CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM AND ITS SCOPE

Rationale

The need to be proficient in the use of English among non-native speakers

has become a global phenomenon. Today, educators are faced with the

challenge of addressing the needs of the growing number of students whose

primary language is not English (Gibbons, 2003). While mastering other skills

and content in other subject areas, there is the necessity for these learners to

gain proficiency in English.It is surprising to note that even in the United States

of America where immigrants continue to increase in number, studies show

that this is a predicament (Berriz, 2006; Spanos, 2006; Reyhner & Davison,

1992). Public schools in the U.S. have been developing instruction for their

students learning English as a second language for the past 25 years and the

challenge has remained. One such strategy for instruction identified by Blake

and Van Sickle (2001) is code-switching from the local dialect to standard

teaching, which seemed to work well as the students improved their academic

achievement in science and mathematics. This may not be true, however, for

other states which do not adhere to code-switching and find immersion or

sheltered-approach as workable (Rossell, 2005).

The quest for the “right” approach seems elusive as they continue to

experiment with other formulas to meet the growing and changing needs of

learners.In South Africa, Miller, Bradbury and Pedley (1998) studied the

academic performance of students in mathematics and English. Their findings

show that the second language, which is English, rather than being the direct

cause of under-preparedness of university students, serves to compound or

exacerbate a more fundamental educational or cognitive problem.

Mathematical concepts are acquired through language and the problem arising

from the use of the language has truly affected the learning of these concepts.

Although there are rich sources of data for English as a Second Language

across the curriculum, there is still a dearth in literature concerning the use of

English in in teaching other subjects. . The need to answer the challenge of

both attaining mastery of the content and the English language is an issue that

teachers should address.Furthermore, do they really believe that being

proficient in English would help them teach effectively?

The attitudes of teachers come to the fore as they reflect upon the

language that they use in teaching. Consciously or unconsciously, their

attitudes play a crucial role in language’s “growth or decay, restoration or

destruction” (Baker, 1988). Their attitudes, too, as part of their cultural

orientation, influence heavily their younger students (Shameem, 2004).After

World War Two, the spread of English has become more visible as a result of

sociopolitical and economic events. In addition to its dominance in colonized

areas of the world, it began to spread in non-colonized countries and

eventually English has become the world-wide lingua franca, a language used

for communication between people whose first languages differ (Holmes,

1997). The unique case of the English language often attributed to its being the

predominant language of international diplomacy, business, commerce,

popular media, education, science and technology in the twentieth and

twenty-first century (Fishman 1992; Master, 1998).

 Today, for transmission of information, English is mainly used,

accelerating its spread and making it the international language of knowledge

and information, which are recognized as the tools of political and economic

power of our age. This being the case, it is no wonder that English is becoming

more and more integrated into the field of education all over the world. The

overwhelming spread of English necessitates countries to review their

language policies in connection with education. The two outstanding

phenomena in this respect are English-medium instruction and the teaching of

English as a second/foreign language. The former is known to be prevalent in

former colonies of Britain and U.S., where English had an official/semi-official

status at some or all levels of education. Although there is now a tendency to

revert back to the education-in-the-mother tongue in some of these countries

due to social and political restructuring subsequent to political independence,

English-medium instruction perpetuates. (Evans, 2002; Flowerdew; 1998;

Rahman; 1997; Ramanthan, 1999; Tickoo, 1996).

English, since its introduction by Americans in the Philippines in the last

century, has generally been considered to have had a good foothold in the

country until in recent decades. There was a time where even elementary

graduates could still speak in straight English unlike most college

level-students in Philippine universities. In fact, let it be said that English

language proficiency in the country is on the wane due to a variety of factors.

Some of these include lack of reliable models of English users in schools

and/or inadequately trained teachers, lack of materials, lack of motivation and

language anxiety. There are those who do not seem to have the confidence

to use the language even if their grades on the subjects are good.
 The Philippines has been, until recently, considered as a bastion of the

English language in Southeast Asia. Students in the Philippines have been

studying English from kindergarten up to the tertiary level. Yet, nowadays

teachers from all levels of the education ladder have been complaining of poor

English skills among Filipinos, especially among the younger generation.

English instruction, especially in the public schools, has been observed to

have vastly deteriorated in the past decades. This is ironic considering that

Americans initiated and strengthened the English language in the Philippines.

It is often said during the American period, Filipinos straight from Grade Six

could confidently communicate in good English; even those who only

managed to finish only a few grades in Elementary school could speak and

write better than most of today’s college graduates.

This brings the researcher to the question, how effective is English as a

medium of instruction, especially in the far-flung rural areas where exposure to

English media is almost none? What are teachers to do, given the problem?

It is for these reasons that the present research was conducted.

Theoretical Framework

This study is based on Cummins’ Theory on the role of language

proficiency. Cummins Theory explains that, by using the first language as the

medium of instruction, bilinguals can easily learn and acquire academic skills.

It also emphasized the purpose of language proficiency assessment in

bilingual education which is the placement of students to classes taught

through the language which will best promote learning. This theory supports
the idea that with the use of instructional medium the students could easily

learn and there is a high possibility that the students could understand better

and it results to a high performance of the students.

Jim Cummins’s language acquisition theories have directly influenced

classroom instruction. Cummins distinguishes between two types of

language, Basic Interpersonal Communications skills (BICS) and Cognitive

Academic Language Proficiency (CALP) have directly influenced classroom

instruction.

This distinction had led teachers to a better understanding of language

ability and expectations.

Research has shown that the average student can develop conversational

fluency within two to five years. Developing fluency in more technical,

academic language can take from four to seven years depending on many

variables such as language proficiency level, age and time of arrival at school,

level of academic proficiency in the native language, and the degree of support

provided.

Later, Cummins expanded the concept of conversational and academic

language to include two distinct types of communication, depending on the

context in which it occurs, context-embedded communication and

context-reduced communication.

Context-embedded communication provides several communicative

supports to the listener or reader, such as objects, gestures, or vocal

inflections, which help make the information comprehensible. Examples of

context-embedded communication are a one-to-one social conversation with

physical gestures, or storytelling activities that include visual props.

Context-reduced communication provides fewer communicative clues to

support understanding. Examples are a phone conversation, which provides

no visual clues, or a note left on a refrigerator. Similarly, Cummins

distinguished between the different cognitive demands that communication

can place on the learner. According to Cummins, language can be

cognitively undemanding or cognitively demanding.

Cognitively undemanding communication requires a minimal amount of

abstract or critical thinking. Examples of cognitively undemanding

communication are a conversation on the playground, or simple yes/no

questions in the classroom. Cognitively demanding communication requires

a learner to analyze and synthesize information quickly and contains abstract

or specialized concepts. Examples of cognitively demanding communication

are academic content lessons, such as a social studies lecture, a math lesson,

or a multiple-choice test.

Cummins’s language acquisition theories break language down into

categories that are very critical for teachers to understand. His theories can

be summarized as:

• Second language learners become proficient in Basic Interpersonal

Communication years before becoming proficient in Cognitive Academic

Language.
 • The ease of understanding language depends on the context in which it

is used. Context-embedded Communication is easier to understand than

Context-reduced Communication.

• The ease of understanding language also depends on whether the

language is cognitively demanding or undemanding

Statement of the Problem

The proposed research aimed to determine the effectiveness of the

English language as a medium of instruction as perceived by the teachers of

Sultan Labay Moriatao-bae Technical Vocational School. Specifically, this

study sought to answer the following questions:

1.What is the profile of the respondents in terms of

a.Age

b.Gender

c.Subjects taught

d.HIghest Educational Attainment

2.What are the respondents’ perceptions regarding the effectiveness of the

English language as a medium of instruction?

3. Is there a significant relationship between the respondents’ profile and

their perception of the effectiveness of English as a medium of instruction?

Null Hypothesis
Ho1: There is no significant relationship between the respondents’ profile and

their perception of the effectiveness of English as a medium of instruction.

Conceptual Framework

This research aimed to investigate the effectiveness of English language

as medium of instruction among teachers at Sultan Labay Moriatao-bae High

School. The independent variables are the respondents’ age, gender,

highest educational attainment, and subjects handled while the dependent

variables were the respondents’ perceptions regarding English as a medium

of instruction. Pearson’s r was used to determine the relationships between

the study’s variables.

Independent Variables Dependent Variable

Profile of the
 Figure 1.

Schematic Diagram Showing the Variables of the Study

Scope and Limitations

This study limited itself to determining the effectiveness of the

English language as a medium of instruction as perceived by the teachers of

Sultan Labay Moriatao-bae Technical Vocational School. In addition to the part

of the questionnaire dealing with the respondents’ personal profile only the

relationship between the respondents’ profile and their perceptions towards

the effectiveness of English as a medium of instruction was probed. The study

also limited itself to using teachers as respondents since the topic dealt with

the effectiveness of English as a medium of instruction, which means that the

validity of the study would be compromised if the students were involved as

respondents..

Significance of the Study

This study hopes to be a valuable addition to the growing number of

studies regarding the English language and its effectiveness as a medium of

instruction, particularly those Filipino students in the secondary level. The

study will be of significance to curriculum planners, school administrators, and

English teachers since the results of the study may help them to conceptualize

and implement measures to improve English language instruction in rural

areas and learning among the students and help improve the quality of

instruction in English in the country, which in turn, will help students become

more competent and more confident users of the English language. For

teachers in other subjects, this study might be an eye opener for them because

they are not only there to teach the students in order to help them pass the

subjects; they are also there to help the students become more prepared for

the rigors of higher level instruction, also delivered in English. The results

might motivate them to improve their English skills as well. Students will

benefit from the improved instruction, and it is hoped that they also see the

need to improve their language skills in school so that they will become more
prepared for the demands of a more globalized workplace and become more

employable like their urban counterparts. Future researchers wishing to

conduct studies regarding English language anxiety will find this proposed

study a good reference.

Definition of Terms

The researcher found it necessary to define the following terms to help the

reader further understand the study.

English-medium Instruction (EMI): Refers to instruction of academic

subjects through the medium of English.

Perceptions: Refer to evaluative concepts encompassing opinions and beliefs.

Attitudes, opinions, beliefs, intentions, evaluative beliefs are interrelated

concepts that have been areas of study for social psychologists.

Instructional Process: Although instructional process is a broad term that

covers various aspects of instruction, within the boundaries of the present

study instructional process has been used to refer to learning of the subject

matter, linguistic skills and teacher’s teaching performance.

Secondary Education: Secondary education refers to education after the

elementary grades. In the Philippines, with the implementation of the K-12

 CHAPTER 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Related Literature

Language of instruction has been the topic of greatest controversy in the

education of English Language learners, and by far the most volatile issue has

been the use of English learner’s primary language for instruction: Should

English learners be taught skills in English which is just their second language

(ESL) from the onset of their schooling, or should they be taught academic

skills in their home language or their mother tongue? (Martin, 2010) There is

an alarming rate of students who get low grades in the content areas,

particularly in the subjects of Sciences and Mathematics.

Many studies have been conducted to know the different factors affecting

their level of achievements. One of these is the Language factor (Lopez, et al.

1995). Language ability of both the teacher and learner has been

acknowledged to pass potential and actual barriers to learning in all content

areas (Moralida, 1991). To understand the relationship between language

and the subject, one needs to know the main components of the language as it

is used in the classroom. In teaching any subject in the content area, a certain

mastery of the English language has to precede the understanding of the

subject. It is of great importance for teachers to evaluate the methods and

techniques used in the process of teaching his subject. In evaluating this

method, the first question in hand is: “Does the ability of speaking and

understanding English affect the achievement of my students?”

Exact scenario in schools most often shows that students perform poorly in

the content areas because of language barriers. The students tend to shy from

reciting and asking questions because of their limited vocabulary skills.

Results tend to support the use of the students’ native language to reinforce

concepts and skills and discuss difficulties as well as exploring the new

information being given under each new lesson.

English Medium Instruction

There appears to be a fast-moving worldwide shift, in non-anglophone

countries, from English being taught as a foreign language (EFL) to English

being the medium of instruction (EMI) for academic subjects such as science,

mathematics, geography and medicine. According to Dearden (2013) a

working definition of EMI is: The use of the English language to teach

academic subjects in countries or jurisdictions where the first language (L1) of

the majority of the population is not English.

This definition is important in that it provides a conceptual separation

between EMI and content and language integrated learning (CLIL). Whereas
CLIL is contextually situated (with its origins in the European ideal of

plurilingual competence for EU citizens), EMI has no specific contextual origin.

Whereas CLIL does not mention which second, additional or foreign language

(L2) academic subjects are to be studied in, EMI makes it quite clear that the

language of education is English, with all the geopolitical and sociocultural

implications that this may entail. Whereas CLIL has a clear objective of

furthering both content and language as declared in its title, EMI does not

(necessarily) have that objective.

EMI is increasingly being used in universities, secondary schools and even

primary schools. This phenomenon has very important implications for the

education of young people. Yet little empirical research has been conducted

into why and when EMI is being introduced and how it is delivered. We do

not know enough with regard to the consequences of using English rather than

the first language (L1) on teaching, learning, assessing, and teacher

professional development

An English-medium education system is one that uses English as the

primary medium of instruction—particularly where English is not the mother

tongue of the students.

A working knowledge of English is perceived as being valuable; for

example, English is very dominant in the world of computing. As a result, many

states throughout the world where English is not the predominant language

encourage or mandate the use of English as the normal medium of instruction.

 The medium of communication in the government especially in Philippine

schools has brought about confusion from the national officials down to the

common tao.

History points out that English has been used as the medium of instruction

since the American regime. In the 1935 Constitution, Tagalog was launched as

the national language. This constitutional mandate was followed by the

Bilingual Policy by virtue of Department of Education and Culture which

specified the use of the national language, Filipino, as the medium of

instruction in such domains as Work Education, Health Educational, Physical

Education, and Social Studies. Meanwhile, English was for the use in Science

and Mathematics and as a subject. Soon, this was superseded by Department

Order No. 52, series of 1987 which ordered the use of Filipino and English as

the media of instruction at all levels where the citizens are expected to possess

skills in English in order to meet the needs of the country in the community of

nations.

Pascasio (1981) gave this answer to the question of requiring English

competency among Filipino students:

“To majority of the educated Filipinos, the function of English is for

utilitarian purposes mainly in the domains of the school, business industry, and

the judiciary courts. It is the language of international relations for the

Philippines. It continues to be the language of worship. It is maintained as the

language of wider communication, of trade, as well as entertainment, and as

the language of instruction at all levels for Science, Technology, and

Mathematics as provided in the bilingual policy.”

 The need for English in world communication is given stress in the words

of Lyons (1983):

“Foreign students will have to interact with members of the host culture on

the superficial level of shops, restaurants, etc., and on the more important

academic levels of lectures, seminars, libraries, with professors in their offices

and laboratories, with their co-researchers, etc. There is a need to find some

way how they can make sufficient behavioral adaptations to attain their goals,

without compromising their cultural values.”

Some Philippine educators attribute the poor performance of students to

the fact that they have to study most of their subjects in the second language

such that several attempts have been made to utilize Filipino in all subject

areas especially Mathematics.

Philippine Education Policy on Bilingualism

The Department of Education Culture and Sports, consistent with the 1987

constitutional mandate, promulgated its policy on Bilingualism thru its

Department Orde r No. 52, s.1987. The policy states that “Bilingual Education

aims at the achievement of competence in both Filipino and English at the

national level, through the teaching of both languages and their use as media

of instruction at all levels.”

The goals of the Bilingual Education Policy shall be:

1. Enhanced learning through two languages to achieve quality education as

called for by the 1987 Constitution;

2. The propagation of Filipino as a language of literacy;

3. The development of Filipino as a linguistic symbol of national unity and

identity;

4. The cultivation and elaboration of Filipino as a language of scholarly

discourse, that is to say its continuing intellectualization; and the maintenance

of English as an international language for the Philippines and as a

non-exclusive language of science and technology.

In 1994, Republic Act No. 7722 (Higher Education Act of 1994) was signed

creating the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). This Act provides that

the CHED shall be independent and separate from the DECS and shall cover

both public and private institutions of higher education as well as

degree-granting programs in all post-secondary educational institutions, public

and private.

One of the first steps undertaken by CHED was to update the General

Education Curriculum of tertiary courses leading to an initial bachelor's degree.

The requirements of the new GEC are embodied in the CHED Memorandum

Order (CMO) No. 59, s. 1996. Listed under miscellaneous of this CMO is its

language policy which is as follows:

In consonance with the Bilingual Education Policy underlined in DECS Order

No. 52, Series of 1987, the following are the guidelines vis-a-vis medium of

instruction, to wit:

1. Language courses, whether Filipino or English, should be taught in that

language.

2. At the discretion of the HEI, Literature subjects may be taught in Filipino,

English or any other language as long as there are enough instructional

materials for the same and both students and instructors/professors are

competent in the language.Courses in the Humanities and Social Sciences

should preferably be taught in Filipino.

The above DECS and CHED policies on Bilingual Education aim at

teaching English in all levels of school to produce highly literate and skilled

workers without obstructing the growth and development of a common national

language.

Today these policies has succeeded not only in generating widespread

use of English as the medium of communication in government and business,

but also in maintaining Filipino as the medium of communication among

citizens speaking different languages.

Bilingualism and The EMI Trend

Among many trends for promoting English learning, establishing a

bilingual learning environment is particularly popular in the countries where

English is not the native language. Actually, many more children in the world

are educated in a second or foreign language in addition to their first language.

Bilingual education has been defined as “schooling provided fully or partly in a

second language with a view to making students proficient in the first language

and fully guaranteeing their educational development” (Stern, 1972:1). For

example, the Canadian Immersion Programs were the most highly acclaimed

language learning programs, and considered extremely efficient and

successful by many second language acquisition (SLA) researchers, teachers,

and parents (Brown, 1994; Cook, 2001). In keeping with the immersion

approach characterized by Swain & Lapkin (1982), instruction is given in the

target language from kindergarten on or else begins sometime during

elementary school. In the United States, with a multilingual population, the

integration of content and language has long been used both in content-based

instruction (CBI) and in bilingual education (BE) programs.

Many researchers have suggested that a second language is most

successfully acquired when the conditions are similar to those present in first

language acquisition (Krashen, 1982; Krashen & Terrell, 1983; Long, 1990;

Lightbown & Spada, 2006; Swain, 2000). Although BE is still controversial,

research has clearly revealed that it is at least as efficient as monolingual

education when properly implemented. Originally intended as an “European

need” for the development of plurilingual and pluricultural competence of the

future European citizens, the pedagogical approach of Content and Language

Integrated Learning (CLIL) was created which combined and stressed both

content subject learning and acquisition of an additional language (Coyle,

2002; Marsh, 2002; Darn, 2006). English Medium Instruction (EMI) as a most

dominant mode of CLIL has since been widely implemented and promoted

throughout the world as business communication and academic exchange are

becoming increasingly globalized. Previous literature contextualized mostly in

different educational levels of European countries has presented both

favorable effects (Alonso, Grisalena & Campo, 2008; Dalton-Puffer, Huttner,

Schindelegger & Smit, 2009; Infante, Benvenuto & Lastrucci, 2008;

Loreanc-Paszylk, 2007, 2009; Lorenzo, Casal & 145 Moore, 2010; Zabore,

2008) as well as less than favorable effects (Airey, 2009) of CLIL learners’

productive skills, receptive skills, and lexical richness. EMI programs and

projects have also been mushrooming beyond the European territory shortly
after a trial period of CLIL and its variant modes in Europe. For example, a

number of CLIL studies conducted in Asian contexts (Lee & Chang, 2008;

Mackenzie, 2008; Marsh & Hood, 2008; Sasajima, Ikeda, Hemmi, & Reilly,

2011), for example, presented rather conservative and apprehensive

perspectives of the CLIL approach in terms of teacher readiness and its

replacement of the conventional approach, while recognizing the relative

advantages of CLIL as a means to intriguing motivation, developing multiple

intelligences, and showing relevance of English in the global educational

setting.

Related Studies

Warden and Lin’s (1998) study of Taiwanese students’ attitudes made use

of the Likert type scale combined with open-ended questions. The study

revealed that the past learning processes affected the perspectives in English

learning and the fears of the students. Since the study was conducted among

non-EFL majors, the findings show that different language skills, teaching

methods, interests and outlook affect the attitudes of the students towards the

English language. The study suggested the adoption of a variety of methods

that would meet the needs of the teachers and students.Using direct and

indirect measures of attitude (subjective vitality questionnaire and a

matched-guise instrument), El-Dash and Busnardo (2001) conducted a study

on Brazilian attitudes toward English. Results reveal that the majority of

adolescents favor English to the Portuguese language in terms of status and

solidarity. Favoring the English language over the native Portuguese is

attributed to the general perception of English as a prestigious international

language and as symbolic use among adolescent peer group.

In the field of reading, a study by Kamhi-Stein (2003b) suggests that the

reader’s views of their home language and beliefs about reading may play an

important role in reading. In her study of college readers in Spanish and

English, findings show that attitudes seem to affect the reading behavior of the

participants.

In a third study conducted by Borromeo-Samonte (1981) on the attitudes

of Filipino college students towards English, results show that the students

favor English. The students’ attitudes were influenced by their integrative

motivation as they can easily identify themselves with the culture. Student

performance and attitudes were influenced by motivation. The study also

showed that the attitudes were conditioned by the choice of

profession/vocation, age, teacher influence and peer group influence.

Similar studies in the Philippines made by Amamio (2000) on attitudes of

students, teachers and parents toward English and Filipino as media of

instruction provided an interesting comparison. Students and teachers prefer

the use of English as the medium of instruction with the teachers finding

English as a more comfortable language for explaining ideas and concepts.

Teachers further noted that English is an intellectualized language and a

valuable tool to source information technology. However, the parents preferred

Filipino because “it is a language in which they can think and express

themselves” and it is a language that they understand and through which they

themselves are better understood.In sum, research regarding language

attitudes has yielded information that is valuable in determining the language

to be used as the medium of instruction. It would benefit the teachers and the

policy makers to identify the attitudes of teachers towards the language they

use in their fields of specialization

Belhiah and El-Hami’s study explores the effectiveness of English as a

medium of instruction (EMI) in the Arabian/Persian Gulf, with special focus on

the situation in the United Arab Emirates. The study, undertaken at six

universities located in major cities of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Al Ain, Sharjah, Ajman,

and Ras Al Khaimah, examines students’ and teachers’ perceptions about the

use of English to teach subject matter. A total of 500 students and 100

teachers responded via survey questionnaires and structured interviews about

the effectiveness of EMI. Results suggest that the current EMI situation leaves

much to be desired with students struggling to learn the subject matter due to

their low-proficiency in English. This paper suggests implementing a bilingual

curriculum in which instruction is delivered in English and Arabic in order to

enhance students’ linguistic and biliteracy skills. The study has implications for

language education policy issues in the Gulf and advocates bilingual education

as a means to improving students’ mastery of English, while preserving their

national identity and indigenous culture.

 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

Research Design

The proposed research was descriptive correlation in terms of design

since it attempted to obtain data from the chosen research instrument.

Research Locale

The study was conducted in Sultan Labay Moriatao-bae Technical

Vocational High School in Masiu, Lanao del Sur. It is one of the leading

public schools in the area, producing graduates geared to pursue jobs and

careers in the technical-vocational sector.

Respondents

The respondents for this proposed study were the high school teachers of

Sultan Labay Moriatao-bae Technical Vocational High School in Masiu, Lanao

del Sur.who are teaching in Academic Year 2017-2018. Only 30 teachers

were chosen,. They were considered because they were the only ones willing

to become the respondents for the study and they reported using English as a

medium of instruction in their classrooms.

Sampling Procedure

The research sample will be obtained using purposive sampling, because

the respondents were from a deliberately or purposely chosen group. It was

intended that all of the teachers in the school would be chosen as respondents

however only ten expressed their willingness to be respondents; the rest were

reluctant to participate.
Instrument

For this study, a self made questionnaire was used. The first part

contained questions about the personal profile of the respondents while the

second part contained Likert scale questions that intended to obtain the

respondents’ perceptions on the effectiveness of English as a medium of

instruction in their school. To ensure the validity of the instrument, it was tested

on twenty non-respondents in another school. Before the questionnaire was

administered, the respondents were briefly oriented on how it was to be

answered. Help was given when needed during the conduct of the survey.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers first obtained permission from the Principal of the school

to conduct the study. At the same time, the researcher obtained permission

from the teachers to be the respondents. The teachers when then briefly

oriented about the study and the questionnaire. The questionnaires were

administered and retrieved the same day. The data was tabulated, analyzed

and interpreted, after which conclusions and recommendations were drawn.

Methods and Tools of Data Analysis

Frequency and percentage were used to tabulate the data for presentation

and interpretation, while weighted mean was used to determine the extent of

effectiveness of English as perceived by the respondents. Finally, Pearson’s r

was used to determine the relationships between the variables.

 CHAPTER 4

PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS, AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter presents and discusses the gathered data, its analysis and

interpretation. The presentation is arranged according to the order given in

the Statement of the Problem.

Respondents’ Profile

There were only ten (10) teachers in the local, all handling Grade 9/3rd

Year who participated in the study as respondents. The researchers had

difficulty securing respondents perhaps because the teachers were not feeling

confident enough to participate.

TABLE 1

Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Respondents According

To Their Sex or Gender

Sex/Gender FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

MALE 23 77%
FEMALE 7 23%
TOTAL 30 100%

Table 1 indicates the frequency distribution and percentage of the sex and

gender of the respondents. As revealed, majority or 77% of the respondents

were female while 7 or 23% of the respondents were females. In short, it can

be implied that there are more women teachers than males especially in the

lower levels of the academic ladder. This is not surprising since this is also

the case in other researches. Teaching is often considered as a feminine line

of work because of the patience it entails. In addition, society views teaching

as suitable for females because females are often thought of as more nurturing

and caring, qualities that go well with teaching.

It can also be implied that since females are also perceived to be good with

language, it can be predicted that female teachers have positive perceptions

regarding the use of English as a medium of instruction.

TABLE 2
Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Respondents
According to Age

Age FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

21-25 5 17%
26-30 10 33%
31-35 9 30%
35 and above 6 20%
TOTAL 30 100%

Table 2 reveals the ages of the respondents. It can be seen from the

table that 17% or 5 respondents were between 21-25 years old, while 33% or

10 of the respondents had ages between 26-30 years old. Another 30% of

the respondents were between 31-35 years old while still another20% were

between 35 and above years old. The finding implies that the teachers of the

school are of varied ages, from the young to the old, with many between 26-30
years old. This can imply that most of the teachers in the school have had

much teaching experience as evidenced by their ages.

TABLE 3
Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Respondents
According to Subjects Handled

Subject FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

English 10 33%
Mathematics 5 17%
Science 6 20%
TLE 9 30%
TOTAL 30 100%

Table 3 shows the subjects handled by the respondents in the Sultan

Labay Moriatao-bae Technical Vocational High School. As shown on the

table 33% of the respondents handled English subjects while 17% handled

mathematics. This is followed by 20% of the respondents who were science

teachers while the remaining 30% were Technical and Livelihood Education

teachers. The data implies that there are more English teachers included in the

sample, and this will give an interesting finding regarding their perception on

the effectiveness of English as a medium of instruction. It is to be taken note

that Filipino teachers were not considered as respondents as they do not use
English as their medium of instruction in their classrooms. The same also

goes for the Arabic teachers.

TABLE 4
Frequency and Percentage Distribution of the Respondents
According to Highest Educational Attainment

Sex/Gender FREQUENCY PERCENTAGE

BS/AB 10 33%
CPRT 9 30%
MA/MSc 11 36%
TOTAL 30 100%

Table 4 shows the educational attainment of the respondents. As can be

seen on the above table, 33% of the respondents are holders of Bachelor of

Science or Bachelor of Arts degrees while 30% are holders of Certificates of

Professional Teaching. The remaining 36% are holders of Master’s degrees.

None had doctoral units or degrees.

The data implies that while there were master’s degree holders in the

school faculty, there seems to be not so much interest in getting PhDs unlike in

other institutions where it is seen as a ticket to career advancement, and

hence usually most teachers are eager and determined to get their higher

degrees since they would want to be promoted.

Effectiveness of English as A Medium of Instruction

The respondents answered a questionnaire which sought to obtain their

perceptions regarding the effectiveness of English as a medium of instruction.

Their responses are contained in the tables below.

 Table 5
Mean, Rank and Descriptive rating of the Respondents in terms of
Effectiveness of English As A Medium of Instruction: As A Teacher Using
the Language in Class

Indicator Mea Standar Descriptive

n d Rating
Deviati
on
Since I’m in a high school classroom, I try 3.39 0.790 Always
my best to use English when I teach
inside the classroom.
My lesson plans are almost always in 3.18 0.770 Often
English.
I encourage my students to answer me in 3.17 0.779 Often
English during oral recitations.
I encourage my students to use English to 3.11 0.827 Often
answer their quizzes.
I praise my students whenever they take 3.10 0.772 Often
the effort to use English.
My teaching materials that I use in class 3.05 0.845 Often
are mostly in English.
I take steps to improve my level of 3.02 0.829 Often
English.
I instruct my students to write their 2.98 0.974 Often
assignments in English.
I encourage my students to use English 2.50 0.905 Seldom
outside the classroom.
I encourage students to make use of 2.29 0.742 Seldom
reading/Internet materials to add to their
learning.
Average Mean 2.93 Often

Scaling;
3.25 – 4.00  Always
2.52 – 3.27  Often
1.76 – 2.51  Seldom
1.00 – 1.75  Never

Table 5 shows the mean and descriptive rating of the teachers’

perceptions of the effectiveness of English as a medium of instruction in terms

of their use of it as a classroom teacher. It can be seen that the respondents

always try to use English to teach their classes (M=3.39, SD= 0.790), while the
other indicators that garnered means and standard deviations that were

descriptively rated as “often” indicates or implies that the teachers in the study

often encouraged students to use English in class during oral recitations, often

encouraged students to write their assignments and quizzes in English, and

often praised them for using English in class. They often use teaching

materials in English, often write their lesson plans in English, and often try to

improve their level of command of the language. However, it can also be

implied, based on the data on the table, that they seldom encouraged the

students to use English outside the classroom and seldom have them access

or use materials in English from books or the Internet to supplement their

learning. The average mean for this set of indicators is 2.93 with a descriptive

rating of “often.”

Based on the data, it can be implied further that the teachers perceive that

for them, as teachers in the classroom, English as a medium of instruction is

often effective for them, since they have indicated that they often use the

language in planning their lessons and teaching their classes. The results in

the present study reflect the results of the study conducted by Amamio (2000)

on attitudes of students, teachers and parents toward English and Filipino as

media of instruction provided an interesting comparison. Students and

teachers prefer the use of English as the medium of instruction with the

teachers finding English as a more comfortable language for explaining ideas

and concepts. Teachers further noted that English is an intellectualized

language and a valuable tool to source information technology.

However, it is also interesting to note that they seldom encouraged their

students to look for or read additional materials in their subjects that are in
English and also seldom encouraged students to use the language outside the

classroom, I.e., the hallways, school grounds, or even at home. This can be

explained by the fact that the school’s location is in a rural, far-flung area in the

second district in Lanao del Sur, there is very little access to additional books

for reading or even Internet access. Most of the families there may not be

able to afford these things for their children. Then there is the fact that very

often, the only opportunity for these students to use English is in the

classrooms. Other than teachers and school officials, there is almost no one to

communicate in English with in the area.

Table 6
Mean, Rank and Descriptive rating of the Respondents in terms of
Effectiveness of English As A Medium of Instruction: Impact on the
Students

Mean Standard Descriptive

Deviation Rating
Indicator
I feel that my students are having a 3.33 0.766 Strongly Agree
hard time understanding their lessons
if I use English all the time in class.
My students ask me to translate my 3.21 0.978 Agree
instructions for quizzes, assignments,
etc.
My students are having difficulty 3.16 0.982 Agree
doing well in class because of the
language barrier, they aren’t ready to
do academic work in English
Students need extra learning in 3.02 0.876 Agree
English to help them perform well in
class.
My students are having difficulties 2.96 0.974 Agree
absorbing the subject matter and the
textbook/reading material because
they are poor in English.
My students have difficulties in 2.96 1.091 Agree
discussing the subject matter in class
using English.
My students use Meranao when they 2.88 1.066 Agree
feel they cannot express themselves
in English anymore.
My students need to exert extra effort 2.86 1.064 Agree
to improve their English.
My students are not happy when I ask 2.58 1.037 Agree
them to answer my questions in
English.
My students are improving in terms of 2.35 1.226 Strongly
English proficiency. Disagree
Average Mean 2.90 Agree

Scaling;
3.25 – 4.00  Strongly Agree
2.52 – 3.27  Agree
1.76 – 2.51  Disagree
1.00 – 1.75  Strongly DIsagree

Table 6 shows the mean, standard deviation, and descriptive ratings of the

respondents’ perceptions of the effectiveness of English as a medium of

instruction in terms of its impact on the students. As can be seen on the table,

the respondents strongly agreed with the statement “I feel that my students are

having a hard time understanding their lessons if I use English all the time in

class” (M= 3.33, SD= 0.766). This is followed by them agreeing with the

statements that indicate that they have to translate instructions and directions

into the vernacular from English, they feel that their students are not ready to

do academic work in English, their students are not happy that they are made

to answer questions in English, their students turn to the vernacular when they
cannot express themselves anymore, among others. However, they strongly

disagreed that their students are improving in terms of using the English

language despite using it as a medium of instruction. The average mean for

this set of indicators is 2.90 described as “Agree.”

The results have many implications. Firstly, the data points out that the

respondents’ students do not the level of English that is need to both survive in

an all-English environment as well as to successfully do academic tasks in

school. Their agreeing that their students need extra reinforcements to their

learning the language also points out to the difficulties of the students in

English.

It can be also implied that Mother Tongue Based Learning should have

happened first to these students in their primary years. Cummins’ Theory

explains that, by using the first language as the medium of instruction,

bilinguals can easily learn and acquire academic skills. It also emphasized the

purpose of language proficiency assessment in bilingual education which is

the placement of students to classes taught through the language which will

best promote learning. This theory supports the idea that with the use of

instructional medium the students could easily learn and there is a high

possibility that the students could understand better and it results to a high

performance of the students. By mastering the concepts using their first

language, then it is possible that there will be no difficulty of transfer of

knowledge once the students learn a second language, in this case, English.

The results also suggest that in terms of English, the students of the

teachers in the sample lack both BICS and CALP. Basic Interpersonal
Communications skills (BICS) and Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency

(CALP) are what a student needs to have in order to survive inside and outside

the classroom. The students of the teachers in the study did not perhaps have

the opportunities needed by them in order to obtain BICS and CALP, and so,

at the secondary level, they are having difficulties in school tasks.

Research has shown that the average student can develop conversational

fluency within two to five years. Developing fluency in more technical,

academic language can take from four to seven years depending on many

variables such as language proficiency level, age and time of arrival at school,

level of academic proficiency in the native language, and the degree of support

provided. In the case of the respondents’ students, they have not been able to

develop a good level of proficiency in English because so many of the

abovementioned variables are missing or are not present.

Exact scenario in schools most often shows that students perform poorly in

the content areas because of language barriers. The students tend to shy from

reciting and asking questions because of their limited vocabulary skills.

Results tend to support the use of the students’ native language to reinforce

concepts and skills and discuss difficulties as well as exploring the new

information being given under each new lesson.

 Table 7
Relationship Between Respondents’ Profile and Perceptions of the
Effectiveness of English as A Medium of Instruction As A Teacher

Relationship Pearson’s r p-value Remarks

0.064 0.657 Not
Age significan
t
Peerceptions of 0.045 0.755 Not
Gender significan
Effectiveness of
English as A t
Medium of 0.252 0.078 Not
Subjects Handled significan
Instruction: As
Teacher t
0.017 0.907 Not
Highest Educational significan
Attainment t

Table 7 shows the results of the hypothesis testing which sought to

determine the relationship between respondents’ profile and perceptions of the

effectiveness of English as a medium of instruction. As shown on the table, it

can be seen that all p-values are greater than 0.05 level of significance. Hence,

it can be said that there is no significant relationship between the respondents’

profile and perceptions of the effectiveness of English as a medium of

instruction. The null hypothesis is not rejected.

The finding implies that the aspects of the teachers’ profile covered in this

study do not have a bearing with the respondents’ perceptions regarding trhe

effectiviness of English as a medium of instruction. It is the up to future

researchers to include aspects of the profile not included in the present study

to find out if these have a bearing on the variable.

 Table 8
Relationship Between Respondents’ Profile and Perceptions of the
Effectiveness of English as A Medium of Instruction: Impact on Students

Relationship Pearson’s r p-value Remarks

0.088 0.517 Not
Age significan
t
Peerceptions of 0.054 0.732 Not
Effectiveness of Gender significan
English as A t
Medium of 0.252 0.078 Not
Instruction: Subjects Handled significan
Impact on t
Students 0.025 0.644 Not
Highest Educational significan
Attainment t

Table 8 shows the results of the hypothesis testing which sought to

determine the relationship between respondents’ profile and perceptions of the

effectiveness of English as a medium of instruction. As shown on the table, it

can be seen that all p-values are greater than 0.05 level of significance. Hence,

it can be said that there is no significant relationship between the respondents’

profile and perceptions of the effectiveness of English as a medium of

instruction in terms of its impact on the students.. The null hypothesis is not

rejected.

The finding implies that the aspects of the teachers’ profile covered in this

study do not have a bearing with the respondents’ perceptions regarding tthe
effectiveness of English as a medium of instruction in terms of its impact on the

students. It is the up to future researchers to include aspects of the profile not

included in the present study to find out if these have a bearing on the variable.

CHAPTER V

SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS, AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary

The research aimed to determine the effectiveness of the English

language as a medium of instruction as perceived by the teachers of Sultan

Labay Moriatao-bae Technical Vocational School.

Thirty teachers in the chosen locale served as the study’s respondents.

They filled out a self made questionnaire that served as the primary source of

the data. The study used descriptive correlation as its research

design.Frequency and percentage, weighted mean, and Pearson’s r were

used to statistically treat the gathered data from the research instrument.

Findings

The results of the study yielded the following findings:

1. Majority of the respondents are female (77%).

 2. Many (33%) of the respondents are within the age ranges of 26-30

years old.

3. Many (33%) of the respondents are English teachers.

4. Many (36%) are holders of MA/MSc degrees, while none had finished

PhDs.

5. Regarding their perception of English as a medium of instruction as

teachers in the classroom, the respondents’ answer point to their wide use on

the language in conducting their classes and related activities.

6. Regarding their perception of English as a medium of instruction

focusing on the impact on their students, the respondents’ answer point to

their wide use on the language in conducting their classes and related

activities.the difficulty of their students in using the language in the classroom

and related activities.

7. It was found that there was no significant relationship between the

respondents’ profile and their perception of English as a medium of instruction

as teachers in the classroom.

8. It was found that there was no significant relationship between the

respondents’ profile and their perception of English as a medium of instruction

specifically its impact on their students.

Conclusions
 Based on the results of the study, it was concluded that, for this study, and

for this particular set of respondents, English as a medium of instruction is not

that effective. Many factors here come into consideration, because based on

the respondents’ responses, the students do not have the level of BICS and

CALP in English to do academic tasks which is why the respondents observed

that the students are having a hard time in their classes. Further research is

needed to substantiate these claims for this set of respondents.

Recommendations

In the light of the findings and conclusions, the researcher recommends

further in-depth research investigating the matter, particularly with a view to

conducting remedial and enrichment activities in order to alleviate the problem.

The researchers recommend the following in particular:

1. A study using aspects of the teachers’ profile not covered in the research.

2. A study using the same concept but with a different set of respondents.

3. A study comparing the perceptions of teachers from both public and private

schools regarding the effectiveness of English as a medium of instruction.

4. A study on the same lines but using students as respondents.