6 Chapter 2 Related Literature
Language learning concepts must be given primary importance in helping learners develop a realistic idea of their own capacity to learn English. This can be through proper guidance from their teacher, on o n how to learn, creating awareness in the learners of their routes and these of others in learning learning g-teaching process. Another through creating enthusiasm enthusiasm for language task and helping learners to develop sense of responsibility for their social, cognitive and psychological aspects of o f classroom communities.1 To promote language learning effectively, the cooperation of both teachers and pupils should go hand in hand. 2
Language construction should shou ld start with spoken English before reading and writing. Speaking skills of the students should be developed at early stage. Before the students can
actually communicate in sentences, they have to know first the sound sou nd system of the language. Hence, from the kindergarten to the t he sixth grade, pronunciation lessons are very important. People differ slightly slightly in structure and use of their speech organs, so no two two speakers pronounced a word exactly alike. Pronunciation may also vary in the s ame person an different occasions or situation. A person who is tired, for example, may slur his words. Likewise, a person delivering a public speech will w ill ordinarily take more care in his communication than if he is jus t engage in an inform inform al conversation. co nversation. In accordance with Thorndike¶s L aw of Exercise of repetition, the more time stimulus induced, response is repeated, and the larger it will be retained. Thus, one can learn to speak well
7
with proper pronunciation by the practice. pract ice. The students who continually avoid speaking E nglish will never speak well in the language.3 Scarella mentioned that our educational system is learner-centered. As such, teachers have to pay attention to the characteristics characteristics of students. students. For instance, instance, to provide optimal 4
instruction, it is important to know the students preferred learning styles. This knowledge will help suits the activities activities to be conducted in the classroom. Without such knowledge, his instruction might miss the mark. Rarin added suggestions for the improvement improvement of the students¶ English: English: 1. ) student ca n be encourage to speak English in school premises , outside the classroom, in the playground playground or elsewhere at any given time.2.) Teachers should should speak English with their students students anywhere. 3.) Let students talk more while the teachers talk t alk less. 4.) Every student should be giving n a chance 5
to speak English during recitation.
In addition, Samomnte and Arbis also said that imitation is a potent factor in learning, of the speech skill. However, it is not advisable to overuse it, as it disastrously crippling. crippling. The student¶s therefore expected to apply what he has learned in a new material that he has to work 6
out with himself without having to depend on his teacher to model model it for him. Soriano added that the most efficient method of improving o ne¶s oral English is by accurate imitation and once the techniques have been mastered by intelligent and through intense practice.7 His information of the speech sound must be accurate enough enoug h so that his words are easily distinguishable. The 8
student¶s second aim is ace pt able pronunciation which conforms to an accept able standard. Other literature discussed and identified the causes of errors enco unter by the pupils. Ward
8 9
believed that the quali qua lity ty of o f length is another element in pronunciation. English makes greater differences in it that many languages between long and short vowels. Fehnema and Frankie revealed that are of the difficulties encountered by the learners in learning grammar is on verb-tense, second is on stock of words of vocabulary; third, unable to recognize words; fourth is difficulty in pronunciation pronunciation and fifth if difficulty difficulty in constructing sentences due to lack of knowledge in basic sentence pattern.10 Based on the study conducted by Alcantara on the conservative linguistics, specifically these who made co mparative studies of native language (Filipino) claimed that generally, Filipino have difficulties in pronunciation in English because o f native language interference, specifically, the absences of the English sounds in the native language as phonemes /o/ and /ae/ are difficult sounds because they do not exist in it.
11
Therefore, the teacher must give ample dr ill
lesson to enable the students pronounce pronou nce them correctly. Aside from those, teacher should also teach the students the rule in stress, st ress, pitch, intonation of phonological competence. The study conducted by Garcia, she analyzed and ranked the different errors committed in English class and found found out the corresponding oral error treatment treatment such. She further recommended that; 1.) All teachers should be acquainted with the correction techniques which are important components of any teaching teac hing and learning cycle pro viding them with in-service training on the said topic relevant to t he present needs and time, t ime, 2.) Different activities activities that will provide pupils with the opportuniti oppo rtunities es to express their ideas and encourage them to speak in 12
English should be by the teachers to develop pupil¶s language competencies.
9 Since the present researcher also conducted an oral test and analyze the different oral errors by the English learners, making this as closely related to t he study of Garcia because it deals dea ls with the oral errors.
Related Studies
Most recent studies of international researcher, in particular problem conducted in Australia identified their problems in coping with English both acade mic and conversational English in the field of Education. These T hese difficulties are felt especially in relation to speaking and writing. This is really made clear in the evidence of students themselves of all social and academic issues, issues, the problems facing international international students are in recent studies studies like differences in learning style, culture shock, homesickness, homesickness, social differences and social social difficulties are the grave ones. The problem pro blem they themselves most often refer and its difficulties with English.13 Napolis and Pantino, in their study found out that in the phonic the problem were look of materials, speech defect s, no pre-school experience and inattentiveness. In structural unit, the problems were on the spelling and pronunciation, short attention span, immaturity, lack of materials and difficulty in re cognizing a letters. In sight words, lack of materials materials and interest, 14
reading without understanding, spelling and no reading exercise. the study also focused on reading but no oral or al reading problems. One of the goals of the present researchers is to construct and conduct an o ral test which will use the basic sight words in identifying th d ifficulties ifficulties of the students .thestudy of Napolis and Pantino is closely related to the present study because its deal
10 with contracting oral communicative test. This T his study tried to find out other problems met by the pupils in pronunciation. The study conducted by Letran and Lamatao, mentioned that reading difficulties is one of the most issues of academic failure. Reading problems of the students.
15
16
Loma, similar to the present study also focused on Oral
She concluded that mispronunciation, substitution, substitution,
omission, reversal, repetition, and refusal to pronounce, due the common oral reading problems pro blems among pupil¶s. She then recommended that exercise on pronunciation should be made to enhance their oral reading ability. The present study is related to t he study of Letran and Lomatao they t hey also gave exercise drills o pronunciation enhance oral o ral reading of the pupils.
Synthesis of the State-of-the-Art
The related literature and studies stud ies have allowed the researcher to understand deep ly the problem of the present study. In the reviewed literature, Rarin emphasized suggestions for the improvement of the students in English. In accordance with Thorndike¶s Tho rndike¶s Law of Exercise, one can o nly learn to speak well with proper pronunciation by pract ice. I was also mention by Scallera that t hat it is very important to the student proffered learning styles to help the teacher design and suit the t he activities to be conducted inside the classroom. Samonte, Arbis and Soriano e mphasized the imitation is
11 the most that it is not advisable to overused it. The student is therefore expected to apply what he has learned without having depended depe nded on his teachers to model it for him. Other literature discussed and identified the causes and factors o f difficulties difficulties encountered by the pupils. Fenema and Frankie revealed that difficulty in pronunciation is one of the difficulties encountered by the learners in learning grammar. Robertson explored difficulties experienced by international students studying at one Australian University. Staff and student emphasized language as a key source of difficulties in teaching and learning. In study conducted by Alcantara, he c laimed laimed that generally, Filipinos Filipinos have difficul d ifficulties ties in pronunciation pronunciat ion in English because of native language interference. Most recent studies of international students, in particular those conduct ed in Australia, identified their problems in coping with English in both academic and conversational in the field of Education. Napolis and Pantio Pant io in their study identified the problems in phonics, instructional unit and in sight words which affects student¶s pronunciation. Alcantara, in his study claimed that generally Filipinos have difficulties in pronunciation in English because o f the native interference. He emphasized that the vowel and consonant sound should be learned by the pupils accurately to avoid mispronunciation of what they hear and be understood by others. Also, Letran and Lamatao conducted a study and they mentioned that reading problem is one of the most important causes of academic failure. All the related literature and studies mentioned here have bearing on the present study, not only on the co ntents of the problems but also on the t he methodology and the too ls as instrument instrument used in gathering data.
12 Gap
to be Bridged by the Study
Four related studies cited tackled and the t he prominent vowel sounds missed by the students-respondents. Other related studies discussed were about the effects of the use of native language in pronunciation difficul d ifficulties ties and the t he use of the test for measuring oral communication ability. The setting and the respondents used from the previous studies are diff d ifferent erent from the present. There was no study conducted about the pronunciation pro nunciation errors of First year students in Bulacao National High School. Schoo l. This is the gap to be bridged br idged by the study.
Theoretical Framework
Lozanov discusses his theories of Suggestology, t he scientific study of suggestion, and Suggestopedia, the application of suggestion to pedagogy. The Lozanov thesis cannot properly be understood in isolation, however, and Suggestology and Suggestopedia should be considered in relation to yoga, Soviet and Western work in suggestion and psychot herapy, the Russian school of physiological psychology and the Soviet concept of the unconscious, Soviet linguistics and pedagogy. Suggestology Su ggestology investigates the subsensory signals or subliminal stimuli which come from the physical or social environment and which are absorbed into the unconscious mind before receiving a conscious expression. Suggestion, S uggestion, especially spoken suggestion, activates the reserve capacities of the mind or the memory. memory. Suggesto pedia increases memorization capacities.
13 Krashen supports Lasanov in his Theory o f Acquisition-Learning. He states that in formal learning and acquisition, students have two different ways in developing skills in the second 16
language which are learning and acquisition. Learning is a conscious process that t hat focuses pupils attention on the form of o f language. Acquisition, unlike learning, is a process pro cess similar similar to that t hat by which one acqu ires the mother tongue, and which represents the sub-conscious su b-conscious activity by which one internalizes the new language. This puts meaning on the message rather than in the form of the language. The input hypothesis of Krashen states that through understanding the message, people acquire language skills.
The Monitor hypothesis explains the relationship between acquisition and learning and defines the influence of the latter on the former. The monitoring function is the practical result of the learned grammar. According to Krashen, the acquisition system is the utterance initiator, while the learning system performs the role of the 'mon itor' or the 'editor'. The 'monitor' acts in a planning, editing and correcting correct ing function when three specific conditions are met: that is, the second language learner has sufficient time t ime at his/her disposal, he/she focuses on form or thinks about correctness, and he/she knows the t he rule.
It appears that the role of conscious learning is somewhat limited in second language performance. According to Krashen, the t he role of the monitor is - or should be - minor, minor, being used only to correct deviations from 'normal' speech and to give speech a more 'polished' appearance.
14 Krashen also suggests that there is individual variation among language learners with regard to 'monitor' use. He distinguish d istinguishes es those learners that use the t he 'monitor' all the time (overusers); those learners who have not learned o r who prefer not to use their the ir conscious knowledge (under-users); and those learners that use the 'monitor' appropriately (optimal users). An evaluation of the person's psychological psycholog ical profile can help to determine to what group they belong. Usually extroverts are under-users, while introverts and perfectionists are over-users. Lack o f self-confidence is frequently related to the o ver-use of the 'monitor'. The theory of an innate language acquisition divide means that the inborn capacities to acquire a language that t hat all learners possess will be tapped.
15 Figure 1 shows the Theoretical Paradigm of the study:
Monitor Theory (Formal learning)
Learners
Oral Language
Acquisition Theory (Acquired learning)
Learning
16 Conceptual framework
This study was premised on the concept that before anyone can overcome o vercome difficulties, he must be able to recognized them identify its causes. Pronunciation is seldom so good that cannot be improved. The inputs of this study were the most commonly mispronounced words by First Year students and the causes of the t he pronunciation skills. The process determined the pro posed learning activities in relation to the input. The T he output of this study was the improved pro nunciation skills, since this study aimed to lessen if not overcome the difficulties met by the First Year students in pronunciation skills sk ills.. This researcher determined the pronunciation difficulties First Year students in Bulacao National High School is the brief that the identified difficulties difficulties will be useful a more realistic and effective in teaching pro nunciation skills. skills. The presence of pronunciation difficul d ifficulties ties is a big barrier to self-development. The student who is willing and interested in improving his pronunciation skill would be well-equipped to carry on the speaking activities in everyday leaving. The result of this study will give feedback which w ill serve as basis for the researcher as well for the teacher to answer the problems of the pupils in pronunciation.
17
Pronunciation Level And Competences
Common Mispronounced Words
Causes of Pronunciation Pronunciat ion Difficulties Difficulties
Proposed Learning Activities to Overcome Difficulties Difficulties in Pronunciation
Improved Pronunciation Skills Sk ills
Figure 2. Conceptual Paradigm
18 Definition
of Terms:
For better understanding of the study, stu dy, the following terms were conceptually and operationally define. Pronunciation Level and Competencies. Mispronounced
Words. The matter of what is or is not mispronunciation is a
contentious one, and indeed there is some disagreement about the extent to which the term is even meaningful. isition of o f any form of Language Learning. Is the process which leads to the acqu isition language behavior in communication through listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
18
expression or o r communication of thoughts and feelings by means of Language. Is the expression vocal sounds and written symbols and the t he communication of such sound to which the meaning is attributed.
19
Pronunciation. In general, it refers to the proper utterance o f orthographic decapitations
of sounds and syllabic stress.
20
in this study, it refers to the phonetic transcription of the way in
which a word should be or is pronounced. Difficulties.
Refers to the problem that is hard to deal with, to make and to understand.
recog nized as meaningful whole fitting into a Sight Words. In general, these are words recognized context supplies by pictures and words. By using same words in different context, the words
19 become familiar units and are reco gnized instantly and spontaneously by their form and configuration. Causes of Difficulties in Pronunciation. These are the reasons about the problem meet
in pronunciation. They produce an effect and lead to some results. Proposed Activities in Pronunciation. Are the suggested activities to enhance the
pupils¶ pronunciation skills. First Year Students. Are the students of Bulacao National High Scho ol. They are the
respondents of this study where the test was conducted. High School English Teachers. Is the Teachers in Bulacao National High School. They
are the one who facilitate facilitate the t he learning of the students in Bulacao.
20 Notes:
1
Cohen A.D.³ Second Language Learning: Insights for learners, Teachers and
Research´,( New York: New Bury House Hopes and Row, 1990).p.65. 2
Rebecca P. Alcantara, et.al.,´Teaching Strategies.. Philippine Association For Teaching
Education´.(Katha Publishing Co.,Inc.):p.36. 3
Rosalina A. San Mateo, ³Historical, Philosophical and Legal Foundation,´ 1997 (Katha
Publishing Co.,Inc.,Quezon City). 4
Rebecca and Robin Scarella, ³tapestry of Language Learning, English Teaching
Forum´.1991, p. 36 5
Cecilia Rarin, ³Determinants of Linguistic and communicate Co mpetences of Second
Lnaguage, English in the University of The Phil.´(1988), p.49. 6
James Carrel and William Tiffany. ³Theory and Application to Speech
Improvement,´(McGrawhill Book Company, New York, 1960)p.410 7
Isabel Sevilla Soriano, et.al,´ English Pronunciation for the Filipino College Student´
Caloocan City, Phil. Graphic Arts, Inc.,1918 8
Ibid
9
James Ward, ³The Teacher, the Student, the classroom, and the communication
Activities,´ English Forum.Volume XXII,July 1984.
21 10
Fenema and Frankie, ³Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning´
(Oxford Pegaman, 1981) p. 7. 11
Rebecca P. Alcantara, et.al, p. 24
12
Pricilla R. Garcia. ³The Correction Techniques E mployed mployed by the Pupils Pup ils in English
Classes, ³ (Unpublished Master¶s Thesis, College of Immaculate Conception, Graduate School, Cabanatuan City, 1996) 13
Erlenawati Sawir. 13
14
Francia S. Napolis and Lean M. Pantino, ³ Teaching Techniques for Beginning
Reading, ³ ( Undergraduate Thesis, T hesis, Bicol University, Legaspi City, 2004) 15
Michelle A. Letran and Aron C. Lomatao, Lomatao, ³ The Attitude and Reading Performance of
Grade III Pupils in English. ³ (Undergraduate T hesis, Bicol University, University, Legaspi Lega spi City, 2004) 16
Joyce R. Loma, ³The Decoding Deco ding Difficulties of Grade III pupils in Matacon Elementary
School. ³ ( Undergraduate Thesis, Bicol University, Legaspi City, 2004) 17
S. Krashen, ³Second Language Acquisition and Second Language Learning.´ Oxford
Pentagon Press, 1982. 18
Ma. Lourdes B. Tayao, ³An Electronic Dialogue o n Metacognition´ (A Transcription
Philippines Journal for Language).
22 19
Sherly Maloles, Maloles, ³The Language Learning St yle of the Second Students of B.U. institute
of communication and cultural studies stud ies and their Performance in Speech.´( Unpub lished Master¶s Thesis, Bicol University 1996.) 20
Lourdes Mata and Isabel Sevilla, ³English Pronunciation for the Filipino College
Student .³( Revised Edition Copyright 1067) p.1 21
Lourdes S. Dias, et,al. Developmental Reading Phillippines Association for Teachers
Education and Katha Publishing Co. Inc. p 37.
23 Chapter 3 Research
Design
and
Methodology
This chapter is a presentation of the research methodology, source of data, data gathering procedure, research instruments, and respondents of the stud y of the data used by the researcher in conducting this study. Research
Method
The descriptive method was used in this study. Oral responses of the pupils were recorded o n tape and phonetically analyzed individually by the researcher, specifically in pronunciation. A questionnaire was used to determine determine the extents e xtents of the pronunciation problems were identified. identified. This method of researcher is a fact-finding study with adequat e and accurate interpretation of the findings. It describes with emphasis what actually exist such a current condition, practices, situations or any phenomena. It involves description, recordings and collection of data and analysis in order to solicit the desired answer to t he questions concerning the present status of the subjects of the study. This method of o f research is the most appropriate method to use in this study. Respondents of the Study
The respondents of the study st udy were the total enumeration of first year students and t he English Teachers at Bulacao National High School. There were 127 students and 3 English Teachers. Included were the students¶ parents interviewed with r egard to the student¶s profile. Sources of Data
24 Both primary and secondary sources o f data were in this undertaking. The primary pr imary data will be secured from the result of the oral test conducted to the first year students and from fro m the questionnaire given to the teachers. The T he results of the oral test and the responses helped t he researcher determine the difficulties met by the first year students and causes a ffecting their pronunciation skills and the proposed activities to enhance it. The secondary data was secured through journals, textbooks, magazines, unpublished theses and dissertations, other printed materials by foreign and local authors and other second hand resources.
Research Instruments
To gather the needed data and information the main instruments were the Basic Sight Words of first year students and questionnaire prepared by the researcher. These were used to the co mmon mispronounced words of the respondents. The questionnaire checklist was to know the teachers personal opinions regarding the d ifficulties ifficulties met by the first year students in pronunciation pronunc iation skills. It has two parts: 1) the causes affecting the pronunciation skills and 2) the proposed activities to enhance the pupil¶s pronunciation. The word in the Basic Sight S ight Words is categorized by sequence rat her than of difficulty and matches the frequency of words wor ds according to year level material.
25 Data Gathering
Procedure
The researcher prepared their own check list list and basic sight words for first year students. They saw to it that the reading read ing materials were suited to the pupils. Likewise, the questionnaire has its enough items to collect data dat a in covering all aspects of the problem. pro blem. It has been finalized after it was corrected and validated by the adviser. Before the oral test and the distribution of the checklist, appropriate communication letters were sent to concerned offices for the approval of the request for research purposes. The researcher asked permission from the Coordinator of Bicol University Gubat Campus to allow them going go ing out of the campus to conduct an oral test and distribute the questionnaire to the first year students of Bulacao National High School. The letter of the permission from the Coordinator together with the letter to the principal, the researcher asked permission to the first year English Teachers to allow allow them the m administer the oral test. The copies of the questionnaire were distrib d istributed uted by the researcher. The data gathered were analyzed and interpreted to find the desired des ired outcome of the study.
Chapter 1 Introduction
Today¶s educational institutions and social circles de mand that one should communicate min English. A personµs success in his chosen pro fession fession of o f endeavor is invariably linked with 1
his ability to express and protect his knowledge not only in writing but also in Spoken English. Speech is the index of o f a man. Man sees in a person¶s speech, his image of o f himself, his
creation towards his associates, his emotions, and his mind at work. Through the spoken words, man shares his thought and sentiments sent iments with others. The students in search, therefore, most consider speech training as essential part of his ed ucation.2 It is now established practice among the t he more linguistically sophisticated teachers to pronunciation in scientific stages that involve bot h analyses and imitation since the Filipino learners of English has to tackle a lot of sounds foreign to him. It is necessary that he do es this with precise direction. To this end, the t he teachers works on the pupil¶s pup il¶s ability ability to recognized and produced anything does not hear, much less recognize, so that are first first target fall on selective listening. Moreover, this is in consonance with the nature of language learning. The first contact with the language should be the ears. This takes for granted that the teachers have good 3
command of this aspect of o f the language at her trip.
Pronunciation is one of the important features of spoken English communication which is often neglected and not given importance. Whatever the words utter should pronounce them correctly. Knowing this feature is very important because it makes our thoughts or ideas clear to 4
others. Just composition, careless pronunciation, spelling and capitalization cause misunderstanding. In oral communication, careless articulation of letter sounds and wo rds is one
2 5
of the difficulties met by the speakers naming de fects in effective ommunication. The tree parts of articulation which are capable of development are: tongue, teeth and lips. They are physical agencies of accurate communication. co mmunication. However, we must place most of the emphasis upon the 6
intelligence of the speaker. mispronunciation of vowels and consonants are due to substitution of sound familiar to his vernacular. Also, improper point of articulation and voicing of sound cause the mispronunciation of English sound.7 This study was conducted to find find out the t he factors affecting English pronunciation in English language of students in Bulacao National High School. This school year, it has 127 first year students. It composed of o f 3 teachers of English subjects and 1 room for each year level.
