and 66 percent in the D and E

classes. (Jerry E. Esplanada Philippine Daily Inquirer--2007)

According to Mr. Angelo Garcia, every year, thousands of young Filipino

graduates end up jobless, no matter what university they came from. The battle of who

knows more and who is best among these graduates in their chosen field is not the only

basis that any company is looking for and when applying for a job, good communication

skills is in English a requirement. "Language is now considered a skill," says Test of

English for International Communication's (TOEIC) Bambina Buenaventura.

According to her, big companies, both here and abroad, are now looking for good

English communication skills among potential employees. Sadly, these companies are

disappointed.

TOEIC one of PEP's partners, is the world's leading test of English proficiency in

the workplace context, it is used by more than 4,000 companies worldwide and

administered to more than 4,000,000 test takers every year. TOEIC is developed by the

Educational Testing Service (ETS) based in Princeton, New Jersey, the same world-

renowned organization that constructed TOEFL, SAT, GRE, GMAT and TSE.

From the tests they have conducted on workers of companies, the results

showed that most of the workers need to improve their English communication skills.

Most jobs require this in their newspaper ad, looking for the right employee, the whole

package and all.

 28

Beunaventura also said that from the thousands of nurses applying for a job

abroad, many of them fail because they were not able to meet the English proficiency

requirements. This is a problem that needs to be addressed. (November 17, 2006 in

Manila Bulletin)

English has been dubbed as the “language of the world”. Over a billion people in

the world have considered English as their second tongue. Filipinos are expected to

arm themselves with English to communicate with the world.

For nurses who are taking TOEFL or Test of English as a Foreign Language, this

language should be mastered more than anything else. This is an exam designed to

determine the ability to write, read and understand North American English of a

foreigner. Filipino nurses are known for their requisite technical skills, and their patient

skills. With the Philippines’ claim of being the 3rd largest English-speaking nation in the

world, surely a Filipino nurse doesn’t seem to face any problem.

Filipinos may have been the 3rd largest English-speaking nation, but the quality

is now fast deteriorating. OFWs should brush up their English soon because our Asian

neighbors are gaining an edge by seriously studying English. Korea, Thailand,

Singapore and India are encouraging their young generation to excel in English. We

seem to be heading down while the countries are going up as far as English is

concerned.

Filipino nurses should be especially aware that Chinese nurses are set in taking

the labor market. According to the Federated Association of Manpower Exporters

(FAME), the Chinese nurses were catching up in English proficiency. No wonder, for the
 29

Asian giant has been setting up English schools for its 300,000 nurses. A website for

Chinese nurses aspiring a job abroad , have stated the need to gain an advantage over

Filipino nurses since Filipinos are trusted more in foreign hospitals.

The declining proficiency in English means that more opportunities are lost

simply by not excelling in the “language of the world”. (OFW guide 2005)

Foreign Related Literature

An increasingly diverse U.S. population and a shortage of RNs challenge

nursing schools to educate students whose first languages are those other than English.

The good news is that in the past decade, nursing programs in this country

have experienced an increase in English as a second language (ESL) students. The

bad news is that these students have been identified as at-risk, yielding higher rates of

attrition, according to a consortium formed by Philadelphia-area schools of nursing —

Thomas Jefferson (TJU), Holy Family and La Salle universities.

The National League for Nursing reports that 17.6 percent of nursing students

are from nonwhite populations, while the U.S. Bureau of Census notes that 13.8 percent

of the U.S. population speaks English poorly or not at all.

ESL students often find teaching and learning strategies, multiple-choice

question formats and Western ways of interacting with faculty and peers to be a

challenge. "ESL nursing students need assistance because they struggle with

colloquialisms and language idioms as well as cultural issues," Powell(2007).

 30

Many ESL students enrolled in nursing programs are living on their own for the

first time, without their usual support system. Some are experiencing culture shock in

addition to the rigors of the academic program. Inadequate social, physical, emotional

or financial resources can increase their stress level.

Although many of these students were successful in their native countries and

previous careers, Powell says, they might face self-esteem issues related to entering a

new profession coupled with the challenges of learning a new language and culture.

Help is on the way

Three schools of nursing in Philadelphia have come together to respond to the

needs of ESL students. "Project ESL: Enhancing Student Learning for ESL Nursing

Students" is a collaboration between TJU, Holy Family and La Salle to address the

challenges of educating diverse students. In July 2007, Powell received a three-year,

$653,797 grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration's Bureau of

Health Professions, Division of Nursing, for the project.

Beginning this August, the project will provide resources for 40 junior and senior

nursing undergraduates — 20 from TJU and 10 each from Holy Family and La Salle,

Powell says. A pre-entry summer program includes needs assessments, language

proficiency, communication-skills development, socialization to professional education

and small-group work to foster self-confidence and cultural integration.

Students from the three campuses attend workshops together and then meet in

small groups on their own campuses for camaraderie and support. Task-oriented

sessions will walk students through clinical scenarios where they problem-solve or role-

play issues related to being an ESL student as well as patient-nurse scenarios.

 31

In January, the program provided its first workshop for 45 faculty members at

TJU. Chinese student Shen Xinying (who is called Jessica by her American friends),

BSN, shared her story of being a nursing student in the U.S., including how she

overcame the challenges of working with some faculty who were not understanding or

supportive. Jessica, who is now a graduate student at the University of Pennsylvania

School of Nursing and a teaching assistant at TJU, credits her success to faculty who

encouraged her abilities.

The program will continue to provide developmental support for nursing faculty,

who might not be prepared to work with nontraditional ESL students in a culturally

competent manner. Educators will learn how to ensure an optimal learning environment

for the students. This support will be directed by Lyn Buchheit, RN, MS, TESOL, grant

consultant and faculty of Community College of Philadelphia, whose expertise is in

faculty development related to cultural diversity and educationally disadvantaged

students, especially those for whom English is not the first language.

"International students bring such richness to the classroom," says Powell. "We

want to honor their cultures as they become acculturated into a new profession in the

U.S. These graduates will make a considerable contribution to the health needs of

multicultural populations and contribute to the diversity of the nursing workforce."

Lorraine Steefel, RN, MSN, CTN (2008)

When nurses who are educated internationally immigrate to the United States,

they are expected to have English language proficiency in order to function as a

competent nurse. The purpose of this research was to provide sufficient information to
 32

the National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) to make defensible

recommended passing standard for English proficiency. This standard was based upon

the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A large panel of nurses and nurse

regulators was convened to determine how much English proficiency is required to be

minimally competent as an entry-level nurse. Two standard setting procedures, the

Simulated Minimally Competent Candidate (SMCC) procedure and the Examinee Paper

Selection Method, were combined to produce recommendations were reviewed by the

NCSBN Examination Committee, which decided upon an NCSBN recommended

standard because the adoption of this standard rest entirely with the individual state.

(National Council of State Boards of Nursing, 2008)

In Dubai , nursing students in the country must have English language skills as a

qualification before they can join the three nursing schools under the Health Ministry.

Dr Ali Bin Shakar, undersecretary at the ministry, told Gulf News the applicants

have to pass a proficiency test in English language, rejecting the suggestion that the

language requirement would worsen the nursing shortage. "[Proficiency] in English

language is a must and we cannot solve the problem of [shortage in nursing staff] just

by pushing aside the requirement," he said.

"More than 700 people have applied to enter the schools and we are only

accepting 400. I don't think there will be enough [with the language skills]."

Bin Shakar said for the time being, the ministry would not require applicants to

satisfy international English-language proficiency tests, such as Test of English as a

 33

Foreign Language (Toefl). Instead, they have to pass written and oral exams set by

Health Ministry officials, who double as English teachers.

English language is the usual medium of instruction at medical conferences and

continuous medical education lectures, mandatory for all health professionals working in

the UAE. Bin Shakar said in a press statement other new conditions set for enrolment

include determining the applicant's time management abilities, decisiveness and IT

proficiency. There are three nursing institutes in the UAE - in Sharjah, Fujairah and

Ras Al Khaimah, accepting both nationals and non-nationals. The ministry needs more

than 1,000 nurses for their health centres and hospitals. ( Shakar, 2007)

This article discusses the status of existing English language proficiency (ELP)

tests, and compares the content coverage and psychometric characteristics of ELP

assessments that existed prior to the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act

(NCLB) with those developed after NCLB Title III guidelines were introduced. The article

argues that the newly developed ELP assessments (post-NCLB) exhibit higher

assessment quality when compared with most ELP tests developed prior to NCLB (pre-

NCLB). However, more work needs to be done if the new ELP assessments are to

inform the instruction and content-based assessment of English language learner

students. The results of analyses suggest that ELP assessment outcomes can help

inform decisions regarding participation of English language learner students in state

content-based assessments. – (Jamal Abedi, 2007)

 34

Drawing upon the social cognitive and sociocultural perspectives of self

regulation, recent studies of student’s self-efficacy beliefs and language learners

willingness to communicate, this study provides a “thick description” of four Chinese

children’s behaviors associated with self-efficacy beliefs and their strategy use across

home-based and school-based contexts. Participants reported self-efficacy beliefs

across a variety of language-learning tasks in listening, speaking, reading and writing.

English proficiency level, task difficulty level, social persuasion, physiological or

emotional state, interest, attitude toward the English language and the English speaking

community, and the social and cultural context. These findings have extended scholarly

work in children’s self-efficacy beliefs and their use of language-learning strategies and

context of second language acquisition. The implications of this study also extend to

language classroom teaching since teachers may better understand their student’

efficacy and the impact of self-efficacy based on this study. They may incorporate SRL

strategies to second language learning in the curriculum and enhance students self-

efficacy beliefs by providing accurate and continuous feedback to the students. –

(Chuang Wang 2007)

Federal law obligates health care providers receiving federal funding to ensure

language access to limited English-proficiency (LEP) individuals who cannot

communicate with their provider. The survey included items on English proficiency,

awareness of language law, health care utilization, and communication methods.

Language access was defined as having a provider who speaks the individual’s

language (language-corcordant) or utilizing an interpreter. There were 1000 LEP

 35

participants, of whom 371 (37%) were aware of the language law. Four hundred and

ninety-one (49%) of LEP participants had a language-concordant provider. Of the

remaining 509 LEP participants without a language concordant provider, 111 (22%)

reported interpreter utilization in the health care setting. After controlling the gender,

education, income, insurance status, years in the United States, health care utilization,

and level of English proficiency, awareness of law was not associated with interpreter

utilization. Awareness of language law is not sufficient to resolve language barriers for

LEP individuals. Provider and organization level barriers to language access must be

addressed. – (V. Grubbs, AH Chen, 2007)

Students take in and process information in different ways. Learning styles can

be defined simply as visual, auditory and kinesthetic; or as more in-depth and complex

as multiple intelligences. Teaching methods also vary. Oftentimes, a mismatch can

occur between your teaching style and the learning styles of your students. The results

can be a detriment to processing curriculum and achievement. Essential to developing

units and lesson plans to meet the proficiency standards of ELL students is

incorporating multiple strategies to deliver the material. If you have not done so, take a

learning style survey. They are readily found online. Just type in the search term:

"learning style survey." You'll be able to choose from a host of survey websites. Armed

with your results, you are ready to begin.

ELL proficiency standards are used to plan, deliver and evaluate instruction.

Certain factors must be considered. What is the length of the unit? What are its content

standards and objectives? What strategies will be used in the lessons plans to develop
 36

English skills? Do the strategies take into account the learning styles (modalities) of the

students? The following are ways to address the effective use of learning modalities for

scaffolding instruction.

We should keep in mind that, "It is important for teachers to make sure their

teaching is connecting with their students, particularly ELLs. A well-planned lesson is

ineffective if students do not understand the content due to limited language proficiency

or unfamiliarity with the background of the content being taught." (Echevarria, Vogt and

Short, 2004)

The English-Language Arts Content Standards for the California Public School

(1998) and the Reading/Language Arts Framework for California Public Schools (1999)

define what students learning English as a second language are expected to know.

These standards are designed for assessing the progress of ELLs to master language

proficiency. The strategies used vary with age and language levels. English Language

Development (ELD) standards are written as benchmarks of the English language arts

standards. (California State Board of Education, 1999). Teachers must examine the

format and the alignment of these standards to the language arts academic standards

when building units and lesson plans.

One challenge for ELL teachers is to address the diversity of learning needs and

styles while keeping the integrity of the curriculum to realize higher scores on

standardized tests and achievement. (Longert, 2005).

Effective lesson plans contain identification of standards, motivation (building

background), presentation (language and content objectives, comprehensible input,

strategies, etc.), practice and application (meaningful activities, interactions, strategies

 37

such as scaffolding, etc.), review/assessment and extension as noted in the SIOP

(Structured Immersion Observation Protocol) Lesson Plan.

The SIOP Lesson Plan contains the following strategies for scaffolding:

modeling, guided practice, independent practice and comprehensible input. Many

researchers support the use of scaffolding strategies.

"Scaffolding helps ELLs organize their thoughts in English, develop study skills

and follow classroom procedures. Scaffolding uses contextual support: which includes

simplified language, teacher modeling, visuals and graphics and cooperative and

hands-on learning." (Gray and Fleischman, 2005).

What can you do? Simplify language and speak clearly without using slang or

idioms (auditory learning style). Model correct usage and correct your students in a

helpful, non-threatening manner (auditory modality). Use actions and illustrations to

convey meaning (auditory and visual styles). Whenever possible, engage students with

tables, charts, outlines and graphs (visual modality). Implement hands-on activities to

provide comprehensible input and lesson engagement (kinesthetic learning style).

It should be noted ELL proficiency and high achievement are a result of well-

planned units and lessons implementing best practices for English language acquisition.

Scaffolding is but one essential and effective strategy to attain these goals. (Judith

Frame Henderson, 2007)

Malu and Figlear (2005) report that there is an increasing number of English as a

Second Language (ESL) students enrolling in nursing programs. They define ESL

students as a student whose primary language at home is not standard English, and
 38

therefore, may not be fluent in standard English. Many of these students have difficulty

with the coursework and/or clinical work. Memmer and Worth (1991) found that ESL

students have a higher attrition rate than their non-ESL peers due to failure or becoming

discouraged. In another study that compares the academic characteristics of ESL and

non-ESL students, it shows that ESL students are especially at risk during their first

semester (Femea, Brathwaite, & Abdur-Rahman, 1995). Many times the academic

problems are directly related to a language problem. Nursing is dependent on written

communication in terms of translating doctor's orders and recording patient data. But

more importantly, it is highly dependent on accurate verbal communication, since much

of the information and many orders are passed on verbalize. In a comparison between

ESL and non-ESL students, ESL students report more difficulty in the clinical courses

than non-ESL students. It has been suggested that this is due to the high level of

interactive communication skills that are needed (Jalili-Grenier & Chase, 1997). ESL

students also have difficulty passing the NCLEX-RN exam. Johnston (2001) reports that

students whose first language was English had a pass rate between 67.7% and 95%.

Students for whom English was a second language had a passage rate between 33.3%

and 47%. Johnston concluded that language skills are a key factor in passing the

NCLEX-RN exam.

To understand how a person learns a second language, the Cummins Model

(Cummins, 1991) is useful. Cummins explains that language acquisition is divided into

two types. The first is basic interpersonal communication (BICS) that comprises

everyday social interactions. The second is cognitive academic language proficiency

(CALP) that enables students to analyze, evaluate, and interpret abstract concepts.
 39

Although students may beproficient at the social level (BICS), they may not be able to

communicate either verbally or in writing at these higher levels.

Phillips and Hartley (1990) divide language skills into four categories: reading,

listening, speaking, and writing. To succeed in the healthcare environment, the student

must be proficient in each of these areas. It is even more difficult in the medical field,

since the students not only must be proficient in general English, but they also must

learn medical terminology, almost a second language in itself. This is frequently

complicated by the fact that there is not a direct word-for-word translation into another

language (Kiang, 1992).

Several authors have suggested teaching strategies that have been effective with

ESL students. Memmer and Worth (1991) recommend that students participate in a

conversation laboratory where they can practice the language. Kurz (1993) suggests

giving ESL students typed copies of a professor's lecture notes and allowing more time

to copy transparencies. Another strategy is a study group led by a faculty member or a

qualified English-speaking peer. Study groups with only ESL students are not as

beneficial. The students may be confused by the language in the nursing content, and

they do not have the necessary feedback about the language from a non-ESL peer to

help themselves (Keane, 1993). Other authors suggest the use of non-graded dialogue

journals that allow the students to have written interaction with the instructor about

relevant topics in a non-threatening way (Holmes & Moulton, 1997). Journals also allow

for the modeling of correct grammatical forms. Another strategy is to have students

repeat verbal instructions of a doctor or team leader to increase their understanding.

 40

Practicing the verbal report prior to giving it to the team leader also increases students'

confidence level and verbal skills (Kataoka-Yahiro & Abriam-Yago, 2005).

Foreign Studies

The study is about Teachers’ sense of self-efficacy, English proficiency and

instructional strategies which shows that novice Iranian EFL teachers feel more

efficacious in applying instructional strategies than in managing an EFL class. They also

perceive their efficacy to motivate and engage students to learn English not as high as

their efficacy for instructional strategies. Second, the teachers perceive their reading

skill to be the most highly developed language skill and listening to be the least

developed language skill. Third, the teachers report that their use of grammatically

oriented strategies is lower than that of communicatively oriented strategies.

The most important finding was the positive relationship between perceived level

of language proficiency and sense of self-efficacy. The higher the teachers’ perceived

proficiency in language skills, the more efficacious they felt.

Moreover, the higher the teachers’ sense of self- efficacy the more tendency they

had to use communicative-based strategies in their classes and inclination to focus

more on meaning rather than accuracy. This result is different from the findings of other

studies (Chacón, 2005; Sato, 2005), which show grammar was the central focus of EFL

teachers’ instructional activities.

This study adds to the previous literature by examining the relationships among

teachers’ sense of efficacy and other factors. However, this is a new contribution to the
 41

field of teacher-efficacy since self-efficacy of foreign language teachers in general, and

an EFL teacher in particular, is an understudied area of research. Furthermore, this

study was conducted to fill in the gap in the literature and to study the relationship of

language proficiency of EFL teachers and their sense of self-efficacy.

Based on the premise that teachers are key agents of change (Ghaith &

Shaaban, 1999) and that their self-efficacy should be considered in the successful

implementation of educational practice, these findings suggest implications for

programs concerned with professional development of teachers. School administrators

should develop intervention programs either to maintain or enhance teachers’ sense of

efficacy. Since language proficiency was related to a teachers’ sense of self efficacy, it

is suggested that teacher education programs and schools provide English language

enhancement classes for EFL teachers in order for them to maintain or improve their

language proficiency. EFL teachers require adequate preparation in all four skills so that

they build a strong sense of efficacy to use the language and engage students in

learning English.

Further research is needed in order to determine the various factors that

contribute to teachers’ sense of efficacy. The teaching experience of the teachers in this

study ranged from 1-5 years. Further research is needed to examine how years of

experience influence the development of teachers’ sense of efficacy and under what

conditions efficacy is maintained and enhanced. More specifically, it would be useful to

examine the role of such factors as teachers’ English language enhancement,

professional preparation, readiness to teach, and in-service training in maintaining and

enhancing teachers’ sense of efficacy.

 42

The findings in this study are based on self-reported data which has some built-in

limitations. The desirability factor, meaning that teachers may have reported what they

perceived to be desirable, is a limitation of this self-reported data. It is therefore

important to investigate whether and under what conditions teachers actually implement

communicatively oriented instructional strategies they reported. Observational studies

need to complement the results of this study and determine the difference or similarity

of actual use of instructional activities with the reported data. It would also be insightful

to investigate students’ perceptions and compare it with that of teachers (Eslami-

Rasekh & Valizadeh, 2005).

Further studies should look at the personal and environmental factors collectively

in explaining teacher efficacy. The construct of teacher efficacy should be further

developed to reflect the standards and competencies that EFL teachers in different

settings are expected to perform. Longitudinal studies should follow teachers to

determine if personal and environmental factors influence teacher efficacy at different

points throughout the teacher development process.

Finally, we need a comparative analysis of the perceived self-efficacy of teachers

in different countries and different subject areas. Such a study would make it possible to

discern the country and discipline specific factors and would reveal how different factors

might interact with teacher’s sense of self-efficacy in different settings. (Iran, 2007)

Language learning strategies are specific actions or techniques that learners use

to assist their progress in developing second or foreign language skills (Oxford, 1990).

Language learning strategies are believed to play a vital role in learning a second
 43

language, as they may assist learners in mastering the forms and functions required for

reception and production in the second language and thus affect achievement

(Bialystok, 1979). Many researchers have suggested that the conscious use of

language learning strategies makes good language learners (Naiman, Frohlich &

Todesco, 1975; Oxford, 1985; Wenden, 1985). Researchers believe that strategies of

successful language learners can provide a basis for aiding language learners (Rubin,

1975; Reiss, 1983).

Subjects of non-aboriginal background did employ overall language learning

strategies more often than those of aboriginal background. The effects of ethnicity in the

present study seem to support the findings in previous studies. Research has shown

that ethnicity has a strong influence on the kinds of strategies used by learners of all

languages (Ehrman and Oxford, 1995; Bedell, 1993; Grainger, 1997). The results

confirmed the findings of two other studies (Bedell, 1993; Grainger, 1997), which

showed that students with different ethnic backgrounds or cultural backgrounds

employed strategies differently. It might be attributed to the following factors. First,

aboriginal languages and culture are different from those of non-aboriginal students.

Competition is the main focus of learning in non-aboriginal learning environment. Owing

to the highly competitive high school and college entrance exams in Taiwan, classmates

are usually regarded as competitors rather than cooperators. Teachers prefer to assess

students’ performance on the basis of individual work instead of teamwork. In order to

get good grades, non-aborigines are eager to use study strategies or techniques that

would help them acquire new things effectively. In the traditional Taiwanese aboriginal

community, cooperation is one of the main characteristics of their lifestyle. As a result,

 44

Taiwanese aborigines may not exert more efforts to employ learning strategies to

compete with their non-aboriginal peers.

Second, aboriginal students in Taiwan lack appropriate training in using language

learning strategies because they do not have the same educational background as their

non-aboriginal peers. Since the academic knowledge they acquire in school is out of

touch with their actual lives in mountainous areas and offshore islands, they may take

little interest in school education. In addition, there are problems with the quality and

quantity of teachers available in mountainous areas. Most non-aboriginal teachers work

in temporary positions and apply for transfer to schools on the plains after the first year.

They are not able to understand these students’ learning problems, such as, their

English pronunciation problems, and help them acquire effective learning strategies in a

short time. Moreover, their efforts are often wasted because these non-aboriginal

teachers lack specialist knowledge of or training in the aboriginal culture (Cheng,

1995).

Third, the learning style of the aborigines in Taiwan may be different from non-

aborigines, which may influence the employment of language learning strategies

(Ehrman & Oxford, 1995; Zhang, 1990). Finally, aborigines might have different

motivation and attitudes from non-aborigines. Gardner (1985) claimed that the primary

determining factor in language learning success is motivation because motivation, along

with attitude, determines the extent of active personal engagement in language

learning.

A second finding of this study was that junior college students in Taiwan who

have high English proficiency levels did employ overall language learning strategies
 45

more often than those who have low English proficiency levels. This finding is also

consistent with the evidence of other studies. Many researchers have found that that

proficiency level had a strong effect on overall strategy use (Chen, 2001; Ehrman &

Oxford, 1995; Luo, 1998; Oxford & Ehrman 1995; Park, 1997; Tsao, 2002; Wang, 2002;

Yang, 1994).

Students in the present study were found to employ compensation strategies

most often, followed by social, cognitive, metacognitive, affective and least frequently,

memory strategies. The result that junior college students, no matter what ethnic

background they belong to, employed compensation strategies most often is consistent

with the findings of studies performed by Chang (1990), Yang (1993a), and Watanabe

(1990) which showed that the compensation category was the highest ranking category.

It is natural for students to make greater use of compensation strategies as these can

allow them to guess the meaning of what they have heard or read or to remain in the

conversation despite their limited grammatical and vocabulary knowledge. Some

studies have found social strategies to be generally unpopular among Chinese and

Japanese students (Noguchi, 1991; Politzer & McGroarty, 1985). This does not hold

true in this study. English learners in Taiwan learn English in an environment where

English is not used for communicative needs in their social and economic daily lives.

Consequently, EFL learners are typically situated in what Kouraogo (1993) called an

“input-poor” English learning environment, and are exposed to meager target language

input. Moreover, in EFL contexts in Taiwan, English teaching focuses on rote

memorization, translation of texts and recognition of correct grammatical forms in

reading. Students are not encouraged to ask questions (Chang, 1990). Thus the less
 46

frequent use of social strategies in the study is expected. Contrary to our expectations,

social strategies are the second most-preferred strategies by the subjects in this study.

The high usage of social strategies could be attributed to the development of computer,

multimedia and networking technologies, which has increased students’ exposure to

foreign cultures and more English input. Further research should be conducted to find

out whether this is the real cause of strategy preference.

Memory and affective strategies were found to be the least used categories by

students in the current study. This was often the case in other studies among Chinese

students in Yang’s study (1993a) and Koreans in Oh’s study (1992). The possible

explanation is that Chinese students almost depend on rote learning, therefore, they

know little about using visual imagery or linking verbal material with motion. Affective

strategies are techniques that help learners control their emotions and attitudes towards

language learning. All affective categories deal with how to combat fear or anxiety when

speaking English. However, in traditional English classrooms in Taiwan where English

teachers usually function as an information giver, students do not have many chances

to speak English not to mention the chance to speak with native speakers. This shows

why affective strategies ranked as the second least employed strategy category in the

present study. ( Rick Chua, Joe Shek, Taiwan, 2005)

Synthesis

The related literatures and studies presented in this research paper provide the

foundation and basis from which the present study shall take off. The articles and

research studies present the latest trends about the English proficiency of graduates
 47

particularly nursing students. It also includes the advantages/disadvantages of having

English skills, the different programs and teaching methods/strategies to improve one’s

English competence.

English proficiency among college students is an advantage for them in getting

jobs especially those who wanted to work abroad such as nurses. It will help them to

communicate with other race and be able to provide care effectively. Nowadays, Filipino

nurses are in demand abroad because they have tender loving care that other race

doesn’t have. However they must pass many international exams first and having

English skills is a major step in accepted on this jobs. So there were many programs

and studies to improve their English competence here and abroad. In the latest surveys

conducted by SWS in the Philippines, there is an improvement of English skills of the

graduate students.

English proficiency will also help the economy to uplift its status by attracting

foreign investors. Businessmen wanted a place in which they were able to communicate

effectively to the people.

English should be emphasized not only in college but also in elementary and

high School. It must regarded primarily as an educational tool which enhances a

student's or the general public's knowledge of the Philippines, builds up national

intellectual capabilities and enriches national culture and identity. If you have this skills,

it will help you to understand foreign people and be able to share and influence ideas. It

may also give you respect from other people and uplift your status.
 48

Chapter III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research design, research instruments, data gathering

process, respondents of the study and statistical treatment used in the study.

Research Design

The research method that will be used in this study is descriptive research

normative survey with the aid of a questionnaire as data gathering procedure as data

gathering tool. This type of research according to Kerlinger (1986) was designed to

gather information about the present existing conditions. The principal aim in employing

this method was to describe the nature of the situation as it exists, at the same time

explore the causes of the particular phenomena. It likewise determines the nature of

prevailing conditions with practices and seeks description of activities. In involves

collection of data in order to test hypotheses and to answer questions concerning the

current status of the problem being investigated.

This study aim to find the level of English proficiency of third year nursing

students in Arellano University (Main). It will also discover the different factors that affect

the English proficiency of the students and their suggestion and recommendations to

improve their English competence.

 49

Respondents of the Study

The respondents of this study are ninety-five (95) third year nursing students at

the present school year in Arellano University (Main). Each section has five students

that will be selected in random sampling and they will participate on this research. The

researchers will use the stratified random sampling technique.

Instruments Used

The self-made questionnaire based on readings will be use in the study. The first

part of the questionnaires was been develop by the researchers and the second which

consist of tests about comprehension, grammar, and vocabulary was been obtained

from the TOEFL website. It was presented to the researchers’ adviser fro validation. We

also did a pilot study or a small trial run of the actual research project to those students

who are not included in the sample. We asked to confirm the validity of the

questionnaire in relation to the study. Based on their suggestion and comment , it was

been integrated into the final copy of the questionnaire.

Data Gathering Process

This study will use the descriptive- normative method using the survey type. The

researchers will personally administer the distribution of the questionnaires to the third

year nursing students who are the respondents. The questionnaires and responses will

be recovered and processed. The answers will be tallied, classified according to

categories and the data will be prepared for the statistical treatment.
 50

Statistical Treatment

Weighted mean with likert scale will be use to measure the following

subproblems of the study:

1. What are the factors that will help the students to be proficient in English?

2. What teaching strategies do students prefer in enhancing their English

proficiency?

3. What category of English subject, do nursing students have the confidence

most?

4. What suggestions and recommendation, do the student’s can give to improve

the confidence of nursing students in English subject?

Likert Scale

The Likert Scale is an ordered, one-dimensional scale from which respondents

choose one option that best aligns with their view. The measurement of variables will be

ordinal using a five point likert scale. Specifically, the scale had the following structure

5--- Strongly Agree

4--- Mostly agree

3--- Agree

2--- Seldom Agree

1--- Disagree
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Weighted Mean

The weighted frequency for each item was determined by multiplying frequency

for each item by the weight of said item in the instrument using the 5 point numerical

scale of assessment shown below. The rating scale is as follows;

Range of weights Interpretation Scale

5.0-4.59 Strongly Agreed 5

4.49-3.50 Mostly Agree 4

3.49-2.50 Neither Agree/Disagree 3

2.49-1.50 Seldom Disagree 2

1.49-1.0 Never 1

The summation of the weighted frequency was computed by adding all the

weighted frequencies for each item in the questionnaire.

The weighted mean of the weighted frequencies was completed using the

formula.

∑WF
WM=
∑F

Where:

WM = weighted mean

∑WF = summation of weighted frequency

∑F = sum of frequency

In question,
 52

What is the level of English proficiency of the respondents as to the ff:

1 Comprehension

2. Grammar

3. Vocabulary

Weighted mean is the only method that we will use. The summation of the

weighted frequency was computed by adding all the weighted frequencies for each

category in the part 2 of the questionnaire.

The weighted mean of the weighted frequencies was completed using the

formula.

∑WF
WM=
∑F

Where:

WM = weighted mean

∑WF = summation of weighted frequency

∑F = sum of frequency