Republic of the Philippines

ZAMBOANGA STATE COLLEGE OF MARINE SCIENCES AND TECHNOLOGY

COLLEGE OF MARITIME EDUCATION

Module 2

Job Enabling English Proficiency (JEEP)

Prepared by

Samuel B. Marquez, MAELL

INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION

English, as we all know, is the language which connects people from different
nations, cultures and region. It has become a common language to the world. As
English is spoken in most countries, language can no longer be a barrier for
people to settle or make connections to other people in other countries in the
world.

The use of the English Language had become a must from the education sector, up to the
employment sector. The type of communication which is used in the corporate world is business
communication. It is not mere exchange of ideas. In the world of business, the communication
system is considered effective, only if there is some positive transaction. If the sender of
information is just able to convey the message without any fruitful deal, then the communication
is not effective.
According to a website, a person is considered employable only when he gets the
necessary qualification, experience, interest, learning attitude and expertise in the field where he
wants to seek employment.
So English is much required. It will help your team to be successful in your tasks and as
well as communicate with different people coming from different cultures.
In the Philippines, especially in Mindanao, with the help of United States Agencies for
Industrial Development (USAID) in partnership with Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM)
create a program to help students achieve English Proficiency. This program is called JEEP or
the Job Enabling English Proficiency. This is an intensive two-year English language training
program. This was developed in partnership with the different schools in Mindanao, to include
the Zamboanga State College of Marine Sciences and Technology.
JEEP’s ultimate goal is to deliver innovative approaches in learning English to students
and language enthusiasts of all ages and cultural backgrounds. This program is envisioned to
improve the English proficiency among students enrolled in selected universities in Mindanao.

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, you can:

1. Explain the importance of English Language in your quest to find better jobs.
2. Identify why English Language in the Philippines is now deteriorating.
3. Make plans to better improve your English Language Proficiency.

READ

The Philippines is considered as an English-speaking country, with more than 95% of the

population able to speak or understand the English language. This is due to the colonization of

the Philippines by the Americans which led to the use of English as the medium of instruction in

schools for decades. However, various surveys show that there exists deterioration in the English

language proficiency among college students today (Kyodo News/ Yahoo! 2005).

More and more college students can neither converse nor understand English, the

language widely seen as a ticket to a better life in the Philippines, despite the national policy of

requiring tertiary level schools in particular to use English as the medium of instruction.

A study conducted by the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines noted that

75% of more than 400,000 Filipino students who graduate from college each year have

“substandard English skills.” But what may have caused this deterioration?

Different sources and authorities cite various factors that may explain this decline (Social

Weather Station Survey as cited by Kyodo 2005). The first factor cited is that in 1987, the
Department of Education of the Philippines (DEP) adopted a bilingual program to promote the

use of Tagalog, the other official language. The government was swayed by the studies

indicating that students tend to learn better in their native languages. Moreover, during those

times the nationalist lobbied to restore Tagalog, also called Filipino, was overwhelming.

Secondly, the rise of “Taglish,” a highly popular language in the Philippines combining

Tagalog and English, skewed all the rules of grammar and usage of the English language.

Thirdly, the majority of programs and shows on televisions and radio stations are in the

local dialects. Very few Filipinos in general and students in particular can afford to watch good

English programs that are only available in cable televisions.

Forth, when cellular phones became popular, the inevitable “text lingo” drove people

from almost all walks of life into a mania. Worst, people tend to just type words just as how they

are pronounced with nobody caring about the correct spelling of the word. For as long as the

words can be understood by the receiver of the text, communication is presumed to be

completed.

The fifth factor cited was the negation of the students’ self-motivation to learn English

language. The Social Weather Station (2006) survey showed that present day students are bored

in the English class and they seemingly refuse to digest the learning that should transpire during

the class lectures and discussions. In fact, this same survey shows that only 7 percent of high

school graduates who enter college can properly speak, read, or understand English (Word Press

Database Error 2005).

Lastly, English teachers are partly to blame for the deterioration of English language

Proficiency among the college students. Aside from presuming and assuming that their students

already have absorbed the lessons presented in the class, teachers lack the knowledge and skills
to use strategies and proper approaches in teaching. Teachers simplify the transfer of knowledge

for students to grasp and comprehend knowledge which would eventually made students active

participants in the classroom activities.

ACTIVITY

Instructions: Make a comprehensive explanation of the following word / group of

English Proficiency
___________________________________________________________________________
“Taglish”
___________________________________________________________________________
“Text Lingo”
___________________________________________________________________________
Quality education
___________________________________________________________________________
Language Deterioration
___________________________________________________________________________
Globally competitive
___________________________________________________________________________
Job Enabling
___________________________________________________________________________