Reasons for Incompetence in English among College Students

An Undergraduate Research Paper Presented

to
Prof. Lucila Cabrera

In partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

For ENGL 1023

by:
BSEdEn I 1N

Ma. Aurora Monica Angela A. Monillas (#25)

Elizabeth B. Robles (# 34)
Daryl Jade Bagon - on (#4)
Hans Cristian Galendez ( # 18 )

30 January, 2012

CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Being incompetent is just like insufficiently skillful to do something successfully.
Among college students, being impotent in English speaking in a fluent manner is a big problem.
Students especially in tertiary level must be able to communicate using universal language. This
will help them to express their thoughts and ideas.
Students must be globally competent. What characteristics would a globally competent
student possess? For some students, all or most of these characteristics are ones that he/she will
find ways to develop even if the resources are lacking. For others, they must be convinced of the
need to develop global competence. To become a competent student, you must have a diverse
and knowledgeable worldview, comprehends international dimensions of his/her major field of
study , consider English as the worlds dominant language, and most of all, globally competent
student recognizes the worth of international understanding for its own sake as well as for his/her
own personal fulfillment.
In this research, people will gain some information about on how they will improve their
speaking habits. The researchers will also try to give some possible solutions for this problem.
The researchers will also provide some tips and advices to enhance your English speaking habits.
The researchers have observed that many college students have difficulties in speaking
English language fluently. The group was curious about the reason behind the incompetency in
English among college students. Researchers feel that there is a need to improve this present
situation. These reasons motivated the group to choose the topic.

B. Purpose of the Study

The purpose of the research is to know the reasons or causes why most of the college
students are incompetent when it comes to English language. This research is also aiming to find
solutions to the different problems in English literacy especially in speaking. This will help the
students on how to use the correct grammar and how to choose the right word when
communicating.

C. Significance of the Study

It is very important to know the factors affecting the poor speaking habits of the college
students so that the group could provide some possible solution for this. They may use the
different ways on how to improve the ability in English Speaking Policy and because of this
research, they will be able to know the different benefits of having good communication skills.

D. Statement of the Problem

This study was undertaken to find out the reasons for incompetence in English among
college students.
Specifically, this study sought answers to the following research questions:
1. What are the factors affecting the poor speaking habits of the college students?
2. What are the different ways on how to improve the ability in English Speaking Policy?
3. What are the different benefits of having good communication skills?

E. Scope and Limitations

This study will only focus on the students in the tertiary level especially the freshmen
students. The researchers will concentrate on providing possible solution to solve the
incompetence in English among college students. The group will also give tips and advices on
how to improve their speaking habits.
This research will not go beyond the topic. Whatever the researchers put on the statement
of the problem, those questions only are expected to be answered at the end of this study. There
would be no attempt to give some unrelated data or information on this research.

CHAPTER II
RESEARCH METHOD AND PROCEDURES

A. Research Design
The descriptive method, particularly the survey was used to achieve the purpose of this
study. This method seeks to describe the present situation, which in this study were the reasons
for incompetence in English among college students.

B. Respondents
The target population consisted of 100 freshmen students of College of Education. This
target population was considered quite small; hence the researchers opted to involve all 100
students in the research as respondents.

C. Research Instrument
The survey wherein the researchers prepared a list of questions in a predetermined order
was used. The questions were tried out first on for improvement on a group of freshmen not
included in the research.

D. Data- Gathering Procedure

The data were drawn from 100 freshmen students of the College of Education of the
Polytechnic University of the Philippines who were surveyed by the researchers. The group sets
separate appointments with 100 freshmen students as to the date, time and place of the interview.
Their responses were recorded in individual checklist.

E. Statistical Treatment
Individual responses were tallied before they were put in tables ready for the statistical
treatment. Percentage was utilized to quantify the data gathered for the problems. The formula
for percentage is:
P = f/n x 100
Where:

p= percentage
F= frequency
N= total number of respondents

CHAPTER III
PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
OF DATA GATHERED
This chapter presents the data gathered regarding the reasons for incompetence among
college students and proceeds to the analysis and interpretation of the said data.

Table 1.1
Factors Affecting the Poor Speaking Habits of the College Students

Factors Affecting the Poor Speaking Habits among College

Students
1. Lack of exposure
2. Lack of confidence

Top
range
in
each
item
8
9

Total

Rank

15
19

15%
19%

11
8

20
19
15

20%
19%
15%

7
8
11

14

14%

12

7. Influence of tri-media ( television , radio and newspaper)

7
5
3
and
5
6 and
7
7

19

19%

8. Effect of networking such as social sites

9. Text messages containing wrong grammars
10. Poor reading habits
11. Not paying their full attention in English class discussion

5
10
10
8

18
28
36
35

18%
28%
36%
35%

9
4
1
2

12. Peer pressure

13. Lack of perseverance
14. Not consulting any knowledge source materials such as
dictionary , encyclopedia , and thesaurus
15. Hear say syndrome

7
9
10

17
2
33

17%
24%
33%

10
5
3

23

23%

3. No chance of asking questions

4. Not interested in any English related topic
5. Negative thinker ( i.e English speaking habit is just a
waste of time or reading English articles have no benefits in
our daily lives)
6. Not well trained by their High school teachers

In Table 1.1, it shows how many freshmen students chose the most and least factor
affecting the poor speaking habits among college students. To find out the results, lets take a
look at the following data:

Reasons
Poor reading habits
Not paying their full attention in English class discussion
Not consulting any knowledge source materials such as
dictionary, encyclopedia, and thesaurus
Text messages containing wrong grammars
Lack of perseverance
Hear say syndrome
No chance of asking questions
Lack of confidence
Influence of tri-media (television , radio and newspaper)
Not interested in any English related topic
Effect of networking such as social sites
Peer pressure
Lack of exposure
Negative thinker (i.e. English speaking habit is
just a waste of time or reading English articles
have no benefits in our daily lives)
Not well trained by their High school teachers

Percentage

Rank

36%
35%

1
2

33%
28%
24%
23%
20%
19%
19%
19%
18%
17%
15%

3
4
5
6
7
8

15%
14%

9
10
11

12

As you can see, the major factor affecting the poor speaking habit among college students
is having poor reading habits with 36 %, followed by they are not paying their full attention in
English class discussion with 35%, then not consulting any knowledge source with 33%, then
they practice texting using wrong grammar with 28% and lack of perseverance with 24%. These
were the top 5 factors affecting the poor speaking habit among college students. Now lets
proceed to the other factors.
The sixth factor is the hear-say syndrome with 23% followed by having no chance of
asking questions with 20%, then lacking of confidence, influence of tri-media and not interested
in any English related topic are the eighth reason with 19%. The ninth reason is the effect of
networking with 18% followed by peer pressure with 17%, then lacking of exposure and
pessimistic with 15% and lastly, not well trained by their high school teachers with 14%. These
data were based on the results of the survey we had last Tuesday, 10th day of January 2012.

Table 2.1
Ways on How to improve the Ability in English Speaking policy
Top range
in each
item

Total

Watch English TV shows and listen to

English music

7&8

32

32%

5th

Read authorized English books

10

37

37%

3rd

Practicing yourself in speaking English

10

48

48%

1st

Ways on how to improve the ability in English

Speaking policy.

rank

4th
Set achievable goals

35

35%
2nd

Challenging yourself in English speaking

10

40

40%

Table 2.1 shows how many respondents rate the ways on how to improve the ability in
English Speaking Policy. The data were listed below:

Ways on How to Improve

English Speaking Policy
Practicing yourself in speaking English
Challenging yourself in English speaking
Read authorized English books
Set achievable goals
Watch English TV shows and listen to
English music

Percentage

Rank

48%
40%
37%
35%

1
2
3
4

32%

You will notice that majority of the respondents have chosen practicing themselves in
speaking English as the most useful way on how to improve their ability in English Speaking
Policy, it ranks 1st with 48%, followed by challenging themselves in English Speaking with 40%,
reading authorized English books with 37%, then setting achievable goals with 35% and lastly,
watching English TV shows and listening to English music with 32%.

Table 3.1
Benefits of Having Good Communication Skills
Benefits of having good communication skills

Top range
in each
item

Total

Increase your success

10

46

46%

1st

Helps you understand people

34

34%

3rd

Increases your self-esteem

40

40%

2nd

Create self-satisfaction

10

29

29%

4th

Promote productivity

26

26%

5th

rank

Table 3.1 reveals the benefits of having good communication skills. The result of the
survey was listed below:

Benefits of Having Good

Communication Skills
Increase your success
Increases your self-esteem
Helps you understand people
Create self-satisfaction
Promote productivity

Percentage

46%
40%
34%
29%
26%

Rank

1
2
3
4
5

As you can see, the most considerable benefits of having good communication skills is
increase your success with 46%, followed by increase your self-esteem with 40%, helps you
understand people with 34%, create self-satisfaction with 29% and lastly, promote productivity
with 26%.

CHAPTER 4
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
The purpose of this study was to know the reasons and causes why most of the college
students are incompetent English. This research was also aiming to find solutions to the different
problems in English literacy specifically in speaking. Using the descriptive method particularly
the survey, the researchers gathered data from the 100 college students from the College of
Education of Polytechnic University of the Philippines. The data were quantified using
percentage.

Summary of findings:
Based on the analysis and interpretation of data gathered, the findings are:
Sub problem 1. What are the factors affecting the poor speaking habits of the college
students?

36% believe that poor reading habits is the main factor

35% in not paying their full attention in English class discussion
33% in not consulting any knowledge source materials such as dictionary,
encyclopedia and thesaurus
28% in text messages containing bad grammar
24% in lack of perseverance
23% in hear-say syndrome
20% in no chance of asking questions
19% in lack of confidence, influence of tri-media (television, radio, and news
paper), not interested in any English related topics
18% in effect of networking such as social sites
17% in peer pressure
15% in lack of exposure, negative thinker (I.E. English speaking Habit is just
a waste of time or reading English articles have no benefits in our daily
lives)
14% in not well trained by their high school teachers

Sub problem 2. What are the different ways on how to improve the ability in English
speaking policy?

48% says that practicing you in speaking English is the best way
40% in challenging yourself in English speaking
37% in reading authorized English books
35% in setting achievable goals
32% in watching English television shows and listen to English music

Sub problem 3. What are benefits of having good communication skills?

46% considers increase your success as

benefit
40% in increases your self-esteem
34% in helps you understand people
29% in create self-satisfaction
26% in promote productivity

WORKS CITED
BOOKS
Gregorio , Herman C.; Principles and Method of Teaching (pp.41 & 331)
Kahn , John E. Llison D. Phil ,;Jarret Andrew Kerr, MA ; et-al ; How to Write and Speak Better
The Skills of Good Speaking , London , 1991 .
Nicolas, J.Floor R.; Gaining Proficiency in English (A textbook for College Freshmen) (pp. 113)

PERIODICALS
Aning, Jerome. Poor communication skills hamper young Filipinos, Philippine Daily Inquirer
11 August 2007
Mongaya, Candeze R. Students to learn better English, Philippine Daily Inquirer 26 January
2011

INTERNET
www.learningenglish.de/improvepage.htm
www.earthlingcommunication.com
www.towerofpower.com/an/the-benefits-of-communication-skills