TITLE: Exploring The Challenges In Communication among University Tun Hussain Onn

Malaysia, UTHM Third Year Students.

SUBJECT ENGLISH FOR TECHNICAL PURPOSES

SUBJECT CODE UHB30102

FACULTY OF MECHANICAL AND MANUFACTURING

FACULTY
ENGINEERING (FKMP)

1) MUHAMMAD MUNAWWAR BIN

HAZRI CD160091
2) MUHAMMAD LUTIFILHADI BIN
STUDENT NAME CD160103
ISSEK
& 3) MUHAMMAD AIMRAN BIN IBRAHIM CD160085
4) LUQMANULHAKIM BIN MOHD
MATRIX NUMBER CD160027
HAZMAN
5) MOHAMAD SYAZWAN BIN CD160057
MOHAMAD ZAKARIA

SECTION SECTION 28

LECTURER NAME Dr SARALA @ THULASI A/P PALPANADAN

SUBMISSION DATE 23/10/2018

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

Communicating in English has become a prerequisite factor in both academy and

profession. The important of English language is due to its massive use in global
communication. The status of English as a second language in Malaysia has indeed influenced
the students’ proficiency and attitude towards the language. Although, the English curriculum
has integrated the four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking for the students to
employer since they are in a primary school until university, errors and mistakes are still
produced during the application of the language.

In higher education, English language proficiency specifically to the engineering students

is defined as ability of student to make use of the English language to speak among their ‘circle’
at university studies. English language proficiency has become an important issue in Malaysian
higher education due to awareness of the role of English language ability in employment
outcomes. Even though, Malaysian citizens had linkage towards English language due to the
historical of Malaysia has been colonized by British, majority of the Malaysian people estimated
an increase in unemployment due to their poor command of English language especially in
speaking when having an interview with the employer.

In order to start this language transformation on Malaysian students, this research will
focus on revealing that there are minority third year students among Faculty of Mechanical and
Manufacturing (FKMP) in University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) is weak to speak in
English. Speaking can be realized as the most common way to convey the message to others
and the ability to communicate effectively is a basic requirement which needs to be taken
seriously in English education. (Azadi et.al 2015). The data will show some of students is still
not fulfilled the requirement of university to graduate their bachelor degree studies in band three
for their Malaysian University English Test (MUET).
1.2 Statement of the Problem

This research is undertaken to find solutions to the following problems. The first
statement of problem is the problem among students by using grammatically correct
language. The majority of students stated that the English teachers are not well-trained so
they cannot perform well to attract the interest of the student. The curriculum is
inappropriate for helping students to improve their English proficiency

Secondly, the statement of problem is speaking fluently. It has been generally well-
known that most people faced some problems in learning English as a second or foreign
language in non-English speaking countries; for example, in Malaysia. Students lack of
English foundation background. Student’s lack of confidence to use English because they
are afraid of mistakes and shy feeling. Students are not well-motivated, encouraged and
gained learning strategy.

Thirdly is using varied vocabulary and expressions among the students. As we

know, varied vocabulary and expressions among the students among Malaysian students
occur when there is insufficient knowledge to interact in the English language. Most
students do not use English in the intermediate language. Therefore, varied vocabulary and
expressions are not convincing. Even if using English to communicate, students are using
Basic English and rarely use the use of higher sentences due to lack of practice in everyday
conversations. Furthermore, students do not practice speaking English with English native
speakers.

1.3 Objectives

1.3.1 To identify the ways to improve the speaking among third year students Faculty of
Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering students at University Tun Hussain
Onn Malaysia, UTHM.
1.3.2 To investigate the problem in speaking among third year students Faculty of
Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering students at University Tun Hussain
Onn Malaysia, UTHM.
1.4 Significance of the Study

English language skill has become an important issue in Malaysian higher

education due in part to a delicate awareness of the role of English language ability in
employment outcomes. English language skill for the university students is describe as
the ability of a student to make use of the language to communicate in spoken and written
contexts while completing their university studies. Speaking of English language actually
helps the student to develop their world and understanding. It also helps in the improving
the opportunities to learn different aspects of education and also gives you the ability to
relate people from all over the world. The English language gives students access to
information and research. Since many of the top academic journals are published in
English, students and academics need strong English reading and writing skills.
Moreover, for a research study or other publication to get sufficient attention, it should be
published in English.

The importance of this research is definitely gives the statistics result of the
communicative challenge such as speaking in UTHM. The project can show how many
students are capable to communicate in English. Besides, with gaining the self-reflections
of the students, this study progresses shows about how they react and respond to the
English communicative skill. It also focuses on English languages which is contribution
and institutional measures in establishing environment inside the campus. The
investigation will contribute for third year student of mechanical faculty (FKMP). The
sample of study is about 50 students. The result of the respondent, we can know the
universities of the fundamental nature of language in learning and academic achievement
for all students. Furthermore, students entering the universities need to be capable in
English in order to have a better edge in the job market and be better prepared to meet the
challenges of globalization.
1.5 Limitation of the study

There are some limitations during our study of UTHM Third Year Students at
Exploring the Challenges in Communication among University Tun Hussein Onn
Malaysia. Among the limitation that occurred was the results collected from the
questionnaires were not necessarily accurate because the answers resulted from the answers
were not precise.

Time constraints that impact our research is the time spent in this study is so limited.
Instrument used for this research is a questionnaires form of 50 students comprising of 3rd
year mechanical engineering students. This happens because of the time constraints
between us and the respondents. Due to the short time constraints during our review period
this data collection cannot be done as best as possible.

In addition, the different faculties and classes of each subject also influence the
collection of data in this study. This is because of the distance factor and also there are
various tasks, test, and reports and so on among the respondents among the factors that
occur.
1.6 Definition of terms

1.6.1 Engineering

Engineering means the branch of science and technology concerned with the design,
building, and use of engines, machines, and structures.

1.6.2 Communicative

Communicative means willing, eager, or able to talk or impart information.

Communicative also relating to the conveyance or exchange of information.

1.6.3 Undergraduates

Undergraduate means a university student who has not yet taken a first degree.

1.6.4 Research

Research is a systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to
establish facts and reach new conclusions.

1.6.5 Communication skills

Communication skills means the ability to convey or share ideas and feelings effectively.
Communication skills also mean the facility of speakers or writers to inform, persuade, or
motivate particular audiences.

1.6.6 Oral

Oral means relating to the mouth to spoken rather than written; verbal
1.6.7 Industry

Industry means economic activity concerned with the processing of raw materials and
manufacture of goods in factories or a particular form or branch of economic or commercial
activity.

1.6.8 Competency

Competency means the ability to do something successfully or efficiently or the legal

authority of a court or other body to deal with a particular matter.

1.6.9 Language

Language means the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting
of the use of words in a structured and conventional way or a system of communication
used by a particular country or community.

1.6.10 Communication environment

Communication environment means refers to the study and practice of how individuals,
institutions, societies, and cultures craft, distribute, receive, understand, and use messages
about the environment and human interactions with the environment.

1.6.11 Socio-pragmatic purposes

Socio-pragmatic purposes is a subfield of linguistics and semiotics that studies the ways in
which context contributes to meaning. Pragmatics encompasses speech act theory,
conversational implicate, talk in interaction and other approaches to language behavior in
philosophy, sociology, linguistics and anthropology
1.6.12 Clarification

Clarification means the action of making a statement or situation less confused and more
comprehensible.

1.7 Procedure

1.7.1 Research Design

For this research project, we will carry out an approach on questionnaire; this type
of approach is a series of questions that will be uses for gathering information that benefit
a single individual. Questionnaire that will be uses is a list of a survey questions that consist
of major and minor problems about the challenge in speaking communication that surround
the students in everyday life. This questionnaire will serve four basic purposes to our
research. The first is to collect the appropriate data, second is to make data comparable and
amenable to analysis, third is to minimize bias in formulating and asking question, and last
one is to make conclusion from the data that will be analyze.

In order to examine the English-speaking problems among students of third year

from Faculty of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, questionnaire will mainly be
use is this research. Questionnaires will be distributed in hard copy form to third year
students from Faculty of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering. Thus, this research
provided opportunities for students to express their lack in English-speaking problems
through options that will be given in the questionnaire.
1.7.2 Population and Sample of the Study

The population of this study will be conduct at University Tun Hussein Onn which
is located to south of Johor of peninsular Malaysia at Parit Raja which is about 25
kilometers away from Batu Pahat city. The sample for this research project will be focus
on students of third year from Faculty of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and
their ages among 21 to 24 years old. Total of third year students from Faculty of
Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering is around 300 students, but for some limitation
that cannot be avoid, we will narrow down our sample to 50 students. Each one of the
students will fill up the questionnaire form that are given to them.