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The Philippines is a nation that is leading English proficiency in Asia in

general. Several English Survey reports from both the academe (Tupas, 2000) and

the business world (Global English Corporation, 2012), and other aspects of life

(Kirkpatrick, 2010) are pointing more and more to the importance that the English

language and English proficiency are playing in the educational success and

economic boom of the Philippines as well as other surrounding nations.

The features of Pinoy English can be seen from a scrutiny of the outputs of

English teachers, media practitioners, and leaders of society in the Philippines. On

the other hand, the features of international English can be abstracted from a study

of international print and broadcast media. The differences between the two resulted

from interference by Philippine languages, and the systematized forms of Filipino

language professionals, nearly all of whom learned their English from Filipino

teachers, whom, in turn, learned from other Filipino teachers, with almost everyone

using limited dictionaries and traditional grammar books as primary sources for

language learning.

Language drift has resulted in the various English dialects among non-native

speakers of English. In the country, English is an official language. It is used as a

medium of instruction. Yet, most Filipinos learn English as an additional language

because they have various mother tongues.

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Educational and linguistic theorists (Cummins, 1980; Krashen, 1976, 1981,

1982; &Krashen et al., 1979) suggest that in the case of Hispanic English language

learners, these students may become quite proficient in the grammar, vocabulary

and sentence structure of the English language, but may lack the necessary

cognitive academic language proficiency to learn the subject matter that is presented

to them in science classrooms. In other words, these students may be proficient in

their English communication skills but may not have the cognitive academic

language proficiency (CALP) required for learning science or other academic subject

matter.

According to Mondez (2013), general impression of foreigners is that Filipinos

are good in English compared to other nationalities from Southeast Asian

counterparts. Since Filipino and English are the languages used in the Tagalog

region, students from this area do not need to learn in a foreign language once they

begin their formal education. However, there are issues in other regions where in

both English, Tagalog is still taught.

In most regions, its common for the community to have their own dialect for

example us Davaoenos, which also leads students to learn Filipino. In addition, the

new curriculum, students from Grades 1 to 3 are also expected to learn MTBMLE

(Mother Tongue Based Multilingual Education). Making it simpler, students are

expected to learn 3 languages.

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Philippines has over 120 to 175 native languages, 134 are enumerated to be

present and are still used, while the remaining are either no longer spoken or only

traditional tribes practices it. English has been a huge influence on Filipinos

especially in between 1898 to 1946 where in American Occupation took place; up

until now, English remains to be an official language in the country. As of 2015, both

English and Filipino along with 19 mother tongues, is marked an official language of

the country.

It is not uncommon for Asian countries to have troubles in speaking/writing in

English, due to having a primary language that is being practiced. Yuko Goto (2002)

said countries with native language have a hard time learning English, because of

the difference in grammar construction. Nihongo follows another form of sentence

construction that is entirely different from the American English rule.

English-medium education started in 1901 after the arrival of 540 US

teachers. Later on, English was adopted in newspapers, magazines and other media

and literary pieces in the Country. Filipinos adapted English like their own language,

but majority have troubles in constructing a proper sentence and delivery, especially

when speaking. In the long run, Filipinos, notably students, also have a hard time

understanding mother tongue, thats why merging the two was the easiest solution,

which causes a bad development of grammar construction in both Mother Tongue

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and English.

Language is an integral part of culture, and the words that we have and how

we use them reflect our values and belief system (Rosenthal, 1996). The native

language we speak and use is determined by the culture in which we raised and

schooled (Connor & Kaplan, 1987; Damen, 1987; Richard-Amato & Snow, 1992;

Rosenthal, 1996). Various educational researchers (Krashen, 1976, 1981, 1982;

Krashen, Long &Scarcella, 1979) suggest that there is a distinction between

unconscious language acquisition and conscious language learning. For Krashen et

al. the native language proficiency, which everyone develops, is an example of

unconscious language acquisition. Krashen et al. (1979) furthermore, claimed that

studying a second language taught by teachers, using textbooks, taking formal

classes and learning the rules, vocabulary, grammar, and idioms of the second

language, is an example of conscious language learning.

The case does not only rest in Asian Countries, even a country like Kenya,

locals also have a hard time talking/writing in English due to the presence of their

native language. South Africa also, suffers with this problem, mainly because they

are in rural areas and are exposed in their own Mother Tongue. (Sarah Howie, 2008)

In this study, we aim to know the relationship of the English Proficiency in

terms of grammar and Mother Tongue. We also want to know what are the causes
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and the difficulties of HUMSS students speaking in English.

Purpose of the Study

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to explore the difficulties of

speaking English Language in the selected Senior High School HUMSS students in

Davao City National High School.

Research Questions

This paper aims to determine Senior High HUMSS Students difficulties in

speaking English.

Specifically, the paper aims to answer the following questions:

1. What are the difficulties faced by SHS HUMSS students in speaking English?

2. How should the teachers teach the English language in an understandable

way?
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Theoretical Lens

This study is viewed through the lens of Principles and Practice of Second

Language acquisition theory by Stephen Krashen (1987). The theory proposes that

second language acquisition theory can be viewed as a part of "theoretical

linguistics", i.e. it can be studied and developed without regard to practical

application. He also says that the case with any scientific theory will consists of a set

of hypotheses, or generalizations, that are consistent with experimental data. These

hypotheses he claimed can be arrived at using any of a variety of means. In other

words, such hypotheses are not summaries or categories for existing data and

observations, but must pass the test of accounting for new data as he further

explained. If our current hypotheses are able to predict new events, they survive. If

they fail, even once, they must be altered. His thorough observation resulted if these

alterations cause fundamental changes in the original generalizations, the

hypotheses may have to be totally abandoned.

Another study of Krashen in his book Theory Second Language Acquisition

he stated that there are five main hypotheses that includes

the Acquisition-Learning hypothesis;

the Monitor hypothesis;

the Natural Order hypothesis;

the Input hypothesis;

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and the Affective Filter hypothesis.

Wherein it states that this five main hypothesis a brief description of Krashen's

widely known and well accepted theory of second language acquisition, which has

had a large impact in all areas of second language research and teaching since the

1980s.

Another study of Horwitz, Horwitz and Cope (1986) acknowledged the

uniqueness of foreign language anxiety and introduced the Foreign Language

Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) as an instrument to measure anxiety levels as

evidenced by negative performance expectancies and social comparisons,

psychophysiological symptoms, and avoidance behaviors. The FLCAS consists of

33 statements with significant part-whole correlations with the total scale, aiming to

assess communication apprehension, test anxiety and fear of negative evaluation

associated with language anxiety. Each item on the FLCAS is rated on a five-point

Likert scale ranging from 1 (strongly agree) to 5 (strongly disagree). Total scores of

the scale range from 33 to 165 with lower scores indicate higher levels of anxiety.

Twenty-four of the items are positively worded, and nine of the items are negatively

worded. Horwitz (2010) also reported that a foreign and second language anxiety

research timeline, in which she once again postulated that one of the reasons for

such confusing results was the multi-faceted conceptualization of anxiety which

differentiates a number of types of anxiety, including trait anxiety, state anxiety,

achievement anxiety, and facilitating-debilitating anxiety.

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The theory is then used to give explanations on Speaking Difficulties of

Students in English Language.

Importance of the Study

I believe that the following individuals, groups, or sectors can appreciate in

many ways the contributions which can be derived from the results of this

investigation: firstly the educators that will find a new way of teaching English to an

understandable way. Secondly, the parents who talk Mother Tongue at home will be

enlightened to use English at their homes as it is a factor that needs solution and to

seek a better knowledge of how their children adapt to it. Thirdly and lastly are the

future researchers who might consider this factor of how Mother Tongue affects the

English Language of the sutdents causing them to find it very diffivult to speak in

English.

Limitation and Delimitation of the Study

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The study is focusing only the senior high school students of Davao City

National High School. My participants only cover selected students from Humanities

and Social Sciences (HUMSS). The second is context. The study is only conducted

at Davao City National High School and therefore does not cover other culture and

subculture existing in other areas that may also have an impact to the students

explanation on why they find English Language very difficult to speak. Thirdly, this

study does not prove that Mother Tongue is suggested to be used as a language in

applying and in English class.

Definition of Terms

To facilitate the readers understanding of the contents of this study, the

researcher included the operational and conceptual definition of the following terms:

Administration and Management This variable as used in this study, pertains

to the modification of the functions of the

school heads as an effect of the change

from the old to the new curriculum.

Curriculum adjustment In this study, the term refers to the new set
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of activities and trends integrated in the

implementation of the K to 12 program.

Implementation of K to 12 Program In this study, the term applies only to the

private and public high schools in Davao

City.

Issues and Concerns The term covers only the items enumerated

in the research instrument as perceived by

the respondents of the study. Majority of the

items include ideas that reflect the

predicaments of the parents for the

additional burden in terms of time and

financial expenses to be incurred for the

additional two years of basic education from

10 to 12 years.

K to 12 Program As defined by Cruz (2010), refers to the

most recently implemented basic education

curriculum signed into a law by the

incumbent President Benigno Aquino III

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through Republic Act 10533. The Filipino

students are required to undergo one year

in Kindergarten, six years in primary school,

four years in junior high school and two

years in senior high school.

School Plant and Facilities It suggests school buildings, furniture and

fixtures, along with the tools and equipment

in them to cope with the demands of the K

to 12 Curriculum Program.

School Readiness As applied in this study, signifies the

capability of the schools to provide better

facilities, school buildings, tools, equipment

and instructional materials and aids.

Teacher Readiness As used in this research, the term implies

the competencies of the teachers to cope

with the needs and demands of the K to 12

Curriculum Program.

Teaching Competencies It denotes knowledge, skills, and attitude of

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teachers in the use of different teaching

strategies, instructional materials and in

managing the classroom for better and

more effective pupils learning.

Teaching Strategies This signifies changes in the use of

teaching strategies to adapt to the

requirements of the new curriculum, K to

12.